Can someone confirm that the Larry Fitzgerald-restraining order story is true? You know, this one. I don't mean to bring this up again, but Paola Boivin's article in the Arizona Republic about Anquan Boldin makes me start to think that the whole Fitzgerald thing is just something that I made up.
Super Bowl frenzy has arrived, which means the Cardinals season is officially available in high definition and double-digit megapixels. The smallest blemishes are magnified, a reality Anquan Boldin needs to take to heart.
[See what I mean?]
Former NFL safety Matt Bowen blogged on NationalFootballPost.com that "I've seen my 5-year-old nephew act better in times of adversity." The Miami Herald ran a story debating a Boldin trade and a YouTube video showing the wide receiver's shouting match with offensive coordinator Todd Haley in Sunday's NFC title game earned a five-star rating.
[Not a five-star rating on YouTube!?!]
The worst part? Many are slapping "diva" before Boldin's name, lumping him with the NFL's wide receiving Brat Pack. Terrell Owens, Plaxico Burress, Randy Moss. Really? Then show me the police files suggesting criminal behavior.
[.............. It's not just me, right?]
You can't, because Boldin is none of those things.... He's never embarrassed this organization off the field.
[(cough, like Fitzgerald, cough)]
His shouting match with Haley over his exclusion in a personnel grouping was ill-advised but not uncommon. That God-fearing quarterback himself, Kurt Warner, is often bickering with Haley....
[I wonder why it's cool when Warner does it? Hmmm....]
Yet, instead of talking about the accomplishments of this organization, coach Ken Whisenhunt was forced to answer questions Monday about Boldin's attitude.
[Fitzgerald must be *loving* this diversion. Everyone look over there at Anquan! Nothing to see here. No judicially mandated protection orders or anything! Hey, look how pouty Anquan looks!]
The Cardinals are a terrific story. I can't tell you the number of national media members who said they were grateful for the fresh story lines, impressed by the personalities in this locker room.
[Yeah, these guys get tired of covering star wide receivers with legal issues. Thanks for the *fresh* story lines (the ones we will choose to write about, that is).]]
"We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench a fist," President Barack Obama said in a message directed at dictatorial leaders of other nations. The sports world wants to extend a hand to Boldin, too. If only he would accept it.
[Seriously?? We are going to make *Boldin* the villain of the Cardinals' receiver corps, AND we are going to use Obama's "unclench a fist" sound byte to make the point??]
Showing posts with label nfl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nfl. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Peter King, Championship Sunday
King breaks down yesterday's Championship games.
[A] few words on what we saw last night in the Baltimore-Pittsburgh Texas Cage Match. This is now officially the best rivalry in football. It just passed New England-Indianapolis in my book. The thing is, it's a little bit like the running of the bulls in Pamplona, or Balboa-Creed. I'm not sure how often I want to see it. I'm afraid someone's going to get maimed.
[Sorry. Last night's game was unwatchable. It took forever to play (thanks to a discouraging number of injury timeouts and multiple lengthy replay reviews), there were five combined turnovers, dropped passes (followed by Sweed acting injured), stupid penalties (wasn't that "roughing the punter" penalty the ultimate irony compared to the rest of the absurdly violent game?), multiple players leaving with concussions, and Willis McGahee's near paralysis. That wasn't the *best* anything.]
If I'm Larry Fitzgerald or Kurt Warner, I'm saying a prayer the night before the Super Bowl. First, to give great thanks for one of the more incredible ascensions to a conference title ever. And second, to humbly ask, "Please do not let me get killed out there."
[Fitzgerald irony alert!]
I'm one of 44 voters for the Hall of Fame, and I could well be in the vast minority on this. But Warner, at this point, even with the victory over the Eagles, making him the second quarterback in NFL history (Craig Morton, Denver and Dallas) to quarterback different teams in the Super Bowl, is not yet a Hall of Famer to me. The reason, mostly, is longevity.... It comes down to this: Do five outstanding years make a Hall-of-Fame career?
[I guess not, according to King.]
In essence, five great years got Gale Sayers into the Hall of Fame, and I supported that.
[(nodding)]
I think the Ravens are going to have to pay Ray Lewis. I know he's 33, and a 13-year vet, and logic says you don't pay someone really big money at that stage of his career, but how about $15 million to sign, and a three-year deal with low base salaries -- say, totaling $9 million? He made as many heart-and-soul plays as anyone playing this weekend on the defensive side of the ball, and I think he must be rewarded.
[Nice. Anytime you start an arugment with "logic says X, but...," you know you are on the right track. This is the "Benjamin Button" approach to running a sports franchise. The player gets older and presumably less productive, but his subsequent contracts remain high-priced (or increases in value) because the team wants to retroactively "reward" the player for past performance. Good luck with that.]
The Arizona crowd sounded important over the TV.
[Huh?]
[A] few words on what we saw last night in the Baltimore-Pittsburgh Texas Cage Match. This is now officially the best rivalry in football. It just passed New England-Indianapolis in my book. The thing is, it's a little bit like the running of the bulls in Pamplona, or Balboa-Creed. I'm not sure how often I want to see it. I'm afraid someone's going to get maimed.
[Sorry. Last night's game was unwatchable. It took forever to play (thanks to a discouraging number of injury timeouts and multiple lengthy replay reviews), there were five combined turnovers, dropped passes (followed by Sweed acting injured), stupid penalties (wasn't that "roughing the punter" penalty the ultimate irony compared to the rest of the absurdly violent game?), multiple players leaving with concussions, and Willis McGahee's near paralysis. That wasn't the *best* anything.]
If I'm Larry Fitzgerald or Kurt Warner, I'm saying a prayer the night before the Super Bowl. First, to give great thanks for one of the more incredible ascensions to a conference title ever. And second, to humbly ask, "Please do not let me get killed out there."
[Fitzgerald irony alert!]
I'm one of 44 voters for the Hall of Fame, and I could well be in the vast minority on this. But Warner, at this point, even with the victory over the Eagles, making him the second quarterback in NFL history (Craig Morton, Denver and Dallas) to quarterback different teams in the Super Bowl, is not yet a Hall of Famer to me. The reason, mostly, is longevity.... It comes down to this: Do five outstanding years make a Hall-of-Fame career?
[I guess not, according to King.]
In essence, five great years got Gale Sayers into the Hall of Fame, and I supported that.
[(nodding)]
I think the Ravens are going to have to pay Ray Lewis. I know he's 33, and a 13-year vet, and logic says you don't pay someone really big money at that stage of his career, but how about $15 million to sign, and a three-year deal with low base salaries -- say, totaling $9 million? He made as many heart-and-soul plays as anyone playing this weekend on the defensive side of the ball, and I think he must be rewarded.
[Nice. Anytime you start an arugment with "logic says X, but...," you know you are on the right track. This is the "Benjamin Button" approach to running a sports franchise. The player gets older and presumably less productive, but his subsequent contracts remain high-priced (or increases in value) because the team wants to retroactively "reward" the player for past performance. Good luck with that.]
The Arizona crowd sounded important over the TV.
[Huh?]
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