Anthony - Clear Lake, TX, US: Howdy Bernard, and welcome back to Houston! What did you think about your 1st season in Houston, and what did you want to improve on the most as a player and as a team for next season? Thanks.
Bernard Pollard (2:35:11PM): First of all, thank you for welcoming me back. It's great to be back. I guess the biggest thing for our team to work on is finishing and winning and not putting ourself in a position to have to count on another team to get into the playoffs. I think this offseason, we have the right mindset to set ourself up for great things this year.
Blaine Juergens - Livingston, TX, US: How long do you plan on staying in Houston? (Stay forever)
Bernard Pollard (2:05:09PM): For the rest of my career. Those are my intentions. This is a great place for my family and myself. I have great teammates, great coaching, great management, and I love it here.
aaron jones - odessa, TX, US: You are a physical player do you try to influence the other players to play with that mentality?
Bernard Pollard (2:07:13PM): I believe the way I play kind of rubs off on people, and I think leading by example brings on the rest of my teammates. As we've seen this year, you've just seen every player come into his own, and I believe that like I said, with what we did last year, I think that's just going to get us over the hump to get into the playoffs and go far in them.
Jose - Baytown, TX, US: How many interceptions you think you will have next year?
Bernard Pollard (2:08:49PM): I'm going for nine. I want nine or 10. We're fortunate with the D-line that we have to get pressure, and that's big for the secondary so I'm going for nine or 10 and hopefully we can create at least 30 interceptions for our teammates this year.
Lazarus - Cleveland, TX, TX, US: You may have noticed Texans fans have taken to your style of play - and straight talk. Do you feel comfortable enough in Houston to make it your carrier home? Also, what do you think of this nickname for the defense: Diablo Tejanos ? It means Devil Texans, that what Texian Freedom Fighters and later Texas' first law enforcement personnel were called. After all, the helmet has the horns.
Bernard Pollard (2:36:30PM): Like I've said, I definitely would make this my home. As far as the fans taking on my play and my talk, what you see is what you get. I'm the type of person where I give every person 100 percent me, every fan, every coach, and I try to show them on the field who they're dealing with. I think the best thing for me is I don't care how people perceive me because I know I carry myself with the utmost respect and I respect others. And so I think other people can take a hold of that and really see my character.
Aaron - Houston, TX, US: Bernard, I'm really excited to see you back with the team for the 2010 season. You had a tremendous impact on Defense for us last year. What are your goals for this season with the Texans?...are you ready to be the leader of the Texans secondary?
Bernard Pollard (2:14:07PM): I'm most definitely ready to be the leader. Our goal first and foremost is the Super Bowl, and I think when that comes, every other goal that we have, like being a Top 5 defense, will come along with it.
Thomas - New Hyde Park, NY, US: Glad you are back with the Texans. Would you ever consider joining Brian Cushing on that MMA training workout?
Bernard Pollard (2:37:19PM): No, I won't consider training with him because Cushing is the type of guy that as a kid you didn't want to rough house with because he took things too far. So no, I'm not going to consider MMA'ing with him. I'm going to take my training and do what I do on the field and let him do his own thing and take that to the field. That is a crazy son of a gun.
Nolan - Houston/College UTSA, TX, US: Bernard, First, you and Brian Cushing are the best things that have happened to our D in a very long time, y'all bring the nastiness we need. Keep it up, and try to put some anger in Mario. Question: What position on defense do you personally think we need to address in the draft? Of the DB's in the draft, who would you most like to see playing next to you?
Bernard Pollard (2:38:36PM): As far as the draft, I'm not the GM and I'm not the coach. Obvoiusly, they're going to pick whoever they want to pick. I really believe with the secondary that we have, I believe that we have a strong enough secondary coach in David Gibbs that he's more than willing and able to teach any of our guys. And we have capable starters that are on our roster right now like Glover Quin, Jacques Reeves, Brice McCain. We've got Molden coming back. These guys are more than capable of playing. Some were hindred by injuries, some were hindered by something else, but I truly believe in them and truly believe in each one to fill the role and fill the void of Dunta. We've got Barber, we've got Eugene, so I'm guessing they're going to have to address the safety position, but as far as in the first round, we can let the offense go ahead and have that first-round pick.
