Tracking proCanes - Sinorice Moss - Part II

In Part II of our interview with Sinorice Moss he talks about fellow ‘Canes on the Giants, being a NY Giant, Eli Manning and much more!  Click here to read Part I.

pC: Would you say this season is more important because it’s a contract year for you or that doesn’t really play?
SM: Honestly I’m not even worried about the whole contract thing. I’m worried about myself going out there and being the best that I can be for myself. I’m not doing this for the coaches, I’m not doing it for the newspaper articles, I’m not doing it for the magazine covers, I’m doing it for myself. I’m very, very hard on myself so I’m doing it for myself completely because I want the best for me. I want to go out there and I want to perform at my very best, because I know what I’m capable of doing and capable of bringing to this team. So I’m not doing it so people can say oh yeah, I’ve seen Sinorice Moss do this. I’m not doing it for the newspapers; I’m not doing it for the coaches; I’m doing it for myself.

pC: How is it having Eli Manning as your quarterback? I mean first of all his pedigree and him being the number 1 overall pick and just the pressure of him playing in New York. How is it having such a big name as your quarter back?
SM: Eli is a great man. Seeing what Eli has to go through to finally get recognized, I still feel like he’s still not really recognized like he should be. It adds fuel to my fire because Eli has a brother that’s in the NFL, I have a brother that’s in the NFL. Peyton Manning is very successful, Santana Moss is very successful, in the NFL and in their careers. And when Eli first came in the league, he had his struggles. He had his problems; everybody does. Everybody has problems. You don’t just come into the NFL and become this big, big star. You’re going have to work and fight through different things in order to become who you want to be. Eli fought through that adversity and all the negative opinions people had about him and he went out and performed every week. He stayed quiet and he performed. He never got too uptight. He never said anything outlandish in the papers. He stayed quiet. He worked on his craft. And he became the MVP of the Super Bowl and we won the Super Bowl. And now every body is hollering and raving about Eli Manning. Eli Manning is this. He’s that. He’s better than Peyton, but then you still have the people that are saying ‘Aw, Eli’s nothing. He’s this. He’s not that.’ But he stays calm, he wants to become better. He works hard. He talks to the players. He’s talking to me. Plenty of times, telling me about this or that route. Saying I’m going to put the ball here, I’m going to put the ball there. He’s not an arrogant guy. He’s not an arrogant guy at all. He wants to perform. He wants to do right. He wants to carry this team and lead this team back to the Super Bowl. So having him as my quarter back. I mean, I won’t have it any better.

pC: You can tell he’s pretty down to earth.
SM: Yeah he is. He plays pranks. He loves to joke. He plays pranks all the time but people never know that because all they say is Eli has no emotions. But trust me, he does. He laughs, he cracks jokes, he pranks everybody. It’s very, very great for myself to have him as my quarterback. I’m honored to have him as my quarterback and be on the same field as him.

pC: How is it having Kenny Phillips on your team with you guys?
SM: It’s awesome.

pC: How is Bruce Johnson doing?
SM: Bruce did very very good for himself this spring.

pC: So it’s three of you and Jeff Feagles?
SM: Yes I saw Jeff today. It’s love once you’re a part of the University of Miami family. We always talk and we always sit down and chat. Kenny still lives in my neighborhood. He lives right down the street from me. I can walk to Kenny’s house. Kenny walks to my house and borrows movies. It’s family. Me and Kenny grew up together in Miami. We went to the same high school. We went to the same college and now we’re playing on the same NFL team. It’s family.

pC: Shockey was there when you were there. And William Joseph also?
SM: Yeah and William Joseph. Thomas Carroll was here. He came in for a little while.

pC: And Jerome McDougle.
SM: Yeah Dougle was here last year.

pC: So any reason that you chose 83 in college? Was it because that was Sanatana’s number when he was with the Jets?
SM: I definitely didn’t choose that number. That’s a good catch. When I got to the University of Miami, the number that I wanted when I first got there was number 2. I wore number 2 in high school. I wore number 83 for like a year in high school because I was born in the year 83. And my brother also wore 83. So that was like a number for me. When I got to the University of Miami, and we were doing the whole thing I asked to see what number I would have, so I went upstairs and asked and they were like ‘Oh, you’ve got 83’ and I was like oh, that’s cool, that’s perfect. I didn’t even have to ask for it. And it’s stuck with me ever since and when I got to the NY Giants, when I first got here they gave me number 89. I was walking back after the first practice of rookie mini camp and the GM at the time, Ernie Acorsie, he said I’m putting you back in 83, you belong in 83. He called the equipment guy over and said, he belongs in 83, put him back in 83.

