FREEMAN CALLS BOLDIN A "JACKASS"

Our buddy Mike Freeman of CBS Sports had some choice words for Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin, based on his behavior during Sunday’s NFC title game.
Freeman points out that, as the FOX cameras demonstrated, Boldin engaged in a fourth-quarter argument with offensive coordinator Todd Haley.
After the game, Boldin still had his panties in a bunch.  Per Freeman, he abruptly left the field while his teammates were celebrating the victory, and then he abruptly left the locker room.
“I have to say in nearly 20 years of doing this, I’ve never seen a player more concerned about his arguing with a coach over making a Super Bowl,” Freeman writes.  “What Boldin did almost never happens.  Congratulations on making history, Anquan.”
It’ll be interesting to see what kind of legs this thing grows over the next two weeks.
And if it was part of Boldin’s plan to get out of town, it just might have worked.

80 responses to “FREEMAN CALLS BOLDIN A "JACKASS"

  1. Now you and I know that if this was a “certain WR” the front page of every major media outlet and blog would be running the story.
    So I appreciate PFT.com for posting this.
    I commented while watching Boldin yell at Haley on the sideline if this was a “Certain WR” they would have stopped the game for an “Ed Werder Special Outside The Lines Report from the Sidelines”.

  2. I was shocked to see him act like that when his team was on the verge of making the SB. Great player, but that was so selfish.

  3. Seems like a trend with Haley. Wanna bet that Haley got personal with Boldin, like he did with TO?

  4. Arizona was struggling when the argument happened, it looked like Boldin was simply pointing out that they had lost their lead because they had stopped throwing to Fitzgerald after a 3 TD first half. Boldin had a reason to be pissed, as that hack Haley was about to waste a shot at the Super Bowl.

  5. That was funny.
    Todd Haley seemed to completely shut him down.
    They won without him. He was a non-factor

  6. Anquan earned a lot of respect from me this season for his toughness, tenacity, and heart. It didn’t even bother me that he was justifiably upset that Fitzgerald got such a huge contract, while he was the carried just as much of a load.
    He lost all of the respect he’d gained from me with his little tantrum. He was acting like a spoiled sixth-grader.

  7. Haley kept saying, “don’t call me that!” I wonder what Boldin was saying. Kind of hard to argue with the guy that is calling the plays that is leading your team on the game winning drive and on to the Superbowl!

  8. It doesn’t matter florio. The cardinals are in baby. Live with that one.
    But as usual….florio posts the first post cardinals article after the win with a negative. Hang on Mike…it will take a couple more weeks to show what a fool you are. but it’s coming. LAUGHING all day out here at you and the so called experts. We all are LOVING this in AZ.
    Because of florio, aikman, collingsworth, this is so sweet.

  9. It’s really a shame. Anquan has been the dream citizen in his time in Arizona. He is a great leader on the team. He has never been in trouble with the law. He is involved in the community. The guy came back from a broken freaking face in 3 weeks!
    Whatever side you believe in the fight between Anquan and the Cardinals over the new contract issue, (I believe they had promised him a new contract and Rod Graves might be the worst salary cap manager in the history of the salary cap era) you need to understand Anquan does not deserve your wrath.
    This was simply the worst possible timing in the history of bad timings. Anquan is not a selfish person, but he did something extremely selfish. It is a human mistake, like your drunk best friend hitting on your wife that one time.
    It just saddens me to see this meltdown. He will not deserve what you guys give him.

  10. Hopefully the NFL is NOT banking on all those diehard Cards fans to make the trip to Tampa…Sincerely Arizonas ticket extention after the cards had clinched a playoff spot some 4 weeks prior.
    There are fair weather fans, bandwagon fans and then just Cards fans… they are a breed all alone.

  11. No legs, just worthless reporters!!
    Boldin is a GREAT wr, Freeman and Florio are crappy reporters, Forget those worthless LOSERS!

  12. Maybe all you journalists/bloggers should be looking at Haley’s history of being a jackass. Just saying.

  13. The Cards used Boldin as a decoy. To throw out a guess, maybe the OC thought he was injured, and Boldin thought he wasn’t.
    Come to the Vikings, Anquan Boldin. You are the missing piece of the puzzle.

  14. Does anybody care about CBS Sports dot com? Has anybody ever heard of Mike Freeman? Non-story.

  15. “With each passing week, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald isn’t four times the player that Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin is.”
    “In an environment where there’s a constant comparison of pocket books and body parts, the guys realize that Fitzgerald is getting paid like Gatsby, and that Boldin is being screwed.”
    Brilliant insight from our favourite columnist.
    http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/09/15/boldin-emboldened/

  16. I think he was pissed because they weren’t putting him on the field hardly at all in the 4th quarter, maybe the 3rd too.

  17. What exactly is leaving abruptly? Did he not shake everyone’s hand and say goodbye before he left? Does Freeman have any idea why Boldin left – possibly related to the his injury? Does Freeman even know what Boldin was upset about on the sideline? (Personally, my first thought was that Boldin was screaming to punch it in and not settle for a FG)
    There may be something to this story and Boldin may indeed be a jackass, but Freeman’s story is so free of useful facts that it shouldn’t have been printed much less linked to or commented on.

  18. Beautiful Neutral.
    If the Cards could trade Boldin for an upgrade on Rod Hood, they should do it. Move Breaston up to the #2 receiver, and sign Torry Holt to come in as the #3 spot if he’d accept the role.

  19. I saw that spat during the game; I remember it occuring during the time that the Eagles were scoring on every drive, and the Cardinals couldn’t get anything going to respond.
    As I expected, they shifted to focus on the run more to kill the clock, and the Eagles were ready for it until the last drive. I think Boldin sensed that they needed to drastically revise their second half plan or else we’d see McNabb reprise his role in 2 weeks.
    Good news for the Cards is that they’ve got 2 weeks to give Boldin more time to rest. I really do think that the Cards are going to give the Steelers a handful. You can’t defend both Fitz and a healthy Boldin AND stop the run at the same time. Like svnrdr said earlier, I think Boldin’s going to put up the better early numbers over Fitz. Mostly because I don’t think Polamalu’s going to cheat towards his side as much as Fitz’s..

  20. None of us play in professional sports and emotions can get the best of them sometimes. This is really a non-issue!

  21. The many faces of Anquan. Definitely worth a news item that he stormed out instead of taking a very easy opportunity to say it was heat of the battle and over with the win.
    Agreed with svnrdr on it smoothing over the easy way. They will have him practicing Wildcat action as soon as the work week starts.

  22. I don’t blame him one bit…
    any other receiver would have blown up at the beggining of the season because of the contract situation. why should fitz get paid more then him. he was the better receiver this year. they are both awesome receivers. I think boldin is getting treated unfairly. he risked himself this whole season. what if he tears something in his knee or whatever and is unable to play arizona would have released him. he was loyal to his team. but the people running the team are assholes

  23. Favre used to throw 3 to 5 picks in a playoff game and abruptly slip out the back door a loser, without talking to the press, every year.
    When he did it, they wrote what a fun-loving gunslinger and stand-up guy he was.

  24. Hey, if he doesn’t feel compelled to shoot himself, we’ll take him on the Giants. A temper tantrum on the sidelines ain’t crap compared to what NY has had to put up with. Besides, no one here likes Gilbride, so screaming at him will be seen as a positive.

  25. Anquan Boldin is a stud warrior, while Mike Florio and this Morgan Freeman guy or whatever are a couple of pencil neck Monday morning quarterback dorks.
    I think I’ll give Anquan the benefit of the doubt on this one.

  26. dude came back from a “face” in 2 or 3 weeks I don’t care what anyone says, including kellen winslow, Boldin is a f’n soldier and Haley barely used him this game

  27. Anquan Boldin is a slightly better version of Alvin Harper, Without Fitzgerald, he is only mediocre WR. Arizone needs to resign Boldin, because he is the perfect compliment WR with the Cardinals, otherwise he will be just another overpaid #2 WR trying to fill a #1 WR spot. Sadly, a WR challenged team will vastly overpay. Where is Al Davis when you need him?

