Cards try harder to sign picks!!!!

40yearfan · July 24th, 2003, 05:21 AM

Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 24, 2003 12:00 AM

Cards training camp

WHERE: Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff.

PLAYERS REPORT: Friday.

FIRST PRACTICE: 8:40 a.m. Saturday.

LAST PRACTICE: 8:40 a.m., Aug. 13.

FAN FACT: Practices are open and free to the public. Fans can call the training camp hotline at (602) 379-1714 for the latest information.

Negotiations between the Cardinals and their two first-round picks intensified Tuesday night and Wednesday, but agreements do not appear imminent.

The Cardinals have three unsigned picks: receiver Bryant Johnson and defensive end Calvin Pace, the 17th and 18th overall choices in last April's draft, and receiver Anquan Boldin, a second-round pick.

Rod Graves, vice president for football operations, is optimistic Boldin could sign before the first practice of training camp Saturday morning in Flagstaff. And he was encouraged by the tone of the talks with the agents for Johnson and Pace.

"We're going to work through the night if possible and over the next several days just as hard to try and get these guys to camp sooner rather than later," Graves said Wednesday.

The Cardinals have been criticized in recent years for failing to sign top draft picks before the start of training camp. And Graves, who took over the team's football operations this year, admits he feels pressure to change that.

Last week, he flew to New York and Atlanta to meet with agents for the three players, to let them know the Cardinals were taking a different approach to negotiations this year.

Graves presented them "some options we typically have not presented in negotiations up front," he said. "A lot of credit goes to (owner Bill Bidwill) for allowing us to do it at this particular time rather than waiting to later in the talks to make something happen."

Graves declined to say what those options are, but Bidwill has been reluctant in recent years to agree to certain contract devices such as second-tier bonuses, escalator clauses and voidable years.

40yearfan · July 24th, 2003, 05:22 AM

I especially liked this paragraph:

Graves presented them "some options we typically have not presented in negotiations up front," he said. "A lot of credit goes to (owner Bill Bidwill) for allowing us to do it at this particular time rather than waiting to later in the talks to make something happen."

Shane · July 24th, 2003, 05:23 AM

Thats all pretty promising and sounds like old Billy is changing for the good!

so far away · July 24th, 2003, 05:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 40yearfan
I especially liked this paragraph:

Graves presented them "some options we typically have not presented in negotiations up front," he said. "A lot of credit goes to (owner Bill Bidwill) for allowing us to do it at this particular time rather than waiting to later in the talks to make something happen."

I hate to be negative but what that paragraph basically says to me is "Bill is pulling his head out in July now instead of August"

Shane · July 24th, 2003, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by so far away
I hate to be negative but what that paragraph basically says to me is "Bill is pulling his head out in July now instead of August"

Really where do you get that out of the paragraph!

so far away · July 24th, 2003, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shane H
Really where do you get that out of the paragraph!

Not sure how to take you, are you being sarcastic?

Shane · July 24th, 2003, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by so far away
Not sure how to take you, are you being sarcastic?

Not being sarcastic at all. All owners dont even begin negotiations till July for the most part. So I dont see how you take the above paragraph as a negative and single out Bidwill like he doesnt even begin negotiations till after training camp begins???

The guy has made some strides. When was the last time you heard of a Cards negotiator flying to other cities to meet with agents? Come on that is highly encouraging and the article clearly says that it came from the top!

so far away · July 24th, 2003, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 40yearfan
I especially liked this paragraph:

Graves presented them "some options we typically have not presented in negotiations up front," he said. "A lot of credit goes to (owner Bill Bidwill) for allowing us to do it at this particular time rather than waiting to later in the talks to make something happen."

Remember the Wadsworth contract? No bells and whistles for what a month? Then right before the Dallas game Wads sign a contract with what? Bells and whistles. I'm not saying that it's not a step in the right direction, what I am saying is that what we have all been saying this whole time, as well as the agents for these rookies, it's been Bill and his old fashioned ways that have kept this team in the cellar. I think it's great that he's changing his ways! The negative for me is that I didn't want to believe it was Bill, even though I knew it was, I was comfortable in believing it was the dick-head agents all the time. I really do believe in what he was trying to do by not giving all the "extras" in the contracts BUT I want us to win also. Does that endless and random thought make any sense?

