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CNN Live Today
Interview With Nick Buoniconti
Aired January 30, 2004 - 11:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It's party time in Texas. Super Bowl XXXVIII kicks off Sunday in Houston with the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers. Our preview with NFL Hall of Famer and former Miami Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti. I hope I got that right, Nick.
NICK BUONICONTI, NFL HALL OF FAMER: Heidi, you got it correct. Don't worry about it. Very few people can say it correctly.
COLLINS: OK. Well, we'll be working on that.
Let me ask you, what do you think about this game? I know a lot of people are pulling for the Panthers as the underdog, but the patriots really only have 6 1/2 or 7 points on these guys right now, right?
BUONICONTI: Patriots are a team that seem like a team of destiny. They've won games this year that they shouldn't have won against Houston, against the Dolphins. They pulled one out against Indianapolis. So they are a team of destiny. And they have experience. They've got Belichick, who's been to the Super Bowl. He knows how to put a game plan together.
And you have John Fox and the Carolina team. Now, this is a team that is just happy to be in the Super Bowl. I was that way in Super Bowl VI when Dallas just trounced us.
So I think the underdog Carolina Panthers have a long uphill climb.
COLLINS: So I didn't offend you in saying that some people might be rooting for the Panthers, being you were a Patriots player, right?
BUONICONTI: No, I was a Patriot player. I'm in their Hall of Fame and I played there seven years. And outside of the Dolphins I'm very proud to be a Patriot.
COLLINS: Well, I know that you were one of the last and only undefeated NFL teams, which is just incredible. Did you think any of these teams might have matched the Miami Dolphin team this year?
BUONICONTI: Well, Kansas City was the one that really had a chance. I looked at their defense and I knew that they were very vulnerable. And after nine ball games I really didn't take much stock in what they were doing.
You know I think when you get to 13 or 14 and you're undefeated, then I'll worry about that. But right now, I'm just happy to have to played on that 17-0 team. It's one of the greatest teams in football history. And I wear that Super Bowl ring that says there was 17-0 perfect season. I'm very proud of that.
COLLINS: Yes, I think we took our banner away there just for a second so we could see actually that ring. It's awesome.
Any surprises that we're going to see on Sunday? Do you think there could be something in particular to really watch for here? Somebody's performance in particular?
BUONICONTI: I think you got to look at Delhomme, the quarterback for Carolina. I think the way he goes is the way Carolina is going to go.
Everybody knows that Stephen Davis is a great running back, but the Patriots will be ready for him. They're going to take Rodney Harrison, put him up on the line of scrimmage, put play eight in the box, stop Stephen Davis.
So Delhomme is the guy who's going to be on the spot. He's the one who's going to have to throw on first down, keep the Patriots off balance and then look for Stephen Davis to spot him when the Patriots aren't expecting the run.
But I think Delhomme is on the spot. You know he doesn't have the experience. And Brady does have the experience bringing the Patriots from behind like he did against St. Louis three years ago.
So it's going to be a tough road for the Panthers.
COLLINS: , All right, Nick, you always offer such great insight on all things football.
But I know there's something else in your life that has taught you a lot as well. And that has been your son Mark, who suffered a spinal cord injury back in 1985 while playing football. Tell us a little about how this has changed your life and what impact it's had.
BUONICONTI: Well, Heidi, it definitely changed my life because when Mark got hurt, he became the priority in my life. When I looked around for research being done on spinal cord injury, I was appalled at how little research was being done.
That's when we funded the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. And here we are. from 1985 now to 2004, we have raised $150 million for spinal cord research. We have 135,000 square foot research center. We have the greatest scientists working on a very complex problem.
But our scientists feel within the next three to five years we're going to be restoring function to paralyzed people. And this was unheard of just four, five years ago.
COLLINS: Definitely was. Christopher Reeve of course bringing a lot of attention to this issue as well.
Quickly before we let you go, Nick. I know you a project, an event coming up with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis?
BUONICONTI: Yes, we have Destination Fashion. That's February 27. It's at Val Harbor here in Miami. We expect 1,500 people, Kool and the Gang will be entertaining. That's going to be a great event, we'll raise a lot of money for spinal cord research. And we're just thrilled that that's taken place.
And then I'm off tomorrow. I'm running up to Orlando because we have the All-Star Gridiron Classic which is a college football all- star game. That also will raise money for the Buoniconti Fund which raises money for the Miami Project.
So as you can see, my life now is dedicated to the Miami Project and we will find a cure for spinal cord injury.
COLLINS: Well good for you. And good luck to you and your son as well. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts on football as well with us. Nick Buoniconti, thanks so very much for your time.
