Arizona Cardinals -1- Martes 27/1/09

Super Bowl XLIII – Tuesday, January 27, 2009

QUOTES FROM ARIZONA CARDINALS MEDIA DAY


HEAD COACH KEN WHISENHUNT

(on all of the attention the team is getting) “It has been very exciting. I am happy for a lot of these guys, especially some of the veterans that have been with the team for a long time and are getting a chance to experience this. When you word hard for a number of years and you don’t have great success, when you finally do kind of break that barrier and win some games, especially the way that we have done it at the end of the year, it is very fulfilling and very exciting for some of these guys.”


(on what Assistant Head Coach Russ Grimm brings to the team) “He is a trusted friend that understands what we are trying to get done. We’ve spent a lot of time together, a number of years there in Pittsburgh trying to be successful. A lot of the things that we have done together, we have brought with us and it is a guy who is on the same page as (I am). We have been a good team for a number of years and that has continued.”


(on if he has an advantage having coached with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the past) “I don’t think so. They are a good football team, and they are good football players. It has been two years since we have been together and a lot has changed since then. I don’t think that knowing them makes that much of a difference, I think. You still have to try to defend them and you still have to try to be successful against them, which is a challenge in itself.”


(on the value of QB Kurt Warner) “Very valuable. It is always good to have players that have been there and been successful at this level. When you have a player that has played as well as Kurt has for us this year, he obviously carries a lot of weight from a leadership standpoint with the team. When he stands in front of the team and says, ‘This is what to expect. These are things that you have to deal with,’ a lot of younger players will listen to that. Sometimes as a coach you can say that to the players, but it really means a lot when it comes from one of your established players that is having a very successful season.”


(on if he could envision being in the Super Bowl after losing four of five games in December) “Well, I felt like we had a good team. There were a lot people who didn’t think we did, but there were some reasons why we had that swoon late in the season. We felt like we were going to come out of it. We were fortunate that we had a number of games between when we clinched the division and when we actually got into the playoffs so we were able to (overcome) that.”


(on the differences between being in the Super Bowl as an assistant coach and a head coach) “To be here is a lot of fun, but there is a lot more that goes with this than being an assistant coach and just worrying about one side of the ball. But that is good. I think that I have had some very good mentors in Bill Cowher and Joe Gibbs, and I learned a lot from those guys. A lot of the things that we have done have mirrored what they have done. I am very fortunate to have been here as an assistant coach. I know some of the things that we did that week that helped us be successful, and we are going to try to do some of the same things.”


(on the biggest obstacles when he took the job in Arizona) “We just went in there with the idea of trying to establish the program the way we wanted. We wanted guys to be on the same page as far as how we practiced, how we prepared, what we expected of them and how we held them accountable, and that is something that takes time. I think we were fortunate that we had some success so that we had a number of our players believed that we could do it that way. I think that if you stay consistent with that message, then you have a program that you feel works and they will buy in. Ultimately, it has worked for us.”


(on leaders on the team buying into his coaching philosophies early on) “I think that there have been a number of different guys and that takes over the course of time. Obviously Kurt Warner, Adrian Wilson, Bertrand Berry, Darnell Dockett, Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and a lot of guys like that. I think any time that you come into a program, players want to know if what you are going to do can work. The only way to reinforce that is to obviously have some success, and we did that even though it was on a minor standpoint last year and that is what helped set us up for this year.”


(on some of the traits that he brought from Pittsburgh to Arizona) “I was very fortunate to have been with an organization that has been unbelievably successful over time and to be able to experience a Super Bowl with that team obviously teaches you a lot. To have had six years with Coach (Bill) Cowher and to learn from him is invaluable. When you come into a situation like this where you get to a Super Bowl with a different team, obviously there are a lot of things that you can bring with you from that to help prepare you for this experience. Hopefully that will help us minimize the distractions and give us a better chance to win this game.”


(on what the Pittsburgh Steelers mean to the city of Pittsburgh) “The fans in Pittsburgh are fantastic and they support their team, much like what we had at the University of Phoenix Stadium in the playoff games with the way our city has exploded in support. I think that is what we are really trying to establish in Phoenix and in the state Arizona is to get the city behind us like you see the fans in Pittsburgh. My time in Pittsburgh was great. I felt like the fans were always very good to me and very supportive of me. I have a relationship and a special place in my heart not only for the organization but for the fans as well. I think that a lot of what we are trying to do in Arizona is create that same atmosphere.”


(on what he saw from the team in December that made him believe the Arizona Cardinals could make the Super Bowl) “Well, I saw things in September, I saw things in August and I saw things last May that I felt that we had a chance to be successful. I think any time you are starting out with a program, it is a question of time if you believe strongly in what you are doing. We showed signs, especially early in the season. We played good football, and I knew that there was going to be a period where things wouldn’t go as smoothly because this team has never experienced success. When we clinched the division, I anticipated that we might have a little bit of a falloff just because our team didn’t know how to respond to that. I feel that we were very fortunate that we clinched early enough that we did have a chance to come out of that. My biggest fear was that we would win a division with one week to go and still be suffering the effects of that in the playoffs. Once again, I think that we were able to come out of it, and the team that we saw earlier in the season was able to show back up again.”


(on if he likes being considered the underdog) “Pittsburgh has been here before, they have won this game and they have a lot of veteran players. I can understand why people are (predicting them to win). We have been the underdog in every one of our playoff games. It has served us well, so I don’t have any problem with it.”


(on WR Sean Morey) “He is a known quantity for me as far as how he prepares and what he means to the team both on and off of the field. When you are trying to establish your program or your mentality for your team, you want to have as many of those guys as you can. Not only is he a very good football player -- he is a Pro Bowl player -- but he also is a hard worker and a guy that is a very good teammate first and foremost that understands what it takes to be successful in this league. If you have enough of those guys, it gives you a great chance of being successful.”


