The NFL free agency period starts Tuesday at 1pm Arizona time and it's when teams get giddy about what Santa Goodell will bring them. Most clubs are nestled all snug in their beds, dreaming of players touchdown-dancing in their heads. But sometimes Santa Goodell knows you've been a bad boy and delivers you a lump of coal in your stocking, something I always think about this time of year. Let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we? (And be careful of the black ice - organizational slip ups are very prevalent on this path.)

Just three short years ago the Arizona Cardinals were coming off what might have been the apex of the franchise - a record 10-6 slate, back-to-back playoff appearances - after participating in the Super Bowl in the season before.

Then Kurt Warner dropped a shoe.

And the dominoes fell according shortly thereafter.

Warner retired (Bertrand Berry called it a day previously) and on the eve of the free agency period in 2010 the Cardinals did what was deemed necessary by both both parties and traded WR Anquan Boldin to the Ravens for a third round pick (which turned out to be Andre Roberts). But unabashed for giving away the supposed heart-soul team guy, Arizona watched as S Antrel Rolle (just released) signed with the NY Giants and ILB Karlos Dansby took the money and ran with the Miami Dolphins the following day.

This was probably the blueprint on how NOT to start the free agency period. (Though as an aside, probably not as bad as the 1999 exodus when Lomas Brown,Jamir Miller and Larry Centers left the team after the stunning 1998 season.)

So, while this offseason activity that will occur in a day or so most likely won't be as dramatic as the start of the 2010 free agency period, there's still a chance that Jack Skellington, or John Skelton for that matter, will try to drop the other shoe.