Arizona Cardinals -2- Martes 27/1/09

Super Bowl XLIII – Tuesday, January 27, 2009

QUOTES FROM ARIZONA CARDINALS MEDIA DAY


RB TIM HIGHTOWER

(On what it means to him to learn from RB Edgerrin James) “It means a lot. He’s one of the most brilliant people I’ve been around off the field and on the field. I don’t think a lot of people realize how intelligent he is. I feel like a sponge when I’m around him. I’m soaking up knowledge and watching his every move and asking questions. I know he probably gets tired of it sometimes. I’m like that little brother who won’t go away. It’s really been a blessing to be able to play with him and learn from him.”


(On how being at the Super Bowl changes the attitude of the running backs in the locker room) “I’m excited for him. He’s been through a lot, and he’s handled it well. Whatever criticisms people have said about him, people don’t see what’s going on inside the locker room. From a first-hand perspective, he’s handled it probably the best way anybody can handle it. He comes to practice on time, he hasn’t changed his routine. He practices hard the same way. He’s the same guy. He studies the film, he takes his notes. He’s been a professional about it. There hasn’t been any bad blood between anyone on the team. I wish him all the best and even more.”


(On how his relationship with James changed when he was getting more carries) “Our relationship got even better, and that’s the funny part of it. The more I played, the more he was talking to me. And every single time I’d come off of the sideline, he’d point out things that he saw. He showed me how to watch film. He was calling me every day to make sure I put the right things in my body, that I was taking care of my body. It just blows my mind away to think that someone could be so selfless, even in spite of it. He should have had no vested interest in helping this rookie out, and yet he was the bigger man and he did. I’m forever grateful and thankful for him to do that. He didn’t have to do that. Our relationship got better, and it’s getting better right now.


(On people not knowing about their relationship) People don’t understand the half of what he went through, and they don’t understand the half of what he meant to me. You really can’t understand it unless you experience it. For me, he served as a friend, a mentor, a brother, a father, all in one – a teammate, a coach, all in one. It’s not very often that you get to experience that much in one person at one time. I don’t know how he knows what he knows, but he knows something about everything. He’s not shy to share those things with me, trying to make me the best I can be.”


(On how exciting it’s been that James has gotten more involved) “It’s been very exciting. That’s what I feel like I came here for, to compliment him and to push him, to make him and the team better. That’s what I feel like we’re doing right now, going back and forth. I go on the field and make a play, and I’m in his ear coming out that he better make a play. He does the same thing. It’s fun. We’re contributing and getting better, and most importantly we’re winning.”


(On what happened in the losing streak at the end of the season) “I think what happened is we got away from what got us to the point where we were. I don’t know if we lost sight of what the goal was. You can say what you want, but when you’ve got your division under wraps, and you know you’re going to playoffs, no one wants to admit it, but you get complacent. I think at the end of the season, we made the decision that we want to do more. We don’t want to just make the playoffs, we want to go far in the playoffs, and that’s what turned us around.”


(On how the Cardinals will stop Pittsburgh’s smash-mouth style of football) “I play offense, so I don’t have to stop anything. They’re going to have to stop us. We’re just going to do what we’ve been doing. They’re a good team, they’re a physical team. We’re a good team too. We’re going to approach it the same way we’ve approached every game. We’re going to be disciplined in what we do, and we’re going to make plays when they’re there.”


(On what he admires most about WR Larry Fitzgerald) “I would say his competitiveness. He’s a competitor in practice. As a rookie coming in, I thought most of the veterans would take it easy during practice, just lay low. You’ll see him catch a pass and run 50 yards down the field just because. Or, dive and catching one-handed passes, all the little things. It’s like it’s a game for him in practice, and it’s no coincidence why he does it in the game.”


(On being a rookie at the Super Bowl) “It’s sinking in as I speak. I think it’ll be sinking in my whole career. It’s been a great time. I’m making the most out of it.”


(On if he’s thought about what it would be like to score a touchdown at the Super Bowl) “I’ve definitely thought about it. It’s going to happen. I’m not going to be shy about it. I’m going to say it’s going to happen. It’s going to happen twice. I’ve definitely thought about it. It’s going to be a lot of fun and I’m going to enjoy it.”


(On QB Kurt Warner being a quiet leader) “He doesn’t talk a lot, but when he talks people listen. That’s how you explain it. He’s a man of few words, but his words are powerful. That just shows the type of respect that guys on this team have for him. On and off the field, his character as a person and a player speaks volumes. You can only respect a guy like that.”


