Tournament time is upon us and the first handful of opening round games in the “Phoenix’s Most Hated” tournament are ready to kick off.
We’ve got some big time Phoenix Suns playoff foes in our first match ups with the Team Region’s No.2 seed San Antonio Spurs taking on the No.7 seed Houston Rockets.
In the Coaches Region we have the No.2 seed Gregg Popovich, the brains behind the San Antonio Spurs, up against the No.7 seed Dennis Green, who wasn’t who we thought he was.
In the Player Region the No.2 seed Manu Ginobili faces off with No.7 seed, and Suns championship killer, John Paxson.
In our final day two match up, the No.2 seed in the Random Region, Playoff losses, a familiar foe to Phoenix sports fans, are up against the No.7 seed D-Backs color changes.
Let your hatred be heard and vote below. Polls will close Sunday. The No.4 vs. No.5 match ups will be open for voting Friday.
Once Kurt Warner retired, everyone thought that Matt Leinart would be the heir apparent at quarterback for the Cardinals. However, “Hollywood” hasn’t really shown the ability to be a capable NFL starting quarterback just yet, so the Cards needed an insurance policy. Enter Derek Anderson, who was released by the Browns because of his bulky contract. DA has a rocket for an arm, but has struggled to duplicate the kind of performance that he had in 2007 when he was a Pro Bowler and led the Browns to 10 wins. However, in the right role, there is a place for Anderson in this league and Arizona may be the perfect for him. Anderson and the Browns fans didn’t really have a very good relationship. In fact after leading the team to a 10-win season, the most wins the team has had since they came back in 1999, most people wanted to trade him away and turn things over the Brady Quinn. Then when he was lying on the ground in pain, some fans, not all of them, but some fans were cheering the fact that he was hurt. A change of scenery and a new NFL-caliber supporting cast may be exactly what Derek Anderson needs. Matt Leinart is the starting quarterback for the Cardinals, but having a young player just getting in the prime of his career, with a Pro Bowl already attached to his NFL resume, serving as his backup can’t be a bad thing in the desert.
Derek Anderson joined KTAR in Phoenix with Gambo and Ash to talk about what led him to the decision to pick Arizona, what went wrong in Cleveland, how he feels about playing with Larry Fitzgerald, and whether or not he is going to Arizona to be the starter.
On whether or not it was weird the last year and a half in Cleveland:
“To say the least. It was a little bit frustrating at times, but I’m happy about a new opportunity, a new organization and new teammates.”
On what went wrong in Cleveland:
“A lot of different things. You can say it’s one thing or another but the facts are we didn’t play well. We had a lot of change and it was kinda hard. You kinda stick with the same guys over time and let everybody progress. It didn’t exactly happen. I’m just happy that I’m out of there and headed to Arizona.”
On not having the kind of weapons at wide receiver that he had in 2007:
“Yeah. Braylon (Edwards) played really well at times and he’s a really good receiver. Obviously we traded him going into this last year and started with two rookie receivers that have a lot to learn, but I think are going to be good players in this league in time. That was obviously an issue for us this last year. It was a struggle but when Braylon was rolling and Kellen (Winslow) was rolling, we were tough to stop.”
On getting to play with Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, and Early Doucet:
“Yeah. Obviously Larry being one of those guys, I was telling someone the other day, just a guy you watch on tape, you would love to throw to, and kinda get the ball anywhere around his body. He has such great body control and great hands. He can make some amazing plays.”
On why he chose to go to Arizona:
“I just got a really good feel. Coaching staff was awesome and I had a great meeting with them last week. They made it clear what the situation was going to be. I was looking to try and get back on the West Coast a little closer to home and obviously the weather doesn’t suck down there so I was kinda excited about that too.”
On whether or not he was told he would start:
“No. Coach said I would come in as the backup and it’s my job to push Matt and make Matt better. I know Matt a little bit from when we were younger. I wanna come in and compete. That’s what I always do coming into training camp and OTA’s. That’s kinda always been my mindset.”
On what he thought about Brady Quinn being traded:
“Yeah, it was a little weird. I just talked to him the night before too which was kinda funny. I think that will be good for him. Change will be good. Just get out of there and start over in a new place.”
