49ers Willis to Dockett - Without Warner..Same Ol Cardinals

[O]

Memo to Willis;


Win something!

 

[RedViper]

The niners have put together enough years of suckitude that they are sporting the title of Same Ol Niners. We've owned the Division for two straight years. Before us it belonged to Seattle for 4-5 years. The Niners are nothing but same ol losers as it stands.

 

[Rats]

I agree with Shane and Cheese.

At long last....I concur.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Even without Warner, the Cards have the best QB in the division. At least that's my prediction.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

VD is in the act now:

A smile crossed Vernon Davis' face before I finished asking what Kurt Warner's retirement meant for the NFC West.

"It means good things for the 49ers, bad things for the Cardinals," the 49ers tight end said after the Pro Bowl Sunday night.

 

[conraddobler]

VD is in the act now:

Well he's right.

As it stands now I doubt we could win the division, we have so many holes on defense we'd have to have Warner and all those points to have a chance.

So we either shore up the defense in a major way or we get passed by those chumps.

 

[Mulli]

Well he's right.

As it stands now I doubt we could win the division, we have so many holes on defense we'd have to have Warner and all those points to have a chance.

So we either shore up the defense in a major way or we get passed by those chumps.

Wager.

 

[nashman]

I'd take Leinart over any QB in the division still! Let the Niners talk all they want what the hell have they done in the last decade? Shut up and win something before you start running your mouth who knows Leinart could own the Niners for all we know. It might be the team he just lights up you never know. This will be a different team with Leinart at the helm but lets be honest that might be a good thing. Maybe a more balanced team will get us to where we ultimately want to be. It will all shake out but I trust Whiz to make it work and Leinart could very well surprise us all as he is much more mature than the Leinart of a few years ago. People grow up and he seems to have and I was impressed by how well he played in Tenn with almost no notice. I think he will be prepared and will perform better than people expect.

 

[82CardsGrad]

VD is in the act now:

What "act"?? The dude was asked a question about Warner's retirement and what it means in the NFC West... what the heck is he supposed to say?? "Uh... well... we think Leinart will be just as good as the future HoFer who just left?" Geez...

The reality is that the Cards have been weakened by Kurt's departure. No sane person would even attempt to argue that fact.
Now, are they weakened to the point where winning the West is impossible? Only time will tell... Rest assured Whiz knows full well the psychological boost the rest of the West have been given by Kurt retiring. Particularly the 9ers who are coming off a sweep of the Cards, as well as the Seahags... they will now enter next season believing they have very realistic chances at unseating the Cards. And in sports, what goes on between the ears of both players and coaches is the most crucial element in the formula for winning.
Needless to say, Matty has a very large challenge and truthfully, burden sitting in front of him. Should we lose Dansby and Boldin and who knows who else, and should we not repeat again and perhaps not make it back to the post season, Matty is in for a tremendous amount of blow-back...

Anyway, both Willis and Davis said exactly what they should be saying.

 

[john h]

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The voice came from behind Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett as the NFC bus made its way to Thursday morning's Pro Bowl practice here.
"That big decision is coming tomorrow [Friday]," the voice bellowed.

Before joining the Cards, Kurt Warner won two MVP awards in St. Louis along with a Super Bowl. (AP)
Dockett turned to see who was doing the talking. It was San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis, who plays in the same NFC West with Dockett and the Cardinals.
The big decision is the pending announcement by Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, who's expected to retire Friday.
Willis, you see, is all for the move. Why wouldn't he be?
"Go ahead and let him retire," Willis told Dockett. "You'll be the same, old Cardinals again."
"Nooooo," Dockett said. "Don't say that."
By saying the "same, old Cardinals," Willis means the Cardinals that have been losers for most of their time in Arizona. With Warner, the Cardinals went to their first Super Bowl last season and won the NFC West the past two, getting eliminated from this year's playoffs by the New Orleans Saints two weeks ago.
Warner is a Hall of Fame passer who might be an even better guy. His loss will be felt inside that locker room, but also around the league if he does decide to retire. Nobody knows his final decision yet, but the indications are he's ready to walk.
Warner isn't the kind of player who holds a news conference to say he's staying.
"He's been a big part of my career since I've been here," Cardinals safety Antrel Rolle said after Thursday's Pro Bowl practice. "He's a great teammate and a great leader. He's been an outstanding role model."
Warner is the type of player the NFL loves. He's great, he's accommodating, he's helpful to any teammates who ask and he doesn't get into trouble.
You won't find this father of seven in a Tiger-like scandal. That's why he's the kind of player opponents admire.
Warner links
QB to hold news conference on Friday

