What about Bob?

Ok, we have it for you here. The much-anticipated announcement from Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, who said on his Twitter page this afternoon that he had a big announcement to make.

Here goes:

"I am happy to announce that after meeting with the team recently, I have full faith and confidence in the Cardinals organization ...

"and I appreciate the support I've received from all my fans this offseason. - WE WILL WIN THE NFC WEST."

Dude ... you cannot be serious.

We actually waited around ... on a vacation day ... for that?

Listen, if you've got news to break, then break some news. Otherwise, do us all a favor and don't say anything.

Adios.

UPDATE: We were so intent on getting you this big news quickly that we missed Dockett's final tweet. Evidently, we weren't the only ones to be less than amused that his big announcement was a big fat zero. So he tweeted once more to explain that this was his idea, not that of his agent.

FYI to all, No this was not a DREW ROSENHAUSE call or idea, THIS is how I feel and I'm sticking to it. Thanks agan to all the DDOCKETT FANS

... memo to Dockett: the last name of your agent is Rosenhaus. No "e" at the end.

Oh, good Lord. I need to stop. Read NFC West blogger Mike Sando's take on the big announcement on ESPN.com. He takes all this a little more seriously. I suppose there's something to be said for an athlete making peaceful overtures during a contract negotiation, especially after Anquan Boldin's antics got him nowhere. Then again, why is it news when a player is announcing that he's abiding by his contract? Especially when he's announcing it so soon after the tragic death of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair?

Ok, I'm out. Read Mascaro for all things NFL.

In the meantime, thanks to Darnell for providing one of the silliest moments in three decades of journalism.

(Graphic from ednotesonline.blogspot.com)

... and he might get a bunch of new followers on Twitter, because he has announced that he will announce something big tonight at 8:15 p.m. A new contract, perhaps?

Here's his tweet:

"Dockett fans, CARDINAL FANs, AND ALL SPORTS WRITERS AND ALL BLOGGER and any one else who wanna know I WILL MAKE AN ANNOUCMENT 2day @ 8:15."

Ok, we're not going to clean up the grammar here, because no one's perfect on tweets. But one thing he ought to do is indicate which time zone the 8:15 p.m. will be in. Dockett plays in Arizona, where he's been looking for a new deal. So if 8:15 p.m. in Arizona, then it's 10:15 p.m. in the East. Or is it 11:15 p.m. in the East? Phoenix is one of those weird places that doesn't change the clocks.

Whatever.

Big news on Darnell Dockett forthcoming.

UPDATE: Just heard back from Dockett's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who says the announcement will be at 8:15 p.m. eastern.

Well he didn't quite say it in those words, but that's the message Anquan Boldin sent when he informed his agent Drew Rosenhaus that he will be firing him effective immediately (under the Players Association rules, Boldin must wait five days to hire new representation).

Rosenhaus, the super-agent of the stars (most notably T.O.), represents more NFL players than any other agent and has become quite a name brand in the NFL.

But it wasn't enough for Boldin, as the 28-year old receiver is seeking a deal close to the four-year, $40 million extension Larry Fitzgerald signed last year. Boldin has $12 million coming his way over the next two seasons under his current contract, which Rosenhaus brokered in 2005.

Said the spinmaster agent in a statement to ESPN.com: "Regarding Anquan Boldin, let me say that I have great respect for him. I'm hopeful we can work this out and he can return to the Rosenhaus Sports family in the near future. We are proud to continue to represent his brother, D.J. Boldin. We would also like to take this opportunity to announce that we have signed Will Allen to a 2-year contract extension with the Dolphins worth $16.2 million. We are pleased to announce today that we have re-signed New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey [to a representation agreement]."

D.J. Boldin played college ball at Wake Forest and the receiver was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Lions, while Shockey was considering letting Rosenhaus go as well.

Anquan has been in discussion with other agents in recent weeks, including Eugene Parker and Paul Lawrence, who represent Fitzgerald.

-Chris Mascaro

(Photo by Matt York / The Associated Press)

The Cardinals' head coach admits he's still bothered by the team's Super Bowl loss to the Stillers last February.

