What do you remember about the Fitz pick in 04'?

[Rats]

I remember having both Fitz and Dockett as my first 2 picks. When we took Dansby 2nd I was saying but what about the Dline and we had Fisher. Then we took Dockett in the 3rd and I thought this draft could not be any better. Amazing there all 3 still on the team. I went to an All-tel autograph signing event a month or so after the Draft that Fitz was signing. I remember saying...this guy does not look as big as he is listed can he play in the NFL? Cant measure heart and Fitz has both talent and heart.

 

[Cheesebeef]

wanted Big Ben badly. thought Rivers would be a bust. was okay with Fitz

 

[Russ Smith]

I think i was ok with it/liked, knew it was coming but liked Sean Taylor.

Yeah I loved Taylor but knew we weren't picking him, Denny was clearly going offense.

Taylor was a great player what a tragedy.

 

[Buckybird]

One of the few times I ever said the Cards had a stud on their hands on draft day! I was pissed we lost the #1 pick on that Hail Mary, but damn glad we got #11

 

[PACardsFan]

We had the 1st overall pick going into the last week, but won a meaningless game & blew the opportunity to draft a great QBOF, whether it was Eli, Big Ben, or Rivers. We were lucky that the rest of the NFL thought Warner was washed up or Fitz may never have developed into what he became. Just look at his career after Warner. Almost pedestrian. The big Cardinal mistake was winning their last game of the year. We were lucky to have Warner, otherwise it would have been a wasted pick. In my mind, it was another failed opportunity to nail down a QBOF that would have brought a longer stretch of success than the short-term success we had with Warner/ Fitz. Looking back, I would have preferred 10 years with any of the 3 QBOF's with Boldin, than the 3 years of Warner/Fitz. Bottom line, ALWAYS take a legit QBOF over a WR when picking in the top 3. Love Fitz, but just being real.

 

[Jetstream Green]

I remember for the most part people where not too happy with the pick and to this day it carries over with the Floyd pick and people being upset and cracking jokes that we always pick WRs. I do not fault it because other than Skillet Hands Johnson, we still have a history of drafting good WRs as a whole

 

[GatorAZ]

Good stuff guys!

Didn't realize we had the #1 pick going into week 17. It would be interesting to go back and see if any of you were mad that we won lol.

 

[Cardiac]

We had the 1st overall pick going into the last week, but won a meaningless game & blew the opportunity to draft a great QBOF, whether it was Eli, Big Ben, or Rivers. We were lucky that the rest of the NFL thought Warner was washed up or Fitz may never have developed into what he became. Just look at his career after Warner. Almost pedestrian. The big Cardinal mistake was winning their last game of the year. We were lucky to have Warner, otherwise it would have been a wasted pick. In my mind, it was another failed opportunity to nail down a QBOF that would have brought a longer stretch of success than the short-term success we had with Warner/ Fitz. Looking back, I would have preferred 10 years with any of the 3 QBOF's with Boldin, than the 3 years of Warner/Fitz. Bottom line, ALWAYS take a legit QBOF over a WR when picking in the top 3. Love Fitz, but just being real.

Simply not accurate. We had the 3rd pick in the draft and Rivers and Ben were still available.

 

[Brighteyes]

In all honesty I thought we had Q, and were pretty set up at Receiver. Besides, Larry was not a fast guy, just as Q was not fast. If we absolutely had to draft another receiver, why not get a real speedster?

Okay, so I'm no draft guru.

 

[BACH]

We had the 1st overall pick going into the last week, but won a meaningless game & blew the opportunity to draft a great QBOF, whether it was Eli, Big Ben, or Rivers. We were lucky that the rest of the NFL thought Warner was washed up or Fitz may never have developed into what he became. Just look at his career after Warner. Almost pedestrian. The big Cardinal mistake was winning their last game of the year. We were lucky to have Warner, otherwise it would have been a wasted pick. In my mind, it was another failed opportunity to nail down a QBOF that would have brought a longer stretch of success than the short-term success we had with Warner/ Fitz. Looking back, I would have preferred 10 years with any of the 3 QBOF's with Boldin, than the 3 years of Warner/Fitz. Bottom line, ALWAYS take a legit QBOF over a WR when picking in the top 3. Love Fitz, but just being real.

I think you're using a lot of 20/20 vision with that statement. Fact was, that Big Ben blew at the combine and dropped out of the bluechip group. Everyone knew that the Chargers were very high on Rivers, but wasn't generally rated in the top of the bluechip group. So with Eli and Robert Gallery (who many rated as THE best player in the draft) gone by #3 the options for the Cards going by the general big board were: Fitz, Winslow, Roy Williams and Sean Taylor.

In an interview a couple of days after the draft Denny Green actually said that with Eli gone the Cards had Fitz and Sean Taylor rated at the top. Hindsight is obviously 20/20 and given how they have turned out Big Ben and Rivers should have been there, but given the situation then, it was a correct call to take Fitz. (or Taylor).

 

[Buckybird]

Simply not accurate. We had the 3rd pick in the draft and Rivers and Ben were still available.

