CARDS’ FERGUSON TALKS DRAFT: The Arizona Cardinals have the seventh choice in this year’s NFL Draft this Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Following are comments by Cardinals general manager BOB FERGUSON, also a member of the NFL Competition Committee, on a variety of draft topics:

• On the talent in this year’s draft: "It’s deep, particularly at running back, linebacker and wide receiver. There are great talents in this draft, potential Pro Bowlers. There also will be a lot of players taken after the first round who will be NFL starters."

• On the importance of a player’s character: "We’ll sacrifice talent for character because it’s important in the locker room. Chemistry and intelligence can be more important than talent."

• On drafting for need: "Everybody has needs. We’re no different than anyone else. But we’re not desperate for any position. We have a strong young team. Consequently, I feel strongly that we have the luxury of taking the best available athlete when it’s our turn to pick in each round."

• On the Cardinals’ running game: "We need to improve our running game. We will address the running back position during the draft, perhaps the first day. We need to draft a running back -- we just don’t know when."

DUNGY NOT OVERCONFIDENT: Despite advancing to the 1999 NFC Championship Game and acquiring three Pro Bowl players this offseason – center JEFF CHRISTY and guard RANDALL MC DANIEL from Minnesota, and wide receiver KEYSHAWN JOHNSON from the New York Jets – Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach TONY DUNGY is not content.

"We can’t be caught up in the fact we added this player and subtracted that player so we’re going to be better," said Dungy. "We still have to win by how we practice and how we do our jobs."

Dungy uses the 1998 season when the Buccaneers finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs as an example of how expectations were not reached after a successful playoff run in 1997.

"There became a theory in (1998) that all we had to do was beat Green Bay," said Dungy. "All we’ve got to do is take the next step, find a way to win at Lambeau and everything was going to be fine. But we didn’t take care of things. We didn’t practice the way we needed to. We didn’t coach the way we needed to. We have enough guys still around from the 1998 season to realize that."

WOLF ELECTED TO PACKER HALL: Annually, the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame honors people who have made special contributions to the Packers’ organization. This year, Packers Executive Vice President and General Manager RON WOLF is the sole inductee.

"I think singularly it's the greatest honor I'll ever receive," says Wolf. "So many people have been involved with what we've been able to get done in Green Bay and they all share a huge part in this."

Since taking over as general manager in November of 1991, Wolf is credited with helping the Packers achieve:

• Green Bay's first Super Bowl championship in 29 years (1996).
• Back-to-back Super Bowl appearances (1996 and 1997).
• Three consecutive NFC Central Division titles (1995-97).
• The first 16-victory campaign in the Packers' 80-year history (1996).
• The second longest home-field winning streak in NFL history -- 25 regular-season games.

"To have your name associated with all the great people who have come before you, it's like living in a football history book or a museum," says Wolf. "Every time you turn around, you bump into the history of our game."

Wolf’s induction ceremony will take place on July 28.

VIKINGS COACH GOES FOR GOLD: Minnesota Vikings assistant strength and conditioning coach JOHN KASPER has been granted a two-year leave of absence by the club to join the 2002 Unites States Olympic Bobsled Team.

"I’m very excited for John and proud that he’s made this decision," said Vikings head coach DENNIS GREEN. "I’ve always admired his competitive desire to be the best and we are pulling for him as he represents the USA in going for the gold."

Kasper won gold at the 1998 U.S. Olympic Trials four-man bobsled competition, silver at the 1997 World Cup two-man, silver at the 1996 National Championships in two-man and four-man, and bronze at the 1998 World Cup two-man.

"I really appreciate everything that everyone in the Vikings’ organization has done for me," said Kasper. "Dennis Green and STEVE WETZEL (head strength and conditioning coach) have been super to work with and I’m looking forward to working with them again in two years. With the Olympics happening only once every four years, the chance to go to one is amazing. Putting on the colors of your country to compete in the Olympics is the greatest feeling in the world."