What To Expect Versus Saints

[PoolBoy]

this post sounds like someone who is bitter about Leinart being the starter, and decides to lash out at the coaches practices and the whole team because of it.

 

[conraddobler]

IMO whiz is the best Cardinal coach during the time I have been alive.

I was born in 1965.

His first season he got to 8-8, he's never had a losing season.

I don't care if they dance in pink outfits in practice if they win.

 

[Buckybird]

IMO whiz is the best Cardinal coach during the time I have been alive.

I was born in 1965.

His first season he got to 8-8, he's never had a losing season.

I don't care if they dance in pink outfits in practice if they win.

Do you remember a guy named Don Coryell? 42-27-1-60.8%
Wiz has a ways to go!!!

 

[Garthshort]

Mitch

You're calling for crutches, before we've even dianogsed a leg injury.

 

[DaisyCutter]

I expect to see both Bertrand Berry and Travis LaBoy to be exposed on outside runs by Reggie Bush. I think that's about the only thing you can expect from a 1st preseason game. Maybe DRC being torched by Buster Davis on the second team.

I also expect there to be a glowing write-up of Brian St. Pierre's 3-7, 56 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT performance.

It's the preseason. Enjoy the hot afternoon and a couple of beers. Hopefully everyone comes out healthy. It'll be nice to be back in Glendale.

 

[Pariah]

Here's what i expect:

~Both Leinart and Warner to look very sharp in very limited time (1 series each with the starting unit)

~Fitz to eat up a very vanilla version of an already terrible pass defense (even when it's in more exotic flavors...like Mango).

~A boring run game. 2 yards and a cloud of dust.

~A botched snap from center and a sack given up by the middle of the line (probably to Ellis)

~A very good pass rush from the Cards out of the 3-4

~DRC getting abused at least twice by the very talented (and bigger) Saints WRs

 

[JeffGollin]

You're calling for crutches, before we've even dianogsed a leg injury.

Mitch - The entire Cardinal 81 man roster has been in Camp for roughly 10 days. Lots of rookies who won't be around come Sept. are taking away rep time from the vets. (No doubt, some of them are still trying to figure out directions to their dorm rooms). Some veterans are out. Others are being brought along slowly and seeing limited action.

This is not a very long time to arrive at hard-rock conclusions.

Can you provide a little context here? Were your comments based on personal observation at Camp? For all 10 days? A few days? One day? Or were they based on hearsay?

Rather than predict what will happen Thurs. vs. NO, it might be more productive to outline things worth looking for:

- How crisp the offense looks.

- Leinart's sharpness (or lack thereof)

- Breaston vs. Doucet (if he can go) vs. "Anyone Else" in the slot

- Pope vs. Patrick - will either or both step up?

- Will Hightower live up to Camp billings?

- Lutui vs. E Brown (& will either or both play up to standard)?

- Is our O-line finally to a point where it is opening up big holes for our RB's.

- Are the walking wounded (Berry, Chike, A-Dub etc.) all the way back?

- Are we stopping the inside run? Will Branch shake off the cobwebs?

- Are Rolle and DRC look as good as I think they'll be? (Not only are they making big plays? Are they solid)? Will DRC pose an immediate challenge to E Green?

- Have our coverage units improved vs. a year ago?

- Is Dirk Johnson good enough?

- Can we limit our number penalties to 7 or lower?

- Are we grading out higher executing assignments?

- Who'll step up and flash: Lance Long? Calais? Hightower? Keith?

The first preseason game is more a time for answering questions than for much else.

 

[Mitch]

Mitch - The entire Cardinal 81 man roster has been in Camp for roughly 10 days. Lots of rookies who won't be around come Sept. are taking away rep time from the vets. (No doubt, some of them are still trying to figure out directions to their dorm rooms). Some veterans are out. Others are being brought along slowly and seeing limited action.

This is not a very long time to arrive at hard-rock conclusions.

Can you provide a little context here? Were your comments based on personal observation at Camp? For all 10 days? A few days? One day? Or were they based on hearsay?

Rather than predict what will happen Thurs. vs. NO, it might be more productive to outline things worth looking for:

- How crisp the offense looks.

- Leinart's sharpness (or lack thereof)

- Breaston vs. Doucet (if he can go) vs. "Anyone Else" in the slot

- Pope vs. Patrick - will either or both step up?

- Will Hightower live up to Camp billings?

- Lutui vs. E Brown (& will either or both play up to standard)?

- Is our O-line finally to a point where it is opening up big holes for our RB's.

- Are the walking wounded (Berry, Chike, A-Dub etc.) all the way back?

- Are we stopping the inside run? Will Branch shake off the cobwebs?

- Are Rolle and DRC look as good as I think they'll be? (Not only are they making big plays? Are they solid)? Will DRC pose an immediate challenge to E Green?

- Have our coverage units improved vs. a year ago?

- Is Dirk Johnson good enough?

- Can we limit our number penalties to 7 or lower?

- Are we grading out higher executing assignments?

- Who'll step up and flash: Lance Long? Calais? Hightower? Keith?

The first preseason game is more a time for answering questions than for much else.

