Arizona Cardinals -2- Jueves 29/1/09

Super Bowl XLIII – Thursday, January 29, 2009

QUOTES FROM ARIZONA CARDINALS PRESS CONFERENCE


WR LARRY FITZGERALD

(on how much he likes playing against aggressive defenses) “Every defense presents a different challenge and the Pittsburgh Steelers are the number one defense in the league. They present a lot of challenges for us but we are excited for the opportunity to play in a game of this magnitude against a very tough defense.”


(on how he responds to the Steelers’ defense saying they are going to attack him physically) “Every week we play teams say they are going to pound us physically and that is the norm in the league. When you have a good group of guys [receivers], people are going to try and take advantage of you physically. There is nothing unusual about that and we are looking forward to the test.”


(on how he has worked for years on his hand-eye coordination) “It definitely helped me when I was a child. It was noticed when I was younger that I had superior hand-eye coordination, better than anyone around me. I tried to help the other kids in the program as well.”


(on what he thinks of the Minneapolis media) “The Minneapolis media has always been good. They do have one guy who is pretty mediocre – my dad – but besides him everybody else is pretty good.”


(on what his late mother would think of him playing in the Super Bowl) “I think she would be very proud of me being in the Super Bowl and playing in such a great game. It’s a trip [to the Super Bowl] that she always made with my father every year. I know she would probably take the tickets that I would have given her and sold them and gone up to the mall to go shopping and get her a couple of nice outfits. She would be looking sharp and I’m just sad she wasn’t able to experience this.”


(on what it has meant to him that his father here in Tampa with him) “I think this is more of an experience for me. This is the thirtieth Super Bowl he’s covered. I just needed to get here because he was going to be here regardless if I was here or not. So I just needed to do my part to make sure I got here. Having him here is a great experience with his understanding of the game.”


(on what he has learned most about the Super Bowl) “To just be yourself because there’s nothing different about the Super Bowl, so far for me. I have been staying in my regular practice routine and doing everything I would be doing back in Arizona and I am just trying to make it a regular work week for me. So, it is pretty much the same for me so far.”


(on what type of linebacker he was back in high school and how he became a wide receiver) “When I was a linebacker I made a lot of plays. I led the team in tackles every year and I considered myself a pretty good hitter. I then had the opportunity to play wide receiver and now my mentality has changed a little bit. I try and avoid the hits instead of dishing them out. If I have to, I still lay a blow down.”


(on what he thinks the Steelers will try and do to limit his long yardage gains) “I’ve seen a variety of different defenses during the playoffs. Dick LeBeau [the Steelers’ defensive coordinator], he is who he is. He has been in this league a long, long time. He has coached some outstanding defensive players and defenses. So, I don’t think he is going to change what he is doing too much. I am not the first good receiver the Steelers have faced and I won’t be the last. So, I think they are going to do what got them here. They play solid, good defense against everybody they have played against and I think they will do the same against us. It is going to come down to execution. Are we going to be able to execute our offense regardless of what they are going to throw at us?”


(on what advice he has for Tony Dungy’s son [Eric] who will be simulating him on television tomorrow night) “I’ve known little Dungy for a long time. I met him a couple of years back and he is an amazing kid. He’s like me because he has been around football his entire life. He was a ballboy for the Indianapolis Colts when he was younger. He always texts me, ‘What can I work on,’ and ‘What do I need to improve on?’ He’s really a student of the game. I know that him being around Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison all those years, that they have taught him so much. So, I know he is going to put on a show tomorrow.”


(on whether it is hard to wait around so long to play the game) “Yes, but we were playing pretty good football and to take a week off I think definitely takes away a little bit of your timing. We have had an extra week to get guys healthy and get guys back on the field and get guys playing at full speed. I think the rest is going to help us out and we are going to be a little fresher, so we will be ready to go.”


(on what Kurt Warner has meant to helping the Cardinals’ receivers become better) “The biggest thing with Kurt is that you definitely have to prepare. Kurt’s mind works differently than most [players] out there on the field. He looks at everything and digests things so quickly. [As an example], on site adjustments and “hots” when they are bringing more than we can block, the ball is out of there [so quickly]. He knows exactly where he wants to go with the football before you know as a receiver. So, you have to get your head around and you really have to understand the concept because Kurt forces you as a receiver to learn and know exactly what is going on as well.”


