Serby's sunday Q & A with Hakeem Nicks
Last Updated: 6:32 AM, September 6, 2009

Posted: 4:46 AM, September 6, 2009

The Post’s Steve Serby chatted with the rookie wide receiver whom the Giants drafted in the first round from North Carolina:

Q: Describe Hakeem Nicks off the field.

A: Laid-back . . . calm . . . don’t say much. I ain’t gonna say I stay to myself but, just a laid-back person.

Q: Now describe Hakeem Nicks on the field.

A: Totally opposite from what I am off the field (smiles).

Q: As soon as you put the uniform on, what happens?

A: I’m a different person (smiles).

Q: Describe that person.

A: The person on the field, man, I say the monster comes out (chuckles). Every time the ball comes my way, I’m thinking touchdown. I don’t like to get tackled. I just play real physical, play tough . . . and I pretty much don’t take no for an answer.

Q: You play angry?

A: I will say this: I have fun out there. I like to have fun.

Q: How will you deal with trash-talking cornerbacks?

A: I just let ’em talk.

Q: You respond by catching the ball?

A: Yeah . . . after the game it’ll speak for itself.

Q: Biggest trash-talker in college?

A: It’ll be between Alphonso Smith (Wake Forest) and (Ellis) Lankster out of West Virginia.

Q: Give me an example of your toughness.

A: Let’s see . . . played on a couple of high ankle sprains — I missed one game my true freshman year. Sprained ankle. I left the Miami game right before halftime, and I missed the following week against South Florida. Sophomore year, we played at South Carolina, I had to leave the game early for a high ankle sprain, my right ankle, and I came back like second series in the third quarter, and had a big game.

Q: How much pain were you in?

A: A lot. But I think pain is just a weakness. . . . It’s just your weakness tryin’ to leave. I don’t pay pain no attention.

Q: You seem to be driven to be great — am I right about that?

A: You’re right. I think there’s just something that’s just built in me, honestly. I don’t like to fail, I always like to be at the top, be at the top of everything.

Q: Who has the big hands in your family?

A: My mom and my dad.

Q: Are your hands bigger than your dad’s?

A: They’re longer, but he got like fat hands. But his granddad, his hands were extremely big.

Q: You wear what glove size?

A: 4 XL.

Q: Wide receivers you’ve liked to watch?

A: I’ve been a huge Steve Smith fan. . . . I even wore 89 like him in high school.

Q: What’s so special about him?

A: He’s just a playmaker. He loves the game — you can tell by the way he plays.

Q: Anyone else?

A: Randy Moss, of course, and I always liked watching Marvin (Harrison) . . . (Larry) Fitzgerald . . . Anquan Boldin.

Q: Do you see similarities in your game and Anquan Boldin’s?

A: You could say that . . . the run after catch, from that standpoint, but I think everybody brings something different to the table. Everybody’s game ain’t the same.

Q: Your offensive coordinator at North Carolina had you and your quarterback watch film of Eli Manning throwing to Plaxico Burress.

A: ’Cause we had the same offense . . . it was that run for the Super Bowl, we watched every game.

Q: Your thoughts on Burress going to jail?

A: I would say it’s just gonna be his testimony. . . . I think everybody deserves a second chance.

Q: How does Tom Coughlin compare to Butch Davis?

A: I think they’re both very passionate guys about the game of football.

Q: Coach Davis didn’t want you five minutes early for meetings, or 10 minutes early for meetings . . .?

A: Oh yeah . . . at least five minutes early.

Q: So you’re used to that.

A: Yeah (smiles).

Q: What did you sing in training camp?

A: “Ain’t No Mountain High, Ain’t No Valley Low.”

Q: Why that one?

A: First thing that popped in my head. They kinda just put me on the spot the first day of training camp.

Q: Your behind-the-back catch in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against West Virginia?

A: I got a picture of it blown up at my house.

Q: What was it like when Duke came

to Chapel Hill

to play basketball?

A: Oh man, it was loud. That’s the only games I would go to.

Q: I guess you hate Duke, is that safe to say?

A: Yeah, that’s safe to say (smiles). I can’t be scared to say that. I’m from Carolina.

Q: NYC is a little different than Charlotte.

A: By far, it is. . . . It’s always crowded in bumper-to-bumper traffic so . . . I too much don’t drive over there. If I got an appearance, I hit a car service to come.

Q: The tattoo on your right wrist reads “Vernice.”

A: That’s my stepmama’s name.

Q: The tattoo on your left wrist reads Lisa.

A: My real mom.

Q: Boyhood idol?

A: Michael Jordan.

Q: Favorite childhood memory?

A: My first Christmas when I moved to North Carolina (from Philadelphia).

Q: How old were you?

A: 10.

Q: What did you get that Christmas?

A: I think I got like a bike . . . remote control car that I broke trying to open it (smiles).

Q: Biggest influences growing up?

A: My middle school football coach (Thomas Farrior) and my high school football coach (Tommy Knotts).

Q: You played quarterback early on?

A: Until I fractured my elbow in eighth grade. That’s when I moved to running back.

Q: Biggest obstacle?

A: I didn’t start ’til my senior year in high school ’cause I played behind (Mohamed) Massaquoi (now a rookie with the Browns).

Q: Favorite movie?

A: “Hitman.

Q: Favorite actor?

A: Martin Lawrence.

Q: Favorite entertainer?

A: Trill Entertainment.

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Fried chicken, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, cornbread.

Q: What would you want Giants fans to say about you one day?

A: He’s a great player, worked hard, very respectful young man on and off the field . . . just loved the game of football.