Arizona Cardinals Fan

The 2009 Season Gets Underway

2009-08-18T16:00:00.002-07:00

So the first preseason game is history now. I really don't have much to say other than I'm really psyched about the coming year. The first offense was generally sharp, but they were playing a good defense that shut them down on each of the two drives that Warner engineered. The defense took care of Pittsburgh's number one offense. And Leinart looks as good as everyone thought he was all along.

Now to make it to the next game. Come on, San Diego!

Another Season Upon Us

2009-07-24T15:46:00.003-07:00

So it's the Friday before training camp, and for the first time in years, I'm completely at ease with how the Cardinals look. Who knows? Maybe it'll turn out that Ken Whisenhunt is the coach for the ages.

For this year, I've purchased an additional two season tickets, but since I was not early enough in the process, my additional seats are in the upper deck. C'est la vie. My daughter will have to suffer with upper deck seats.

Just five more days. If there's anything that's eating at me, it's the fact that I have to wait. I've always been a bit impatient about the brevity of the NFL season compared to other sports, and the Diamondbacks have not made this off season any easier. Five more days. Five more days.

Kurt Warner Sighting

2009-02-11T12:46:00.002-07:00

So how do you combine a love of all things Cardinals as well as a love of all things Ellen (just got back from Florida, where Epcot has one of my favorites, Ellen's Energy Adventure)?

Mr. Warner will be paying Ellen a visit tomorrow (2/12/2009). Here in Phoenix, that's Channel 12 (KPNX) at 3:00 PM. If you don't live in Phoenix, you can find the Ellen show web page here. Or, more quickly, to get to the "When it's on" page, go here.

My DVR will be ready.

I'm Well Adjusted Again

2009-02-10T12:58:00.002-07:00

First, my favorite picture from the trip:

Two and a half minutes to play, the Cardinals have won the game.

You know, plenty of people say that they are happy just to have seen the team in the game, but I can't shake the notion that the Cardinals should have won that game. Unfortunately, my reason for thinking that mirrors so many games in the Cardinals history.

I remember the games in Denny Green's last season. That home game against the Rams. It should have been put away with a relatively easy field goal, but Rackers missed. Kansas City was beat, but Bryant Johnson dropped a touchdown pass that couldn't have been thrown more accurately. Even the famous Monday nighter against the Bears came down to another closing seconds field goal that should have won it for the Cards only to see the Bears win.

Still, I have hope.

Will Boldin bolt? Right now, I don't care. Certainly I want him on the team since he is, unknown to those outside of Arizona, Larry Fitzgerald's equal. That's not taking anything away from Fitz: his season this year has been stellar. No, I'm saying Q is just as good and in different ways that make the combination of the two unbelievable. But if he's so unhappy, I can live with him moving on to another team. Breaston is not Q, but he's good in his own right.

Will Warner return? Not to sound like a broken record, but right now, I don't care. I would love to see him return for another year and another shot at winning a second Super Bowl. More than that, I want my voice mail greeting to continue to be relevant. But if Kurt feels he's ready to move on, I have complete faith in Matt Leinart.

Going to the game was magical and heartbreaking. While I bought more souvenirs than I usually do at a football game, I approached the game the same as I do any other game. And when the game went south, I was upset. We left as soon as the game ended, and returned to Orlando (where we stayed for the weekend) without delay.

And now we have the off season. This should be the most interesting I've ever seen from this team. I'm just glad the off season is a month shorter this year.

Leaving on a jet plane

2009-01-29T11:35:00.003-07:00

Today's the day. In a matter of hours, I'll fly out of the state headed toward Florida.

I'm so tired of hearing so many comments about how much the Cardinals don't deserve to be in this game, how they're just not in the same class as the Steelers. Lazy people make those determinations.

The countdown is on.

Coming Out of the Woodwork

2009-01-19T14:43:00.002-07:00

Having this blog (and having it show up occasionally on a Google search) means that people looking for fans will occasionally find me.

Leading up to the NFC Championship, I got an email from Studio One who was giving away a pair of tickets to people who made a fan video. They wanted a plug, and I would have done it, but over at the Arizona Sports Fans forum, they also had the announcement, and I knew more people would see it there anyhow, so I didn't bother.

Today, I got an email from the Tampa Airport Embassy Suites. It was to alert me that they had 25 rooms available for 4 (that's the minimum stay) nights at $1,050 per night. That's right, a standard hotel room for $4,200. It's good to know that some people (at least as far as they know) have not been hurt by the economy.

Well, I Guess There's Something Big to Post About

2009-01-19T13:39:00.002-07:00

I'm a big fan. And I don't just mean I'm physically big (while I've lost over 100 pounds, I'm still big), no I mean I'm thoroughly devoted.

In virtually every season, this makes me the subject of ridicule on the parts of friends, families, co-workers, even complete strangers who enjoy the sport of kicking people when their down. Let's face it, as often as this team has been down, it's hard for the kicks to land while we were standing.

Year after year, I would walk out of Sun Devil Stadium seething with anger. I could handle my team losing, but I became very angry with those people who live in the Phoenix area but who would come to our games hoping that their neighbors would leave disappointed.

The locals are different now. And just as Homer Simpson, upon learning that the Isotopes were on a winning streak, could shift gears from hating the local team to being thrilled that the team has finally hit its stride, I have to face the fact that there will be tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of Homer Simpsons clones in the state celebrating alongside of me after making my life hell for the previous 20 years.

And I'm okay with that.

No, I'm ecstatic about it. Sure, I'd like the fans to stand by this team, win or lose, but maybe they're just a bit more insecure than I am and feel the need to have that lifeline of someone else to prop up their self-esteem if the local team loses. I'm fine with that because this season, there are going to be more Arizona Cardinals fans than there are people in the Phoenix area. And I get the pleasure of knowing that when only 20,000 seats were regularly filled at Sun Devil Stadium, I was one of them.

When the game ended Sunday, I got 20 phone calls and 20 text messages. The cell phones around the stadium were so active, that when I tried to get my voice mail, it kept failing because the touch tones couldn't get to the voice mail system clearly.

This is a win for the community, and it makes me proud.

