Warner Did New York Once, But He Won't Do New York, New York

Steve Serby of the New York Post thinks the New York Jets should sign free agent quarterback Kurt Warner of Cedar Rapids and UNI to replace the retiring Brett Favre.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02122009/sports/jets/make_kurt_plan_a_154702.htm

Before I proceed, know that Serby is not the fellow who played Tony Soprano's nemesis, Phil Leotardo, in "The Sopranos." That was an actor named Frank Vincent.

The above photos don't bear it out, but I saw Serby at the Super Bowl this month, and immediately thought of Leotardo, who met a worse-than-usual demise for a "Sopranos" character.

Anyway, it's not happening, Phil. I mean, Steve.

Warner isn't going to start over somewhere else, which is what he'll be in the 2009 NFL season. It's remain with the Arizona Cardinals or hang up the pads.

Warner turns 38 on June 4 and has said he doesn't want to play elsewhere. Knowing that, the Cardinals might seek a discount in negotiations.

"I don't look at discounts," (Warner's agent, Mark) Bartelstein said. "Every deal has its own unique circumstances. I don't go into it with a preconceived notion. You find what the issues are with your client and for the team and try to agree on something that makes sense."

The Arizona Republic's story on the matter, including the previous two paragraphs:

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/2009/02/09/20090209cardswarner.html

What doesn't make sense is going to New York, where Warner struggled through the 2004 season with the Giants. New Jersey, actually.

The Jets don't have a Larry Fitzgerald at receiver. They don't even have a Larry David. OK, that's not fair to Jermaine Cotchery or Laveranues Coles. But it's a good excuse to include David, a personal favorite.

But things are shifting seismically within the Cardinals, which is weird for a team coming off a Super Bowl run.

Offensive coordinator Todd Haley's jump to become head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs is understandable, of course. But Arizona Coach Ken Whisenhunt is changing more than that.

Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast got fired last weekend. Quarterbacks coach Jeff Rutledge got the sack, pun intended, this week.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/2009/02/10/20090210spt-cardscoaches.html

Cedar Rapids/UNI folks will be interested to note in that story that former Washington Warrior/UNI Panther Dedric Ward may become the Cardinals' new receivers coach. Ward is a two-year offensive quality control coach for Whisenhunt.

How odd would it be for Warner to be throwing passes to receivers coached by Ward? OK, it might not be odd, but it's still kind of interesting since Warner was a fifth-year senior passing to a first-year freshman Ward when they were together at Northern Iowa.