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Thoughts on passing of Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill

By Scott Allen

GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 18: Owner Bill Bidwill of the Arizona Cardinals holds up the George S. Halas trophy after winning the NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles on January 18, 2009 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Eagles 32-25 to advance to the Super Bowl. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - JANUARY 18: Owner Bill Bidwill of the Arizona Cardinals holds up the George S. Halas trophy after winning the NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles on January 18, 2009 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Eagles 32-25 to advance to the Super Bowl. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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TEMPE, AZ – MARCH 27: The NFL’s all-time leading rusher, running back Emmitt Smith #22, and Arizona Cardinals president William V. Bidwill hold Smith’s new Cardinals jersey at the Cardinals Training Facility on March 27, 2003 in Tempe, Arizona. Emmitt Smith signed a 2-year deal for nearly 8 million dollars. (Photo by Gary Williams/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ – MARCH 27: The NFL’s all-time leading rusher, running back Emmitt Smith #22, and Arizona Cardinals president William V. Bidwill hold Smith’s new Cardinals jersey at the Cardinals Training Facility on March 27, 2003 in Tempe, Arizona. Emmitt Smith signed a 2-year deal for nearly 8 million dollars. (Photo by Gary Williams/Getty Images) /

Bill Bidwill, the owner

People give him a bad rap for being cheap, at least that’s the perception he had over the years.  When in reality, he wasn’t so cheap.  He was quite charitable quite honestly, with his time and money.

One afternoon during practice when the team was off doing an activity that didn’t require my assistance, I got several minutes to chat with Mr. Bidwill.  To this day 30-plus years later, I still remember where we were standing at the old Phoenix East High School they occupied for the first 2 seasons in Arizona.

He was a very quiet man publicly.  He did have a hard time holding on to stars in the making.  Tight end Jay Novacek moved on to the Dallas Cowboys in 1989.  Simeon Rice, who called the Cardinals “the armpit of the NFL”, was none too pleased with his contract here.

But he did love the players.  He loved his staff.  He was the first to hire an African-American woman in the front-office.

He eventually got his stadium.  When he got his stadium, the wallet opened up.  He was able to get guys like Edgerrin James and Kurt Warner.  He even landed Emmitt Smith after his Dallas Cowboys days were done.

Those two set the table for the Cardinals first-ever trip to the Super Bowl after the 2008 season in February 2009.  He also made the smart move of bringing son Michael into the fray and taking over the day-to-day operations of the team, something he still does to this day.

Because he was so quiet publicly, I believe he was misunderstood.  I’m just sad he never was able to see his franchise win a Super Bowl.

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