Email Responses

[Harry]

I apologize for not responding individually, but lately I just don't have time.

1. I have exchanged email with several scouts and personnel guys. The consensus by a long shot is that Manning will be the first pick, although the MiamiO QB is getting some support. I agree Manning goes number one and Rot goes in the top 5, though he could drop if he plays badly in either of the two remaining games. If he plays well in both, don't expect to see him in an all-star game.

2. The Cards almost control their own destiny. Atlanta with Vick back will win one more, possibly two. Since San Diego and Oakland play, one will surely get a win (don't waste time thinking tie). The Cards will likely need SD to win 2, since their strength of schedule is so high. SD is the probable fly in the proverbial ointment. They have winable games, but let's face it they haven't beaten anyone lately. If they keep playing Flutie they have at least a chance, but they may well go back to Brees to see if he has benefitted from sitting. They are unhappy with Brees, but I am told they are not so unhappy they would take Manning. However, they would definitely trade the pick.

3. Would I move up to get Manning? Yes, but not at too high a price. I keep posting and writing over and over that a star QB is not a pre-requisite to make the playoffs or even win the Super Bowl. It is also pretty much universal thinking that if you have a top three pick, you either believe you are drafting a potential hall of fame player or you trade down. Since severall teams feel that after Manning there are good, but not clearly great players, the number two pick will be worth a lot less than the number one and someone may overwhelm SD to beat out any Cards' trade offers. Consider also that after taking all the abuse for Ryan Leaf, SD may be reluctant to take a chance on dealing with the Cards. I know that in the end the Cards didn't come out that much ahead, but they didn't suffer the ridicule the Chargers did.

4. Who goes second? That is the toughest question. The consensus seems to be Harris (OK-DT). Would I take him second if I couldn't trade down? Yes, but I wouldn't be excited. He is a fine tackle, but will likely not provide the pass rush the Cards so desperately need. I would prefer to trade down if there is a decent market. I would not drop out of the top 7.

5. If we trade down would I take Rot? I am reluctant to draft anyone whose name I can't spell. That said, as hard as it is for many to believe, I think the Cards have bigger needs. It depends on underclassmen coming out, but I would take a corner or a defensive lineman above quarterback if I couldn't get Manning.

6. Can I live with Blake? No, he has played himself out of town.

7. Who is the best available free agent? If you have been following my posts since the expansion draft, I am big on Gary Walker. He can rush the passer, from inside or outside. He is due a $6 million bonus in March, which the Texans won't pay. He has been hurt often this season, so I would want a clean medical. However, if he gets one he will be the best pass rusher on the market. The Cards could have had him before and must get him now.

Thanks for all the support about my mom and those who championed me on the net. That said, feel free to attack, that's the best part about being a Cards' fan: fantasy. There is rarely any reality that is much fun.

 

[Snakester]

Hey Harry. I'm going to tape the Ben Roethlisberger game tonight. If he is as good as Manning or better we might be able to make a big trade ourselves. Either way it will be a good game to watch just in case. This will be the first game that I have seen him in.

 

[CardNots]

Harry,

How I love to hear from you... That said, I have been fustrated with your insight. Your % of hitting the nail on the head has been uncanny. You have certainly earned my respect.

How will the end of the season shake out?

Will Parsons actually take a meaningful snap at QB for the Cards?

Is the entire coaching staff on the way out?

Is there any reason to be hopeful?

One thing is for sure, I spend my Sundays playing golf and my game has improved. I tape the games and hope I have a reason to watch.

 

[Assface]

Harry,

any Grammy predictions?

 

[jf-08]

Solid as usual.

The underclassmen WRs may throw a wrench into the top 5 though if they declare, I think.

 

[arthurracoon]

Harry,

What are your thoughts on Parsons?

 

[CardNots]

I'm convinced McGinnis never gave Parsons a chance because he didn't want to create a QB controversy...

 

[Assface]

To heck with Josh, put PP in there. McCown has all the physical tools to be a great QB but so did Jeff George, Ryan Leaf, Dave Klingler etc. Parsons seems like he understands what's going on better than Josh. He's not exactly a little guy either, he's about what they want in the prototype QB hieght/wieght department.