Good suggestions, Jeff.

BTW, after the game I will be heading down to the Jersey Shore for 10 days (Long Beach Island)...to beach it up with my family and friends. Summer Shangri-la!

 

[Duckjake]

I expect to see very little of the starters.

Hard to believe but the Cards leading tackler in the first pre season game last year was Pago Togafau!

BTW: Pariah, this time of year its "2 yards and a cloud of rust."

 

[dreamcastrocks]

A 30-0 victory and Mitch to start drinking koolaid again.

When did he become a darksider anyway?

 

[earthsci]

A 30-0 victory and Mitch to start drinking koolaid again.

When did he become a darksider anyway?

When Coach Rah Rah (McGinnis) was canned.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

When Coach Rah Rah (McGinnis) was canned.

Seems later than that. It appears like he has gone even darker. Most of his posts are dark now.

 

[ajcardfan]

Seems later than that. It appears like he has gone even darker. Most of his posts are dark now.

Oh, no he's not darker now. Remember, during Green's first training camp he wrote an article saying he should be fired. And he swore he would not post about the team until Green was gone. Compared to that, his outlook now is downright rosy!

 

[MadCardDisease]

Rather than predict what will happen Thurs. vs. NO, it might be more productive to outline things worth looking for:

- How crisp the offense looks.

- Leinart's sharpness (or lack thereof)

- Breaston vs. Doucet (if he can go) vs. "Anyone Else" in the slot

- Pope vs. Patrick - will either or both step up?

- Will Hightower live up to Camp billings?

- Lutui vs. E Brown (& will either or both play up to standard)?

- Is our O-line finally to a point where it is opening up big holes for our RB's.

- Are the walking wounded (Berry, Chike, A-Dub etc.) all the way back?

- Are we stopping the inside run? Will Branch shake off the cobwebs?

- Are Rolle and DRC look as good as I think they'll be? (Not only are they making big plays? Are they solid)? Will DRC pose an immediate challenge to E Green?

- Have our coverage units improved vs. a year ago?

- Is Dirk Johnson good enough?

- Can we limit our number penalties to 7 or lower?

- Are we grading out higher executing assignments?

- Who'll step up and flash: Lance Long? Calais? Hightower? Keith?

The first preseason game is more a time for answering questions than for much else.

Excellent post Jeff. I totally agree.

 

[Mitch]

Sorry guys...I do have faith in Whiz and his staff. It's the players I am still doubtful of, especially after Leinart's internet debacle, Dockett's absurb boycott of the voluntary minicamps and Boldin's petulant tantrum at the very start of TC.

I guess I am also trying to cope with the Cardinals' history of letdown seasons after half way decent ones like last year's. So, I am more than a little paranoid that history will repeat itself and am trying to sense an urgency in the organization to prevent this...thus far I do not sense such urgency...but all your points about training camps in general are well taken and I remain cautiously optimistic.

The one thing that makes me most optimistic is how competitive virtually all of the games were last year...that's a first in long while...and it's a testament to Whiz and the players that they were 8-8 and nearly 10-6 in the first year of a new system (had they avoided the Niner jinx).

Thus, if Whiz is able to build on last year's competitiveness and the Cards can show improvement this year, it will speak volumes about where the Cardinals are headed.

That's what I am hoping for...

So thanks for helping me cope...

Mitch

P.S. Don't worry...I'll be raving about the UCFAs that stand out this Thursday night, per usual. I must say, I do miss Chris Greisen and Preston Parsons!

 

[CardLogic]

Hard to believe but the Cards leading tackler in the first pre season game last year was Pago Togafau!

WHO?

 

[CardLogic]

P.S. Don't worry...I'll be raving about the UCFAs that stand out this Thursday night, per usual. I must say, I do miss Chris Greisen and Preston Parsons!

The Walter we know and love...

 

[crisper57]

I forget which practice it was, but Whiz said that one of our practices this year was the best practice he had ever been a part of: Not just in AZ, not just as a coach, but the best practice ever. That has to mean something.

To a man, the Cards have said that the shorter practices seem to be a result of the lack of mistakes. They are in the second year of the system, so that is to be expected. If they are running drills with excellent technique and not making mental errors, there is little benefit to running the guys into the ground.

The training camp injury bug seems to have been lighter this year (knock on wood). Johnson is the biggest guy to go down for any length of time and that may be just because he didn't get his knee fixed right the first time (it happens).

Boldin's whining does bother me and I originally suspected this "injury" may be less-than-serious and more the result of his contract status. I've come to hope this isn't the case.

There isn't much we can take away from the first preseason game. I am going to be looking for mental errors and penalties. If those are reduced or eliminated on both sides of the ball, it will mean that Whiz's system is starting to sink in. I'm tired of giving games away because of stupid mistakes. If a team wants to take victory from us, we shouldn't serve it to them on a silver platter, they should take it from our cold, dead hands.

Honestly, I don't care who is named the starter at QB. If our o-line play isn't up to snuff, the other guy will be the the one that finishes the season. I would like to know if Leinart really does have what it takes, though. I already know Warner does...

