WR Victor Cruz
October 21, 2016
Q: Are we going to see the salsa this week?
A: That is the plan, man. Every week it is the plan, to get into the end zone and do some good things for my team.
Q: How did that come about?
A: I am half Puerto Rican. I am Puerto Rican and African American and my grandmother, I grew up with her a lot and she was the one who taught me how to dance. She would pick me up in the living room all the time, dancing to music and that is where it happened. Once I got to the NFL I kind of wanted -- everyone has their signature thing that they do or whatever they do in the end zone, and I wanted to have something like that, so I chose the salsa.
Q: You were asked in the summer if an NFL franchise in London was viable. You have now done the trip twice for work. What do you think now?
A: I don't think it is that bad. I think that the flight in itself is similar to flying to Los Angeles from the New York, New Jersey area, six hours. The only difference is your body clock, adjusting to that time frame and adjusting to that difference in time, but I think it is doable and I think it is just a matter of schematically how the NFL decides to do it.
Q: Has the Josh Brown news affected the team?
A: I think initially it has. It affects all of us because we hear the news and we are shocked by it and taken aback, but you have to understand that everyone has a job to do and we are out here to play football. I don't think that it has bothered us too much. I think that we are focused on the task at hand.
Q: The last couple of teams that played the week after London without a bye have won their game. Do you think that is significant in sort of taking the next step with the London games?
A: I think so. I think obviously the league is definitely taking an approach to build a fan base here and figure out in the long run to put a team here at some point and I think that was a stepping stone. Obviously, I would prefer the bye after a lengthy trip like this, but we will see how it goes and we will see where it takes us, but I think that was an early step forward.
Q: It is no secret that Odell Beckham is a very emotional player. What can you teach him as a veteran about staying in control during games?
A: He plays with his heart on his sleeve, like we all do, but it is just a matter of containing that emotion and making it positive.
Q: What is the deal with him and the net?
A: I don't know. You have to ask him that.
Q: Do you think that a trip like this can really show what a team is made of?
A: I think it does. The biggest thing for me on a trip like this is building that team comradery. I think you are really going to find out a lot about this team as far as toughness, as far as who we are. We spend a lot of time together on this trip and you just get to know each other better and I think it will bring us closer and in turn make us a better football team.
Q: What do you know about rugby and how excited are you to play at the home of English rugby on Sunday?
A: I know that this is the first NFL game in a rugby stadium and I know that rugby is an interesting sport. I just recently saw a clip of a small child, well he wasn't small, he was rather bigger than all the other kids and he was knocking everybody over. I don't know if you all saw that clip. But that is as much as I know about rugby to be honest with you. But I am excited to play at Twickenham Stadium and excited to play some football in a place that is relatively known for rugby.
Q: Not many rugby games in Paterson?
A: Not many rugby games. At least we didn't call it rugby.
Q: Kill the guy with the ball.
A: Exactly. Get him on the ground as quickly as possible. But rugby is an interesting sport and one that I have obviously gotten to know more as we have gotten to play here, so I am excited to know more about it.
Q: Have any of your teammates seen a rugby game?
A: If I had to guess, no. Maybe a few have seen it, maybe the few times that it has been played on television back home and thing like that. But we definitely understand how big of a sport it is here in Europe and we definitely have a lot of respect for it.
Q: Can imagine playing without pads?
A: No, I can't imagine that. Especially with that high velocity contact and hitting each other and things like that, I need to be protected at all times.
Q: This group of receivers on the Giants has a couple great young guys. Is this the best receiving groups you have been a part of?
A: It is tough to say. I was part of one that won a Super Bowl, but I think that right now we definitely have the talent to do so. Sterling Shepard is a tremendously talented wide receiver, as well as Odell Beckham and I think obviously on paper right now we definitely have all the intangibles to make it there, but we just have to take it one week at a time. But I do believe that this receiving corps is a pretty good bunch.
