Pitiful: Manning, 49ers "secretly play" rival Cardinals bad.

[Lorenzo]

I get what your trying to say but how often do you see the Cards end up with the #1 sought after free agent?

I don't know about that. but it is hard to get the #1 free agent because of the salary cap. even for a team like dallas who had a lot of advantages in the past, the salary cap is ultimate neutralizer. and I think championships are won by drafting and developing your own guys and free agency is typically supplemental. as a cowboys fan, jerry has never had much success winning titles by throwing money around and recruiting the best free agents. the only time it really worked was with deon and that only brought one championship at the tail end of their 90's era. and that may have been payback to SF because the year prior they signed ken norton jr away from dallas which was a huge loss for that team.

looking beyond dallas, washington and philly have tried for years to win by adding the best guy on the market. if anything this can defile a team just as fast if you don't bring in the right guys. T.O., haynesworth(or any of the other snyder deals) are perfect examples.

 

[Lorenzo]

Didn't the Cards take themselves out of the running?

I think the cardinals did take themselves out of the running. I think they probably tried to give peyton a deadline because of kolb and peyton's agent probably informed them that he was not close to a decision. to me that appears cut and dry regardless of what the media says.

 

[Darkside]

I for one am proud of them and would focus more on the fact that they tried and made a real effort at not just a show for the fans. You make it sound like they have had the financial opportunity to do that every season since they've been in Arizona. This organization IMO is growing in leaps and bounds with the revenue that's comes with the new stadium. It's definitely disappointing but it's not like they didn't do their best. I will choose to focus on the fact that they went for it the best they could under what they believed was an honest consideration by Peyton Manning. I'm not going to blame them that the NFL is a business and Peyton Manning was having secret meetings at not being honest with the organization or not choosing us. As I said I will focus on the fact that they went for it and they're willing to do what it takes to win. Next time they will be more prepared for this kind of situation and will have a lot better chance of getting it done.

Excellent post. They made a serious, professional effort, and that will make it more likely we get more prospects and consideration in FA in the future than we had in years past. I think the way in which they handled it from beginning to end will draw more players to Arizona in the future.

 

[Darkside]

Definitely nightmare scenario unfolding. They took a big time jab at us too with the whole "let the wannabes exhaust themselves" line that came out of 9ers camp.

If he ends up a 9er I hope we break him in half and cripple their cap. Damn I hate 49ers. And Peyton too.

9ers always jab at us, nothing new. We still beat 'em last time we played them and that was with us having a weakened team while they were having the season of their careers. I don't hate Manning, but I hate me some 9ers and next year--whether they get Peyton or not--we're going to be more motivated than in years past.

 

[Darkside]

Another thing that should be noted--in addition to thinking going after PM was the right thing to do for our franchise in the future--is that our search of PM probably leveraged our position with Kolb signing his restructured deal. That in itself is good news. It was a win-win for us, even though we didn't get PM.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Another thing that should be noted--in addition to thinking going after PM was the right thing to do for our franchise in the future--is that our search of PM probably leveraged our position with Kolb signing his restructured deal. That in itself is good news. It was a win-win for us, even though we didn't get PM.

As the restruturing was simply paying Kolb with a different form of bonus, can't see that the PM pursuit had any bearing.

 

[Vermont Maverick]

Another thing that should be noted--in addition to thinking going after PM was the right thing to do for our franchise in the future--is that our search of PM probably leveraged our position with Kolb signing his restructured deal. That in itself is good news. It was a win-win for us, even though we didn't get PM.

I can't agree with this. Peyton or no, there is not reason NOT to restructure for Kolb. Roster Bonus was turned to signing bonus, thereby creating cap room for the team (close to $6M). Good for team and good for Kolb to have better players.

 

[Mainstreet]

Another thing that should be noted--in addition to thinking going after PM was the right thing to do for our franchise in the future--is that our search of PM probably leveraged our position with Kolb signing his restructured deal. That in itself is good news. It was a win-win for us, even though we didn't get PM.

I also think it made the Cardinals focus on their deficiencies along the offensive line. This alone should make the Cardinals a better team going forward.

 

[WildBB]

I think the cardinals did take themselves out of the running. I think they probably tried to give peyton a deadline because of kolb and peyton's agent probably informed them that he was not close to a decision. to me that appears cut and dry regardless of what the media says.

Yes, and by that time some teams we're allready making Lifetime offers. Ridiculous.

We're going to do this the right way.

 

[Darkside]

As the restruturing was simply paying Kolb with a different form of bonus, can't see that the PM pursuit had any bearing.

True, since Kolb would have signed that deal regardless. It does help out our team, but you're right it wasn't due to any PM influence.

 

[Azlen]

I would be curious to know how unfiltered the football talk was with Peyton when he was here. If the Cards do end up playing Peyton this year, was anything shared that he could take advantage of?

 

[AZCardsWin]

I would be curious to know how unfiltered the football talk was with Peyton when he was here. If the Cards do end up playing Peyton this year, was anything shared that he could take advantage of?

Kudos to the 49ers brass for taking the "secret" approach just for that reason. Cardinals brass has to be fuming that they were taken to school.