pC: And nobody had 83 at the time?
SM: I believe somebody did. We had a tight end at the time and he wore the number 83 and they put me back in 83.

pC: I’ve heard stories that you have to pay to be put back in a number but you didn’t have to do that?
SM: No, I didn’t have to do that because Acorsi said he wanted me back in 83. He felt like I was going to make the 83 known as a Giant.

pC: Going back to your UM days, tell me one crazy story or something that us fans may not have heard of or something that really stands out from your time at UM.
SM: Crazy stories, man. I remember one time, one late night, I think it was going into my Junior season, we had a late practice and I went home and went to study hall and everything and I think that day in practice there was something that I got upset about that I didn’t do right in practice. I went home after study hall and practice and all and it was real late. I’m laying down in my apartment or whatever and I got mad. I jumped up, I grabbed my cleats and I drove to the field and one gate was open and I ran through the gate and I’m on the Greentree Field and it was pitch black. I sat there with my shoes, I stretched. Then I started acting like I was in the huddle. I broke the huddle, lined up and I ran every route until I felt like I did it the right way. Every route! I ran every route until I felt like I did it the right way, on both sides of the field. I lined up like I was in the huddle, I called the play out. I lined up and then it was so funny because, Pritch, Pritch was the guy who locked all the gates and walked around the field and made sure everything was fine before he left. And it was late and I didn’t realize it was this late and he walked back there and he says: ‘Noris, are you alright?’ I said, “I’m fine, I’m just working on some things I need to work on.” He said, ‘Oh, because I was worried and I was in the back and I was watching you and I wasn’t sure who it was so I had to come out here and check on you.’ And I said: “Pritch it I’ll be alright.” And then by the time I finished, all the gates were locked, because Pritch locked them all and left. So I had to jump the fence to get to my car and this was like 11 or 12 o’clock and I didn’t even know. I had to be right back up at 6am to go and work out.

pC: Were there any special nick names that guys call you now or when you were a Cane?
SM: Everybody calls me “Nory”. Some people call me C-No. Some guys call me Moss man. Some guys, I mean they have so many nicknames for me out here with the Giants. They have so many crazy nicknames for me I can’t think of them off the top of my head.

pC: Do you have any game day superstitions or rituals you have to do?
SM: I’m a neat freak. I’m real big on making sure everything is nice and clean. So, before the games, I grab my socks, my shoes, I grab my eye patches I put under my eyes and I lay them down. I have them in order. And I keep them on the left side of my locker and I have them in order before every game and I put my IPod on shuffle and let it flow so whatever plays it’s going to play.

pC: Anybody ever mess with the order of your things?
SM: Oh yeah. Amani Toomer. He did it every time because he knew how neat I was. So Amani used to come sometimes and mess up my stuff and his locker was on the other side and he used to mess it up and walk away so when I came back to my locker I was like, man who touched my stuff, but I already know who did already and I’d just laugh and walk over to the side where he was and he’d just look at me and laugh like yeah, I did it. It’s funny because he knew how much, more than anything, I needed my things in order and he’d just mess it up.

pC: Who are you closest with on the Giants?
SM: Our whole team is just so close. We have so many nights where we go out. We have Applebee’s Fridays or we go to the city and we do so many different things as a team it’s just ridiculous. But a lot of guys that I’m really, really cool with, of course Kenny, Erin Ross, Corey Webster, Dominique Hixon, Steve Smith, all those guys, we’re real close. We have nights where we go out and just hang with each other. This team is such a close-knit team and a lot of people really don’t realize that and the NY Giants is a great organization and everybody on the team wants to do well. And everyone is rooting for the other person to do well.

