Been there, done that, seen it happen before.....no disrespect directed at dear Kurt, but there comes a time when you need to listen to the messages being sent to you and I think God is telling him it's time to say "It was nice while it lasted, I did things most people only dream of, but it's time to go home to the family now."
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October 6, 2005
Cards again handed over to McCown
Paola Boivin
Republic columnist
Oct. 6, 2005 12:00 AM
At 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dennis Green handed Josh McCown the keys to the Cardinals' sputtering jalopy.
If it runs, son, it's yours.
The message came during discussion of an impending quarterback controversy, one more likely following McCown's solid play Sunday against San Francisco. Green said he's OK with a player losing a starting job to injury if it helps the team because "the team deserves me to make decisions based on who are the best guys to help us win."
So there you go, Josh McCown. A gift. An opportunity. It didn't work in 2004 but thanks to Kurt Warner's injured right groin, you're offered another shot. Everything Green said Wednesday suggests the job is yours if you play well enough to keep it.
"I think he's a better player (than last year)," Green said. "(I know) it's hard to get it all done. Everybody knows I'm impatient. I don't have to apologize for that. I'm too old. Josh wants to meet the standards of the program we're trying to establish, and I think he took a major step in that direction."
Even McCown acknowledged that after watching video of Sunday's 31-14 victory, he saw "things throwingwise that I wouldn't have done last year that I was definitely pleased with."
This is an encouraging development for Cardinals fans that Warner's $4 million contract isn't clouding Green's vision. This is not to say McCown deserves the job, but he deserves the opportunity, and in Green's black-and-white world, it's hard to recover once you've plucked the love-me-not petal.
McCown had his opportunity to win over Green last year but the quarterback's inconsistencies, which often seemed provoked by his eagerness, cost him his job for several weeks. In the off-season, Warner was signed. The two have a close relationship that will be tested during the coming weeks.
"I want to be a starter to help out the team, but more I want the team to do well," McCown said. "That's all I can do now. If at the end of the day that merits being a starter, then so be it."
As twisted as it sounds, McCown will benefit from the Cardinals' struggling offense line. A mobile quarterback is more effective in dealing with that handicap, and McCown has a big edge in that department over Warner.
Carolina coach John Fox admits he's had to tweak the Panthers' game plan for Sunday's trip to Sun Devil Stadium because of the quarterback change.
"It does affect you because (Warner and McCown) are so not similar," he said. "It's like you're playing Atlanta and you got (Michael) Vick or no Vick. I'm not saying they're the same but the quarterback's mobility kind of changes your approach."
Carolina will provide a more honest gauge of McCown's development from last season. The defense serves up a more aggressive front seven than the 49ers, and McCown will need to anticipate routes with Warner-like abilities.
Green's comments Wednesday were just another indication that he and McCown are on the same page again. During Sunday's victory, a giddy McCown charged over to Green after throwing a touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald and patted the coach on the shoulders. During the timeout that preceded the play, Green and McCown had discussed throwing to Fitzgerald because Anquan Boldin was doing such an effective job pulling the safety out of the picture.
Sunday is an important audition for McCown, who is in the final year of his contract. At one time, it seemed this audition tape would be for another team. It might just be for the Cardinals after all.
*****************************************
October 6, 2005
Cards again handed over to McCown
Paola Boivin
Republic columnist
Oct. 6, 2005 12:00 AM
At 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dennis Green handed Josh McCown the keys to the Cardinals' sputtering jalopy.
If it runs, son, it's yours.
The message came during discussion of an impending quarterback controversy, one more likely following McCown's solid play Sunday against San Francisco. Green said he's OK with a player losing a starting job to injury if it helps the team because "the team deserves me to make decisions based on who are the best guys to help us win."
So there you go, Josh McCown. A gift. An opportunity. It didn't work in 2004 but thanks to Kurt Warner's injured right groin, you're offered another shot. Everything Green said Wednesday suggests the job is yours if you play well enough to keep it.
"I think he's a better player (than last year)," Green said. "(I know) it's hard to get it all done. Everybody knows I'm impatient. I don't have to apologize for that. I'm too old. Josh wants to meet the standards of the program we're trying to establish, and I think he took a major step in that direction."
Even McCown acknowledged that after watching video of Sunday's 31-14 victory, he saw "things throwingwise that I wouldn't have done last year that I was definitely pleased with."
This is an encouraging development for Cardinals fans that Warner's $4 million contract isn't clouding Green's vision. This is not to say McCown deserves the job, but he deserves the opportunity, and in Green's black-and-white world, it's hard to recover once you've plucked the love-me-not petal.
McCown had his opportunity to win over Green last year but the quarterback's inconsistencies, which often seemed provoked by his eagerness, cost him his job for several weeks. In the off-season, Warner was signed. The two have a close relationship that will be tested during the coming weeks.
"I want to be a starter to help out the team, but more I want the team to do well," McCown said. "That's all I can do now. If at the end of the day that merits being a starter, then so be it."
As twisted as it sounds, McCown will benefit from the Cardinals' struggling offense line. A mobile quarterback is more effective in dealing with that handicap, and McCown has a big edge in that department over Warner.
Carolina coach John Fox admits he's had to tweak the Panthers' game plan for Sunday's trip to Sun Devil Stadium because of the quarterback change.
"It does affect you because (Warner and McCown) are so not similar," he said. "It's like you're playing Atlanta and you got (Michael) Vick or no Vick. I'm not saying they're the same but the quarterback's mobility kind of changes your approach."
Carolina will provide a more honest gauge of McCown's development from last season. The defense serves up a more aggressive front seven than the 49ers, and McCown will need to anticipate routes with Warner-like abilities.
Green's comments Wednesday were just another indication that he and McCown are on the same page again. During Sunday's victory, a giddy McCown charged over to Green after throwing a touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald and patted the coach on the shoulders. During the timeout that preceded the play, Green and McCown had discussed throwing to Fitzgerald because Anquan Boldin was doing such an effective job pulling the safety out of the picture.
Sunday is an important audition for McCown, who is in the final year of his contract. At one time, it seemed this audition tape would be for another team. It might just be for the Cardinals after all.