Boldin situation souring by the day

Boldin situation souring by the day
by Kent Somers - Aug. 19, 2008 10:45 PM
The Arizona Republic

FLAGSTAFF - Anquan Boldin stood outside the building on a serene college campus, praised the Cardinals for signing him to a contract extension and called it "a tribute" to what the team was trying to accomplish.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, that was a different time (three years ago) and a different place (Prescott).

Now, Boldin is in Flagstaff calling team officials liars and saying his relationship with coach Ken Whisenhunt has soured to the point that he doesn't talk to his boss.

Those are damaging words from a player whom coaches, management and media have propped up as the new icon of the organization.

Team officials pointed at Boldin and told scouts that this is the kind of player they wanted. They pointed at Boldin and told players that this is how you practice; this is how you conduct yourself off the field.

Now the relationship has devolved into accusations and denials.

It is not a new story. Boldin has been unhappy all off-season with what he perceives as the team's unwillingness to get a deal done. That feeling grew stronger when the team re-signed receiver Larry Fitzgerald this spring to a four-year, $40 million deal, paying him on average more than twice as much as Boldin.

Boldin opened camp at Northern Arizona by ripping the team for allegedly not being serious about re-signing him.

This latest episode, team officials believe, was choreographed by agent Drew Rosenhaus. News of the most recent trade request was reported to ESPN's Chris Mortensen shortly before the Monday Night Football broadcast. Profootballtalk.com reported that Whisenhunt and Boldin haven't been talking. NFL.com reached Boldin, who ripped Whisenhunt for being a part of the negotiations.

All of this happened Monday.

Trade me

On Tuesday, Boldin repeated his comments that he thought Whisenhunt had crossed a line by becoming involved in negotiations. Coaching and negotiating should be "completely separated," Boldin said. "I think that's why we have a department that deals with that."

Through all of this, Whisenhunt and Cardinals General Manager Rod Graves have measured their responses.

On Tuesday, Whisenhunt denied that he and Boldin weren't talking, but hinted that he wouldn't be surprised if that was the case going forward.

"You guys have been at practice every day; we've been communicating," Whisenhunt said Tuesday. "At least, if communicating is talking, that's what we've been doing at practice. . . . I don't foresee anything changing, so if it does, that's certainly in his court."

The Cardinals have been adamant in their refusal to consider trading Boldin, at least for now. Rosenhaus first made the trade request last spring, according to team officials. Boldin has consistently denied that and did so again Tuesday. The recent trade request was the first, he said.

The Eagles, Redskins and Cowboys supposedly could use a receiver, but the Cardinals aren't likely to deal with those teams, which happen to be on the Cardinals' 2008 schedule. Never mind explaining how the Cardinals would compensate for Boldin's absence.

The Cardinals consistently note that they signed Boldin to an extension when two years remained on his rookie deal. That extension paid Boldin more than $23 million in new money.

Boldin passed up a chance at entering unrestricted free agency for the financial security. His agent then, as it is now, was Rosenhaus.

Case for 'Q'

The flip side is that Boldin clearly has outperformed his current contract. Club officials have admitted that, which is a reason they are willing to negotiate an extension, they said.

But those negotiations have been a joke to Boldin, who doesn't think the Cardinals are serious about re-signing him, having offered him a deal worth about half of Fitzgerald's, according to a source.

Judging from comments on message boards, most fans don't seem to be feeling sorry for Boldin, who said he's not worried that his image might be taking a beating.

"I'm not worried about my reputation being tarnished for me telling the truth," he said.

It's easy to say the situation is irreparable, but don't underestimate the healing powers of money.

If Boldin were to receive Fitzgerald-level money, we might see quotes such as this one, when Boldin signed the extension three years ago after a year of negotiations:

"A situation like that, you keep your fingers crossed and you take care of what you can take care of. You leave the rest up to whoever else."




http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2008/08/19/20080819cardsinsiderboldin0820.html

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin asked to be traded, saying he doesn't feel his situation can be resolved and declaring he has no relationship with coach Ken Whisenhunt.

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"I'm a football player. That's about it," Boldin said Tuesday when asked to characterize his dealings with the coach these days.

A team spokesman said the Cardinals have no plans to trade the sixth-year standout and still hope to sign him to a contract extension.

Whisenhunt sounded puzzled when discussing reports that Boldin had said he was no longer speaking to the coach.

"We've been communicating," he said. "If communicating is talking, that's what we have been doing at practice. As we go forward, I don't know. I don't foresee anything changing. If it does, it's in his court."

Boldin offered a glimpse of his talent late in Tuesday's workout, splitting a pair of defenders on a slant route during a 2-minute drill. He made a nimble catch on a bullet thrown by Kurt Warner for a 25-yard gain.

But with training camp starting to wind down, Boldin made it sound as if it was a tortured three weeks off the field.

The two-time Pro Bowl player, who blasted team officials as camp opened, claims the Cardinals reneged on an offer to re-negotiate his contract.

He has three years left on the four-year, $22.75 million extension he signed after the 2005 season that keeps him under contract through 2010. He's making an average of $4 million a year.

"It's a tough situation, especially when you come into a working environment," Boldin said after practice. "But my job is to stay professional. I'm going to do what I'm supposed to do."

Although Boldin previously denied asking for a trade, he said Tuesday that his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has asked the Cardinals to consider it now.

"At the beginning of camp, I hadn't asked for a trade," Boldin said. "As of recently, we did."

Asked if he believes his standoff with Arizona can be resolved, Boldin shook his head and simply said, "No."

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