Another Leonard Peters Interview after Day 1 of the rookie minicamp

http://www.jetnation.com/?p=936#more-936

Asked if he knew how interested the Jets were in him, LP said:
"I think every NFL team does its homework and they all seemed interested. During the draft it is all a chess match between each team so you never know where you’re going to go. I’m just glad I have an opportunity to come here." (JN)


Asked about the Jets being far from home, LP said:
"Yes, but it’s OK. I grew up dancing [National Polynesian dancing] since I was in fourth grade all the way through high school, so I have traveled all over the world, Taiwan, Japan, so it’s OK. I got to see a little bit from the airport to the hotel of the great atmosphere around here and I am grateful to be here." (JN)


Asked if his background would help him take on this challenge, LP said:
"It doesn’t matter what background I have, I’m just glad I have this opportunity. Who knew that a person from the Samoan Islands would come here and get a chance to play or at least try out to play NFL football." (JN)


Asked about his hair resembling Troy Polamalu’s, LP said:
"With a Polynesian background it has always been a warrior-like thing to grow your hair. I don’t know about comparing me to Troy Polamalu because he is one of the greatest players, but I’m glad to just try to make the team." (JN)


Asked about Rich Miano (his college position coach) saying he was a country boy going to New York, LP said:
"My defensive backs coach, Rich Miano, played here years ago, as a free agent also. All I can do is try my hardest to fit in on a team, no matter what it is." (JN)


Asked what advice Miano gave him, LP said:
"He played here years ago and he said it doesn’t matter where you go and play, just focus on the task at hand." (JN)


Asked about football's popularity in Hawaii, LP said:
"I went to a high school in Hawaii that’s called Kahuku and I think we are tied or leading for the most players to come out of one high school. It is a good thing for our state and our community." (JN)


About Polamalu being an inspiration to him, LP said:
"He is a good friend of mine. I got to meet him when they came to Hawai’i for the Pro Bowl — our high school football team actually helps out with the security, so we get to meet them and get to know them and stuff like that. I actually walked around with him and his wife for two days straight and got to know him and pick his mind about things. He is a great guy and an inspiration." (JN)


Asked what advice Polamalu gave him, LP said:
"He said to keep your feet on the ground, stay level-headed, focus on the littlest things and try your best." (JN)


Asked about the scars he has on his hands from fire-knife dancing, LP said:
"The fire knife dancing championship of the world is actually taking place in Hawai’i this week. It’s at the Polynesian Culture Center. It doesn’t matter how many times you spin the knife, the best dancers in the world get bruises and scratches from it. It is the nature of the business, just like football." (JN)


Asked if he would be dancing at the championship now if he weren’t with the Jets, LP said:
"No, just helping out." (JN)


Asked how long it takes to learn how to dance, LP said:
"A while, and the best dancers still perfect their profession just like football players. To be the greatest you can be, you have to practice your technique and stuff like that." (JN)


Asked about the dance he did with teammates before Hawai’i games (the haka), LP said:
"Every team has something to bring the team together. Because we are from Hawai’i and are called the Warriors, we tried to think of something from a Polynesian background that we could do. So we asked some New Zealand Maori people if we could dance the Haka and they said OK. And we asked some mainland players who were on the team and talked to them about it before we even danced or practiced it, and they said they were OK with it. I think it just draws us closer as a state and as a football team." (JN)


Asked about players with the Jets asking him about the dance, LP said:
"A lot of teams have seen us do it, but I am in the WAC and a lot of the players here are not in the WAC, so I don’t think they know about it." (JN)