FOXBORO -- Some excerpts from an interview with Patriots inside linebacker Ryan Claridge, who missed all of his rookie season in 2005 after having shoulder surgery. Claridge, 25, is still dealing with the death of his older brother Travis in February. Travis Claridge was 27.
WHAT HE MISSED THE MOST LAST YEAR AND WHAT HE'S LEARNED...
"Being a part of the team. That’s what I need the most. Just being around the guys – (Tedy) Bruschi, (Larry) Izzo, Don Davis – just seeing from a distance how they do things, I’m an idiot if I don’t follow those guys (so closely) that I run into their backs. What they do works. They know everything and I can take information from them every day.
Had surgery back in Las Vegas. Did first rehab there coming here so figured follow the same protocol because I came back 100 percent from the other one so same thing.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNLV'S 3-4 and NEW ENGLAND'S
"It’s like apples and oranges. I'm just trying to learn a new system and it’s taking a lot of time. There’s a lot of stuff to it but it boils down to playing football and in the end, you have to react. The hard part is translating it from the board to performing it on the field.
ADVICE HIS BROTHER GAVE HIM DURING HIS INJURY
"He (said) keep your nose clean because you don’t have a lot going on. Your job is to get healthy. That’s it. You have no other job but to get your body in shape and be healthy. And I think that’s pretty good advice."
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