Chris - H-Towm, TX, US: Hey Bernard, have any of your teammates given you any crazy nicknames yet?
Bernard Pollard (2:39:20PM): Actually, Kevin Bentley has given me one. He calls me "The Jock." I guess one of his old teammates in college was a very good football player and he was a really good dancer, and that's what they called him. So I guess after they find out I was capable of dancing after seeing me on Hard Knocks with the Chiefs from back in my second year, Kevin gave me the nickname. The only time I'll talk about this is on this live chat. Other than that, I get mad at it every time he talks about it.
Tony - Mission, TX, US: Yo Pollard, think you can hit the other team harder next year?
Bernard Pollard (2:10:39PM): Oh, definitely. It's definitely coming. Every year, I try to figure out ways to keep my body in better shape and to try to work on my explosiveness. I believe with the acquisiton of Ced as our strength coach, he's definitely done a great job with that thus far with our offseason training.
Joseph Akers - Cypress, TX, US: Dear Bernard, What a joy it has been to have you as a Texan! I'm so proud of our team and the work that you have been doing!!! Keep up the great work! Question: How do you feel about your nickname 'Bonecrusher'? Did you first get it at Purdue or did it follow you from high school? Sincerely, Joseph
Bernard Pollard (2:34:17PM): You know what, I actually got it at Purdue after we played Minnesota when I slammed a player my junior year. There was a linebacker on our team who had that nickname, but when I picked the guy up and slammed him, the commentator accidentally called me Bonecrusher. Ever since that hit, I've been called Bonecrusher. I don't say much about it, I let people call me whatever they want to call me. But it's just funny at times. I'll hear people call me that in public just to get my attention. Every time I'm back in Kansas City, all I'll hear is "Bonecrusher!" when I'm walking around in public. They don't even think to call me Bernard. It's just funny.
William Bowman - FT Huachuca, AZ, US: Glad to have you back this year!! Could you please if you do nothing else this year do this one thing? Destroy Dallas!!! Do you think having the "Toughest" schedule this year will change anything going into camp? They all look like a bunch of punks to me......GO TEXANS!!!
Bernard Pollard (2:40:23PM): First of all, I commend you for everything you're doing for our country. As far as the schedule, it's not going to do anything but test our character, to see what we're going to do, who's going to man up and who's going to sit down. I believe that everybody on our team, along with whoever they bring in here from the draft and free agency, I think there's going to be a mindset that we expect to win, we expect to go to the playoffs and nothing less. I think that if that's not the expectation for somebody, they don't need to be on this team or be in this locker room, and I won't allow it and neither will anybody else on this team. We're not going to tolerate that. It's a new mindset here.
Juan Sanchez - Houston, TX, US: Hey bernard i always wanted to know, do you defensive guys hang out? I noticed cushing is the humourous type is he funny? Also how many people you plan on laying out this season haha =D whoo!!
Bernard Pollard (2:43:42PM): Defensively, we try to do something weekly during the season, and I think that builds team camaraderie and builds trust among players. It's needed on the team; you need to get away from family and kind of hang out with guys outside the football field. But I think DeMeco does a great job. He's the coordinator of that. Sometimes we go by position, sometimes we go as a whole defense. Like I said, he does a great job of building trust and everything else between the guys.
chris - fort stockton, TX, US: i would like to thank you for coming to houston and staying with the texans. as a youngster was football your sport of choice?
Bernard Pollard (2:42:02PM): You know what, football was not exactly my choice. My dad kind of pushed it upon me. I went to school for communications and would like to be in broadcasting some day, but as far as what's going to be my bread winner and what's going to open doors to broadcasting, I know it's football. This is the sport that I love, and I do love this game now without a doubt. Unfortunately, it was something that was pushed upon me when I was younger, but at the end of the day I was blessed and God made a way for me to be able to play now and to be able to continue to play.
