"Boldin Quiet on Playing the Cardinals"

Mitch

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Lately, the AZ Republic's coverage of the Cardinals has been rather amusing, to say the least. Right before the bye---when Ken Whisenhunt was coerced into answering the question of how much blame he puts on himself---whereby, of course, Whisenhunt accepted his share---the next day's headline read something to the effect of "Whisenhunt Admits Blame".

Hardy har har! Good one AZ Republic.

But wait---this week's headline is even better:

"Boldin Quiet on Playing the Cardinals"

If you are suppressing a good hearty guffaw---go ahead and let one loose.

If you read the article---the INNUENDO of what Boldin said SPEAKS VOLUMES as to what ails the Cardinals---

If you read into what Boldin actually says---like Walt Whitman, he is actually sounding his "barbaric yawp over the rooftops of the world."

There is absolutely nothing QUIET about what Boldin has to say:

1. "Around here (Baltimore) we're all about winning."

Innuendo: In Arizona, you are not.

2. "Baltimore was a place I was eyeing. My only request was I wanted to go somewhere where I am able to compete for a championship every year."

Innuendo: The two year playoff run in Arizona was a fluke---look at you now.

3. "I definitely owe them (the Cardinals) a thank you."

Innuendo: You did me the ultimate favor.

As unfortunate, unsavory and untimely as Boldin's conspicuously selfish actions were during the playoff run---what has become more and more clear is how justifiably desperate Boldin was to rid himself of Ken Whisenhunt, Rod Graves and the Cardinal organization.

Here was a guy who epitomized rare toughness on a team that characteristically harbors soft, uninspired and over-the-hill players---a guy who got his face bashed in and played two weeks later---a guy who burst onto the scene with one of the most inspiring rookie performances---and brought the same passion and toughness into virtually every game and snap he played as a Cardinal.

One incredibly tough bird.

Only for Boldin---who got tired of being a bird of a different feather in the Cardinal organization---in trading his red feathers for black---he became another tough bird on a flock full of tough birds---and now he is chirping a song so happy and loud that it cannot be confused as quiet.

"Once Upon a midnight dreary..."

And it leaves Cardinal fans, alas---those who relished and appreciated Boldin's toughness and gritty production (and his role in flying the Cardinals to unforeseen golden pastures)---the "rapping and tapping at our chamber doors"---leaves us rueing the grim reality of---the last (not so quiet) utterance Boldin had to say about the Cardinals:

"Nevermore."
 
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az jam

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Boldin is all about winning. He was a very strong vocal leader here. He is greatly missed.
 
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kolb2fitz

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damnit i miss that guy. However, he could have collected himself a little better in my opinion. There is no need to poke fun at the cardinals

Cards were one of the first teams to extend a rookie contract---the man they did it for, Anquan Boldin. Anquan grew up before our eyes with the cards and blossomed into an all pro monster. He played along side one of the best wr's of the modern era in the super bowl. My point is he had some nice memories in arizona, if he is going to act like it was a punishment then im sorry he is a baby.

He was loved by the fans, played for the most part in a sold out stadium, got to a super bow, got extended....what the hell else did he want???

--TO BE IN LARRY FITZ'S SHADOW "NEVER MORE"
 

Rivercard

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Boldin is about winning.

I used to think that until he started sulking and being combative during the playoff run. Hopefully the Ravens D will get old soon so they will be just as miserable as the Cards.
 

DemsMyBoys

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Once upon a Sunday dreary after loosing weak and weary...

Quote the Mitch-man, "Nevermore".
 

TRW

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Boldin, in spite of the early injuries, did make the Cards much tougher. Although, his petulance during his contract snit left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.

Wish he was still here, for us fans' sake, but happy for him he got out.
 
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Mitch

Mitch

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damnit i miss that guy. However, he could have collected himself a little better in my opinion. There is no need to poke fun at the cardinals

Cards were one of the first teams to extend a rookie contract---the man they did it for, Anquan Boldin. Anquan grew up before our eyes with the cards and blossomed into an all pro monster. He played along side one of the best wr's of the modern era in the super bowl. My point is he had some nice memories in arizona, if he is going to act like it was a punishment then im sorry he is a baby.

