Arizona's Finest
Your My Favorite Mistake
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The most positive reviews of Matty boy yet. 
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/jim_trotter/07/31/cardinals.postcard/index.html
Setting the Scene
The Cardinals conduct training camp at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff. The school is 7,000 feet above sea level, which helps the players with their conditioning and allows the team to escape the oppressive heat at their year-round training facility in Phoenix. On Tuesday, the temperature was 104 degrees in Phoenix shortly after noon, some 20 degrees hotter than in Flagstaff. The practices are open to the public and weekday sessions draw an average of 200-300 fans. That number swells to 2,000-3,000 on the weekends, when some fans make the two-plus-hour drive north to see the team and avoid the heat. During my two days in Flagstaff, the pace of practices was good. There appeared to be an emphasis on teaching and technique rather than contact, contact, contact.
Three Observations
1. Matt Leinart is making the most of his opportunity. Coach Ken Whisenhunt named Leinart the starting quarterback early in the offseason, with the caveat that he will re-evaluate the situation through the start of the regular season. Backup Kurt Warner says he's still competing as if he can be the starter, but thus far Leinart has refused to crack the door of opportunity.
The former USC star and Heisman winner has been focused and authoritative in both the huddle and the pocket. He is showing the type of leadership that casual fans would have a hard time believing based on the Internet buzz questioning his commitment to football. Teammates and coaches contend Leinart put in the work in the offseason and is prepared to have a successful season. It's showing.
His accuracy in individual drills and team drills is impressive. During one session, the quarterbacks roll right and throw at a large net that has red squares in a diagonal Tic-Tac-Toe formation. Leinart put the ball through the center square on his first throw and hit the red outline of the center square on his second.
Later in a team drill, he threw a perfect fade to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, then with the cornerback looking for the same pass moments later, Leinart put the ball on the back shoulder of the defender for another completion. There's no telling what type of season he'll have, but if he struggles it won't be because of a lack of work.
2. The offensive line is light years ahead of where it was at this time last year. Barring injury or a decline in production by an individual (see: right guard Deuce Lutui), the Cardinals will open with the same starting five from the previous season, in the same positions, for only the second time since the team moved to Arizona in 1988. The other time was 1996-97.
If you see line coach Russ Grimm smiling, it's because he knows the importance of continuity. Instead of learning concepts and a new scheme, the players can focus on fine-tuning the things they do well as a unit and improving the areas in which they struggle. They can concentrate on the group as a whole instead of the individual assignments.
3. The defense should be significantly stronger. Safety Adrian Wilson, outside linebacker Chike Okeafor and defensive end Bertrand Berry all are back from season-ending injuries. The trio missed an aggregate of 30 games last season, but each has looked good in camp.
Wilson reminded everyone of his athleticism and big-hitting ability when he drilled running back J.J. Arrington during one drill, and Okeafor was so eager for contact that he was admonished for being too physical and undisciplined (horse-collar hit) on rookie wide receiver Early Doucet during a touch-up drill.
Says Whisenhunt of the trio: "They look as good as they did at this time last year. I'm very pleased about that. It's good to see those guys because those three guys are all playmakers in a sense. They're all disruptive. If you lose those guys like we did last season and you're replacing them with someone else, you're obviously losing a little bit. That hurt us later in the season when we were unable to get pressure on opposing teams and our guys wore down."
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/jim_trotter/07/31/cardinals.postcard/index.html
Setting the Scene
The Cardinals conduct training camp at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff. The school is 7,000 feet above sea level, which helps the players with their conditioning and allows the team to escape the oppressive heat at their year-round training facility in Phoenix. On Tuesday, the temperature was 104 degrees in Phoenix shortly after noon, some 20 degrees hotter than in Flagstaff. The practices are open to the public and weekday sessions draw an average of 200-300 fans. That number swells to 2,000-3,000 on the weekends, when some fans make the two-plus-hour drive north to see the team and avoid the heat. During my two days in Flagstaff, the pace of practices was good. There appeared to be an emphasis on teaching and technique rather than contact, contact, contact.
Three Observations
1. Matt Leinart is making the most of his opportunity. Coach Ken Whisenhunt named Leinart the starting quarterback early in the offseason, with the caveat that he will re-evaluate the situation through the start of the regular season. Backup Kurt Warner says he's still competing as if he can be the starter, but thus far Leinart has refused to crack the door of opportunity.
The former USC star and Heisman winner has been focused and authoritative in both the huddle and the pocket. He is showing the type of leadership that casual fans would have a hard time believing based on the Internet buzz questioning his commitment to football. Teammates and coaches contend Leinart put in the work in the offseason and is prepared to have a successful season. It's showing.
His accuracy in individual drills and team drills is impressive. During one session, the quarterbacks roll right and throw at a large net that has red squares in a diagonal Tic-Tac-Toe formation. Leinart put the ball through the center square on his first throw and hit the red outline of the center square on his second.
Later in a team drill, he threw a perfect fade to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, then with the cornerback looking for the same pass moments later, Leinart put the ball on the back shoulder of the defender for another completion. There's no telling what type of season he'll have, but if he struggles it won't be because of a lack of work.
2. The offensive line is light years ahead of where it was at this time last year. Barring injury or a decline in production by an individual (see: right guard Deuce Lutui), the Cardinals will open with the same starting five from the previous season, in the same positions, for only the second time since the team moved to Arizona in 1988. The other time was 1996-97.
If you see line coach Russ Grimm smiling, it's because he knows the importance of continuity. Instead of learning concepts and a new scheme, the players can focus on fine-tuning the things they do well as a unit and improving the areas in which they struggle. They can concentrate on the group as a whole instead of the individual assignments.
3. The defense should be significantly stronger. Safety Adrian Wilson, outside linebacker Chike Okeafor and defensive end Bertrand Berry all are back from season-ending injuries. The trio missed an aggregate of 30 games last season, but each has looked good in camp.
Wilson reminded everyone of his athleticism and big-hitting ability when he drilled running back J.J. Arrington during one drill, and Okeafor was so eager for contact that he was admonished for being too physical and undisciplined (horse-collar hit) on rookie wide receiver Early Doucet during a touch-up drill.
Says Whisenhunt of the trio: "They look as good as they did at this time last year. I'm very pleased about that. It's good to see those guys because those three guys are all playmakers in a sense. They're all disruptive. If you lose those guys like we did last season and you're replacing them with someone else, you're obviously losing a little bit. That hurt us later in the season when we were unable to get pressure on opposing teams and our guys wore down."
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