Meanwhile, karma is with me as well. The Cardinals received an allotment of about 11,000 Super Bowl tickets to sell for $825 each. Since 2/3 of those are designated for sponsors and suite holders, that left about 3,500 for season ticket holders. There are 60,000 season ticket holders. So that gave me roughly 17-1 odds against winning. Even holding the account for 13 continuous years doesn't improve me to even money of getting a ticket. But karma was even kinder to me. The NFL provided 500 tickets at the discounted rate of $525 each with stipulations that make them hard to scalp (which is just fine with me, of course). With those odds hovering around 120-1, the fact that I got chosen makes me feel that much more special.

In a week and a half, I'm flying to Orlando (Tampa will probably be too expensive). In just under two weeks, I'm going to the Super Bowl.

This is the year. I've only said that 20 times before.

Noticably Absent...

2008-10-28T14:40:00.002-07:00

I haven't added a post since April of this year. That's curious since, of all years, this appears to be the year to be yelling from the rooftops that we are fans of the Cardinals. Laziness, I suppose.

Maybe it's because with the economy striking so much of America so hard, I've spent a little more of my time thinking of more important things than what I spent nearly $1,000 on several months back.

The team is fine. Curiously, the casual fans (AKA the fair weather fans) are elated with each win and overly pessimistic with each loss. They have no cause to be pessimistic. I am as sure of a division win for this team as I am of Barack Obama being the 44th president of the United States.

Perhaps time could allow me to become more vocal. I'm certainly vocal in the stadium. Go Cards!

Four Months Later

2008-04-18T15:09:00.002-07:00

It sometimes takes a while to get over disappointments.

It isn't news that the Cards finished last year with a record of 8-8. Hidden in there is the fact that they lost twice to the hapless 49ers. Turn around those two games, and the Cardinals win the division. Bottom line: it was a disappointing year. Hmmm, I wonder how many times I can use the word disappoint here?

So the new year comes. The Super Bowl makes me happy, and then the bill for the next season arrives.

I've been a season ticket holder since the Cardinals moved to Arizona in 1988. That first season, they soaked fans thanks to a huge customer base willing to pay top dollar for NFL product. I was on the sunny side of the stadium on the south goal line paying $40 per game to attend.

Next I moved to the northeast corner of the stadium at the front of the upper deck. While more reasonably priced, the view was the pits. I was happy to have my father join in the fun in 1997, and we moved back to the lower deck around the 20 yard line on the north and shaded side. When we moved into these seats, tickets again moved above $40 per game.

After an incident with a Raiders fan (she couldn't figure out how to keep her knees out of my back), we moved to the 30 yard line with backs for our seats (but still bleachers). In our last season at Sun Devil Stadium, tickets cost $61.20 per game.

We have roughly the same seats at UofP Stadium. In year 1 (not even including the facility charge), tickets were $75 each. Last year, they went up to $82.50. This year, they hit $92.50. In three short years, I've experienced a price increase of more than 50%. Dad doesn't want to buy in again. It's just too expensive. I'm not sure what to do. For this year, I've committed to buying the seats whether he comes in or not.

I want my team to be successful, but they seem to be doing their best to find my breaking point. Sadly, I think it may come sooner rather than later.

Pointless? Yep, But Still Fun

2007-12-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

I was out of town last weekend. My daughter and I paid a visit to the Happiest Place on Earth, and oh did it make us happy. I didn't accomplish any of the shopping I wanted to do, but oh well, it was better than watching the Cardinals fall to the Saints thereby ending their postseason chances.

So now, the Falcons make their way to Arizona. Boy, what a sad story Atlanta has been this year. If I weren't so partisan for the Cardinals, I'd have enough pity to hope that the Falcons could win a game, and I do hope for that, just not this week.

The team Arizona faces is only a shadow of the team that was already inept before Bobby ditched them. If this game is anything short of a blowout, then the Cardinals have not met expectations.

Merry Christmas, Atlanta. Keep your televisions turned off.

So What's on the Horizon for Next Year?

2007-12-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

Well, the Cardinals are not yet eliminated, but they may as well be. For them to get that final wild card spot, they would have to be a full game better than Minnesota since the Vikings have the better conference record, and with only three games remaining, that means that the Cardinals would have to win out (very much possible) combined with the Vikings losing two of their remaining three. Let's see, who do they play? Their next two games are at home against Chicago and Washington followed by a road finale in Denver. Okay, it's possible, but it sure ain't likely.

As to yesterday's dismal performance by the Red Birds, well, that game got out of hand early and just stayed that way. We all certainly understood that the Seahawks would be hard to beat in Seattle, but I still held out hope.

You know, it occurs to me that I really don't want to even think about the game. Bring on the Saints.

There IS Joy in Mudville!

2007-12-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

It's been quite the wet weekend in the Phoenix area, so mud is on my mind. Similarly, I'm now watching a Cardinal team that is way better than people realize.

Yesterday, the Cleveland Browns came into town with everyone believing that the Cardinals would get whipped. Why, people were shocked to see that Arizona was a one point favorite and thanking Vegas for offering free money.

We know different.

Think about it. Last week, if Neil Rackers makes a 32 yard field goal, this team is 7-5, not 6-6 now. In week 1, if Eric Green just knocks that ball out of the end zone as well, this team is 8-4. And in a bigger stretch, if Rackers hits that 51 yard field goal at the end of the Washington game, this team could be 9-3! But they keep finding ways of flying under the radar.

The Browns were purported to have an awesome offense. Four turnovers can really slow down an offense, but even when they weren't turning the ball over, Arizona's defense did a fine job of holding the line. Braylon Edwards had a big game (good thing, too, because I have him on my fantasy team), but Kellen Winslow, who had been averaging 5.6 catches and 79.5 yards per game was held to three catches for 35 yards.

But Rod Hood's two interceptions (one for a touchdown), were the crowning achievement. When the game starts out with a 14-0 lead, you know things are going well (don't talk to me about the Bears being who we thought they were).

Bonus Time: If the season ended today, the Cardinals would be in the playoffs!

Okay, I'm Ready to Talk Now

2007-11-29T16:28:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday was painful. For the first time, well, in as long as I can remember, the Cardinals were double digit favorites to win, but they didn't.