(On the Steelers defense) “They’re good, there’s no question. That’s why they’re No. 1-ranked in the NFL. They play physical and they make plays. You’ve got to compliment those guys for playing hard and making the plays that they do, but at the same time, you’ve got a football game on Sunday and you’ve got to continue to do what you do – make plays.”


(On what he wants the Cardinals’ image to be) “A team that plays hard, a team that plays good team football. That they’re competitors, they play to the final whistle. They give it all to God, and they’re competitors and they want to win.”


(On how important the running game will be on Sunday) “It’s going to be very important as far as staying consistent in what we’re doing. I think when we have a good mix of run and pass, we can control the game a little bit. We don’t allow a team to make us one-dimensional, and that’s going to be the key for Sunday.”



ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/OFFENSIVE LINE RUSS GRIMM

(on his thoughts about potentially getting inducted into the Hall of Fame) “Like I’ve said before, that’s something that you don’t really dream about when you’re playing. I played the game because I had fun playing it. I enjoyed it. I would love to get into the Hall of Fame, but whether it’s deserving remains to be seen. You sit back and wait for the vote. Last year, I knew Darrell [Green] was going in, and I was glad for Art [Monk] to get in. But I don’t know. Maybe they’re going to make a big run on former Redskins players.”


(on if it would be nice to get a “Hog” in the Hall of Fame) “It would be nice. Sooner or later, hopefully one of us will get in there.”


(on Steelers OLBs James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley) “Well, they’re both good pass rushers. That’s always been Pittsburgh football, even back in the days when I was growing up. It was [Jack] Lambert, and it was Jack Hamm. Then you move on, and you have [Greg] Lloyd and [Kevin] Greene, and then it moved on to Joey [Porter] and Clark [Haggans]. Now, it’s moved on to Harrison and Woodley. And, you still have the guys inside who are playing well. They know how to run the scheme. They’re good, physical ‘backers that can cover a lot of ground and get to the passer.”


(on RT Levi Brown’s development) “Levi’s getting better. We brought him in last year, and he got thrown right in. We thought he had the mentality to step in and play as a rookie. He got his feet wet. He got nicked a little bit, so he missed a couple of games last year. But, he’s bounced back this year. He had a good offseason, and he’s working hard. It’s a challenge for us, because a lot of times, we’re opened up on offense, and those guys are going to be singled up.”


(on his relationship with players on the Steelers) “When I coach, I would say that there is a business side of it and a friendship side of it. There is more to coaching than Xs and Os. You have the chance to change somebody’s life around. You have a chance to make sure they’re steered in the right direction. I still talk to Chris Samuels and Jon Jansen from when I was with the Redskins. They’re still friends of mine, and I would like to think that I still have a lot of friends on the Steelers. It’s a good bunch of guys. They know how to prepare for the game, they know what the game is about. They know how to handle it. I always wish them well.”


(on if there is anyone on the staff in Pittsburgh that he still calls) “I talk to some of them every now and then, whether it’s a common opponent that they may have played. I may call Bruce [Arians] up and ask if he saw anything on there that we didn’t. But for the most part, it’s pretty much been separate.”


(on if he still talks to Alan Faneca) “Not much. I talked to him when he went to the Jets and obviously when we went up there and played them. Red’s doing well. The family’s doing great, and that’s what’s important. I’m proud of what those guys have accomplished.”


(on his thoughts of getting to the Super Bowl after only two years in Arizona) “It’s just the approach that you take. When Ken [Whisenhunt] came in, I kind of knew what to expect, but the players found out what to expect. He’s consistent, as far as his approach to the game. He’s consistent in how he handles the players. Obviously, that’s what you’re looking for to get those results. Did we think we’d get here this fast? I don’t know, but that’s what you work on every year to see how fast you can get there. That’s everybody’s goal. Sometimes, a little luck is involved in some things. We kind of had an up-and-down year where there were times we weren’t prepared for and we didn’t handle very well. But, we’re a young football team. They’re learning as they go, so we just have to see if we can put together one more.”


(on if he watched less film because he is familiar with the Steelers) “No. Actually, you’d find that you probably look at a little bit more film. You’re going against some guys that you’ve coached with before, so that factor is involved. Plus, it’s the Super Bowl. So, you’re probably going to spend a lot more time watching stuff.”


(on Pittsburgh being able to bring pressure from both sides) “The thing is, all the ‘backers complement each other, especially once you get to third down. They run a combination of dogs and blitzes. Sometimes, if you turn a protection, you may pick it up, but then they come from the other side. It’s going to be a little bit of a guessing game in making sure you know where your hot reads are and things like that. They’re going to make plays. We know that. But, we just have to minimize the big plays.”