pC: Is that strange for an NFL team. Or are a lot of teams like that?
SM: I’m not sure if a lot of NFL teams are like that. It’s kind of strange I would say for an NFL team because everybody has families now. People are married. Guys have kids and do so many different things and you see how close everyone is because they’re inviting you to their houses. You’re meeting their families, you’re meeting their kids. Their kids know who you are. They want to be around us. They bring their kids out to the field. We’re close-knit so you could be out at Wal-Mart and you see them and you say Hey, and the kids say ‘hi.’ It’s very very different because I know a lot of guys from other teams that say when practice is over, everybody leaves, or they do their own thing. And it’s not really like that. You have guys going back to meetings and watching things and it’s like six to eight guys watching film and that’s what it’s going to take for us to be great.

pC: It almost sounds like college?
SM: Yeah, it definitely does because we definitely did that at the University of Miami. We stayed and watched film together and did all those things to become better and that’s what we’re doing out here.

pC: I read in a recent online chat how much you loved playing at the Orange Bowl, so what do you think of the move to Dolphins Stadium?
SM: I really don’t like it at all. I heard about the move to the Dolphins Stadium whenever it was, and I was like I hope they don’t do that. And one time I flew home, so it had to be my second year in the league after the Super Bowl, I flew home and I drove by the OB. Every time I drove by the Orange Bowl, I crossed my chest and kissed and pointed to the OB. I did that all the time. Every time I passed by the OB, I crossed my chest. Made a cross and sent a kiss and pointed at the OB and I passed by and I was like “hold on they tore down the OB already?” I called my youngest brother and I asked him and he said ‘yeah.’ I actually got up and drove by. I was hurt. Not only the University of Miami played there, you had Super Bowls, some of the best Super Bowls that you could think of were played at that stadium, so to me that was a historic stadium, not only for us, not only for the University of Miami, but so many guys that played in the NFL that retired, that are in the Hall of fame. Maybe some of the guys had their best game on that field or at that stadium and they can’t ever bring back their kids or grandkids to look at it.

pC: Have you been to a game at Dolphin Stadium?
SM: I haven’t.

pC: Where would you say was the toughest away game for you at the U?
SM: Virginia Tech. Hands down. They made that noise in that stadium it was definitely a problem. They made that gobble noise, it was definitely like something was wrong. You better button up your helmet. Button up your chin strap and get ready to fight because they were definitely coming out with it. They were definitely going to make you feel it.

pC: Who would you say had the nastiest fans?
SM: West Virginia. My freshman year we played at West Virginia. It was horrible. Everything. They were throwing stuff, cussing, and this and that. West Virginia was pretty bad.

Word Associations, Give me the first thing that pops in your head when you read the following:
Randy Shannon: Motivator
Larry Coker: Inspirational
Orange Bowl: Historic
Fiesta Bowl: Depression
Ohio State: I hate ‘em
Sebastian the Ibis: [Laughter] Sebastian! Cool guy man

pC: You played with Kyle Wright and Brock and Kirby Freeman. Talk about Kyle. He was the big time recruit and he never panned out for whatever reason, talk about those guys as QB’s. What was the issue? Changing offensive coordinators every week?
SM: That could have been a problem. I’m not sure. I know I was real close with Kyle when he was thr QB. I was very close with Kirby. When Brock was there we would go and have lunch and eat and sing songs together. I had a good relationship with all three of those guys and it’s always good to have a good relationship with your QB. But outside of them just being my quarterback, we were really good friends because they was good people.

Honestly I really don’t understand what happened with Kyle or with Kirby. After I left school, there were a lot of different changes. A lot of coaches left. Larry Coker was gone. So being a young guy that’s coming into a school and you’re set in your ways you say okay, these are the coaches that are going to be here and all of the sudden they’re gone, it just throws you for a loop. So maybe Kirby and Kyle really couldn’t handle that as being young QB’s. Brock Berlin was a fighter. That’s why still to this day when anyone says something about him I get upset. Because I know how much he put in to be the best he could be for the University of Miami. He put in so much. He put his heart in each week into performing and doing his very best.

