Cardinals Need Leadership and Direction

[Buckybird]

8-8, 9-7,10-6 = three of the best seasons in franchise history, what a sad commentary.

And appearing to head back on the downward spiral

So sad, but appears to be true.

 

[Buckybird]

I am so glad you brought up Lott's situation---because Lott's situation just furthers my case---

Last January when the assistant coaches contracts were up John Lott was so dis-spirited by the Cardinals' offer that he went and hired an agent.

Just like with Kurt Warner it wasn't until another team got involved and expressed interest in Lott, that the Cardinals upped their offer to him.

A Dan Bickley article on Lott's importance and Whiz's urging the FO helped as well.

The point is...when you are lowballed by your company...how does that make you feel?

It makes you feel taken advantage of...it makes you feel undervalued...it makes you feel demoralized.

This is EXACTLY why the Cardinals are a third world organization.

It wasn't until the 49ers (of all teams) rolled out the red carpet for Kurt Warner that the Cardinals upped the ante for him.

It's a passive resistive and parsimonious approach to business...and this, more than any other thing, has prompted the general disgruntledness among Cardinal employees.

It would have been another thing altogether if the Cardinals had come to Lott and said, hey we value the job you are doing so much we would like to pay you more than what any other S&C Coach earns, because you've earned it.

Instead they nickle and dime him.

But as we saw with Warner...that kind of treatment sticks with you. Even though you wound up with a contract that was better than what they offered, you feel exasperated that it had to occur in the manner in which it did.

Oh how, history repeats itself Mitch. This team has been like a broken record with ownership, players, etc.

It took the passing of Charles Bidwill to win a title & I'm afraid it will take his son's passing to win another.

 

[Snakester]

The top 100 play callers of all time, at one point in their life, had never called a play in their life.


I won't argue this, because that has been my biggest complaint with Whiz so far. But it's about far more than experience. Romeo and Charlie were both incredibly successful coordinators previously. Billy Davis was experienced, he just had experience sucking. I am excited about Horton, and hope he can make a difference.

You have a point, but wouldn't it be nice to go out and hire a guy like Charlie Weiss that you know can run an offense well instead of taking a chance on promoting someone with hardly any experience calling plays. I know everybody has to start somewhere, but why do we have to give them their first start.


I think Whiz is trying to do too much himself instead of bringing in people to run the offense and defense that already know what they are doing.

Don't get me wrong, I like Whiz. But just like us all, he makes mistakes and takes the wrong path sometimes. I just want him to make smart decisions to help himself and the team. It's like starting an entire team of rookies. Yea alot of those players will turn out to be very good players down the road, but what a mess we would be looking at on the field for sometime.

 

[TJ]

This blows me away. The guy helps the Cardinals have 3 of the best seasons in franchise history, and instead of appreciate it, we find a way to have a 10,000 word diatribe on how worthless he is. It's embarrassing. We find a way to give him zero credit. It's especially funny that it's the same people who captained the "In Whiz I Trust!" ship just a year ago, and one poor season after losing a hall of fame QB, they go back and find excuses for all of the success that we enjoyed. Unbelievable.

Voice of reason

I dont think Cardinal nation collectively knows the meaning of "transition season" nor understand the circumstances upon the team. We lost many key players and were unsuccessful in replacing them, with the lone exception of getting Rhodes for Rolle (an upgrade IMO).

We arent used to this to be honest. We are used to consecutive losing seasons and celebrating every regular season victory like it was the freaking superbowl. Expectations are higher. And when did these expectations become elevated? 2007 when the coaching change was made and further amplified after 2008.

This is why I cannot take the anti-Whiz argument seriously. What we are experiencing is common across the entire NFL and its illustrious history. Hell, great coaches like Bill Walsh and Bill Cowher have had down seasons. Cowher had two consecutive sub .500 seasons mind you.

If losing becomes pathological again, which it is not at the moment, then I'll understand what you're going through. Until then, try and visualize success and freaking relax!

 

[binkar]

Last January when the assistant coaches contracts were up John Lott was so dis-spirited by the Cardinals' offer that he went and hired an agent.

Was it because he was dis-spirited? Or did he hire an agent for the reason that most people do, because he want to get the best contract possible and his stregths are as strength and conditioning coach, not a negotiator. You continue to draw dramatic, negative conclusions that you have no fundamental proof of. It's business! Negotiations are a part of every business.

It's a passive resistive and parsimonious approach to business...and this, more than any other thing, has prompted the general disgruntledness among Cardinal employees.

