1-13-12: Arizona Cardinals Bird Droppings - Still Waiting

Time for more links as we wait for the news on Haley to come out.

Suns, Cardinals learn the value of good defense
Ray Horton and Elston Turner have never met. They should say hello before one of them says goodbye. They have much in common. Both men were tasked with reclamation projects in Arizona. Both installed new defenses in small windows of time, after a work stoppage disrupted their sport. Both have made an instant impact in the Valley, helping turn finesse franchises into gritty competitors.

Stanley Passes Away
Retired defensive line coach and personnel man succumbs to cancer

A Home Away From Home
Cards adopt more than just apartment in work at Ronald McDonald House

Is Manning in Cardinal red so far-fetched? - ArizonaSports.com
The talk about Peyton Manning to the Arizona Cardinals is similarly equal parts shame and love. As irrational and speculative as it is, I simply can't rise above it. I can't stop thinking about it.

Cards' draft looks even better after one season - ArizonaSports.com
It's always fun after any NFL Draft to peruse the internet and read the endless grades experts hand out to the teams in the league for the players they selected. But does anybody really know how these players will adjust to the pro ranks and actually help their team? The answer to that question is a resounding 'no'. That's why it's refreshing when draft experts revisit what happened on draft night, and assign new grades for teams based on what actually happened on the football field. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. did just that, and the Arizona Cardinals received a slightly higher grade for their draft night activities after one season.

Peyton Manning to Arizona a rumor, but could be more - ArizonaSports.com
If you're anything like us, the idea of Peyton Manning in an Arizona Cardinals uniform is as great as it is far- fetched. After all, if Manning is healthy and if the Colts decide to cut him, he would only come to the desert if he wants to and, even then, only if the team decides it doesn't want to continue with Kevin Kolb. In other words, plenty has to happen between now and the production of No. 18 Manning jerseys in Cardinal Red.

Word From the Birds Blog - A-Dub does charity, autographs
A week from tomorrow — January 20 — Pro Bowl safety Adrian Wilson will use his High Point Shoes store (and himself) to help raise money for medical care, supplies and a medical clinic for needy children in Haiti.

Chat wrap: 49ers not only team in division - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Chris from Broadview Heights, Ohio asks whether the Cleveland Browns, with ex-Philadlephia executive Tom Heckert advising Mike Holmgren and Pat Shurmur, might send some of their draft bounty to Arizona for quarterback Kevin Kolb.

Best Defensive Plays of 2011
Cast your vote for the best defensive play of 2011 by using the fan poll on the right side of the homepage on AZCardinals.com.

Arizona Sports News:

Cavaliers beat Suns, spoil Michael Redd's debut
Michael Redd scored 12 in his debut, but it wasn't enough in the Suns' 101-90 loss to the Cavaliers.

Coyotes on losing end of second consecutive shootout
Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg scored in the shootout, and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Phoenix Coyotes 3-2 on Thursday night for their 13th straight home win.

Suns may start guard Michael Redd against Nets
Guard Michael Redd started his Suns career so well Thursday night that he could start Friday's game.

ASU basketball opens homestand with loss to Oregon
As the Pac-12 continues to sort itself out, there's really just one absolute: Teams must do everything in their power to protect home court. Arizona State, a team fighting through ineligibilities, suspensions and dismissals, needs to do this more than anyone and, yet, the Sun Devils have not yet found a way. Playing its first home contest of the Pac-12 season, the Sun Devils lost 67-58 to Oregon in front of 5,609 fans Thursday night at Wells Fargo Arena. It marked their seventh home loss in nine tries this season, almost a kiss of death even at this early date in January.

Arizona basketball squeaks by Oregon State in overtime
Thanks to the Pac-12's unbalanced schedule, the Arizona Wildcats won't play Oregon State again during the regular season. That ought to cool everyone down for a while. With a career-high-tying 18 points from Brendon Lavender, Arizona beat OSU 81-73 in overtime Thursday in an emotional game that, for the second straight time against the Beavers, was marred by heated words, technicals and ejections.

NFL News:

Conan O'Brien Re-Enacts Tim Tebow To Demaryius Thomas Touchdown Pass - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
The NFL maintains a firm hold on the use of its highlights, preventing only certain license holders from extensive use. Conan O'Brien has begun a recurring feature on his show where he recreates famous events that either were not filmed or where he is unable to obtain video of the event. How does he do this? Peanuts, naturally.

Tim Tebow Takes Over SportsCenter, Twitter Reacts - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
In case you missed it this afternoon, ESPN dedicated an entire episode of SportsCenter to Tebow. It included analysis from the likes of Herm Edwards, Adam Schefter, Trevor Matich, and even baseball expert Tim Kurkjian. There were also segments on the business of Tebow, highlights of each game he's played, and even a gameshow, "You Don't Know Tebow".

Tim Tebow As A Centaur: An SB Nation Fever Dream - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
One question cast a shadow over this NFL season, and it has carried into the 2012 NFL Playoffs. Days became weeks, grew into months, but there was no answer, no relief to the itch of curiosity. Fans tossed and turned at night; spent mindless hours at work daydreaming about the possibility: "What if Tim Tebow were a centaur?"