He has yet to watch a tape of the game.

"Have I had nightmares about it? Yeah, I've had a few of those," Whisenhunt told reporters during the team's mini-camp over the weekend. "I don't really dream about it. Every once in a while, I'll think about it. Like today, there was a lot of Super Bowl merchandise out here. It was natural to think about that when you see that.

"I'm very proud of what our team did and am excited to have been there," Whisenhunt added. "But it's tough that you worked that hard and you get that close and you don't come out with the win."

The trade market was stunningly quiet for Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin, who had demanded to be dealt - or have his contract extended - in the days leading up to the draft.

Now that the draft has come and gone without a team ponying up so much as a first-round pick in trade talks, the Cardinals now appear reluctant to re-do his contract, which still has two years remaining.

Boldin is demanding to be paid close to $10 million a year.

Sorry, dude.

Now that the Cardinals have drafted Beanie Wells of Ohio State, it's highly likely the team will grant Edgerrin James his release.

Edge has been pushing for his release for weeks, and even asked for a trade last year after he'd been benched in favor of Tim Hightower.

So says Titans coach Jeff Fisher, whose team wound up drafting Kenny Britt of Rutgers in the first round, right behind Hakeem Nicks of the Giants.

Fisher acknowledged that the Titans had inquired about Boldin, but Arizona never got the point of getting serious enough to make a deal.

ESPN's Sal Paolantonio reports that the Cardinals have reduced their trade demands for disgruntled wide receiver Anquan Boldin, and that the Jets, Giants and Iggles are interested in dealing for him.

But this one could get complicated if either - or both - of the New York teams wind up draftinga wide receiver in the first round. We're hearing the Jets have interest in Florida's Percy Harvin at No. 17, and the Giants have interest in any number of receivers at 29, depending on whether anyone to their liking is there. The two names that keep coming up: Darrius Heyward-Bey of Maryland and Hakeem Nicks of North Carolina.

Two sources have told ESPN's Sal Paolantonio that the Cardinals have lessened their demands on a potential trade for receiver Anquan Boldin.

The Cards had been asking for a first- and third-round pick, but Paolantonio reports they are willing to take a second-round choice in tomorrow's draft and what Paolantonio calls "other considerations" (possibly a late-round selection).

The two sources said that three teams have shown interest in the lessened demands, the Eagles, and you guessed it — Giants and Jets.

Said Cardinals GM Rod Graves: "Quite a few teams have called but we have no offers from those teams. Anything can evolve from this point through draft day so that's where it is right now."

Boldin, a three-time Pro Bowler, has two years remaining on a four-year, $22.25 million deal. He's seeking a deal similar to the four-year, $40 million (with $30 million guaranteed) pact teammate Larry Fitzgerald received before last season.

The Giants have two second-round picks — No. 45 (which they got in the Jeremy Shockey deal) and No. 60.

-Chris Mascaro

Continue reading "Cardinals' demands for Boldin have decreased" »

Cardinals general manager Rod Graves told reporters today he's had plenty of phone calls from GM's inquiring about wide receiver Anquan Boldin, but no concrete offers.

There's still plenty of time before the draft, and we suspect things will heat up eventually.

But we can also envision a scenario where teams are scared off by Arizona's asking price, which is at least a first- and third-round pick for the receiver.

Now that the Cardinals are saying publicly that they'll listen to offers for disgruntled wide receiver Anquan Boldin, there's plenty of speculation about where he'll end up.

The Giants have long been mentioned as a potential suitor, as have the Iggles and Bears.

But when it comes to trades, teams generally prefer to trade out of the conference. After all, the last thing the Cardinals want is to deal Boldin to an NFC team and then have that team beat them either in the regular season or the playoffs.

Consider: With Boldin, the Cardinals beat the Iggles in the NFC Championship Game last season. And remember the Brett Favre trade? The Packers could have had a deal with Tampa Bay, but chose the AFC Jets instead. And Denver dealt Jay Cutler to an NFC team, bypassing the Jets, among others.

The problem for Arizona is that there aren't a lot of AFC teams lining up for receiver trades.