You know, people will blame Rackers for missing the late field goal, and they would be right. People might blame Barr for a poor punt that resulted in a 49ers score, and they would be right. They might blame Warner for not getting rid of the ball when his receiver was not open, and they would be right. Or maybe they will blame Whisenhunt for not getting a run off with six seconds left in the game, and they would be right.

But people probably are not blaming the special teams coverage that allowed a long return or the secondary (Rolle) that tried to make a special play but ended up allowing a special play. The fact is that this was yet another game where a whole collection of things gone wrong each could have made the difference, but they just didn't happen.

So be it.

Now, Cleveland comes to town with a very powerful offense to test this injury riddled defense. Heck, Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr are on my fantasy team, but I still expect a victory for the home team. Why? Because I do.

Let's face it. The Cardinals are saddled with deep injuries on defense, two of them to Pro Bowlers (as Cardinals, no less), so Cleveland should be scoring early and often. Meanwhile, Q is at reduced capacity as is Warner, so any betting man would be stupid to back the Cardinals.

Just look for the word STUPID stenciled on my forehead Sunday.

I Think We Won Yesterday

2007-11-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

I remember watching the game. It was heaven! Even when Cincinnati got on the board first with that beautiful pass, I didn't panic. Hey, the Cardinals haven't broken out to early leads as a rule.

Then, everything fell into place. I especially enjoyed the announcers pointing out that Cincinnati was preventing plays of 20 or more yards right before Warner throws a 44 yard touchdown pass to Boldin.

Just as surprising was the presence of Eric Green. I was under the impression that he would be missing in action, but his presence helped make the difference on a day when a good secondary was vital.

But the kicker was Rolle. He was everywhere, and Palmer just didn't seem to be able to keep track of him.

That said, I watched SportsCenter this morning, and by the end of the broadcast, I learned nothing about the game. Zilch. Zip. At the end Kenny Mayne made a quip about the Seahawks winning and division winners not being pictured, but apparently the Cardinal game didn't even rate that much of a mention. Nope, it was too important to devote around 20 minutes to a 56-10 blowout in the night game. It was more important to show all of the excitement in the Oakland/Minnesota game. And the Giants/Lions game may not have been able to boast an NFL record setting performance, but they did score 26 total points in the game.

Still biding my time. Maybe ESPN will deign to cover the game in Seattle next month.

Some Fear. Not too much, but some.

2007-11-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

The Cardinals have been very good this year at home. In four contests, the team is 3-1 having beaten Seattle, Pittsburgh and Detroit, all teams with winning records. The one loss is an anomoly only in that Leinart had been put on IR earlier in the week, and Warner was injured on the second drive requiring Tim Rattay, who had been with the team less than a week, to lead the offense. In other words, it really doesn't count.

But on the road, the team is 1-4 with that only win coming against a hampered Rams team. True, slight changes in single plays against San Francisco and Washington would turn that around to 3-2 (and a bad call on an Adrian Wilson hit would have sent the Baltimore game into overtime), but the bottom line is that the team performs less impressively on the road.

Into this, we have a trip to play Cincinnati. The Bengals are having a rough year. Their offense is as potent as ever, but the defense has been suspect. This plays to an occasional strength for the Cardinals in that Arizona's offense has also been playing generally well. Unfortunately, the real difference maker for the team has been their defense, and the team is hampered right now. A cornerback (Green) down, a safety (Wilson) down, a lineman (Berry) down...if (when?) this defense steps up Sunday, you'll have a real tale of performance.

It's time for the Cards to thoroughly demoralize a team. Go Cards!

"If we're not playing, Lloyd'll call you right back..."

2007-11-13T09:52:00.001-07:00

Just over two years ago, I happened to be browsing the Arizona Cardinals web site and came across a press release. Alltel was publicizing a store in Chandler by having Kurt Warner visit, sign autographs and record voice mail greetings for customers. Being an Alltel customer myself, I immediately dropped what I was doing to make the 80 minute drive to the store.

Ever since, I've had to warn friends and acquaintances that if they hear Kurt Warner answering on my voice mail, they should still leave a message. It makes for a great conversation as well.

I now have a pool table with a Cardinals logo on the surface, a neon light of the logo, a vanity plate on my car and other knick knacks too numerous to list, but the one people notice the most is when they get my voice mail and often remark that the voice sounds just like the real Kurt Warner.

Well, Alltel is doing it again, and has promised to provide Anquan Boldin (a previous appearance had to be cancelled) for the very same purpose. A reschedule of Q's appearance has not been announced, but in the mean time, they've announced that Darren Woodson would be at their store at Superstition Gateway East (1959 S Signal Butte Rd in Mesa) this Saturday (11/17) from Noon to 2PM. Yes, he played for the Cowboys, but he's a local guy who also helped out ASU in his college days. He's a class act, and if you're as much of a football nerd as I am, this could be fun.

Well, That Was Fun

2007-11-12T08:46:00.000-07:00

Over the years at Sun Devil Stadium, season ticket sales for the Cardinals were pathetic. Typically, fewer than 20,000 were sold, and the stadium was mostly empty for the majority of games. With the move to the new stadium, all of the long time fans were the first to choose seats, but there just weren't that many of us. As a result, scalpers (as well as fans who buy more tickets than they need) are a significant portion of the season ticket holder pool.

In other words, entirely too many of the fans around me yesterday were fans of the Detroit Lions.

I'm typically quite polite to fans of opposing teams. I wish them well but, of course, hope they go home unhappy. Yesterday, the Lions fans were dishing big time. It's curious, of course, since Detroit boasts a history every bit as inept as the Arizona Cardinals have provided. You would think that they would be more reserved.

I heard everything. They criticized fans for wearing Vanden Bosch jerseys (okay, they were right about that one). They laughed about the fans cheering rushes of six yards (I'll take six yard runs any time), and they kept pointing out that the Lions are 6-2 while the Cards are 3-5. Hey Detroit fans, your team is 6-3 now, and here's a prediction for you: your team won't break .500 this year. Dallas will beat you, Green Bay will beat you twice, San Diego will beat you, the Giants will beat you. Detroit will be lucky to finish 8-8. Enjoy our dust.

