Arizona Cardinals -3- Miercoles 28/1/09

Super Bowl XLIII – Wednesday, January 28, 2009

QUOTES FROM ARIZONA CARDINALS PRESS CONFERENCE


QB MATT LEINART

(on the ups and downs of being a young quarterback in the NFL) “There are different situations you go into as a young quarterback. Some have success, some may struggle, and some may struggle in their second year. There are definitely a lot of ups and downs. You even look at Kurt [Warner], who’s had ups and downs in his career and he couldn’t control everything that happened in his career. But now he’s back in the Super Bowl a few years after he was in the game. Young quarterbacks, including myself, you just have to keep pushing forward and know that the good times and everything are going to pay off if you keep working hard.”


(on if all young quarterbacks suffer through ups and downs) “It all depends on the situation and on what direction that particular team is going. There are a lot of different things that go on. [As a young quarterback] you have to show patience. You have expectations and you want to be successful, but it is hard for a young quarterback. You just have to keep moving forward because we all have long careers ahead of us.”


(on whether it helps to look at Kurt Warner’s career and his early struggles) “There are a lot of guys [who struggled] early in their careers. Steve Young, Tony Romo and a lot of other guys have sat and paid their dues and waited their time. Aaron Rogers is a perfect example. The Packers struggled as a team this year, but I thought he had a pretty good season this year. Matt Cassel is another, and he is a person who is close to me and he sat for four years and never thought he was going to see the field because he was behind one of the best [Patriots QB Tom Brady]. And Matt leads them to an 11-5 record which is unbelievable. I think the difference in my situation is that I played in my rookie year and started 11 games and played fairly well, I thought. That’s what makes [my situation] a little different [from these other QBs]. I have played and I want to get back in there, but this is the way it happened and it happened for a reason. We are at the Super Bowl in my third year which is pretty cool and you never know what could happen. I could be playing on Sunday. Obviously, you hope nothing happens like that, but you never know.”


(on whether he has spoken with [Titans QB] Vince Young since he injured his knee and lost his starting spot to Kerry Collins) “I spoke with Vince when he was dealing with some of the stuff that happened earlier in the season, but that is the last time I talked to him. I texted him to see if he was all right and he laughed and he said he was fine. I told him it is tough to be in this position, but it is worth it and you just have to keep working hard and know that we are going to be great. Keep working and keep focused. He is in a very similar situation with the Titans with Kerry Collins. I think Vince is going to be fine and I think it may have been a good experience for him.”


(on how he has been able to keep his good attitude after losing the starting job) “That’s a really good question. You work so hard going into training camp and you think you are going to be the guy and then it doesn’t happen that way. So I really had to step back and it took me a little while to just sit back and say, ‘You know what?, I can be a distraction and be all mad and point the finger [at others] or I can be a good teammate and support Kurt and still work by butt off and prepare every day like I’m the starting quarterback.’ And that’s the road I decided to take because that is just more the type of person I am. I’m not that other type of guy and I’ve never been like that. And if I worried about all that other stuff, I would just stress myself out and it would just be crazy. So I just said that this is the way things happened this year and I am going to learn and take advantage of this opportunity, because I feel that if I would have gone the other way it would have probably been a wasted year for me because I would have been more of a distraction than being a teammate. So, I’ve been a teammate and worked hard and been there for everybody and tried to become better as a quarterback as well.”


(on if he has had any regrets on not leaving USC after his junior season) “No regrets at all. That was the best decision I could have made at the time. There isn’t one day that goes by that I wish I had come out [after his junior season]. I’m glad I came out my senior year. I was more prepared and I think I came to Arizona for a reason and it has been great so far. It hasn’t been the way I pictured it, but it has been good, it really has.”


(on whether he can take anything from Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rogers first few years in the NFL backing up Brett Favre) “Absolutely. You have to be patient and know that your time is coming. You can never estimate that your time is going to happen in two months or next year or whatever. When it comes you just have to be ready. That’s something I tell myself every day and that’s something that Aaron probably went through too. And now he’s the guy and he had a good season and he’s probably going to be the quarterback there for a long time.”


(on what his relationship with Kurt Warner is like) “Kurt and I have a really good relationship. I think we have become a lot closer since my rookie year. I think coming in my rookie season that things were very different, coming from different backgrounds. But when I became a father and looked at life differently we had more connection. I joke with him and call him Pops and Old Man, but he’s become a mentor to me. He’s been around a long time and seen a lot of stuff in his career. He’s had success and he’s had lows. We have a good relationship. We have had lockers next to each other for the last three years and we talk about a lot of different things. I have learned a lot from him and I think it will help me in my future.”



G DEUCE LUTUI

(on if the Steelers deserve credit for being here) “There is a reason why they are playing this game. There is a reason why we are here. The thing is to find out which team is better prepared. It is all about seeing who will be on top. As far as credit, I think they deserve to be here as well as us. I know a lot of people haven’t given us a chance, like in the past. However, we are making strides to extend the view of what Arizona football has become.”


(on the cohesiveness of the offense) “I think that is one of the successes of this offense and offensive line. We have been able to play with each other through the season. It’s a big plus that we not only play with each other but we hang with each other off the field. I think it’s admiring of the chemistry that this offensive line has with each other.”


(on the communication of the offensive line being a big deal) “It is a huge thing. Coming in I use to speak Tongan to Levi Brown but now I am learning how to speak full English.”


(on the leadership of Levi Brown) “He has always been that guy for us. The impact that he has had for us in the playoffs has been tremendous. The way defenses are on their toes to account for him and the way we stretch the ball, it keeps them guessing so we can either go in the air or rush the ball.”


(on being drafted by the Cardinals) “Being drafted to the Super Bowl now means a lot of family members get the chance to make it to the Super Bowl and are dedicated, loyal fans, not just because of me, but because of the faith they have for the team and the organization.”


(on how the team got to where they are now) “It is not a big surprise that we are in the Super Bowl. I think Coach Whisenhunt did an excellent job of turning the mindset of this team. People use to accept losers but now that is no longer tolerated around this program. We have done a great job and knowing his expectations and playing for a person that has been there before and been through this experience here has really turned the mentality around and we are able to our best and play championship football.”


(on the expectations of his teammates) “I am expecting a big play from everyone. Across the line everyone is expected to make plays. Not necessarily from an individual but as a team collectively we should be able to all go out there and make plays. Big time game right here with big time players.”


(on what makes the Steelers tough to run against) “Just in how disciplined their defense is. They have played a certain amount of years together. They have been there before to the big game. I think their experience has taught them to play defense really well. They play their schemes and are in their gaps really well also.”


(on thinking that the Cardinals will be able to run against the Steelers) “We are planning to do anything possible to move the ball. Whether it means pass or run, you never know.


(on if he has seen that it is possible to run the ball against the Steelers) “Yes it is possible. We have run the ball successfully in the postseason. In our game plan we planned to do anything necessary to attack their defense, which is very challenging.”


(on a goal amount of ground yardage needed against the Steelers) “A goal I think is just to get movement. Not necessarily 100 yards, not necessarily 50 yards, but just to get movement on a great defense.”