Baltimore Beatdown Interviews Ravens Safety Haruki Nakamura

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 13, 2009 10:57 AM EDT Comment 23 comments

As part of the unprecedented open access that I was granted at this past Tuesday's Baltimore Ravens final OTA before Training Camp begins July 29th, I was able to go into the locker room and talk with the players one-on-one to get their thoughts on the upcoming season as well as last year's. Most of the media circled the bigger stars (Derrick Mason, Trevor Pryce), so I looked around and found some familiar faces in the guys I've traded emails with for previous interviews with Baltimore Beatdown, namely Haruki Nakamura, Marcus Smith and Graham Gano.

Using a nice, new and amazingly tiny digital recorder, I approached 'Ruki, introduced myself (and he remembered the previous interviews!) and proceeded to talk about a few things. We started off about his sister, Kimiko, who is his biggest and craziest fan, then moved on to his role and those of the rest of his defensive secondary mates, including his best friend on the team and fellow safety, Tom Zbikowski.

Click below to hear the interview in its entirety.

Haruki Nakamura Interview

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That was a really cool interview, Rexx.

Ruki is such a cool guy and it sounds like he loves being a Raven. It really is crazy that we have these 4 guys playing safety for us. Not a lot of teams in the league even consider anyone outside of their starting two. If Reed or Landry ever went down, god forbid again, I have full faith in Zbi and Ruki performing well. Reed really does not have too many years left in this league with his neck injury and is already 30 years old. I think Ruki feels the void of FS and Zbi is more of the SS.

Im glad that he recognizes his role that he is the back-up to Landry and Reed. But that does not mean that he will not be seeing the field. Ruki is such a great athlete that he could easily line up in the nickel and dime spot, as we actually saw him do many times last year. He is the perfect type of player to use on blitz packages, as well as Zbi.

I think Greg Mattison is going to use the same tactics as Rex Ryan did last year in getting your best players in the best situations to help you win the football game. Ruki can do a lot of those things and in different positions. I sense no hatred in him being a back up player (then again, you really think you could be ahead of Ed Reed lol). But I like when our guys say “I will do anything to help this team win.” And Ruki understands that he will get his looks and to be ready when his number is called.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jun 13, 2009 1:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Totally agree

It truly seems these guys actually enjoy being around each other, even off the field. Other players that come here say what a fun group of guys this team is filled with. Ruki is dead on in his assessment of what is starting on the field ahead of him andis satisfied being a contributor wherever he is needed. How many times did you see him rush the edge on the QB’s blind side with success last season.
He also is solid on Special Teams and is so versatile. Along with Dawan and Zbi, the Ravens will be solid at safety even when the time comes that Ed is long gone.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 14, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

So many times last year, Ruki and Zbi were rushing the edge. And I’ll tell you what, both of them may have been the fastest players rushing the edge when they did it. Ruki reminds me of a missile and Zbi is like a Mako shark.

Like, coming in as a 6th round pick who did not even get invited to the combine! He is just happy a team gave him a chance. Hell, I’m glad we are the ONLY team that gave him a chance because I have a feeling we will not be wanting to go against him on defense for another team in 3-4 years.

Gotta ask everyone here on BB. Who wins this fight.

Zbikowski with his Notre Dame boxing skills and 70+ wins or Nakamura whose family, including himself, are all judo masters? i really have no clue and think UFC needs to set this fight up.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jun 14, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

'Ruki is a tough judo guy

but Zbi is a lot bigger than him and already took down a bigger guy in that YouTube video. However, I’ll put my money on a submission expert over a puncher most any day.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 14, 2009 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I got Ruki in that fight

by DT711 on Jun 14, 2009 8:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If Haruki had to play by boxing rules in a ring, Zbikowski would win. If anything goes, Haruki would win.

It’s all about the training.

by BAL_Hawk on Jun 14, 2009 9:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yup

I was basing it on a street fight; anything goes. In the boxing ring, Zib would knock Ruki out for sure.

by DT711 on Jun 15, 2009 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Raven Tag Team UFC Match Ups:
Ray and Ngata vs McLaine and Oher
Zbi and Ruki vs Rice and Landry

All Time Raven UFC Matchups:
Ray vs. Boulware
Ogden vs. Zeus (that would be awsome)
Jamal vs Bam
C-mac vs Benny Thompson
McCrary vs. Sharp
Heap vs. Koch
Boller vs Zastudile
Stover vs. Jermaine
Billick vs Scott Garceau

by raven on Jun 15, 2009 12:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd take...

Ray
Zeus
Bam
Benny
McCrary
Koch
Zastudil
Jermaine
Garceau (or Anita Marks)

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 15, 2009 9:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lazy eyed Zeus beats Ogden?

No freaking way.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jun 15, 2009 11:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Zeus had that nasty streak

while JO is SUCH as nice guy.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 15, 2009 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

JO

Was nasty on the field. Off the field he was a nice guy.

He’d beat Zeus. Brown would lose his cool and leave himself vulnerable to an Ogden paw to the skull.

by DT711 on Jun 15, 2009 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

To Zeus' bad eye!

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 16, 2009 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haha

Koch beating Heap.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Heap was the bee’s knees just a few years ago, and now your picking a Punter to beat him in a fight.

How bout Ngata vs. Gregg, keeping in mind that Kelly was an All American Wrestler in college and wants to fight in the UFC after he’s done football.

I’d still take my man Ngata, but that would be a sweet match.

by DT711 on Jun 15, 2009 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The floors would shake

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jun 15, 2009 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah. Gregg would win on the mat… playing to the rules. Ngata would kick Gregg’s butt in a real fight.

by BAL_Hawk on Jun 15, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol.. heap loses to a punter. awsome.
the bam vs jamal would be a good one.
Anita Marks probably would love to sleeper hold Aunt B Garceau.

by raven on Jun 15, 2009 11:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Koch played LB in high school

and is a pretty tough dude. He mad a few ST tackles and hit hard and remember the fake punt vs. Dallas? Heap puts his head down after every catch and gets upended every time. Afraid to run over guys now, but seems healthy now so he should keep his head up and use his speed for some additional YAC.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 16, 2009 9:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

zbi, nakamura and leonard would be a great 3 man team.
them vs dawkins, troy and lynch

by raven on Jun 15, 2009 11:52 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Leonhard?

Never heard of him!

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jun 16, 2009 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You might remember him from the Titans playoff game.

Game ball
Ravens safety Jim Leonhard had a hand in stopping two Titans drives. Just before halftime he recovered a fumble at the Baltimore 22, and in the fourth quarter he forced a fumble at the Baltimore 9, which was recovered by the Ravens at the 1.

http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter?game_id=54459&displayPage=tab_gamecenter&season=2008&week=POST19

Maybe he’s no Landry, but he did more for this team last year than Troy Smith. Where’s Leonhard’s ridiculous man-love?

Water covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Ed Reed covers the rest.

by Ampallang on Jun 16, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs