Quick note, I won't post any links for Thanksgiving, but I will post an open thread to discuss all of the games.
Helping The Hungry
Annual trek to Phoenix Rescue Mission benefits needy and the Cards
KTAR.com - Green: Cardinals are becoming irrelevant again
Irrelevance is one of, if not the, worst things that can happen to a professional sports franchise. If you get to a point where no one cares what you do - good or bad - then you may as well fold up shop and not even bother trying (as if the Cardinals have been trying anyway, heh).
KTAR.com - Whisenhunt looks for answers and urgency from Cardinals
After five straight loses, answers aren't easy to come by for a head coach in any sport. It is no different for Ken Whisenhunt.
About that Fitz quote
I was among the reporters sitting around Larry Fitzgerald last week when he did his weekly talk with the media. I was one of the ones asking questions about how hard it was to be mired in a losing streak and, also, if it was harder now than, for example, that eight-game losing streak he and the Cards endured in 2006. Then Fitz said the quote that, apparently, was heard ’round the world. "This is way worse than before," Fitzgerald said. "I had never won on this level before. I have tasted the caviar now, and eating out of the garbage is not where I want to be."
Taking stock: NFC West Pro Bowl balloting - NFC West Blog - ESPN
As usual, it appears as though a few fans have not spent the season carefully studying players throughout the league.
azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - Roster moves
The Cardinals must be confident that running backs LaRod Stephens-Howling and Jason Wright are going to return from injuries this week. On Tuesday, they released running back Alfonso Smith, who was signed last week to fill in while LSH (hamstring) and Wright (concussion) are out. Cornerback Marshay Green was promoted from the practice squad, and receiver Max Komar was re-signed. Komar was released last week so the team could sign Smith as insurance. Outside linebacker Will Davis was placed on injured reserve. The Cardinals have a spot open on the practice squad.
KTAR.com - Cardinals RB Beanie Wells wants the ball on a consistent basis
Getting right to the point, a five-game losing streak will create frustration for all. On Tuesday, Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells joined Sports 620 KTAR's Gambo & Ash and was asked about the Cardinals not committing to the run, particularly him not getting the ball enough when he is healthy.
Arizona Cardinals' president Michael Bidwill hears the grumbles
It's hard being a Cardinal out there these days. As receiver Larry Fitzgerald noted last week, fans want to know when the team would stop losing, when the offense would stop floundering, if the playoffs were still possible. Michael Bidwill, team president, hears it, too. Five consecutive losses - the team's longest losing streak in four years - have dropped the Cardinals to 3-7 and to the bottom of the NFC West. Fans are frustrated, and Bidwill knows it.
Tonight’s Rage and the practice squad
The Cardinals have brought back running back Alfonso Smith and added defensive end Jeremy Navarre to the practice squad, after having a couple of openings. And with the Thanksgiving holiday, the Big Red Rage with Adrian Wilson will be tonight instead of tomorrow. A-Dub’s guest at Majerle’s Sports Grill in Chandler will be defensive end Calais Campbell. As usual, the show will start at 6 p.m., so you can either attend or watch the live video feed here. If you want to hear it on the radio, it will be played tape-delayed on Sports 620 KTAR following the Suns’ game.
Tony Romo could play on Christmas Day | ProFootballTalk
The NFL’s sole offering on Christmas Day will be the Dallas Cowboys visiting the Arizona Cardinals, a game between two teams that could be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention at the time. But in news that could make the game slightly more interesting, the Star-Telegram reports that Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo could make his return on December 25.
Video Gallery
The Way I See It - O'Brien Schofield
(Good video)
Phoenix Coyotes' Ilya Bryzgalov, Lee Stempniak key 7th consecutive victory
First place. That's the lofty position the Coyotes assumed Tuesday night as they won their seventh consecutive game and jumped into the lead in the Pacific Division and second in the Western Conference, one point behind Detroit.
Madden 11 Week 11 Ratings Change Suggestions | pastapadre.com
Though there will be no roster update for Madden 11 this week due to the holiday it is worth tracking player performance for the next one to come. That update will include developments from NFL week 11 and week 12.
NFL Videos: Remember when: Leon Lett's Thanksgiving blunder
Emmitt Smith recounts the 1993 Thanksgiving game between the Cowboys and Dolphins that Leon Lett would soon want to forget.
Leave Hedo Turkoglu And Derek Anderson (And The Rest) Alone! - SB Nation Arizona
You don't know them. Stop trying.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 12: Where I Quit The Dolphins - SB Nation Arizona
Week 12 of SB Nation Arizona's NFL Power Rankings has some shuffling of the usual suspects near the top and the hometown team plummeting near the bottom.
KTAR.com - Espo: Searching for a second NFL team
Short of a well paid sports psychologist helping Derek Anderson find the 2007 version of himself buried somewhere deep in his subconscious or Kurt Warner returning to the sidelines as the offensive coordinator, the Cardinals seem to be beyond repair. At least beyond the kind of help I could provide in a 900 word mind dump. Honestly, if the best solution someone with the vast football IQ of Ken Whisenhunt can come up with is "keep preparing the way we always have", then what in the world could I offer up? No, instead of offering up some half baked solutions to the labyrinth of mistakes that is the 2010 Arizona Cardinals, I've decided to try and find a number two NFL team to follow.