(on if he thinks Troy Polamalu is going to be deep because of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin) “I imagine they’re going to mix it up. I don’t know how they’re going to approach it, but I don’t think they’re going to chance much from what they’ve done all season long. They’re the No. 1 defense in the league and they have the players to execute the scheme. We’re going to have our hands full, so we just have to take it one play at a time.”


(on potentially getting in the Hall of Fame as a former offensive lineman) “You really can’t compare, especially because at the offensive line position, there are no stats. It’s not like, ‘Well, he had so many this, so many that.’ I imagine there is a certain criteria they have, and when they vote on it, we’ll see what happens. I believe all the guys on that list are deserving now, but it’s just a matter of seeing who gets in after the vote.”


(on if he ever thought he would play the Steelers when the playoff seedings came out) “You can’t look that far ahead. With Atlanta, we concentrated on Atlanta. We got that, and then went to Carolina. We concentrated on Carolina, and we got that. All of the sudden, things happen on the other side, and the Championship comes back to Arizona. You can’t plan ahead for things like that. You never know, but it’s nice because it’s against Pittsburgh. But again, we have to worry about the Arizona Cardinals. That’s the biggest thing.”


(on if he has extra motivation for the Super Bowl because it is against the Steelers) “No, not really. You know enough guys over there because you’re not that far removed from coaching some of the players. I imagine that if we weren’t here, I’d probably be rooting for the Steelers. But there is no extra motivation. We put the game plan in, and it’s going to be decided on the field between the players.”


(on if his previous Super Bowl experience helps the team) “It helps because you’re gone through it before. We don’t have very many guys – maybe a handful – that have been this far. You just have to remind them of the little things. You’re down here to play football. Let’s handle the distractions and get that out of the way. Make sure your family is taken care of. Put somebody in charge of the tickets. Put that stuff aside, because there is plenty of time for vacation after this game.”


(on how proud he is of the Cardinals’ offensive line) “I’m proud of them. Even if we didn’t get here, I’d still be proud of the guys that I coach. They’re a blue-collar bunch. They’re not the biggest or the fastest. They’re not the most well-known. But they kind of gelled together. We stayed healthy this year, so we have a little bit of chemistry going between them now since they’ve played beside each other for a while. As long as they put forth the effort and try to do what I ask them to do… I mean, they pay those guys on the other side of the field, too. I’m proud of their work ethic.”


(on living in Arizona after being an East Coast guy his entire life) “It’s nice. The weather is kind of like this all year. They say that in Arizona, it’s hot, and in Pittsburgh, it’s cold. But the difference is that you can turn your air conditioner on when you get in the car. You don’t have to sit around and wait for that heat to turn on. You get used to it once you’re in it. It rained the other day, and I couldn’t remember the last time I felt that.”


(on how disappointed he was when he did not get the Steelers’ head coaching job in 2005) “Well, any time you make a run at something and don’t get it, you’re disappointed. But that’s the nature of the business. A decision was made, and I respect that. It was time to move on, and then you go somewhere and start all over again. There are no hard feelings there. And I love the Rooneys. They were great to me while I was there. It’s a good family and a great organization from top to bottom. It was like, ‘Thanks for the time I had here, but it’s time to move on.’”


(on how quickly after Whisenhunt got the Arizona job that he decided to come to the Cardinals) “It went pretty quickly. I knew ‘Wiz,’ and obviously that offense. It just seemed like an easy move at the time. The decision was made, and I said, ‘Let’s go out to Phoenix and see what we can do out here.’”


(on if he had to change the culture of the locker room when he got to Arizona) “I don’t think it was a big change. The guys that make it to this level are obviously good football players. They’ve usually come from some type of winning program before that. Maybe there a few players that haven’t been, but they are good players to get to that level. You know what it takes to win. You have to go in and say, ‘I don’t want to hear about what happened in the past. This is a good football team, so we’re going to start from scratch, take each day one day at a time and try to change that mentality.’”


(on how Kurt Warner’s experience helps the offense) “The experience helps. He watches a ton of film, but it’s just a matter of the receiver seeing it, the line seeing it. Everyone has to be on the same page and know exactly where we’re going with the football.”


(on Steelers LB James Harrison) “What James is is all developed. He came into camp as an unheralded player, but he got his chance and made some plays. We kept bringing him back, bringing him back, and he kept getting better, better and better. Now, you see the type of player he is now. I think James has done a nice job of building himself up physically and mentally, as far as different techniques, schemes and things like that. The guys is a good player.”


(on if Harrison gets overlooked because of his size) “Everybody says that there is a certain linebacker type. Well, he proves that factor wrong. So, now what do you say? Since he’s a better player, do you now say that is what a linebacker is supposed to look like? He does a great job with his hands and leverage, and his motor runs 100 mph on every snap, so we need to know where he’s at.”