"If he does retire, the league will lose a great player but an even better person," Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said.
I asked Willis about his crack on the bus, and he laughed. "I'm not saying he needs to go, but I don't mind if he does," Willis said.
Warner is 38 and he has played 12 seasons. He has had concussion issues and he took a violent shot in the loss to the Saints two weeks ago. After that game, Warner said he wouldn't wait long to make his decision about playing another season.
"He's had a hell of a career," Dockett said. "I have to take my hat off to him."

Warner considered retirement after the 2008 season, but decided to stick around and the Cardinals gave him a two-year contract that paid him $23 million. He also received a $15 million signing bonus. The Cardinals could ask for half of that back, but that's unlikely considering what he helped the franchise do, which was to overcome the loser label.
Warner won two MVPs with the St. Louis Rams before coming to the Cardinals. He also led the Rams to two Super Bowls, winning one. That means he has played in three, losing two. Not bad for a player who wasn't drafted.
It is a Hall of Fame resume for a Hall of Fame person. This is the kind of man Warner is: I once had a scheduled meeting with him in Arizona, but my flight was delayed and I was late. When I landed, I had two messages on my phone from Warner checking on me to see what was up.
Most players simply blow it off and move on. Warner actually cared.
One summer, I bumped into him at a dolphins swim in Orlando. I saw him before he saw me and got the chance to see him interact with his handicapped son, who he adopted. The care and love was evident from across the lagoon.
The man has a big heart. That is not an act either. He is every bit as real as he comes across.
Watching Warner read defenses and throw with pinpoint accuracy has been a real treat. That ability to read defenses and make accurate, on-time throws earned him a nickname with his teammates.
"We call him The Surgeon," Rolle said. "He cuts you apart."
The Cardinals will now turn to Matt Leinart, drafted in the first round in 2006. Leinart was actually the starter ahead of Warner in 2007, but when he got hurt Warner took over and has started every game since.
Is Leinart the long-term answer? Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt is a firm believer he can be.
"Whoever steps in those shoes has some big shoes to fill," Dockett said.
"Leinart steps in those shoes," I said to Dockett.
"Will he?" Dockett said. "I don't know. You never know. Pretty sure it's going to be a competitive job after Kurt, so you don't know."
That isn't exactly a ringing endorsement by a teammate for Leinart. But that's for down the road. This week, it's about The Surgeon hanging up his cutting knife.
"I love Kurt as a person," Dockett said. "He's a good guy on and off the field. That takes something out of the locker room. You respect him. You look up to him. We're going to miss him."
We all are.

It appears that Matt will get his chance. He should as playing backup to Kurt Warner was a no win situation. It is all on Matt's shoulders now. No excuses. He is in a situation where if he does not show well his first year it will likely be his only year. He has an 11 million dollar salary due after this year according to what I read. Unless he is superman the Cards are not going to pay him 11 mil while we paid Kurt Warner 7 mil. The very big question in my mind is will we sign a vet to backup Matt? Drafting one down low is not an answer for a team that is coming off back to back years of going to the super bowl and two division titles. There are some vets out there who would love to come here and throw to our receivers. Where we like it or not this team is built to pass with the best receivers in the NFL. We do not suddenly switch to a running team. We may run more than in the past but we remain a passing team. What we do about a backup will tell us a lot about what Graves and Whiz think about Matt. Does anyone here really think either of our other two QB's have an honest shot at being a starting NFL QB. I still think Boldin offers us our best shot at trading for someones backup who is a legit NFL prospect.

