The Associated Press

TEMPE, Ariz. - Dennis Green impressed Arizona Cardinals management with his comprehensive plan for energizing the franchise and his players with his promise to take them to the playoffs.

Green used his introduction at team headquarters Friday as a forum for his view that winning players are developed, not born. The former Minnesota coach said the Cardinals (4-12) have the talent to make the postseason.

"It's a great challenge and a mountain that can be climbed," said Green, 54, the fifth-winningest active coach in the NFL. "You might say I'm wrong. I know personnel, and we have personnel on this football team. We have not played well. There's a difference between being good and playing good."

His hiring Wednesday brought immediate respectability to a downtrodden franchise - Green and football operations vice president Rod Graves are the NFL's first black coach-general manager combination.

Green used seven different quarterbacks while getting the Vikings into the playoffs eight times in 10 years, a fact quarterback Josh McCown found comforting despite Green's mention of Mississippi's Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger of Miami University as potential draft picks.

"I won't be discouraged if they do spend that No. 3 pick on one of those quarterbacks, because you look at Jon Kitna this year with the Bengals," said McCown, who was 1-2 as a starter after replacing Jeff Blake. "Carson Palmer's sitting on the sidelines, and Jon Kitna lights it up and they nearly get into the playoffs, and that's with a new coach as well."

Along with his 97-62 record, a 61.0 percentage, Green won four division championships.

But he was 4-8 in the playoffs and the Vikings never reached the Super Bowl despite two NFC title game appearances. He was fired with one game left in the 2001 season.

BUCCANEERS: Bruce Allen took over as general manager of Tampa Bay Friday, accepting the challenge of improving a team that missed the playoffs after winning last year's Super Bowl. Allen, son of Hall of Fame coach George Allen, replaces Rich McKay, the architect of the team that won its first NFL title last season. The move reunites the former Oakland Raiders executive with coach Jon Gruden.

EAGLES: A decision on whether ailing cornerback Troy Vincent can play Sunday against Green Bay will not be made until game time. Coach Andy Reid said Friday the hip injury still bothers the five-time Pro Bowl player.

BROWNS: Cleveland coach Butch Davis named Terry Robiskie offensive coordinator Friday. Robiskie has been the Browns' wide receivers coach for three years under Davis.

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