(on what DE Bertrand Berry brings to the team) “Bertrand has been a successful player and Pro Bowl player in this league, and you always want veterans that can play a role on your team like Bertrand has done for us. He has been unfortunate two years previous to this one where he didn’t finish the regular season on the roster; he was injured. This year for him to be able to get through the season and to have this experience to be able in a Super Bowl that is what it is all about. When you have a veteran player that has sacrificed for your organization that is a good player, you always want to see those kind of things happen (for them).”


(on his respect for and impact on Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger) “I know that Ben had a huge impact on me because to have a quarterback like that as a first-time coordinator allowed us to have success and that is a big part of the reason why I am here today. I have great respect for the way Ben has grown into a dangerous football player -- one of the best quarterbacks in the league -- and I am excited that he has had the career that he has had.”


(on if Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley is ready to become a head coach) “I think with the success that a lot of young coaches have had in the league right now, I don’t think that there is any question that it is the direction the league is going right now and I think it is very appropriate. Todd has done a great job of what we have asked him to do, growing into the role as the play-caller and the coordinator, and I think a lot of those things that he has learned in that role are the very same things that I learned in my role at Pittsburgh and it helps you. We have had an outstanding football coaching staff with our program. A lot of the things that we have done and had success with I think will serve Todd very well in the future when he gets an opportunity like that.”


(on what makes WR Larry Fitzgerald special) “I hope he is scratching the surface of what he can do, because he is playing good football for us now. I think that Larry has worked very hard on some of the things that he wanted to improve on in his game: run after catch, blocking and route running. Those were things that he already was a very good receiver in the league, but when you have a player of his caliber that wants to work on the little things that is what it is all about. When you are trying to hold your team accountable to those things, when you have a player like Larry that is willing to do those things, it kind of sets the standard for your team. It is a big part of the reason why we have had success because we have had a number of very good football players like Kurt (Warner) and Larry that are unselfish, have worked very hard and have had a great season.”


(on RB Edgerrin James) “He is a veteran that has been to the playoffs a number of years that understands what it takes to be successful at this time of the year. We have said all along that were going to need Edge, especially in the playoffs, and that has come true because he has been a big part of the reason why we have had success.”


(on having the opportunity to win the franchise’s first championship in 61 years) “That is why you do it, to have that opportunity. Every team starts off the preseason and the regular season wanting to get to this game. This team has never been to the Super Bowl before. We are very excited that we were able to get here, and obviously you want to win it. It means a lot to this organization.”


(on if he thought he was taking a chance when joined the Arizona Cardinals) “I didn’t really look at it that way. I looked at where the team was and some of the things that they had done before I had gotten there as far as their drafts and free agents that they had signed, and I felt like they had a good core and that there was a chance there to do some things and be successful. It was an intriguing opportunity, one that I felt good about, and I don’t think you ever go into a situation where you look at what has happened in the past because that doesn’t really have anything to do with what you are trying to get done. You evaluate where the program is now and what you feel like the level of commitment the ownership is, and I felt very good about that. I was excited to have the opportunity to work with (General Manager) Rod Graves, because I thought that he had done an outstanding job of drafting some good players and bringing some free agents in there. I felt like it was a good opportunity.”



QB KURT WARNER

(on his offense’s ability to confound opposing defenses) “That’s what has made us so good over this last stretch, is that we’re a lot better at keeping teams off balance than maybe we were earlier in the year. Although we had success and scored points and were able to throw the ball around, I think what you realize is that the more balance you have, the better you can be against good defenses because you keep them off balance as opposed to them just knowing exactly what you’re going to do. So that part has been fun: to see us evolve, and to see this offense evolve even from where it was at the beginning of the season to where we’re at now. You just feel with the playmakers we have and the way we’re playing across the board, and the way the offensive line is playing, that we can continue to improve and get better as years go by.”


(on how it feels to be back at the Super Bowl) “You know, it obviously feels great to be back. You never know if you’re going to get these opportunities again. That part has been fun. Me personally, (I’m) just trying to enjoy it and embrace it. I think I’m a lot more comfortable this time around, understanding what you’re going to deal with. The one thing that I’m telling my teammates is, ‘The Super Bowl parties will be there next year, and they’ll be there the year after, and if you’re fortunate enough to go out and play and win the game, that big ring that’s on your finger gives you full access to all those parties. You can make up for that time in the future, you don’t have to worry about getting it all in this week.’”


(on whether he dwells more on the Super Bowl he lost or the Super Bowl he won) “I think about the game that we lost more than any game that I’ve ever played in. (That’s) probably a little unfortunate because I probably should be hanging onto the one that we won. It’s just that, in that year—and maybe just the Super Bowl in general—but that year, we were favored. We were expected to win. And so when you don’t win, you feel like you miss an opportunity. You miss an opportunity to make history, so for whatever reason, I think that game has stuck with me more than any other game that I’ve played in. I’m going to do my best to make sure I don’t have to think about this one too much.”


(on his biggest concerns playing against the Steelers) “I think the biggest thing about the Steelers that you’re concerned with, especially from a defensive standpoint, is just all the different looks that they give you. It’s going to be key for us to understand, to watch film, and to be able to recognize. They’re going to throw things at us that we’ve never seen before with all their playmakers and all the different guys they can move around. Our recognition of what they’re doing, where they’re coming from, who we’re blocking, who are the free guys—I think that’s going to be a huge key come Sunday evening on how much success we have.”


(on what he wants his legacy to be) “You know, the great thing about ‘the talk of your legacy’ is that it’s talk for everybody else. My bottom line is, I’m going to live every day like God has called me to live, I’m going to prepare every day on the football field like I always have, and that’s to be as great as I possibly can. Whatever that legacy is at the end of the day, it is. My approach is hoping that every player who I’ve played with, every place that I’ve been, in some way, shape or form, I leave my stamp on those people and on those places. And that’s what I want my legacy to be. The football stuff, that’s all gravy. Whatever people want to talk about, whatever comes with it, that stuff’s great. But the bottom line for me is that I want to impact the people who I’ve been around, and that’s what I want my legacy to be when it’s all said and done, whether it’s with my children, whether it’s out in the community, or whether it’s with the football team. So I know it’s fun talk, but it’s talk for everybody else, because they’re going to make those decisions, not me, and I’m going to try to live every day like I want to live, and hopefully that leaves the kind of legacy that I want to leave.”