On the comments that he made about Cleveland fans:
“There were some hard feelings. Like I said, it maybe shouldn’t have been said. It’s probably the initial feelings, but I know it’s not everybody and I understand that. Probably the feelings were mutual going both ways. I’m alright with it, but I’m happy to move on and start in a new city. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Arizona and their fans.”
If Matt Leinart has a problem with the Cardinals signing Derek Anderson as a free agent, then the Cardinals should have a problem with Matt Leinart.
The Cardinals have done a lot for Leinart. They took him when his stock began to fall on draft day. They paid him well. They backed him when he became the TMZ poster boy and the international symbol for beer bongs. They made excuses for his play as backup for the last few years, attributing his play to rust and lack of snaps.
But if Kurt Warner, who more than any one player is responsible for taking the Cardinals from mediocrity a breath away from a Super Bowl title, had to win his job in training camp with a championship ring and MVP trophy in his locker, Leinart should have no problem showing Anderson who is the better quarterback in July and August.
To hand this team to Leinart and sign two clipboard holders as backups would have been a disservice to all those still wearing red in the desert. Arizona’s running game has and will improve, but the success of the offense will still lean heavily on getting the ball to Larry Fitzgerald controlling the ball. Leinart has had plenty of time to learn, mature and assume the persona of a leader – but there is still a question whether he can produce,
Anderson has been in the league just as long and has played more. Unlike Leinart, he’s thrown more touchdowns than interceptions and been to a Pro Bowl. Statistically, he had about the same numbers as Leinart but there is one caveat – when he gets under center in training camp, he will be surrounded by the best offense and team he’s ever had.
It’s a level playing field for both. May the best man win. And as long as you know you are the best man, there’s no reason to feel threatened or slighted.
Arizona will be better off if Leinart accepts the challenge, wins the job, beings a mobility factor that was missing with Warner and shows that he has learned how to manage a football game. But it shouldn’t be an all-or-nothing proposition. It shouldn’t be swim or Charlie Batch.
The Cardinals have had a predictable, Bidwill-like offseason that has fans uneasy as free agents head for the hills (circa 1998). But I can’t make a compelling argument for wildly overpaying Antrelle Rolle and Karlos Dansby – leaders of an underwhelming defense – but the best thing you can say about the replacement is they are cheaper.
The Anderson move makes sense. Instead of trying to find lightning in another aging arm, Anderson is a decent alternative if Leinart gets hurt – or if Leinart proves he deserves to be the starter. It’s time for that guy who led USC to national titles to show up for work…
I WAS among those touring the virtues of Arizona State’s basketball team. Predicted to finish seventh in the conference, the Devils won 22 games and finished second in the Pac-10 despite a roster devoid of star power or go-to-players.
But ASU proved they weren’t an NCAA-worthy team in the last week – first losing to a Stanford team they had handled easily twice earlier in the season and then imploding at home against Jacksonville Tuesday in the first round of the NIT.
This is the same Dolphins team that lost to Cal – a team that barely made the tournament themselves – by 32 points and had also lost to the likes of Belmont and Lipscomb (that sounds more like a cross street than two college basketball teams).
Missing “The Dance” on Sunday should not have come as a surprise to anyone in Tempe, especially after Washington won the Pac-10 Tournament and knocked everyone in a weaker conference down a peg. But coach Herb Sendek didn’t appear ready to let it go at Monday’s press conference, once again going over the Devils’ resume and their place in history as the first second-place, BCS-conference team not to be invited. With an NIT game 24 hours away, it might not have been the best tact…
GREAT fun to watch the Suns roll up 152 points on Kurt Rambis and the T-Wolves Tuesday. And for those who say “So what, they couldn’t beat the Lakers,” I counter that a Suns team that has won 16 of the last 21 games might be peaking at the right time on several levels.
*Amar’e Stoudemire is 100 percent. Leandro Barbosa is back. Steve Nash, after a week of intense workouts with physiotherapist Rick Celebrini, is getting there.
*Robin Lopez in the starting lineup is part of a domino effect that has made Channing Frye and Lou Amundson more effective. And if one of them isn’t clicking in a specific game, he sits and watches the other two.
