Time for some links as we near the CBA deadline and it is sounding like the NFLPA wants to decertify.
azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - Marc Bulger prefers staying close to St. Louis
Quarterback Marc Bulger would prefer his next employer be in a city near St. Louis, where his wife is a doctor, according to this story by Don Banks at SI.com. As Banks mentions in the story, Tennessee and Arizona are logical places for Bulger, who is due to be an unrestricted free agent. Cincinnati also would make sense if the Bengals decide to give in to Carson Palmer's trade demands.
Cards freeze season ticket prices
Taken directly from today’s video QnA with Michael Bidwill, for those wondering about season ticket renewals with the current labor uncertainty (those who have had tickets should be getting their information via mail):
March madness
A couple of days ago, I saw wide receiver Max Komar down in the weight room. "Just trying to get in a workout while I can," Komar said. We’ll see where the NFL labor talks take us today (today’s expiration of the CBA, negotiated last week as an extension, is 5 p.m. EST, or 3 p.m. Arizona time). We’ll see if Komar will be around next week, or offensive linemen Levi Brown and Lyle Sendlein, who were working out together a couple of times this week too. But what makes someone stir crazy — like me — is the inability to talk about what we’re normally talking about right now. Free agent speculation (and, obviously, trades would be a bigger part of it too) that fuel March. Who is visiting? Who might sign? What are the pros and cons? These are the things that fill up a blog this month and, in a lot of ways, is what makes the offseason fun.
2011 NFL draft: Cornerback conundrum - NFC West Blog - ESPN
LSU's Patrick Peterson might be the best player in the 2011 NFL draft, but history stands firmly against him becoming the first overall choice. A cornerback has never gone first overall in a draft.
2011 NFL draft: Putting it on line (or not) - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The Arizona Cardinals began the Ken Whisenhunt era by drafting an offensive tackle, Levi Brown, fifth overall in 2007. No NFL team has allocated less draft capital for offensive linemen than Arizona in the subsequent three years, however. Whisenhunt has defended the line's play, particularly in relation to the team's struggles last season. But with all three interior starters unsigned for 2011, this could be the year for Arizona to restock through the draft.
Video Gallery
Q&A with Cardinals President Michael Bidwill
Ilya Bryzgalov shines in Phoenix Coyotes' 3-0 win vs. Calgary Flames
OK, we think Ilya Bryzgalov has only two eyes. But from the perspective of the Calgary Flames, the Coyotes goaltender had to have a few more. In a game the Coyotes needed in their run for a playoff berth, the big Russian was superb, making 39 saves - 19 in the second period - to key a 3-0 win Thursday night at Jobing.com Arena. It was his sixth shutout of the season.
Phoenix Suns routed at home 116-97 by Denver Nuggets
There has been little reminder of who the Suns used to be when they fell six games below .500 on Jan. 11. They had won 18 of 26 games and lost the eight ones closely except for a night in Boston, when the subs even gave the Celtics a scare. On Thursday night, the Suns looked like a lottery team again. When their defense was not deplorable, their passing was petrifying. They had not played as poorly as they did in Thursday night's 116-97 loss to Denver at US Airways Center since they last played Denver for that 34-point loss in January.
NFL.com news: League set to make proposal to union as CBA deadline nears
NFL and NFL Players Association representatives arrived Friday morning for their 16th federal mediation session in their labor-deal discussions, but it could be a short meeting, according to league and union sources.
De Smith to players: Plan is to decertify | ProFootballTalk
NFLPA executive director Demaurice Smith told players on his much-anticipated conference call Friday that the current plan for the union is to decertify, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Mailbag: Draft or trade for QB acquisition? - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Brad from Portland writes: Hey, Mike, thanks for the constant stream of info! All this clamoring for Kevin Kolb reminds me of a few years ago when Matt Schaub was such a hot commodity. A backup quarterback who showed in a couple of games he can play. While Schaub would be an upgrade in San Francisco, Arizona or Seattle, he has not exactly lit the league on fire since coming to Houston. It seems like drafting a QB would be less of a gamble, especially now that we know there will be a rookie wage scale. Your thoughts?
Arizona Cardinals not increasing prices on season tickets
With a 5-11 season behind them and a potential player lockout ahead, the Cardinals are not increasing prices on season tickets for the 2011 season, team officials announced on Thursday. About 3,700 seats will decrease in price, including 2,300 that went down from $40 to $25.
NFL Videos: Teams in need of a QB
Michael Lombardi and Trent Green discuss potential offseason movement for quarterbacks.
NFL free agency could happen sooner under one labor scenario - Peter King - SI.com
Memo to: 49ers, Titans, Cardinals. Re: That homework you were doing on Carson Palmer and Kevin Kolb, considering them for a possible trade. You might get a shot at acquiring those players sooner than you think, and the rest of the league likewise when it comes to such interesting free agents as Nnamdi Asomugha, Matt Hasselbeck, Matt Light and Cullen Jenkins.
At Hall of Fame, questions about 18-game season’s effect on records | ProFootballTalk
NFL owners want to expand the regular season to 18 games, while players are virtually unanimous in their opposition. The Pro Football Hall of Fame doesn’t take sides in such issues, but one question is being asked in Canton: What will happen to the record book if we add two more games to the regular season?
Police: New England Patriots' Brandon Meriweather present at shooting - ESPN Boston
Brandon Meriweather was present at a shooting in Florida, police say, but it's not clear what role he played.
Drew Brees puts bull's-eye back on owners' books as NFL, union meet - ESPN
Saints quarterback Drew Brees rejoined mediated negotiations in Washington on Friday, reiterating the union's desire for the NFL owners to open their books.
NFL labor talks come to close Thursday as Friday deadline approaches - ESPN
Rhetoric rose while the clock ticked down in the NFL's labor talks Thursday, with the league and players' union trading back-and-forth barbs a day before the twice-extended collective bargaining agreement expires.