Monday, October 23, 2006

And it just keeps getting worse

My reception yesterday was not very good. I have the high definition Tivo for DirecTV that receives local channels over the air. Yesterday, for some reason, the Fox affiliate signal was not coming in very well. As a result, whole chunks of the game were lost. I'm so happy that happened.

After so promising a performance on Monday night, the team that played Oakland on Sunday looked like the worst team in football. The defense didn't look awful (as usual), but the offense couldn't run or pass which means a big let down on the scoreboard. People are calling for Dennis Green's head, and no one (including me) is arguing against it. It's just hard to believe how unbelievably bad this team is performing.

Maybe I could switch to hockey. How are the Coyotes doing? Woo hoo! They're doing better (2-6, not 1-6). Please let me stop liking football.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

gzHave been a fan since St. Louis days- Jim Hart, Jim Bakken, Larry Wilson etc. When owner took control after team inheriting from father I began to see the problem being the owner. He does not work has no other interests, his income is from the team. Then when a super bowl q-back with a winning history gets to Bidwell land and becomes at age 37 ready to retire it turns pathetic. Bidwell is the problem, pure and simple. Now the Cards do not even belong in the NFL. They will not win another game this year, maybe never. Players don't want to be there. those that escape or leave are never so happy to be gone. It is not a recent phenomena, it has been going on since the 1970s. The Cardinals are an embarrassment to the league and it is Bidwell's fault. Period.

Lloyd Lawrence said...

Well, that's just not true. If you tell me the Bidwill family prevented "a super bowl q-back with a winning history" to drop a snap that lost the game against the Rams, it just doesn't hold water. I've spent years listening to people say that Bill Bidwill is the reason the Cards lose, and I believe a good argument could be made that he is the reason they are not among the NFL's annual leaders, but there is an association and causation problem with your logic. For that matter, there's a timing problem as well.

During the 1970's, the Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East 7 times, the Washington Redskins won once. The Giants and Eagles never won the division. The Cardinals won twice.

My point is that yes, the Cardinals have had a remarkable streak of poor performance (though not uninterrupted), and to blame the Bidwill family neglects the additional parties who are not blameless. Buddy Ryan caused more damage than his two years as head coach should have been able as a result of his use of the salary cap. Larry Wilson's well intentioned, but ultimately flawed, performance as General Manager was a significant influence as well.

As frustrating as this year's record is, this team is not as bad as their record. If just one weird play in each game goes another way, you're looking at a 4-3 team here that's only 1/2 game out of first in their division.

The Oakland game was awful, but remember that Bill Bidwill never put on any pads.