http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/teams/report/ARI/6432235
Cardinals report: Inside slant
June 16, 2003
ANECDOTES | Strategy and personnel
Hoping to avoid repeat of several embarrassing and costly mistakes in recent drafts, Cardinals Vice President of Operations Rod Graves reorganized the college scouting department, demoting the national director to area scout and restoring power to a controversial figure from the team's past.
While the moves enable the Cardinals to say they've made change, they're essentially making the scouting department take the fall for such picks as defensive tackle Wendell Bryant, the 2002 first-round pick who is showing alarming signs of being their latest high-round bust; and running back Thomas Jones, the 2000 first-round pick who is on the trade block and likely will be cut before camp if no deal is worked.
While scouts prepare reports, they're not the ones pulling the trigger on draft decisions, and the team's higher ups always have had final "cross check" duty on prospects rated highly by the scouting department.
Graves and George, a former general manager who was run off in the mid-1900s when Cardinals' drafts were no more effective than their recent ones, and Graves will be at the top of the pyramid with final cross-check authority on all players.
They will function essentially as co national directors of the department.
Overseeing the East is Steve Keim, a former area scout. He will supervise area scouts Lonnie Young, just hired to scout the Northeast; Bob Mazie in the South, and Jerry Hardaway, the former national director, who becomes East Coast area scout.
Veteran scout Jim Carmody is the new supervisor of the West, overseeing area scouts Bill Dekraker in the West, George Belu in the Midwest, and Bob Mazie staying in the South.
When an organization operates as secretly the Cardinals do, it is difficult to assess who should take responsibility for the long-standing malfeasance that predates both Graves and Boone.
The Cardinals have been one of the worst franchises in pro sports for more than two decades.
While it is true that decisions are made on players based on evaluations by scouts, ultimately those pulling the trigger on moves have to accept responsibility for them.
There has been plenty of blame to go around for the Cardinals, who are among a multitude of teams mulling whether to pull out of the national scouting combine services. The Cardinals belong to National. The other major service is BLESTO.
This reorganization could enable them to function effectively in that new environment, in which they clearly would have no one to blame but themselves for draft-day decisions.
Recently, the Cardinals have seemed to miss the boat not only on first-round picks Bryant and Jones but also first-day selections of cornerback Michael Stone (Round 2, 2002), defensive tackle Darwin Walker (Round 3, 2000), linebacker Johnny Rutledge (Round 2, 1999), defensive end Thomas Burke (Round 3, 1999), cornerback Tom Knight (Round 1, 1997), cornerback Ty Howard (Round 3, 1997), running back Leeland McElroy (Round 2, 1996), tight end Johnny McWilliams (Round 3, 1996), and quarterback Stoney Case (Round 3, 1995).
Copyright (C) 2003 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
Cardinals report: Inside slant
June 16, 2003
ANECDOTES | Strategy and personnel
Hoping to avoid repeat of several embarrassing and costly mistakes in recent drafts, Cardinals Vice President of Operations Rod Graves reorganized the college scouting department, demoting the national director to area scout and restoring power to a controversial figure from the team's past.
While the moves enable the Cardinals to say they've made change, they're essentially making the scouting department take the fall for such picks as defensive tackle Wendell Bryant, the 2002 first-round pick who is showing alarming signs of being their latest high-round bust; and running back Thomas Jones, the 2000 first-round pick who is on the trade block and likely will be cut before camp if no deal is worked.
While scouts prepare reports, they're not the ones pulling the trigger on draft decisions, and the team's higher ups always have had final "cross check" duty on prospects rated highly by the scouting department.
Graves and George, a former general manager who was run off in the mid-1900s when Cardinals' drafts were no more effective than their recent ones, and Graves will be at the top of the pyramid with final cross-check authority on all players.
They will function essentially as co national directors of the department.
Overseeing the East is Steve Keim, a former area scout. He will supervise area scouts Lonnie Young, just hired to scout the Northeast; Bob Mazie in the South, and Jerry Hardaway, the former national director, who becomes East Coast area scout.
Veteran scout Jim Carmody is the new supervisor of the West, overseeing area scouts Bill Dekraker in the West, George Belu in the Midwest, and Bob Mazie staying in the South.
When an organization operates as secretly the Cardinals do, it is difficult to assess who should take responsibility for the long-standing malfeasance that predates both Graves and Boone.
The Cardinals have been one of the worst franchises in pro sports for more than two decades.
While it is true that decisions are made on players based on evaluations by scouts, ultimately those pulling the trigger on moves have to accept responsibility for them.
There has been plenty of blame to go around for the Cardinals, who are among a multitude of teams mulling whether to pull out of the national scouting combine services. The Cardinals belong to National. The other major service is BLESTO.
This reorganization could enable them to function effectively in that new environment, in which they clearly would have no one to blame but themselves for draft-day decisions.
Recently, the Cardinals have seemed to miss the boat not only on first-round picks Bryant and Jones but also first-day selections of cornerback Michael Stone (Round 2, 2002), defensive tackle Darwin Walker (Round 3, 2000), linebacker Johnny Rutledge (Round 2, 1999), defensive end Thomas Burke (Round 3, 1999), cornerback Tom Knight (Round 1, 1997), cornerback Ty Howard (Round 3, 1997), running back Leeland McElroy (Round 2, 1996), tight end Johnny McWilliams (Round 3, 1996), and quarterback Stoney Case (Round 3, 1995).
Copyright (C) 2003 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
