"Leon" Blake?

[Red Dawn]

I was reading this article about edge pass rushers and the writer (Pete Prisco, Sportsline.com) had some interesting comments about the Cards in the "Around The League" portion.

" The Arizona Cardinals will likely have the first or second overall pick in next April's draft. If they don't draft a quarterback, somebody will be making a big mistake. Josh McCown has done a decent job starting the past couple of weeks, but he certainly doesn't appear to be a franchise quarterback. If the Cardinals get a shot at either Eli Manning of Mississippi or Ben Roethlisberger of Miami of Ohio, they have to draft one of them. The team opted to sign veteran Jeff Blake last spring, and that turned out to be a major mistake. Blake was bad, and he also was a locker room problem. In fact, Arizona players started calling him "Leon" in reference to the me-first character from the Bud Light ads. Blake has always been that kind of player, and some Ravens players said they were glad he left after the team did not bring him back. Those Ravens players say Blake would often call plays in games that were not practiced on the field. In Arizona, he didn't always know the plays. If one of the two top quarterbacks from this year's draft isn't taking snaps in the desert for the Cardinals next year, they will be making a big mistake. Now the question is who will be the coach. Dave McGinnis is out, which means they have to find his replacement. Giants coach Jim Fassel, who will coach his last game this week, is a strong candidate because some of the Bidwill family, the owners of the team, are in his corner. Norm Chow, offensive coordinator at USC, is also a candidate."

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/6953992

 

[ajcardfan]

This is the second time we've heard some rumors along these lines.

Skkorp, have you picked up on any of this stuff?

 

[john h]

Originally posted by Red Dawn
I was reading this article about edge pass rushers and the writer (Pete Prisco, Sportsline.com) had some interesting comments about the Cards in the "Around The League" portion.

" The Arizona Cardinals will likely have the first or second overall pick in next April's draft. If they don't draft a quarterback, somebody will be making a big mistake. Josh McCown has done a decent job starting the past couple of weeks, but he certainly doesn't appear to be a franchise quarterback. If the Cardinals get a shot at either Eli Manning of Mississippi or Ben Roethlisberger of Miami of Ohio, they have to draft one of them. The team opted to sign veteran Jeff Blake last spring, and that turned out to be a major mistake. Blake was bad, and he also was a locker room problem. In fact, Arizona players started calling him "Leon" in reference to the me-first character from the Bud Light ads. Blake has always been that kind of player, and some Ravens players said they were glad he left after the team did not bring him back. Those Ravens players say Blake would often call plays in games that were not practiced on the field. In Arizona, he didn't always know the plays. If one of the two top quarterbacks from this year's draft isn't taking snaps in the desert for the Cardinals next year, they will be making a big mistake. Now the question is who will be the coach. Dave McGinnis is out, which means they have to find his replacement. Giants coach Jim Fassel, who will coach his last game this week, is a strong candidate because some of the Bidwill family, the owners of the team, are in his corner. Norm Chow, offensive coordinator at USC, is also a candidate."

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/6953992

This guy thinks a lot like many of us. I will really be down and out if we do not take one of the top two QB's that is if we do not some how screw up and win tomorrow. I do not think I have ever wanted the Cards to lose a game in over 50 years of watching them but I must admit I want them to lose this one. Dropping out of the top 2 to perhaps 6 or 7 is a big jump. I do not know how they can srew this draft up but this is the Cards with a history of doing the impossible. New QB, New coach and staff, new stadium. We need them all. My time on this earth is limited. The Cubs have answered the call and what it took was a GM with some dreams and some ability and a President in McPhail who gave him free reign. The Tribune who is tight with their money stepped up and let them spend $83 mil which is still about #8 or #9 in the league but they are in a position to contend for the forseable future and got a lot stronger with some great acquitisions this year. This all started with MANAGEMENT and that is where it will have to start with the Cards.

 

[Harry]

The really important thing to say about Blake is that the team looks as good with McCown at QB. How can you mentor a guy if you're on his level.

 

[JeffGollin]

This guy thinks a lot like many of us.
Based on the technical depth of Prisco's draft analyses for CBSportsline over the past 2 years, he carries a lot of credibility with me - at least so far as evaluating players.

Whether Prisco's inside info is equally credible about Blake's relationship with his teamates - both in Baltimore and here - is hard to gauge.

One thing though - I thought both here and at Baltimore the OC did the play calling over the headset/not the QB.

 

[red desert]

Blake's done as far as I'm concerned. He just didn't get the job done.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Why don't you go read my posts on Blake over the off season about signing him.Whoever is surprised by these comments about Blake shouldn't be.THe guy has been like that from day 1.I din't ride him at all this season but i knew it was only a matter of time until his true colors showed or were reported.

