QUOTING: Jon Gruden 10/17/03

JON GRUDEN QUOTABLE QUOTES - OCTOBER 17
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(on injured players)
"Jason Whittle did not practice; he's questionable. (Ken) Dilger was suited up but he didn't do much; he's questionable. Karl Williams practiced and he's moving around a little bit better; he's probable. Keyshawn (Johnson) practiced a little bit but he's still sore. He's probable but he's still not 100 percent, obviously. Brian Kelly, same thing. We'll make a decision on him on game day. (Shelton) Quarles, same thing. We'll announce that on game day. We're pleased with how those last two guys moved around."

(on how he would consider the status of Brian Kelly and Shelton Quarles)
"Questionable. We'll get them to the stadium early, make sure all the information has been digested and we do the right thing. It's a medical decision and the trainers will let me know."

(on a scouting report on the 49ers)
"Defense, they're very good. They're a top-five defensive team in football. They lead the NFL in sacks. They're way up there in turnovers. It's a blitzing team, unorthodox from that standpoint. They come from everywhere –– corners, safeties, (they) drop ends and bring everybody, they do it all. Zone blitz, man blitz……they're making plays. They're a young and athletic team on defense. Offensively, they've got a great quarterback, the guy can run and through. He's got the heart of a lion, he's a competitor. They've got a marquee receiver in (Terrell) Owens, two big, quality backs in (Kevan) Barlow and (Garrison) Hearst. I think the fullback's very underrated, does it all for him. They do have a couple of injuries on the offensive line, but the center and right guard have played extremely well and their young left tackle is getting better. You can see his athletic promise."

(on how the 49ers are different under new Head Coach Dennis Erickson)
"Scheme-wise, I see a lot of similar traits on offense that I've seen over the years. Greg Knapp is still there, they kept both coordinators from last year's team. I do see a much more aggressive approach on defense in terms of bltizing. I see a lot of similar traits that you've learned to expect from the San Francisco 49ers."

(on the 49ers getting slightly worse at third-down conversions this year)
"Well, they've had some injuries on their line. Obviously, they've had a little bit more third-and-long situations than third-and-mediums. When they're in third-and-medium they're particularly dangerous because (Jeff) Garcia can throw it or run it."

(on if he thinks the 49ers, at 2-4, have a sense of desperation)
"There are a lot of teams that made the playoffs last year, us included, that need to win. That's the league right now –– you look at Philadelphia, the Giants, look at the Jets, look around the league, open your eyes. Everybody that was in the playoffs (in 2002), for the most part, has a loss, two losses, maybe three. I think desperate is a word you use every week in this business. Week One, Week 14……this is a tough league to win in."

(on parity in the league not changing)
"It's not going to change, either. You lose two starters on defense to free agency, you lose (Shelton) Quarles and Brian Kelly, you lose Mike Alstott, Joe Jurevicius, Ken Dilger, Rickey Dudley……you're not playing with the same team you had last year. You never stay the same. Now, we've been in position to win games and I compliment our team for that. But everybody goes over coaching changes, playing changes, the schedule never stays the same, hell, we changed divisions up last year, too. You compound all those things together, by George you have what you have."

(on what he thought of the Boston-New York Game Seven Thursday night)
"Unbelievable. I love (Jason) Giambi to start with. I got to know him a little bit and the guy's been through a tough year with not being able to see the ball, vision problems, moving down into seventh in the order. He had a 3-0 count early in the game where (Pedro) Martinez struck him out. For him to come back, down 4-0, and generate hope, get the crowd back in the game, get his team back in the game, that just goes to show you: The heart of a champion is something else. I was really, really stimulated by it. (Aaron) Boone, a free-agent acquisition or a trade acquisition, kind of like Joe Jurevicius delivering a key play to get you into the Super Bowl. It was an exciting game, man. I loved it."

(more on the game)
"If you're a sports fan –– and this is my opinion, all I have is my opinion –– that's one of the great come-from-behind victories I've ever seen, in any sport. That guy is that good, (Pedro) Martinez. There's that much at stake, and I've seen that guy be unhittable, absolutely unhittable. For them to rally, and to see those fans get juiced like that, if that doesn't fire you up you just don't like sports, I guess."

(on the Marlins)
"Here's a team down three games to one. I know this, there are some real great competitors in this championship series. Too bad for me it's football season and I won't be able to watch it.