Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 955 of 1503)

      Anquan Boldin says relationship with Cardinals irreparable

      February 6, 2009 /

      Anquan Boldin is apparently going to need more than a new contract and a firm handshake from the Cardinals in order to make him happy.

      From Rotoworld.com (via USA Tody):

      Anquan BoldinAnquan Boldin said Thursday that his rift with Cardinals management is irreparable and could force him to renew his trade demands.

      “It takes more than, ‘Well, we did you wrong and we’ll pay you this,'” said Boldin. “It’s not about the money. It was always about the principle.” Cardinals GM Rod Graves has been steadfast in his refusal to discuss a trade, but Boldin and agent Drew Rosenhaus are sure to stir up interest this offseason. Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald believe cooler heads will prevail and Boldin will remain in a Cardinals uniform. Ah, but they underestimate the evil genius of Drew Rosenhaus.

      Have you ever been in a relationship with a person for a couple of years and things start to go sour? Then even though things are bad, you tell yourself that if he/she starts changing their ways, you could see the relationship working out. You basically convince yourself that things could eventually work but you start setting the demands for the relationship so high that you essentially want it to fail so that you could get a clean break.

      That’s what this Boldin situation reminds me of. Maybe he’s saying things could eventually work out in Arizona because he’s been there for so long and part of him wants to stay. But he wasn’t happy about his contract situation at the start of the 2008 season. Now he’s still upset about his contract, but he’s also saying that it’s not just about the money and it’s the principle of the matter. You get the feeling that no matter what the Cardinals’ brass eventually does, Boldin is going to make it impossible for the organization to make him happy in the end.

      Maybe it’s time to start thinking that Boldin just wants out. He’s right – it’s not all about the money. It’s about the money, a fresh start and a change of scenery. And if that’s the case, he should state as such and be honest. Hey, some people just need a clean slate.

      NFL

      Patriots franchise tag Matt Cassel

      February 6, 2009 /

      The Patriots didn’t waste any time regarding their decision whether or not to franchise quarterback Matt Cassel. On the first day the option become available, New England placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Cassel, who will make $14.65 million once he signs the tender offer.

      Matt CasselIn the event a trade market does not develop, the Patriots would be tying up $29.2 million of their approximately $123 million salary cap on two players. That runs counter to the philosophy that has helped the Patriots thrive this decade, spreading the wealth to more players, and could handcuff other moves, such as signing nose tackle Vince Wilfork to an extension.

      The Patriots chose the less restrictive of the two franchise tags.

      The exclusive franchise tag would have prohibited other teams from negotiating with Cassel. A non-exclusive franchise player is free to negotiate with other teams, but if he signs an offer sheet, the original team has a right to match.

      If the original team does not match, it receives two first-round draft picks. Because of that steep price, franchise-tagged players are seldom signed to offer sheets.

      This was a move that had to be done. Now the Patriots can see what the market (if any) is for Cassel and then they can plan their next step. If they trade Cassel, they’ll likely receive multiple draft picks in exchange and they won’t have to soak that much money into their quarterback position next year. If they can’t move him, then maybe they’ll contemplate trading Brady and working on a long-term deal for Cassel, who is six years younger and not coming off major knee surgery. The Pats could also hang onto Cassel in the event Brady has a set back in his recovery this offseason and use him as an expensive security blanket next season.

      Regardless of what move they ultimately make, the first step was franchising Cassel and not letting him walk without getting anything in return.

      NFL

      Report: Todd Haley to become Chiefs’ next head coach

      February 6, 2009 /

      According to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, the Chiefs have decided to offer their head-coaching job to Cardinals’ offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

      Todd HaleyThe Chiefs offered the position to Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley and he has accepted, FOXSports.com has learned. They are now trying to work out terms of a contract agreement.

      Haley interviewed for the position earlier this week and a Cardinals player at the Pro Bowl told FOXSports.com Haley was scheduled to arrive in Honolulu for the Pro Bowl Thursday as a guest of Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald, but canceled at the last moment because of the Kansas City job.
      “He’s going to be a big loss for us,” another Cards player told FOXSports.com.