And a big shout out to the defense. Sure there were plenty of turnovers, but every time the offense gave up a big one (save that first one), the defense answered to deflate the opposing fans.

This was a wonderful game, and the crowd was an important compenent of that. Arizona now has a significant home field advantage. When the team keeps the lid shut on the house, the noice reverberates enough to rattle opposing teams. That was nice.

And finally about the rushing. The trash talk from the seat next to me continued laughing at the Cardinals until late in the game pointing out that Edge was not breaking long runs. Hey, buddy, gaining three is six yards better than losing three. On average, the Cardinals gained only 2.6 yards per rushing play. But that's 4.8 yards per carry better than the Lions' average of -2.2.

Warner did not appear to be fantastic on the day, but check that box score at the end of the day: his passer rating was 108.4. Wow!

This is a game to savor. With tonight's matchup, the Cards will either remain a game behind division leading Seattle and be more separated from 3rd place San Francisco, or they'll be tied for the division lead in a bunched up battle. I like the outcome no matter what.

Nice playing guys. I'll be living on this for several days.

Finally Coming Home

2007-11-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Cardinals have won two of three at home, and the one they lost can largely be keyed to the need to use a quarterback who had been on the roster less than a week and had not been expected to play at all. This team is ready.

So in come the newly confident 6-2 Detroit Lions. They have enjoyed victories over Oakland, Minnesota, Chicago (twice), Tampa Bay and Denver while losing to Philadelphia and Washington. I'm happy for them, and I know that all NFL competition is good. But the teams they have beaten have 19 combined wins, barely more than three a piece.

I'm not saying the Cardinals are any better. Their three victories came over teams that have 10 combined wins (though I would say that Pittsburgh is tougher competition than Detroit has faced this season).

Both of these teams are blessed with relatively light schedules. Hey, that's what the system is supposed to do. The thing is, Detroit has the advantage of having the easier part of their schedule behind them while the Cardinals have the easy portion ahead. For the rest of the season, Detroits eight opponents average better than five wins each. Arizona's opponents average just over three wins each (Detroit has 6, Cleveland has 5 and no one else has a winning record).

This really has little to do with Sunday's game, but people are always looking at trends. This will be a matchup between two teams with very different trends ahead of them. I'm just glad the game is in Arizona where my Cardinals have been very formidable.

Bandwagon In Repair Shop

2007-11-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

PHOENIX, AZ -- The Arizona Cardinals have suffered a breakdown of sorts. Their bandwagon has been damaged and is in for repairs.

Said a source within the organization, "This thing has really taken a beating over the years, what with all the jump-ons in '98 simultaneously jumping off in '99, but this year has been unbelievably brutal." The source asked that he remain anonymous unless the team starts winning more.

This has been a remarkable season so far for locals who lack other means of transportation. The source continued, "For most years, when the local bandwagon gets deserted, the fans run to the Chicago, Denver or San Francisco rides, but they've been stalled for most of the season." Currently, the favorites among bandwagon riders appear to be the Packers and Cowboys.

Arizona's problem this year has been an unending series of starts and stops. With a new coaching staff, many had joined the bandwagon before the season started, but an opening night loss in San Francisco emptied the vehicle rapidly. When the team returned home and beat division rival Seattle the vehicle regained some of its original load.

The week three loss in Baltimore did not seriously impact the team since hope in the form of Kurt Warner in the hurry up offense seemed to make fans uncertain of the future, but a week 4 win at home over Pittsburgh brought fans on board in droves.

"I knew the bandwagon was having suspension problems, and I thought that Steelers game was going to be the straw that broke the camel's back, but she surprised me and kept tugging along."

Survival was sweet if short lived. Midway through the first quarter of the week 6 meeting against Carolina saw Warner go down to injury to join starter Matt Leinart on the bench while watching five day member of the team, Tim Rattay valiently attempt to command an offense he had just begun to study.

"It's the first time I know of where so many people jumped off all at once, and in the middle of a game at that!" With the vehicle moving at the time of the mass departure, the bandwagon spun out of control hitting a tree.

The team source indicates that a return to duty could happen as soon as this weekend but cautions that the normally calm streets of Detroit could be more treacherous than in previous years. The team is cautioning fans who wish to return to the bandwagon this week that they should wear seat belts at all times.

It's Just One Game

2007-11-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's what I'll tell myself...yet again...it's just one more game.

And fortunately for me, the team looked bad while losing. The defense gave up entirely too many yards, the offensive line couldn't open holes for anyone, Fitz inexplicably stepped out of bounds without being touched, and turnovers happened left and right.

Nevermind the blown call by the official who ruled that late pass an interception: 1) he was wrong but just barely...it should have been intercepted and 2) the Bucs were not playing well enough to require the Cards the display late heroics in order to win. This game was just plain ugly.

I am a complete supporter of Kurt Warner. Still, I found myself wondering if perhaps Rattay should be managing the game while Warner's arm heals. No matter. Sunday will change things. Yes, that's the ticket. Detroit is always a pushover. What's that? They're 6-2? Boy, I feel like Sideshow Bob after stepping on a rake.

Going Down the Back Stretch!

2007-11-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

I like how the second half of the season looks. Yes, I know, there is still one game left before the second half officially begins, but I choose to use the bye week as the divider.

I'm sure anyone who reads this knows that I'm as devoted a fan as there can be to this team. Heck, as I write this, I'm wearing an Anquan Boldin jersey (Emmitt Smith is in the wash, Leinart and my other other Boldin jersey go into the next load).

That said, I firmly believe that the Cardinals will win at least eight of their next nine games.

Okay, okay, when you've picked yourself off the ground, I'll continue.

It all starts this week with one of three remaining games against stiff opposition. Tampa Bay (and a road game at that) is not a pushover. That said, they just lost to a Jacksonville team that was minus all of their decent quarterbacks, either through cuts or injuries. The Bucs are without their best rushers, and while they have an outstanding quarterback, last week he revealed his humanity by being picked off for the first and second times this season. I see victory in the cards (pun entirely intentional...and now you can stop groaning).