(on what are some of the competitive things the Cardinals’ wide receivers do to keep things fresh) “In meetings, we quiz each other on plays and coverages. In practice, we all compete on the field to see who can have the most catches. It’s all about competition. That’s how you push each other and get better and keep setting the bar [higher]. The young guys will continue to follow you if you keep pushing like that.”


(on what he would tell Kurt Warner if he came to him after the season on whether he should continue to play) “Absolutely, I would tell him to keep playing. He’s playing at an MVP-caliber level and leading his team to the Super Bowl. Why would he want to walk away now? I know he loves to play and if he comes back, everybody would enjoy having him around, not only because he is a good football player but because he’s an outstanding teammate.”


(on how his role changes against a team that blitzes as much as the Steelers) “If they force you into site adjustments and “hots,” you have to be able to make the plays, because they are all physical defensive backs. We pride ourselves on making those tough catches in close quarters. We talk about it every day, and in a game of this magnitude, there are going to have to be some plays by us guys. We understand that and we are ready for that challenge.”



S AARON FRANCISCO

(on facing Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and his offense) “We played them last year. We had a good game against them, came out on top, so I feel like we can beat them. They run the same offense that they did last year, and we run the same defense, so we feel pretty good on going in there and executing our game plan. And we feel that we match up against them well. We’re going to have a good game on Sunday.”


(on the importance of special teams in this game) “I think a lot of people outside of the NFL don’t think that special teams very important. But for us players and for our team, that’s one of the key ingredients to winning a game. Field position is one of the most important things, and one of the things that can really help your team win games. If you can pin your opponent deep in all of your punt and kickoff coverages, then it makes it easier for your defense to stop the offense, because nobody wants to go on an 80-yard drive to score a touchdown. It’s a lot easier to do it at midfield. If you can pin them deep it makes it that much harder. And also, on return teams, it’s a big help for your offense if you get a lot of return yards in the game, if you get field position for your offense to give them a short field to score points. I think a lot of people overlook that, but it’s very important to our team, and it’s going to be one of the key ingredients to winning this game come Sunday.”


(on the lack of media focus on the special teams for this game) “Yeah, there have been more questions this week on the offense or defense, more than special teams. I guess because there are so many great athletes on our team and on Pittsburgh’s offense and defense. Special teams is just overlooked. Every week there’s not really a lot of talk about special teams. But those players can really change the game, depending on what kind of plays they’re making on special teams. If you score a touchdown on special teams or cause a turnover, those are really hard things to come back from if you’re on the receiving end of it. I know for us, when people score a kickoff return against us, it really brings your team’s emotions down in the game. It’s hard to come back from.”


(on how he feels knowing that BYU and Utah are pulling for him) “It makes me feel great. I’ve got a lot of support from people back in Hawaii, from people in Utah, people in Arizona. It’s been great to see. People care about their athletes and their friends. It’s been great to see all of the support.”


(on what Super Bowl moment he’s most looking forward to) “I think the first kickoff is going to be the moment for me, because it’s going to be the first Super Bowl play in my life, so I think that would be most important. Hopefully I’m not too over excited about it. I know I’ll be excited, but at the same time I want to remain calm and focused.”



G/T MIKE GANDY

(on Barack Obama changing the face of the nation) “Definitely, when people aren’t happy, change is good. A fresh start, no matter who it was, probably would have been pretty successful. I think a lot of people were happy (with the election of Obama) and I think a lot of people are optimistic for the next four years.”


(on the affect of computer technology on film-watching and game preparation) “Being able to pay attention to detail and study well, that kind of translates over.”


(on the Cardinals’ win over the Eagles in the NFC Championship game) “We tried to finish the game off running the ball. I think it was third-and-one and we didn’t get it, so we had to rely on our defense. We could have ended the game with the ball in our hands, but unfortunately we didn’t get four more plays in. Luckily our defense held up and we came out with a win.”


