The Arizona Republic has a great article on Arizona Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson. Wilson has been with the Cardinals for eight seasons, many of those being tough year in terms of the win-loss column. Wilson stuck with it though, mainly because he has a will to get better and make his teammates better everyday:
He could have gone the way of so many others who have worn the team's colors and left at the first opportunity for another color - the green of cold cash.
He stayed. He worked. And after eight years of hammering, he helped break one of the harder rocks in professional sports.
"It's pride, man," he said quietly, just outside the club's locker room after Sunday's win. "I'm a prideful guy. The job wasn't done. A lot of players, it's about the money and going to another team because they think the grass is greener on the other side. But you never know.
"I wanted to make sure I left my mark on this team, left a mark on this whole organization."
"I told him when we was up on the podium, 'You finally made it. I'm proud of you and I love you, man, because I know just how hard you worked for it.' " defensive end Antonio Smith said.
"He worked hard each and every year to make himself better and to make this team better.
"I'm telling you right now, I don't think that man has an off-season. I've never seen him stop striving to be better or stop working out, setting the example. It's like a natural routine for him.
"But he believes in his team. Each and every year he believes in making the team better even if it means sacrificing areas of his game. He has been that type of player who will do anything to help this team win.
"And you see where we are. Super Bowl!"
