While Randy Moss made a beeline for the weight room when reporters entered the New England locker room for the media access window around 11:15 a.m. and Gary Guyton declined a request to discuss his dismissal from the facility yesterday and Derrick Burgess was never spotted (though that's not unusual), Adalius Thomas spoke to reporters for around 10 minutes about "LateGate," saying he wanted to clear his name.

Here's much of what was said:

Can you tell us about what happened yesterday?
I got sent home. That's pretty much it. For being late.

Can you add more context? A reason behind it?
I think everybody woke up to the snow yesterday so I didn't know it was going to snow, so it was traffic. I'm can't run people over getting to work, I'm not going to do that. I actually almost had a car accident. But it is what it is. He did what he thought was best for him and that's what he did.

How surprising was it to you?
It was surprising just from the standpoint that you notify when you think you're going to be late and it still happens. That's what I was told to do - if you think you're going to be late then notify or whatever and you do that and you're still (dismissed) so I guess that fall-safe thing is not too good.

First time you've been sent home?
Yeah, that's the first time.

You were here?
I was here.

Have you spoken to Bill? To clear the air?
For what? Ain't nothing to talk about.

It seems like there's a strain between the two of you.
You have to ask him about that. I have no idea. I just do what I'm told. I was told to go home so that's what I did.

Will you talk to your teammates about what happened? Apology?
No...that's one thing about Mother Nature. You can't control that. You can't run people over getting to work, so there's nothing to really apologize about. I didn't try to be late. But...that's basically it. I don't know really what else to say. Leave home, there's people there, cars sitting in the road, you're sitting there and what you do? This is not the Jetsons, I can't jump up and just fly (laughs). What the hell am I supposed to do?

How frustrating has this season been for you?
Real frustrating. But it is what it is. That's one thing about being a professional -- there's good things and there's bad things, and so, you know, there's a lot of things you can say...it's just not a good time. I don't want people to think -- it was put out there like I just didn't show up and didn't have a reason, didn't nobody know, and that's not true. That's not the case at all. With that being the case, I was trying to be a professional, to let them know that traffic's bad, may not make it on time, and after you do that, there's nothing else you can really do.

What time did you come in?
That's irrelevant. I think it was 8:09 or something like that.

You talked about being professional - do you feel like they treated you professionally?
That's a personal thing, you know...he's the head coach, he makes all the calls and whether you agree with it or not you just roll with them. That's why they pay him to be the head coach, he has that title, so he doesn't have to have a reason to send you home, you just have to abide by it. I was told to go home, I went home, enjoyed my days off, put my toes up in the air and relaxed.

Concerned this is a distraction, especially with team fighting for a playoff berth?
I think it's more than what it should be, so, you know, your focus should be on Carolina but instead it's on this whole topic of being late and what-not. It will be determined on Sunday after the game -- we play well it will be this whole great thing, and if it doesn't then you guys will come back to this whole thing and say it's a distraction.

How has this affected your preparation?
Actually, you know, I watched a lot of film yesterday, you know, I watched a lot of games and kind of got a jump on the film because I had a lot of free time on my hands.

Did you talk to the other players who were late? What was their reaction?
Yes. I'll let you ask them about their reaction. I can only speak for myself, I'm not going to speak for anybody or say what somebody else said. If they want that to be known then I think it's only fair for them to say that.

Do you think Bill used you guys as a message?
You have to ask...I don't know. Teaching tool? I don't know. I really...I can't figure out what Bill thinks or knows; I don't know it. I promise you I don't.

Do you think there will be ramifications as far as playing time?
Like I said, I have no idea. Dude, I just do what I'm told. Whatever I'm told to do, that's what I do. And I try to do it in a professional manner. That's the only thing - I try to come here, I try to be professional, I try to do what I'm asked to do and try to do it at the best of my ability.