DT DARNELL DOCKETT

(on how they will counter a tough Pittsburgh defense) “We just want to go out and match their intensity. You know, anytime we have an opportunity to go against one of the top-ranked defenses in the league, it’s a chance to showcase, to show people that our defense isn’t too bad either. It’s a big challenge for us to go out there and compete with their defense, but we’re willing to accept the challenge and we’re looking forward to it.”


(on whether the Arizona defense has matured in his time there) “Yeah, it has. You know, a lot of guys are developing as big time playmakers. There’s just something about us getting the ball in our hands, trying to score every time, every opportunity. Guys are just going out, playing hard, just letting everything go. You never know when your next game is going to be, and we’ve been carrying that same (mentality) throughout the playoffs. Let’s play all out, because you never know, this could be it. The guys have just been stepping up, on offense and defense; everybody’s been stepping up and playing lights out just to get to this point.”


(on whether the defense’s mentality has changed throughout the years) “No, I don’t think so. I just think with the playoffs at hand, with our first time getting to the playoffs, we just wanted to do something special. We knew doing something special, we’d have to come out here and turn it up. We’ve had to do a lot of things; study more, lift more weights, know our opponent more and you know, everything played out. We’re going to the right direction with it. We’re taking full advantage of it right now. We have a lot of momentum and Pittsburgh has a lot of momentum too, so you know, this is it. Sixty minutes to show who the best team in the nation is.”


(on how he got to where he is today) “You know, with losing my mom when I was 13 and then losing my dad like four months after that, it made me become a real tough person. I just felt like I could overcome anything. I don’t really have any down days. Everybody that knows me, they come into the locker room and they know I’m happy, they know I’m cheerful, and I just look at life right now as though I’ve already had my misery days. But I honestly believe that my mom and my dad are still here. You know, there’s no way you’re supposed to catch a fumble recovery or an interception at the end of a game by just running to the ball; I think sometimes they’re still throwing me plays from up top.”


(on how his college defensive line coach inspired him) “My defensive line coach was like my father when I was in college. You know, going to college with no father, no guidance - he would always check on me, make sure my grades were up, come to my class rooms, just all those things like a father would do. He did a great job; you know I give him a lot of credit for my success. He’s definitely a down to earth guy that worked with me when nobody gave me a chance when I went to Florida State. He’s just done everything for me; I could never thank him enough.”


(on their NFC Divisional win at Carolina) “I don’t know if they took us for granted, but we remember the last time we went to Charlotte and we knew their whole approach on beating us. They started talking trash, doing a little bit extra after the whistle and celebrating and all that stuff. So, we had that in the back of our mind a little when we went back there, and then again we’re the underdog – we’ve been the underdog all throughout the playoffs – but that was it. We were just so focused on stopping the run, because we were tired of looking on TV all week, those running backs doing their celebrations and all that, talking about the best two running backs in the nation. We took that challenge on, and we knew coming into the game we had to stop them if we wanted to have a chance. We kind of beat them at their own game, and that’s playing physical.”


(on the importance of this game for Coach Ken Whisenhunt) “Yeah, this game is definitely going to be huge for him. You know he put a lot of blood, sweat and tears in Pittsburgh and when that’s where your heart has been for all those years and you’ve been so successful with that offense and you won a Super Bowl with that team. It’s going to be very huge for him to come back and have an opportunity to win a Super Bowl with another team that’s playing your past team. It’s going to be very huge for both him and coach Russ Grimm. We’re going to go all out for him. We know that everything is on the line and that (President) Obama actually wants Pittsburgh to win. That’s kind of crazy when the President wants another team to win, but again we’ve been against all odds this season and I’m pretty sure that (Coach Whisenhunt) will come up with a great game plan and we’ll be ready on Sunday.”



LB KARLOS DANSBY

(on Ken Whisenhunt’s familiarity with Pittsburgh’s offense) “I think we’re overplaying it. They’ve got a great system. They’ve got a great scheme. Coach has been removed from there for two years now. They’ve changed some things up. They know Coach Wizz knows some of their tendencies. They’re going to change everything. We’re expecting that.”


(on imagining the Cardinals putting together a playoff run after their late-season slump) “We had already accomplished one of our goals, and that was to win our division. We kind of went into a lull, but I look at it as planting seeds, trying to feel your way through it and see how you match up with some of the better teams in the league. We didn’t fare too well. We didn’t have great games against any one of those teams down the stretch. Once we got into the playoffs, we took our game to another level.”