Again, where in the world are you pulling this from? How are you concluding that Cardinals employees are generally disgruntled? You have a lot of people who love your posts on this board, me being one of them (when they are game observations) but these kind of irresponsible, dramatic statements I can't understand.

 

[Catfish]

Mitch-----I feel for you buddy. This is one of your best posts ever, yet you are being vilified mercilessly by those who can't seem to understand that there is something flawed in an organization when it; l. fails to recognize, (and or value, or to properly use), real talent when it has it, and 2. Has never, EVER, understood that the overwhelming majority of successful owners have one more or less common trait, (having wealth, or inheriting a football team, does not make them football smart). Therefore MOST successful teams hire the one necessary ingredient that makes them successful, A FOOTBALL SAVVY G.M. The only time that the Cardinals have done this in recent history, was when they hired Denney Green as H.C. and G.M. While he was very good at being a GM, he was a terrible handler of coaches and players as a HC, and thus did not value the talent that he brought into this organization.

As nice a person and family patriarch as Bill Bidwill is, he will never be a wize football mind. As nice a person as Michael Bidwill is, and as good a businessman and politically savvy mover and shaker that he has become in the state of Arizona, and despite the fact that he is an attorney and a pilot, he is not a great football mind. The biggest failing of this family has been their unwillingness to put the football operations of this franchise into the hands of a true football GM, and stay out of his way when it comes to handling football operations.

Sadly, until they manage to fix this singular organizational flaw, this franchise is almost surely destined to be ALWAYS missing out on what should have been done, (or needs to be done), and will continue to go about its business in a fumbling, bumbling manner.

I get that you get this-----its too bad that the family doesn't get it.

 

[Buckybird]

Mitch-----I feel for you buddy. This is one of your best posts ever, yet you are being vilified mercilessly by those who can't seem to understand that there is something flawed in an organization when it; l. fails to recognize, (and or value, or to properly use), real talent when it has it, and 2. Has never, EVER, understood that the overwhelming majority of successful owners have one more or less common trait, (having wealth, or inheriting a football team, does not make them football smart). Therefore MOST successful teams hire the one necessary ingredient that makes them successful, A FOOTBALL SAVVY G.M. The only time that the Cardinals have done this in recent history, was when they hired Denney Green as H.C. and G.M. While he was very good at being a GM, he was a terrible handler of coaches and players as a HC, and thus did not value the talent that he brought into this organization.

As nice a person and family patriarch as Bill Bidwill is, he will never be a wize football mind. As nice a person as Michael Bidwill is, and as good a businessman and politically savvy mover and shaker that he has become in the state of Arizona, and despite the fact that he is an attorney and a pilot, he is not a great football mind. The biggest failing of this family has been their unwillingness to put the football operations of this franchise into the hands of a true football GM, and stay out of his way when it comes to handling football operations.

Sadly, until they manage to fix this singular organizational flaw, this franchise is almost surely destined to be ALWAYS missing out on what should have been done, (or needs to be done), and will continue to go about its business in a fumbling, bumbling manner.

I get that you get this-----its too bad that the family doesn't get it.

Well said Catfish. You would think that Bill would see his mistakes by watching Jerry Jones & Dan Snyder bungle their way thru their hands on approach!!! Guess not... Coaches coach & owners should supply the cash for success!!!

 

[binkar]

Mitch-----I feel for you buddy. This is one of your best posts ever, yet you are being vilified mercilessly by those who can't seem to understand that there is something flawed in an organization when it; l. fails to recognize, (and or value, or to properly use), real talent when it has it, and 2. Has never, EVER, understood that the overwhelming majority of successful owners have one more or less common trait, (having wealth, or inheriting a football team, does not make them football smart). Therefore MOST successful teams hire the one necessary ingredient that makes them successful, A FOOTBALL SAVVY G.M. The only time that the Cardinals have done this in recent history, was when they hired Denney Green as H.C. and G.M. While he was very good at being a GM, he was a terrible handler of coaches and players as a HC, and thus did not value the talent that he brought into this organization.

As nice a person and family patriarch as Bill Bidwill is, he will never be a wize football mind. As nice a person as Michael Bidwill is, and as good a businessman and politically savvy mover and shaker that he has become in the state of Arizona, and despite the fact that he is an attorney and a pilot, he is not a great football mind. The biggest failing of this family has been their unwillingness to put the football operations of this franchise into the hands of a true football GM, and stay out of his way when it comes to handling football operations.

