New Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt has shaped his team in many of the obvious ways since taking over in January. He has also shaped it in many ways that aren’t so obvious.

The post-practice contests between the offense and the defense are one example, from the linemen catching punts to the “every down” players trying field goals. Friday’s bowling trip was another. It is team-building, even if — in the case of bowling — it is hidden in funky shoes and second-hand smoke (edit: Oops. As Mr. Rage mentioned in the comments section, the alley must have been smoke-free).

But Whisenhunt has been building in the organization too. He has been making the effort to make sure everyone at the team’s Tempe facility feels part of his planned revival. Coaches don’t have to do that. The stories of how Nick Saban alienated people in the Dolphins’ organization were legendary. With the Cards, Dennis Green had trouble connecting with many people.

Whisenhunt doesn’t have any issues like that. And in the end, that can only help the team as a whole.

After Broncos coach Mike Shanahan used a lie detector test on receiver David Kircus — Kircus was trying to avoid being cut by Denver following a barfight — I had to ask Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt if he would do the same to a player.OK, so it was a tongue-in-cheek question. Smiling, Whisenhunt said "I have not used that method before."Chuckling, Whisenhunt added, "To be honest I had not thought about that. You guys (in the media) might want to give me a lie detector (at some point)."What got me about the whole situation was Shanahan’s perfectly serious answer when he was asked if Kircus’ passing of the test was enough of a reassurance to keep him around: "Anybody that wants to go in there and take a lie detector test where his career is based on whether it comes out positive or negative, I’ve got a good feeling."

Nice piece about the potential impact of the Ken Whisenhunt-Russ Grimm coaching combo for the Cards, penned by SI’s Michael Silver. Having interviewed Grimm a couple of times, it’s easy to see why he is viewed as head coaching material.Interesting take by Edgerrin James in the story, noting that the team’s new weight room "has that prison-yard feel." And he means it in a good way.

By now, the way Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has made comments about both former Steelers coach Bill Cowher and former Steelers offensive coordinator (now Cardinals coach) Ken Whisenhunt, it’s clear Roethlisberger had his issues with both.Whisenhunt has been careful to stay out of the fray. That makes sense, because getting into a war of words with Big Ben does Whisenhunt no good.But now, Roethlisberger takes another shot during a radio interview (which was dissected here in a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review story). Check out the final quote, which takes issues with how much the Steelers ran the ball. The thing is, Roethlisberger’s reputation is of a player who is better off throwing less (because he has to make fewer decisions). He threw more last year than he ever had, and the Steelers struggled.Whisenhunt will continue to avoid the topic. But remember that crucial fourth game of the season, when the Steelers visit University of Phoenix Stadium? This will be just another subplot — and another reason Whisenhunt will desperately want to win.

One of the comments that I wasn’t able to get into my recent story about Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt (which you can read here) was this recollection by Whisenhunt’s college coach at Georgia Tech, Bill Curry.Curry said Whisenhunt could have been an all-American except that Curry used him at so many different positions within Tech’s thin roster. But in the end, Curry said Whisenhunt’s greatest attribute still came through."He was just a priceless leader through some of the more difficult years that I have ever been through in my life," Curry said. "He was one of those people who led on the practice field not by his mouth but simply by his work ethic. He encouraged everybody without him even knowing it."That kind of charisma is why Whisenhunt has risen to a head coaching job.

Ken Whisenhunt half-joked that his players will say he has a tendency to "wig out" at stressful times, when normally he is fairly laid-back.But defensive lineman Darnell Dockett noted how calm Whisenhunt has been. Even better for Dockett is Whisenhunt’s pedigree: "I am just psyched is coming from a winning program." And this tidbit Dockett revealed: "Every day he talks to us it is all about team."That was the best news for Dockett, who said he got the same vibe when he played at college powerhouse Florida State.One of Whisenhunt’s favorite stories is how Jerome Bettis put aside his ego in Pittsburgh to become the short-yardage back, allowing Willie Parker to emerge. That is the kind of player Whisenhunt is looking for. It’s not easy to find in today’s NFL — this is still a job and a short-term job at that, and players rightfully want to make as much money as they can — but instilling that mindset will be the key to Whisenhunt’s success in Arizona.