(on how he wants people to remember him after this game) “The dream of this game is, when I walk away, that everybody that played with me, or in the organizations that I was with say, ‘We were a better team, we were a better organization, I’m a better player because I was around that guy.’ Whatever that means beyond that, it means. That’s what I want my legacy to be. I want people to remember me for the impact I had on them and not necessary the impact that I had on this game.”


(on why he’s so quick and willing to talk about his religion during interviews) “You know, when it comes to faith, you believe what you believe. I believe in Jesus. It makes all the difference in my life. Everything I do, everywhere I go, I’m trying to live up (to) or to represent Jesus. Having the faith that I have, believing what I believe, it’s the first and foremost thing in my life. Why do I always bring it up when I’m in interviews or when you’re on a stage like the Super Bowl or the NFC Championship game? Because it’s the most important thing in my life. It’s just like anything. Some people get up when they win an award and thank their wife or their kids. And as important as those things are in my life, the first thing I always want to do is thank my savior in Jesus because He’s the most important thing in my life. I know…some people get tired of hearing it, (or say), ‘How does it relate to football?’ It is who I am, and it will always be who I am, and it’s the most important thing in my life. So more times than not, it’s going to be the first thing I talk about.”


(on being a pioneer for a team that has had a long losing tradition) “I don’t take any personal ownership in anything that I’ve done different than all the other guys that are on this team. You know, it is fun. It’s gratifying. It’s exciting to be a part of watching this organization go somewhere that they haven’t gone before. That’s stuff that you can’t replace with anything else. Being a part of this organization, when I came here, the perception, the way people I know looked at us from the outside…to be able to change that perception and to get to this game is special. With this game, and in ’99 with the Rams when we were in a similar situation, those are probably the two things that I’m going to take with me more than anything when I leave this game. It’s not going to be about touchdown passes thrown or games won. It’s going to be being a part of two organizations that nobody expected anything from, and being able to be a part of them taking a run to the Super Bowl and exceeding expectations and changing perceptions of those two teams.”


(on his decision to go to Arizona and his experience with the Cardinals thus far) “Well, I think a lot of people looked at it as more of a black hole, a place that hasn’t had success. (People would say,) ‘If you go there, I don’t know if you’re going to have success or what’s going to happen to your career.’ And as great as the destination was, I don’t think people were sold on the football part of it, and whether they were committed to winning. But the great thing that I’ve seen is, when I made the decision to come here, I’ve seen this organization do whatever they can to help us become a winning football team. From day one, the Bidwill family…even though you can’t make all the changes overnight, I talked with them. They were asking me, ‘What can we do different? What can we do better? How can we help develop not only a winning attitude, but a winning edge in what we’re doing?’ So I believe that was the perception. Why the perception was out there might solely just be on the fact that we haven’t won. But what I’ve been pleasantly surprised with is the attitude of the ownership to say, ‘Hey, we want to try to do whatever we can for the players and the coaches to help make this successful.’ That part has been great about the organization, and it makes it fun to be a part of.”


(on people thinking that he, like Emmitt Smith, came to Arizona to finish out his career) “I think the perception around the league about me was that I couldn’t play anymore anyways. (They thought,) ‘There was no more football left in him, and he’s basically just trying to survive. And Arizona being a situation that hasn’t won, (they) brought in a guy like Emmitt Smith, (and they) may bring this guy in because of his name, but it’s probably going to be just like everything else: the Cardinals won’t win, Kurt Warner can’t really play, so I guess it’s a fine mix.’ I think they (the Cardinals) knew something that a lot of people didn’t, or took a chance on something that a lot of people wouldn’t. I knew, personally, that I could still play, given the right opportunity. So that’s been one of the neat parts of the story: they took a chance, I took a chance, and together, we’ve made something special happen.


(on when he showed his teammates that he was still a top-notch player) “You’re going to have to ask them that question, but I think it was the first day of practice. I think when they saw me step on the field, and saw the way I played the game and threw the football…The great thing about (the Arizona) players is I think they had a perception (of me) before, more based on two MVPs (and) two Super Bowls than they did on anything else. So at least you have your foot in the door that way. But I don’t ever feel like I lost anything on the football field. So I think I was able to take that perception and transfer it onto the football field. So I think at a very early stage, the players around me felt that I could still play, and play at a high level. What that means, who knows? But I think early, the reputation of being a successful quarterback was established in my teammates because they saw me on the football field and saw what I could do.”


(on whether he wondered if he would ever be back in the Super Bowl) “There were plenty of opportunities where I wondered if I would ever start again. So, yeah, there were moments where you were just thinking about starting and getting back and playing again, and playing well. Super Bowl (thoughts) get pushed to the back burner. So there were definitely moments when I thought about a lot of those things—definitely if I would ever be back here, but I mean, if I would ever have another chance with an organization to start and lead them for a season, lead them into the playoffs, and ultimately lead them here.”


(on whether he thought that the Cardinals would make it to the Super Bowl this year) “You know, probably not. I mean, I think the ultimate goal was always to win the Super Bowl, but I also understood when I got here the strides that we would need to make to get to this point. I don’t even know at what point this year (people started seeing it as a real possibility). 12, 13, 14 games in, I don’t know if very many people foresaw us getting to the Super Bowl. I think it was one of those things where I definitely didn’t see it coming as quickly, but at the same time, over the last couple of years, I’ve seen us making strides where you feel like, ‘Okay, we’re taking steps that, eventually, if we can continue to do this, one day we could be playing in the Super Bowl.’ But I think it came a lot quicker than a lot of people expected. Obviously when you hear everybody around the league, they obviously didn’t expect us to be in the playoffs, or win in the playoffs, or definitely to be here. But I think even for players in the organization, so much of the goal was to get to the playoffs, try to do something early in the playoffs. This has exceeded most people’s expectations of what we would accomplish this year, this quickly in the regime.”