  28. If I had to put money on it, I’d bet that this gets squashed and his leaving is attributed to his wanting to cool off and not say something dumb and take away from the team accomplishment. It’ll be said that he was just passionate in the heat of the moment and said some things and it was what it was. Things happen, people get mad at each other all the time and guess what, they live with each other and move on. I would think those of you that are married would understand…

  29. who cares……….this is another example of analysis by paralysis, too much media attention, this happens all the time, i watched an nfl films clip of cris carter and he did this to everybody on the vikings sidelines, coaches, teammates, trainers, everybody!!!!!!!!!!! too much media power in today’s society that the media wants to be a drama queen about every argument.

  30. cobrala says:
    January 18th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
    What about Warner hollering at the OC in the 1st quarter while they were winning?
    ====================================================
    I’m sick of Kurt Warner constantly praising his God and every time you see him on TV he’s yelling and screaming at players or coaches…what a hypocrite!

  31. you mean two people were having a disagreement? shocking, right? come on. the main difference here is that this disagreement was captured on national tv. i really don’t think it’s a huge deal — especially since A.Q. has always come off as a consummate professional.
    i do think that cardinals should trade him, though — either for a boatload of draft picks, a top-flight linebacker or pass-rushing defensive end. (julius peppers?)

  32. bigdoge99 says: Anquan Boldin is a slightly better version of Alvin Harper, Without Fitzgerald, he is only mediocre WR.
    You do realize that Boldin was drafted in 2003 and Fitz was drafted in 2004, right? Boldin had 101 receptions and 1377 yards in his rookie season, which was before Fitz arrived.

  33. Boldin in a discontent mood and becoming a free agent. This
    is great news for Miami Dolphin fans who will be targeting
    a free agent wide receiver in the off season. Anquan get
    your taste of the Super Bowl and then head to Miami for
    a visit with Parcells.

  34. He’s who the Giants were rumored to want to replace Burress. That behavior just might have chased Coughlin away?

  35. Ever notice that when it’s a qb yelling at his coach or receivers that he’s “a general leading his team” or just doing it because “he’s so competitive” but when it’s the receiver doing the yelling he’s a “jackass” or “selfish”.

  36. Vox Veritas says:
    January 18th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
    Seems like a trend with Haley. Wanna bet that Haley got personal with Boldin, like he did with TO?
    __________________________
    Looks like the Cowboys kept the wrong guy. Haley’s going to the SuperBowl. Of course TO might be too if he gets tickets.

  37. bigdoge99– You have no clue. Boldin had a year most receivers only dream of THE YEAR BEFORE FITZGERALD EVEN GOT TO ARIZONA. I’m not saying he’s better than Fitzgerald, but to say he’s Alvin Harper? That’s just stupid.
    His meltdown does seem out of character. He was great at FSU– he even played QB when they asked him!

  38. A few comments on this….
    1. What is up with Todd Haley. TO accused him of being a two-face and leaking out private info. Now, Anaquan Boldin, who has a totally different media perception, gets into it with Haley during the biggest game for the Cardinals in 50 years. Add into the mix Kurt Warner exchanging words with Haley in the same contest and one should start to examine Haley more thoroughly. Like the old saying goes, where there is smoke, there is a fire.
    Note to Mike Florio — Can u dig and find out what the sideline fight was about and what was supposedly said??
    2. I have no problem with Warner or anyone else for that matter giving God all the glory after winning big games. Just as long as they also give him the glory when they lose. For once, I want to hear some Christian athlete say, It was a tough loss, but I give all the blame to Jesus. Jesus didn’t allow me to make the plays when it counted, etc. If your going to give the credit for the good, atleast give the blame for the bad. Some consistency please!

  39. I’d wish some athlete would praise Satan, after winning a championship or something…. That would be so awsome… Everyone knows America would be in an uproar if athletes gave glory to Allah…..

  40. A guy can’t get paid like Larry Fitzgerald if he doesn’t play like Larry Fitzgerald.
    I nthink this shows what was on his mind while his team was winning a place at the Super Bowl.
    Reminds me of Manny being Manny

  41. q dude what is wrong w you? didn’t you realize your TEAMATE was having a career day and that as PART of the team you supposed to have his back? You had your knickers in a twist over what? not getting the ball. maybe the coaches knew something you didn’t – like maybe you weren’t a 100% – if the cards had stones they’d sit for the first quarter.
    grow the f up.