(on preparing for the Super Bowl versus preparing for a regular-season game) “Not much. You’re probably not going to have as much time as you want, as you usually have back home, but you’ve got to change everything up. You’ve got to roll with the punches.”


(on the attention Pittsburgh’s defense is receiving versus that of Arizona) “As a captain of the defense, hell yeah. Give it to us. We’ve done something great. We’ve changed gears all the way through the playoffs. We started out with a run and shoot offense against Atlanta and shut them down. We played against a running team in Carolina, shut them down. Nobody said anything about that. Then we had to change gears and play a West Coast offense. That’s a tough task because our offense is a West Coast offense. We changed gears. We showed a lot of class, a lot of poise, a lot of determination to get the job done.”


(on the way Arizona’s defense has played over the last six weeks) “The last six weeks we changed gears. We knew what we had to do in order to get to this point. We stayed together, stayed poise, had faith in each other’s backs.”


(on when he began to realize the Cardinals could rebound from a tough December) “Once we got to the first game of the playoffs against Atlanta, it was a new season for us. Everybody’s 0-0. That’s how we approached it. We knew we had an opportunity to accomplish something great.”


(on the key to winning Sunday) “Try to get turnovers and not turn the ball over. We just have to play all out.”


(on the play of Arizona’s defense) “Our defense has been great. We got an opportunity to be great. We’ve had a lot of opportunities in the playoffs. We’re just trying to do our part to help this team any way we possibly can as a defense.”


(on how Cardinals defenders feel about the attention Arizona’s offense generates) “That’s been the thing. We like it like that. We stay under the radar. We’re just going to come in and try to be a solid defense and do our part. We’ve got a tremendous offense. We’ll call a spade a spade. We have a great offense. We’re just trying to have a great defense to go along with it.”


(on how good Arizona’s defense can be) “We haven’t played our best yet. We’ve still got potential to be great and we’re going to try to do that this game.”


(on the difficulty of getting Ben Roethlisberger to the ground) “It’s tough. We’ve been watching film on him. We had to put scramble drills in just because of what he does on the field. He’s a great quarterback. He’s hard to bring down. He’s like a running back with the ball in his hand every snap.”


(on the key to stopping the Steelers) “You’ve got to stop the run. That’s their bread and butter. That’s what they’re known for. That’s their pedigree.”


(on what makes Pittsburgh’s running game so good) “They get you off balance. They’re a very balanced team. You don’t know where they’re coming from. You never know what they’re thinking. Ben can probably check at the line to anything he wants to. He has that freedom. Coach Tomlin believes in him. They’ve got a tough offense.


(on Pittsburgh’s balance) “They definitely throw people off. They’ve got a great group of receivers. You’ve got to watch those guys. That plays into the running game. That frees up holes for Willie Parker and those guys to get outside and make things happen.”


(on Steelers TE Heath Miller) “He’s just like a receiver if you ask me. He gets down the field and gets open. Ben has confidence in him to get him the ball. He’s their go-to guy.”


(on the opportunity to deny Pittsburgh of making history) “We’re trying to make history ourselves. We’ve never done this before in our organization and we’re trying to be the first team to etch our names in stone. That’s how we’re looking at it. We’re not worried about Pittsburgh. We’re worried about ourselves.”


(on envisioning an NFC Championship during the regular season) “Once we clinched the division, we knew we had an opportunity to be great. We just tried to stay focused after that. We had some lulls at the end of the season but we were just getting ready, planting seeds to get ready for the grind here.”


(on being called ‘the worst playoff team ever’) “It was definitely motivation. They said we were the worst team ever to do this. We’re trying to be the worst team ever to win a Super Bowl also. That’s our goal right now. We’re going to keep with it and keep grinding.”


(on embracing the underdog role) “We knew we could be the most dangerous team in the playoffs. People didn’t want to see us. Everybody was saying we were the worst team, but we always knew we were the best team. We like to be the underdogs because you can never lose when you’re the underdog. You have everything to gain. You just stay loose, relax and have fun.”


(on his impending free agency) “I hope we get (a contract) done. I’m optimistic about it. I don’t know what’s going to take place in the next couple of weeks because it’s right around the corner. We really haven’t had any talks with the organization yet. I’m looking forward to staying around (Arizona) and making another run or two.”


(on having a strong season during a contract year) “That’s a beautiful thing. It’s a blessing to be in this position to receive a huge payday. I think I’ve been playing well. It all depends on the organization and how they feel about our future together. I’m trying to win right now and be a winner. I definitely want to stay. We’ve got a great nucleus of guys. We’ve got a great chemistry right now. Hopefully the Cardinals change some things and keep everybody together. History is they let big-time players go and hopefully we can keep everybody together and make a couple runs.”