(on how his faith helps him on the team) “My faith helps me with everything. I think the biggest thing about my faith is it helps me keep everything in perspective. You understand the highs and lows. You understand what’s going on sometimes in the highs and lows when other people don’t see them. I think that’s the biggest thing in my life where my faith is concerned: it always keeps things in perspective, whether it’s at home dealing with seven kids, whether it’s the everyday life of being in marriage, or whether it’s the struggles and the ups and downs and the highs and lows of the NFL. That perspective, I think, is key, and has been key for me not only on the field, but off.”


(on why Arizona’s receiving corps is so special) “(We have a) great group of receivers, obviously. I’ve been fortunate to play with some great receivers in my career, but I think the one thing that these guys bring to the table is a strength and a toughness that’s a little different than the guys that I’ve played with before. These guys are so big and so strong and so (magnetic) to the football, that they’re really a whole different animal when you’re out there on the field. You have a lot of quick receivers, fast receivers, that can match up with certain DBs in the league, but when you can add quickness, speed and size, it’s a whole different animal. I think that’s something that separates especially Anquan (Boldin) and Larry (Fitzgerald) from any other receivers that I’ve played with, and probably any other team that has two go-to receivers. These guys are big and strong and physical. They can punish you, they can jump over you, they can steal balls away from you because their hands are so strong. I think that’s the thing that separates these guys from other guys around the league and other guys that I’ve been with.”


(on which young quarterbacks in the league he’s been impressed with this season) “I think there’re a lot of them. You see obviously the two rookies that have done so much this years in Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. I think they were extremely impressive in their poise, their understanding of the game, the limited mistakes that they made throughout their first seasons was extremely impressive. This guy that’s going to be on the other sideline, (Ben Roethlisberger,) even though he’s been in the league a few years, is still a young quarterback who has been extremely impressive in making plays and winning football games. I think that’s the one thing that you see. I remember back in our second Super Bowl—Tom Brady’s first Super Bowl—in that game and through that season, they asked Tom more to just kind of manage the game, not make a lot of plays. But a guy like Ben and some of these younger guys that have played this year, the impressive thing to me has been that they’ve put the ball in these guys’ hands and said, ‘We need you to make plays for us. If we’re going to win, you guys have to make plays.’ And they’ve been able to do that in early stages of their career, which has been extremely impressive. I don’t know what it is about those guys. The last couple years, we’ve had some really good young quarterbacks that have come out. I don’t know what’s different about them, but there obviously is something special for them to be able to come in and be as successful as quickly as those guys have been.”


(on whether he would see his and Roethlisberger’s quarterbacking approaches as apples and oranges) “To a huge degree. He’s so much more athletic than me, he’s got a big, strong arm, he can make some of those throws. He has an ability to make plays in and out of the pocket that’s so different from me. Obviously, I’m a pocket passer, a guy that stays in there and is really built on just staying in there and making the forward pass as opposed to making a whole bunch of plays outside the pocket. So, yeah, from that standpoint—not that Ben can’t do that, sit in the pocket—he’s got great strengths outside of that part of it, which obviously I don’t.”



SPECIAL TEAMS COACH KEVIN SPENCER

(on Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm coaching against their former team) “What really makes [Whisenhunt] special – and I think Russ, too – they’ve got a little of that Tom Landry in them where the emotion is flat-line. They don’t allow themselves the luxury of getting caught up in that stuff. It’s all about coaching. We’re playing a tremendous football team with a great history that we were very blessed to have been part of. You really can’t get wrapped up in that minutiae. We’ve got to worry about the things in the game. They know that guys pick up on that stuff, so we’re not going to give the guys any more than, ‘Hey, we’re playing a great football team, and we’ve got to do our job for 60 minutes.’”


(on how K Neil Rackers has been performing and the possibility of having a game-winning field goal situation) “We had a few struggles last year with the holding situation. I think he had an uncharacteristic off year, and he’s really rebounded and played very, very well. We have the utmost confidence that if it comes down to something like that that Neil will get it done. He’s had a great year this year. But I think you recognize that it’s the stability of the other two guys that lends itself [to his success]. Ben [Graham] coming and Nate [Hodel] has always been there, it certainly put his mind at ease where he could concentrate and do his job.”


(on the importance of a consistent long snapper like Hodel) “Mr. [Al] Davis, when I was at Oakland, used to say, ‘You’ve got to go to sleep at night, and the way you go to sleep at night is you’ve got a long snapper you can count on.’ And he’s absolutely correct. Nate is a very solid, dependable, no-nonsense guy, so you almost take it for granted that it’s going to be that way.”


(on what Graham has added to the team) “Well, he’s a big, strong leg. I think some of the uniqueness he brings to us is in plus-50 punting where he’s got that end-over-end kick. He’s extremely accurate with it. He’s just very good with the ball. We’re still working on some things technically, but he’s a little bit older guy, so he’s got the maturity. And he’s got those specialty kicks, which I think are critical for us to secure field position.”


(on what the special teams need to do to win the field position battle) “In road games, big games, vertical field position is critical, and we’re playing a very good football team. No doubt, we want to make that offense try to go on a long field, and we want to set up our offense on as short a field as possible because of the tenacity of their defense. You control that with your kicking game, so we’ve just got to go out and do a good job against a very formidable group. They’re a very tough bunch of guys – good returners, good specialists. Jeff [Reed] is doing a great job kicking off. Mitch [Berger] brings experience. We set the table for our offense and defense. That’s our goal.”


(on Santonio Holmes’ return ability) “Once a game, he’s going to break your back. He’s a guy that we’re going to have to be very careful about what we do with the football. It’s as simple as that. We had DeSean Jackson last week, and he’s a very scary guy, and so is Santonio. I had the opportunity to coach Santonio as a rookie, so I know what he brings to the table. He is going to go five, five, and then 55, so we’ll have to punt intelligently. We’ve got to cover our rear ends. He can change a game in a heartbeat, offensively and in the kicking game.”