Louis - Mission, TX, US: Hey Bernard, i love the way you play the game, i just wanted to know, what is your most memorable play form your first season with Houston? Thanx and good luck this season. GO TEXANS
Bernard Pollard (2:50:41PM): I think it was intercepting Brady to get some more momentum and help us take the lead against the Patriots and be a part of the first winning season with the Houston Texans in my first season here. Other than that, just being a contributor for this team in the 13 games that I played.
Marcus - Houston, TX, US: Who is the better dancer Jacoby Jones or yourself?
Bernard Pollard (2:43:44PM): I'm going to give it to Jacoby becuase he's more than willling to show it on gameday, and I'm kind of the hesitant type where I'm more wanting to bark and scare you on gameday rather than dance. I don't want to catch balls and run away, I want to run into you. I don't have any need to run away from you - unless I catch a pick.
Marcus - Houston, TX, US: I am so glad you are coming back! I like the way you play hard and stop the run! Welcome back to Houston! Have a great season!
Bernard Pollard (2:55:06PM): Thank you. I appreciate it, and I think getting the offseason in with the guys and getting a full 16 games in is going to be big for us this year. Like I said in my other post, we expect to go to the playoffs. It's a must for us. We're not looking to do anything else.
David Mack - San Mateo, CA, US: B-31, You are without a doubt the neutralizer, the mad bomber, the "it-factor" of the Texans secondary. It is an absolute blessing that you joined and have since re-signed with the Texans, a long-term contract will come! Clearly you are top on the list of achievers this past season, so what is it that motivates you on Sunday? Also, how do you spend your time off-the-field? Go Texans!
Bernard Pollard (2:47:56PM): Yes, I am truly blessed, and thank you. I guess the biggest thing that motivates me is that pigskin. Whoever has it, you have an opportunity to either light them up or get lit up. I believe with everything that happened to me this past season, being cut then finding a team where I can spend the rest of my career, I think that's a big thing for me. And everything that I've been through in Kansas City and everywhere else, that motivates me. I don't ever want to be on the street. I don't ever want to figure out who am I going to play for next. Yes, the long term contract is going to come. I truly believe that if you don't want to give me respect, I will take it. I can't do it on the street when I'm walking around with my family, because that's a lawsuit waiting to happen. But when we're on the football field, I've got equipment on and you've got equipment on and I'm going to take every bit of anger that I have inside of me and use it to the best of my ability, but in a smart way, too.
As far as off the field, my biggest thing, I'm a family man. I love to be around my family. I love to be at home, and I'm either playing video games or I'm spending time with my two children or my wife. That's what I want to instill in my son, for him to undersatnd that when you have a wife and kids, you have to devote your time to them.
Aaron - Houston, TX, US: I see I'm not the only one asking about a nickname...that's just our way of welcoming you with open arms. What can you tell us about Wade Smith?
Bernard Pollard (2:48:31PM): Wade is a hard-nosed football player. He's a player who's very smart. He's a player who understands the game and I think he's going to bring a stability to our offensive line and it's going to be great competition there. He can play three positions on the offensive line, or every position on the offensive line, really.
Ryan - Spring, TX, US: Obviusly you did great things for the franchise last year. I think your a great player but how do you think we should shut down Peyton and the Colts offense. We havent done it to many times in the past and im ready to see it done. I beleive it can happen and will but how?
Bernard Pollard (2:59:18PM): Last year was the first time I played the Colts twice. I believe with the team that we have, we are more than capable of beating them and I think that we've shown that, but I think at the same time we have to learn how to finish a game. Both games, we didn't finish. Peyton Manning is a great quarterback. I don't think any quarterback can go out there and go throw for throw with him. Our defense, we have to go 60 minutes, and the crazy things that we did last year, we've got to get rid of them. I think if we play smart and if we play 60 minutes, we are going to win these games. Like I've said earlier, this is a new mindset. We don't care about what happened in the past. Whatever our win-loss record was against the Colts or anybody else, it will be changed. It's a different mindset.
Bernard Pollard (1:13:11PM): I've got to head out the door. Thanks everybody for joining me; I appreciate you guys giving me your time. It's been a fun day.
