Fiery Haley lets Cardinals offense know exactly what he expects

TAMPA - Has anybody co-starred in more sideline blowups with diva wide receivers than Todd Haley?

It isn't an official statistical category, so we might never know for sure. But we have seen the Arizona Cardinals' offensive coordinator on our TV screens jawing back and forth with Anquan Boldin (in the NFC Championship Game victory over the Eagles, when Boldin was left off the field for the game-winning drive). We have seen Haley as Terrell Owens' target on the Cowboys' sideline at the Linc in 2006, T.O. unhappy with his role in a loss to his former team. ESPN analyst and former wideout Keyshawn Johnson, an enthusiastic booster of Haley's head-coaching candidacy, has been quoted as saying he had many, many loud confrontations with the coach, during their time working together with the Jets and the Cowboys.

"I don't know that," Haley said, when asked if he holds the record, during yesterday's media-day circus at Raymond James Stadium. On Sunday, Haley's high-powered Cardinals offense will take on the top-rated Pittsburgh Steelers defense in Super Bowl XLIII. "I will say, though, the other night they were showing clips of [Bill] Parcells, back in the Giants days, and I didn't feel so bad. I'm like, 'There's my guy.' He's getting after [quarterback Phil] Simms and getting after the defense. It's the way I am. There's a lot of great coaches that are quiet leaders, and a lot of great coaches that are emotional guys. I just happen to fit into the emotional, fiery side, I guess."

Haley, who turns 42 in a month, was a Pittsburgh-area star high school third baseman and college golfer at three schools. He didn't play football in high school or college, but he began his NFL career in 1995 in the Jets' scouting department, following the path of his father, Dick, a former Steelers corner who became Pittsburgh's player personnel director during the Steel Curtain dynasty days. In 1997, Todd moved to coaching, under Parcells and then-offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. He had to take a 50 percent pay cut, he said, when he accepted the bottom-rung coaching job, but Haley said he sensed he could learn a lot.