Sadly, until they manage to fix this singular organizational flaw, this franchise is almost surely destined to be ALWAYS missing out on what should have been done, (or needs to be done), and will continue to go about its business in a fumbling, bumbling manner.

I get that you get this-----its too bad that the family doesn't get it.

You have to remember, catfish, that we can agree to some of the commentary, without agreeing to all. I can not like a presidential candidate overall, but like some of his policies, or vice versa. If I could choose a GM, it definitely wouldn't be Graves, if I could choose an owner, it wouldn't be the Bidwells, but that doesn't mean I disagree with the way they handle every single situation. I think sometimes we get too emotional in our dislike of executives that we begin to take some things out of context.

 

[bg7brd]

Mitch-----I feel for you buddy. This is one of your best posts ever, yet you are being vilified mercilessly by those who can't seem to understand that there is something flawed in an organization when it; l. fails to recognize, (and or value, or to properly use), real talent when it has it, and 2. Has never, EVER, understood that the overwhelming majority of successful owners have one more or less common trait, (having wealth, or inheriting a football team, does not make them football smart). Therefore MOST successful teams hire the one necessary ingredient that makes them successful, A FOOTBALL SAVVY G.M. The only time that the Cardinals have done this in recent history, was when they hired Denney Green as H.C. and G.M. While he was very good at being a GM, he was a terrible handler of coaches and players as a HC, and thus did not value the talent that he brought into this organization.

As nice a person and family patriarch as Bill Bidwill is, he will never be a wize football mind. As nice a person as Michael Bidwill is, and as good a businessman and politically savvy mover and shaker that he has become in the state of Arizona, and despite the fact that he is an attorney and a pilot, he is not a great football mind. The biggest failing of this family has been their unwillingness to put the football operations of this franchise into the hands of a true football GM, and stay out of his way when it comes to handling football operations.

Sadly, until they manage to fix this singular organizational flaw, this franchise is almost surely destined to be ALWAYS missing out on what should have been done, (or needs to be done), and will continue to go about its business in a fumbling, bumbling manner.

I get that you get this-----its too bad that the family doesn't get it.

Great post Catfish!!!

 

[Rats]

This is possibly the finest thread on ASFN this offseason. Well done Mitch. Both sides have a point when debating what has become of the Cardinals. The fact is that we were really never that good and had to have alot of things go right to have that Super Bowl run after a 9-7 season. Warner was the catalyst and when he left we have again sunk into the abyss. The single thing that puts this team behind the eight ball of success is that our ownership has no clue how to run a winning program. They have kept an inept GM for many years and unless lightning in a bottle happens again with a Warner type we are once again going to drop to the bottom of the NFL. Sad to say we have no one that can indentify talent in the draft or FA and no one to go and seal the deal by signing them to a solid contract. Graves and this front office have beeen clueless for a long time. Again great thread.

 

[desertdawg]

Nice on Mitch. I especially liked the bit about needing a QB that can make quality reads and audibles at the line, no matter what play is coming in from the sideline. Skelton was promising with his reads, Bulger could do it but probably wouldn't want to here. Warner was one of the best, sure wish Peyton Manning was available.

 

[Mitch]

Mitch-----I feel for you buddy. This is one of your best posts ever, yet you are being vilified mercilessly by those who can't seem to understand that there is something flawed in an organization when it; l. fails to recognize, (and or value, or to properly use), real talent when it has it, and 2. Has never, EVER, understood that the overwhelming majority of successful owners have one more or less common trait, (having wealth, or inheriting a football team, does not make them football smart). Therefore MOST successful teams hire the one necessary ingredient that makes them successful, A FOOTBALL SAVVY G.M. The only time that the Cardinals have done this in recent history, was when they hired Denney Green as H.C. and G.M. While he was very good at being a GM, he was a terrible handler of coaches and players as a HC, and thus did not value the talent that he brought into this organization.

As nice a person and family patriarch as Bill Bidwill is, he will never be a wize football mind. As nice a person as Michael Bidwill is, and as good a businessman and politically savvy mover and shaker that he has become in the state of Arizona, and despite the fact that he is an attorney and a pilot, he is not a great football mind. The biggest failing of this family has been their unwillingness to put the football operations of this franchise into the hands of a true football GM, and stay out of his way when it comes to handling football operations.

Sadly, until they manage to fix this singular organizational flaw, this franchise is almost surely destined to be ALWAYS missing out on what should have been done, (or needs to be done), and will continue to go about its business in a fumbling, bumbling manner.

