20 Questions for Adrian Wilson

Given the opportunity to sit down and talk football with an Arizona Cardinal, there would be many compelling reasons to choose Adrian Wilson.

I would choose the two-time Pro Bowl safety because he is the longest-tenured Cardinal and the first burgeoning young star to say that he would rather stay in Arizona and build something rather than seek greener pastures and a bigger payday elsewhere. 

Wilson represents the first positive step in the Cardinals development from league-wide punchline to NFC Champions.  He possesses a unique perspective on the Arizona Cardinals journey to respectability, and I would love to get his take on that journey.

That said, here are my 20 questions for Adrian Wilson:

You entered the NFL Draft following your junior season at NC State.  Tell me what you remember about the draft process and your expectations for yourself in the draft.

You were ultimately drafted in the third round by the Arizona Cardinals, 64th overall.  I'm sure that you were relieved and proud to be chosen, but what were your initial thoughts about joining the Arizona Cardinals?

The guy the Cardinals drafted after you was a kicker.  How upset would you have been if they had taken the kicker in the third round and then got you in the fourth?

Because of a week one bye, your first scheduled NFL game was postponed by the September 11 terrorist attacks.  What do you remember about mix of emotions you had to be experiencing at that time?

In your rookie year, the team improved from three wins to seven wins.  What was the state of the franchise at that point?  What degree of optimism did the team develop over the course of that season?

In 2002, fellow Cardinals' safety Pat Tillman walked away from a contract to join the Army Rangers.  What did you think when you heard about Pat's decision?

What do you remember about Pat Tillman?  Do you have a particular memory you could share with us?

Following the promising seven win season in your rookie year, the team started off 4-2 in 2002.  You guys won only one more game that season, what went wrong?

Your first head coach, Dave McGinnis, a defensive minded coach, currently coaching the linebackers for one of the league's best defenses in Tennessee, was let go following your third season.  How closely did you work with coach McGinnis?  What role did he play in your development as a player?

At this point, you were three years into six straight losing seasons to begin your career.  Your team had won just five of its previous 26 regular season games.  What can you recall about the team's mindset during this era?

Despite the team's on the field struggles, the construction of the new stadium provided a ray of hope for the future. What was it like playing home games at Sun Devil Stadium for your first five seasons?

After coach McGinnis was let go, the team brought in Dennis Green. How did you feel about the hiring of a coach with Green's track record?

When coach Green arrived, he brought in Clancy Pendergast as defensive coordinator.  Clancy survived the regime change in 2007, and remained your defensive coordinator until this off season.  What was your relationship with coach Pendergast?  What impact, if any, did he have on your development as a player?

You had the right to become a free agent following a 6-10 2004 season, instead you opted to sign on for five more seasons in Arizona.  After four straight losing seasons as a Cardinal, what did you see that made you want to stay in the desert?

In 2006, the team moved into the new University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.  What was it like to play home games in front of a sold out crowd in a beautiful new building after playing five years in a mostly-empty, old college stadium?

Last season you made the playoffs for the first time in your career. You guys clinched the division pretty early and then struggled down the stretch.  Were you concerned about the way the team was playing entering the playoffs, or was it just a matter of running into teams with more to play for?

Having suffered through some pretty bleak times with this franchise, how much did it mean for you to get to play in the Cardinals first Super Bowl?

This off-season Clancy Pendergast was fired as defensive coordinator, and Bill Davis was promoted from within.  It seems as though Clancy got away from using you as a pass rusher the past couple of seasons, have you talked with coach Davis about getting you more shots at the quarterback this season?

How do you envision your role changing as the team transitions from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defensive front this season?

After reaching the Super Bowl last season, what expectations do you have for the Cardinals in 2009?