On Thursday, right before the Cardinals rookies arrived for the first time, the veterans closed out their voluntary Phase Two work for the week. The players streamed off the field about noon, at one point Kyler Murray was chatting with strength coach Buddy Morris.
That night, Murray, James Conner and others (Paris Johnson Jr. noted himself on social media at one point) were states away at an NBA playoff game in Oklahoma City.
"I got home last night after the meetings and I click on the game and there those guys are, and I was like, 'I was just with these guys three, four hours ago," coach Jonathan Gannon said. "That was really cool. He took a bunch of guys there. I don't know who he was cheering for."
Murray and Conner were in courtside seats, with Conner sporting Murray's No. 1 Oklahoma jersey -- although while the Thunder were the home team, Murray is from Allen, Texas, a suburb of Dallas and the visiting team was the Mavericks.
Besides PJJ, Will Hernandez, Michael Wilson and Andre Baccellia also made the trip, as Kyler noted on his social media. There was a side trip -- or maybe the main trip, with the basketball the side trip? -- to the University of Oklahoma and a visit to the Kyler statue on campus.
At the game, meanwhile, Kyler was out during a break in the action drilling NBA 3-pointers. Conner, alas, was not his equal.
"I did see (Friday) morning, Kyler hit a couple of threes," Gannon said. "That doesn't surprise me. If you do anything against that guy, don't bet him. He'll beat you, he'll take your money."
What about Conner's shot, Gannon (a one-time prep all-state basketball player) was asked.
"Not great," Gannon said. "He needed to use his legs a little more? I can't talk because I can't shoot anymore. It was a little tight. That was a big crowd."
The Cardinals resume one more week of Phase Two work next week -- with the rookies joining Kyler and Conner on the field before Phase Three/OTAs (in other words, helmet work) starts on May 20.
"(Veterans) learning has been accelerated, even the new guys in Year One, the free agents or guys that got here middle of the year," Gannon said.
"Our guys are doing a really good job from an effort, attitude standpoint, in the meeting rooms, in the weight room, on the field. They are champing at the bit here. This (coming) week is typically a little bit of a drag. I won't allow that to happen, the players won't allow that to happen, but they want to practice."
