I Just Don't Want to Talk About It...

...but of course I will.

I've been a Cardinals fan ever since this team moved to Arizona. Growing up in Dallas, Texas, I couldn't help but be a Cowboys fan as a child, and when we moved to Arizona in 1980, I had eight more years of rooting for the team I grew up with. But when the Cardinals moved to town in 1988, I knew I had to support the home team.

This will now be my 20th year of hoping for the best and always getting stabbed in the heart.

I need to be less defeatist. I need to have hope.

It isn't just that they lost, but how they lost. We all had our doubts about the defense going into the season but they stepped up! The Cardinals held the 49ers to 194 yards of total offense. For now, that makes Arizona the #2 defense in the NFL (behind Denver).

What I didn't expect was the anemic offense. This is a team with three, count 'em three, great wide receivers. But Boldin had 4 catches for 22 yards, Fitzgerald 3 for 20, Johnson 1 for 12. I'm pleased that the running game looked better, but Edge was still only good for 92 yards.

What disgusts me most is what I expect from those around me. The Phoenix area is a poor supporter of sports teams. No matter what the team, if they're having a rough spot, many so-called fans simply help to pile on. And for a football team that's had 18 rough spots out of a possible 19, it's tough to endure.

Still, the game was quite winnable, even very late. And is it just the first game of the season. I'm sure I could accumulate a list of the teams that lost their first game only to excel for the remainder of the season.

I can hope.