      A different Cardinals player said, “He was really liked in the locker room, because we felt like he was always trying to figure something out for us for Sundays. He never stopped.”

      Haley called the plays for the high-flying Cardinals offense that shocked the world by not only getting to the Super Bowl, but nearly winning it last Sunday.

      I wonder if this means Tony Gonzalez will want to stick around now that new GM Scott Pioli has decided to hire Haley instead of a college coach. Gonzo hinted earlier this week that he might want to bolt KC if the Chiefs hired someone from the collegiate ranks.

      Haley seems like a sound choice on many levels. He obviously knows what it takes for a team to reach the Super Bowl and he seems like the type of coach that can gain the respect of players. He has also already proven that he won’t take insubordination from any player and he has the smarts to draw up some dynamic game plans. Now it’s up to Pioli to rebuild the roster and give Haley talent to work with.

      NFL, Rumors & Gossip

      Dan Reeves: There is a tug of war in Dallas over Terrell Owens

      February 6, 2009 /

      Dan Reeves took a consulting job with the Dallas Cowboys but it lasted less than 48 hours. After his departure, Reeves told several media outlets that there is an internal tug of war going on at Valley Ranch regarding whether or not the Cowboys should part with wideout Terrell Owens.

      Terrell OwensFrom David Smoak’s show on KTBB-AM in Tyler: “I don’t think you ever talk to the Cowboys without Terrell Owens coming up. I can say there are definitely some mixed feelings about T.O. Most everybody you talk to has a different opinion of him. They definitely have a decision to make as far as to what they will do about T.O., and I really don’t know what that will be.”

      From Galloway and Co. on ESPN 103.3 FM: “I did find out while I was down there that there are a lot of mixed feelings about T.O. within the organization. They’ve got to sit down and make a decision.”
      From BaD Radio on 1310 The Ticket: “There are certainly some differences of opinion within the people within that organization. So that’s gotta be something that people that are there, that work with him everyday, they’ve gotta make those decisions. From an outsider, I certainly have an opinion. I think the more distractions that you can eliminate and get the team focused on the team and not themselves, then you’ve got a better chance.”

      T.O. didn’t come up during Reeves’ interview on 105.3 The Fan’s Ben & Skin Show.

      Here’s a question Jerry Jones ought to ask himself: Can T.O. be a productive member of the Cowboys now that there’s on-the-record confirmation that there are people in the organization who want to get rid of him?

      The mess in Dallas is probably bigger than anyone could imagine. The Cowboys seem to be at a turning point as a franchise and it all starts with Jerry Jones. Read between the lines and it’s pretty clear that he stands on one side of the fence regarding a lot of issues, while several members of his front office (whoever they may be) stand on the other.

      It’ll be interesting to hear what Owens has to say about all this. We all know he won’t let anything like this slide without making his opinion be known.

      NFL

      Ben Sheets may need surgery

      February 5, 2009 /

      According to MLB.com, the Rangers nixed a two-year contract offer to free agent Ben Sheets because the pitcher might need to have surgery before the start of the season.

      Ben SheetsThe answer is that free agent right-hander Ben Sheets may need surgery to repair the torn flexor tendon in his elbow, and his former employers may be asked to pick up the tab. Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash said on Thursday that the team has been in discussions this week with Sheets’ agent and officials from Major League Baseball about who would pay for the procedure.

      The Texas Rangers and Sheets reached an agreement on a two-year contract late last week and only a physical stood in the way of the deal being completed. But everything changed once it was determined that Sheets had a torn flexor tendon that might require surgery.

      The Rangers could still pursue Sheets with a deal that would allow him to do his rehabilitation work with them in hopes that he would eventually pitch at a high level again. But that doesn’t appear to be the case.

      No wonder he lasted on the market so long. The Brewers offered Sheets arbitration, but he declined and therefore might have left at least $10 million on the table this season. Sheets could be one of the best pitchers in the NL, but he can never stay healthy.

      MLB, Rumors & Gossip

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