The Arizona Cardinals Are No Cleveland Browns
By Scott Allen
Sep 15, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; (left to right) Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim, president Michael Bidwill and head coach Bruce Arians celebrate after beating the Detroit Lions 25-21 at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
When word came down on Wednesday that the Cleveland Browns had traded 2012 first-round draft pick running back Trent Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts, I did a double take. Then when I saw he went to the Colts for a 2014 first-round draft pick, I didn’t know what to think other than – wow! Imagine how Richardson felt.
Richardson had no idea he had been traded. He found out from a friend who had called him. His friend told him he heard it on the radio. Richardson didn’t believe him. He thought he was messing with him. He turned on the radio. It was true. To think this day and age, someone, especially a someone like Richardson, finds out that his employer just terminated their relationship with you via the radio/third party, is just unimaginable.
I can tell you this. The Arizona Cardinals wouldn’t do that.
Richardson of course handled it as best as he could. He played it off like, “good for the Browns”. He did the right thing. No need to get into it, especially with the media. However this really rubs me the wrong way for some reason.
Granted, Richardson hasn’t been everything the Browns had hoped, however I would think a professional football organization and apparently I’m using the term “professional” loosely here would treat the situation with a little more class and tactfulness. Richardson did say that he had text messages waiting from Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski. Even if Richardson missed a few text messages, the fact it, the media found out before Richardson did. Awful.
This is a case where you truly see where the organization’s issues. It all starts behind the scenes. If you work for an organization that lacks professionalism like that, then how can they expect to hold their employees to the same standard? I feel bad for Richardson, I don’t care what kind of production or lack thereof he had. The Browns needs to do him better than that. Shame on them.
The Cardinals came close to a situation like that in week one when tight end Rob Housler was designated out for the game against the St. Louis Rams on Friday. Housler heard the news through the media. Turns out, there was some mis-communication between Housler and the team earlier, so all was good there. The Cardinals are a lot of things but classless is not one of them. The Bidwills aren’t the most loved ownership in the NFL but having spent time around them when they first moved to Arizona I can tell you, that is a family that cares about its players and its organization. Cards general manager Steve Keim cares. Head coach Bruce Arians cares. Now, I hope Richardson and the Colts go out and sticks it to the San Francisco 49’ers on Sunday.