I have a bad bad feeling about this off-season....

SECTION 11 · February 19th, 2003, 12:02 PM

This could be a complete and total disaster.
I have a bad vibe about both the draft and free agency.

Anyone got anything positive to say?

DeAnna · February 19th, 2003, 12:07 PM

I'm getting a bad feeling also.

Graves doesn't think Boston deserves $5MM a year? The guy is a pro bowler, a stud receiver!

Ed B · February 19th, 2003, 12:09 PM

I feel the same way, but I try to keep my vague negativity to myself.

I have the horrifying feeling that we're going to re-sign Plummer, let Boston walk, and end up having to waste our #1 on a WR to replace Boston rather than using it to plug a hole on defense.

Also, I don't think that veteran leaders like Lassiter, Fredrickson, or Sanders will be back.

One way or another, if Plummer is our starter next season, the offseason was a failure in my opinion. 16 more games of INTs that a rookie would be ashamed of, with one or two comeback wins here or there on a way to another 5-11 season rich with excuses.

"Jake was hurt" followed by "Jake needs a better running game" followed by "Jake needs better protection" followed by "Jake needs better receivers".

If we let Boston go, i'm sure that last statement will end up being true, at least.

cardsfan473 · February 19th, 2003, 12:10 PM

I agree with you....

The longer things go on, the worse feeling I get.....

However, we are obviously not winning with the guys we have... Turnover may not be a bad thing...

It just may be painful in the short term. I just hope we don't waste our money on old guys past their prime....

We need FA's that are 5th/6th year guys, who are entering their prime.

Hugh Douglas is a good example. Sure it would be nice, but the guy's getting old. I hope we don't throw a ton of money at him.

I'd rather have Colvin, or Holliday....

Ed B · February 19th, 2003, 12:12 PM

By the way, the above is nothing but my opinion, my hunch. I'm not claiming it's a fact so there's no point in debating it if you disagree. It's just a sinking feeling I have after seeing so many losing seasons and failed offseasons and six years of the "waiting for Jake Plummer to turn the corner" show.

AZ Shocker · February 19th, 2003, 12:16 PM

Or we could sign Plummer and Boston without breaking the bank. Get everybody back from injury last year. Draft Suggs. Sign Hugh Douglas and/or Colvin. Wendall Bryant gets it going next sesaon. Suggs eats qb's. McCown shows a lot in pre-season and actually starts the season until he gets a non-seriousness injury in which Plummer fills in, and rediscover's his talents leading us to the playoffs!

Ed B · February 19th, 2003, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AZ Shocker
Or we could sign Plummer and Boston without breaking the bank. Get everybody back from injury last year. Draft Suggs. Sign Hugh Douglas and/or Colvin. Wendall Bryant gets it going next sesaon. Suggs eats qb's. McCown shows a lot in pre-season and actually starts the season until he gets a non-seriousness injury in which Plummer fills in, and rediscover's his talents leading us to the playoffs!

Oh, you're right........it's certainly possible that everything will work out super. After all, if we didn't believe this was a possibility we wouldn't be here.

But history shows us that this scenario you describe is much less likely than the cardinals letting a bunch of free agents walk and then trying to replace them with rookies who won't be signed until september.

Tangodnzr · February 19th, 2003, 12:26 PM

I'm encouraged because most of the "bad vibes" in regard to what's happening are still just supposition and primarily emanating from people whom those type of feelings are mostly
"normal".

From the sound of it, Graves seems to be doing a good job so far.
Obviously the team is very involved in negotiations with both Plummer and Boston. (among others, but they are rightfully the focus right now) And what is publically said, is as much diplomacy as anything. From what was reported said, Graves didn't say anything unexpected. And negotations with both are on a high-road level. No trash talking by anyone, just some good diplomacy/posturing with no ill will or antagonistic negotiations.

Ed B · February 19th, 2003, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tangodnzr
I'm encouraged because most of the "bad vibes" in regard to what's happening are still just supposition and primarily emanating from people whom those type of feelings are mostly
"normal".

Um, tango, this team has had two winning seasons in the past 22 years and made the playoffs once since Nixon was president.

Those negative feelings are "normal" not because we're hell-bent on being negative, it's because the team has sucked for my entire life.

You act like we're 11-5 every year and the board is populated with lunatics who are just obsessed with being negative for no reason. This team sucks every single year. I have been alive 24 years and they have made the playoffs once.

AZCB34 · February 19th, 2003, 12:38 PM

This may be the most depressing thread I have read on this board. Cmon guys. This is the time of year every football fan hates because there is a lack of news and many of the statements being thrown out there are nonsense...which of course cracks me up since you would think some of the idiots who get paid to run teams would understand this but for some reason fail to do so.

No news is good news and the good news will come. Have some faith. The Cards will make a splash somewhere...either FA or draft and everyone will be rejoicing.

Ed B · February 19th, 2003, 12:40 PM

1 playoff win since 1947
1 playoff appearance since 1976
1 winning season in 15 years in phoenix ( 9-7 in 1998 )

and the same tired story every offseason (our young players are going to get better! here's a new coach/gm/whatever who's going to fix everything!)

the conversations we're having about Shipp and McAddley and McCown being promising are no different than the ones we had in 1991 about Johnny Johnson and Ricky prohel and timm rosenbach being promising. Where did that lead?

I really can't stand how you call people negative as though the track record of this organization wouldn't lead fans to be just a TEENY WEENY BIT SKEPTICAL that all the sudden next year everything is going to be super.

jmt · February 19th, 2003, 12:44 PM

I know for most Cardinal fans "if it wasn't for bad vibes we'd have no vibes at all..." Hopefully it is just withdrawals. What a terrrible bummer it will be if we let DB leave and sign Jake.

Ed B · February 19th, 2003, 12:49 PM

I understand "keeping things positive", but you also have to keep things in realistic perspective. I mean, what kind of idiots would we be if we just sat here every offseason saying "Everything's gonna be great! Super Bowl, here we come!"

This organization has a lot to prove in terms of its committment to winning and competence to win once the committment is there.

kerouac9 · February 19th, 2003, 12:50 PM

I think the "bad vibes" stem from the fact that "no one's signing" and "no one's saying anything" and "we don't have any players under contract" and the "draft" is "a month away" and free agency "hasn't started" and I'm "alway's checking espn.com," "every five minutes" looking for "fresh news" but "nothing's happening." And I don't get "A.M. radio". And the fact they we're "wildly speculating" about players we don't "really know anything about".

Just a "thought".

Jersey Girl · February 19th, 2003, 12:51 PM

I will be very disappointed if this team does not resign Boston. I've been heard many times telling people (mostly Eagles fans) that there's no way Boston will be available. I hate looking like an idiot. (I know it's hard to believe, but it happens on occasion.)

As for the draft, the Cards usually don't do well in that department anyway.

Gotta hang on to hope though!