University of North Carolina Athletics
Hedgecock Excited About Super Bowl
January 28, 2008 | Football
Jan. 28, 2008
Former North Carolina standout Madison Hedgecock will start for New York at fullback in Super Bowl XLII on Sunday, Feb. 3 against the New England Patriots. Picked up by the Giants just one week into the season, Hedgecock has added toughness and consistency to the running game and has also been a force on special teams. Recently, TarHeelBlue.com had a chance to catch up with the Wallburg, N.C., native for an exclusive Q & A session.
TarHeelBlue.com (THB): How much are you enjoying your season in New York?
Madison Hedgecock (MH): I've enjoy it a lot. How could I not? I'm playing in the Super Bowl! I'd have a hard time not enjoying it right now. I'm high on the mountain top. It's been fun.
THB: What has happened in New York since beating Green Bay?
MH: There's been a lot of attention on us, but they say there will only be more and more as we keep going and when we get out to Arizona. You just have to deal with the distractions and focus on football.
The coolest thing is Jeff Feagles. He's a 20-year veteran and he's playing in his first Super Bowl. How cool is that? He's one of the best directional punters there's ever been. (Feagles was recruited to Miami by North Carolina head coach Butch Davis)
THB: Let's go back to the beginning of the season. Explain the process by which you became a Giant after spending your first two years in St. Louis.
MH: I enjoyed St. Louis, but I'm still pretty upset about being released. It was uncalled for what they did. The head coach brought in a player he had coached in college. I knew something was up by the way the coach talked to me at practice one day. Then I knocked out one of his linebackers in practice and he didn't say anything else.
THB: Why were you released?
MH: They said it was my attitude. That's how crazy things had gotten. I might be too slow, might be too weak, might be too short, might be too tall, but my attitude has never been a problem. I've never had a bad attitude. I never had a bad attitude at North Carolina.
Regardless of the money, you have to play somewhere that wants you. If you don't want me, just cut me. It really upset me that they said it was my attitude.
THB: How did New York acquire you?
MH: New York claimed me off waivers right after I was released. If a team has a need, they can claim you and they have to keep you for a minimum of four games. I was fortunate. Cincinnati also wanted to work me out, but when you miss a week in football, that's a big chunk of money. Getting picked up right off waivers and not missing a beat is really important. That's what the Giants did.
THB: Do you like living in New York?
MH: I've had a great time here. I knew a lot more people than I thought I would. I went to this place in the city that was an ACC/SEC Barbeque restaurant when UNC played a basketball game. I probably knew 15 Carolina alumni there. I didn't really know anyone in St. Louis from Carolina.
THB: Where do you live?
MH: I live in Jersey, south of the stadium in a little town called Harrison.
THB: Do you get into the city often?
MH: I used to when I first got here. I'd never been in the city until I moved here. We played here once, but I didn't get to go into the city. It's a trying time to get in there. You spend a lot of money to get over there regardless of how you do it. To me, it seems like you're going on vacation. I think it will be a lot more enjoyable when I can over there after the season is over. I had my buddy's car and went to Long Island once. You don't realize it until you get here how big this place is.
THB: What are the qualities you bring to the Giants?
MH: Toughness. I've brought that to the game whether it's on the lead block on the offense or on the wedge on the special teams. They didn't have a fullback before I came here. The GM said whenever I got cut, they couldn't believe it. They wanted to know why. Was I hurt? Was I messed up physically? They didn't understand the reasoning behind it. They said it was like Christmas for them when they got me in (Hedgecock was signed off waivers on Sept. 12). He could be lying, but I think he's pretty sincere about that. He gave me a 5-year contract extension during the season. I'm pretty happy about that.
THB: What else have the coaches said about your play?
MH: They've talked about my consistency. I've consistently blocked well all year. We've had a bunch of different running backs this year and they've all been pretty successful. A lot of the credit goes to the offensive line too.
THB: Your head coach, Tom Coughlin, has a reputation as a tough, no nonsense, type of person. What do you think of him?
MH: Everybody says he's calmed down some since last year. You definitely listen to what he says. He was a running back at Syracuse with Larry Csonka. He's tough. I respect him a lot.
THB: Do you feel like the Giants have surprised people this year with the run through the playoffs?
MH: We were always the underdog. We weren't supposed to win those games. So to win them, it's kind of like nanny-nanny-boo-boo, we proved you wrong again. At Dallas nobody thought we could win. Then we go up to Green Bay and play in that cold weather and no says we can win. We're a cold weather team! Our quarterback is from Mississippi just like yours. No one can play in that weather. So, it's nanny-nanny boo-boo again.
THB: How good is New England?
MH: They're good. I thought the first time we outplayed them and a couple of plays here or there we could have beat them. We could have rested some guys for that game, but I really admire Coach Coughlin for not resting anybody. It wouldn't have been any fun to rest our guys. Then you're not taking the game seriously. I don't believe in resting.
THB: Eli Manning has endured his share of criticism this year. What are your thoughts on his play?
MH: I don't think he deserves the criticism he gets. Some of the games he didn't play so well, has to do with some of the other guys on the team. We've been banged up at wide receiver at times. Plus, the wind is real bad at the Meadowlands. I don't think people realize how bad the wind is. The ball will be floating in the air and just drop right down. He's done a good job with the running game. He's done a stellar job not turning the ball over in the playoffs. That's the major stat that's kept us going.
THB: What did you learn at North Carolina that has helped you in the NFL?
MH: One of the things I learned was to keep playing regardless of the situation. We had some tough years when I was there, but I kept playing hard through that. The NFL is such a long season. I've played 24 games this year. That's crazy. I'm about to play the biggest game of my life. This year, I've played in London, England, played in snow, rain, sleet, played in third-coldest game in NFL history. I've done it all. You have to keep playing no matter what situation you're in.
THB: What message do you have for the current players at North Carolina?
MH: First, you better get your degree. What I do is not for long. It's an old joke that NFL stands for "Not For Long," but it's true. It's a business. People are coming in and out all the time. You have to have something to fall back on. Your degree will stay with you longer than your playing career. Your playing career may give you a head start, might give you a lot of options to build on. You can play a long time, but you never know when it's going to end.
THB: What are your thoughts on Carolina head coach Butch Davis?
MH: I've heard lots of good things from him from the guys from Miami who played for him. They really enjoyed him a lot. He had a lot of success at Miami. Coaching in the college level you have to develop your players. All that hype coming out of high school doesn't mean anything if you can develop as a player. In the NFL you don't have to develop anyone. You just cut somebody and bring in somebody you need. In college, you can grow as a player, where as in the NFL, they're already grown.
THB: Thanks for the time, Madison. Good luck against the Patriots. I'm sure you and Russell Davis (New York defensive tackle) will represent the Tar Heels well.
MH: Thanks. I'm looking forward to the game.