There is continued speculation that Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin is on the trading block, and there are sure to be plenty of rumors and rumblings about where he might go. The Giants and Iggles are the most frequently mentioned teams, although T-Rock reports that Big Blue has not yet been contacted by the Cardinals about Boldin.

In fact, the Cardinals have indicated that nothing has changed with Boldin's status ... whatever that means. (It actually means nothing, because no matter what any team says about any player, trades can and do happen when the deal is right.)

But keep in mind that big-time trades very seldom occur within the same conference. In fact, if the Cardinals are intent on dealing Boldin, they will likely explore all their options in the AFC, since sending him to the Giants, Iggles or another contending team in the NFC will potentially impact Arizona's season far more than if he went to the AFC. The last thing the Cardinals want is to face the Giants or Iggles in the playoffs and have Boldin to contend with. I'm not saying it's impossible; if the price is right, they'll do a deal within the conference. I'm just saying that teams prefer to trade out of the conference - see: Brett Favre, 2008.

My take on Boldin's situation: I think the Cardinals should deal him. They have invested heavily in Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner, and Boldin wants a deal that will put further pressure on the salary cap. Besides, the team has a capable No. 2 in Steve Breaston, the draft is filled with quality receivers this year, and it makes sense from a longer-term view to get value for Boldin now.

As for the Giants, I think it makes sense to explore the Boldin option, but the deal has to be reasonable. The Giants are also interested in Browns 26-year-old receiver Braylon Edwards, who is two years younger than Boldin and might not command such a high draft choice compensation package because he's not as established. Then again, the Browns will certainly look to recoup the first-round pick they invested in Edwards in 2005.

The team that should really consider making a bold move for Boldin is the Iggles, who haven't had a big-time receiving threat since Terrell Owens was in town and on his best behavior in 2004.

In the meantime, let the rumors fly!

Mike Florio of Profootballtalk.com is reporting that the Cardinals are shopping their talented wide receiver.

Interesting. Giants and Jets might be interested.

So are a lot of other teams, including the Iggles.

The news is especially interesting in light of Plaxico Burress' latest brush with the law. According to TMZ.com, he was arrested earlier this month for speeding ... and improper display of tags ... and improper lane change ... and improper window tinting.

(UPDATE: Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic reports that Cardinals general manager Rod Graves continues to say that Boldin's situation remains unchanged and that he is not being shopped. That said, it's still not unreasonable to expect that there will be some action where Boldin is concerned. Unless and until he is given a lucrative extension by the Cardinals, the trade talk will persist.)

The 30-year-old running back has made it abundantly clear he wants to be released from his contract in Arizona, where he was benched early in the season and then got the bulk of playing time in the postseason.

But the Cardinals are in no rush to make the move, which is not making James very happy.

It's a two-year deal worth $23 mil, including $19 mil guaranteed. In the first year of the contract!

This according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic.

I could be a headline writer!!!

Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, a personal fave of Chris "Mad Dog" Mascaro, who has finally rid his brain of wrestling agate and is now back in the realm of NFL blogging, took a visit to the Bay Area to talk turkey with the 49ers.

But he left San Fran without a contract, and his agent, Mark Bartelstein, tells Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic that Warner's heart is still in Phoenix.

(Photo by Getty Images)

Looks that way.

His agent, Mark Bartelstein, was in Arizona today to try and hammer out a deal, but he left without one.

I still say Warner winds up staying in Arizona, but we'll see.

Warner has indicated his preference is to continue playing with the Cardinals, or else retire. But now he's hinting that he'd be willing to look around if the Cardinals don't re-sign him before the start of free agency.

Warner said on "The Monty Show" on Sporting News Radio today that he wants to be compensated properly for his production, but that he is not closing the door to sniffing around on the open market.

Here's a transcript from the interview:

Q: Is it Arizona or retirement? "You know that's really what I'm leaning towards. You never want to say never... that I would never go and see what else is out there and see if there's a great situation for me to go in and succeed. I think you look at the situation and look at the fact that I probably only have a couple of years left maximum... and you don't want to go and start over, you don't want to have to rebuild. You want to be able to be a part of something you're comfortable with, where the pieces are in place to be successful... and you know I don't want to move my family. Everything indicates that's what it would be...Arizona or retirement and making sure the pieces all fit to make that decision. I just would never want to say that I wouldn't explore anything, I wouldn't look at any other options if there was something else out there that fit better. But right now in the back of my mind, that's what I'm leaning towards."