I get that you get this-----its too bad that the family doesn't get it.

I echo your thoughts, Catfish. As much as there is to like Mr. B, Michael B and Rod Graves as people, they are ill-equipped to run a football organization. They have all profitted immensely financially despite that---which seems without question to be their MO and top priority. If there was ever a season in which this was perfectly clear it was this past season...a season that would have happened a year earlier has they not upped the ante to Kurt Warner on his contract...and a season that would have happened a year earlier than last, had they kept insisting that Matt Leinart be the starting QB.

Now we are back to being the doormat of the NFC West---

And, as the saying goes---you get what you pay for.

Meanwhile---you think in Seattle they will be aggressive in acquiring their QB?

I guarantee it.

Meanwhile, the Rams have already acquired the most talented QB in this division and they have a HC who has their players playing competitively every game.

Meanwhile, the 49ers have recognized the errors of their ways and hired the hottest HC prospect from the college ranks, whose transition into the NFL should be smooth because he played in the NFL and has a brother who is one of the best young HCs in the NFL.

I wish I could say I have confidence that the Cardinals as an organization will be the most aggressive one in the division---but---are they even close to the others at this point?

I don't see it.

And, like HC Ken Whisenhunt, I cannot get mad for a night and forget a 45 point trouncing the next day. And another next week or two weeks later.

We lost to all three rivals at U of P this year and lost badly---they weren't even competitive games. And it wasn't just the QB who stunk---it was the totally lame effort of the defense and the offensive line.

Good think the Bidwills pocketed a cool $30M in the process.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

Meanwhile, the Rams have already acquired the most talented QB in this division and they have a HC who has their players playing competitively every game.

Because they hired a new GM, shifted around their front office, and generally got their collective heads out of their collective butts.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

.

We lost to all three rivals at U of P this year and lost badly---they weren't even competitive games. And it wasn't just the QB who stunk---it was the totally lame effort of the defense and the offensive line.

This right here makes me sick to remember the poor effort for those games. The team was totally ill prepared and we made very little if any adjustments.

 

[PJ1]

Mitch-----I feel for you buddy. This is one of your best posts ever, yet you are being vilified mercilessly by those who can't seem to understand that there is something flawed in an organization when it; l. fails to recognize, (and or value, or to properly use), real talent when it has it, and 2. Has never, EVER, understood that the overwhelming majority of successful owners have one more or less common trait, (having wealth, or inheriting a football team, does not make them football smart). Therefore MOST successful teams hire the one necessary ingredient that makes them successful, A FOOTBALL SAVVY G.M. The only time that the Cardinals have done this in recent history, was when they hired Denney Green as H.C. and G.M. While he was very good at being a GM, he was a terrible handler of coaches and players as a HC, and thus did not value the talent that he brought into this organization.

As nice a person and family patriarch as Bill Bidwill is, he will never be a wize football mind. As nice a person as Michael Bidwill is, and as good a businessman and politically savvy mover and shaker that he has become in the state of Arizona, and despite the fact that he is an attorney and a pilot, he is not a great football mind. The biggest failing of this family has been their unwillingness to put the football operations of this franchise into the hands of a true football GM, and stay out of his way when it comes to handling football operations.

Sadly, until they manage to fix this singular organizational flaw, this franchise is almost surely destined to be ALWAYS missing out on what should have been done, (or needs to be done), and will continue to go about its business in a fumbling, bumbling manner.

I get that you get this-----its too bad that the family doesn't get it.

Good post Catfish. I attended my first Big Red game in 1967 and can honestly say this ownership never understood they can't run the football side of the organization. Personally I believe Mike B may realize this but until Bill is completely out of the picture things will not truly change.

 

[Azlen]

The thing that gets to me about this organization is that they always seem to lose players while they are in their prime and sign players either past their prime or ones that never had a prime. If talent continues to move in that direction, this franchise will continue to be the same old Cardinals.

 

[Catfish]

The thing that gets to me about this organization is that they always seem to lose players while they are in their prime and sign players either past their prime or ones that never had a prime. If talent continues to move in that direction, this franchise will continue to be the same old Cardinals.

Not much to add to this but ----- Amen.

 

[az jam]

This year is critical from my viewpoint. Michael Bidwill sent a letter of apology to the fans and said there will be changes and they will get back to winning. Coach Whiz had done one of the best jobs ever for the Cards in his first 3 years, I'll give him a mulligan for last year. Graves is Graves. I never have been high on him but he will let Whiz make the key personnel decisions as he has done in the past.

