Peter King, a shill for the CNNSI.com site once again
Ok, look I know that Peter King is a good NFL writer and I enjoy reading a lot of his work; with his Monday Morning Quarterback column as a must read each week if you are a fan of the NFL. I also know his editors at CNNSI.com probably put him up to his recent “top 500″ player evaluation list, knowing it would enrage fan’s and radio talk guys all over the US and generate a ton of web hits for their site. I get all this, but still, I am taking the bait and have to comment on his list and how he has once again utterly disregarded not just the Cardinals key players, but many of the top players in the NFL using some inane evaluation process that determines potential over actual results. This guy just continues to lose credibility as an objective reporter on the NFL with so many of these evaluations being off the mark. Just a few of the highlights of the more glaring ranking mistakes:
1. Anquan Boldin ranked 135. How anyone that purports to be an observer of the NFL can not have Boldin ranked in the top 25 players on any type of list has zero credibility with me and most fans. I don’t care what team you root for, but Boldin has the stats in his career that are Hall of Fame quality, let alone top 25 for the NFL. Just a sample, here is a guy that made the Pro-Bowl as a rookie and again last year, is the fastest receiver in NFL history to 300 catches and is the best receiver after the catch in the league. But that just touches on the leadership skills, the toughness, the competitive fire and over all quality of this man. To have him ranked at this level is borderline offensive and I hope fuels Anquan to play with even more fire then usual. If I were picking a team, right now, I’d take Manning as my QB, Walter Jones at my LT and my very next pick would be Boldin, thats how impressive this guy is. Once King ranked him at this level I knew the rest of the list was going to be a total joke.
2. Adrian Wilson at 27th and Larry Fitzgerald at 58th. I think this is about right for Wilson as he is essentially to the Cardinal’s defense what Boldin is to the offense. The fierce leader who wants to win so badly that he plays at an almost maniacal level is finally getting some national recognition that was long over due. Larry Fitzgerald is clearly one of the top young receivers in the NFL who continues to improve his game and is still only 24 years old. Fitzgerald clearly should have been ranked ahead of Andre Johnson at 33 and several of the other players listed in the 30’s given his combination of actual production and still blooming potential.
3. Edgerrin James at 225. One of the top running backs in the NFL for the last 8 years and still only 29. I mean really, he still ran for almost 1200 yards last year behind a horrible offensive line and in a pathetic offensive scheme. If anything it showed his toughness and skill to get it done under those circumstances and with that coaching staff. King had Cadillac Williams, Thomas Jones, LaDell Betts, Brandon Jacobs, Laurence Maroney, Travis Henry, Clinton Portis, Rudi Johnson, Marshawn Lynch, Michael Turner, Willie Parker, Jamal Lewis, Ronnie Brown, Joseph Addai, Brian Westbrook, Shawn Alexander, Reggie Bush, Steven Jackson, Larry Johnson, and LT all ahead of Edge. I mean really, LaDell Betts? Travis Henry? Marshawn Lynch who has never taken a snap? How can anyone even start to take this list seriously. On this list you can name maybe 5 players who are better then Edge but the rest are clearly trailing him as an over all player.
Once I saw were Edge and Boldin were ranked I just scanned the rest to see Leinart at 99, Dansby at 216, Warner at 262, Deuce at 285, Dockett at 335, Rolle at 379, Berry at 414, Rackers at 432 and O’Keafor at 486. How can you even consider this a rational or thought out list? Rackers is one year removed from a historic pro-bowl season and usually has every kick off as a touchback, but there are several other kickers much further up the list then he is.
I could go on, but I just need to chalk it up as another example of the price Cardinal players pay when it comes to national recognition and respect from the media. The only way they, and the organization, can change these things is to finally start winning and stop talking about what they should be able to do. It’s time for results from the Cardinals and opening up on Monday night football against this years darlings of the media, the SF 49ers will give them a chance to shut up the critics and prove they belong in discussions about quality NFL teams.
Original post by Eli Wahlstrom
Join the discussion at The Locker Room Forum. Arizona Sports 24/7.
Posted by 
(Rate this post)
Loading ...Related Articles:
