Last week in this space, I asked firmly but kindly that we all lay off the remote personality tests on (among others) Derek Anderson because we're really not good at it. I posited that very few of us are properly skilled in assigning personality traits from snippets of body language and too many of us are ready to assign moral judgment to those snippets.
Apparently, I'm not done asking yet.
Derek Anderson blew up in a highly appropriate manner in direct response to an inane question about an inane camera shot of him late in the 27-6 impotence seminar on ESPN Monday night. He was caught sharing a quiet moment of light chuckling with a fellow Cardinal. Not a private moment; those don't exist anymore.
The reporter demanded to know what the hell the titular leader of a soon-to-be 3-8 franchise was doing laughing. Laughing! Don't you know there's a reason the Cardinals wore funereal black on semi-national television? Mourn, dammit! Mourn!
I believe Derek Anderson completely when he describes the physical and emotional effort he pours into his jersey every day. I believe him when he says he cares about the results of his efforts. Maybe selfishly; maybe emphatically for his team and the fans. It's not important. (No, really; it's not.)
He only has one flaw that matters to the Arizona Cardinals: he's not very good at his job compared to his peers and compared to the defenses trying to stop him from doing his job. He hasn't really been good since he started professionally.
Derek Anderson has been put in a position to fail by the Cleveland Browns and the Arizona Cardinals and he has done so. He owns the "not being good" part so far as it goes, but he doesn't have to wear your snippets of video or your slouching critiques.
Moreso, though, the Cardinals organization has to own putting Anderson in a lousy spot. He's not a starting quarterback, at least one capable of carrying a subpar or even average offense around him. Placing him there could only lead to this result.
Derek Anderson cares. Cardinals fans care. This season will be unsuccessful. For many, that flat-out blows. Leave it there with Derek.
Instead, ask the men that employ him what they're going to do about it. And please try not to smirk while asking; we all know what that means.
Filed under:
Derek Anderson Tirade Backlash: The Man's Smile Is Not The Cardinals' Problem
He's not their solution, either. Enough with the petty tribunals.