 

[phillycard]

Wow, this is the first time I heard crap like that! I don't get a chance to follow the soap opera in the locker room during the season. Not being in AZ, I usually focus on the game-related. But if that's true, it just further underscores how critical this qb move next year will be whether it's a youngbuck or a FA.

 

[CardinalChris]

Believe what you want, but I remember the same media saying how upset Baltimore was that he got away. Funny what being benched and 8 months can do to the media's reporting of you.

 

[Southpaw]

Originally posted by Cbus cardsfan
Why don't you go read my posts on Blake over the off season about signing him.Whoever is surprised by these comments about Blake shouldn't be.THe guy has been like that from day 1.I din't ride him at all this season but i knew it was only a matter of time until his true colors showed or were reported.

Likewise. It seems anytime I mentioned " the bad guy Blake" , I got shot down. He has been carrying a log on his shoulder since his college days at East Carolina. Son of a coach who always thought more of himself than others did of him. He's been disappointed where he " has had to play" every stop along the way. It's astonishing that the Cards never seem to notice these things until it's too late.

 

[pinnacle]

if Skorp is going to comment on the qb situation at some point..figured I would bump the leon thread....

Blake seems like a split personality....in the media he 100% says the right thing..I saw him in training camp (obviously when the fans and media are watching) and thought he was a great guy..he led all of the receivers in a little cheer after practice...he seemed to be genuine....he said all the right things when Josh was named starter...

then you read stuff like this..plus rumored goings on in Baltimore and it seems like a totally different guy...

 

[justAndy]

did anyone notice...

that in the last 3 games there were no problems getting the offensive plays off in time?
Could Blake have been the problem in that area?

 

[green machine]

I saw a picture in the Republic today I think that showed the Cards bench running onto the field after Poole's catch. Blake was one of them, all smiles pumping his fist into the air.


Something tells me that the whole "locker room cancer" thing was the easy thing to write.

 

[nidan]

Originally posted by ajcardfan
Skkorp, have you picked up on any of this stuff?

It's the first I've heard anything like this

 

[Shane]

Originally posted by green machine
I saw a picture in the Republic today I think that showed the Cards bench running onto the field after Poole's catch. Blake was one of them, all smiles pumping his fist into the air.


Something tells me that the whole "locker room cancer" thing was the easy thing to write.

This story is complete and utter BS no matter how much Cbus would like to make you think otherwise!

We would have heard long before if a locker room problem like that had been brewing! Even Emmitt has praised Blake in the media.

The guy has done nothing but say the right things all year!

This is coming from a national media guy who is embelishing beyond belief and knows nothing of the CArds much like 99% of the national media!

 

[jf-08]

A couple of weeks ago, Jurecki and Bill Lewis made these allegations as well.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

I dont believe it for 1 second.

How come this is the first we are hearing about it? Especially if the whole team calls him "leon". I dont buy and think it is an easy angle to take as a writer.

 

[Southpaw]

Originally posted by LVCARDFREAK
I dont believe it for 1 second.

How come this is the first we are hearing about it? Especially if the whole team calls him "leon". I dont buy and think it is an easy angle to take as a writer.

What ????

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Originally posted by wallyburger
What ????

What part dont you understand?

I dont believe everyone in the Cardinals locker room thinks heis a "clubhouse" cancer.

 

[lrk27]

Originally posted by LVCARDFREAK
I dont believe it for 1 second.

How come this is the first we are hearing about it? Especially if the whole team calls him "leon". I dont buy and think it is an easy angle to take as a writer.

This was definitely the case in the locker room. It wasn't the whole team, but several players would call him Leon in off the record conversations. I know for a fact that a few of them referred to him as Leon, that Blake had the mentality that if the other guys made plays, he'd look better. He's not seen as a cancer, but has a tendancy to have the wrong attitude from time to time, especially about accountabilty.

 

[jon_nyaz]

Originally posted by lrk27
This was definitely the case in the locker room. It wasn't the whole team, but several players would call him Leon in off the record conversations. I know for a fact that a few of them referred to him as Leon, that Blake had the mentality that if the other guys made plays, he'd look better. He's not seen as a cancer, but has a tendancy to have the wrong attitude from time to time, especially about accountabilty.

How do you know this for a fact?

 

[KingofCards]

Originally posted by lrk27
This was definitely the case in the locker room. It wasn't the whole team, but several players would call him Leon in off the record conversations. I know for a fact that a few of them referred to him as Leon, that Blake had the mentality that if the other guys made plays, he'd look better. He's not seen as a cancer, but has a tendancy to have the wrong attitude from time to time, especially about accountabilty.

Who are you?