Bump up that record to 4-4, and the remaining eight are: vs Detroit, at Cincinnati, vs San Francisco, vs Cleveland, at Seattle (the likely loss), at New Orleans, vs Atlanta and vs St Louis.

I'm counting 11 chickens in those eggs that I know will hatch.

I'm Okay with This...Really...I Am

2007-10-22T13:32:00.000-07:00

So I went into the weekend expecting trouble. Certainly, I always hope for a win, but I expected Rattay to start, and I expected him to play well for what he can given his limited exposure to the offense.

And while Warner was able to play the whole game, he was clearly degraded from normal Kurt. Sure, I wish either of those interceptions could come back and make the difference. And I wish that penalty had not hit so hard to allow the Redskins to keep driving to a score. And I wish Q had just thrown the ball a little higher. And I wish the field goal attempt had been just a bit to the right.

But I have a good feeling about the rest of this year. First, there's the week to heal followed by the Bucs who are having an off year. Detroit is doing well, but the game is in Glendale. I like our chances. Cincinnati, San Francisco, Cleveland: the toughest test would be Cleveland, but again, we get that one at home. Seattle on the road is a tough spot, but finishing with New Orleans, Atlanta and St. Louis is certainly advantageous.

An 11-5 finish is very realistic. I'm sleeping well for the next two weeks.

Okay, I Can Take This

2007-10-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

Sure, the Redskins look better on paper.

They have a quarterback who's been with the team more than 10 days, they have a team with a winning record, they're playing at home.

Okay, this week has me worried.

I'm a very positive person. If you check my picks on ESPN.com's Pigskin Pickem', you'll see that I've picked Arizona to win this week, and I don't even get the nine point spread to help me. Sadly, that confidence does not mean I'm willing to put actual money down on them.

But I'm okay with this because the schedule is workable from here on out, and next week brings a bye to get some of the team healed a bit more. Bromo please!

Still In First Place

2007-10-17T11:31:00.000-07:00

It was just last week when I joked to a friend that Oakland was in first place in their division with a .500 record.

Hey! The Cardinals are in first place.

It was also just last week that I complained about gamblers having no respect for this team, and I stand by that comment. Kurt Warner going down on the second drive Sunday made a huge difference in the outcome of that game. Still, it was a bitter pill to take, and this Sunday's game against Washington won't make life any easier.

So here we are, going against a team that stayed right with a strong performing Green Bay team on the road, we're on the road where we often play below expectations, this all has me worrying about a disaster.

Warner keeps saying he intends to play, but I'd rather he take another week off than rush himself back before he's ready. Frankly, if it wasn't for Kurt rushing himself back too soon while with the Rams, I suspect he never would have left that team. Anquan Boldin is making like he'll be returning to the lineup this week as well, but I'm pessimistic about that too.

No, this is a week when the defense needs to step up and play as well as they did against Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Will it happen? I sure hope so. I'm hoping to avoid talking about a losing record for some time to come.

And The Respect Just Keeps On Coming...

2007-10-12T08:21:00.000-07:00

...or does it?

First a note about last week's game. I committed a "Cardinal" sin by not watching the game as it happened. Instead of being at a television or stadium to watch the football game, I went off to Talladega for a NASCAR race. Okay, I'm not even a NASCAR fan, but my brother is, and I just wanted to see what all the hubbub is about. I can safely tell you that now, I can say I've done it, and I just don't need to do it again. I plan to write more about my trip, but that will be on my personal page over at http://lloydians-space.spaces.live.com/. No, I haven't written it yet, but it's a great story. Stay tuned.

But one part of the story involves going to the race and seeing a big yawner of an event punctuated by regular checks of the mobile web on my phone to see who was winning the Arizona/St. Louis game. Yes, while everyone around me was enthralled with a 30 car conga line, I was keeping up with the drive from the Fox Sports web site. I watched when I returned home, but knowing many of the details, the game lost a little in translation.

So, getting to the current situation, my two pennies on the Leinart situation: well, we always wanted Matt to have a season of observing and learning, and now that's not a choice: it's a requirement. Leinart is the future, Warner is the present, and I see good things for this team. Go Cards!

And that leads, of course, to the game with Carolina, a team that has been blessed with major problems at quarterback, the likes of which I would not wish on any team. When Leinart went down, the media reported that Tim Rattay and Vinnie Testaverde were being invited for a look. The local media (and fans like me) were nearly unanimous in saying we don't want to go older (Vinnie's a great quarterback, but he's older than I am, and that's not easy for an NFL player to say). As it turns out, Vinnie never even flew into town. Instead he signed with this week's opponent, and bizarre as it may be, he may even start on Sunday. I don't care how good he is, there is no way he can master a new offense in five days.

So the Cardinals are at home, their opponent has major questions at the quarterback position, and Arizona has been playing quite well lately. So why does the latest line say 4.5 points? Go ahead, football pundits, dismiss this team. Tell us how bad we are in January.

Oh, What a Traitor I Am

2007-10-03T22:07:00.000-07:00

There is no sport I love more than football. There is no sport I love as much as football. I think if I were to rank the spectator sports, it would be football, baseball a distant second, basketball in third, hockey in fourth.

You'll notice that nowhere in that list was NASCAR. I have only watched a NASCAR race from start to finish once. Sure, I listen when they get mentioned on SportsCenter, but otherwise, I just don't care. It is in that environment that I now reveal that I'm getting on a plane Friday morning for a flight to Atlanta, and I'll be attending the two races this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. I'm expanding my horizons.

But back to the important sport. The Cardinals travel to St. Louis to face the Rams on Sunday. You know, this is the third year that Kurt Warner has been with the team, and the Cards have been making this trip even longer, but never have I seen so much activity on the Rams bulletin boards suggesting that Arizona might actually be able to count the date as a home game. The city seems to love Warner, and amazingly, there still seem to be some Cardinals fans nearly 20 years after they last played there. Couple that with a Rams team that is beat up (I'm attributing the Frerotte start to Bulger's injury, and there's the missing Jackson), not stopping anyone, and no longer selling out their stadium.

