Q&A with Joe Weber

Senior running back Joe Weber sat down with AggieAthletics.com and talked about last week's win over Louisiana-Lafayette, focusing on the upcoming game, scoring touchdowns at Kyle Field, and his favorite thing to watch on TV--professional wrestling.

Joe Weber heads for the end zone on a 2-yard scoring run in the third quarter against Louisiana-Lafayette.

You guys have one game under your belt, a big win over Louisiana-Lafayette...how is everyone feeling after that first week?

"Everyone's feeling like, you know, we got a win. And that's always something to be happy about. At the same time, it wasn't the kind of win that we needed. It wasn't the kind of win that we were expecting. There's a lot of things that we need to work on, a lot of things we have to do as a team, and stop making the mistakes that we made in that game. Once we do that I think we'll be winning the way we want to win."

Question from Michael Vitek '02, West Columbia, Texas: How did it feel to get your first TD as a senior fullback?

"Getting any touchdown always feels good, but being my senior year it makes it a little more special. I'm not going to be playing at Kyle Field another year, so I've got to make every moment a special one. I've got to go out there and play every game like that. Every touchdown is going to be a special one-not just the first one, not just the last one-every single one of them is going to be the same special feeling because it's my last year here."

The team's got the ball inside the five, and you know the ball's coming to you. What's going through your mind?

"The only thing that's going through my mind is it doesn't matter how you get it in just get it in there, because you might not get a second chance. (The coaches) might go somewhere else with the ball. The way I look at it, if I know the ball's coming to me and I know I'm going to get the first chance to get it in there, I need to get it in there or I'm not going to get a second chance. I don't care what I have to do, I've got to get it in there, and everybody'll be happy."

This weekend you're playing at Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Road trips are fun, but does it make it any more special that you're playing in an NFL stadium?

"I really don't look at it that way. I go into every game knowing you've got to respect every team because you never know what's going to happen in the ballgame. I've got to go out there, take care of business and have fun. I don't make things more stressful than they need to be. I just look at it as another football game, give (the other team) the same respect I give everybody else, and go out there and play football."

Was it a big adjustment for you to come from California and live and play in Texas?

"At first it was a real big adjustment. (Texas) is a lot faster paced than California, a different atmosphere. Now, the heat...that's a BIG difference right there. So it was a little bit different, but it grows on you, so I'm used to it now."

On road trips, when you're sitting in the hotel, what do you do to keep yourself occupied?

"Just sit there, watch TV, read my playbook, go over some things that I think I need to look at more, you know, or just chill. (Basically I) just stay off my feet, and think about the game. It's all about game preparation, getting yourself ready for the game, thinking about things you have to do and things you want to do. I think about things that I want the papers to say the next day, that's the way I go into it. I think about what I want the papers to say about us, what I want the headlines to be. After that I think about what I've got to do to have the headlines read what I want them to read, and just go from there."

You list your favorite TV show as Monday Night RAW...that still the case?

"Oh yeah. Man, I love wrestling."

Joe's favorite wrestler growing up was Junkyard Dog. (photo from wrestlingmuseum.com)

Who's your favorite wrestler?

"There's a whole bunch of them. When I was small, my mom and dad took me to a wrestling event in the Superdome in New Orleans and I got an autograph from Junkyard Dog. He gave me a picture and signed that too. He was my favorite for a long time until I didn't see him wrestling anymore. Then there was Kerry Von Erich...and then I didn't watch it for a while. I got back into it once I got to eighth grade or so. From that point on I've just been jumping from athlete to athlete. Right now...I'd probably say Stone Cold."

Except he's not wrestling right now.

"Yeah ,that's messed up. Since he's not wrestling I would say...man, that's a tough question. I like The Rock. I like the way he talks, the way he sets the tone when he goes out there, talks and gets the crowd into it. (It's) kind of like a football player. He was a football player, you know. It's kind of fun watching those dudes."

Did you make the show at Reed Arena back in April?

"No, I didn't get to go to it. I wanted to go so bad. I was talking to some of the women's basketball players, and they were over at the (Reed Arena) training room getting treatments, and all the superstars were coming in there getting massages and stuff like that. That would have been really cool to meet all of them."

One of my friends got to meet Trish Stratus that day.

"Wow. I'd LOVE to meet Trish Stratus."