Kurt Warner’s MVP season may make him VIP this off-season.  But at age 37 is Warner worth as much as $12 mill per on the open market?  He doesn’t have too much tread on the tires due to a late start in the NFL.  But neither did Steve Young, or Rich Gannon- who coincidently won an MVP at age 37.  Gannon played a total of 10 games in the two seasons following.  Here is how some other prominent QBs did during their age 38 seasons:

Steve Young – lasted 3 games before career ending concussion.
Brett Favre – led Packers to NFC Championship, All-Pro – still playing
John Elway- led Broncos to Super Bowl- retired after
Warren Moon- started 15 games for Vikings, All-Pro – played 6 more seasons in the NFL, with 2 more All-Pro years
Vinny Testaverde -  started 16 games for Jets, who finished 10-6 – played 6 more seasons in the NFL, started 15 games for Dallas at age 41 (5-10).
Dan Marino – started 11 games, finished with career low 67.4 QB rating – retired after
Rich Gannon – Following MVP season at age 37 in 2002, started 7 games for Raiders (2-5).  Started 3 more the following year – retired after
Phil Simms – started 4 games for Giants (1-3), started all 16 the following year, All-Pro – retired after
Joe Montana – started 14 games for the Chiefs (9-5) - retired after
Dave Krieg – started 12 games for Bears (6-6), played 2 more seasons as a backup in Tennessee – retired after

The Boston Red Sox dumped salary.  That’s weird.  Even stranger is who took Coco Crisp’s $5.75 million off their hands:  Try the Kansas City Royals!  We tried to come with some other bizarre headlines in sports:

Rod’s bizarre headlines:
Iverson sets assists record
BCS praised for producing clear cut National Championship/Playoff Shunned
Favre retires quietly
Bill Parcells retires
Cubs win World Series
Marlins set baseball attendance record
Mike Shanahan accepts Raiders head coaching position
Raiders most desired coaching destination
Barry Bonds:  SIs Sportsman of the Year
Schilling declines comment
Amare Stoudemire wins NBA’s defensive player of the year award
Yankees rip A’s for Mark Ellis extension:  Steinbrenner says baseball salaries are “out of control”
NHL big ratings winner

Jarrett Carlen’s:
Kurt Warner has bad game, blames God in post game interview
Mike D A’ntoni runs grueling 5 hour practice with Knicks, preaches “defense”
Roger Clemens admits “Ok, I took steroids, big deal”
3 ASU Football players interviewing to be Rhodes Scholars
Isiah Thomas named executive of the year
Yao Ming passes AC Green for NBA consecutive games played record
Brock Lesnar first person to win NCAA Wrestling Championship, WWE Championship, UFC Championship, and Scrabble World Championship
Shawn Kemp named new spokesman for Trojan condoms
Following John McCain’s advice, Cardinals replace Dirk Johnson with “Joe the Punter”
Bill Belicheck under investigation for illegally videotaping Tom Brady and Gisselle Buncheon in bed
Drew Rosenhaus announces that all of his clients will work for free next year
Blue Jackets/Thrashers regular season game narrowly surpasses the Superbowl as most watched sporting event of the year

And Burnsy ripped another co-worker.  Sam Youmans gets the honor for his use of “squirreling” in a e-mail.  Here was the sentence:   “I squirreled away a pair of Cardinals vs. Giants tickets for your Friday night road show.”   “Squirreling” is a strange verb, especially when stashing and hiding are available for use.

The Hot Stove League is in full gear, and let the speculation begin for the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Sounds like Randy Johnson will not be back.  Not for the type of money that Arizona is offering.  Sounds like 2nd base will be the main priority.  But should it be?  The 620 Sportsline has a crazy idea:  Trade Eric Byrnes to the Toronto Blue Jays for Scott Rolen.  Rolen goes to 3rd, Mark Reynolds goes to 2B, and “The Eric Byrnes Show” goes away!  Not sure which we like better (actually I’m pretty sure which I do), but take a look at how alike their contracts are:

Scott Rolen 3b
8 years/$90M (2003-10)

•    signed extension 9/02
•    $5M signing bonus
•    03:$7M, 04:$8M, 05:$11M, 06:$11M, 07:$11M, 08:$11M, 09:$11M, 10:$11M
•    additional $4M bonus due Rolen in 2010
•    $10M deferred ($2M/year from 2003 to 2007)
•    full no-trade clause (waived to allow trade from St. Louis 1/14/08, with Toronto paying St. Louis $1.8M and the Cardinals responsible for $4M bonus due in 2010 as part of the deal)
•    performance bonuses: $50,000 each for Gold Glove & All Star selection
•    1 year/$8.6M (2002), avoided arbitration 1/02
o    rejected Philadelphia’s 10 year/$140M offer 2/02
o    acquired by St. Louis in trade 7/02
•    4 years/$10M (1998-2001) (Philadelphia), signed 3/98
•    1 year/$0.175M (1997)
•    drafted 1993 (2-46)
•    agents: Levinson brothers, ACES
•    ML service: 11.060

Eric Byrnes of
3 years/$30M (2008-10)

•    signed extension 8/7/07
•    $2M signing bonus (paid in 2 installments in 2008)
•    08:$6M, 09:$11M, 10:$11M
•    no-trade protection
•    1 year/$4.575M (2007)
o    re-signed 2/07 (avoided arbitration, $5M-$4.25M)
•    1 year/$2.25M (2006)
o    signed as a free agent 12/05 after being non-tendered
•    1 year/$2.2M (2005)
o    avoided arbitration 1/05 ($2.5M-$2M)
o    performance bonuses: $25,000 each for 350 & 400 PAs
o    $25,000 one-time assignment bonus if traded
•    1 year/$0.328M (2004)
•    1 year/$0.3M (2003)
•    agent: Michael Sasson
•    ML service: 6.075

With the no-trade protection it would be another Larry Walker for Matt Williams type deal.  Unlike Williams, Byrnes may seek playing time, something he’s much more likely to see in Canada.  Connor Jackson is better than Kevin Mench/Adam Lind, right?  I know, we’re dreamers.  That or just extremely skeptical of the offensive returns of a Ramon Vasquez or Adam Kennedy.