(on whether published reports about money are true) Is it really about 10-12 million dollars? "It's all relative. It comes down to something we feel comfortable with, something the Cardinals feel comfortable with, the structure of the contract that we all feel comfortable with and you know just understanding from an appreciation standpoint where you fit. I think that's the one thing you understand in this business, that a team's commitment to you is shown only in dollars. And that's where it gets sticky. I know a lot of people look out there and it's like out there on the news, 'well they're offering him this much money,' and everyone's like well that's a lot of money... but there's a lot of things that go into that. How that's set up, how the structure is, what the guarantees are, and what that commitment means to you over the course of that contract. Those are the things that are important to me. I've never been about the money, although I do know that money means commitment in this business. And we're trying to figure out what's the best fit and what works and what's going to be best for everybody and that's how I've always worked. My bottom line is I want to keep this team together and I want to have a chance to win a championship and that's the most important thing and I want to be compensated as well because I know these are probably going to be the last two years I'm going to play and I'm in a great position, having success from being at the Super Bowl and being a free agent, it's a good position to be in and where I've maybe taken a little bit less over the last four or five years while I've tried to solidify myself now you're in the position to maximize some things as you move forward and end your career and go on in the future."

Is the Anquan Boldin situation a factor in whether you come back or not? "Everything is a factor and a big factor is making sure we have the pieces in place to succeed. I'm not looking to comeback and be mediocre. I want to build off of what we did last year, I want to have another chance to win a championship and I think a huge piece of that puzzle is Anquan Boldin. He's a great football player, a great individual, the ultimate pro. Of all the guys I've been around he attacks the business and his job like a pro and I appreciate that and those are the guys I want to be around. Guys that are competitive, that want to be great and want to win. And yeah, I think he's a key piece to our puzzle as a Arizona Cardinal organization. That is definitely something I'm watching and you know I'm trying to do everything I can to get him back here to make another run."

... and it looks like he'll be playing in Arizona.

Warner is atop the wish list of a number of teams looking for an established veteran quarterback, but he has said all along he'll either retire or remain with the Cardinals.

Looks like the latter is close to happening, as the Cardinals have increased their offer in recent days.

Speaking of Kurt Warner (see below), the Cardinals last won a championship when the current signal-caller was -24 years old. We've chronicled the 1947 NFL champs, the Chicago Cardinals, in great detail here at newsday.com, and now we get this.

Chet Bulger (I'm not sure which one he is in the picture), a lineman on that '47 team, passed away on Thursday. He was 91.

Said Bulger (no relation to Marc Bulger as far as I know) to The Associated Press a few days before the Super Bowl: "I'm still a Cardinal, always a Cardinal. I can't see too well anymore, but I'm going to get up real close to the TV to watch that game. Maybe we'll win that Super Bowl. Wouldn't that be something?"

Bulger was born in Maine and went to Auburn on a track scholarship (he made the football team as a walk-on). He played eight seasons for the Cards before playing his final season with the Lions (lucky guy, eh?).

I'm not sure if there are any other remaining Cardinals from that squad, but I'm guessing guys like Chet are becoming quite a rarity as time marches on.

R.I.P. Chet.

Mr. G, I think I speak for everyone when I say that we really enjoyed the brief soiree into the world of hockey (or in layman's terms ... "Ovechkin is sick, dude"). But let's bring it back to football, courtesy of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Seriously.

Check out this interesting YouTube clip of Kurt Warner dancing with the host before he talks about his habit of picking up people's tabs at restaurants.

Agent Mark Bartelstein has spoken a couple of times by telephone with Cardinals general manager Rod Graves, and plans to meet with the GM next week to discuss a new contract for quarterback Kurt Warner.