*A Phoenix team that could never get to the free throw line is suddenly there all the time. More inside offense. More slashing to the basket. More scoring in the half court, and more pressure on defenses.
*Jason Richardson finally looks like the player the Suns thought they had obtained from Charlotte. He’s still not a complete player and cal still shoot you out of a game, but at least he’s bring the J-Rich that was advertised, the J-Rich that scored at will in Golden State. Hopefully, he’s also the J-Rich that rose to the occasion for the Warriors in the postseason.
No one will mistake the Suns for a championship contender. But their makeup and personnel might be more difficult to counter in a seven-game series than year’s past. You can’t just slow them down and exploit Steve Nash with a pick-and-roll and expect the Suns to fold. They could be a tougher out.
The Arizona Cardinals and head coach Ken Whisenhunt didn’t hide the fact that they wanted Matt Leinart to compete for the starting quarterback job in 2010. Today’s reported signing of Derek Anderson made it crystal clear that Leinart will have to fight for the job.
According to ProFootballTalk.com’s Gregg Rosenthal, Anderson’s deal is for 2-years $7.25 million. The contract includes $3.25 million in guaranteed money and incentives that could reach $18.25 million.
Numbers like that aren’t what you’d give to a quarterback whose primary duties will be to hold a clipboard. That is the kind of guaranteed money and incentives you give to a player you fully expect to push for the starting job.
Earlier in the week it looked like the Cards were in hot pursuit of San Diego Chargers’ third string quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, a quarterback who had never thrown a pass in a regular season NFL game and not much competition for Leinart. Instead, they wind up with a young, former Pro Bowl quarterback in Anderson who should push the former USC star.
Confidence in Leinart, from the organization and fans, has always been a question mark. The Anderson signing just perpetuations that thought.
Changing that perception will squarely be on Leinart’s shoulders this season. The only question left is, does he have enough fight in him to beat out Derek Anderson?
According to Sports 620 KTAR’s Paul Calvisi, the Arizona Cardinals will officially announce the signing of quarterback Derek Anderson this afternoon.
Anderson, the former Cleveland Browns starting quarterback, made the Pro Bowl in 2007, has over 7,000 yards and 46 career touchdowns over four seasons. He was cut by the Browns’ last week as part of the team’s rebuilding process.
Most recently Anderson was best known for his comments about how poorly the fans in Cleveland treated him and that they didn’t deserve a winner.
On this edition of the show, Greg admits he might be wrong about the Arizona Cardinals no longer being cheap, takes Phoenix sports fans to task for electing Billy Mayfair into the Arizona Hall of Fame over Cotton Fitzsimmons, tries to untangle the mess that is Ice Edge Holdings bid to buy the Phoenix Coyotes and unveils the “Phoenix’s Most Hated” Tournament bracket.
The show is fully interactive. Share your own thoughts in the comment section, take part in the rant or rave polls and compete for Oakland A’s Spring Training tickets by answering the “big question of the day” by voicemail, text or email.
It’s the Phoenix Sports Retorters, brought to you by [insert your company title here, honestly we're desperate]
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Your Turn to Participate in the Show:
Rant or Rave
Are you ranting or raving about Billy Mayfair making the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame over Cotton Fitzsimmons?
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The Big Question of the Day
Who is in your “Forsaken 4″ and who is your winner in the Phoenix’s Most Hated Tournament and why?
The best answer will be shared on Thursday’s edition of the Phoenix Sports Retorters.
Call or text the show at (602) 492-4FANS (4326) or email the guys at PSR@Fanster.com with your answer. The best response wins tickets to either a Arizona Rattlers or Arizona Diamondbacks game.
It’s the episode number four, or as we like to call it, the Brett Favre edition of The Phoenix Sports Retorters because we could decide whether or not to actually do the show until the very last minute.
Your host Greg Esposito flies solo, once again, begging the question, “Will you change the damn name to the Sports Retorter already?”. It’s alright though, like Norm on Cheers, Greg likes it better without Vierra (Matt) around.
On this edition of the show, Greg shares a little pointless banter about Conan O’Brien and why American Idols Kara DioGuardi leans so close to Simon Cowell. One that dorky one minute of the show is over, he rants or raves about the idea that Darnell Dockett is the new face of the Arizona Cardinals franchise and and he asks the big question of the day; What players, coaches, teams and things do you hate most as a Phoenix sports fan? All that plus he takes a look at the listener mail from Tuesday’s show and welcomes in a surprise judge to rate his performance.