(on the perception that Arizona is a big underdog in this year’s Super Bowl) “That’s fine. It’s understandable. We haven’t really been favorites to win any game this postseason, which is fine. Teams like Pittsburgh have had a tradition of winning for a long time. We’ve had an up-and-down season, but we are still a good team when we play well. We’re planning on playing well Sunday.”


(on having a 9-7 team in the Super Bowl versus a dynasty-type team in the Super Bowl game) “The league is so close in talent, it’s really possible for anybody to make it in any given year. It always brings out competition, which is always good for the players and the teams. They say once you get in the playoffs, all records are null and void. The main goal is to get in, and to be playing well when you get in. That’s kind of the situation we put ourselves in.”


(on a rumored curse put on the Cardinals by a man in Pennsylvania years ago) “It’s definitely hard to win a championship, but as long as you earn yourself an opportunity, there’s always a chance. So we’ve got to play well and execute, and start something special here in Arizona.”


(on the camaraderie of the offensive line) “It’s huge. It’s one of those positions where the guys next to you have to play well in order for you to play well. It’s definitely not an individual spot. We’ve been fortunate that everybody’s been out there the whole time. We’ve had some new guys and some young guys come in there and I think that’s really helped us as a team because we’ve seen a lot this season. We’ve really been fortunate.”


(on the keys to winning on Sunday) “It’s going to be tough to be guards. We have to stay on the field, stay out of third-and-longs, and just execute. If we can keep the ball at manageable down distances, we should be able to move it. We just have to eliminate mistakes and have a good game all across the board.”


(on what he’s seen of the Pittsburgh Steelers defense on film) “Obviously they’re a good team. They’ve played a difficult schedule and they’ve been very successful. They’ve had a good run in the playoffs. We definitely have our work cut out for us.”



CB RODERICK HOOD

(on what he told his teammates to expect during the Super Bowl) “I just told the guys to go out their and enjoy themselves, have a good time and enjoy this moment. At the same time, go out there and execute do their thing, and possibly try to win the game.”


(on if things have changed from his previous Super Bowl) “A little bit. I think there’s more media this year in opposed to four years ago when I was here but pretty much everything is kind of the same, media day was the same, and how coach is scheduling the workouts.”


(on if he’s surprised the way the team has gelled and peaked over the last few weeks) “I just try to understand that we have a young team, we had a lot of tests early. We clinched the division early, but I don’t think we handled it the best way but I knew once we got to the playoffs I knew we were going to be fine. It’s a testament to these guys and their hard work.”


(on if the losses on the East Coast in succession brought the team closer together) “It did, it did. The loss we had to Carolina in Week 8 or 9, it was a tough loss for us but we knew we understood we were going to see those guys again because we knew that we were going to be in the playoffs, and we knew they were going to be in the playoffs. We said that we wouldn’t let that happen again, and that’s what we did.”


(on how the Steelers compare to the Patriots a few years ago) “The Patriots had been back-to-back, they were going for their 3-peat. It was one of those things where they were definitely the favorites and they were a dominant team. The Patriots had a better record and expected to win, so I think that’s a similarity between them.”


(on how they spend their time) “We go over there and practice and then we go lift weights, and then after that we watch film. We try to have a little down time and rest our bodies because at the end of the day, we’ve been in this thing for 28 weeks, so our bodies are a little weary. We try to relax our body and stay focused.”


(on how much time they spend watching film) “We watch a lot of film. With our team we watch about 2 ½ to 3 hours as a team, and then you go home and watch another 2 ½ to 3 hours so it’s about 5 to 6 hours worth of film. You just want to be steady and get everything you can to know about the opposition.”


(on what they do during the week) “Some of the guys go out and go shopping, go eat dinner that type of thing. Some just want to sit in their room and stay focused. You just have a different personality with different guys.”


(on the biggest challenge the Steelers present to the Cardinals) “I think it’s the accumulation of things. Ben is the head of the offense and gets things going but you got Willie Parker who can be really explosive and was very big for them in their first Super Bowl (2005). You look at Hines who is an unbelievable receiver, you got Santonio Holmes who is doing a great job for them in the post-season, and then people don’t understand Nate Washington’s a big play guy at receiver. They have their threats and a good offense, so we’ll definitely need to be hitting on all cylinders.”



