Cards say staff is set
By Darren Urban, Tribune
January 28, 2006
Cardinals vice president of football operations Rod Graves stressed Friday that “our staff is in place,” after a recent flurry of inquiries by other teams seeking interviews with current Arizona assistant coaches.
“Personally, I’m delighted other teams are interested,” Graves said. “But we are going to make every effort to keep quality here and not allow teams to raid the good coaches.”
The Cardinals denied the Houston Texans permission this week to interview linebackers coach Frank Bush for a co-defensive coordinator position. Running backs coach Kirby Wilson, who interviewed for a position with the Saints, will likely not be hired, a source in New Orleans confirmed.
The team declined to allow St. Louis permission to speak to offensive line coach Steve Loney, who was just hired by Arizona earlier this month. Graves said that generally, keeping assistants under contract is team policy.
The Cardinals are unhappy those stories have played out in the media. The team normally doesn’t comment or confirm any contractual issues with its assistant coaches, including when teams ask for permission to speak to one of them. Bush’s situation originally played out in the Houston Chronicle.
Graves would not talk about specific coaches Friday. But he was admittedly frustrated that the Cardinals have been criticized for declining to give permission to let coaches out of their contracts.
Earlier this offseason, the Cardinals were denied permission to interview Rams defensive line coach Bill Kollar, who has since moved on to Buffalo. It wasn’t the first time the Cards have been denied — for instance, the Buccaneers denied permission to the Cards two years ago to talk to linebackers coach Joe Barry for their defensive coordinator spot.
“The issues of granted permission or not granting permission, no team wants to be disadvantaged,” Graves said. “Our policy is no different than most teams in the league.”
Contact Darren Urban by email, or phone (480) 898-6525
By Darren Urban, Tribune
January 28, 2006
Cardinals vice president of football operations Rod Graves stressed Friday that “our staff is in place,” after a recent flurry of inquiries by other teams seeking interviews with current Arizona assistant coaches.
“Personally, I’m delighted other teams are interested,” Graves said. “But we are going to make every effort to keep quality here and not allow teams to raid the good coaches.”
The Cardinals denied the Houston Texans permission this week to interview linebackers coach Frank Bush for a co-defensive coordinator position. Running backs coach Kirby Wilson, who interviewed for a position with the Saints, will likely not be hired, a source in New Orleans confirmed.
The team declined to allow St. Louis permission to speak to offensive line coach Steve Loney, who was just hired by Arizona earlier this month. Graves said that generally, keeping assistants under contract is team policy.
The Cardinals are unhappy those stories have played out in the media. The team normally doesn’t comment or confirm any contractual issues with its assistant coaches, including when teams ask for permission to speak to one of them. Bush’s situation originally played out in the Houston Chronicle.
Graves would not talk about specific coaches Friday. But he was admittedly frustrated that the Cardinals have been criticized for declining to give permission to let coaches out of their contracts.
Earlier this offseason, the Cardinals were denied permission to interview Rams defensive line coach Bill Kollar, who has since moved on to Buffalo. It wasn’t the first time the Cards have been denied — for instance, the Buccaneers denied permission to the Cards two years ago to talk to linebackers coach Joe Barry for their defensive coordinator spot.
“The issues of granted permission or not granting permission, no team wants to be disadvantaged,” Graves said. “Our policy is no different than most teams in the league.”
Contact Darren Urban by email, or phone (480) 898-6525