I'm nervous, though, about Vegas finally jumping on the bandwagon. Arizona is a 3.5 point favorite on the road. I'm not saying I won't bet on them, but it was so fun when the team flew under the radar. There are still plenty of people who think beating Pittsburgh was a fluke and that the two quarterback system is a joke (I'm looking at you, Deion), but this is a team that's finally winning when they should. The only hurdle to overcome is overwhelming an opponent.

Here's hoping for an overwhelming win.

By the way, if you're a NASCAR fan, look for the huge person wearing the Boldin jersey in Alabama.

Go Cards! Oh, and go Diamondbacks!

Oh Happy Day

2007-09-30T20:59:00.000-07:00

What a day to be a Cardinals fan!

Sure, there was some early fear when Pittsburgh jumped out to a 7-0 lead, but that was such a brief period, it hardly rates mentioning.

I've been a fan of this team ever since they moved to Arizona. Never, during that period, have I spent virtually an entire game on my feet. The crowd was charged from start to finish, and they were personally responsible for three false starts by the Steelers.

This is a Steelers team that was favored by 6 points over the Cardinals (heck, the Cards have not yet been favored this year: will a visit to St. Louis fix that?). The only people who expected this result are the Arizona fans who have seen just how good this team is.

And quarterback controversy? What quarterback controversy? Yes, the team appeared to be more productive under Warner, but the plays called for him were designed to stretch the field more. Both of them looked good.

This team has been 2-2 before, but they didn't look this good getting there. Bring on the Rams!

Bring 'Em On

2007-09-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

I like the phrase, even though our president used it a bit irresponsibly a few years back (happy to see that he acknowledged this error, but as they say in "The Family Guy", I digest).

Over at ESPN, Chris Mortensen is picking the Cardinals. No one else is. In their Pigskin Pickem game, only two teams are picked less than Arizona (Denver, who plays in Indianapolis and Kansas City, who plays in San Diego). And in their Eliminator Challenge, Pittsburgh is the sixth most popular choice (Arizona is 4th least popular). Few are expecting a Cardinals victory.

I'm expecting one.

But then again, I'm delusional.

Still, this is a team with some of the most potent offensive weapons in the NFL. It's a team that passed at will (while Warner was in there) against Baltimore...not a defensive pushover. This is a team that is well balanced on both offense and defense (just need to lock down those special teams), and I like our chances.

Meanwhile, of course, Pittsburgh has been doing better in every category: scoring, offense, defense, wins.

Yes, we'll win.

Maybe I'll just place my bets on another game.

This is how conspiracy theories start.

2007-09-24T09:03:00.001-07:00

I have an otherwise intelligent friend who believes that on 9/11/01, the US government fired a missile into the Pentagon and used a black airplane coordinated with explosive charges to bring down the World Trade Center. He's mistaken. And, by the way, for the legions of you who agree with my friend, post as many comments as you like. I can't seem to convince him of his temporary lunacy: I doubt I'll be able to convince you.

But maybe there's something to this conspiracy thing. In the first half of yesterday's game against the Ravens, the team was severely lackluster. Then Kurt Warner came in to save the day.

It was amazing. After spotting Baltimore a 23-6 lead, Kurt leads the team to 17 unanswered points. This game is headed into overtime. All the Cardinals need to do is prevent the Ravens from scoring in the final minute. They go into a prevent. After all, Baltimore has only limited opportunity to stop the clock. By keeping play in the middle of the field, things should go well.

Then the yellow hankie comes out. Adrian Wilson gets called for a hard hit that was completely legal. His shoulder hits the shoulder of Todd Heap very solidly. Curiously, the official sees him leading with his forearm to the opponents head. Replays clearly show that a) it was not the forearm and b) it was not the head. Merry Christmas, Baltimore. Have another 15 yards.

Games should never come down to a single play. When the game can hinge on whether or not an official blows a call, then your team has not won convincingly enough. Still, this single blown call was the difference between two teams playing for superiority and one team being handed three points.

I'm bitter. Still, it's only one game, and the Cardinals schedule still retains plenty of opportunity for improvement, but I wish a bad call had not overshadowed such brilliant performances by Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin.

On to next week...

Respect!

2007-09-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

I visited the blog of a Ravens fan today. I'll assume for the moment that he just doesn't know the correct spelling of the names of the quarterback or the senior receiver of our top two, but Rex, there is no "h" in Leinart and there is no "u" in Boldin. Now back to anticipating the matchup with Steve McHair and Ray Leuis.

Is It Too Much to Hope For?

2007-09-20T10:30:00.001-07:00

So for the second year in a row, the Cards have started off the season with a 1-1 record. They also did it in 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002. I look forward to the year when they duplicate the 1991 effort and start off with a couple of wins. What's more interesting about 1991 is that it was the last time the Cardinals had a winning record after three games.

Sunday is a big test, and America expects the team to fail.

This team has good rushing, a scary pass potential and an overachieving defense, but still only the Bills (playing the Patriots) and the 49ers (playing the Steelers) are considered longer shots to win than the Cardinals. Really?

Fine.

I've had this argument with others who constantly point out that the Cardinals will not get picked to win until they prove themselves on the field. My position is that if you aren't willing to predict a win until the game is over, then you're an awful predictor.

The Cardinals will win this game, and for all of the people who have completely ignored the team, we'll all hear about how surprising this team is. It's only a surprise because you weren't looking.

Go Cards!

Don't Talk to Me When I'm Out of Town!

2007-09-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I play pool for fun. I'm good, but I'm not great. Thankfully, handicapped leagues exist just for people like me (hoorah for APA). Last weekend, I attended the Southwest Challenge 9-Ball tournament in Las Vegas. My team did okay, winning three rounds but losing two. We finished in a 16 way tie for 17th place among a field of 118 teams.

Why is this important? Because it caused me to miss a home game of my beloved Cardinals for the first time since Larry Centers leapfrogged a Dallas defender on Monday night in the game that found its way into "Jerry Maguire."

So I'm on the road between Wickenburg and Surprise when my phone rings (4:21 PM local time). A friend asks, "How about those Cards!" I try to keep him from telling me any more saying I don't want to hear about the game (TiVo would tell me later), but he responds with, "Why? They won!"