I'm a Club Section season ticket holder in the last year of my 3 year lease. I have two seats and am not going renew my lease if they put another mediocre team on the field. I'll bet I'm not alone.

 

[Cardiac]

I am so glad you brought up Lott's situation---because Lott's situation just furthers my case---

Last January when the assistant coaches contracts were up John Lott was so dis-spirited by the Cardinals' offer that he went and hired an agent.

Just like with Kurt Warner it wasn't until another team got involved and expressed interest in Lott, that the Cardinals upped their offer to him.

A Dan Bickley article on Lott's importance and Whiz's urging the FO helped as well.

The point is...when you are lowballed by your company...how does that make you feel?

It makes you feel taken advantage of...it makes you feel undervalued...it makes you feel demoralized.

This is EXACTLY why the Cardinals are a third world organization.

It wasn't until the 49ers (of all teams) rolled out the red carpet for Kurt Warner that the Cardinals upped the ante for him.

It's a passive resistive and parsimonious approach to business...and this, more than any other thing, has prompted the general disgruntledness among Cardinal employees.

It would have been another thing altogether if the Cardinals had come to Lott and said, hey we value the job you are doing so much we would like to pay you more than what any other S&C Coach earns, because you've earned it.

Instead they nickle and dime him.

But as we saw with Warner...that kind of treatment sticks with you. Even though you wound up with a contract that was better than what they offered, you feel exasperated that it had to occur in the manner in which it did.

I guess all the above is possible, I simply do not agree with all of it. If Lott was so demoralized then why not take the job with the Redskins. You nor I know what the final contract was and if the Cards beat the Redskins offer or matched it or came close.

Warner wanted to stay with the Cards because of his family and I would guess teammates and would even say the coaching staff. I think the same applies to Lott. You and I differ in that I believe Whiz has the respect and loyalty of the vast majority of the team. You think (correct me if I'm wrong) that it's because he bribes them and isn't tough on them. I don't agree with this. Wouldn't Lott be all over Whiz if he though things were too cushy etc.

As far as the Bidwills and RG I am very much in agreement with you. Bill Sr is a nice man who couldn't run lemonade stand. Michael is a pilot and an attorney who is smart and is dragging this team towards the present. RG is also pulling on the rope in the right direction but I don't think he is the most talented man in the world.

Buckybird is right (IMWO) that we still have an anchor and his name is Bill. The good news is that with the rest of the FO pulling on the rope the anchor is not stopping us completely from moving forward, in fact it is slowing us down less and less. Thing is that sometimes that anchor catches onto a rock and then Dansby leaves and Whiz can only get one Vet FA QB and so on.

 

[Catfish]

You have to remember, catfish, that we can agree to some of the commentary, without agreeing to all. I can not like a presidential candidate overall, but like some of his policies, or vice versa. If I could choose a GM, it definitely wouldn't be Graves, if I could choose an owner, it wouldn't be the Bidwells, but that doesn't mean I disagree with the way they handle every single situation. I think sometimes we get too emotional in our dislike of executives that we begin to take some things out of context.

Binkar, While I completely respect your point of view, I do really love the Bidwills. No one in the league takes this franchise more seriously than they do. I just find it extremely frustrating that they cannot see that EVERY attempt that they have made to fix the team, has come up short since they were in Chicago. The only thing that they have not done so far, is to hire a REAL FOOTBALL GM, and then let him build a coaching staff, and develop a plan to produce winning football. (I don't mean by this that they hire a GM/Coach), but just a pure GM. They have done the combo thing twice in the past 15 years and it backfired both with Buddy Ryan, and with Denney Green. It seems that the egos involved always short-change one or the other functions of their jobs.

I think that Rod Graves is a really nice man, and is probably considered as close to being family as anyone in the organization. He is NOT, however, a fully functioning GM. He is way to nice a guy to be a GM, (whose duties
include being able to separate the wheat from the chaff), and to get rid of the chaff. What is needed here, is a man with vision, who can develop a plan, and identify the people he needs to implement that plan, both as coaches and as players. That man also needs to be quick to make decisions, and fast acting, (none of which applies to Graves). That being done, he needs to have the authority to spend the money to procure these people, and then he needs to have the authority to demand their strict adherence to the plan. That is what this franchise lacks. Its efforts to right the ship are disjointed, and hap-hazard, and the right hand often obstructs what the left hand should be doing.