(on when contract talks will start) “Probably after this game. It’s going to be interesting to see where we can meet at.”


(on whether they negotiated at all during training camp) “No, not at all. I guess they wanted me to stay focused. That’s cool. I appreciate that.”


(on Ken Whisenhunt possibly seeking revenge Pittsburgh for not making him their head coach) “I think Coach Wizz is past that right now. He’s a very professional man and he’s past that. You see what we have here in Arizona and he’s soaking it up. He’s loving it. I think he’s done with that chapter in his life and he’s moving on.”


(on Pittsburgh’s defense) “Our defense is going to have to put our offense in good situations in order to get them on the field as many times as we can to get them opportunities to try to score as much as they can.”



CB RALPH BROWN

(on being the type of guy that wondered if this would ever come) “I always dreamt about this. From being a kid, to high school to college and being in the pros, it was the ultimate dream to be able to play in the Super Bowl and be a part of the media day and what comes along with playing in the Super Bowl. It has been a dream of mine. I am finally here and it is finally sinking in that I am here now.”


(on this experience and the media crush) “It’s everything I thought it would be and more. It is just amazing right now with all of this media being down here. I have never been around all of this media this much in my life. It’s amazing. I’m just having fun with the guys, answering the different questions and just being a part of this. Instead of watching it this year, I am actually a part of it.”


(on being a part of the team and this franchise after being around the league for so long) “It is a great feeling just to know what the Cardinals have been through to get to this stage and in the last two years, getting more wins each year and now being in the Super Bowl. It is a great feeling now being in my ninth year this year and getting the chance to play in the Super Bowl and hopefully winning it.”


(on performing in the playoffs after having the bad run at the end of the season) “We knew that we played better with our backs against the wall and when the game really meant something. The outsiders looking from the outside in, I don’t blame them for betting against us and thinking that we wouldn’t last one round because of the way that we played the last few games and the way New England humiliated us on national television.”


(on getting interceptions during the playoffs) “It felt good because I didn’t have any interceptions during the regular season until the last game. To be in the first playoff game and start the series off with an interception against Matt Ryan, who hadn’t been throwing many interceptions, was a great feeling for me to go in there and do that. Then the second game was against Jake Delhomme, a quarterback who has played in the Super Bowl already and is one of the top quarterbacks in the playoffs for his passer rating. Also for me to get an interception covering Steve Smith at the time was just a great feeling for me to know that, ‘hey look, I can still play in this game and contribute’.”


(on the ride home after a game like that and what his reflection was) “I always reflect on how I can still play in this league and what I have been through. I always try to control what I can control by working hard, studying and letting everything else take care of itself because I am not the owner, the coaches or GM that makes the decision. I just try to control what I can control.”


(on going back to the Browns ) “I don’t know why I wasn’t back there. I enjoyed it there, the coaches were good and they treated me well, but I guess it didn’t work out. I think they wanted to go in a different direction with me and they liked some of the younger players and people they had. There were no ill feelings when I left. Coaches just go in different directions and that’s what happens.”


(on the Browns hating the Steelers when he was there) “I didn’t have enough history with the Steelers to really hate them. I just knew it was a big game. It was many ill feelings towards the Steelers when I was with the Browns but I knew it was a big game, so I just went out and tried to play my best.”


(on being with the Browns when Ben Roethlisberger was there running around the field making big plays) “Yes. When we played at home two years ago, we were up like 21-3 or 21-7 at halftime and then they came back in the second half and Ben Roethlisberger was running around improvising a lot of plays and they came back and beat us at the end of the game.”


(on who vouched for signing him) “John Lot vouched for me. He was like, ‘hey look, bring this guy in. He is a leader and works hard.’ So they brought me in. I didn’t have to do a workout and they just signed me. That is good to know that the Cardinals will support John Lot on what he says about myself.”



DE BERTRAND BERRY

(on being out of football and getting a call from the Broncos) “It was frustrating. I was constantly working out. I thought I could possibly get a call at any moment so I tried to stay in the best physical shape that I could. But, it was tough. At that time, I was going to start looking for jobs in the city of Houston, and as soon as the holiday season was over and everybody was back at work, I almost missed the call because it was late at night. I said, ‘Hey, this is my moment.’ I had waited a whole year to get that call so it was now or never.”


(on recognizing the snap count against Atlanta in the playoffs) “Let me just say that we didn’t know his [Matt Ryan] snap count. I just said that to give the media people something to go on. Obviously there's a little gamesmanship going on. We had another game to play and we didn’t want Jake Delhomme and his group thinking we knew their snap count. You never know an offense's snap count. You just try to time it up as best as you can and try to anticipate. The one thing we knew about those (Falcons) guys is that the play clock was going down pretty low. They like to use up all of their play clock, so based off that, we kind of had an idea when the ball had to be snapped. That was the main reason we were able to get such good get-offs, because they used most of the play clock and then just a little bit of anticipation. There were a couple of times when I was called offsides so there isn’t an exact science, but if you guess more times right than not, you have a pretty good day.”