So, for me, watching the game was somewhat anticlimactic. Sure, it went down to the final seconds, but I never had any fear. Even when Seattle took a 20-17 lead, I knew I had nothing to worry about. I guess it serves me right for missing the game.

The offense made me much happier, but I was disappointed with how well they were held back in the 3rd quarter. To watch the game, it should never have been so close. Still, a win is a win, and I'm quite pleased that the team is 1-1 after two games. I always have optimism about my team, but I'm still not brimming with confidence. I look forward to that changing next week.

Blank Slate

2007-09-12T10:22:00.001-07:00

Yes, just a reference to a mediocre (but fun) movie with Dana Carvey, but quite appropriate to my outlook on the Seahawks this week.

I have to remember that the defense was quite good on Monday night, and that offense just wasn't the offense I've seen even over the preseason, so Sunday has to go better.

I watched much of the Seattle/Tampa Bay matchup, all the while hoping that the Bucs would pull out the game. And frankly, it wasn't settled until late. Seattle is not the same team that went to the Super Bowl. That combined with the home opener frenzy the Cardinals should provide will, I hope, mean getting a game in the win column for the good guys.

Yes, that's the ticket. I'll set aside the rose colored glasses some other day.

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

2007-09-11T08:17:00.001-07:00

...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.

It's Here! It's Here!

2007-09-05T10:04:00.001-07:00

Yes, the 2007 season is finally ready to start, and as has been true of me for 20 years now, I expect the Cardinals to have a perfect season. My eternal optimism reminds me of an old joke about a novice chess player.

But I truly have reason to be optimistic. The team has a new coach that everyone seems to be getting behind. The draft went well, and hey, we even cemented the defensive line with Oakland's third round draft pick.

This year, the Cardinals get to close the initial weekend of action with the late Monday night game against San Francisco. A few years back, when Arizona showed a little promise, they Cardinals proved to be the only team that could lose to the 49ers during a year when San Francisco went 2-14. But for the last couple of years, the Cardinals have owned the 49ers. I like our chances. That said, gamblers don't like our chances making San Francisco a three point favorite. And Arizona is 40-1 longshot for the Super Bowl.

Won't they be surprised when we win all our games!

Preseason vs. the Texans

2007-08-20T13:17:00.001-07:00

So the live football is upon us again! Oh, what a feeling to walk into the stadium and know that a new year has begun full of promise.

I had family visiting from out of town, so my caravan to the stadium carried a total of 11 fans, all destined for Section 111.

As to the action on the field, I was happy. So the defense looked porous. Clancy says it's because he's holding back. But the offense looked sharp, and the team did some good scoring. Next week is the bigger test, what with it being San Diego and 3rd week of the preseason. I'm ready for new action.

Extra for John: Ricky looked good on kickoffs but had a bad punt in there. He's clearly got an NFL future, but he is not likely to make this year's Cardinals squad.

Why Am I Uneasy?

2007-08-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

So another season is upon us. My tickets arrived on Thursday, and I'm certainly ready for the season to begin, but my annual expectation of perfection just has not yet arrived. Or maybe it has, and I just don't feel it today. I don't know.

The tickets are in a nice book again, but this year's edition has smaller tickets with no embossing, no gift for all season ticket holders. It's clearly a cost savings measure, but it would have been nice to see the team at least maintain the standards of last year, given that the team on the field certainly did not impress.

My brother is coming for a visit in two weeks that will coincide with the first preseason home game. To make it an event, I bought 7 additional tickets on Stubhub (ripoff artists, but I'll be back) for my brother, his wife, my mother, my daughter, my nephew, my daughter's boyfriend and another of my daughter's friends.

So another season is upon us. Let's see how I feel about this after the Raiders game.

Three Months Again

2007-06-07T12:09:00.000-07:00

It's the off season, so not much has happened in my football viewing life. The team has its new coach, the draft has gone by, but I just don't have quite the same feeling I used to have at this time of the year. Maybe I've just become more dead to the annual buildup of emotion related to the team.

I have made a purchase for my home, however. I added a pool table with the team logo on the cloth. If you're a casual player but a big football fan, this is a great addition. The image is dyed into a white, non-elastic cloth (the image includes the red background). But if you're a serious pool player, you'll find the cloth a bit fast for normal play.

Three Months Later...An Update

2007-03-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't made a post in quite a while, but issues abound in the Cardinals universe.

Issue 1: New coaching: I like the hire (who doesn't?). Don't get me wrong, when they hired Dennis Green, I was at the front of the cheering section. Even now, I'm not convinced that Denny was so bad so much as he just had an unbelievable run of bad luck. That said, Whisenhunt excites me, so I'm ready for the new year.

Issue 2: Free agency: I wish I could say that I'm up on all the moves, but this year's crop of players just isn't as exciting as past years have been. Or maybe I'm just lethargic because I've spent the last month moving. In any event, this year won't be the same as last year, and a single signing so far of a Cowboys center I've never heard of isn't anything to write home about.

Issue 3: Ticket prices: Wow, did they ever go up! In 2005, I paid $61.20 per game (plus half the parking fee of $5 per game for a total of $63.70 per game) for tickets on the 30 yard line on the shaded side of the field. In 2006, that number went to $79.25, a 24% increase. And in 2007, the number jumps to $87.00, a 10% increase for a total two year jump of 36.6%. Just a couple of years ago, the average ticket price hovered around $40. Next year that average will be nearly $74. That's a lot of price hiking. And while I don't expect the team to take a hit for it this year, I'd be willing to bet that the season ticket base is not a sellout in 2008 without something drastic happening.

Arizona still has me, but at these prices, I'm suddenly considering getting into the scalping business for a game or two.

A Little Down Time

2007-01-09T00:27:00.000-07:00

With the season over (at least for us), I find myself thinking about this site a bit less often. Still, I get the great stories even when they go 6-10.

Recently, my brother paid me a visit. On Christmas Eve, we found ourselves at my house watching the Cardinals play the 49ers. It was a good game, and I cheered regularly. My brother, meanwhile, even though he isn't even a San Francisco fan, thought I was cheering extra because I knew he had picked the 49ers to win. I couldn't seem to make him understand that I would be cheering that loudly even if I was alone in the house. Oh, well.