 

[NJCardFan]

Why blame Manning? Knowing this franchise, when he came for a visit, they told him up front what they will be willing to pay which isn't very much so he decided to take his services elsewhere. Remember, this is the same franchise that almost let the only QB who ever took them to the Super Bowl walk because they were dragging their feet.

 

[40yearfan]

Why blame Manning? Knowing this franchise, when he came for a visit, they told him up front what they will be willing to pay which isn't very much so he decided to take his services elsewhere. Remember, this is the same franchise that almost let the only QB who ever took them to the Super Bowl walk because they were dragging their feet.

It's also the team that kept Fitz, DD and Wilson, but since you always suppose the worst for them, you won't let small facts like these get in the way of a good rant.

You have no idea what they offered him and if they did low ball him, why wouldn't he have walked out and said "You're out of it"? There would be no reason to keep them haning around for a week if that was the case.

 

[AZCardsWin]

Not a bad and week for the 49ers - sign WR Moss, secretly work out QB Manning , sign WR Manningham. Looks like they have a great plan and they are making it look easy.

 

[gmabel830]

I wonder what the reaction would have been like last year if the Cards publicly went after the #1 free agent - Nnamdi Asomugha - and we were one of the front runners the entire time, and then he ended up signing off the radar with the Eagles after "secret talks" when we had already traded them DRC in a trade that was far from unanimous in its support. Instead, it came out as a footnote after the signing was complete that we made a late inquiry into Nnamdi and it really was nothing more than a minor blip on the radar. Seems to me the only main differences are the amount of public information relative to our team that was available and people's expectations about the situation and our chances.

 

[Cardiac]

I don't blame PM for wanting to explore all his options and do what he always does, plan and study to the extreme.

PM wasn't enjoying the media circus so why not let Harbaugh view one of his workouts on the down low?

The 9ers get credit/blame for being stealth like but wasn't that due to the ongoing contract negotians with Alex Smith? Once those negotians stalled then it was announced they were flirting with Manning.

I can't think of a poster who wasn't thrilled that we snatched Heap away from the Jets while he was visiting them. The exception would be those who didn't want Heap in the first place.

Our O-line was the glaring hurdle to us signing PM and many fans simply ignored this when talking up our advantages. Whiz, Fitz, Good Defense, Nice Weather and Domed stadium are very good plusses but a suspect (putting it nicely) O-line and CAP concerns were big negatives. Add in the Cards time line for Kolbs bonus and it was an uphill battle.

Far too many fans acted like jilted teenagers.

I'm not immune to this as I have now developed a dislike for the Titans (Bud Adams). Increased dislike for the Broncos (fan base & media) and I unhealthy hatred for the
49ers (fans and Harbaugh and well they are the 49ers).

I also will no longer root for PM to get that second ring but won't be enraged if he does.

I'm glad the Cards were in the race. I also know that Whiz will turn this into a motivational battle cry for the players.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Not a bad and week for the 49ers - sign WR Moss, secretly work out QB Manning , sign WR Manningham. Looks like they have a great plan and they are making it look easy.

But the "Devil is in the details" and Smith is now off to Miami for a visit, and these "too smart by half" people may end up with Colin Kapernick starting in September.

 

[JeffGollin]

Not a bad and week for the 49ers - sign WR Moss, secretly work out QB Manning , sign WR Manningham. Looks like they have a great plan and they are making it look easy.

Just wondering, but where are they finding the cap room for all these adventures?

 

[AZCardsWin]

Just wondering, but where are they finding the cap room for all these adventures?

As Cardinal fans, all we can hope for is our organization has a Plan B to contend (keep pace) with the division leading 49ers. Becuase right now there 3 WR set 1 TE set is about as good as it gets in the NFL.

 

[Cardiac]

As Cardinal fans, all we can hope for is our organization has a Plan B to contend (keep pace) with the division leading 49ers. Becuase right now there 3 WR set 1 TE set is about as good as it gets in the NFL.

Moss is a crap shoot and Crabtree is a brat who has potential but nowhere close to a sure thing; who else did they get?

Davis is a stud so there is one sure thing on that team in the receiving corps.

 

[PJ1]

Moss is a crap shoot and Crabtree is a brat who has potential but nowhere close to a sure thing; who else did they get?

Davis is a stud so there is one sure thing on that team in the receiving corps.

Manningham from the Giants.

 

[Cardiac]

Manningham from the Giants.

Thanks.

I solid #3 with potential to be a number 2. He may actually turn out to be the best WR which is a fairly sad state of affairs for the 9ers.

 

[AZCardsWin]

Thanks.

I solid #3 with potential to be a number 2. He may actually turn out to be the best WR which is a fairly sad state of affairs for the 9ers.

Crabtree, Moss, Manningham and V.Davis - SF 49ers passing weapons

Larry Fitzgerald- AZ Cardinals lone passing weapon -

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Crabtree, Moss, Manningham and V.Davis - SF 49ers passing weapons

Larry Fitzgerald- AZ Cardinals lone passing weapon -

Fitz is better than all them combined. Davis is the only who garners any respect.