Clayton: Cards gathering right mix of talent, attitudes

[abomb]

The local media and Pete Kendall dreamers can print this on out and [use your imagination].

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For the Arizona Cardinals, team chemistry starts with an attitude. That attitude starts on defense.

Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast stresses hustle. Hustle can be visibly seen on tape. The idea is to have at least nine players seen on the screen when the play ends. Then, line up as a team defense and spread the field to execute the game plan. Next, come together and converge on the ball carrier once the play starts. That's the plan.

Pendergast, center, quickly got the defense playing at a high level last year.
Last year, the plan started with the type of players picked for the defense by head coach Dennis Green and vice president of football operations Rod Graves. Green demoted a bunch of underachieving high draft choices loitering on the roster. He replaced them with hustlers such as defensive end Bertrand Berry, defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, linebacker Karlos Dansby and cornerback David Macklin.

With hard work, the Cardinals became the 12th-best defense in football. They expect to be much better in 2005.

"We wanted 11 guys to play with heart," Pendergast said. "We had heart defined as Hustle, Execution, Attitude, Respect and Technique. Guys bought into that. With heart, you are going to fly around to the football."

In year two, the Cardinals added to the mix by drafting cornerback Antrel Rolle and signing defensive end Chike Okeafor and linebacker Orlando Huff -- the latter two having played last season for division-rival Seattle.

More in link...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview05/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2147662

A-Bomb

 

[Wild Card]

The local media and Pete Kendall dreamers can print this one out and [use your imagination].

A-Bomb:

Nice article. Although what it has to do with Pete Kendall escapes me.

The point of this piece was to tout the attitude and ability of the defense that the Cardinals have assembled under Dennis Green, and how well they're being coached/motivated by Clancy Pendergast. In fact, author John Clayton observes that "Holes in the middle of the offensive line still have to be addressed." Isn't that where Kendall used to play? (Arguably, better than anyone the Cards have on the current roster, over a year later.)

WC

 

[justAndy]

I really like taking a good (Okeafer) and decent (Huff) player from the Seachickens.

 

[Duckjake]

A-Bomb:

Nice article. Although what it has to do with Pete Kendall escapes me.

The point of this piece was to tout the attitude and ability of the defense that the Cardinals have assembled under Dennis Green, and how well they're being coached/motivated by Clancy Pendergast. In fact, author John Clayton observes that "Holes in the middle of the offensive line still have to be addressed." Isn't that where Kendall used to play? (Arguably, better than anyone the Cards have on the current roster, over a year later.)

WC

Wasn't Kendall the Center on the team that finished dead last in the NFL in points scored. And Guard on the team that finished 29th in points the year before. Until moving to the Jets last year Kendall had been on exactly one team during his entire career that had a winning record. The guy was a jinx.

 

[Alan]

Funny how Clayton says the Cardinals ace chemistry, then they don't make ESPN's list of top chemistry teams.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/preview05/news/story?id=2147200

 

[Crazy Canuck]

A-Bomb:

Nice article. Although what it has to do with Pete Kendall escapes me.

The point of this piece was to tout the attitude and ability of the defense that the Cardinals have assembled under Dennis Green, and how well they're being coached/motivated by Clancy Pendergast. In fact, author John Clayton observes that "Holes in the middle of the offensive line still have to be addressed." Isn't that where Kendall used to play? (Arguably, better than anyone the Cards have on the current roster, over a year later.)

WC

Yes, you're right - the piece is largely about "attiitude", so I'm surprised you missed the reference to "lockeroom politicians" which, I'd suggest - is an oblique reference to Pete Kendall.

Talented thou he may be, Green made it clear he and his coaches set the tone, the attitude of this team, and simply put - Kendall didn't fit in.

 

[Wild Card]

Yes, you're right - the piece is largely about "attiitude", so I'm surprised you missed the reference to "lockeroom politicians" which, I'd suggest - is an oblique reference to Pete Kendall.

Talented though he may be, Green made it clear he and his coaches set the tone, the attitude of this team, and simply put - Kendall didn't fit in.

CC:

We'll never know for sure everything that went into Dennis Green's decision regarding Pete Kendall. Although I'm betting that it had less to do with lockerroom "politicking" than with Kendall's willingness to call it like he saw it, without any concern for diplomacy or toeing the (team) line. Green's made it clear that one voice speaks for this team, and it isn't the voice of some offensive lineman.

In any event, the Kendall thing's old news. No one disputes that the Cardinals appear to be building one of the league's better defenses, and it's nice to see them getting some props for it. I just thought that A-Bomb's jab at those who questioned Kendall's release was sort of pointless.

WC