"Whether at home, at work or play,
Nothing will get in E.B.’s way.
And here’s one thing that’s sure worth knowing:
This bunny just keeps going and going!"
—Poem about The Energizer Bunny
He’s KB, instead of EB, and Arizona Cardinals slot receiver Kendrick Bourne might not enjoy being compared to a bunny that helps promote batteries.
Then, again, Bourne might not care because it’s simply who he is. And like the bunny in commercials, he is always going.
There is a history between Bourne and head coach Mike LaFleur, which is why a contract agreement was reached on the first day of the negotiating period for unrestricted free agents in March.
LaFleur emphasizes that Bourne isn’t in Arizona simply because the player usually knows what the coach is thinking.
“It really has nothing to do with why he's here,” LaFleur says. “He's here because, one, I think he can help the Arizona Cardinals win football games and move the ball down the field. And two, he brings great energy. Now, because I was with him for four years, I understood that. And that is infectious. (In) the meeting rooms, (on) the practice field, it's the same every single day. There are no highs and lows. He just lives in the high all the time. But that's his standard. That's his norm.
“And I've seen it firsthand where he's affected other people because of the energy he brings. So, first and foremost, can he help us move the ball forward? Is he exactly what we want from the way he practices? Absolutely. And then the second part was like I said, the energy knowing that that's just going to uplift other guys.”
Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. agrees.
“Energy, man. Energy. KB is going to bring the energy,” Harrison said. “I think that's definitely what we need in the receiver room. Me and Mike (Wilson) kind of go about our things (in) more of a quiet, more of a less energetic way than KB does. So, I think KB, having that impact, that energy that he brings to not only the receiver room, but the offense, it’s definitely contagious, (and) gets everybody going a little bit.
“Everybody has their points in the way they lead. I think definitely KB's up there as far as just the energy that he can bring to the receiver room, in the meeting rooms as well.”
There was laughter when Harrison was asked if there’s ever a time when the thought might be for Bourne to “take it down a notch.”
To which Harrison said, “No, we need it. We need it. We need him to be him every day. And I think that's the best thing about him. He's going to be him every day. No matter (if) he catches zero passes or five passes in practice, he's going to bring the energy consistently.”
Bourne said he’s had no issues with being the newcomer in the room.
“I think the guys know I genuinely mean it,” he said. “It's not fake. It's not, I'm trying to fit in. It's just who I am. And you take it how you want as a player. Like, ‘What's wrong with him?’ But it's the energy. It's being positive. It's wanting good things to happen for somebody.”
Bourne includes everyone, from Harrison and Wilson, to others down the depth chart within a talented and competitive group.
He revealed, “I have handshakes with everybody. So I'm completely finished with handshakes in the whole receiver room across the board, which is just dope to me. Those type of things mean a lot. I'm building individual connections and that's something that I take personal. How I speak to Marv or Mike, it's different (than others) and I'm learning that as I go.”
Speaking to the battle for roster spots, there’s a method to Bourne’s madness.
He concluded, “We're all competing. So, I try to make it as comfortable with each other, (so) it’s not like we're competing, that we're trying to take each other's jobs. So, why make it harder and things like that? So, that's why I try to be positive and have that energy.”
Just like the Energizer Bunny that keeps going and going and going.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals WR Kendrick Bourne brings the energy
