Coaches still partners, with less sparring

TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt and offensive coordinator Todd Haley shared a closet-sized office as assistant coaches with the New York Jets in 2000.

They swapped offensive ideas with each other and Jets offensive coordinator Dan Henning. Then they took a break and traded sharp elbows in daily 1-on-1 basketball games. They drove to the court together to blow off steam. One of them would invariably walk back steaming mad.

Yet when Whisenhunt was named Cardinals coach on Jan. 14, 2007, one of his first hires was his fiery basketball sparring partner.

“It was funny, because our office was so small that our chairs almost backed up to each other, so you couldn’t hardly move without hitting each other,” Whisenhunt said.

The same thing on the court.

“We beat each other up pretty good,” Haley said. “But I can testify to the fact he fouls every play. And he doesn’t think he fouls ever.”

“The gym was far enough away that you could walk, but you wanted to drive,” Whisenhunt said. … “We’d get so mad at each other, we wouldn’t want to ride back in the same car.”

Now, Haley, 41, is driving a fast-break offense that has scored 30 or more points in four consecutive games. Arizona averaged 26.7 points, tied for third during the regular season.

Whisenhunt entrusted Haley to be his offensive coordinator and play-caller the way former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher trusted him with those duties from 2004 to 2006, culminating in a Super Bowl XL title.

Haley hopes to repay that trust in a Super Bowl XLIII duel vs. Whisenhunt’s former team.

“Make no mistake, this is Ken’s team,” Haley said. “For him to hand over the offensive reins and put his offensive faith in me, I hope I’ve made him proud.”