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Friday, May 2
Peppers says he's more careful after suspension
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Associated Press
Carolina Panthers: Julius Peppers was quiet as a rookie, but it appears he's even more guarded now that he's back from an NFL suspension that ended his first season four games early.
"I watch everything I do around everybody,'' Peppers said Friday, as he returned to the practice field for the Panthers' first minicamp. "I'm a lot more cautious about everything.''
Peppers took a dietary supplement given to him by someone he considered a friend. The pill was illegal and Peppers was suspended for the last month of the season. The time was humbling for him. But one thing's sure: he's certain he won't be used again.
"It's not paranoid, I'm careful how I choose my friends,'' he said. "The people hanging around, I'm always trying to figure out what their motives are, why are they hanging around, I'm watching their moves.''
He doesn't want sympathy for his mistake, nor does he want to be viewed as a naive kid who was given too much too soon and later exploited.
Instead, he wants to focus on the upcoming season.
"The suspension was my fault, I did do that -- I took that thing,'' he emphasized. "But all that's in the past. I'm back for the 2003 season.''
He had 12 sacks last season, helping to dramatically improve Carolina's defense. He helped the Panthers go from 1-15 the season before he arrived to 7-9 in 2002; the defense went from an open-door policy to a stingy unit that ranked second in the NFL.
Peppers didn't watch any games while he was suspended, catching highlights only after the fact. Instead, he used his free time staying in shape and hitting the weight room.
Carolina coach John Fox said the full year away from the basketball court has probably added to Peppers' 6-foot-6, 283-lb. frame.
>> this guy sounds like he is taking the right approach. The more I read about him...or don't the better I like him.
Peppers says he's more careful after suspension
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press
Carolina Panthers: Julius Peppers was quiet as a rookie, but it appears he's even more guarded now that he's back from an NFL suspension that ended his first season four games early.
"I watch everything I do around everybody,'' Peppers said Friday, as he returned to the practice field for the Panthers' first minicamp. "I'm a lot more cautious about everything.''
Peppers took a dietary supplement given to him by someone he considered a friend. The pill was illegal and Peppers was suspended for the last month of the season. The time was humbling for him. But one thing's sure: he's certain he won't be used again.
"It's not paranoid, I'm careful how I choose my friends,'' he said. "The people hanging around, I'm always trying to figure out what their motives are, why are they hanging around, I'm watching their moves.''
He doesn't want sympathy for his mistake, nor does he want to be viewed as a naive kid who was given too much too soon and later exploited.
Instead, he wants to focus on the upcoming season.
"The suspension was my fault, I did do that -- I took that thing,'' he emphasized. "But all that's in the past. I'm back for the 2003 season.''
He had 12 sacks last season, helping to dramatically improve Carolina's defense. He helped the Panthers go from 1-15 the season before he arrived to 7-9 in 2002; the defense went from an open-door policy to a stingy unit that ranked second in the NFL.
Peppers didn't watch any games while he was suspended, catching highlights only after the fact. Instead, he used his free time staying in shape and hitting the weight room.
Carolina coach John Fox said the full year away from the basketball court has probably added to Peppers' 6-foot-6, 283-lb. frame.
>> this guy sounds like he is taking the right approach. The more I read about him...or don't the better I like him.