Burnsy’s also skeptical of a man splitting a plate of food with another men.  We’re not saying that happened on Wednesday night.  We’re not saying that happened on Wednesday night at Donovan’s.  And we’re certainly not saying that Gambo and Scott Sutherland split a meal Wednesday night at Donovan’s before the Suns-Rockets game.  We can’t confirm that they were eating off each other’s plates, but we can confirm that a joint dessert was offered by the waiter.  It was declined.  Thankfully.   (Mp3 of Gambo openly talking about this awkward situation is attached above).

The Cardinals are really good.  Or maybe the NFC West is really bad.  Actually it could be both, and it could be a lot tougher for Arizona if they did not play in the worst division in the NFC.  The Cards are within a game in the win-loss column of 10 NFC teams vying for 6 playoff spots.  Luckily the 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks are not among those, and lucky for the Cardinals all they have to do is beat the spread when it comes to expectations here in-town.  That spread is -1 playoff spot.  They’ll beat that.  Burnsy likes the Cards chances the rest of the way, but isn’t sure if he’s wearing beer goggles given the appearance of the rest of the division.

Terry Porter made his weekly appearance on The 620 Sportsline.  This week already started with the big news of a big trade between the Nuggets and Pistons.  Porter called the AI to Mo-town deal a “weird transaction,” and wonders how Iverson will make the transition from Denver’s high powered offense to the slow-down style of the Pistons.  (The team Porter served as assistant on last year, by the way).  By the way the Portland Trailblazers were talking about the Suns on Saturday, you would’ve thought Phoenix was playing some Piston-style hoops.  Porter said he was “proud to hear” the Suns refered to as “bullies.”

So Luis Gonzalez wants to finish up his career with the Arizona Diamondbacks.  The team that defines his career.   A nice thought to be sure.  The fans love him and that love is returned.  It’s a genuine relationship.

Let’s all hope that’s as far as it goes.

Look, I’m a sentimental guy.  I cried during Field of Dreams (I still get weepy when Ray Liotta tells Burt Lancaster “hey rookie, you were good”).  Gonzo finishing up his career with the D-backs is a warm and fuzzy finish.

But I’m also a practical guy.  And this wish of his just doesn’t pass the test.  It’s just not practical.  Not for a team with a tight budget and high expectations coming off a failed season.  They have to be lean, mean and lacking any and all pleasantries.  Another season like last and a big heaping help of doubt creeps in.

And the truth is this…there is nowhere to put him.  Where’s he going to play?  Who does he displace?  With Eric Byrnes as your fourth outfielder, barring a trade, where does Gonzo get his at bats?  If you’re going to have a fifth outfielder, you need one who can play multiple positions, who brings speed to the table and can be a defensive replacement in the late innings.

And that isn’t Gonzo.  He’s a left handed bat who would be a good clubhouse guy.  And that’s it.  And that’s not enough.  

If the Diamondbacks actually pursue this they would be bowing down to the Casual Baseball Fan.  The CBF was miffed when Gonzo wasn’t invited back.  The CBF was thrilled when the somersaulting Byrnes was vastly overpaid (how did that one work out?).   The CBF would love to have Gonzo back and that’s what scares me.  If the D-backs sense that this move puts butts in seats or eyeballs on the TV, then they might buy into it.

Make him a coach.  A broadcaster.  Build a statue.  Retire his number.  Change the name of the team to the Gonzo’s for all I care.  He deserves all of it.  His legacy is secure. 

But come September I’d much rather have a warm baseball team than a warm heart.

I miss the Arizona Cardinals.  My Sunday just isn’t the same without them.

(sigh)

I just swept and vacuumed the floor.  I googled a recipe for cooking prime rib.    I fixed a window screen.  I’m helping my daughter with her piano lessons.  I might even help The-Decision-Maker give the puppies a bath.  I’ve been far more productive than any red blooded American male has a right to be on a Sunday.

Because I miss the Arizona Cardinals.

Oh don’t get me wrong.  I’m watching football.  Right now it’s the Colts and Packers.  Later I’ll watch the Red Sox/Rays.  But the Cardinals have become far more relevant and compelling than I could have ever imagined.  And my Sunday feels empty without them.

It wasn’t always like this.  In the past, the bye week was a respite…for all of us.  The team needed a break from football and I needed a break from the team.  They would use phrases like “we’ve got to figure some things out,” and “the break comes at a really good time for us.”   I would use phrases like, “Thank God, now I can watch some decent football.”

The bye week for the Cardinals used to be like that moment where you and your girlfriend decided to see other people.  You were free to do whatever you wanted with whomever you wanted.  Good times.

It gave those of us who can’t afford the Direct TV package a one week window to watch something other than Cardinals football.  Real NFL football with real NFL teams.  It was a gift.

But now I’m hooked and I need my fix.

I miss Kurt Warner.  Will he toss the boneheaded pick or complete the spectacular throw?  Larry Fitzgerald’s circus catches.  Ken Whisenhunt’s decision making - sometimes daring sometimes silly - but always fascinating.  I miss a team that has as good a chance, if not a better chance, as any of its predecessors to be a factor in November and December.  To be a playoff team.

They’ll be back next weekend.  I’ve already got the couch time reserved.  But in the meantime, the Colts and the Packers just ain’t doing it for me…..I got to go fold the laundry.

I miss the Cardinals.