Revenge Of The Birds: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
New Blog: The Boxing Bulletin for Boxing Fans!

Arizona Cardinals News: Clarity Coming in the Anquan Boldin Situation

Unless you've been in bed sleeping off a two day hangover since the end of the NFC Championship game, you've been blasted by news that Anquan Boldin got in a screaming match with offensive coordinator Todd Haley and that he left the field before celebrating with his Arizona Cardinals teammates. No one quite knew what caused the argument at the time and some speculated anything from being replaced by Steve Breaston, to play calling to simple jealously, but as more people study the tape a new theory is surfacing. Both Kent Somers and Mike Sando are now saying that they think the root of the problem was that Boldin was replaced in the line up not by Breaston but by rookie, Early Doucet.

Somers doesn't go into much of an explanation but he just mentions that the argument wasn't live and that he guesses it might have been caused by Doucet replacing Boldin earlier in the drive. Sando goes into a more detailed explanation stating that the argument was shown on the telecast with 5:44 left in the game but that it's obvious that it wasn't live. He considers what Boldin said on NFL Live and traces it back to play around the 9:24 mark when Boldin was replaced by Early Doucet. According to Sando, two plays earlier Boldin jogged off the line on a running play while Larry Fitzgerald sprinted off the line. Sando concludes with a great play by play breakdown of who's on the field on each play:

Star-divide

  • 10:39: Edgerrin James loses 1 yard on first down. Fitzgerald runs aggressively off the line. Boldin jogs off the line.
  • 10:00: Kurt Warner finds Fitzgerald for a 15-yard gain. Boldin and Steve Breaston are the other receivers.
  • 9:24: Warner finds tight end Leonard Pope for a 9-yard gain. Fitzgerald and rookie Doucet are the wide receivers. Doucet has replaced Boldin.
  • 8:47: James loses 1 yard. Breaston is the only wide receiver on the field. The Cardinals are using two backs and two tight ends. Fitzgerald would usually be the wide receiver in this personnel grouping.
  • 8:03: Fitzgerald replaces Breaston as Arizona sticks with the same one-receiver personnel group. Hightower gains 1 yard. Before this play, with about 8:20 remaining, cameras showed Boldin standing near Whisenhunt on the sideline, hands on hips.
  • 7:57: Arizona sticks with the same personnel. Hightower gains 6 yards on fourth-and-1.
  • 7:21: Arizona goes back to two-receiver personnel. Fitzgerald and Boldin are the receivers. James gains 2 yards.
  • 6:36: Arizona changes to three-receiver personnel. Boldin is back on the field. Warner finds Fitzgerald for an 18-yard gain.
  • 5:52: James gains 3 yards from one-receiver personnel. Fitzgerald is the receiver. After this play, Fox replays show Boldin and Haley arguing. More than 3 minutes of game time has passed since Doucet replaced Boldin.
  • 5:13: Arizona sticks with one-receiver personnel. Warner finds Fitzgerald for a 6-yard gain.
  • 4:26: Arizona sticks with one-receiver personnel. Hightower gains 5 yards on third-and-1. Teams often use only one wide receiver in short-yardage situations. Though the Boldin-Haley spat is fresh in our minds following the replay, Boldin might not have been on the field in this situation either way.
  • 3:44: Boldin is back on the field for first-and-goal from the 9. The Eagles stop James for no gain. Fitzgerald is the only other wide receiver on the field (two tight ends are also lined up as receivers on the play).
  • 3:06: Arizona goes with four wide receivers. Boldin is one of them. Hightower gains 1 yard.
  • 2:59: Arizona sticks with four wide receivers. Boldin is again one of them. Warner finds Hightower on a screen for the go-ahead touchdown.

------------------------------------------------------------------

While I don't think the argument will carry over the Super Bowl (or have any influence on the game), I'd still like to know what caused such a sore spot with Boldin that he didn't celebrate something that's been so important to him the past six seasons. Anyone buying these theories? Do you care what happened and why or would you rather just move on?

0 recs  |  Comment 10 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

I've heard

Boldin and Haley have a thing going on. Boldin was upset because he was nervous the night before and couldn’t perform.

by badmatty53 on Jan 21, 2009 10:21 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

::rimshot::

We all leave footprints in the sands of time, just watch out for the discarded fish hooks!

by Hawkwind on Jan 21, 2009 4:48 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Its only upsetting to me that he didnt celebrate with the team..

I saw Rolle on NFL Network saying that Q was fine afterwards and he left early to avoid the media making a big deal. If you think about it, how much would it have effected the celebration if Boldin would have stayed, still heated talking to the media in the locker room?

Hey, hey, hey hey hey, watch the language, ok? I have a family.
Revenge of the Birds

by Andrew602 on Jan 21, 2009 10:45 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

Would it even be an issue now?

If he had sucked up his feelings and (this would have been really difficult) celebrated the absolute privilage of getting the opportunity to play in a Super Bowl in his career?

The screaming match is understandable, the behaviour afterward just selfish. He could learn a lot from the way Fitzgerald conducts himself.

by Irishcardinal on Jan 21, 2009 2:39 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

+2

Love you Q, but thoughts of you in another uniform don’t worry me anymore, especially if that means a couple of talented rookies are on the roster next year since the Cards will be drafting LAST in the round. ::wink:: First time LAST works for me with the Cardinals.

We all leave footprints in the sands of time, just watch out for the discarded fish hooks!

by Hawkwind on Jan 21, 2009 4:51 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Dan Snyder

is on the phone right now….

"Of course, it’s downright frightening to imagine how two Adam Dunns would turn the double play." - Joe Posnanski

by DbacksSkins on Jan 22, 2009 4:10 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

If he'd have celebrated it no one would even remember it...

Just like no one is talking about Warners brief argument.

by CardsFan08 on Jan 22, 2009 1:22 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Covering your Arizona Cardinals 24/7.
Start posting about the Cardinals »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Spags_victory_small
Ask a Rams fan
4323_84938741108_637046108_2195054_7641058_n_small
Potential of Chris "Beanie" Wells
Small
The Future on Defense
Logocardinals_small
The future of our OL...
Rw_cf08_small
Former Arizona Cardinal Lance Long a starter in Kansas City?
Small
Wells and Warner lead the Cardinals to victory.
Tristin_028_small
WHAT TYPE OF PLAYER WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE KNOWN AS?
Helmet_small
Darnell Dockett and His "Dirty" Play Isn't Going Away
Logocardinals_small
Belichick's Decision
Andrew602_avatar_small
Around the NFL: Week 10

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Contact ROTB

Here at RotB we're always looking for new contributors or anyone just willing to give their feedback. If you'd like to become a contributor, create your own weekly segments, or just have a question or concern, contact us at revengeofthebirds@gmail.com.

Latest NFL Headlines from SB Nation

Mobile Live
St. Louis Rams fantasy report, week 11, Rams vs. Arizona
Field Gulls
Replacing Colin Cole
Mobile Live
Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams: 5 Keys to Success

Head Coach

G_small cgolden

Andrew602_avatar_small Andrew602

Coordinators

100_0035_small Hawkwind

Assistant Coaches

Rw_cf08_small CardsFan08

Cards_small Pyromnc