(on Mewelde Moore as a returner) “Mewelde Moore has always been a class returner. He did a wonderful job for the Minnesota Vikings. He’s a different type of returner. He’s a north-south guy, but he’s got good initial quickness. He’s the kind of guy that’s going to take care of the ball, and he’s going to get you first downs. That’s what Coach [Marv] Levy at Buffalo used to say all the time. ‘Take care of the ball and get 10 yards, and you’ve done your job.’ Mewelde does that. He’s a very stabilizing influence and makes good decisions on the back end. The ball’s not going to be on the ground.”


(on talk that the NFL should reformat the playoffs after Arizona entered as division champions with a 9-7 regular season record) “I hope that demonstrates to people that the No. 1 goal of every team is obviously to get here, but the way you do that is you win your division. So we’re not going to make excuses. We won our division. We were undefeated in our division. I think what this also demonstrates is you’ve got to do your business when you get here. It’s 0-0. The records are off. So if that doesn’t demonstrate why this thing is such a great thing and playing your best football at the right time… We’re not going to make any excuses for why we’re here. We’ve earned it. We won our division. We went on the road and beat some good people. We beat a great Philadelphia team. We beat a very hot Atlanta team. So you can tell we get a little agitated with that nonsense. We’re a damn good football team, and we’re playing like that, where we didn’t early. We’re doing it at the right time of the year.”


(on the attitude around the organization and the region with the team’s success) “I think the city is very uplifted. I think the city has never seen anything like this before. They’ve had great success with the Diamondbacks and the Suns, and now we’re writing our own story right now, which is really neat. Obviously, the administration is extremely pleased and happy. This is what you play for. This is what you do, and we did it in a fairly quick period of time. If there are people in Arizona that aren’t happy, I don’t know what their problem is.” (laughing)


(on what allowed Whisenhunt to bring success to the team so quickly) “He’s stayed the course. He hasn’t panicked. I think the guys sense that there’s a stability, a solidness. No highs, no lows. The plan that he employed on that first day is the plan that he’s got right now. He’s got certain principles that he’s adhered to and our coaching staff has adhered to. Some of our leaders have bought in, and they’re starting to talk the way we want them to talk. He’s a smart man and a very cool customer, and he’s still maintained his wit. He’s a funny guy, a practical joker. You don’t want to get into a verbal barrage with him because he’s going to win. He’s still Ken Whisenhunt, but he’s a hell of a head coach. I’m glad he’s on our side. Let’s put it that way.”


(on WR Sean Morey making a name for himself on special teams) “It’s kind of a throwback to the days of old. Sean is a consummate professional. He studies his trade. He doesn’t let his ego get in the way. I think Sean believes he’s the best receiver, but if not then he’s going to be the best special teams player, and he prepares accordingly. He’s a great leader. He sets the tone on the field, sets the tone in the locker room. We brought him to Arizona for that reason. Sean just brings a great amount to our football team. We’re glad he’s with us.”



DE ANTONIO SMITH

(on the number of Cardinals fans compared to the number of Steelers fans in Tampa) “I am sure we are going to have some fans here. Last year when the Steelers came to Arizona they had a lot of fans there, so I am sure there will be a lot here too. They have a great fan base and there were times last year that it was hard to tell that it was even our stadium. I feel that it will be about the same down here for this game.”


(on what the Cardinals defense needs to be able to do to win the game) “I think we need to just stop their running game. If we can stop the run and make them one-dimensional by making them throw the football that will help us. It will allow us to rush the passer. Our secondary has been playing very well so that should give us time to get to the quarterback.”


(on what the defense has done differently in the playoffs compared to the regular season) “We are playing with better technique on defense. We are relying on every player to do their job so that we can be successful as a unit. There were times in the regular season that we would overcompensate for something and allow a runner to get through for a long gain. We haven’t been doing that in the playoffs. We are going to have to continue to play with technique and play sound football against the Steelers to give us a chance to win.”


(on his sack for a safety against the Atlanta Falcons in the Wild Card Playoff game) “When you back an offense up like the Falcons were a defensive lineman tends to amp his game up. We sensed the chance to get a safety at that point. I came off the line with one of my best rush moves, which is a power inside move, and the quarterback held the ball just long enough for me to get there.”


(on his sack, forced fumble against the Carolina Panthers) “I think that was just a divine play. I don’t think I did much to make that play happen. I rushed to the inside, but I felt the quarterback step up in the pocket, so I spun towards where I thought he would be. When I spun, the offensive lineman pulled my arm down so the only thing I could think was to swing my other arm around. It just so happened to hit the ball out of the quarterback’s hand. Once the ball came out of his hand it bounced and landed right in my hand. It was one of the craziest plays I have been a part of. I looked up for the ball and I realized it was already in my hand.”


(on the defense’s ability to continue to play at a high level against the Steelers) “I don’t think we have a choice. For us to make this the season that everyone remembers, we have to finish what we started and put a stamp on it. We have to finish.”


(on what the success of the Cardinals means to Arizona) “It started with our coaching change last year. The whole city and team bought into coach Whisenhunt. Everyone in the city is supporting us. You can’t even go to the movies or the mall without being congratulated. Fans have been coming up to us and telling us, ‘thank you.’ It has been unbelievable. I want to thank the fans for their support and belief in us.”



S ANTREL ROLLE

(on playing in the National Championship game in 2001 compared to the Super Bowl) “I just happened to be a part of the 2001 team. I just played at the right time, but that was their Championship. Definitely, this experience though. This is the best of the best. You can’t get any better than this right here.”


(on his adjustments to playing safety) “I am still learning everything. I have gotten my feet wet, but I am still new to this. I think I have made an okay transition. I wouldn’t say that it has been good because I hold myself to a higher standard more than anyone else. I still have a lot of work to do to get to where I need to be. At this point and time though, I feel like I have done pretty well.”


(on people doubting the Cardinals and how that makes him feel) “It doesn’t matter. Everyone has doubted us since day one. No matter what anyone thinks, the game still has to be played on Sunday. There isn’t a telecaster or writer that is going to help with the outcome of the game. The only guys that can make the difference are the players for the Steelers and Cardinals.”