Warner has wavered between retirement and playing another one or two years, but our guess is that if Graves waves enough Benjamins in contract talks, the quarterback who has played in three Super Bowls will be convinced to give it another shot with the Cardinals.

Warner is high on the wish list of any team with a quarterback need, but he has been adamant in saying he'll either play with the Cardinals or retire. Same with Titans QB Kerry Collins.

Best guess on both: They're back in the starting lineup for the teams they led to the playoffs in 2008.

The Cardinals are still intent on making it worth Anquan Boldin's while to remain in Arizona, and are prepared to tear up his existing contract, which still has two years to go on it.

But Boldin has given indications he's not interested in a new deal. The only thing he wants is to get out of town. This, according to XTRA radio reporter Mike Jurecki, who is as plugged into the Cardinals as anyone.

Wonder what Giants general manager Jerry Reese thinks about all this.

Not even a week after the Super Bowl, and already the problems are mounting for the Cardinals.

Anquan Boldin told Jim Corbett of USA Today last night (yeah, Today last night, it works ... sorta) that he thinks his relationship with the Cardinals is past the point of no return.

But Warner says a key part of whether he returns or not rests with the team keeping Boldin in 2009 and beyond.

Corbett, a former teammate at Gannett newspapers, is in Honolulu for the Pro Bowl. For those of you who might not know, Honolulu is located on the island of Oahu, not to be confused with the Big Island.

... is Kurt Warner a Hall of Famer or not?

I think he is.

Perhaps I will have a chance to address the issue five or more years from now.

It's still an open question.

Win or lose, Warner himself isn't sure what's in store for the 2009 season and beyond.

The former Cardinals safety was killed in Afghanistan in what was thought to be a case of friendly fire.

But the issue is still cloudy. And very, very complicated.

Here's some more detailed info. on the subject.

Regardless of the circumstance, we still ought to remember him as his old team prepares for Sunday's game.

The NFL has also decided to show a video of Tillman during the game. Yesterday, the league had no plans to make any mention of Tillman, although the NFL has gone to great lengths in previous years to honor his memory.

I've been mulling over all the Super Bowls lately for the Fun Facts, and I've been hard pressed to find a collection of wide receivers this talented in another Super Bowl.

Four of the receivers had over 1,000 yards on the season, including a former Super Bowl MVP (below) and another (to the right) who has become the best receiver in the game during this postseason.

Let's start with Pittsburgh first, which had the 15th ranked passing offense in the league this season.

There are a couple of things I really like about the Steelers' wideouts. First, Hines Ward is an appreciated run blocker, but I think that he really gets into the defensive backs' (and sometimes linebackers') heads. He is very strong and has no problem throwing his body around at an unsuspecting defender.

Guys looking around for a block often allow the running back to blow past them — bottom line, guys just don't want to get hit by Ward.

Ward has an MCL sprain and is likely to wear a brace for the game, but I expect him to be 100 percent at kickoff.

Another thing that both Ward and Santonio Holmes do well is break off their routes when they see Ben Roethlisberger scramble. That led to Holmes' long touchdown last week, and many of the Steelers' big gains come off broken plays.

So I have great respect for the Pittsburgh receiving corps. But, that being said, they don't hold a candle to Arizona's unit — Boldin crankiness or no Boldin crankiness.

Larry Fitzgerald already has the most receiving yards in a postseason with 419. He has five touchdowns in the playoffs and is averaging 18.2 yards per reception.

My fascination with Fitzgerald is his ability to high point the ball, even among two or three defenders. At 6-3, he's not the tallest receiver in the game, but he has an uncanny knack to rise up for Kurt Warner's passes. And he's got the best set of hands in the game in my opinion.

As for Boldin, I think he'll be able to get past his issues with offensive coordinator Todd Haley and team management in the biggest game of his career. And he should be humbled by Fitzgerald's willingness to help him out.

Boldin is another explosive player (see his 71-yard touchdown off a five-yard out) and when you throw in Steve Breaston (though he's been somewhat quiet in the playoffs), you've got a tough group even for the top-ranked pass defense in the league to deal with.

