Cardinals won respect

KAPOLEI, Hawaii – Everyone was all smiles Friday as they wore purple orchid leis, mingled with hula girls and took team Pro Bowl photos.

That included the Arizona Cardinals, who feel as though they’re finally getting what they deserve.

“It’s the first time we’re being respected as a team,” said receiver Anquan Boldin, making his third trip to Hawaii. “Individually, I’ve been getting respect for a number of years, but to see our team get the respect is gratifying.”

The longtime NFL doormats were doubted during the regular season, then finished 9-7 and limped into the playoffs, where they were underdogs all the way to the Super Bowl. Now, they’re the ones who are basking in the Hawaiian sunshine, earning pats on their backs from their Pro Bowl peers – even after a 27-23 loss to Pittsburgh in the NFL’s big game.

“Everybody has a great deal of respect for them now for what they’ve accomplished and for the road they had to go through to get to the Super Bowl,” Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Farrior said. “That was a great accomplishment. They’ve got to be proud of themselves for that.”

Boldin said all the praise from their fellow all-stars means the most.

“Those are the guys that see you week in and week out,” Boldin said. “Those guys are the ones you compete against and watch you on film. So they’re the only opinions that matter.”

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, who’ll start for the NFC, said the Pro Bowlers appreciate what the Cardinals accomplished when no one believed in them.

“You even get that sense from these great players,” he said. “They were in a little bit in awe of the run we had and really appreciated it as football fans.”

Warner said no one expected the Cardinals to reach the Super Bowl, especially before or during the regular season.

“I don’t know if you polled the guys in our organization and how many would’ve expected it, but you know guys didn’t expect it from the outside,” he said. “Even with the great players we have, nobody expected it. So when you get the congratulations, you almost get a sense of respect that comes with that.”

One NFC teammate the Cardinals earned the respect of was All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings.

Peterson admits having questions about how talented the Cardinals were, especially after the Vikings routed the Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium 35-14 in Week 15. Peterson had 165 yards rushing in that lopsided game, where Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald were held to just 86 yards receiving combined.

“When we went to Arizona, we put a pretty good butt whupping on them and it was kind of questionable as far as how good they were,” Peterson said. “But when the playoffs started, they lifted their game and went above everybody’s expectations.”

The difference in the playoff, Peterson believes, is the Cardinals’ offensive line protected Warner, they jelled as a team and they played for each other.

Warner said the thrilling finish was what he loves about Super Bowls.

“You want to win, but you can appreciate it when the other team beats you,” he said. “You don’t beat yourself. You don’t make mistakes. You don’t throw a game away. Another team came out and did what they had to do to beat us and that’s why they’re the world champs.”

Boldin said the Cardinals never listened to all the critics and so-called experts.

“The only thing that mattered was the guys in the locker room believing in one another,” he said. “That was the important thing. We never once thought about what outside people said because they didn’t play football for us.”