Q: What did Tony Sparano bring to this team?
Penn:"Tony is very truthful with us. He is very honest with us. He's a good motivator, a good leader. As a coach and being an NFL player, trust and honest is one of the biggest things. I'm not saying D.A. [Dennis Allen] wasn't, but I'm just saying his approach in what he does is very different. It makes you really want to play for a guy like that and really want to go out there and give your all and give your heart for a guy like that because you know he is going to give it back to you in return."
Q: Even with the wins not being there, you still believe that he deserves to come back?
Penn: "I do. I do. You have to understand, he inherited somebody else's team. I feel if you give him an offseason to make his moves, bring in the guys he wants to bring in, give him a year under his own team, a full year, I think he'll make some changes and things will get better. I hope they do give him an opportunity to be the head coach. I'm a big fan, and I really do hope they give him the chance to have this team and make some moves that he wants, bring in some guys he wants to bring in and see where it goes from there."
Q: Antonio Smith said the one thing that Sparano did bring was he showed the players and instilled what it means to be a Raider. Would you say that?
Penn: "Exactly. I feel like he fits the Raider mold as a head coach. He's a tough, East Coast, Italian guy and he kind of fits that mold a lot as an Oakland Raider tough guy, a head coach guy. I think he really fits the mold."
Q: Obviously the team results weren't what you wanted, but do you take any satisfaction in the way you played, having a good rebound year you had personally?
Penn: "It was a good bounce-back year from having an up-and-down year last year. I usually do stay consistent all year. Last year was real up and down, so it really was a good bounce-back year. I am going to sit down this offseason, take a couple of weeks off. I always take the film with me. I have it in my bag, and I'll sit down and go through stuff and see where I can get better and find a way to get better this offseason, because I have a lot more in me. I want to get this thing turned around. I am tired of losing. I want to start winning. We have a great group here."
Q: Antonio said the win against the 49ers was his highlight of the year. What was your highlight of the year and why?
Penn: "I think that first one against Kansas City because it was the first one and finally got that lift off your back. But the 49ers win was up there too."