(on his feelings of everything that is going on) “It is great. This is something that you strive for your entire career. This is the ultimate achievement and it doesn’t get any higher than this.”


(on what he will go through between now and Sunday) “We prepare. You have to take things for what they are. We are going to enjoy ourselves, but you have to keep your eye on the prize.”


(on the play of the secondary in the playoffs) “I think we have taken advantage of every opportunity that has been presented to us. We may have left a couple of plays out there on the field, but that is going to happen. I think we are all jelling together. We have all bought in to the same program. It has been great.”


(on what he has done to help rookie CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) “I talk to him all the time. He probably gets tired of me being in his ear, but I want to do whatever it takes to help him. I study a lot of film and I might pick up on something that another guy doesn’t. I like to share information.”


(on bringing the defense together to watch extra film of the Philadelphia Eagles the Saturday before the game) “I had a bad taste in my mouth because they were able to do whatever they liked on Thanksgiving night. It didn’t sit well with me at all. We realized that we were a different team now than we were then, but we needed to come together as a team and see what they did to us that night. If we didn’t learn from what they did before, they were going to come in there and do the same thing to us again. I just wanted to get everyone on the same page. I think that it helped. It allowed us to understand everyone’s responsibilities on each play. It was about pride.”


(on the improvement of Rodgers-Cromartie throughout the season) “I actually first noticed him at the Senior Bowl. I pointed him out to Adrian [Wilson] because I liked the way he played. He performed well in one-on-one drills that week. During the draft my agent called me and told me that we had selected him, so I felt pretty good about him. When he came into training camp, he was very fast with very quick feet, but he was unskilled. He was getting beat on every deep pass, but you saw the potential. He has been tremendous for us this season.”


(on Rodgers-Cromartie play against Carolina Panthers WR Steve Smith) “It was one of his best games. He stepped up when his number was called. We were worried about Smith’s strength and ability to break tackles, but Dominique was never worried about it. He showed that at game time. He never backed down and played one of his finest games.”


(on how the Cardinals were able to beat the Panthers) “We played together as a team. They got away from us a little in the first game, but we knew it was going to be a different game this time around. We stuck together and played as a team.”



CB DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE

(on playing the Super Bowl in Florida where his family lives) “You can’t ask for anything better. To have them be 30 minutes away, and when I get some free time I can go home and say ‘hey’ to everybody. It’s just a blessing.”


(on moving around from school to school in high school) “I went to four different high schools and I was just patient as a kid. Sometimes I wanted to give up because I felt like I just kept moving around and I wasn’t getting the opportunity. I knew I was good enough to play; I was just put in the wrong spots. I had a great base. My father and my mother stayed with me and they told me ‘just keep waiting, be patient and something is going to come through,’ so I just stayed patient, waiting.”


(on finding out he only had one kidney) “When I was younger they told me not to play contact sports, but I loved the game and I always wanted to play sports. I always have to sign a waiver and I understand what can happen, but I try not to worry about it a lot.”


(on his mother’s influence on his life) “That’s a strong lady, raising three kids all on her own. Growing up, she had to work a lot and there were a lot of times we were by ourselves, but she kept us in something; she kept us in activities, or kept us around the church. She kept us grounded and humbled and she instilled a lot of things in me that made me the man I am today.”


(on his father’s influence on his life) “He was a college coach and he was always on the road, but in my high school years I got a chance to move with him. Him being a college coach, I learned how to take coaching and just what to expect from coaches and how to get along with them. He helped my attitude and he’s the one that really gave me my encouragement to stay in sports.”


(on the camaraderie of the Cardinals this year) “That’s one thing, towards the end of the season, we started losing a little bit and we really came together as a team. We found ourselves, offense depending on defense and defense depending on offense. There’re times they bail us our and we bail them out. We just stuck together, and that’s one thing you can see in practice: how we go about getting after each other. We just stick with each other and believe in each other.”


(on if the Cardinals defense is getting the respect it deserves) “I would say we’re kind of a quiet defense. People don’t really know us that much because people don’t really follow the Arizona Cardinals. Talking about the Steelers defense, you see a big, physical defense, like the bully on the yard that’s going to come in and just try to jack you up. We’re going to be focused and we’re just going to hit them back.”


(on if the Cardinals can maintain a composure throughout the week) “Coming in, coach (Ken Whisenhunt) always addressed that it’s going to be really loud out here and you just keep yourself calm and wait until the game. Don’t use too much energy or get too hyped before the game; just try to maintain. That’s our whole mindset. We’re just going to be cool, calm and wait until Sunday to turn it on.”


(on attending Tennessee State) “I’m glad they gave me the opportunity. That’s where it all started. I had a great four years there. I loved the atmosphere at Tennessee State. They had a great program and just all around I had a great time.”


(on if he’s the hottest player as far as being asked for tickets) “I might not be the hottest, but I’m among the top five. I stopped counting. The number is up there. People coming from here and there: it’s hard. It’s hard to tell somebody you grew up with ‘no,’ but you’ve got to do it.”


(on how a player who didn’t start in high school can be a starter for a Super Bowl team in his first year) “I would say (it was) the competitiveness and the hungriness in me. Everywhere I go I always feel I have to make myself known. I get in and I work and I just work until the opportunity presents itself.”


(on how the Cardinals match up against the Steelers wide receivers) “I think we’re a pretty good match. They’ve got a receiver that’s physical, who can run after the catch and is hard to get down. And then you’ve got a speedy receiver. I think our secondary plays together. We rely on each other. We’re not scared. I understand what they do and how they make plays, but we’re also playmakers, too. We have a few playmakers on our team.”


(on who he would choose to cover this game) “It doesn’t even matter to me. You can just line them up. If I had to pick, I would say Santonio Holmes. Because him being a faster guy, coming in and out of cuts, that’s what I think I do well. I’ve got the speed to match up with him. Hines Ward being more on the physical side, and you’ve got (Roderick) Hood being the most physical corner, I think that matches up better.”