 

[JeffGollin]

Hope the Weather Turns Better...

BTW, after the game I will be heading down to the Jersey Shore for 10 days (Long Beach Island)...to beach it up with my family and friends. Summer Shangri-la!

I hate to admit it, but I haven't gotten to the beach at all so far this summer (combination of weather and family distractions).

The best way I can describe Jersey weather this year is that "August replaced June."

It seems as though today and yesterday were the first two days of the summer where it was below 90 and fairly dry; so maybe the tide (pardon the pun) is turning.

For those of you who only know Jersey from rancid remarks made by late night TV hosts, it's a much neater place than you'd suspect. For example, Jersey corn and Jersey tomatoes are in - and there ain't anything much better.

And, back in the day, Bruce S used to live near us and he and a friend (probably Bon Jovi who lived nearby) would skateboard down our hill.

 

[conraddobler]

Do you remember a guy named Don Coryell? 42-27-1-60.8%
Wiz has a ways to go!!!

Yeah I remember a guy who built an unstoppable offense with a correspondingly abysmal defense.

In other words if the team was bad it couldn't score enough points to keep up and we won.

If the team was good we lost.

Zero playoff wins.

It's sad that guy is remembered as a great Cardinal coach, I loved watching that team play but they were never good, just above average.

 

[Skkorpion]

What to expect? Ha. Simple pleasures.

Mitch, I expect I'll leave my place in Sun City about 3:45 PM on Thursday. Cruise slowly, about MPH, down Th Ave to where it dead-ends at Olive. Jog left (east) on Olive about 100 yards, turn back south on Th again, winding through the open field and straight south to the 2nd or 3rd light, don't remember which.

Turn left up over the bridge over the 101 freeway, about 400 yds straight ahead, one turn through traffic cones, show my pass and park directly in front of my stadium entrance gate about 40 yards from the gate.

On a good day, about a 14 minute jaunt. Bad day, 18 to 20 minutes.

Head on in right away because it will be hot. Stop to get one $12 16 ounce Heineken at the concession stand behind section 119. Park my butt in my seat and tune in Jim Omohundro's pre-game radio show on my headset.

Then spend the next four hours enjoying watching the 2008 Arizona Cardinals play the first pre-season game of the new season.

Going to leave my biases, expectations, worries and instant analysis tendencies in the parking lot and just enjoy. As I've learned to do in the last ten years or so. It's pre-season. It may or may not be an indicator of things to come.

That's what I expect.

 

[Mitch]

What to expect? Ha. Simple pleasures.

Mitch, I expect I'll leave my place in Sun City about 3:45 PM on Thursday. Cruise slowly, about MPH, down Th Ave to where it dead-ends at Olive. Jog left (east) on Olive about 100 yards, turn back south on Th again, winding through the open field and straight south to the 2nd or 3rd light, don't remember which.

Turn left up over the bridge over the 101 freeway, about 400 yds straight ahead, one turn through traffic cones, show my pass and park directly in front of my stadium entrance gate about 40 yards from the gate.

On a good day, about a 14 minute jaunt. Bad day, 18 to 20 minutes.

Head on in right away because it will be hot. Stop to get one $12 16 ounce Heineken at the concession stand behind section 119. Park my butt in my seat and tune in Jim Omohundro's pre-game radio show on my headset.

Then spend the next four hours enjoying watching the 2008 Arizona Cardinals play the first pre-season game of the new season.

Going to leave my biases, expectations, worries and instant analysis tendencies in the parking lot and just enjoy. As I've learned to do in the last ten years or so. It's pre-season. It may or may not be an indicator of things to come.

That's what I expect.

Catch a good buzz, Skkorp!

 

[Chris_Sanders]

This is going to be like your prediction that teams would pass on drafting to save money. A bunch of reactionary bullcrap.

 

[Duckjake]

What to expect? Ha. Simple pleasures.

Mitch, I expect I'll leave my place in Sun City about 3:45 PM on Thursday. Cruise slowly, about MPH, down Th Ave to where it dead-ends at Olive. Jog left (east) on Olive about 100 yards, turn back south on Th again, winding through the open field and straight south to the 2nd or 3rd light, don't remember which.

Turn left up over the bridge over the 101 freeway, about 400 yds straight ahead, one turn through traffic cones, show my pass and park directly in front of my stadium entrance gate about 40 yards from the gate.

On a good day, about a 14 minute jaunt. Bad day, 18 to 20 minutes.

Head on in right away because it will be hot. Stop to get one $12 16 ounce Heineken at the concession stand behind section 119. Park my butt in my seat and tune in Jim Omohundro's pre-game radio show on my headset.

Then spend the next four hours enjoying watching the 2008 Arizona Cardinals play the first pre-season game of the new season.

Going to leave my biases, expectations, worries and instant analysis tendencies in the parking lot and just enjoy. As I've learned to do in the last ten years or so. It's pre-season. It may or may not be an indicator of things to come.

That's what I expect.

Getting old are we?





But not dead! Go BIG RED!!!

 

[earthsci]

http://www.weather.com/weather/wxdetail/85008?dayNum=3

This is God's country!