Cardinal History

Russ Smith

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Yeah the Metcalf stuff was bad he was a great player, yes he fumbled but it was largely about money. Metcalf was the best all purpose back in the game and the Cards didn't want to pay him.

I've mentioned this before one of my fondest memories of him is a play that according to everything I've ever seen online didn't happen, but I know it did because I saw it so i'm thinking it must have been a preseason game. He returned a punt for a TD, they called it back for a penalty, they punted again and he ran that one back all the way too. Now that I think about it I can't remember if it was a punt or a KO I think a punt, This was mid 70's so 45 years ago now so not surprising I can't remember.

the other one goes back to why he left, Bidwill Sr. We drafted him because Coryell coached against him in college and never forgot how good he was. They went out to lunch, Bidwill was there too. They are all sitting there and Coryell says so Terry how would you feel about playing CB, and Coryell says oh no Terry is my RB no way we're moving him to defense. That's how Senior was, he was NOT a football guy but he had this weird thing about intervening and in bad ways. I read a book about Metcalf later on where he said the first 2 years of his career the only time Bidwill spoke to him was to complain about fumbles or tell him he was too small.

People who didn't follow them back then have no idea how bad it was, Metcalf left us to go to Canada, that was unheard of. Norm Thompson was the first true FA in NFL history, left us. We lost so many good players due to that.
 

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My recollection is that it was a ferocious sack at the hands of Lawrence Taylor that short-circuited Lomax's career. I know the hip injury caused him to retire, but he was never the same quarterback after that LT sack.
 

Russ Smith

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As long as we are going down memory lane.

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IIRC the ref was Fred(?) Silva? That play eventually changed the rule, at the time they ruled Gray had possession across the goal line 2 of the 3 refs said he had the ball touched the ground TD, the other ruled he didn't. If you google it Silva said they talked it over the one who had said incomplete admitted he could not see if Gray caught the ball initially he just saw Gray on the ground and the ball loose and called it incomplete,he accepted the opinion of the other 2 refs that he caught the ball first.

That play ultimately led to instant replay although it took like 10 more years it was the play that started the big cry for it.
 

HomerPimpson

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Yeah the Metcalf stuff was bad he was a great player, yes he fumbled but it was largely about money. Metcalf was the best all purpose back in the game and the Cards didn't want to pay him.

I've mentioned this before one of my fondest memories of him is a play that according to everything I've ever seen online didn't happen, but I know it did because I saw it so i'm thinking it must have been a preseason game. He returned a punt for a TD, they called it back for a penalty, they punted again and he ran that one back all the way too. Now that I think about it I can't remember if it was a punt or a KO I think a punt, This was mid 70's so 45 years ago now so not surprising I can't remember.

the other one goes back to why he left, Bidwill Sr. We drafted him because Coryell coached against him in college and never forgot how good he was. They went out to lunch, Bidwill was there too. They are all sitting there and Coryell says so Terry how would you feel about playing CB, and Coryell says oh no Terry is my RB no way we're moving him to defense. That's how Senior was, he was NOT a football guy but he had this weird thing about intervening and in bad ways. I read a book about Metcalf later on where he said the first 2 years of his career the only time Bidwill spoke to him was to complain about fumbles or tell him he was too small.

People who didn't follow them back then have no idea how bad it was, Metcalf left us to go to Canada, that was unheard of. Norm Thompson was the first true FA in NFL history, left us. We lost so many good players due to that.


Love this post. And as to your following one regarding Lomax, he's a legend to me and the reason I started liking the Cards before they moved here.
 

Russ Smith

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Love this post. And as to your following one regarding Lomax, he's a legend to me and the reason I started liking the Cards before they moved here.


Yeah I'm biased as a Cards fan but when people talk about how bad we were for a long time, Bidwill was a huge reason but we were also incredibly unlucky. Lomax and the hip set the franchise back, then we draft Rosenbach who while not as good as Lomax had the look of a 10 year starter. First year was promising too many picks % too low but back then guys his age wasn't unusual. Ran for nearly 500 yards, 16 TD's it certainly looked like if he improved per normal he'd be a solid starter for the franchise but he hurt the knee had other issues and just never recovered
 

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