CatBoxBackFan
Hall of Famer
Bickley
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 17, 2004
The NFL is a wonderful place for losers. The Cardinals are much obliged.
In 2006, they move into a new home, courtesy of Maricopa County voters. They will also receive a 25 percent raise, an estimated $18 million pay hike from the league's new TV contracts.
This is a tremendous windfall for a franchise that has lost 167 games in 16 previous seasons, and in order to lessen the perception that they are nothing but overfed hoboes and civic freeloaders, the Cardinals need to make a simple gesture to their fans: Sign Drew Brees when the season is over.
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"It's something that's popped up on the radar screen," a Cardinals' source said on Tuesday. "It hasn't been anything more than just a thought, but it certainly has some merit."
This is not solely a reflection of incumbent Josh McCown, a gritty kid that is growing on the job. He is 5-5 in his past 10 starts, and might look a lot better if he weren't spending most of his Sundays scrambling for his life. Last week, he ran with the football and his head almost ended up in New Mexico.
Problem is, the Cardinals are getting close to special right now. Win three of their next four games, and they could be playing host to St. Louis for first place on Dec. 18. Whether you scoffed, gasped or rolled your eyes when Dennis Green took over and filled the air with outrageous statements, everything he said about this team is coming true.
That is, everything but the part about McCown being one of the breakthrough players, a quarterback that Green thought was destined for greatness.
"We're still encouraged with Josh," said Rod Graves, vice president of football operations. "The thing we love about him is his commitment and his attitude and his desire to be successful. It's those things that keep him in the driver's seat and keep us behind him. But he's not where he ultimately needs to be for us to be a truly great team."
McCown possesses all the raw tools you want in a quarterback. Yet that is also a euphemism for potential, for a quarterback that still makes too many bad reads, still locks in on his receivers and still must prove he can hang on to the ball.
During this late push to competency, the Cardinals are starting to turn some heads. The time to win is now, and given the sorry state of their division, the playoffs are not a pipe dream. After his own erratic performance last Sunday, McCown knows that his leash is shorter than ever. He must validate Green's vision soon, or face worse than an in-season demotion.
While Brees is putting up MVP numbers in San Diego, he is a free agent when the season is over. The Chargers have already invested $40 million in rookie Philip Rivers, who is temporarily confined to the bench. By all indications, Brees will be wearing a new uniform come 2005.
When that time comes, no one can offer all that Arizona offers - great climate, new stadium on the way, an offensive-minded head coach and two young receivers in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin that may become Pro Bowl fixtures for the next decade.
Given their bounty of good fortune in the coming years, money will be no object for the Cardinals. At least it shouldn't be, and Brees would be the kind of windfall everyone could enjoy.
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 17, 2004
The NFL is a wonderful place for losers. The Cardinals are much obliged.
In 2006, they move into a new home, courtesy of Maricopa County voters. They will also receive a 25 percent raise, an estimated $18 million pay hike from the league's new TV contracts.
This is a tremendous windfall for a franchise that has lost 167 games in 16 previous seasons, and in order to lessen the perception that they are nothing but overfed hoboes and civic freeloaders, the Cardinals need to make a simple gesture to their fans: Sign Drew Brees when the season is over.
advertisement
"It's something that's popped up on the radar screen," a Cardinals' source said on Tuesday. "It hasn't been anything more than just a thought, but it certainly has some merit."
This is not solely a reflection of incumbent Josh McCown, a gritty kid that is growing on the job. He is 5-5 in his past 10 starts, and might look a lot better if he weren't spending most of his Sundays scrambling for his life. Last week, he ran with the football and his head almost ended up in New Mexico.
Problem is, the Cardinals are getting close to special right now. Win three of their next four games, and they could be playing host to St. Louis for first place on Dec. 18. Whether you scoffed, gasped or rolled your eyes when Dennis Green took over and filled the air with outrageous statements, everything he said about this team is coming true.
That is, everything but the part about McCown being one of the breakthrough players, a quarterback that Green thought was destined for greatness.
"We're still encouraged with Josh," said Rod Graves, vice president of football operations. "The thing we love about him is his commitment and his attitude and his desire to be successful. It's those things that keep him in the driver's seat and keep us behind him. But he's not where he ultimately needs to be for us to be a truly great team."
McCown possesses all the raw tools you want in a quarterback. Yet that is also a euphemism for potential, for a quarterback that still makes too many bad reads, still locks in on his receivers and still must prove he can hang on to the ball.
During this late push to competency, the Cardinals are starting to turn some heads. The time to win is now, and given the sorry state of their division, the playoffs are not a pipe dream. After his own erratic performance last Sunday, McCown knows that his leash is shorter than ever. He must validate Green's vision soon, or face worse than an in-season demotion.
While Brees is putting up MVP numbers in San Diego, he is a free agent when the season is over. The Chargers have already invested $40 million in rookie Philip Rivers, who is temporarily confined to the bench. By all indications, Brees will be wearing a new uniform come 2005.
When that time comes, no one can offer all that Arizona offers - great climate, new stadium on the way, an offensive-minded head coach and two young receivers in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin that may become Pro Bowl fixtures for the next decade.
Given their bounty of good fortune in the coming years, money will be no object for the Cardinals. At least it shouldn't be, and Brees would be the kind of windfall everyone could enjoy.
LT been resigned this past offseason.