(on media day) “So far it’s fun. There are a lot of people here and this is awesome. This is what comes with the territory, so it’s exciting. It means I’m in a Super Bowl. It means we’ve done something pretty special, and that we have a chance to do something even more special come Sunday.”


(on being the underdog and not getting respect ) “We never really pay attention to the respect factor. That was something that was more media driven than what we thought in the locker room. We just wanted to beat the team in front of us, regardless of what they thought of us, or what anybody else thought of us. Our only goal was to beat that team on gameday. Whether they respected us or not didn’t matter. The fact of the matter is we’re here. We didn’t get here by mistake. We didn’t trick anybody to get here. We beat the teams in front of us to get to this position, so we don’t make any apologies for our position. We are going to enjoy it and try to make the most of it and get a win on Sunday.”


(on the great talent that has come out of his high school in Houston) “It just means that Texas has always had a long tradition of good football, particularly at the high school level. I know the college level is making strides now with the University of Texas and a lot of those colleges. Teams have always plucked from the state of Texas and the city of Houston in particular. It’s no secret. When you think about Oklahoma or LSU and several teams around the country, they all have a bit of Texas flavor on them. It means we are doing something good down there.”


(on if the Arizona defense has reached its potential) “There’s still a lot of room for improvement. We’ve made some tremendous strides. To get here, we really had to buckle down and get back to the basics at the end of the regular season. We’ve already made a lot of strides. We still haven’t played the perfect game. I don’t think anyone has ever played the perfect game, so there is always room for improvement. We are trying to get as close to that as we possibly can for this game because we are going to need it. It’s a very explosive offense and they hit you in a lot of different ways. It is important that we handle what they give to us. It all starts with Ben Roethlisberger. He’s the guy who has the ball in his hands the most, so he’s the focal point of our attack. We are going to try to get after him as best we can and if the other guys can’t get the ball in their hands, then we are doing something good.”


(on if the Arizona defense has caught teams by surprise in the playoffs because of their poor regular season play ) “Well, that’s not true. There were times when we had good defensive games. We didn’t play consistent defense throughout the course of the season. We had some bad games where we stunk it up, and then we had some really good games where we felt like we were pretty dominant. One thing you have to think about this team is that we’ve had our ups and downs but we saved our best for the last. Hopefully we save our very best for the very last.”


(on staying focused) “It’s not hard for me to focus. I’ve been in this league 12 years. Even though I’ve never played on this stage, I’ve seen a lot of football. I’m not going to be too rattled one way or the other with all of the hoopla and all of the attention. At the end of the day, it’s still a game. I am still going to approach it the same way that I’ve always approached every game. There are just more people paying attention to this.”


(on if he watched Super Bowls as a kid and dreamed about playing in one) “Oh, I mean everybody thinks about playing in a Super Bowl. That’s just something that I set out to do when I was nine years old. To be at this point now, all these years later, this is a dream come true. I’m going to enjoy every minute of it. I’m going to make sure I take advantage of every opportunity given me, and I’m going to go out and try to win this thing. You never know if this is the last time you are going to be in this position.”


(on the role his faith plays in his life) “None of this is possible without God in my opinion. He’s the one who has given us all of our abilities, and he’s the one who has allowed us to be in this situation. I rely on him heavily for everything. I pray to him every day. I always try to give him his proper due, because without him, I wouldn’t be around.”


(on if he feels responsible to keep players in line this week as a veteran) “I’m going to try to give advice as best I can. When you get to this point, everybody should understand the magnitude of this game, and you would hope everybody would act accordingly and not do too much to jeopardize our chance to win in this game. But the younger guys, it’s always going to be a struggle because they are still used to that fast lifestyle and when you get to this point, you have to be professional. At this stage and on this stage, there are a lot of people looking at you and a lot of eyes on you. Even when you think they are not, they are. It’s important that guys always carry themselves in a professional manner and know that they are representing not only themselves but their teammates and the organization.”


(on what advice Kurt Warner has given to the team) “He just said to take it all in and try to enjoy it best as you can at the beginning of the week. When you get to Wednesday or Thursday, it’s more like a game week for us and to approach it as such. I’m sure guys had a good time last night and will have a good time tonight, and then we’re just going to go about it like any other game. Obviously there are a lot more eyes and a lot more at stake, but it’s still a football game and we are here to win. We are not here just to be here, and we are going to do everything we can to try to get this thing done.”


