Who's Hott!

The Cardinal-Pope Connection

Ok, let us start with my absence before this one. A little quick hiatus never hurt anyone, but hey, it's football season now. What made you think I would miss this?...

No, not your ordinary [Leonard] Pope and Cardinal connection concocted by head coach, Denny Green.

This 6' 8 phenom straight out of Georgia U was the tight end steal in this years draft. A surprise drop, in my book, going in the third round. Listed as tight end number 3 in the Card's powerhouse offense, he is looking to quickly move up the echelon of success to number one. Tight Ends coach, Carl Hargrave says, "[Leonard] is on a fast track right now".

Weighing in at 257, this mass of muscle and determination has had no lack of early achievements. He is wowing Denny in the camps and was hastily tagged with the role of ball hawk in the red zone. Kurt Warner should have no troubles finding the novice talent.

His knack for coming through in big games will help the struggling Cardinals who have lost 11 games in the last two seasons by 7 or less points. His monstrous frame can be just the thing to relieve Neil Rackers (K) from being forced to kick another 42 times this year. It also will allow the Cardinals to locate a score valuing more than 3 points.

For now he is enjoying the last days of preseason. He brought down his first pro touchdown on Friday at Soldier Field. He overshadowed fellow competitors for the tight end job in the 7 point win against the stunning Bears defense that devowered defenses all year at home. This being the same defense who gave up the fewest points on their own turf in a single NFL season.

It came on a route he was no tyro to as they had ran it many times in practice. Coach Green had worries that Pope would have trouble finding both feet in bounds but he managed well against the intimidating Chicago defenders. Pope commented afterwards, "The coaches really emphasized trying to get my feet down, so when I caught the ball I made sure I did".

His impact on the most potent offense in the NFL is expected early as he is outplaying Adam Bergen and Eric Edwards physically on the practice and game field. The tandem of three young ends jousting for position has brought out the best in each. It is clear that Pope is executing everything expected of him and more to a finer degree then his generally unknown (soon to be) predecessors.

If he wins the starting spot he will join the most dangerous one-two in the league, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. Not to mention the power and agility Edgerrin James has added to the backfield.

The quarterback this season looks to be the aging yet precise, Kurt Warner. He [Kurt] is no stranger to the offensive atmosphere of dumping it off to the tight end as he has had former pro bowler Jeremy Shockey and receiving stud Ernie Conwell to dish it to thorughout his starting years.

This writer isn't promising Rookie of the Year statistics or performances comparable to Ozzie Newsome or Ben Coates. What I am saying is you can expect him to deliver an astounding promise of undeveloped skills that are getting better each week under the guidance of Hargrave and Keith Rowen (Offensive Coordinator). Here is to the Pro Bowler of the future!