Four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Sam Madison talked with NFL Network host Rich Eisen via Dolphins cam on NFL Total Access (6/24/04) about all things Dolphins, including Miami's quarterback competition and Madison's charity event. NFL Total Access airs Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. ET/PT on the NFL Network.  This transcript was issued as a press release by MiamiDolphins.com.

Rich Eisen: Who better to get the pulse of all things Fish than the guy who is third all-time on the list of interceptions for Dolphins' history? That would be Sam Madison on Dolphins cam. How you doing, Sam?

Sam Madison: Hey, Rich. I'm doing really good, and I must say that you look extremely well today.

Eisen: Thanks, just for you Sam, thank you. And I must say that you look pretty fresh for a guy who just had two picks in practice. We heard about that today!

Madison: Well, thank you, things are going well down here for me. The defensive line is doing extremely well and getting some pressure in on there, and I've just been at the right place at the right time, like I've been for the last seven or eight years. Hopefully it will roll over into the new season. I need a couple new picks.

Eisen: And you've had the third-most interceptions for the past six seasons, Sam. What makes a good cornerback in terms of getting a pick? Is it luck or instinct, or both?

Madison: Pretty much a little bit of both. You know, some guys say we are lucky, but I go off instincts, and I think that's why I'm one of those guys who, like you said, have had the most picks over the last couple years. Definitely, having guys like Jason Taylor, Adewale (Ogunleye), Junior (Seau) and Zach (Thomas) putting pressure on the quarterbacks, it allows me to do my job and makes my job a little easier.

Eisen: Let's talk about Adewale right now. What is the latest with this guy, Sam?

Madison: I really can't tell you right now. Hopefully he will do the right thing. He has had two excellent seasons. He is one of those guys we depend -- myself and Patrick Surtain -- to get pressure on the quarterback, which he has done, and it allows our job to be a lot easier. But I definitely hope both sides can come in to an agreement, because not only is he a great player, but he is a great friend of mine, so I hope both sides can work it out.

Eisen: We recently spoke to Junior Seau on Dolphins cam last month, and he was either oblivious to it or didn't want to talk about it. But are you guys talking about this sort of stuff? Or are you just going about your business?

Madison: No. You know, you have fun with it and talk about it in the locker room, but it's one of those things that most guys go through. You know, myself, I went through it when I was coming up, and Zach and Jason and Junior's been through it, and Patrick Surtain, and it's gonna be a lot of other players that will go through the same thing. But it all falls to him and his agent to get things done -- and to the Dolphins organization. And I think it's gonna work out well, and hopefully they get him in here to camp and get him going.

Eisen: What advice would you give him, as someone who has gone through it?

Madison: Come to camp. (Laughs)

Eisen: Would you have taken that advice when you were going through it?

Madison: Come to camp. (Laughs)

Eisen: (Laughs) Well, very good. Well, come camp, who is going to be quarterback? We're putting you on the hot seat, and there seems to be several hot spots -- so to speak --with the Dolphins. Who is gonna be the QB?

Madison: I'm gonna say it like this: Come to camp, Wally. (Laughs) I don't know. That is a very touchy subject here in South Florida. Those two guys are really competing, and now that Sage Rosenfels has put in his bid as well, I think it's gonna be very tough in training camp and come the preseason to have all three of those guys competing. But I really can't say because all of them are getting work in and doing a good job and -- besides today with me picking off a couple passes -- but they are doing a great job and the best man will win. And I think it's great for our team for every position to have competition, to have battles, and that's just one of those positions that have those battles. Some of the slots are locked in; Ricky Williams has his slot locked in.

Eisen: It's interesting. You say that, Sam, because this is a great way to show fans the way that competition works in camp, because if you get a couple picks, wouldn't you say that might affect, in a way, the quarterback race going on right now? How do you go about your business at camp?

Madison: Well, you kinda put that aside. Most people say that corners have to have amnesia, and I think that quarterbacks also have to have that. You know, after a sack or getting pounded or throwing an interception for a touchdown, then coming right back out and making a drive. With those guys throwing an interception, they have to come out and get that out of their brain and work hard. But this defense, we have 10 out of 11 starters coming back, and we have guys that have been together for a while, and we know the ups and downs of each other's games and we have a pretty good defense. And for those guys to have a new system and have new play calling, it's pretty tough for them to come out when we have been playing together for the last four, five and six years. We know what we're doing, and it's kinda unfair for them to be going against us because for the last six or seven years we have had one of the top five defenses in the league.

Eisen: So what's been going on this offseason, Sam? Would you call it normal for the Dolphins?

Madison: Yes, it's definitely normal, and for the past few years the defense has pretty much carried this team, and we've made some additions to our offense. David Boston is looking great, being that some people have said that he is not doing what he is supposed to be doing early on, but the guy is doing what we have been asking him to do. He is just a class act. He is just a quiet person; once he gets out on the field, in the locker room, or in the weight room, he just goes out and does what he has to do, and I think that he will be a great pickup for us if he can have that breakout season like he did in Arizona a couple years back. So I'm looking for big things from him. I talk to him all the time every day. The only thing he is having problems adjusting to is the weather down here. Pretty much everybody has to do that.

Eisen: Let's talk about your charity event that you are having down there: "Cuts for a Cause." Tell us about that, Sam.

Madison: Well, it's something fun that I wanted to do for fun. A lot of guys have golf tournaments, other guys have fishing tournaments or bowling tournaments, and I wanted to do something different. So I was trying to get old-school people like (South Florida sports anchor and former Dolphins tight end) Joe Rose in here to get a haircut before he goes on TV looking a mess, but it was fun and it was a great turnout even though we had a little rain. We had live music, some hors d'oeuvres, bottled water and juice as my drinks, but it was fun and a lot of guys turned out, and I think it's something that is going to be very popular in years to come.
 
Eisen: So people just come and get their hair cut? That's basically the gist of it?

Madison: Yeah, pretty much. It was held in Hollywood, Florida. You know, the mayor and a lot of other bigwigs were there. It was basically like a meet-and-greet and it was basically trying to get people back into the Hollywood community, and it turned out great and it was fun, and we raised some money for the kids.

Eisen: I love it. Bigwigs, and it's called "Cuts For a Cause," and it's put on by a guy with no hair. I love it.

Madison: Pretty much trying to get you guys to look decent, trying to get you guys to come onto my level. I see a little peak in the front. (Laughs)

Eisen: I'm close. (Laughs) I'm close. It won't take much, and next time I'll be there.

Madison: Hey man, don't hang on, just let it go. (Laughs) Guys with bald heads like myself and Jason Taylor with the bald heads, we just let it go.

Eisen: Hey, if I'm guaranteed to look as good as you and Jason Taylor if I went and let it go. Thanks for joining us, Sam.

Madison: Hey, thanks for having me, Rich.

Eisen: Sure thing. Sam Madison, the first-ever cornerback selected for the Pro Bowl from the Miami Dolphins, joining us on Dolphins cam.