 

[TJ]

Simply put:

I agree w/ Catfish and Mitch. This team would be exponentially better if we upgraded the GM position. Graves is not a top-tier guy. He takes too long to renegotiate contracts (see Warner) and settles for bargain basement free agents like Bryant McFadden in the offseason. Also, we havent had a 1st round pick report to camp on time since 2003. His resume is not exactly stellar to be honest

 

[binkar]

Binkar, While I completely respect your point of view, I do really love the Bidwills. No one in the league takes this franchise more seriously than they do. I just find it extremely frustrating that they cannot see that EVERY attempt that they have made to fix the team, has come up short since they were in Chicago. The only thing that they have not done so far, is to hire a REAL FOOTBALL GM, and then let him build a coaching staff, and develop a plan to produce winning football. (I don't mean by this that they hire a GM/Coach), but just a pure GM. They have done the combo thing twice in the past 15 years and it backfired both with Buddy Ryan, and with Denney Green. It seems that the egos involved always short-change one or the other functions of their jobs.

I think that Rod Graves is a really nice man, and is probably considered as close to being family as anyone in the organization. He is NOT, however, a fully functioning GM. He is way to nice a guy to be a GM, (whose duties
include being able to separate the wheat from the chaff), and to get rid of the chaff. What is needed here, is a man with vision, who can develop a plan, and identify the people he needs to implement that plan, both as coaches and as players. That man also needs to be quick to make decisions, and fast acting, (none of which applies to Graves). That being done, he needs to have the authority to spend the money to procure these people, and then he needs to have the authority to demand their strict adherence to the plan. That is what this franchise lacks. Its efforts to right the ship are disjointed, and hap-hazard, and the right hand often obstructs what the left hand should be doing.

Catfish, I couldn't agree more. I guess I just get frustrated when people fail to acknowledge a single positive things a person does, because they don' like the person as a whole. As I said, I could think of a number of GMs I would rather have than Graves, but his body of work isn't 100% failure. I understand the Graves complaints far more than I do the Whiz complaints. I just want people to give Whiz a chance to bounce back before they call for his canning.

 

[Mitch]

Catfish, I couldn't agree more. I guess I just get frustrated when people fail to acknowledge a single positive things a person does, because they don' like the person as a whole. As I said, I could think of a number of GMs I would rather have than Graves, but his body of work isn't 100% failure. I understand the Graves complaints far more than I do the Whiz complaints. I just want people to give Whiz a chance to bounce back before they call for his canning.

Well said, Binkar.

Both Catfish, I and numerous posters have recognized the class in the man...and appreciate that class. And, hey, under his watch the Cardinals have reached unprecedented heights...which I hope will be one RG's most lasting legacies.

I hope RG stays in whatever capacity fits him best.

But I also hope that the Bidwills finally put the team in the hands of a true football man...one who knows how to build champions.

 

[Mulli]

I am a bit confused. First, Mitch guarantees Whiz is fired after the next season (a season of blowouts). Then, the Cardinals hired Horton as the DC, and Mitch is happy again. Now, all of the sudden, we get manic depressive doom and gloom Mitch again.

 

[schutd]

I am so glad you brought up Lott's situation---because Lott's situation just furthers my case---

Last January when the assistant coaches contracts were up John Lott was so dis-spirited by the Cardinals' offer that he went and hired an agent.

Just like with Kurt Warner it wasn't until another team got involved and expressed interest in Lott, that the Cardinals upped their offer to him.

A Dan Bickley article on Lott's importance and Whiz's urging the FO helped as well.

The point is...when you are lowballed by your company...how does that make you feel?

It makes you feel taken advantage of...it makes you feel undervalued...it makes you feel demoralized.

This is EXACTLY why the Cardinals are a third world organization.

It wasn't until the 49ers (of all teams) rolled out the red carpet for Kurt Warner that the Cardinals upped the ante for him.

It's a passive resistive and parsimonious approach to business...and this, more than any other thing, has prompted the general disgruntledness among Cardinal employees.

It would have been another thing altogether if the Cardinals had come to Lott and said, hey we value the job you are doing so much we would like to pay you more than what any other S&C Coach earns, because you've earned it.

Instead they nickle and dime him.

But as we saw with Warner...that kind of treatment sticks with you. Even though you wound up with a contract that was better than what they offered, you feel exasperated that it had to occur in the manner in which it did.

Or, it makes you realize its all business and its the job of those involved to get the most for the least, and so both sides better have equal representation. Its just business. This entire post so so full of supposition and conjecture, and assumption. Its pretty laughable, actually.