I Am Done with the Cardinals Until...
I am done with the Cardinals until they get an offensive line. I have written many times about the sad, failing strategy of drafting high-profile position players (particularly wide receivers) but paying no attention to the offensive line. The Cardinals have one of the best receiving corps in the nation, have what looks to be a great young quarterback, has a top-notch running back, but did NOTHING over the winter to shore up what last year was a crappy O-line. This is despite being $10 million under the cap!
And you saw it last night. Commentators have criticized the coaches for getting too conservative in the second half of last night's debacle, and certainly that is true. But a good team with a back like Edgerin James should be able to close out a game in the fourth quarter by pounding the ball on the ground. And the Cardinals could not, with James averaging less than 1 yard per carry after the opening drive in the first quarter.
I give up. I am tired of getting suckered onto the bandwagon. Until the Bidwells crack open the wallet and focus some cap money on the O-line, I am back to rooting for the Broncos.
Update: Greg Easterbrook piles on:
When my two football-crazed boys got up early this morning I said,
"Guys, Arizona was ahead by 20 and had the ball on the last play of the
third quarter." Immediately both said, "And the Cardinals lost." Not
only did Arizona blow a late 20-point lead at home in front of a
national television audience; the Bears committed six turnovers and the Cards still managed to lose. Arizona held Chicago to nine first downs and was plus-four
in turnovers, yet managed to lose. In the closing seconds, Arizona had
last year's Pro Bowl kicker lined up for a 41-yarder to win, and
trigger what would surely have been wild civic celebration, and still
lost. What's a stronger expression than "pitiful"? We must now twist an
old line and proclaim: Whom the football gods would destroy, they first
make Arizona Cardinals.
Xmas:
You should read the articles by Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z (Paul Zimmerman). Reading through some of his articles during the 2001 season really turned my head around about football. He's a bit of a crank, but he's a crank that knows his football.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/writers/dr_z/archive/index.html
October 17, 2006, 12:30 pmWilliam Hallowell:
Turning things from football back toward politics, EVERYONE needs to see this new study done by Public Agenda.
Here at Public Agenda, we’ve released a report that will provide political bloggers with Americans’ opinions on foreign policy issues, and is certain to be a basis for political commentary.
In a world strewn with violence and highly-charged international issues, Americans are taking notice. Using our “Anxiety Indicator,†Public Agenda has found some hard-hitting trends in American opinions and fears regarding U.S. foreign policy.
Here at Public Agenda, we’re dedicated to finding out where the nation stands, and through the creation of our “Anxiety Indicator,†we’ve been able to do just that. Our findings are extensive and expose the fact that citizens are broadly uneasy about American foreign policy.
In fact, the public lacks confidence in the measures being taken to ensure America’s security. Less than 33% of Americans give the U.S. government an “A†or a “B†grade for its execution of the following foreign policy issues: reaching goals in Iraq and Afghanistan, maintaining good relationships with Muslim countries and protecting U.S. borders from illegal immigration. And these are just a few of the findings.
According to the indicator, eight in10 Americans feel the world is becoming a more dangerous place for Americans. The Foreign Policy Index also takes into account citizens’ feelings on 25 influential international issues. Want to learn more? Go to http://www.publicagenda.org/foreignpolicy/index.cfm to download the report.
These are some of the other startling findings:
- 83 percent say they are worried about the way things are going for the United States in world affairs (35 percent worry "a lot", with an additional 48 percent saying they worry "somewhat.")
- 79 percent say the world is becoming more dangerous for the United States and the American people
- 69 percent say the United States is doing a fair or poor job in creating a more peaceful and prosperous world
- 64 percent say the rest of the world sees the United States negatively
- 58 percent say U.S. relations with the rest of the world are on the wrong track
Feel free to contact me for more information...
October 18, 2006, 9:18 amettubloge:
The offensive line is the time spent studying, or gaining experience on the job for low pay or working overtime. The glamor position of QB, RB or receiver is the fancy suit, the prestigious prep school or awesome brilliance. The latter dazzles and the former wins.
Red Auerbach, always one to refer to when discussing how to build a winning organization, preferred to draft a defensive star like Bill Russell than the offensive player who garnered national headlines. He also would draft the non-star from a champion (think of John Havlicek at OSU) than a high scorer from a mediocre team.
While basketball is a different sport, the principle is you need to lay the foundation first. Why were the Cowboys so good a decade ago? While Aikman, Smith and Irvin were very talented, they won because of their offensive line.
The basics, the basics, the basics.
October 19, 2006, 1:33 pm