NFL Parity: From A Long-Term Perspective, It Could Be Better - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
For starters, in case you haven't seen it, Reddit posted a pretty damn interesting chart that illustrates the circular nature of NFL wins in 2010. It's certainly worth a look, and judging by the title text, it's meant to illustrate the level of parity present in the league right now. In a sense, it's relevant to that argument, as it convincingly demonstrates the idea that any given team can win on any given Sunday. From a long-term perspective, though, most of us know that this is misleading, and that the title of this here post is a comically obvious statement.
A demonstration of NFL parity in one handy, circular graphic - Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The graphic below was posted on Reddit Tuesday morning by the user danchan22 and it has since become viral. It shows a circular progression of NFL parity based on head-to-head wins and losses. Here's how to read it: Viewing it clockwise, the team that comes first beat the team next to them who, in turn, beat the team next to them. It's not as confusing as it sounds. Look at the Steelers logo at the top. The Steelers beat the Falcons 15-9. The Falcons beat the Bucs 27-21. The Bucs beat the Browns 17-14. And so on and so forth.
Mike Singletary failing as head coach of San Francisco 49ers - Ann Killion - SI.com
Mike Singletary is proving once again why there are Hall of Fames players and there are Hall of Fame coaches. And only in exceptional cases are they ever the same person.
Michael Vick talks to students about dogfighting - NFL - SI.com
Eagles quarterback Michael Vick urged high school students in Connecticut to show kindness toward animals on Tuesday, adding to the string of appearances he's made since returning from a dogfighting conviction to become one of the NFL's most exciting players. Vick has spoken at several schools since his release from federal prison in what has been described as an attempt to ensure some good comes out of his negative experience.
Jerry Jones Needs to Fire Himself -- NFL FanHouse
Old article, but I agree with it. Of course, that could make the Cowboys good again, and we don't want that.
49ers-Cards matchup needs some spice - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The NFC West race will not be won on Twitter. At least I'm pretty sure it will not be won there. We should expect more pregame chatter there, however, as the San Francisco 49ers prepare to visit the Arizona Cardinals on "Monday Night Football" in Week 12.
Arizona Cardinals' Michael Adams outside the huddle
Arizona Cardinals' Michael Adams outside the huddle, Defensive back Michael Adams talks about teams current losing streak, NASCAR.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 12: Colts, Texans Stumble; Patriots, Packers At Top - SBNation.com
SB Nation has released Week 12 NFL power rankings.
Will NFL Return to L.A.? - ESPN Video - ESPN
California already has three teams and that isn't enough for them? Move the Chargers if you are going to do anything, but LA does not need another team...
Forgive Michael Vick? The answer, for me, is yes
Are you ready to forgive him? I am. Forgive. Don't forget.
Vince Young, Donovan McNabb and Jason Campbell have all had issues with their roles as starting NFL quarterbacks this season, and perhaps race is a factor - ESPN
Has anyone else noticed all the drama surrounding black quarterbacks during this NFL season?
NFL.com news: In retrospect, Childress' hiring was political machine at work
Brad Childress' time as Vikings head coach ended on Monday, and I sincerely feel bad for him. It's never easy for anyone to lose their job, especially around the holidays. At least Childress does have the benefit of having received a contract extension prior to the season, which will secure his family financially. Yet the pain of losing his job will linger with him forever, and in spite of all the rhetoric coming from the Vikings organization about how they are better now than before Childress arrived, their team still must be rebuilt, redefined and re-energized. Unlock HQ Video HQ video delivered by Akamai But first, where did it all go wrong for Childress and the Vikings?
NFL.com news: McDaniels not ready to play rookie QB Tebow as Broncos fade
It's the one question that Josh McDaniels has dreaded since his surprising selection of quarterback Tim Tebow in the April draft: Will the coach jump-start his first-round pick's seasoning if the Denver Broncos' 2010 season starts to slips away?
NFL.com Blogs " Blog Archive Mayock: Vikings should release Favre "
Leslie Frazier left little doubt when he was introduced as the interim coach of the Vikings this week that Brett Favre is his guy. Maybe he should have included the phrase "for better or worse."
Jeff Fisher: Vince Young not welcome at meeting for 'obvious reasons' - NFL - SI.com
Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher says though he had an assistant tell Vince Young not to attend a team meeting, the quarterback has not been banned from the team's headquarters.
Jeff Fisher could be trying to force his way out of Tennessee | ProFootballTalk
Most NFL observers believe that, after the season, Titans owner Bud Adams will have to choose between quarterback Vince Young and coach Jeff Fisher. Fisher apparently is trying to make the decision easier for Adams.
T.O. says Revis 'an average corner to me' - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN
Ten months ago, New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis called Terrell Owens a slouch. Turns out, Owens doesn't think too highly of Revis either.
NFL.com news: Giants elevate Jacobs to starting RB over Bradshaw
That New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin tired of Ahmad Bradshaw's fumbling problems was no secret. On Wednesday Coughlin did something about it, announcing Brandon Jacobs will replace Bradshaw in the starting lineup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Broncos not ready to test drive Tim Tebow, yet | ProFootballTalk
As the Denver Broncos come to the realization that they won’t be winning the division or otherwise qualifying for a playoff berth in 2010, the question becomes whether rookie quarterback Tim Tebow will get a chance to show what he can do, on more than a cameo basis. For now, coach Josh McDaniels has yet to cross that bridge.