The more things change, the more they stay the same. The day before training camp starts, the Cards have three holdouts and three players who might not have had surgery early enough and several more with injuries of uncertain severity.
All June and July I warned about the holdout possibilities and now I can tell you why I was worried. It's because Michael Bidwill is involved. He has a reputation as an intransigent and difficult negotiator.
Is it fair? Nobody knows but Michael has often pissed off politicians and the Fiesta Bowl people and other business men in these parts with his pushy, overbearing methods.
All top contracts go through Michael, in my opinion. Eugene Parker, The Postons, and Rosenhaus may well be aware that Idzik and Graves don't have final say. That's not unusual - my guess is a majority of owners keep a sharp eye on the top contracts. But if that's true, the agents may well be waiting until Michael gets directly involved in the negotiations before they show their true deal parameters.
Then Renaldo Hill, Fred Wakefield and one other whose name escapes me, all had wrist surgeries late in May or June and might not be ready to go.
LJ Shelton, Duane Starks, Bryant Johnson, and Dexter Jackson all have injury concerns the severity of which is unknown.
Have we ever had three draft pick holdouts in the 17 years we've had the Cards here? Have we ever had so many injury unknowns? Maybe, but all in the same year?
Things can change quickly but right now, looks like the same ole' Cards to me.
All June and July I warned about the holdout possibilities and now I can tell you why I was worried. It's because Michael Bidwill is involved. He has a reputation as an intransigent and difficult negotiator.
Is it fair? Nobody knows but Michael has often pissed off politicians and the Fiesta Bowl people and other business men in these parts with his pushy, overbearing methods.
All top contracts go through Michael, in my opinion. Eugene Parker, The Postons, and Rosenhaus may well be aware that Idzik and Graves don't have final say. That's not unusual - my guess is a majority of owners keep a sharp eye on the top contracts. But if that's true, the agents may well be waiting until Michael gets directly involved in the negotiations before they show their true deal parameters.
Then Renaldo Hill, Fred Wakefield and one other whose name escapes me, all had wrist surgeries late in May or June and might not be ready to go.
LJ Shelton, Duane Starks, Bryant Johnson, and Dexter Jackson all have injury concerns the severity of which is unknown.
Have we ever had three draft pick holdouts in the 17 years we've had the Cards here? Have we ever had so many injury unknowns? Maybe, but all in the same year?
Things can change quickly but right now, looks like the same ole' Cards to me.