MMQB Mail (cont.)

Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin continues to be the subject of trade rumors. Peter Read Miller/SI Peter King's Mailbag Peter King will answer your questions each week in Monday Morning Quarterback: Tuesday Edition. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND Follow Peter King on Twitter

• YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD THERE, GREG. From Greg Krider of N.Y.: "Apart from money and greed, what is the fascination of expanding the NFL into other countries? Last time I checked, the NFL stood for 'National Football League.' If the NFL does expand globally, will it become the 'IFL' (International Football League)?"

You make a good point. The NFL wants to blaze trails, but I suspect it also wants to put its hands in the pockets of fans in Europe, too. It's no different from other businesses. Once you accept the fact that this is a business more than it's a sport, then you'll understand the fascination and the drive of NFL owners to continue to grow the game into other areas of the world.

• BOLDIN MUST STAY. From D. Simon of Glenwood Springs, Co.: "I think the Cardinals would be CRAZY to trade Anquan Boldin to either the Eagles or the Giants. I know they aren't in the same division, but if the Cardinals view themselves as Super Bowl-contenders next season, why would they want to help one of the teams that would be their main competition as they attempt to get back to the Super Bowl? If I were running the Cardinals and HAD to trade him [my first choice would be to keep him], I would only trade him to an AFC team, even if the compensation was slightly less than the Eagles or Giants would give up.''

I'm sure Arizona GM Rod Graves agrees -- and I'm sure if the difference were, say, five spots in the draft, he'd deal Boldin to a team he wouldn't have to compete with for a playoff spot. But if the competition for Boldin, say, is with the Eagles (20th overall in the first round) and Jacksonville (39th overall), would you want to take the lesser pick just to have him out of the NFC?

• A QUESTION EVERYONE IN OUR BUSINESS IS ASKING TODAY. From David Dorsey of Fort Myers, Fla.: "I'd be curious to know the names of the papers that DID pay for their writers to stay at that $425 a night hotel. Which brings me to my question: With the current economic climate, I just don't see how papers will be sending beat writers on road trips in the near future. At some point, don't you think the NFL will be affected by the downturn? And how do you think beat coverage of teams will change?''

It has to change, and change drastically. I see a superb beat reporter, Jeff Legwold, here, even though his paper, the Rocky Mountain News, has dissolved. Legwold's doing some freelance and trying to catch on elsewhere. And I can't help but feel the fans of the Broncos are the ones most hurt -- other than Legwold and his family and the business of journalism -- by the decline of newspapers. Jeff's been a required read for me to keep up on the Broncos, and now he's not writing for the Rocky about Jay Cutler, and I can't help but think he'd have broken some news that we'd all have had to follow up.

• I EVEN GET IN TROUBLE WRITING ABOUT COFFEE. From Craig Meyers of Aiea, Hawaii: "Not a question, but a comment. You really need to get a reality check when complaining about having to wait 30 minutes for coffee. I've never been in a hotel that doesn't have a coffee maker in your room, and if that's too tough, then just wait. I think you're a great writer, but given the way things are these days, whining about coffee while staying in a $250/night room is sad.''

It's $179 a night. And you don't think it's, well, a bit lacking that a hotel charging $179 a night doesn't have coffee available in the lobby or the restaurant or anywhere at 6:17 in the morning?

• WE'RE WITH YOU, OAKLAND. From Jonathon Stewart of Oakland: "We appreciate your sentiments regarding the tragic death of the four Oakland police officers this past weekend. This is the second tragic incident in Oakland this year with the death of a 22-year-old young man on New Year's at a BART station. The community is and still will be recovering for the foreseeable future.''

Good luck. What a horrendous fate.

• THEY LOVE THE Z-MAN. From David Tucker of Tampa: "Thank you for the Dr. Z update. I really hope he can come back one day because I miss his wealth of football knowledge. But even if he just were to regain a semblance of his normal life, that would make me feel good. I look forward to hearing how we can help.''

Next Monday, I'll let you know.

• THE WORLD IS FLAT. From Jason of Hermosa Beach, Ca.: "Say it ain't so! Peter King heaping praise upon a former member of the Bush Administration? Looks like we might finally have a fair and balanced MMQB after all!''

Let us pray.