I still want Eli regardless but it would be nice to see what we already have on our roster.

 

[Northern Card]

Harry...

Have you given any thought to the possibility that IF Fassel comes to AZ... he may strongly suggest that the CARDS make an offer to JESSE PALMER, who'll be a restricted free agent after this season.

 

[Harry]

Let's start with the Grammy predictions. No one will win that I like.

As for football, I know this sounds terrible, but I honestly do hope it ends with 4 more losses. The Cards need all the help they can get. The only chance of getting Manning lies with a collaspe. In the last few years, the Cards have won meaningless games at the end, like Detroit last season, and all it did was cost the Cards the pass rusher they desperately needed.

I think Parsons deserves a shot. He is likely in the Stoney Case category, but frankly I haven't seen enough of him to be sure. I like his grit.

Yes, I think all coaches will be gone. Don't be shocked if Mr. Smith is imposed on the incoming coach as the running back coach to provide a graceful way out for both sides. I am sorry to see Sullivan go. Under the right head coach, he could be outstanding. I like Chryst also. I heard Fassel likes Greene. Go figure. Is he likely to be the coach. Well the Mac earns in the bottom three of current coaches and that's about the best Fassel can hope to see. By the way, for all those Bidwill supporters, if he is really willing to spend money, why is the coach so poorly paid? Isn't this the first Cardinal coach to win a playoff game in 50 years?

Believe it or not there are lots of reasons to be hopeful for the future. When the season wraps, I will try to tackle a few of them for all of us to discuss.

As to Mr. Palmer (or The Gunslinger as they called him briefly in college), he has some tools, but I'm not sure Spurrier didn't ruin him as a big time QB. He would be okay as a backup, but if we take Manning, I would want a better mentor. With Grossman maturing in Chicago and Stewart playing better, Chandler would look like a good acquistion to mentor Manning.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Harry
By the way, for all those Bidwill supporters, if he is really willing to spend money, why is the coach so poorly paid? Isn't this the first Cardinal coach to win a playoff game in 50 years?

I also wonder why the Bidwill's pay so little for their coaches. You get what you pay for. Hopefully they'll loosen the purse straps at least a little bit to get an established head coach. I think part of the reason that they're able to pinch pennies here is that they give large promotions (better titles) to coordinators, and that equates to less salary.

I'm sure it's not easy to tell a player that he's not playing well when he makes three times your salary.

For the record, though, Vince Tobin in the first Cardinals head coach to win a playoff game in 50 years.

 

[pinnacle]

I would be surprised if we hire a new coach that is in the bottom 3..or even near the bottom..in terms of pay. I think guys like mcginnis and tice (another of the lowest paid) are paid cheap because they do not have much negotiating power when they get the jobs ..the are assistants from the same organization (mcginnis with cards and tice with vikings). Since it is clear the cardinals are not going to promote from within - it will take some $$ to get a new coach in here...a lot of $$if it is someone with a big name who has been a head coach before (coughlin, green, even Fossel)...but to get a top coordinator to come here from another team - it will still take decent $$..they will not leave a great position (with a winning team I assume) to come here unless the $$ are there.

So..I would think our coach pay would move up into the middle of the pack or so..depending on who we get....but then again..you never know what the front office is thinking...

 

[Sandan]

It's called cash flow people.

Coaches pay is not cap controled and we have less $$ to pay for coaches. That's part of why we need a new stadium. Why is this so hard to understand.

It's tough to pay if when you don't have it.

 

[AZCB34]

Originally posted by nidan
It's called cash flow people.

Coaches pay is not cap controled and we have less $$ to pay for coaches. That's part of why we need a new stadium. Why is this so hard to understand.

It's tough to pay if when you don't have it.

A good coach will help the team win games and fill up SDS which will mean more $$$ in Bidwill's pockets (and ASUs) so while I supported the new stadium your toeing the company line logic is flawed. They have to be forward thinking in getting a coach and dip into their fairly considerable pockets and foot some of the bill and they will likely be rewarded.

Next thing you will tell us is the team would win with A/C.

 

[Sandan]

Yes you are correct, thank you for that.

What I find frustrating is that everytime this comes up people convientently forget about the lease at SDS.