(Photos by Greg Trott [Fitzgerald]/Getty Images & The Associated Press [Ward])

Tampa -

Wrote about Anquan Boldin's sideline blowup at Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley for today's newspaper, and took a slightly different take than most. Giants and Jets fans interested in the receiver as a potential acquisition for next season.

We’ve seen players become the focal point of Super Bowl hype week, but Boldin clearly started the ball rolling well before anyone else. Surely, his situation will be repeatedly dissected this week, and he will undoubtedly draw more criticism for his sideline rant.

But in the aftermath of the incident, the latest in a disturbing trend of NFL receivers gone wild, I’m going to reverse fields on this one and give Boldin the benefit of the doubt. You should, too. And so should any team that might be interested in trading for him during the off-season – see: your Giants, your Jets.

Before I explain why, let me just say this: I detest the growing trend of players – particularly wide receivers in the mold of T.O., Johnson and Burress, the worst of the me-first generation – treating their coaches and teammates with the kind of contempt we’ve seen in recent years. Images of Owens screaming at his coaches and quarterbacks – there are so many, we’ve lost track – are what’s wrong with today’s NFL. And Johnson’s incessant self-promotion, not to mention his repeated attempts to get out of Cincinnati by trashing everyone around him, including the people that pay him millions of dollars to play a kid’s game, is also despicable. Burress took it to a new level with his self-inflicted gunshot wound that likely will lead to his ouster from the Giants.

But I think we need to give Boldin a pass on this one. And unless he acts out in the days leading up to the biggest game of his life, he deserves the benefit of the doubt.

Why the flip-flop from the initial reaction? Because in this case, perspective can be drawn from how the situation was handled by Boldin, his coaches and his teammates.

So before the media descending on Tampa this week designates Boldin as the Official Super Bowl Villain and formulates their opinion accordingly, consider the aftermath of his sideline explosion. In fact, just consider Kurt Warner’s words that go a long way toward absolving his teammate.

“To see everything he's done and the character he's shown all year, and have that situation - that I've had six times this year - become the defining point of some part of the season, I think is crazy," Warner said, invoking his own frequent dust-ups with Haley, one of the league’s most intense assistants.

(UPDATE: Chicago Norm, a lifelong Cardinals fan who disavowed his team three weeks ago yet is now shamelessly back on the bandwagon, is whining about this column over on The Final Score blog, which features four full-time Newsday writers/columnists/editors.)

In one of his rare offerings of something that was actually useful, Chicago Norm steered us to a cool story about how the 1925 Pottsville Maroons might impact the outcome of Super Bowl XLIII.

Here it is. Please read it.

I'd explain it to you, but it's complicated. I'd reprint it, but that's even lazier than linking to it.

Thanks to Chicago Norm.

Sorry for not writing Ken Whisenhunt for Sunday.

I thought it would be fun to compare the Pittsburgh and Arizona players at each position during the run up to next week's Super Bowl. Since the QB is arguably the most important player on the field, I thought I'd start there.

Here we go... Kurt Warner vs. Big Ben.

You all know my feelings on Warner, and his performance in the past two games has only enhanced my view.

One of the things I like best about him is that he couples a high completion percentage (67.1 this season) with big-play capability (7.66 yards per attempt and 95 completions of 31+ yards). Obviously having Larry Fitzgerald helps those numbers quite a bit, but Warner's big arm contributes to them as well.

I don't neccessarily love the passer rating statistic, but it's hard to ignore Warner's 93.8 rating for his career, which would rank him behind only Steve Young (96.81) and Peyton Manning (94.37) among quarterbacks with at least 1,500 career attempts.

In my mind, Roethlisberger's modest numbers this season (3,301 yards, 59.9 completion percentage, 17 TDs, 15 INTs) had a lot to do with his poor offensive line. He was sacked 46 times, which was second most in the league only to Matt Cassel. That's been the norm over the past three seasons, as he was taken down 47 times in '07 and 46 in '06. Quarterbacks in the NFL don't last very long taking poundings like that.

The problem the Steelers had this year was their inability to stretch the field. Because Roethlisberger was under pressure so much, he completed just 39 passes of 31+ yards, and attempted only 58. Most of their big plays came via a Big Ben scramble or on yards after the catch (or both, as in the 65-yard TD to Santonio Holmes last Sunday).

