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Practice Notebook: Cardinals

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 29, 2009

FINALLY, IT HAS HAPPENED TO US

Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin seemed relieved to finally see his team relish in Super Bowl Week mania.

"My first couple of years as a Cardinal, I honestly have to say it was frustration," he said. "All my life, I had been a part of winning programs - in high school and college Florida State as well.

"Coming over to a franchise that was pretty much a steppingstone in this league was very frustrating to me. It was also motivating. I think I said earlier in my career I wanted to be one of the guys to help change this organization around, turn this franchise around.

"I went out and recruited different players - Edgerrin James was one of them - and tried to get other guys to come to Arizona to help us win. It's gratifying to see the changes that have been made in Arizona."

DE Bertrand Berry can relate.

"A lot of people thought I was crazy signing with Arizona," he said. "But I couldn't be happier. I can't tell you I told you so, because I didn't know this would happen."

Nick Williams

LAMBO LEAP

For someone who doesn't like to drive, Edgerrin James' choice of cars is a rather expensive one.

James rewarded himself for making it to the Super Bowl by purchasing a Lamborghini, a car with a price ticket that begins in the six figures. The vehicle - white with red interior - is parked in front of the team hotel where it likely will remain, considering James doesn't like to drive much. He prefers riding in the passenger seat so he can text-message.

Some of his teammates have ideas of their own on how they would use the performance vehicle.

"That's a sweet car," LB Ali Highsmith said. "When you've got a car like that, you just drive to the store and come right back. Or you just go to the beach and park it on the curb and then everybody will see you with the car."

Katherine Smith

MEAN STREAK

With all due respect to the Steelers defense, Arizona DE Antonio Smith said he thinks the Cardinals defensive unit is worth checking out.

"We're mean out there," Smith said. "We might not get all the TV stuff, but you don't want to mess with us."

Pittsburgh has the No. 1-ranked defense in the league, while Arizona ranked 19th overall (16th against the run, 22nd against the pass).

Smith can appreciate how great Pittsburgh's defense is and likes the smash-mouth style, just as long as they're not smashing his teammates.

"I like to see quarterbacks getting hit," Smith said. "I like to see running backs getting hit. I'm a defensive-minded person, so any defense that does that, I love to see. I don't like to see it against my team, but I like to see things like that."

Katherine Smith

NOTHING TO DO BUT WAIT

Anticipation of Sunday's game is enough to have everyone involved with either Super Bowl team on edge this week, but Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm has one other important item on his docket.

Grimm is one of 17 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2009, and he'll learn Saturday if he made the cut. The 49-year-old spent his entire 11-year playing career with the Redskins, holding down the left guard slot on Washington's legendary "Hogs" offensive line.

He played in four Super Bowls, winning three, so this week's events are old hat to him. And he insists the wait to hear if he'll be heading to Canton this summer isn't occupying much of his time, either.

"That's a decision that's out of my hands, so I can't sit and worry about it," Grimm said. "I'd be elated if it happens, but until a decision's made, you just sit back and do your job and make sure the guys are ready."

Marc Lancaster

MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY

Rays manager and ardent Cardinals fan Joe Maddon has spoken at length about his budding friendship with Ken Whisenhunt, and Arizona's coach returned the favor Wednesday.

"Actually, I called Maddon a few times before his games in the playoff run and wished him luck, and he's done the same for me," Whisenhunt said. "It's been an exciting relationship for me from the standpoint of his team kind of coming out of nowhere and playing very well and getting to the big game and us being able to do the same thing. So it's kind of unique from the standpoint of being able to establish a relationship with a guy that's a very good manager that I have a lot of respect for, for what he's done."

While noting the similarities in the two teams' Cinderella runs, though, Whisenhunt took a moment to hope for a better end result than the Rays got.

"We can draw parallels all the way up to the last game, hopefully," he said. "Maybe it'll go a little different for us."

Marc Lancaster

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