(on what motivated the team after the loss to the New England Patriots) “I would say the coach coming in and getting after us and telling us ‘you don’t want to be a team to just make it to the playoffs. You guys are good enough’ and he believed and we believed in each other to make a run in the playoffs. That’s when everybody just clicked together and came together and just did it.”



K NEIL RACKERS

(on how he visualizes the game) “I visualize the ball down the middle every time, in the end zone every time, and walking off the field with the Lombardi trophy.”


(on how he prepares for a potential high-pressure kick in the Super Bowl) “To me, I’m not putting any more stock in it than any other game. Any other game, it’s my job, when the offense moves the ball down the field, to put three points on the board or kick a PAT. And obviously kickoff—as far as field position is concerned—I’ve just got to put the ball deep and the guys have got to go make plays. It’s no different for me; it’s another football game. I know it’s on a bigger stage, and the whole world is watching, but for me, preparation-wise, I’m going to do the same things I do for every game.”


(on what it’s like at Media Day) “It’s crazy. I haven’t moved from this spot, so I haven’t really seen it all, but this is great. It’s great to get to experience this. I told my wife, we’ve been in the league for nine years and we’ve gotten to experience a Pro Bowl and now a Super Bowl, so we’ve just been blessed.”


(on getting to see the personalities of the players in the downtime before Media Day) “I always tell my wife about Antrel (Rolle) and Dominique (Rodgers-Cromartie) dancing and she’s says ‘do you hop in?’ and I’m like ‘my body doesn’t move those ways,’ so it’s fun to see us loose today. Our best games that we’ve played this year, in the locker room it was loose, it was guys hanging out having fun, and I think we’re showing that’s coming to the Super Bowl too.”


(on how the loss to the Patriots affected the Cardinals) “Well, we had clinched the division at that time and I don’t know personally where everyone’s head was at. We didn’t handle the weather up there very well, but it obviously was a turning point. We kind of came home from that game and said, ‘this can’t happen. We’re going to the playoffs, so we better get our stuff together,’ and we’ve done that.”


(on know that any of his kicks could decide the game) “That’s part of my job. That’s true with any game, so for me I’m just treating it like any other game.”


(on whether he has already considered the wind patterns in Raymond James Stadium) “You have to, of course. I’d like to come out here at 6:15 tonight and see what it’s doing then, so we’ll know kind of what it’s doing in the evenings as well.”


(on whether he would call the Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker to ask advice) “I’ve thought about it. I wouldn’t think about it if Matt (Byrant) wasn’t such a great guy, but I may have to give him a call and say ‘hey, what’re the tendencies over here at the stadium?’”


(on his pregame routine) “My pregame will be the same. I’ll have my pasta with three meatballs beforehand, and I’ll just keep it the same and treat it as if it’s week 16 and we’re playing the Seahawks.”


(on whether kickers get enough credit) “I think kickers maybe deserve more credit. But to me, you get your credit from what you do in the offseason with the guys. If you’re out there lifting and running with the guys and doing the same things they are, they tend to respect you a little more. I think that’s where I earn my respect: in the offseason when I’m doing everything they’re doing.”


(on how much respect he earns from tackling returners on kickoffs) “They (teammates) definitely appreciate that, when you’re willing to go down and make a hit. The way I look at it is that guy (the returner) is the best athlete on the field. If he gets through the hole, I’m not going to catch him, so I better plug that hole before he gets to it.”


(on if he enjoys tacking) “I do. I do. It’s fun. I like to be a football player too.”


(on if he would compare being a kicker to being a closer in baseball) “That’s the only job in sports that can be comparable to ours: a closer in baseball. They come in and it’s their job to lock the game down. That’s what we do as well.”



DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR CLANCY PENDERGAST

(on the recent success of Arizona’s defense) “Our guys are really confident and are playing well right now, so I hope they have one more game in them and they can play better. They took the challenge upon themselves to play better in the last game against Seattle because we knew we needed to catch some momentum going into the playoffs. We’ve got a core group of guys that have been in this system. We’ve got guys with a lot of heart. Up front, Darnell Docket. At the linebacker position, Karlos Dansby. At safety, Antrel Rolle and Adrian Wilson. We’ve got a lot of guys with a lot of heart and they really responded when the playoffs started.”


(on the character of his defense) “We’ve got a group of guys that work hard and love to play. If you’ve got that, to me that’s a recipe for a good defense.”


(on coaching the defense on a team that scores quickly on offense) “Really, going into the games you’re looking at what the other team’s offense does. That’s how you really generate your game plan.”


(on the difficulty of getting Ben Roethlisberger to the ground) “It’s like I told the guys in the very first meeting, until you hear the whistle blow or the ball is out, everything is live. He does a great job of moving in the pocket. He’s very tough to bring down because he’s such a strong football player. It’s quite a challenge.”


(on Pittsburgh’s offense) “They’re very tough to deal with. They’re a two-headed monster so to speak with the running game and obviously the big-play ability with Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes. They’re going to be a tough challenge for us.”


(on embracing the underdog role) “I think our guys really respond to that. They’ve been told how bad they are for a long time so it’s something they really feed off of.”


(on Willie Parker) “He’s running the ball really well right now. He’s running in between the tackles. He’s running on the perimeter. He’s playing at a very high level right now. We have to contain the things that they do offensively.”


(on preparing for Hines Ward) “I would expect him to play. He’s a very competitive guy and with a game of this magnitude, I’m sure he’ll play.”


(on the difference between Arizona’s defense in December and their performance in January) “I think we’ve been more disruptive. The guys have played very disciplined. We’re taking good angles to the football. All those things have helped through our success.”


(on the way he rotates defenders) “One of the big things that has really helped our progress is in the secondary we’ve had continuity. We haven’t been rolling as many guys in and out. Then on the defensive line, we’re rolling in Kenny Iwebema, Calais Campbell and Gabe Watson. They’ve gotten to play more and I think that’s helped them. That’s helped us get a feel for when they’re going to go in and who they’re going to spell and when they’re going to spell.”