The Bidwills had finally built a real NFL team. Now, can they keep it playing at a winning level? Is money going to keep them from staying at or near the top level? I sure do not know but they should have been making a lot of money the past few years.

Yesterday on ESPN they discussed Warner and Leinart and whether Leinart would develop into a NFL starter. The resounding answer was no. Of course those are just opinions but from the post I see here I am hearing the same thing. Am I worried? You bet, but like it or not Matt is going to get a shot. Will the coach go with Matt all year if he is not producing? How much rope do you give him? These are tough questions for which Whiz and Graves are well paid. If the team does not win or at least put a competitive team on the field I would think that revenue will drop like a rock. The Bidwills past history was not to increase revenue by bringing better players and keeping them but to cut expenses. We all hope that type of thinking is of the past but now we are about to find out. Our fan base is still small and we filled that new stadium up because we became winners. Our players from the comments I am hearing really wanted Kurt to stay very bad. That tells me they are not that all inspired by Matt. They perhaps better than anyone know just what Matt can and cannot do. I have not heard any of them step up to the defense of Matt. The ESPN guys said Matt has a weak arm and is not very mobile. They also said these two things will not improve with time. The only thing he can improve on is reading defenses and other bits of football knowledge. He has had 3 years to do that watching Kurt so he should be ready to go if he is ever going to be ready.

 

[john h]

The Phoenix/Arizona cardinals have never not once had the current level of talent plus Whiz.

What you talking about Willis?

No matter how much talent you have unless you have a good QB you are not going to go much further than a division title if that. I would speculate that the QB represents about 40-50% of your offense. We are going to be as good as Matt Leinart is. We cannot rise much above his level of play. We have the best receivers in the NFL but so what if you cannot get them the ball? When a QB cannot effectively pass then the defense starts defending the run and you become totally predictable. Where would the Colts be without Manning? Or N.O. or San Diego without their QB's? Probably also rans.

 

[john h]

In fact, Matt Leinart has a higher winning percentage (.437) as the starting quarterback for the Cardinals than Kurt Warner does (.404) in their careers.

If you look at "Pre-Whiz" you can easily say that Leinart did more with less than Kurt did with less. Kurt was 3-12 as QB, Matt was 4-7.

Obviously you can make any point you want with stats, and obviously Warner is the better QB, but the point here is that in the Cards' case, the head coach probably has had a greater influence in the success of this team.

Does Whiz go to the super bowl without Kurt? A resounding no. Take a look at the Colts. Almost any coach is going to win with Peyton Manning at the helm. He is the offensive coach as well as the QB. They recently changed coaches and did not miss a beat. You could take almost any coach in the NFL and put him in charge of Manning and the Colts and you are going into the playoffs year in and year out. Who is meeting in the super bowl? Probably the two best QB's in the NFL. Not the two best coaches in the NFL. Given a choice of picking what ever coach you could have in the NFl or any players your wanted in the NFL what would you do. I would have my jet on the way to Indy immediately and it would not be for the coach.

 

[nashman]

I'd take Leinart over any QB in the division still! Let the Niners talk all they want what the hell have they done in the last decade? Shut up and win something before you start running your mouth who knows Leinart could own the Niners for all we know. It might be the team he just lights up you never know. This will be a different team with Leinart at the helm but lets be honest that might be a good thing. Maybe a more balanced team will get us to where we ultimately want to be. It will all shake out but I trust Whiz to make it work and Leinart could very well surprise us all as he is much more mature than the Leinart of a few years ago. People grow up and he seems to have and I was impressed by how well he played in Tenn with almost no notice. I think he will be prepared and will perform better than people expect. And the crap that Espn said about Leinart having a strong enough arm and is immobile it just total garbage.

