Flagstaff no longer Arizona Cardinals training camp

Evidently, Arizona Cardinal players aren't the only free agents being cut this off season. Now, training camps sites are being replaced after refusing deals offered by the club.

The Arizona Daily Sun reported yesterday that Northern Arizona University, which has hosted the ritual since the team moved from St. Louis 1988, has turned down a one year deal that would have kept the team practicing in the pines and natural grass up in the northern city. Apparently, the college and city was looking for a three-year agreement, so the university president, John Haeger, rejected the short term contract, saying he's looking in the best interest of the institution.

The team had been in negotiations to hold training camp in Glendale for quite a while. Cardinals had offered building a $10 million air conditioned practice bubble on the undeveloped fields south of University of Phoenix Stadium currently displaying youth fields but hopeful a compromise could be reached. The Glendale city council didn't take a vote to finalize the deal which AZ Republic Paul Giblin Glendale reporter termed "odd". (May have been waiting for NAU's response to final offer.)

According to XTRA 910's Mike Jurecki , some stopping points may have been NAU's wanting to charge for parking and a percentage of Cardinals merchandise sold during training camp. There were also reported issues of signage for marketing.

(IMO, other than Red-White scrimmage, parking fees and collection would have been nominal and only a small travel trailer sold Cardinals souvenirs. This claim would be bogus, to me.)

So, while general manager Steve Keim, head coach Bruce Arians and company has decided that one-year pay-for-play deals are en vogue for their players, NAU has decided to go the Kevin Kolb/ Kerry Rhodes route and reject the offer and look for the greener side of the field on the other side of the fence.

But, really... is there a more verde color view than Flagstaff?

Once again. Flagstaff, you will be missed.