  42. The reincaration of a new Terrell Owens that put his selish feeling above his teams accomplishment…. this should be a blinking red flag to teams that dare to sign him in free agency…. When a human being shows ugliness in a moment of victory, you must measure his lack of heart and a willingness to unite, to give in to your own ambitions and opinions in the midst of ending a 61 year old drought of championships, serve notice to all those around him that he is not a teammate, but a defining cancer to lockerroom. Boldin has stained himself like a selfish man who forgets he’s blessed to be playing a game that few get a chance to experience.

  43. Anquan Boldin is known as one of the toughest (and best) receivers in the NFL. He’s always given everything he’s got and even after almost being killed, came back to play 2 weeks later. And this is a first time incident (that you don’t even know the details behind), therefore nobody gives a crap. Talk football and quit trying to make everything a soap opera. Boldin is royalty in AZ.

  44. Hey bigdoge99, as someone already pointed out Boldin was established before Fitzgerald came to town. (He had one of the best rookie seasons for ever a WR while Fitz was dominating in college). They’re both #1 WRs who happen to play on the same team. I think if you break down their catches, yards and TDs per game this year, Boldin’s were actually better despite playing with a reconstructed face.
    I agree with a lot of posters who respect Boldin for coming back from the injury he had and keeping quiet while Fitzgerald got the big payday.
    But as Marvin Harrison proved, you never really know who someone is just because they seem to play the game right and keep quiet.

  45. Boldin got his face crushed and came back 2 weeks later for this team while making a total BS salary. The guy lays it down for this miserable team week after week, and we all know Haley is a total a-hole. Non-story.

  46. “Looks like the Cowboys kept the wrong guy. Haley’s going to the SuperBowl.”
    Yep, it’s all because of Haley, isn’t it?
    Or maybe it’s because of Pendergast.
    Or maybe you’re just an idiot.

  47. The problem with seeing these spats on TV is that you’re only seeing a couple seconds worth of what’s going on and until somebody comes out and says what was going on, you can’t really have any idea. So unless you have any idea at all what’s going on you can’t really assume anything. It’s football. It gets emotional. People yell at each other. Get over it.

  48. Until Florio digs up what the beef was about, we’re all speculating. Yet, if the guy bolted out of the locker room after the biggest win of the year (and maybe the team’s history) because he was pissd at the way he was treated, it’s pretty weak. He may be good, but every game I’ve watched him play, he’s dropped some fairly catchable balls — doesn’t another receiver in Dallas exhibit those tendancies?

  49. Somewhere, after shining his pistol, Chris Carter has added the name “Anquan Boldin” to a “Kill Bill” esque hit list…

  50. leatherneck says:
    January 19th, 2009 at 12:02 am
    The Cards used Boldin as a decoy. To throw out a guess, maybe the OC thought he was injured, and Boldin thought he wasn’t.
    Come to the Vikings, Anquan Boldin. You are the missing piece of the puzzle.
    Leatherneck, I hate to inform you but you head coach is medicore thats another piece of your missing puzzle. Oh yea and maybe a decent QB who could get him the ball, thats slightly a bigger piece. I don’t think a star reciever would help you much if you did not fix that.

  51. Must be the number 81…
    Boldin has been a model player this whole year – except for the NFC championship game.
    It was very obvious from the start of the game he was not included in the offensive plans. Why?

  52. Ya know what this story is WRONG… Maybe Boldin did act like an azz. But remember Boldin almost got his face removed in that Redskin game. Now because of an act of immaturity Boldin is getting ripped and piled on with comments like he is jealous of Fitzgerald etc… Note to anyone who followed the season. Before Boldin’s injured hamstring he was the best fanttasy WR in league. Mike Freeman talks about his 20 years of covering football. I never heard of Florio’s buddy Freeman until today. Freeman did not elaborate on that CBS post how he knows what Boldin did after game. Was Freeman told this by Cards official or did Freeman follow Boldin around after game? How does Freeman know all this? Understand I am not defending Boldin because I don’t know what happened. hat I do know is some comments here and on CBS are knee jerk reactions by fans just as Boldin’s actions were knee jerk. I know Boldin is one heck of a WR. That he decided to play rather than sit out over his contract this season. What if Boldin came out today and apologized for his actions. Freeman in my opinion was out of line and part of problem with internet etc… With NL’s popularity their are all these sites and repoters trying to scoop each other just like ProFootball talk. As I said I neve heard of Freeman until this post was reported. So everyone should take a chill pill and wait for some facts to come out rather than disparaging Boldin. Maybe Boldin isa jerk bt I still think Freeman was out of line. NO way Freeman knows exactly what happened…