Had McClown not thrown that miracle Hail Mary, the Cards would've had the #1 pick! If I'm not mistaken, it's the closest the Redbirds have ever come to having that selection.

 

[Duckjake]

Had McClown not thrown that miracle Hail Mary, the Cards would've had the #1 pick! If I'm not mistaken, it's the closest the Redbirds have ever come to having that selection.

The Cardinals had the first two picks in 1958. They took King Hill QB from Rice and former Heisman winner John David Crow from A&M. They also selected Sonny Randle in the 19th round that year.

 

[Buckybird]

The Cardinals had the first two picks in 1958. They took King Hill QB from Rice and former Heisman winner John David Crow from A&M. They also selected Sonny Randle in the 19th round that year.

I don't count the years when there were 10-12 teams & scouting of NFL talent was almost non existent. Things were so bad in those days, that as you pointed out, most of the talent was later round picks.

 

[GatorAZ]

Had McClown not thrown that miracle Hail Mary, the Cards would've had the #1 pick! If I'm not mistaken, it's the closest the Redbirds have ever come to having that selection.

In 1997 the Cards won their last game of the season to finish 4-12 and picked 3rd (Wadsworth). The 3-13 Colts took Manning #1... Ouch.

 

[Big red 2]

Loved it when #11 drafted and followed up with #13 on trade. Knew we had # 1 picks in the past. Thought we coin flipped with Green bay and they took Paul Horning.
Congrats You have great recall. Fan since Chicago 47-48

 

[Cardiac]

Had McClown not thrown that miracle Hail Mary, the Cards would've had the #1 pick! If I'm not mistaken, it's the closest the Redbirds have ever come to having that selection.

Agreed but they still had the chance to draft Rivers and Big Ben. The possibilities of bringing in extra picks etc was still there for the taking. Chargers didn't want Eli but GM Smith has/had anger mgmt. issues and wasn't going to let the Mannings dictate when Eli would be drafted.

If the Cards take Rivers what transpires between the Giants/Chargers/Cards?

I big part of me would be happy if the Cards simply draft Rivers and go from there. I LOVE Fitz, who he is, the player he is, and what he means to the Cards but a legit franchise QB is tough to turn your back on.

 

[Finito]

I remember rivers and big Ben being thought of as good but def not can't miss prospects. I was happy with Fitzgerald he should of won the hiesman that year. The player I really wanted was Sean Taylor from The U. I just thought the world of Taylor the best safety I've ever seen in college

 

[Gee!]

Simply not accurate. We had the 3rd pick in the draft and Rivers and Ben were still available.

And add to that that Denny said if we had the #1 pick he still would have taken Fitz.. We weren't getting a QB in the first round that year anyway..

 

[Dr. Jones]

I wanted Big Ben..... Still think it was a better pick..... And am amazed that no one criticizes how much of a homer pick it was for Denny Green, and by extension, Rod Graves. He let his personal feelings cloud his judgement and it has affected our team ever since from a financial perspective.

With that being said..... Fitz is the Tim Duncan of the NFL. And I am proud that he represents our team. And it is almost criminal what these last two years have done to him from a historical perspective.

 

[Gee!]

I wanted Big Ben..... Still think it was a better pick..... And am amazed that no one criticizes how much of a homer pick it was for Denny Green, and by extension, Rod Graves. He let his personal feelings cloud his judgement and it has affected our team ever since from a financial perspective.

With that being said..... Fitz is the Tim Duncan of the NFL. And I am proud that he represents our team. And it is almost criminal what these last two years have done to him from a historical perspective.

You must not be much of a Fitz fan if your gonna disrespect him like that..

 

[Dr. Jones]

You must not be much of a Fitz fan if your gonna disrespect him like that..

I get your point..... Hopefully, on some level, you got mine also.

 

[SECTION 11]

I wasn't real excited for it. I wanted Steven Jackson and wondered what the point of having two prime receivers was. Nobody in the NFL has ever made that work financially, and the Cardinals of all teams was somehow going to solve that one? Riiiiight. Had it to do over, I might still have drafted Steven Jackson. Not saying he's a better player, but he was a better draft choice at the time. Yep. Flame away.

 

[Stout]

I remember I was screaming for us to take Roethlisberger because we didn't have a QB worth a damn, but thinking that Fitz would be a good pick anyway. I mean, I think I was quite upset with didn't take Big Ben.

 

[AZ Native]

I wanted Big Ben..... Still think it was a better pick..... And am amazed that no one criticizes how much of a homer pick it was for Denny Green, and by extension, Rod Graves. He let his personal feelings cloud his judgement and it has affected our team ever since from a financial perspective.

With that being said..... Fitz is the Tim Duncan of the NFL. And I am proud that he represents our team. And it is almost criminal what these last two years have done to him from a historical perspective.

Agreed

 

[SECTION 11]

I remember I was screaming for us to take Roethlisberger because we didn't have a QB worth a damn, but thinking that Fitz would be a good pick anyway. I mean, I think I was quite upset with didn't take Big Ben.

I remember waffling relentlessly. Mostly because I love waffles.
What a draft overall. Loaded with talent