He was loved by the fans, played for the most part in a sold out stadium, got to a super bow, got extended....what the hell else did he want???

--TO BE IN LARRY FITZ'S SHADOW "NEVER MORE"

Real good points---K2F---and the irony for Boldin may wind up being, his best shot of winning a championship was within 2:52 of getting it done in Super Bowl XXXIV.
 

Rivercard

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The irony for Boldin may wind up being, his best shot of winning a championship was within 2:52 of getting it done in Super Bowl XXXIV.

Yep. Sometimes were so busy planning for the future that we forget to see what is right in front of us.
 

Jetstream Green

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Boldin managed in a short period of time be everything I despise about a player during his last year with the Cardinals and managed to erase everything I thought a player should be which he defined for me before his antics. I do not care about the guy anymore
 

Bodha

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Innuendo or not, he couldve said those things flat and it wouldnt have amde a difference


The cardinals are a joke
theyve never been good
The superbowl run was a once in a millenium occurence for this crap team
the Ravens are contenders every year
The ravens are a better run organization
The ravens are all about winning - the Cardinals are not


Everything he said, did not say, or what you think he said is true whether or not you like it. Im glad hes somewhere he can compete for a title.
 

SeattleCard

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Boldin managed in a short period of time be everything I despise about a player during his last year with the Cardinals and managed to erase everything I thought a player should be which he defined for me before his antics. I do not care about the guy anymore

My thoughts as well.
 

Chaz

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On the field Q is a warrior. Everything you want in a player.

A wide receiver with a linebacker mentality who help raise up this franchise with his passion and fortitude. I will always appreciate and respect his effort on game days.

The end of his tenure here was characterized by his antics over a contract he signed and that ultimately revealed a selfish player. At the height of success he chose to sulk while his teammates celebrated a chance at a championship.

Disappointing to be sure, but nobody is perfect and he is still one of my favorite players.
 

CtCardinals78

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Because of Whiz, many of us lost our favorite Cardinal.

This. I'd trade Whisenhunt, Grimm and the rest of the coaching staff for Q. The Cardinals definitely screwed themselves by not finding a way to keep Q. The team has never been the same since.
 

oaken1

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This. I'd trade Whisenhunt, Grimm and the rest of the coaching staff for Q. The Cardinals definitely screwed themselves by not finding a way to keep Q. The team has never been the same since.


He was a grown ass man,......and played like it.
 

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He was a grown ass man,......and played like it.

He did. And why was Boldin acting like he did? Because he was sick and tired of the team playing SOFT and the coaches doing nothing about it.

Makes me like him even more.
 

Darkside

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I love me some Boldin, but he wasn't that "quiet". Obviously when he said he's on a team who's all about winning, that was a direct shot at us in Cardinal-land. I don't know how it can be taken any other way. It should also be noted that the Ravens haven't done anything more than the Cardinals did in 08 since they acquired Boldin, so even if they have the correct mindset and processes in place, they still haven't made a SB with Boldin. I'd be interested to know though, what exactly he meant by the difference in the two teams, his current one being all about winning: what were we about? We went to a SB. Is he talking about management (still), not wanting to put up money? They put out money, just not for him. I don't think his comments were that classy frankly.

I honestly don't even think Boldin would help us that much. I've said this before, so apologies if I sound redundant. Not having Boldin isn't our problem though. Dudes are running wide open and Kolb can't find them. Really doesn't matter if it's Boldin running open or Doucet etc.

