Cardinals WR Boldin calls sideline incident overblown

Jan 22, 2009 - 11:57 PM By Bob Huhn PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- Anquan Boldin just wants to talk about football.

The Arizona Cardinals' Pro Bowl wide receiver addressed the media Thursday and said that he wishes all the flak about his sideline argument with offensive coordinator Todd Haley during Sunday's NFC Championship win over the Philadelphia Eagles would pass.

Boldin said that the incident - a heated shouting match with Haley - and his early exit from the Cardinals' locker room celebration was overblown.

"For me, it's hilarious," Boldin said. "I mean, I don't want to sit here and dwell on it because it's in the past, but that's something that goes on every week in the NFL, whether people know it or not. Every week somebody on the sideline gets in an argument.

"It's in the heat of the moment. It's part of football. And once it's done, it's dead on both sides. If you ask me a hundred times I will say the same thing. It's not something I want to dwell on. It's not something I'll let distract this team."

Boldin admitted that leaving the team's celebration "made it worse" but said he did talk to his team mates before leaving to avoid the media.

"I celebrated and I celebrated with my teammates," Boldin said. "I just tried to avoid this (media mob). The guys in the locker room know what kind of guy I am."

Boldin, who was the victim of a vicious hit in Week Four of the season and missed two games after having seven plates and more than 40 screws inserted in his face to fix multiple facial fractures, has the backing of his teammates and coaches.

"The one thing I know is that the people in the locker room know who he is and know that what happened on the field happened on the field and it is over," Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner said. "We have all been there we love the guys and we know what kind of character guy he is. That is the funny thing. You have seen everything that guy has done all year and the character he has displayed all year long and one situation - that I have had six times this year, arguing with Todd - becomes a defining point is crazy.

"He means too much to this team and is too great of an individual, and for us it is over with and no big deal."

Boldin, who finished second on the team with 89 catches for 1,038 yards and 11 touchdowns despite missing four games, was upset because Haley decided not to use him late in the game on what turned out to be the game-winning drive.

"I was mad because they took me out of the game, and I think any competitor would have had the same reaction," Boldin said. "A game of that magnitude, how close the game was, us potentially driving to score a touchdown, I want to be there. That's just the type of guy I am."