The show is fully interactive. Share your own thoughts in the comment section, take part in the rant or rave polls and compete for Oakland A’s Spring Training tickets by answering the “big question of the day” by voicemail, text or email.
It’s the Phoenix Sports Retorters, brought to you by [insert your company title here, honestly we're desperate]
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Who is your most hated player, coach, team and thing as a Phoenix sports fan?
Your answer will be included in the “Phoenix’s Most Hated” tournament with the bracket being announced on Tuesday’s edition of the Phoenix Sports Retorters.
Call or text the show at (602) 492-4FANS (4326) or email the guys at PSR@Fanster.com with your answer. The best response wins tickets to a Oakland A’s Cactus League game this March, courtesy of our friends at On Air Sports Marketing, and will be played or read on next week’s show.
When Kurt Warner retired after the Arizona Cardinals playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints, it meant that the team would not only be in search of a new starting quarterback, but also a new face of the franchise.
Everyone knew that the quarterback situation would be up in the air until training camp, but the new face of the franchise seemed like a lock.
After his breakout season in 2008 and with numerous endorsements, including the cover of EA Sports Madden NFL ‘10, Larry Fitzgerald would have seemed to be the odds-on favorite. If Vegas put prop best on things like this (I checked, unfortunately they don’t), Fitzgerald would have been the 1/1 favorite with everyone else a very distant second.
Sports are all about upsets, and like in Super Bowl III, a brash young man, not afraid to speak his mind is about to pull one.
Cards defensive end Darnell Dockett, or 9-0 as he likes to be called, has emerged as the new “voice” of the team.
Need a comment on the trade for Kerry Rhodes? 9-0 is your man.
Wooing free agents to come to the desert and be part of the “Bird Gang”? Dockett has a few suggestions he’d like to share (Joey Porter seems to be his top priority.).
Since Warner’s retirement we’ve heard very little from most of the players on the team, Fitzgerald included. During that same time, Dockett hasn’t shied away from the spotlight. He’s done radio interviews locally and nationally. He’s been on CBSSports.com’s video show, along with sharing his uncensored opinions and offseason employment ideas via Twitter.
When the national media was ready to bury the Cardinals after Boldin, Dansby and Rolle all flew the coop last Friday, Dockett not only shared his truthful opinion on the moves, but was the first to defend his team and proclaim them still the team to beat in the NFC West.
With the bearded one under center, there was no question who the alpha “bird” was and there was no question what would come out of his mouth. Warner was a media relations director’s best friend. He gave thoughtful, insightful answers, rarely ruffled feathers (just let me know when the bird cliches are getting old) and rarely provided bulletin board material for the rest of the league.
If the current trend continues and 9-0 is the new face and voice of the franchise, the Cardinals are about to enter a brave new world, Darnell Dockett’s world. A world in which cliches and double speak aren’t welcome. One where those without confidence better not show up on Sundays, where winning is everything and freedom of speech is the only rule (as long as you’re a Cardinal).
Get excited, this isn’t your “same old Cardinals”. These birds have more attitude than the cast of Jersey Shore at 4 a.m. on a Saturday. It’s only appropriate that the new face of the team, is the same face that gave us one of the best pictures in team history.
Fitz may still have the most skills and endorsements, but it’s Darnell Dockett who has everyone’s attention.
Matt Leinart is going to have to compete to be the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals in 2010. That’s not my opinion, it’s the opinion of head coach Ken Whisenhunt.
Whisenhunt told XTRA Sports 910’s Bickley and MJ yesterday that he wasn’t ready to name Matt Leinart the starter but that he has “a great deal of confidence” in him.
Much has been made about the comment but it really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Whisenhunt rarely names starters before the preseason is underway. Leinart knows that first hand. In 2008 the Whiz let held an open competition between him and Kurt Warner for the starting job even though Warner threw more touchdown passes the previous season (Hat Tip to Darren Urban). Whisenhunt is kind of like the Elin Nordegren of NFL coaching, he gives millionaire players a chance no matter how bad they’ve been in the past.