I will say this in somewhat-agreement though: his mental toughness was bar none. And I don't mean him playing injured, that's not what I mean by mentally tough: I mean when the game is on the line, when a drive is on the line, he put it all out there and was mentally tough enough to get the first down, score the touchdown, whatever was needed. Part of the problem with this team is we aren't mentally tough. Everyone we play says if they get us down we'll just give up. We can't win close games, we can't make plays or drives when we need them in close games. That's a lack of mental toughness. Teams without mental discipline and toughness give up when it seems too hard or undoable. Perhaps (and I mean MAYBE) Boldin could fix some of that in the locker room. But not enough to make the difference. Players and coaches have driven us absolutely nuts saying we're only a few plays away, that players aren't making plays, but that's really what they mean, we aren't disciplined or tough mentally. Always a dumb penalty, turnover, etc, when it really counts. Maybe Boldin makes up some ground if he's with us, maybe we're a .500 team, but I don't think he makes the difference on this team. Not when we suck this bad, and have holes and errors, mental mistakes, lack of aggression, not when we have that at every single position of our team.

(Edit: I do want to add, Boldin had that same put-your-boot on the enemy throat type of mentality. Just put them out of their misery. Just like Kurt Warner. I love Fitz, but he really doesn't have that, he's not "mean" enough. Warner was a good Christian and all, but he knew God wanted our enemies to be smited and wanted to help God in every possible way.)

LOL ;)
 
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Duckjake

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I love me some Boldin, but he wasn't that "quiet". Obviously when he said he's on a team who's all about winning, that was a direct shot at us in Cardinal-land. I don't know how it can be taken any other way. It should also be noted that the Ravens haven't done anything more than the Cardinals did in 08 since they acquired Boldin, so even if they have the correct mindset and processes in place, they still haven't made a SB with Boldin. I'd be interested to know though, what exactly he meant by the difference in the two teams, his current one being all about winning: what were we about? We went to a SB. Is he talking about management (still), not wanting to put up money? They put out money, just not for him. I don't think his comments were that classy frankly.

I honestly don't even think Boldin would help us that much. I've said this before, so apologies if I sound redundant. Not having Boldin isn't our problem though. Dudes are running wide open and Kolb can't find them. Really doesn't matter if it's Boldin running open or Doucet etc.

I will say this in somewhat-agreement though: his mental toughness was bar none. And I don't mean him playing injured, that's not what I mean by mentally tough: I mean when the game is on the line, when a drive is on the line, he put it all out there and was mentally tough enough to get the first down, score the touchdown, whatever was needed. Part of the problem with this team is we aren't mentally tough. Everyone we play says if they get us down we'll just give up. We can't win close games, we can't make plays or drives when we need them in close games. That's a lack of mental toughness. Teams without mental discipline and toughness give up when it seems too hard or undoable. Perhaps (and I mean MAYBE) Boldin could fix some of that in the locker room. But not enough to make the difference. Players and coaches have driven us absolutely nuts saying we're only a few plays away, that players aren't making plays, but that's really what they mean, we aren't disciplined or tough mentally. Always a dumb penalty, turnover, etc, when it really counts. Maybe Boldin makes up some ground if he's with us, maybe we're a .500 team, but I don't think he makes the difference on this team. Not when we suck this bad, and have holes and errors, mental mistakes, lack of aggression, not when we have that at every single position of our team.

(Edit: I do want to add, Boldin had that same put-your-boot on the enemy throat type of mentality. Just put them out of their misery. Just like Kurt Warner. I love Fitz, but he really doesn't have that, he's not "mean" enough. Warner was a good Christian and all, but he knew God wanted our enemies to be smited and wanted to help God in every way possible.)

LOL ;)

I think you summed it up very well. Boldin got sick and tired of the Soft attitude in Arizona. He got tired of the team not being mentally tough. And that is what he really means when he says he's on a team that's all about winning.

There's no doubt in my mind that the Cards were and are a finesse team. And now that they have lost their QB that made that finesse attitude work they can't beat anybody.

The next time the Cards put their boot on the enemies throat will be the first time since 1994.
 

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I miss Boldin too but he just wasn't the same for us. That last year how many times did he get caught from behind or fumble the ball. He simply looked slow and old. He wasn't his tough self or had quickness over the middle. Of course that all changed when he went to the Ravens but you can't tie up that much money in two Wr's
 
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