It is appaling for the Cards, the revenue streams that other team get do not exist for the Cardinals even if the stadium was full. Sure the cash flow would be better if it was full but with a new stadium we get access to opportunies that other teams have had for years.

As for your smartass comment about A/C, I know people who would buy season tickets if the SDS was not such a awful place to go, part of that is the A/C.

As for being forward thinking. M Bidwill has already said that with the expectation of a new stadium and improved cash flow. They have revamped their business plan to do exactly what you ask for.

Where is my logic flawed ?

 

[AZCB34]

Originally posted by nidan
Yes you are correct, thank you for that.

What I find frustrating is that everytime this comes up people convientently forget about the lease at SDS.

It is appaling for the Cards, the revenue streams that other team get do not exist for the Cardinals even if the stadium was full. Sure the cash flow would be better if it was full but with a new stadium we get access to opportunies that other teams have had for years.

As for your smartass comment about A/C, I know people who would buy season tickets if the SDS was not such a awful place to go, part of that is the A/C.

As for being forward thinking. M Bidwill has already said that with the expectation of a new stadium and improved cash flow. They have revamped their business plan to do exactly what you ask for.

Where is my logic flawed ?

Your point, at least a I read it wa "The Cards cannot pay for a coach because they don't have revenue streams and that is what the stadium is for." Well My point is they cannot wait and must figure out a way to get a good coach in here which means paying the man.

The Bidwills have owned the Cards since 1932 and as a family have made alot of money on football...remember they owned the team during all those early glory years of football where they made alot of money and the players got very little percentage wise...which is one of the reasons a NGFLPA came into being,

Not to mention the merchandising streams which they receive and are never reported to players or public.

The Bidwills have money and need to dig into their pockets and get a real coach in here if they are serious about things.

My A/C comment may have been over the top but since Mikey B (or was it Billy B) sees fit to use it as an excuse, I was hoping and praying you weren't going to roll that one out.

 

[ajcardfan]

After the Cincy game, I met Mike Bidwill very briefly. He was working his way down to the field, with a couple of heavies. He was crossing the bottom walkway right by the field when I happened to be right by that stairwell. Everybody stopped so I said (like I knew him):

"Hey, Mike. Congrats on getting the Super Bowl."

M. Bidwill : "It's going to be great for the community, blah, blah."

"Also, congrats on today's win and the extensions this past week."

M. Bidwill: "Two in a row, time to get on a roll."

"So, do you think you guys can be first team to play a Super Bowl in your own stadium?"

M. Bidwill: "Yes. And, we want a Super Bowl trophy to be sitting in that stadium when it opens!" (Starts to move on towards the field.)

"That's cool."

It sounded so outlandish, the impulse was to laugh. But, guys, he was dead serious and he said it with a little fire. Based on this straw, I feel the Bidwills will make a serious effort to grab a coach who will deliver that trophy.

I want at least one stinking home playoff game in SDS. It's the least we deserve for all the years of suffering in that dump.

 

[red desert]

Originally posted by ajcardfan
After the Cincy game, I met Mike Bidwill very briefly. He was working his way down to the field, with a couple of heavies. He was crossing the bottom walkway right by the field when I happened to be right by that stairwell. Everybody stopped so I said (like I knew him):

"Hey, Mike. Congrats on getting the Super Bowl."

M. Bidwill : "It's going to be great for the community, blah, blah."

"Also, congrats on today's win and the extensions this past week."

M. Bidwill: "Two in a row, time to get on a roll."

"So, do you think you guys can be first team to play a Super Bowl in your own stadium?"

M. Bidwill: "Yes. And, we want a Super Bowl trophy to be sitting in that stadium when it opens!" (Starts to move on towards the field.)

"That's cool."

It sounded so outlandish, the impulse was to laugh. But, guys, he was dead serious and he said it with a little fire. Based on this straw, I feel the Bidwills will make a serious effort to grab a coach who will deliver that trophy.

I want at least one stinking home playoff game in SDS. It's the least we deserve for all the years of suffering in that dump.

Thanks for sharing that. Gives us hope.

 

[Assface]

Originally posted by red desert
Thanks for sharing that. Gives us hope.