RB EDGERRIN JAMES

(on if nerves will be a factor on Sunday) “You could ask the other guys. I won’t be nervous. I’ve played one position all my life. It’s football. There’s no way I would be nervous. I come out here to play and keep everything in perspective. It’s football. They go left, I go right. There’s no secret to what you’ve got to do playing football. Everything else, it’s cool, it’s nice, it’s fun, but I think it’s more so for the fans. As a football player, you know what you’ve got to do. You’ve got to go out and play.”


(on shaking off rough patches and coming through when it matters most) “I think that’s the difference between this team and Cardinals teams of the past. Cardinals teams in the past, you’d have a lead and for some reason you would blow it, or there was something that just didn’t go right where you’d put yourself in position to lose the games. Now, we’re finding ways to win. Guys are coming in and making sure we finish these games off. That’s the biggest difference between this Cardinals team and Cardinals teams of the past.”


(on what the toughest part about his childhood was) “It’s just life, so I wouldn’t say that it was hard. We really don’t know about the things that go into life. You’re young, just having fun, and you’re surrounded by so many people that don’t have (much). So there isn’t really any other way you can deal with it, when you look at it. Then as you get older, you start looking back, and you realize how tough it was. But during the time, it was somewhat of the norm. You didn’t really realize until you got older.”


(on what WR Anquan Boldin said when he recruited him to sign with the Cardinals) “It was just the potential. He talked about all the potential that the team had and what you could accomplish with these guys. I think that’s the biggest point when you look at it, the potential that this team has and what this team is capable of doing. For some reason, it just hasn’t ever hit it. When you look at the roster, you say, ‘Man, there are some guys there, and it’s real.’ I think that’s the biggest selling point for someone who wants to go play for the Cardinals. You look at it, and you say, ‘Man, this team is a very good team.’”


(on what the Cardinals need to do to effectively run the ball against Pittsburgh) “We’ve just got to play our game. To run the ball, you can’t get behind. You’ve got to play your game. You’ve got to mix the run and the pass. As far as what they’re doing and what they have, we’re trying to focus on us. (We’re) trying to do our thing, trying to make sure we take care of our responsibilities, and we’ll be all right.”


(on how the Super Bowl experience has been for him so far) “It’s cool. It’s a nice thing. It’s something that you always look forward to, but we try to keep everything in perspective and treat it as a business trip. We’re trying to keep our normal routine.”


(on whether pressure is mounting as the game approaches) “No, there’s no pressure. It’s a football game. You go out and play. You try to make sure that you’re practicing right so you don’t have mistakes and everybody’s on the same page. You just go out and play the game like we’ve been playing all season.”


(on what the highlight for him has been so far) “I’m back in South Florida. That’s the highlight for me, personally.”


(on how long the list is of plays he likes for this weekend) “I’m not really sure. I’ll try to keep everything simple.”


(on how the players feel about the challenge) “It’s a football game. We’ll prepare like we normally prepare. We have the same practice schedule. We’re doing everything that we normally would, so we’re trying to go out and play like we’ve been playing for the past several weeks.”


(on how he has bounced back individually late in the season) “It’s football. In the game of football, you learn what it takes to be a good football player. You just continue to go out and work and continue to play.”



DE TRAVIS LABOY

(on being injured and not playing his usual starting role in the playoffs) “It’s been rough. I started the season off real fast, but just kind of had a bunch of injuries just come back to back to back. So, it’s been tough. Fortunately, Bertrand Berry stepped up and has been playing really well and our team has been able to advance all the way to the show. It’s given me some time to get better and I’ll be ready to play this weekend no doubt.”


(on if he’s ever said thank you to his teammates for extending the season so that he does get to play) “I think the thank-you’s are understood. They know what this means to me.”


(on if he can pinpoint why the defense has really been able to turn it up a notch in the playoffs) “I think just the last couple of games of the season – we had already clinched the division so it didn’t mean as much. It was just kind of glorified practices. Coming into the playoffs, I think our defense found its identity. We starting jelling, and playing a lot better and simplified the calls. It just allowed us to really get out there and play and not think so much out on the field, and I think that really helped us as a defense to stop offenses.”


