azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Paola Boivin
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 8, 2006 12:00 AM
FLAGSTAFF
It's easy to jump on the Cardinals bandwagon these days. New stadium. High-profile running back. Popular rookie quarterback.
Here's a better reason:
Adrian Wilson.
Peruse the Cardinals' practice field on the Northern Arizona campus and you'll find few players with Wilson's history: a player who was drafted by the Cardinals, who rejected free agency to sign a five-year extension, who fiercely defends the organization when so many others bail and badmouth it.
In a sport where loyalty is as old school as leather helmets, Wilson's commitment should qualify him as the team's poster child during this high-optimism preseason.
That and the fact he's really, really talented.
Ask any receiver on this team and they'll tell you Wilson, 26, already should have a Pro Bowl on his résumé. He's a new breed of safety, one defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast has crafted into a linebacker-safety hybrid of sorts. His effectiveness around the line of scrimmage can disrupt an offense and accounted for the eight sacks in 2005 that were the most by a defensive back since the NFL starting recording sacks as an official statistic in 1982.
"His best trait is his instincts," Pendergast said. "And he's got great closing speed. Anytime you have that combination in a guy that plays in an area where there's a lot of room on the field, that can adjust on the run and see the whole formation, he's going to have the opportunity to make a lot of plays."
It's mind-boggling Wilson had the season he did last year considering what he was dealing with off the field.
Many who listened to Wilson's weekly segment last fall on KGME-AM (910) morning show with Mike Jurecki and Republic columnist Dan Bickley wondered why Wilson sounded different. He frequently spoke in a low voice and his enthusiasm was uncharacteristically tempered.
What Wilson didn't want anyone to know at the time was that he was placing the calls from a hospital, where his prematurely born son was fighting for his life.
His son, Adrian, was born two months early last October, weighing in at 2 pounds, 7 ounces. For several months after practices, Wilson would join his wife Alicia at the hospital to stay with his son.
"It was one of the scariest things in my life," he said. "Just thinking that maybe you're not going to be able to have your son, and have the things that you want your son to have."
If there's more of a spring in his step this camp it's because Adrian, now 10 months, weighs 22 pounds and is "doing great," Wilson said.
So is Wilson as he embarks on his sixth season.
After the 2004 season, he signed a five-year extension worth $21 million. The move officially made him one of "Denny's Guys" because it meant he had bought into coach Dennis Green's vision.
A vision that has a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon.
Wilson was there from the beginning.
Reach Boivin at [email protected] or (602) 444-8956.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/0808boivin0808.html
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 8, 2006 12:00 AM
FLAGSTAFF
It's easy to jump on the Cardinals bandwagon these days. New stadium. High-profile running back. Popular rookie quarterback.
Here's a better reason:
Adrian Wilson.
Peruse the Cardinals' practice field on the Northern Arizona campus and you'll find few players with Wilson's history: a player who was drafted by the Cardinals, who rejected free agency to sign a five-year extension, who fiercely defends the organization when so many others bail and badmouth it.
In a sport where loyalty is as old school as leather helmets, Wilson's commitment should qualify him as the team's poster child during this high-optimism preseason.
That and the fact he's really, really talented.
Ask any receiver on this team and they'll tell you Wilson, 26, already should have a Pro Bowl on his résumé. He's a new breed of safety, one defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast has crafted into a linebacker-safety hybrid of sorts. His effectiveness around the line of scrimmage can disrupt an offense and accounted for the eight sacks in 2005 that were the most by a defensive back since the NFL starting recording sacks as an official statistic in 1982.
"His best trait is his instincts," Pendergast said. "And he's got great closing speed. Anytime you have that combination in a guy that plays in an area where there's a lot of room on the field, that can adjust on the run and see the whole formation, he's going to have the opportunity to make a lot of plays."
It's mind-boggling Wilson had the season he did last year considering what he was dealing with off the field.
Many who listened to Wilson's weekly segment last fall on KGME-AM (910) morning show with Mike Jurecki and Republic columnist Dan Bickley wondered why Wilson sounded different. He frequently spoke in a low voice and his enthusiasm was uncharacteristically tempered.
What Wilson didn't want anyone to know at the time was that he was placing the calls from a hospital, where his prematurely born son was fighting for his life.
His son, Adrian, was born two months early last October, weighing in at 2 pounds, 7 ounces. For several months after practices, Wilson would join his wife Alicia at the hospital to stay with his son.
"It was one of the scariest things in my life," he said. "Just thinking that maybe you're not going to be able to have your son, and have the things that you want your son to have."
If there's more of a spring in his step this camp it's because Adrian, now 10 months, weighs 22 pounds and is "doing great," Wilson said.
So is Wilson as he embarks on his sixth season.
After the 2004 season, he signed a five-year extension worth $21 million. The move officially made him one of "Denny's Guys" because it meant he had bought into coach Dennis Green's vision.
A vision that has a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon.
Wilson was there from the beginning.
Reach Boivin at [email protected] or (602) 444-8956.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/0808boivin0808.html
