AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: YANKEES v MARINERS

October 21, 2001

Bernie Williams

BERNIE WILLIAMS: Well, I don't know. I think -- I can't speak for my teammates. I'm one that likes to get out of there as soon as I can. I think most of the guys left early because they were out of the game early. They figure some of the guys that stayed in the game were going to pick up the slack and, I guess nobody did. I certainly apologize for that, I guess.

BERNIE WILLIAMS: I don't know. I probably would have done the same thing, like I do almost every game. You don't see me hanging around there too long. But, I don't know.

BERNIE WILLIAMS: Yeah, a lot of them. I mean, he has been just a rock-solid player for us, just very instrumental in our success over the years, ever since he came in, I guess '93. We were sort of building the team that we are right now, and he has been one of those guys that has been there from the beginning. Just day-in, day-out we can always count on him to deliver and perform under any kind of pressure. I guess a couple of years ago, his dad passed away, and not even that could stop his willingness to perform. He has been great for us. A great teammate. Probably the guy that I have played with the most on the team.

BERNIE WILLIAMS: I think most of the security measures have been taken on the road, when we stay at hotels, try to mostly try to -- everybody stay the same, go to the field, on the bus that the team has for us. We've got all kinds of police escorts, and turning the bags in, we have to get them ourselves and bring them down ourselves. We can't let anybody outside from the security people touch the bags, and it has been kind of different. But those are mainly the most -- some of the differences are travelling in and from the field, the equipment.

BERNIE WILLIAMS: Well, I feel very secure. I have a lot of confidence in the fact that these people have been thinking a lot about, you know, different ways to keep us safe, and it has been a job that they have taken -- you know, it's not a spur of the moment thing. Ever since this thing happened, they have been planning, and all of the security measures that we have taken from the security guards, from the police officers, from the snipers on the roof that I see every day, everything, at least from my end, makes me feel more safe.

BERNIE WILLIAMS: I think as far as Derek and Mo is concerned, they have come through the organization. Jorge, and Ramiro, as well. Sort of like in the Minor Leagues, we stress this attitude, this winning attitude, this pride that we need to have to be Yankee players. As far as Tino is concerned, I've been playing against Tino, I guess since I was on the Astros. He was playing for the Mariners in Williamsport and I could see he was going to be a great player. Little did I know I was going to be a teammate of his from '96 on. He had a lot of pressure when he came in, trying to fill Don Mattingly's shoes. But he has done a tremendous job and he has been an instrumental part of our success as well.

BERNIE WILLIAMS: I think the preparation before the game, I think is what is tougher. I think once we get into the playing field, start playing the game, I think, you know, it's a lot of fun. It's a lot of fun playing those games. I think it's just before and after the games, all of a sudden, uncertainty, and the preparation and just the waiting around is just, you know, from my end, it's not as pleasant as actually playing the game. Those three and a half, four hours we spend on the field, trying to do the best we can, trying to win the game, that's the best part of it for me.