  53. People can be pretty dumb. Anyone suggesting Boldin is “average” or “mediocre” has obviously not watched much football.
    Boldin ranks 1st all-time in yards per game (better than TO, Fitz, Rice, etc., etc.).
    He ranks 1st all-time in catches per game.
    So, I have a better argument for him being one of the best WR’s in NFL history than you do saying he’s average.
    That all said, I was disheartened to see him blow up on the sideline. He clearly wasn’t 100% and he probably couldn’t process that. I think Haley made a decent decision to keep him on the sideline and Boldin should have just lived with it. That all said, there are few guys who are better off the field than Boldin. He does charity work in Zona and back in Florida. He has kept to his word and not made an issue of his contract. Even through this spat, he hasn’t brought his contract into the equation.
    So…I was sad to see this happen. I think it was a mistake on his part. But I think it’s an isolated incident. I guess we’ll see how it progresses.

  54. FookFlorio — Absolutely PRICELESS comment. Praise Allah indeed. I would LOVE to see that. Imagine the redneck heads exploding accross America. If only Anquan was a muslim…

  55. Nothing like knowing all the facts before condemning a guy. I’ll reserve my opinion until I here both sides.

  56. Arguments will happen.
    But, im curious as to what Boldin was calling Haley, as Haley was clearly saying, “Dont call me that”, “Dont call me that”, “Dont call me that”.
    no team needs that kind of dissention.
    Guy

  57. Wow.
    What a surprise.
    A bunch of buffoons – the illegitimate children of Stuart Scott, more than likely – are defending the indefensible, i.e., Anquan Boldin.
    What you youngsters don’t understand is that there is a time and place for everything.
    Here’s a clue for the clueless: when your OC is trying to call plays late in the fourth quarter with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, it’s not a good idea to throw a hissy fit because you feel like you deserve to be on the field.
    Of course, so many youngsters of today have very little common sense or self-control – “I want it RIGHT NOW!” – so I guess we shouldn’t be surprised when these “kids” take the side of another petulant child.
    Now, go stand in the corner until mommy and daddy get home.

  58. he is just like keyshawn. every time someone else caught a td he would throw a hissy fit. teamwork makes the dream work

  59. Rbt Little: a bona fide sports expert would know that a certain wide receiver has already had that conversation with haley. it was the reason haley left big d. no special reports then, just another confirmation in a long line of confirmations that “i love me some me” and his enablers will always be losers in the long run.
    i would love to know the topic of the disagreement here. Boldin must be a team guy to have gone back out there so soon after getting his face rearranged against the jets. i know he wants out, but i just wonder what the fight was about… i had never had a negative impression of him up till this time, but being in the eastern time zone don’t watch the west coast teams as much.

  60. Vox Veritas says:
    January 19th, 2009 at 9:38 am
    “Looks like the Cowboys kept the wrong guy. Haley’s going to the SuperBowl.”
    Yep, it’s all because of Haley, isn’t it?
    Or maybe it’s because of Pendergast.
    Or maybe you’re just an idiot.
    ______________________________________________
    Easy there, gutless. If you use strong terms like idiot it may hurt my feelings.
    http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2008/
    Arizona has the 4th ranked offense in the NFL. Dallas was 18th. As the offensive coordinator I think maybe Haley had something to do with that. Unless you want to talk about how much better the personel in AZ is than Dallas.

  61. TO is not the problem in dallas, it’s the dallas media reverned of the RHG by the jennifer engles of the press in big d, jennifer continousy ignore the obvious by name calling pacman, tank johnson and TO in their news articles, yet calls garrett a genius, as long as the RHG is coordinating the offense, the cowboys will struggle doing his internship.

  62. if this was owens people would be all over this
    werder would be out there doing an in depth expose on the situation
    it’d be running 24 7 on espn BREAKING NEWS TERRELL OWENS CONTREVERSY
    OMGMGMGGMG MGOMGOGM WOOOO ESPN I <3 ESPN n EDDY WERDER WOOOOOOOO
    bs double standard i hate espn

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