Both Warner and Roethlisberger are proven winners - Warner is 57-44 for his career in the regular season and 8-2 in the playoffs (including a win in Super Bowl XXXIV), while Big Ben is 51-20 in the regular season and 7-2 in the playoffs (including a win in Super Bowl XL). Warner is a two-time MVP and a three-time Pro Bowler, while Roethlisberger made his only trip to Honolulu last year.

In the end, Roethlisberger may turn out to be the more accomplished quarterback. But for now, I'm taking Warner. Bring on the comments Steelers fans...

(Photos by Phil Coale [Warner] and Paul Sakuma [Roethlisberger]/Associated Press)

...that Larry Fitzgerald set the record for most receiving yards in one postseason with 419 (to go along with five TDs)? The previous mark was held by Jerry Rice, who had 409 in three games in the 1989 playoffs.

And that he also had 11 catches for 123 yards in Arizona'a 21-14 win over the Steelers in Week 4 of last season?

In case you hadn't noticed, this guy is good.

(Photo by Chuck Burton/Associated Press)

Now that the inauguration of Barack Obama as our new president is just about over, I can now return to carrying Glauber.

So we'll start with my fave game: Me posting photos and you writing the captions. Here we have Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin huddling. What might they be saying?

(AP Photo)

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for Super Bowl trivia. So let's get it cooking with some Super Bowl Fun Facts! Feel free to post your own questions in the comment section. I'll be back periodically with some fun ones as they pop into my head (or if Mike Francesa asks any good ones, I'll post them up here too)...

**The answers are below the break.***

1. Now that Arizona has made the Super Bowl, only five franchises remain that have never appeared in a Super Bowl. Who are they?

2. Who was the first wide receiver to throw a Super Bowl touchdown?

3. Who was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXVII (Tampa Bay-Oakland)?

Here's a couple more good ones I heard today on Mike'd Up...

4. Who was the only quarterback drafted No. 1 overall to lose the only Super Bowl he ever played in?

5. Who were the two Super Bowl MVPs who played at the University of Miami?

I'll let you ponder those for a while and come back for some more tonight or tomorrow morning! So check back often!

Continue reading "Super Bowl Fun Facts #1" »

The question I kept asking myself yesterday watching the Cardinals advance to their first-ever Super Bowl was: Has Larry Fitzgerald finally supplanted Rod Tidwell (the fictional character played by Cuba Gooding Jr. in my all-time favorite movie, Jerry Maguire) as the most famous Cardinals receiver? I think so.

If you remember, Tidwell only had the game-winning touchdown catch in the penultimate game of the regular season that (supposedly) vaulted the Cardinals to a playoff berth. Fitzgerald had three TDs in the NFC Championship.

Gooding Jr. won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the role in 1997 (that's him accepting the trophy in the picture).

In this humorous piece by Jeff Pearlman of ESPN.com's Page 2 in which he chronicles Tidwell's downfall after the movie came out (jokingly), he notes that a petition came out to get Tidwell's No. 85 retired by the team (he actually created the page). If you're interested, tight end Jerheme Urban wears No. 85.

Either way, it's good to have the Cardinals in the Super Bowl.

(Photo by Susan Sterner / Associated Press)

For all you Cardinals fans coming out of the woodwork, check out this Larry Fitzgerald figurine from McFarlane Toys for only $23.99. I bet Anquan Boldin won't be purchasing one.

Only 13 days until Steelers/Cards!

I could understand Anquan Boldin complaining about his contract and lack of playing time early in the season. But when your team just earned its first-ever trip to the Super Bowl, it's probably not the right time.

Boldin tried to bolt out of the locker room yesterday without speaking to the media, but a few reporters (including one from the San Francisco Chronicle) got him before he left.

When asked if he wanted to stay in Arizona, Boldin responded: "Next question."

I believe there is a jealousy issue too, as his teammate has become the best receiver in football during this postseason run. But Boldin must get over it for the good of the team.

