Sunday, April 25, 2004
East Valley Tribune Online: "Dockett in particular is an interesting choice. He has first-round "
Arizona finally gets NFL draft right
By Scott Bordow, Tribune Columnist
Fans at the Cardinals’ draft party in downtown Phoenix stood to greet Dennis Green and Rod Graves Saturday.
And they weren’t brandishing weapons.
A year after the Cardinals made like the Keystone Kops — pass on Terrell Suggs, take Calvin Pace — they got it right.
Their draft wasn’t sexy. Just sensible: Pittsburgh wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald with the No. 3 pick, Auburn outside linebacker Karlos Dansby at No. 33 and Florida State defensive tackle Darnell Dockett in the third round.
In fact, those of us who have sat through the Cardinals’ annual exercises of stupidity were bored Saturday.
We had to leave the sharp knives and ridicule at home. We weren’t able to point out that the obvious was right under the Cardinals’ noses, and they couldn’t smell a thing.
If this is what Green and Graves are cooking up, what’s to become of us smart-alecks? Might we have to learn how to spell praise?
(We’ll hold off on the other P word. Green can’t benchpress a franchise in one year).
I hoped Green would have some sympathy for a columnist’s pain. After all, he was a media hack at ESPN for a couple of years.
Instead, he laughed at our loss.
The draft wasn’t boring, he said. Just effective, like "Joe Montana dropping those dink passes off to fullbacks. It’s part of the plan."
Next, he’ll be telling us Fitzgerald is the next Jerry Rice.
And it might not be hyperbole.
Fitzgerald sounds too good to be true, Jack Armstrong in shoulder pads.
He won’t pull out a Sharpie unless he’s asked to sign an autograph. After each of the 34 touchdowns he scored at Pittsburgh, Fitzgerald handed the ball to the official rather than call attention to himself with an inane end-zone celebration.
He once came to the aid of a stranger by dropping coins in a parking meter after seeing the woman was out of change.
He continued to take classes at Pittsburgh after declaring for the NFL draft.
"That’s the kind of man that Larry is, a great individual," Green said.
Fitzgerald’s talent is unquestioned. He’s 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and has Velcro for hands. Baltimore Ravens personnel director Phil Savage told USA Today that Fitzgerald is "the type of player that when you take him out of the box, it says, ‘No Assembly Required.’
"That’s so rare for a receiver. With most of them, there’s a learning curve. But he’s ready now."
Of course, the last can’t miss, can’t-screw-it-up Cardinals draft pick was Andre Wadsworth, and what’s he doing these days?
But why look for storm clouds when the sun is shining. Even those of us who would have preferred Miami safety Sean Taylor can’t protest too loudly about Fitzgerald. He and Anquan Boldin could be the same sort of dynamic duo Randy Moss and Cris Carter were for Green in Minnesota.
"I think that is something we are definitely going to try to do," Fitzgerald said.
As for Dansby and Dockett, who knows? But both players fill needs, and the Cardinals didn’t extend their reach to take them.
Dockett in particular is an interesting choice. He has first-round talent but character issues. He’ll either be a steal or Wendell Bryant.
The Green era is off to a solid start. But acing the third pick in the draft was easy. The season is riding on the development of quarterback Josh McCown.
If McCown grows up quickly, the Cardinals will be competitive and Green will look like a genius.
If McCown’s talent isn’t as big as his heart, the 2004 draft will be remembered not for who Green took, but what he didn’t.
A quarterback
Arizona finally gets NFL draft right
By Scott Bordow, Tribune Columnist
Fans at the Cardinals’ draft party in downtown Phoenix stood to greet Dennis Green and Rod Graves Saturday.
And they weren’t brandishing weapons.
A year after the Cardinals made like the Keystone Kops — pass on Terrell Suggs, take Calvin Pace — they got it right.
Their draft wasn’t sexy. Just sensible: Pittsburgh wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald with the No. 3 pick, Auburn outside linebacker Karlos Dansby at No. 33 and Florida State defensive tackle Darnell Dockett in the third round.
In fact, those of us who have sat through the Cardinals’ annual exercises of stupidity were bored Saturday.
We had to leave the sharp knives and ridicule at home. We weren’t able to point out that the obvious was right under the Cardinals’ noses, and they couldn’t smell a thing.
If this is what Green and Graves are cooking up, what’s to become of us smart-alecks? Might we have to learn how to spell praise?
(We’ll hold off on the other P word. Green can’t benchpress a franchise in one year).
I hoped Green would have some sympathy for a columnist’s pain. After all, he was a media hack at ESPN for a couple of years.
Instead, he laughed at our loss.
The draft wasn’t boring, he said. Just effective, like "Joe Montana dropping those dink passes off to fullbacks. It’s part of the plan."
Next, he’ll be telling us Fitzgerald is the next Jerry Rice.
And it might not be hyperbole.
Fitzgerald sounds too good to be true, Jack Armstrong in shoulder pads.
He won’t pull out a Sharpie unless he’s asked to sign an autograph. After each of the 34 touchdowns he scored at Pittsburgh, Fitzgerald handed the ball to the official rather than call attention to himself with an inane end-zone celebration.
He once came to the aid of a stranger by dropping coins in a parking meter after seeing the woman was out of change.
He continued to take classes at Pittsburgh after declaring for the NFL draft.
"That’s the kind of man that Larry is, a great individual," Green said.
Fitzgerald’s talent is unquestioned. He’s 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and has Velcro for hands. Baltimore Ravens personnel director Phil Savage told USA Today that Fitzgerald is "the type of player that when you take him out of the box, it says, ‘No Assembly Required.’
"That’s so rare for a receiver. With most of them, there’s a learning curve. But he’s ready now."
Of course, the last can’t miss, can’t-screw-it-up Cardinals draft pick was Andre Wadsworth, and what’s he doing these days?
But why look for storm clouds when the sun is shining. Even those of us who would have preferred Miami safety Sean Taylor can’t protest too loudly about Fitzgerald. He and Anquan Boldin could be the same sort of dynamic duo Randy Moss and Cris Carter were for Green in Minnesota.
"I think that is something we are definitely going to try to do," Fitzgerald said.
As for Dansby and Dockett, who knows? But both players fill needs, and the Cardinals didn’t extend their reach to take them.
Dockett in particular is an interesting choice. He has first-round talent but character issues. He’ll either be a steal or Wendell Bryant.
The Green era is off to a solid start. But acing the third pick in the draft was easy. The season is riding on the development of quarterback Josh McCown.
If McCown grows up quickly, the Cardinals will be competitive and Green will look like a genius.
If McCown’s talent isn’t as big as his heart, the 2004 draft will be remembered not for who Green took, but what he didn’t.
A quarterback