 

[john h]

I'd take Leinart over any QB in the division still! Let the Niners talk all they want what the hell have they done in the last decade? Shut up and win something before you start running your mouth who knows Leinart could own the Niners for all we know. It might be the team he just lights up you never know. This will be a different team with Leinart at the helm but lets be honest that might be a good thing. Maybe a more balanced team will get us to where we ultimately want to be. It will all shake out but I trust Whiz to make it work and Leinart could very well surprise us all as he is much more mature than the Leinart of a few years ago. People grow up and he seems to have and I was impressed by how well he played in Tenn with almost no notice. I think he will be prepared and will perform better than people expect.

I do not even know how to respond to this? I need a stiff drink.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

82 what they should be saying is," we are working hard and staying focused as a team and as long as we do what we are supposed to on the field, our team will have a great chance to win our division.

Instead they are proclaiming a cake walk...

Maybe its a good thing they are getting lulled into a false sense of security...

 

[82CardsGrad]

82 what they should be saying is," we are working hard and staying focused as a team and as long as we do what we are supposed to on the field, our team will have a great chance to win our division.

Instead they are proclaiming a cake walk...

Maybe its a good thing they are getting lulled into a false sense of security...

Uh... Ok... I'm sure the vast majority of NFL players would act as you are suggesting...
The rivalry between the 9ers and Cards is legit and is reaching a very high pitch. The 9ers now see an opening, heightened by the fact that they just beat us twice with Kurt! I don't see any problem with their comments and actually believe their statements are very justifiable... It's up to Matty to shut their mouths... we'll see if he's up to the task.

 

[WildBB]

I hope they (SF) lose the division to us again AND miss out on the playoffs all together, once again.

Then what?! Lookin like Fools......

 

[Cardiac]

82 what they should be saying is," we are working hard and staying focused as a team and as long as we do what we are supposed to on the field, our team will have a great chance to win our division.

Instead they are proclaiming a cake walk...

Maybe its a good thing they are getting lulled into a false sense of security...

cosign

Uh... Ok... I'm sure the vast majority of NFL players would act as you are suggesting...
The rivalry between the 9ers and Cards is legit and is reaching a very high pitch. The 9ers now see an opening, heightened by the fact that they just beat us twice with Kurt! I don't see any problem with their comments and actually believe their statements are very justifiable... It's up to Matty to shut their mouths... we'll see if he's up to the task.

Think about what Fitz or KW would say. Think about what Whis would say. If you think they would act like Willis or VD you are wrong and haven't paid any attention to the culture of the Cards. Sure we have DD and DRC who I would be a bit nervous about what they would say but mostly the players would sound like mini Whis's.

 

[gamebird98]

Alright, ill say it....."whatchu talkin bout Willis"!

 

[Mulli]

The Phoenix/Arizona cardinals have never not once had the current level of talent plus Whiz.

What you talking about Willis?

I already said it.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Think about what Fitz or KW would say. Think about what Whis would say. If you think they would act like Willis or VD you are wrong and haven't paid any attention to the culture of the Cards. Sure we have DD and DRC who I would be a bit nervous about what they would say but mostly the players would sound like mini Whis's.

IMO, there are plenty of players across the NFL that would have said the same things stated by Willis and VD. I might even guess that Dockett himself would say something like this...

 

[Duckjake]

Does Whiz go to the super bowl without Kurt? A resounding no. Take a look at the Colts. Almost any coach is going to win with Peyton Manning at the helm. He is the offensive coach as well as the QB. They recently changed coaches and did not miss a beat. You could take almost any coach in the NFL and put him in charge of Manning and the Colts and you are going into the playoffs year in and year out. Who is meeting in the super bowl? Probably the two best QB's in the NFL. Not the two best coaches in the NFL. Given a choice of picking what ever coach you could have in the NFl or any players your wanted in the NFL what would you do. I would have my jet on the way to Indy immediately and it would not be for the coach.

Then why didn't Denny Green go to the Super Bowl with Arizona? He had Warner for two years. Heck, not only could Denny not make the Super Bowl with most of the same players, he couldn't even win 6 games in one season.

 

[English on tour]

Then why didn't Denny Green go to the Super Bowl with Arizona? He had Warner for two years. Heck, not only could Denny not make the Super Bowl with most of the same players, he couldn't even win 6 games in one season.

That Duck may good man is spot on