Quick Hits: Arizona Cardinals Style

by cgolden on May 14, 2008 8:00 AM MDT in Arizona Cardinals Links/Bird Droppings

Here's a quick spin around a surprisingly event week in mid-May. Check back later today for a look at where Edge ranks among the career leaders at running back and if he's approaching a Hall of Fame career.

Former video tape assistant Matt Walsh finally met with Commissioner Goodell yesterday and as we all should have expected, there's no real news to speak of. The only thing that was even partially interesting was Walsh's comments that he was instructed to "conceal his actions" and "not to get caught." For a coach the "misinterpreted" the rule, he certainly made it clear to the video staff that they were to be secretive. There won't be any new punishments for the Patriots or Coach Belichick, but, at least in my opinion, the damage is already done. They cheated their way to three Super Bowls and that's how they'll be remembered, not as winners, but instead as cheaters who won.
Seattle line backer, Lofa Tatupa, was arrested over the weekend for investigation of drunken driving. The odd part about that story is that Tatupa is that he was driving a 2006 Hyundai, not that there's anything wrong with that. Just for the record though, if I ever signed a contract for 42 million dollars, I'll be driving something better than a Hyundai.
Former Cardinal and Cowboys running back, Troy Hambrick was sentenced to 5 years in prison for selling crack to an undercover officer. It's hard to believe that a person can go from professional athlete to drug dealer in just 3 years, but who's to say he wasn't somewhat involved in the 'game' during his playing days.
Chicago Bears' all-world LB, Brian Urlacher is not happy with his current contract and he'll skip mandatory mini-camps in order to impress upon the front office that he wants a new deal. Urlacher doesn't care one bit that he's got 4 years left on his 9 year, 56.5 million dollar contract:

"It's easy for people to criticize me for wanting [a new deal], and I understand that it's a contract and I signed it," Urlacher said, according to Yahoo.com. "But this is the NFL, and if I'd signed it and I'd played like [expletive], they'd have cut me or tried to get me to take less. In my mind, there's no difference. If they can 'break' a contract, I have a right to ask for more if I play well enough. When I signed my deal the salary cap was $75 million. It's, what, $116 million now? Things have changed. I understand that all of this, to a normal person, sounds crazy. It's all relative to what you do. If you're a chair-builder, and you feel you're the best at what you do, and other chair-builders are making more than you, then you'd want to be paid more, too."

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Patriots

They cheated their way to three Super Bowls and that’s how they’ll be remembered, not as winners, but instead as cheaters who won.

I heard a discussion of this on Colon Cowherd’s show this morning. Cowherd basically said that fans of other teams (mainly teams that had lost championships to them, like the Colts, Steelers, and Eagles) were trying to make more of it than was there. But, then he had on Mark Schlereth and Trey Wingo, and they are certainly in no way affiliated with those teams. Both said that it was clear that there was something more than just some minor advantage. Schlereth particularly said that the tapes could give a number of pre-snap advantages if used correctly.

So, I think you’re right, they will be remembered somewhat like the Chicago “Black” Sox. Certainly not to that extent, but this is not a dynasty where 20 years from now everyone will only remember the wins. The scandal will be a part of that story regardless of what else is accomplished.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on May 14, 2008 10:30 AM MDT reply actions

well said

I never really bought into the “well they’re not really helpful” argument. If they were creating an advantage, they wouldn’t have do it. Teams don’t waste time with practices that don’t have a positive effect on their team. In the end we won’t need an asterisk to remember what this team did to win, they’ll carry the crimson stain for quite some time.

Revenge of the Birds

by cgolden on May 14, 2008 1:02 PM MDT up reply actions

Absolutely

Nobody would go to that much trouble over a 7 or 8 year period to do something that had minimal impact. And, so much for Belichick’s story that he thought it was ok. As we learned yesterday, the staff (including sometimes Ernie Adams) told Walsh to keep it quiet.

You don’t tell someone to keep it quiet if you don’t know you’re doing something wrong.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on May 14, 2008 3:02 PM MDT up reply actions