(on what it means to play in the Super Bowl) “I’m really excited, real excited about the game. It feels like it’s never going to get there, the week has been going so slow. Come Sunday, I’ll be real excited. Right now, I’m trying to save my excitement until Sunday.”


(on getting back to practice on Wednesday) “It was great, and it feels good to get the blood flowing a little bit. We put the pads back on and banged a little bit. It was a good practice, a real good practice and I think we’ll build on that today and keep building into the weekend.”


(on if he’s talked to any of his former Titans teammates to get some tips since they dominated the Steelers in the regular season) “I haven’t been able to reach anyone. I did try to give a couple guys a call, but I imagine they have scattered to their off-season homes so it’s tougher to reach them. I haven’t actually talked to anyone yet.”


(on if Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is the key to their offensive success) “You definitely don’t want to let him have free reign on the field. We’ve got to try to get pressure on him and keep him confused. But I think most importantly, we’ve got to stop Willie Parker and that running game. I think he’s more dangerous than Ben, and then you’ve got Hines Ward and Heath Miller. I think if we can contain those guys that we will be alright.”


(on the struggles of the Steelers offensive line) “I don’t think it’s their offensive line. Their line is good to me. Ben [Roethlisberger] seems like he holds the ball a long time sometimes. You can have five Pro Bowlers blocking for you, but if you hold the ball all day, it’s not going to be good for them. I don’t think it’s a lack of ability by their offensive line as much as maybe Ben not always getting the ball out fast.”


(on needing to win the turnover battle) “It’s huge. Any time you get turnovers in a game, it’s huge. You get the momentum swing, you get the offense back on the field, and usually you get some good field position out of it. Especially in a game like this where you’ve got one of the top 10 defenses maybe in the history of football with the Steelers, you’ve got to get the ball back to our offense and get them as many opportunities to put points up as possible. If we can get a couple of turnovers, maybe get one early, that could be great to get us out of the gates early.”


(on what is has been like to have joined a team like Arizona that has never reached this kind of success, and then finally doing so in his first year) “It’s been a real roller coaster ride. There have been some real high points, some real low points. There have been a lot of really good days, and a lot of really frustrating days. I just think as long as Coach [Ken] Whisenhunt has his staff in place – he’s really got a lot of very talented coaches on this staff – we’ll continue to put together wins. I think as long as we continue to build on that and Coach gets the support from the front office that he needs, there’s nowhere but up for us.”


(on if he expected this kind of year when he signed on with the team) “I always thought Arizona had talent, at least on paper. On paper Arizona looks pretty and the team to beat. But it’s not always that way come Sunday. Unfortunately for the Cardinals for the last, I don’t know, 30 years, it hasn’t been that way. So am I surprised, yeah, I was surprised we got this far but at the same time, when I first got there and started playing with these guys, you really could see the talent and I felt like we really could go to the show. It was just a matter if we could put it together every Sunday.”


(on if there was a point where he saw things start to click) “When I first got to Arizona, I think there was a losing mentality and there were a lot of obstacles. There were times in the season where a team went down and scored and we could have gotten in the tank, but I think guys started to be able to respond and know that we could overcome it. I wasn’t here, but from what I know of last year, that wasn’t always the case. In order to be a winning team, you need to have that kind of mentality that you can bounce back and I definitely saw that this year.”


(on Steelers offense) “We need to stop the run game, contain Ben [Roethlisberger] and not let Hines [Ward] get another MVP Super Bowl trophy. If we can do that, I think we’ll be alright. Our offense is going to do what they do, they are one of the best offenses in the league, so we just need to not let the Steelers offense hang on to the ball too long or put up too many points and we’ll be good. I think it’ll be a good game. I think it’ll be real fun.”


(on what defensive tackle Darnell Dockett has meant to their defensive line) “He’s an important player. But, I don’t think there is one player more important than the other on our line. We’ve got my guy Bryan Robinson, Kenny Iwebema, Gabe Watson and all of those guys. Antonio Smith, in my opinion, is probably our most important defensive lineman because he’s so versatile. All of those guys are equally important.”