(Also, in addition to the Whisenhunt thing, I have a feeling we're going to be hearing a lot about the fact that the game will be played in the Eastern Time Zone ... just a hunch.)

***UPDATE***: Turns out Boldin is still yapping about his argument on the sidelines with offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

(Photo by Brian Bahr, Getty Images)

When the Stillers were looking for a head coach before last season, they hired Mike Tomlin.

They passed over offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, who was hired by the Cardinals.

If form holds true in the Stillers-Ravens game, Whisenhunt will be facing Tomlin in the Super Bowl.

If that happens, I'm quite certain we'll be discussing this topic a bit in the lead-up to the big game in Tampa two weeks from today.

Really.

Bill Bidwill's team in the Super Bowl?

'Nuff said.

The famous Newsday blogger has proclaimed many times over the years that "the Cardinals are dead to me," so he is prohibited from reveling in his former favorite NFL team's success.

As his name might suggest, Chicago Norm goes back to the Cardinals days in Chicago, when they were actually a decent team. But Norm admits that decades of futility in both St. Louis and Arizona left him a broken man, and he didn't have it in him to stick with them.

Too bad. It's been a great run for Kurt Warner and the fellas in Phoenix.

Meanwhile, long-suffering Cardinals fan Scott Roderick is only too happy to reap the benefits of two-plus decades of pulling for the Cardinals. I wrote about him and the good feelings enveloping the greater Phoenix area

(Chicago Norm is grateful we didn't mention him in this story. Then again, we never told him we'd keep him out of the blog, too.)

I know. I know. If I can't pick the outcome of NFL games, how the hell can I predict what's gonna happen to coaches?

But I feel pretty good about this one. Haley, son of former Jets personnel man Dick Haley, is now the Cardinals' offensive coordinator. And a good one at that, even though Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt gets the lion's share of credit for all that goes right with the Arizona offense.

Check this story out from Tommy Rock Star on how Haley came up with a play that proved pivotal in the Cardinals' divisional round win over the Panthers.

The Jets interviewed Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm last week for their head coaching vacancy. I think they should have added Haley to the list. Even if he's still a little green to be a head coach, they could have gotten a feel for the guy for down the road.

Warner's future is a big topic of debate in Arizona, and there seems to be genuine uncertainty about whether he'll be back next season.

We asked Warner, whose contract expires after the season, how he views his future.

"I’m not really sure how much longer I’m going to play," the 37-year-old Warner said on a conference call earlier today. "I’m going to make that decision in the off-season, with a lot of things factoring into it. I'm going to do a lot of praying, and believe God is going to give me some direction on whether I should keep playing or whether he’s calling me to something else."

Warner still thinks he has plenty left from a football standpoint.

"Physically, I think I can still play and can probably play at this level for a couple more years," he said. "But with all that being said, a lot in regards to just the football side of it will depend on what the Cardinals plans are for me and this team moving forward."

If he does keep playing, Warner wants it to be in Arizona.

"I don't want to go anywhere else and try to re-establish myself or go to a team and have to go through the whole rebuilding process again and move the family," he said. "I want it to be here if I continue to play. That’s going to be a big factor in what their thinking is moving forward and where I fit into those plans."

The Cardinals do want Warner back next season, although they haven't broached the subject with Warner just yet.

"I don’t have any sense from Kurt," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "We’ve been so focusd on just trying first of all to win some games and win a playoff gamae. It’s nothing that we’ve discussed from our perspecteive. We’ve made it very clear we’d like to have Kurt back and that is certainly our intention to try to get that done."

I think it's open for debate, especially with Warner enjoying a resurgence the last two years - this year in particular.

The knock against Warner and his Hall of Fame credentials used to be that he didn't string together enough dominant seasons to become a legitimate candidate. His remarkable rise was all well and good, but once he won a Super Bowl and got there and lost the next year, his play began to slip.

But with this year's playoff run, I think the discussion will be revived about whether or not he belongs in Canton. I'm much closer to believing he belongs there now than I was a couple years ago.

If he does get there, wonder if Mascaro will be making his induction speech after putting Warner No. 1 in his list of playoff quarterback rankings last week.

(Associated Press photo)