(on the attitude he tried to instill when he got to Arizona) “In our defensive team meeting room, we’ve got a sign up that says, ‘Heart.’ It’s Hustle, Execution, Attitude, Respect and Technique. That’s kind of been the motto of our defense since I’ve been here.”


(on where the Cardinals have improved the most over the last year) “The guys have been in the system a little bit longer and we’ve added some players that have helped us.”


(on Adrian Wilson) “He’s really taken on a leadership role. His ability level to be able to make game-changing type, impact plays is tremendous. We try to use him as much as we can to utilize his skills to where he can be that impact-type guy. He’s a very dynamic guy that can do a lot of different things for us. I think now people are finally seeing that. I’ve been with him the last five years and I’ve always seen his ability, but I think now because of the stage of the Super Bowl, people are able to see throughout the playoffs the kind of player he really is.”


(on Pat Tillman) “Pat was a tremendous player and he played with tremendous heart. He has a lot of high respect obviously in the organization.”


(on having game-changing players on his defense) “We have some guys that are entering the prime of their careers. Karlos (Dansby) has been in the league now for five years. (Darnell) Dockett has been in the league five years, Antrel (Rolle) has been here four years. Adrian has been in this system for five years and Gerald Hays has been in the system five years. We’ve got some guys who are really peaking based on their amount of time in the league. Obviously the more you play and the more experience you get, the better player you’re going to be. We’ve got a group of guys that are benefitting from that. We’ve got a lot of guys who are just gym rat-mentality guys who just love the game, love being around the game, love studying the game. Bryan Robinson, who we got from Cincinnati, has been a great acquisition for us just from a leadership standpoint. He’s a guy you don’t hear a lot about. Then the Ralph Browns of the world mean so much to the defense in terms of the things they do behind the scenes.”


(on getting things turned around defensively) “We’ve played pretty consistent defense throughout the course of the year. We had a couple bad days at the office but our guys never really lost the focus or lost the confidence that we’ve built throughout the course of the season. They really responded in that last game of the season against Seattle. We knew we had to have some momentum going into the playoffs and we responded against Seattle. In the last few weeks they’ve played well together.”


(on what concerns him most about Pittsburgh’s offense) “They’re a very well-rounded offense. They run the ball extremely well. Their offensive line does a really good job. Willie Parker has been running the ball well both inside and outside. He’s got the ability to stop and start when there is penetration. I think he’s a very dynamic running back. Of course in the passing game, dealing with Ben Roethlisberger, he’s playing at a high level right now. Santonio Holmes is a deep threat that Ben likes. They work well together, as does Hines Ward in the slot. It’s going to be a tough task for us.”


(on his pleasure in the exposure Adrian Wilson has received) “I really am. We’ve been together for five years and I’ve been able to see him make a lot of dynamic plays over the course of that time. I think it’s great for him that he’s finally getting the attention that he deserves because I think he’s the best safety in the game based on the game-changing plays that he can make.”



RB EDGERRIN JAMES

(On being at the Super Bowl) “It means a lot. For 10 years I’ve been playing, and to finally get here, that’s big. You’ve tried to put yourself in a position to be in games like this, and it didn’t happen. It’s not that I didn’t do something, or that I didn’t work hard enough, or that I didn’t put up enough numbers, it’s just that everything has to work out. To get to the Super Bowl, this is something I’ve never accomplished. You want a taste of everything the NFL has to offer, and this is the one goal of any player.”


(On if the team expected to make it here) “I always knew the talent was there, it was just a matter of putting it together and seeing which team was going to show up. If you go up and down our roster and compare us with any team in the NFL, you’ll know that we have the potential to do things, it’s just a matter of us going out and doing it.”


(On if Pittsburgh getting the hype makes him feel like the Cardinals have something to prove) “No, we just go out and work. We’re not worried about everything else. As far as the hype, I don’t really know about the hype. I’m not a TV person.”


(On if it’s special for him that the game is in Florida) “Oh yeah, but when it comes to tickets it’s a problem. That’s the only thing. You wish you could get more people in the game.”


(On if the team feels overwhelmed by this experience) “No, everybody’s doing things the same way. Everybody’s on time, nobody’s missing curfew. Everybody’s doing everything right and going out and practicing hard. We’re taking everything in stride.”


(On facing an organization like the Steelers) “It’s a football game. Outside of all this it’s a football game. When you line up and play the game, you know the reasons you win the game and the reasons you lose the game, so that’s what it really boils down to. They’re a team that has a history, but not once has that been something that I’m focusing on. I’m focused on us, trying to make sure we do what we’ve got to do. We have a chance to win the Super Bowl, and that’s what we want.”


(On what the root of his frustration was this year) “You want to play. This year I worked extremely hard in the offseason, and I had a chance to pass up some of the greatest players of all time. You want to build on the previous year, and the previous year I had 1200 yards, and that was the new system. Training camp we were doing certain things that looked like it was going to be promising, and then we were going in a different direction.”


(On if his outlook for his future with the Cardinals has changed) “The thing I said in the beginning was that I didn’t want to think about playing anything beyond now. That’s all I want to think about. I want to put all my energy into playing now.”


(On how the Cardinals’ offense can score on the Steelers’ defense) “We’re just going to play our game. You can’t have turnovers, and you can’t have mistakes. You’ve just got to go out and play sound football.”


(On if head coach Ken Whisenhunt’s knowledge of the Steelers is an advantage) “Not really, because you have to go out and play. I think every team in the league knows each other. With all the media coverage and the Internet, there are really no secrets.”


(On the offense) “During the season we were one offense, and then in the post season it reminds you of the Colts offense, where it’s more balanced. I think that’s the difference.”


(On his relationship with RB Tim Hightower) “You have to take everything in stride, and when things aren’t working in your favor you find ways to help a younger guy like Tim. We have a great relationship. He works hard, and he’s a student of the game.”


(On if he likes to be the under dog) “It doesn’t matter. I’m an African American, I’m always the under dog.”