We've always had hope, just not a reason to justify it.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Originally posted by nidan
As for your smartass comment about A/C, I know people who would buy season tickets if the SDS was not such a awful place to go, part of that is the A/C.

so you're saying you buy the bs that people don't buy tix PURELY because of the stadium? nidan, i thought better of you . . .

if you love football enough to shell out the bucks for seasons tix, you're not letting a little discomfort at sds stop you. i think what you're hearing from other people are just convenient wormy excuses. when we get the new stadium, if the product is just as bad, let us know when all these people line up to purchase their tix . . .

 

[Cheesebeef]

Originally posted by Ouchie-Z-Clown
so you're saying you buy the bs that people don't buy tix PURELY because of the stadium? nidan, i thought better of you . . .

if you love football enough to shell out the bucks for seasons tix, you're not letting a little discomfort at sds stop you. i think what you're hearing from other people are just convenient wormy excuses. when we get the new stadium, if the product is just as bad, let us know when all these people line up to purchase their tix . . .

and what about those season ticket holders over the last 14 years who have fallen off the face of the Earth (or off Tempe at least) - I'm pretty sure those people 15 or hell even 10 years ago knew how hot Phoenix was - it's not like the heat in Phoenix is something new - the excuses that people won't go because it's too hot is just that - an excuse - funny that the first season Buddy was here we had great attendance and season ticket sales went up - I mean why was that - was it because the Summer was forecast as being mild - or was it because PEOPLE HAD AN ACTUAL INTEREST IN THE TEAM!

If you think the Bidwills can't afford a coach because of the stadium you're dreaming - they are NFL owners - they get ridiculous amounts of money from TV deals and merchandising - they can afford to hire talented personel and coaches - just like everyone else - and if they can't - or won't (which has more often been the case) - then they should get their assess out of football.

Mike Bidwill continually bringing up the A/C thing just pisses me off - it makes the entire organization look like idiots. Hell, the Bucs and Miami play in 90 plus degree heat with 70 percent humidity the first month of the season - but somehow they are able to attract crowds larger than America West Arena - I wonder why that is?

 

[Cheesebeef]

and Nidan - will all these people you know be filling up the house next weekend and two weekends after that in SDS for the Cardinals - I mean hell, there will be natural A/C for them at that point - or will they then be complaining that the weather is a little too chilly for them. This team doesn't get people in the seats because they suck year after year - only gluttons like us are gonna put up with the Cardinals crap.

 

[pinnacle]

ajcardfan....thanks for the info...I have been posting pretty much since training camp that Michael wants to win quite a bit and things will eventually turn around. He has probably always had plenty of $$$...he probably has more $$ than he can spend.. He wants to start winning - I talked to him briefly at training camp - I sense he is a pretty fiery guy..

With Bill Sr...no matter how bad it got - he always seemed to be like..oh well... he may have not liked it - but he never really showed it. I picture michael getting really pissed after efforts this season against dallas, seattle, cleveland, rams (in st. louis), chicago, etc...the losing does not sit well with him. Since the next coach will be under contract when the new stadium opens (at least from a contract standpoint) - I would speculate they will pay him like they have the new stadium... So..I think they will pay up for the right guy.

As posted on here before..you get the impression the players really like Mac...and perhaps Bill Sr...but the rumor has been they do not like Michael. Why? perhaps he thinks they should be held accountable for their performance..or maybe if he was in charge a bunch of them would no longer be in the NFL? who knows..

 

[JeffGollin]

When you consistently don't win many games, A/C becomes an overhyped issue.

To put this in perspective -

Based on evidence over the past 5 - 10 years, any Cardinal fan considering going to a game on a typical Sunday is 3 or 4 times as likely to watch them lose as he/she is likely to see them win.

Kind tantamount to someone asking you - "Hey Dude - How'd you like to spend $50+ dollars to endure traffic, sit in the sweltering heat and watch the Cardinals lose?"

It's all not that different from him asking you: "How'd you like to run this needle back and forth through your thumb?"

The problem is we don't win enough.

And the reason for chronically not-winning is "poor management"; "not lack of revenue", "poor attendance" or "no A/C."