Last year you were injured while making a tackle during a meaningless preseason game. If you were commissioner for the day, how would you fix the current system? Would you shorten the preseason? Eliminate it completely?
Man, you know, if I was the commissioner I'd do a lot different. Like the individuality of the game - you want to sell that to the fans, but you're really not letting the players be individuals. I would change that first and let players go out and have fun. A lot of the things that separate players and show the individuality of players is taken away - like celebrations or the dress code. I understand you want to make everyone look the same, but everybody is not the same. The way they market the NFL they're making major money and that's what it all boils down to, making money. They gotta get their money, but how much money can you make?
I say let the people go out and have fun. And I think the preseason should be about letting the people who are coming in, looking for a shot, have that opportunity. A lot of teams don't do that. You don't get the opportunity to go out and showcase your talent. You might get to play in one game or you might not. If you don't even get into your first game then no one will ever know if you can play.
Because your season was cut short last year, it seems like critics are down on you. What's your mindset heading into this season and what can the fans expect from Clinton Portis and the Washington Redskins in 2007?
You can expect C.P. to be back in the zone. I know no one is for me, everyone is against me. The people that are for me are probably the people that I sit down and have dinner with, and that's it. That's my family, my close friends and my teammates. Outside of them, it's always "What have you done for me lately?"
People like negativity. They want to see you rise and see you fall. I know I didn't fall, I got injured. I got injured doing something I love to do and that's being aggressive and giving my all. Whether it's preseason or not, I give it my all. When they turn the lights on, I go out there knowing I can't give them garbage. I go out and play football - preseason, regular season, playoffs, anything. I got hurt putting myself on the line and people act like I fell off. I didn't fall off, man. I was out there busting my ### in a game that wasn't even meaningful. Once I get out on the field, I'm gonna go full speed. I think the whole thing was just a wake-up call. You're only as hot as your last move and my last move it seems like was two years ago, so I ain't that hot right now.