BUONICONTI: Thank you, Heidi.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 30, 2004 - 11:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: It's party time in Texas. Super Bowl XXXVIII kicks off Sunday in Houston with the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers. Our preview with NFL Hall of Famer and former Miami Dolphins linebacker Nick Buoniconti. I hope I got that right, Nick.
NICK BUONICONTI, NFL HALL OF FAMER: Heidi, you got it correct. Don't worry about it. Very few people can say it correctly.
COLLINS: OK. Well, we'll be working on that.
Let me ask you, what do you think about this game? I know a lot of people are pulling for the Panthers as the underdog, but the patriots really only have 6 1/2 or 7 points on these guys right now, right?
BUONICONTI: Patriots are a team that seem like a team of destiny. They've won games this year that they shouldn't have won against Houston, against the Dolphins. They pulled one out against Indianapolis. So they are a team of destiny. And they have experience. They've got Belichick, who's been to the Super Bowl. He knows how to put a game plan together.
And you have John Fox and the Carolina team. Now, this is a team that is just happy to be in the Super Bowl. I was that way in Super Bowl VI when Dallas just trounced us.
So I think the underdog Carolina Panthers have a long uphill climb.
COLLINS: So I didn't offend you in saying that some people might be rooting for the Panthers, being you were a Patriots player, right?
BUONICONTI: No, I was a Patriot player. I'm in their Hall of Fame and I played there seven years. And outside of the Dolphins I'm very proud to be a Patriot.
COLLINS: Well, I know that you were one of the last and only undefeated NFL teams, which is just incredible. Did you think any of these teams might have matched the Miami Dolphin team this year?
BUONICONTI: Well, Kansas City was the one that really had a chance. I looked at their defense and I knew that they were very vulnerable. And after nine ball games I really didn't take much stock in what they were doing.
You know I think when you get to 13 or 14 and you're undefeated, then I'll worry about that. But right now, I'm just happy to have to played on that 17-0 team. It's one of the greatest teams in football history. And I wear that Super Bowl ring that says there was 17-0 perfect season. I'm very proud of that.
COLLINS: Yes, I think we took our banner away there just for a second so we could see actually that ring. It's awesome.
Any surprises that we're going to see on Sunday? Do you think there could be something in particular to really watch for here? Somebody's performance in particular?
BUONICONTI: I think you got to look at Delhomme, the quarterback for Carolina. I think the way he goes is the way Carolina is going to go.
Everybody knows that Stephen Davis is a great running back, but the Patriots will be ready for him. They're going to take Rodney Harrison, put him up on the line of scrimmage, put play eight in the box, stop Stephen Davis.
So Delhomme is the guy who's going to be on the spot. He's the one who's going to have to throw on first down, keep the Patriots off balance and then look for Stephen Davis to spot him when the Patriots aren't expecting the run.
But I think Delhomme is on the spot. You know he doesn't have the experience. And Brady does have the experience bringing the Patriots from behind like he did against St. Louis three years ago.
So it's going to be a tough road for the Panthers.
COLLINS: , All right, Nick, you always offer such great insight on all things football.
But I know there's something else in your life that has taught you a lot as well. And that has been your son Mark, who suffered a spinal cord injury back in 1985 while playing football. Tell us a little about how this has changed your life and what impact it's had.
BUONICONTI: Well, Heidi, it definitely changed my life because when Mark got hurt, he became the priority in my life. When I looked around for research being done on spinal cord injury, I was appalled at how little research was being done.
That's when we funded the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. And here we are. from 1985 now to 2004, we have raised $150 million for spinal cord research. We have 135,000 square foot research center. We have the greatest scientists working on a very complex problem.
But our scientists feel within the next three to five years we're going to be restoring function to paralyzed people. And this was unheard of just four, five years ago.
COLLINS: Definitely was. Christopher Reeve of course bringing a lot of attention to this issue as well.
Quickly before we let you go, Nick. I know you a project, an event coming up with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis?
BUONICONTI: Yes, we have Destination Fashion. That's February 27. It's at Val Harbor here in Miami. We expect 1,500 people, Kool and the Gang will be entertaining. That's going to be a great event, we'll raise a lot of money for spinal cord research. And we're just thrilled that that's taken place.
And then I'm off tomorrow. I'm running up to Orlando because we have the All-Star Gridiron Classic which is a college football all- star game. That also will raise money for the Buoniconti Fund which raises money for the Miami Project.
So as you can see, my life now is dedicated to the Miami Project and we will find a cure for spinal cord injury.
COLLINS: Well good for you. And good luck to you and your son as well. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts on football as well with us. Nick Buoniconti, thanks so very much for your time.
BUONICONTI: Thank you, Heidi.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
