Unlike last year’s press conference, both Michael Bidwill and Steve Keim looked ecstatic.
Keim looked more than a little sullen last year—-and with good reason. His “big brother” Bruce Arians had just issued a tearful goodbye to the Cardinals and farewell to the NFL coaching circles.
What a difference a year makes.
Bruce Arians is back in business as the Tampa Bay Bucs’ head coach.
And now Steve Keim is the big brother—-to his new head coach, 39 year old Kliff Kingsbury.
For those of us who wanted Michael Bidwill to send Keim packing with Steve Wilks, today we know precisely why Bidwill stayed loyal to Steve Keim.
Steve Keim had a plan in place—-a gutsy, outside the box, “close to the vest” plan—-a plan that Keim is carrying the full weight of on his shoulders.
Hiring his guy Kliff Kingsbury is just the start.
While Keim and Wilks once bonded on a beach in South Carolina, Keim and Kingsbury bonded on the practice fields at Texas Tech. Kingsbury, who repeatedly was effusive in his praise for Keim, indicated how much he enjoyed and respected Keim’s scouting visits to Lubbock.
Little did Kingsbury know back then, but apparently Keim wasn’t only scouting the Texas Tech players—-he was scouting the innovative coach and play caller.
What Keim did not know a year ago was that Josh Rosen was going to fall within the Cardinals’ reach in the draft. Otherwise, K2 might have been hired last year.
Seriously, what better available offensive coach in the USA is there for Josh Rosen than Kliff Kingsbury?
If the Air Raid offense doesn’t capture Rosen’s full a attention and interest, then nothing will.
Back to the presser—-look at the way Kingsbury answered the questions—-again—-talk about form following function. All of his answers were brisk and right to the point, void of any fluff or wasted words. Bing—-bing—-bing—bing: just like the Air Raid offense.
Kliff Kingsbury was throwing dimes out there.
None of the more challenging questions tripped him up. When asked about his sub .500 head coaching record at Texas Tech, he said, “There is nothing I can do now to change that, but I love Texas Tech and I love the players.”
Enough said.
Unlike last year’s press conference where there were some ambiguities about the style of offense and the determination of the base defense—-
This year, thanks to K2 and SK—-there were crystal clear answers.
K2 confirmed, “Yes, I am calling the plays.” He said that in his opinion that’s the best way to form a bond with his QB.
When asked about hiring a veteran DC and whether the Cardinals would return to a 34 base, Steve Keim stated, “Yes and yes.”
These aren’t your last year’s Cardinals.
Already.
And all I could keep asking myself as I watched and heard K2 nail each and every question with succinct aplomb, was how in the ever-lovin’ hell did the New York Jets ever let him board the plane to Arizona.
This moment in Arizona was made for Kingsbury...a long-time fan of Jake Plummer, Kurt Warner, Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald and of course, Pat Tillman.
This hire was bought by Steve Keim—-and paid for by Michael Bidwill (at the encouragement of Steve Keim, Ernie Acorsi and Adrian Wilson).
Obviously, there is going to be a sizable learning curve for everyone—-especially for Kingsbury and Rosen. But it has to start somewhere and start in the right hands.
Today those hands were turning up aces.
if Steve Keim turns out to a better older brother to K2 than the younger brother he was to BA, we could be in for a real treat.
Steve Keim is betting on himself—-just as he avowed when they fired Steve Wilks.
Kingsbury said he is leaning heavily on his GM.
Kingsbury lauded Keim for having a wide net across the NFL and college reservoirs—-well now, in this suddenly brisk and bold new episode of Keim Time, we can take a good, keen gander at each day’s catch du jour.
We had better go now and check twitter—-hurry up! The world seems to be spinning a whole to faster today, isn't it?
from Revenge of the Birds - All Posts http://bit.ly/2H5QDO5
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