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2-3-12: Arizona Cardinals Bird Droppings - More Manning Watch

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 (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Another day, and another update to the story that just will not die and continues to change every single day...

Arizona Cardinals News:

Rumors surface about Peyton Manning, Larry Fitzgerald dinner date
The rumors of Peyton Manning perhaps playing for the Cardinals picked up speed here on Thursday with a report that Manning and receiver Larry Fitzgerald have a dinner date planned in the next few days. The Terre Haute Tribune Star reported the planned meeting. Fitzgerald later denied it but not until after he played coy during an appearance on KGME-AM (910). "I don't even have Peyton's phone number," Fitzgerald said. Pressed for a definitive answer later in the interview, Fitzgerald denied a meeting was scheduled. He repeated that denial to The Republic in a text message.

Cardinals' Heap will call Manning if QB's released - ArizonaSports.com
The Peyton Manning-to-Arizona rumor mill has been churning almost ad nauseum the past few weeks with seemingly endless speculation, blind faith and unabashed hope.

azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - Peyton's neck is cleared for action
ESPN reported today that doctors have cleared Colts quarterback Peyton Manning to play football. At least, they have deemed his neck healthy enough to play. His arm? That's something Manning, the Colts and any interested team will have to judge for themselves.

ManningWatch: Cardinals considerations - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The latest reports on Peyton Manning mimic previous ones that point to the Arizona Cardinals as a potential suitor for him. A few things to consider:

azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - Focus on left tackle
Cardinals left tackle Levi Brown has been the target of considerable criticism over the last five seasons. His draft status (fifth overall), his position (first right tackle, then left) and his performance have made him a focal point.

Warner on Peyton Manning to AZ possibilities - ArizonaSports.com
The only quarterback to ever lead the Arizona Cardinals to a Super Bowl appearance is making the rounds at radio row in Indianapolis at this year's Super Bowl, and he's got some interesting thoughts on his former team's quarterback position. Kurt Warner joined ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike (mornings 5 to 9 a.m on Arizona Sports 620) and discussed the looming possibility that Colts quarterback Peyton Manning could be wearing Cardinal red in 2012.

Fitzgerald: Every receiver would love to play with Peyton Manning - ArizonaSports.com
Last summer, as the Cardinals searched for a quarterback, Larry Fitzgerald's name came up often. The team's best player, it was thought (true or not) Fitz had some say in who the team was targeting. At the very least, the hope to sign the Pro Bowler to a contract extension had to have played a role in the move to go out and get a guy like Kevin Kolb, who was considered by many to be the best QB on the market. Things didn't work out as planned in Kolb's first season with the Cardinals, and while Fitzgerald isn't campaigning for the team to get a new signal caller, he said he'd like to play with one who could be on the market very soon.

Word From the Birds Blog - At the Super Bowl, Fitz talks QBs
Every year at the Super Bowl, Larry Fitzgerald has a day where he does a series of interviews on Radio Row and with TV stations. He has endorsement obligations to get in front of all the media types to put out whatever endorsement message he has, and fields a bunch of other football questions. Some years, the questions are a little more interesting that others, and obviously, he dropped into the middle of Peyton Manning week out there in Indy. Early in the day, Fitz appeared on ESPN radio with "Mike and Mike," and was asked about the speculation of Manning and Arizona. "Everybody, if you play receiver, would love to play with a quarterback like Peyton Manning," Fitz said. "Anyone in your right mind would want to play with him." But on a couple of interviews, including one with Bickley and MJ on XTRA 910, Fitzgerald was clear about his support for current quarterbacks Kevin Kolb and John Skelton."We have two really good quarterbacks on the roster right now," Fitzgerald said. "We showed we can win with both of them. With an offseason, I think Kevin is going to do a lot better. … It will pay dividends for us."

Super Bowl XLVI offers valuable lessons for Arizona, the Cardinals
Incredulity is in the air. Nap Town is alive and thriving. The urban Super Bowl is a huge success, where everything is in walking distance, and everyone feels the electricity. These are high times for Hoosiers, who may be the luckiest sports fans in history. And there are lessons to be learned for Arizona, the Cardinals and our own Super Bowl host committee.

Super Week Makes Cards Think
For players who have been there, watching can be difficult

Report: Fitzgerald, Manning to have dinner in Indy | ProFootballTalk
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on January 22 that the Arizona Cardinals have "real interest" in quarterback Peyton Manning, who is expected to become a free agent when the Colts decline his $28 million roster bonus before March 8. Schefter was adamant that Manning will be pursued by Arizona. Larry Fitzgerald is making Schefter look good.

Aeneas Up for Hall of Fame
Former Arizona Cardinals CB Aeneas Williams is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012. Williams was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times and finished his career with 55 interceptions. The Class of 2012 will be announced on Saturday, February 4 at 3:30pm AZ time on NFL Network.

Arizona Sports News:

Arizona basketball knocks off California on the road
Arizona and California have gone to the wire so many times of late, it's no wonder things turned testy. Kyle Fogg hit a go-ahead 3-pointer under pressure with 1:19 to play and finished with 23 points, Jesse Perry added a key basket with 45.2 seconds left and Arizona knocked Cal out of the Pac-12 lead with a wild 78-74 victory Thursday night.

Aaron Bright, Stanford hammer ASU basketball
Every time Arizona State starts to show improvement, the bottom drops out -- always on the road, always in a way that makes you wonder if this team will win again. Five days after recording their third conference win, the Sun Devils turned in another ugly performance Thursday night, losing 68-44 to Stanford at Maples Pavilion.

NFL News:

Peyton Manning Medically Cleared To Resume NFL Career, According To Report - SBNation.com
Peyton Manning has been medically cleared to return to football, according to a report by ESPN's Chris Mortenson. Manning has been recovering and rehabbing from a second neck surgery, which fused together vertebrae in an attempt to stabilize his injury neck. His future as a player, however, has been and remains unclear.

Jim Irsay Denies Peyton Manning Has Been Cleared To Play For The Colts - SBNation.com
If you thought this whole Peyton Manning thing was going to be smooth sailing, sunshine and lollipops ... well, think again. On Thursday, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Manning was medically cleared to play football. In fact, the sources told him one of Manning's doctors went as far as to say Manning could go Sunday. One has to assume word leaked from the Manning camp and done so with some kind of purpose, whatever it may have been.

Colts Owner: Peyton Manning Decision Likely Coming In March - SBNation.com
While many have speculated on the future of Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning's future, Colts owner Jim Irsay continues to refute reports that a decision has been made on Manning's future with the team. Irsay will face a decision on March 8, which is when a $28 million bonus in Manning's contract will be triggered. Irsay told reporters on Wednesday that it's possible that March 8 deadline could be pushed back.

Tom Brady used an illegal stream to watch Super Bowl XLV | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell may not be so pleased to hear how New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady watched Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl in 2011. Still rehabbing his foot, Brady watched an illegal stream of the game online.

Stephen A. Smith flipped off Skip Bayless during ESPN’s ‘First Take’ | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
Stephen A. Smith lived out an ESPN viewer's fantasy on Thursday when he flipped the bird to everyone's favorite punching bag, Skip Bayless, during a live segment on "First Take."