pC: Did people give him a lot of crap for being a transfer from Florida?
SM: They joked around. Everybody jokes around in the locker room. If they know anything about you they’ll crack on you but he knew it was all in good spirits. It was never a problem because Brock was a fighter and he busted his tail every week to be the best QB he could be for the UM. There was never anything I could say bad about Brock because I saw what he did. I saw how many hours he stayed. I saw the blood, sweat and tears from being knocked around and called different names and booed. They booed him one time at the stadium. You know how much that hurts. They booed him.

pC: Yeah they booed him at the beginning of the 2nd half against Florida.
SM: He fought through that. And won games for us. Big games. He’s a fighter.

pC: Do you still keep in touch with Brock?
SM: Last time I saw him was last year. He’s with the Rams. We played against the Rams and we ran across the field like we were in a movie. Like when you see someone you haven’t seen in a long time. We ran across the field. Hugged each other. We were just so excited to see each other because we were great friends. We’re real good friends.

pC: If you’re not pulling for the Giants, what NFL team are you pulling for or you can’t root for anybody else?
SM: I root for the guys that I went to school with and the guys that I know. I specifically want the guys that I know and the guys I went to school with to do their very best each week. I mean I go on the computer and look up everybody and make sure they had a good game, what did they do, how many balls did they catch, how many yards did they run. I check up on Frank [Gore], Roscoe [Parrish}, Reggie, my brother, everybody, Antrel, Kelly [Jennings], Kellen [Winslow]. I check up on everyone because I want them to do well and I know they’re working hard to do that.

pC: What do you think about Hester, do you think he can do pretty well as a number one receiver?
SM: That’s funny you ask because I just talked to him two days ago. He’s doing good. He’s got a lot to prove and a lot of naysayers and doubters but that’s just going to be fine. Hester shocked the world his first two years in the NFL and he’s going to continue to keep doing it.

pC: Do you follow the NBA? Do you have a favorite team?
SM: I don’t have a favorite team. I’m a big Lebron [James] fan, big Dwayne Wade fan. If those guys are on TV, I’m watching and if I get the opportunity to go to the game, I’m going go see it.

pC: How about baseball?
SM: A-Rod! I’ve root for A-Rod since I was in college. There were times when A-Rod was at the facilities during the summers working out and when I had the opportunity to run with him so, yeah A-Rod all-day.

pC: Favorite food?
SM: I like pastas man. I’m a spaghetti guy.

pC: What sauce do you prefer?
SM: I like Chicken Alfredo. I’m a big Alfredo guy. My mom’s homemade spaghetti takes me over the top.

pC: What favorite band/group is your favorite or I’d find most on your ipod?
SM: That’s tough. I listen to all types. Gospel, R&B, Hip Hop, Alternative, Country, everything. That’s a tough one. Can’t say a favorite.

pC: One that pumps you up before a game?
SM: The Phil Collins song [In the Air Tonight], gets me every time. I still play it in my IPod. Still get’s to me every time.

pC: What’s a movie you could watch over and over?
SM: I’m a big movie fan. A movie I could watch over and over? The Program.

pC: What about a TV show?
SM: Kings and Queens. They still show a little up here. I’m a big fan of that show. No lie. I love it a lot.

pC: What do you do in your spare time?
SM: I’m in my house watching movies or playing Nintendo Wii. I love the Wii! Snowboard, Mario Kart or Golf.

pC: No Madden?
SM: No Madden, I don’t play madden. I play all the fun games. All the Super Mario’s and stuff like that. I let everybody else play Madden and call me and tell me how they did.

pC: Two websites you check daily?
SM: NFL.com, I check that all the time. Always on twitter it seems. [Laughter]

pC: Have you found Twitter to be a good way to connect with your fans?
SM: Of course. It’s a very good way to connect with my fans. To see me as a person not as the football player. They can see my likes, dislikes, things that I’m a fan of. To see how I am as a person and what I do throughout my day. Stuff like that. I feel like that’s a great, great, source that they’ve built and it’s really taken off and a lot of people use it.

pC: Are you going to be doing it from the side lines?
SM: Definitely not. That’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard. On game day I’m not even worried about my phone till after the game.

We at proCanes.com would like to thank Sinorice Moss for being so gracious with his time to do this very insightful interview for our new feature "Tracking proCanes." Click here to check out our past interviews with Leon Searcy, Steve Walsh, Frank Costa, John Routh, Chad Wilson and more!