Red Air Force · July 24th, 2003, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by so far away
Remember the Wadsworth contract? No bells and whistles for what a month? Then right before the Dallas game Wads sign a contract with what? Bells and whistles. I'm not saying that it's not a step in the right direction, what I am saying is that what we have all been saying this whole time, as well as the agents for these rookies, it's been Bill and his old fashioned ways that have kept this team in the cellar. I think it's great that he's changing his ways! The negative for me is that I didn't want to believe it was Bill, even though I knew it was, I was comfortable in believing it was the dick-head agents all the time. I really do believe in what he was trying to do by not giving all the "extras" in the contracts BUT I want us to win also. Does that endless and random thought make any sense?

No, I know exactly where you are coming from, and have to agree with you that a little part of me didn't want to belive that the problem was Bidwill. However, its for that reason that I only see positive things in that paragraph. Things are changing, we've been watching them happen for the last 6-8 months, and this is just another example of a series of steps in the right direction.

As far as how you take the article, it's really just a case of being a glass half full or half empty guy. You see it as "See I knew it was Bidwill all along, what a jackass", and I see it as "Great, more changes in the right direction".

Just get em in Graves.

RugbyMuffin · July 24th, 2003, 06:38 AM

Well it is not hard enough. They haven't signed 1 guy yet (out of the 3).

Bid well? will? wuss? whatever! and Graves got to get the pen out and sign the people THEY chose to play on this team. If you knew it would be a pain in the butt to sign these guys then why draft them?

red desert · July 24th, 2003, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shane H
Not being sarcastic at all. All owners dont even begin negotiations till July for the most part. So I dont see how you take the above paragraph as a negative and single out Bidwill like he doesnt even begin negotiations till after training camp begins???

The guy has made some strides. When was the last time you heard of a Cards negotiator flying to other cities to meet with agents? Come on that is highly encouraging and the article clearly says that it came from the top!

How exactly is this highly encouraging? Encouraging is getting signatures on the dotted line and "pads on" these guys. Until then its all talk, and IMO nothing to be giving kudos out for.

By the way, most other owners get their draft picks in on time.

This is not aimed at you personally Shane, I just happen to disagree with your post.

Shane · July 24th, 2003, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by red desert
How exactly is this highly encouraging? Encouraging is getting signatures on the dotted line and "pads on" these guys. Until then its all talk, and IMO nothing to be giving kudos out for.

By the way, most other owners get their draft picks in on time.

This is not aimed at you personally Shane, I just happen to disagree with your post.

Thats cool!

Thats what is great about this board differing opinions. I for one remember a time when a Cardinal Exec flying around the country to talk with these agents was unheard of. To me that shows some signs of change regardless of wether or not they are signed as of yet. Besides we still have 2 full days till the pads start smacking up in Flag!

40yearfan · July 24th, 2003, 06:55 AM

It never ceases to amaze me how you can post something in a very positive vein on any Cardinals message board and a number of people will jump on it and try to turn it into a negative. If there's so little hope for this team and you feel everything they do is in a negative vein, why do you root for them?

Did you notice where it said Graves is feeling the pressure to get these guys in on time? The pressure they are talking about is from the Cards fans. For the first time, the Cards organization is worrying about their fans and are making great strides in trying to placate their supporters. Give em a chance. Rome wasn't built in a day and you can't build a SB football team in one season.

Red Air Force · July 24th, 2003, 07:02 AM

I think a lot of that pressure comes from right here.

JeffGollin · July 24th, 2003, 07:03 AM

How exactly is this highly encouraging? Encouraging is getting signatures on the dotted line and "pads on" these guys. Until then its all talk,
I'm with Red Desert on this one.

I suppose it's "encouraging" to hear that the VP Player Personnel is working 24/7 and racking up frequent flyer miles to get the job done.

But the bottom line is: "Get it done!"

If sitting by the pool and swapping faxes and e-mails gets the three dudes signed, that works equally as well for me. But get 'em in there.

Whenever I hear Rod utter those infamous words: "Every effort is being made to..." or "I'm optimistic that...", forgive me while I shudder.

Rod may be sincere, and maybe "this year is different." But NAZDrew's observation a few years ago about cash flow keeps creeping back into my mind - i.e. that our big guys only get signed after the first TV check makes it to the Bidwill office.

Cards try harder to sign picks!!!!

Not Hard enough!