LAMONT JORDAN
ON SIGNING WITH THE RAIDERS IN MARCH AFTER FOUR SEASONS WITH THE JETS People told me, "You're going to look good in silver-and-black; your style of ball is made for that uniform." I'm like, I always thought I was made for green-and-white. But now that I'm in Oakland [he's pictured here in the city's Jack London Square], it's a great fit. I'm a hard-nosed back on a hard-nosed team.
ON HIS NICKNAME, L-BOOGIE When I got to Maryland, we had a running back, Brian Underwood, a senior. He said, "I'm gonna call you L-Boogie because you be boogieing down the field. You got that burst, and you got a little shake to you. It fits."
ON WHAT THE TYPICAL FAN THINKS OF HIM If you think anything, you think I'm disgruntled, selfish, a guy who wanted out of his situation [as backup to Curtis Martin in New York]. I plan to show people that I have power, speed, moves and that I play with passion.
ON WHETHER MARTIN, WHO ONCE DATED TONI BRAXTON, GAVE HIM CELEBRITY-DATING TIPS No, I'm going to have to pick up that skill on my own. If I could date any celebrity, I'd say Mariah Carey. Not so much to date her but just to sit down and talk.... The love I have for her music is incredible.
ON JETS COACH HERM EDWARDS I had nothing but love and respect for Herm. During the bad time I had last off-season, when I asked to be traded, Herm was great with me. He's a players' coach. He understands that if you want to keep your players healthy for the long haul, you've got to ease up at times. And he's honest.
ON DOUG BRIEN, WHO MISSED TWO FIELD GOALS THAT COULD HAVE GIVEN THE JETS A PLAYOFF WIN OVER THE STEELERS Am I mad at Doug Brien? I'm going to have to say I am. Who wouldn't be? That's just like a quarterback throwing an interception to a man who's covered by five people. I think we're all hurt from losing that game. Now that I'm with the Raiders, I'm excited about [Sebastian] Janikowski. You want a kicker with a little warrior in him.
ON NEW TEAMMATE RANDY MOSS Randy's hilarious. He's an emotional guy. He has a passion and a love for winning. Some people think athletes aren't supposed to show emotion, but I think the opposite is true. People talk about guys like Randy and Rasheed Wallace as bad influences. What about all those guys who, when things go wrong, just shrug and walk away? I loved what Moss did in Green Bay during the playoffs [when he pretended to moon the crowd]. You work hard to score a touchdown, and when you finally get in that end zone, you want to have fun.
--As told to Michael Silver
JORDAN, 26, AVERAGED 5.2 YARDS A CARRY FOR THE JETS IN '04. HE SIGNED A FIVE-YEAR, $27.5 MILLION DEAL WITH OAKLAND.
"I once spent five minutes trying to get a donut off a bat in the on-deck circle."
--Jason Varitek, Red Sox catcher, page 39
"I PLAN TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT I PLAY WITH PASSION."
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photograph by andy freeberg
COLOR PHOTO
CHUCK SOLOMON (VARITEK)
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GREG TROTT/WIREIMAGE.COM (JORDAN ACTION)