(on Kurt Warner) “I told him after the NFC Championship that I just want a ticket to Canton, Ohio when he gets in. I think he’s a Hall of Famer. When you think about what he’s done in his career and what he’s accomplished in his career, to think that there is even a question about whether he’ll be a Hall of Famer or not to me is ridiculous. I think he’s already solidified his place in the Hall of Fame. Like I said, I just want one seat. I know he’s going to have a lot of people there, but I just want one seat to say, ‘Hey, I played with that guy,’ and I’ll be proud of that.”


(on if Warner’s Hall of Fame status should be contingent on winning this Sunday) “I don’t think so. It shouldn’t. I am sure in a lot of people’s eyes it will, but to me, what else does he have to do? He’s got two different franchises to the Super Bowl. Only one other quarterback has done that. When you think about what he’s accomplished – MVP’s at every level – I mean, what else does he have to do? He’s a Hall of Famer, period.”


(on if the Cardinals are peaking at the right time) “We’ve always been a defensive team. Obviously our offense is what people pay attention to, but we’ve played pretty good defense throughout the year, and I believe that our defense will step up and that we’ll make enough plays. This is the Super Bowl, so both teams have good offenses and defenses. It really comes down to execution. What team executes their game plan the best? We feel good about our game plan and we are going to work at it this week to try and really try to perfect it and hopefully it is good enough come Sunday.”


(on the identity of the Cardinals) “We are the National Football Conference Champions, that’s one. We are the Arizona Cardinals. We are a team that is very talented. We are not very well known, and that’s okay. We are a very opportunistic team. We take advantage of opportunities given to us. We try not to beat ourselves and we are a team that is considered an upstart, but we feel like we’ve been here all along. It’s just now people are paying attention to us. If you don’t know who we are, you’ll find out soon.”


(on what the key has been to turning on the switch in the playoffs) “We understand what is at stake. It’s win or go home. During the season you always know that you have another game. If you have a mistake, you know you can come back the next game and get it fixed. Guys really understood that this was win or go home. There is no next week if you don’t win. We’ve really understood that we’ve had to take our game to another level as a whole. I think all three phases have done that, and that’s the reason we are here.”



OWNER BILL BIDWILL

(on where Coach Whisenhunt’s accomplishments as a second year coach for the Cardinals rank all-time) “He’s done a very, very good job. Our record of improvement speaks for itself. I joke about it a little bit, but we found a new way to win a football game when we blocked a kick against Dallas and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown in overtime. You know, that’s how we used to lose games, and we’re not losing those games anymore.”


(on whether it was frustrating that for years public perception said the Cardinals couldn’t win) “Well, it was very difficult in St. Louis, because we had a very small stadium, and according to the NFL standards, we had no auxiliary income - just the ticket income and broadcasting, things like that.”


(on the fan support coming out of Arizona) “Well, at the Championship game against Philadelphia, when the Eagles came out for pregame warm-up, they got booed. I thought that I was in Philadelphia again.”


(on what kept him going with this team throughout the years) “Well, they weren’t all lean years – some years were spectacular. We either led the eastern conference or were tied a number of times. We had a very good football team, scored a lot of points and so we did win some division titles.”


(on whether he ever considered selling the team) “No, it never crossed my mind. I love the business, I’m accustomed to it. I don’t let it get to me if we have a bad game or a bad year. I just go back into it and try to get better.”


(on whether his perseverance has paid off) “Well, we’re here.”


(on whether he misses the NFC East) “Yes, a little bit, I do. I know where all the good steak houses are in those cities.”


(on whether it was tough for him to leave the NFC East) “Not really. There was a good reason for it and it was good for the division – for four team divisions – and so we play the Rams quite frequently and we play the 49ers quite frequently, but now, unless we go to the east, we have an easy travel schedule.”


(on how he celebrated winning the NFC Championship) “I went home, finished off the morning coffee in the microwave, went to bed and got a good night’s sleep. Then I woke up with a smile.”


(on whether he will be able to keep the team together after a successful season) “We’re going to try. We’ve done a good job of keeping it together up until now, and I think we’ll continue that.”


(on whether public perception of the team’s finances and vulnerability bothered him) “No, no. I just didn’t consider some of those (perceptions) seriously at all. You know, winning is the answer to the situation. We’ve been winning lately and we have a fan base in the building now every game and they’re our fans. One of the things we fought for the early years was that for 28 years before we got there, the Cowboys television came into Phoenix on CBS and the Denver Broncos came in on NBC, and that was the only two teams this town had.”