Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of Q & A’s with athletes, coaches and other personnel that make up Sacramento State athletics.

What follows is a conversation between Sac State senior cornerback and football co-captain Ramon Payne and State Hornet Assistant Sports Editor John Parker. The interview took place on the practice field right after the Hornets right after the Hornets practice on Thursday night in preparation for their game at Eastern Washington this Saturday.

John Parker: Congratulations on your performance last week*, sounds like you were all over the place?

Ramon Payne: Oh man, thank you. That was just the coaches calling good plays and I just happened to be there in the right places. I wish we could have come away with the win?it sucks that we didn?t win. It makes it harder to celebrate without the win. It?s just like a nice bonus. We want the ?W? though.

JP: I?ve heard that you?ve gotten flak in the past for breaking up passes instead of picking them off, what?s the deal with that?

Payne: (Laughs) Yeah, I got that all last year because I led the conference in pass breakups but I only had one pick. So all the guys would tease me and say, “Oh you?re only good for breakups, when are you gonna start gettin? some picks?” So I started working hard to get my hands on the ball and catch it. So this year I?m leading the league in picks not just breakups, so that?s a good thing.

JP: What?s the hardest hit you?ve ever laid on a guy, at any level?

Payne: I got a pretty good shot last year at Montana State. It was on a goal line package and the guy went to go leap over the line and we met right there. He got banged back, but the ref said he crossed right as I hit him. But that was a good hit and my teammates gave me a lot of support for that one. We were pretty juiced when we saw it on film.

JP: Do you try to be more of a hard-hitter at corner or do you play the finesse game and go for picks?

Payne: I pick my shots. If I think I can get a good hit then I do. I had a good one this year at NAU, running back coming through the hole and I got a good clean shot on him. First and foremost, making the tackle is the most important thing. I really just try to pick my shots and if they?re there take ?em, if not make sure I make the tackle.

JP: Who has the strangest pre-game ritual on the team?

Payne: Strangest pre-game ritual? I?d have to say Tyson Butler**. Tyson comes in, he?s got the headphones on and he?s really animated before the game.

JP: Anything in specific he does?

Payne: He?s just wired. It?s like a concert before the game. He?s juiced. It?s like having your own concert before the game when Tyson?s around.

JP: Anything in specific that you do before games?

Payne: I used to bring in the headphones and just sit there quiet and try to get amped up but it wasn?t really working for me so I got rid of the headphones and so now I just lay back and watch everybody else. I take my time and just let things flow like it?s a normal day; but when I put the pads on and go out there, then it?s business.

JP: Is there music in the locker room before games?

Payne: Oh yeah. At home we have music before the games and people make mixes and bring them in. We have rock, rap, a little bit of alternative and we really mix it up because it gets people going. Everyone has that one song that have to hear so it?s really good. There are songs that everybody likes and it really gets the locker room going with vibes going through especially at home games, it?s awesome.

JP: What?s your favorite song to listen to before a game?

Payne: My favorite song before a game is Eminem?s ?Lose Yourself.? Because once you step on the field you have to lose it and give it your all. I have to hear that before I go out, the last thing I do before I step out on the field.

JP: Who keeps the cleanest locker?

Payne: I try keep mine pretty clean. It?d have to be between me, Tredway***, although he doesn?t have a lot of stuff in his locker so that?s not fair?I don?t know where he keeps it, and definitely NOT Tyson. Definitely not Tyson, god his locker is a mess. Harry Filo**** keeps a pretty clean locker too.

JP: So would you say the dirtiest locker belongs to Tyson?

Payne: (Without hesitation) Oh yeah, it?s Tyson. You can?t find a thing in that locker. Tyson has to dump all his stuff out to find anything.

JP: What?s the most unmanly music you listen to?

Payne: I listen to Alicia Keys.

JP: That?s not THAT unmanly?

Payne: Yeah I like Alicia Keys. A lot of times when I?m in the car driving up, guys will hear me start singin? it. I listen to that before I come out here.

JP: Is that one you just listen to without anyone else around?

Payne: (Laughs) Yeah, with nobody else around. Just me and Alicia Keys just vibin?.

JP: Ever cried during a movie, like Brian?s Song or anything like that?

Payne: Actually I did. Hardball, it was story about little kids playing baseball. Keanu Reeves was in it and the little dude died in the end. The smallest guy on the team but he had the biggest role. He grabbed the audience and he was instantly your favorite character and he died in the end and it hit me really hard, like “Why did have to die?” I remember distinctly that one got to me. That was probably the only time I?ve cried in a movie. That one got to me.

JP: But only once, right?

Payne: Yeah. Hardball, it got to me.

JP: What?s your favorite Sac State team to watch?

Payne: Basketball, I love going to basketball games.

JP: Men?s hoops or women?s hoops?

Payne: Men?s hoops. I love going to men?s hoops games. I?m a big supporter I love going to watch those guys play. Anytime I get a chance and they?re playing I go.

JP: Got a favorite Sac State athlete?

Payne: Tess Thompson. She?s probably one of my favorites. I always see her working when she?s alone so she?s definitely one of my favorites. I?ve had classes with her, she?s real good on grades and she?s a real hard worker, so Tess is probably my favorite.

JP: You?re from San Jose, you like the Bay more or up here in Sacramento?

Payne: Oh man. I love going back home but it?s too expensive to live there (Laughs). It?s way too expensive. If I could own a home down there it would be cool but it?s way cheaper to live up here. That and the weather in the Bay is too unpredictable, up here in Sacramento you have a bit of a better idea of what to expect. The rent and the weather out here are definitely plusses

JP: Any favorite ?Moose?^^ sayings, anything he likes to pop on you guys from time to time?

Payne: (Bursts out in laughter) There was one to day just now as a matter of fact. ?Nappy? is a term we use for hair for all the black guys, it?s just a term we use. So today when we were turning in our gear, he turns to Stephone Paige^ and says, “Make sure your nappy behind turns in your stuff!” And every one of us started laughing. Stephone has his hair fro?d out right now so it was just hilarious. Moose just said it today because were turning in our sweatsuits and he didn?t have his in.

JP: He ever threaten to fine you?

Payne: (Laughs) All the time! Moose is known for that. If you?re late, it?s a fine! He told me one time he?s gonna find out a scheme for us. He used to be able to fine somebody $5,000 in the League^^^, so he said he?s gonna start fining us $5 and it was hilarious, he said he was gonna figure something out. He?s always threatening to fine somebody.

JP: But he can?t follow through on it, so you?re all safe.

Payne: Yep, sure can?t, sure can?t.

JP: Anything else you would like to add?

Payne: Yeah I would just like to say that this weekend is my Mom?s birthday. She would be 53 years old, she passed away when I was 13 years-old, so this weekend?s game is dedicated to her.

JP: I?m sorry to hear about your loss.

Payne: Thank you.

JP: Thank you for your time and good luck this weekend.

Payne: Thank you.

*Payne was named Defensive Player of the Week by I-AA.org, the Sports Network and the Big Sky Conference after intercepting three passes, logging two sacks and forcing a fumble while recovering one of them in the Hornets loss to Idaho State Oct. 23.

**Butler is a sophomore linebacker with the Hornets.

***Brad Tredway is a junior quarterback for the Hornets.

****Filo is a senior defensive end for the Hornets.

^Paige is a sophomore defensive back for the Hornets.

^^’Moose’ is the nickname for head coach Steve Mooshagian, in his second year with the program.

^^^Mooshagian was previously the receiver’s coach with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he worked with the NFL’s most fined player, wide receiver Chad Johnson.

Look for On The Spot near the end of every week right here on www.statehornet.com