While a quarterback competition is obviously on the docket –should it be spelled dockett when talking about the Cards?–, there is one problem, Leinart is the only QB on the roster. Although many will argue that Leinart has been in competition with himself and his potential for years, Rod Graves and Whisenhunt will need to add at least one veteran quarterback with experience as a starter this off season.
Names like David Carr –recently signed by the 49ers to mentor Alex Smith on the finer points of being a big time number 1 pick bust– , Jake Delhome, Marc Bulger and Charlie Batch have all been mentioned as possible competitors for Leinart. The problem is, Delhome and Bulger are older injury prone quarterbacks past their prime and I’m not sure Charlie Batch ever had a prime. He hasn’t started more than two games in a season since Jake Plummer was the Cardinals Quarterback (2001) and he promptly went 0-9 for the lowly Lions.
If the Cards want an actual competition and not one just in theory –like any reality show on television–, they’ll have to turn to someone who doesn’t have one foot in their preverbal NFL grave (Sorry Cards’ fans, Whisenhunt and Graves were only allotted one miracle QB resurrection but they can still turn Gatorade into wine if you’d like).
There is one name on my list –which ironically was the case for most of my birthday guest lists as a child– and that guy is Derek Anderson.
Anderson, who was recently released by the Cleveland Browns, came into the league the same season as Leinart, started more games than him, has shown more potential and even played in a Pro Bowl. He has thrown for over 7,000 career yards and has 46 touchdowns.
Overall Anderson’s numbers don’t look significantly better than Leinart’s, but that’s before you take into consideration that he played for the Cleveland Browns. Not only did he have to deal with the elements in Cleveland but his best receivers in his time there were Joe Jurevicius, Donte Stallworth and Braylon Edwards (whose vast potential was outweighed only by the vast number of easy catches he dropped). Oh that and he had to live in Cleveland and deal with Cleveland fans for four seasons.
I’m not saying that Anderson would automatically be better than Leinart. I’m not even saying that he’d be the starter come September. What I am saying is that Anderson could offer the most competition of any quarterback on the market and, if he did prove to be worthy of the starting job, he is young enough to be part of the team’s future.
If the stats weren’t compelling enough to consider Anderson, his quotes, written in an e-mail to a Cleveland paper, after being released by the Browns certainly were (a paper that is most certainly on it’s way to lining the floor of the “Dawg Pound” next season).
“The fans are ruthless and don’t deserve a winner. I will never forget getting cheered when I was injured. I know at times I wasn’t great. I hope and pray I’m playing when my team comes to town and (we) roll them.”
Even his “apology” was great.
“This was out of character for me. I wasn’t taken out of context but I was speaking with frustration.”
I don’t know about you, but a guy willing to be honest and show some fire is a guy that I want on my team. It’s a rare thing in sports that a guy will speak his mind and vehemently express a desire to prove his doubters wrong. That kind of passion is exactly the kind of thing that would create the kind of competition the Cardinals need to find the successor to Kurt Warner. Plus, if the Cardinals sign Anderson and Joey Porter to go along with Darnell Dockett and Kerry Rhodes, they’ll create competition in the NFL for the team with the best post game sound bytes.
Anderson’s proven on the field that he has what it takes to be a good NFL quarterback, more than can be said for Leinart. His 2007 season, 10-5 record with over 3,700 yards, 29 touchdowns and a Pro Bowl appearance, showed he has the talent. If there ever was a coaching staff that could help him cultivate it, it’s this one. (They just turned Antrel Rolle from first round cornerback bust, to highest paid free safety. They can do anything.)
That talent, or at least the threat of it, could also push Leinart to new levels. A situation that would benefit everyone involved.
The Cardinals can’t fulfill Anderson’s prayer of playing Cleveland, at least not this season, but if they’re smart, they’ll give him a chance at some serious playing time under center.
Eli blogs vigorously on the Arizona Cardinals at his personal blog Voice of the Cardinals here on Fanster as well as on MVN.com. Eli’s podcast “Voice of the Cardinals” can be heard on Fanster Radio. // Eli's Profile
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Tournament time is upon us and the first handful of opening round games in the “Phoenix’s Most Hated” tournament are ready to kick off.
