BERNARD SCOTT (Running back, Abilene Christian)
Q: Heading into the draft, did you have any expectations or idea of when you might get picked or who might pick you?BS: No. I was hoping my name would be called. I was waiting and it happened.
Q: The drawback to you may be your off-field incidents. How do you feel those weighed down your draft stock?BS: I cleared up the issues of my past. All of the mistakes I have made, I have learned from them. I have become a better person. I am ready to put all of that behind me and move forward and come to Cincinnati.
Q: How much conversation did you have with the Bengals' staff?BS: I talked to the running backs coach (Jim Anderson) a couple of times.
Q: Did the Bengals bring up any of your past issues in their interviews with you?BS: They asked me about it. They wanted to understand and talk to me about what really happened. Once we got that out of the way, we talked about sports.
Q: Did you find that to be the case with most of the other teams you talked to before the draft?BS: Yes, that was the case. I am not ashamed to talk about what I did. I made those mistakes and I have to answer those questions and go forward from there.
Q: Can you explain the incidents?BS: One was fleeing when a cop pulled me over in my car. Instead of pulling over, I drove home and then stopped. I was accused of stealing an iPod, which was dropped. I had a false identification charge when I showed my brother's identification.
Q: Did you ever strike a coach?BS: That's a rumor, but it's not true. I got into it with one of my teammates at practice. A big fight broke out. Somebody grabbed me from behind and I reacted by pushing that person away. I didn't hit anyone and I didn't strike anyone at all.
Q: What are your expectations now that the Bengals have seen fit to give you this opportunity?BS: My expectation is to prove it to myself and to the Bengals that they made the right choice. The mistakes that I have made are in my past. I am ready to get up there to Cincinnati. Work hard and compete for a position.
Q: What do you know about the Cincinnati Bengals?BS: I know that they have Cedric Benson returning at running back. I went to the same juco as James Johnson (Blinn Junior College). That's about it.
Q: How have you grown from the mistakes of your past?BS: Instead of reacting, now I know I have to think. I need to stay out of bad places and not let things get to me. I feel like now I can sense when something bad is going on, and I stay away from those places.
Q: Where are you now?BS: We are having a draft party with my family at my aunt's house in Dallas. We're watching the draft and getting together.
Q: What was it like to hear your name called?BS: I am lost for words. I still am, really. It's a dream come true. It's what I've been working for my whole life. I'm excited now.
Q: There are fewer and fewer picks, were you afraid of running out of chances or not getting drafted?BS: Yes. I thought about that before the draft. My record was going to scare a lot of teams away from me. I was prepared for getting drafted or being a free agent.