So for the rest of his visit, he was a bit flustered which helped me beat him more than he beat me at pool (even though he is better than I am). As an aside, I'm quite the pool fan and play in local leagues. But the web site of the league operator leaves a bit to be desired, so I created a website named www.myarizonabilliards.com just so I could create a forum for pool players in Arizona. It won't be limited to APA discussions, but that's where my expertise is. We'll see what happens.

Yeah, Baby, We're Number...well...27

2006-12-12T14:12:00.000-07:00

But we're climbing!

Sunday was a beautiful day. It started with the trip to the stadium. Traffic was rather light, so I assumed that the place would be emptier than usual, but as it turns out, people are just not rushing to be there at kickoff.

Their loss.

And, in fact, people who didn't show up for the first 2 1/4 minutes of the game missed out on some of its most exciting action. There is something amazing about seeing your team start the game by stuffing the vaunted opponent with a three and out followed by an amazing punt return and a 54 yard touchdown pass.

Don't get me wrong, we've seen the Cards jump out to big leads several times this year only to watch the lead disappear in time for the final clock tick, but a funny thing happened on the way to the typical Cardinals game: the defense held.

This was a wonderful game. Yes, the Seahawks took the lead with just over 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, but the Cards just came back and retook the lead never to relinquish it again.

So now the team is 4-9 with a chance to actually take 2nd place in the division. To do that, they'd have to catch St. Louis who gets Oakland, Washington and Minnesota (but we'd only have to hope for one of them to beat St. Louis thanks to tiebreakers) to close out the season, but simply beating San Francisco is enough for the Cards to pass them on the board.

Make it to 2nd place, and the Cards could get a home game next year against Minnesota instead of Detroit as well as an away game against the Giants instead of Washington. This is what they're playing for.

Go Cards!

First Things First

2006-12-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

What a game that was! The Cards took the opening kickoff and proceeded to wipe out half the first quarter with a suffocating drive that seemed to demoralize the team, even if only a little at first. And for the first time this year, they took a game opening lead and never looked back. What a joy. You know, even with knowing that the team will not make the postseason yet again, this was a very satisfying win.

That said, it is now time to finally say that the Cardinals are officially eliminated from postseason eligibility. Curiously, had Denver held out against Seattle last night, the Cards could have remained eligible until the 16th (or even longer). Time to look forward to ensuring that Seattle gets only a Wild Card game at home this postseason.

Believe it or not, Arizona can still make the playoffs.

2006-11-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, my Google Alerts notified me that there was a post in a blog indicating the the Cardinals had been eliminated. I added a comment that the author was mistaken. While Arizona will obviously miss this year, they are still not mathematically eliminated (yet). He replied with his own comment that it was I who was mistaken because the Cards would be eliminated on the third tiebreaker since the first two tiebreakers would be even. I tried to add a second comment to point out that he had miscalculated, but mysteriously, that comment never made it to the web site. Curiously, he appears to have posted his erroneous comment to two different blog locations, but the other blog appears to be a replica of the first, text-wise (except there are no comments from me).

So here's how it breaks down. The Cardinals are officially eliminated from wild card contention because in order to be considered, they would have to win out, and they would be tied with a number of teams for that final spot. Since their record in the NFC would be 5-7, the Cardinals would be worse in tiebreakers than one of the required contenders, the Giants, Eagles or Vikings.

But, believe it or not, the Cardinals could still win the NFC west. Here's how:

Current standings:
...............Overall..Division..NFC
Team.............W L......W L.....W L
Seattle..........7-4......3-1.....6-3
San Francisco....5-6......2-2.....4-4
St. Louis........5-6......2-3.....4-4
Arizona..........2-9......1-2.....2-7

In this most bizzare scenario, Seattle goes on a five game losing streak to finish 7-9 with a 3-3 record in the division (adding losses to Arizona and San Francisco).

San Francisco wins only one or two of its final five games: the one against Seattle and and any other against a team that is not Arizona finishing no better than 7-9 but losing the first tiebreaker to Arizona on head to head as well as having a 3-3 division record (adding a win against Seattle and a loss to Arizona).

St. Louis also wins no more than two games (neither being the Arizona game) to finish no better than 7-9 and finishing with a 2-4 record in the division (adding a loss to Arizona along the way).

Finally, Arizona goes on an improbable five game winning streak to finish 7-9. Along the way they add divisional wins over St. Louis, Seattle and San Francisco to bring their divisional record to 4-2.

If the best record in the division is 7-9 and Arizona has a 7-9 record, the first tiebreaker won't matter since no team has beaten all of the other divisional opponents to eliminate the head to head tiebreaker, but with the best divisional record of 4-2, Arizona would win the second tiebreaker.

Of course, Arizona has not yet shown an ability to win on the road, so this is all moot, but you still cannot say that Arizona is officially eliminated yet.

Gloom, Despair and Agony on Me

2006-11-29T15:09:00.000-07:00

So the Detroit game ended in a win. We're not the worst team in football. We're the second worst team.

It could be worse. We could be eliminated already from playoff consideration, but we aren't. All we have to do is hope the Seahawks lose their remaining games, the 49ers win only against the Seahawks, the Rams lose out and the Cardinals win out. In other words, we can't be eliminated until December!

Hey, maybe Pete Carroll can be the answer. The LA Times says it's possible. Isn't it? I'm going to cry now.

And it just keeps getting worse

2006-10-23T13:56:00.000-07:00

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.

I Love to See My Name in Print

2006-10-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

The NFL has some complicated rules for broadcasting home games to the local crowd. Indeed, they have predictable, but not always obvious rules every week.

The games that occur on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday night and Monday are considered national games and never have other games on at the same time, so as long as the game is not blacked out locally, everyone receives the game.

On Sunday afternoons, there are as few as 11 games or as many as 14 games being broadcast. Fox carries the games where the visiting team is from the NFC while CBS carries those where the visitors are from the AFC. On each Sunday, one of those networks has the doubleheader game of the week. Typically, both show a game in the early slot (1PM Eastern) while only one shows a late game. If the city has a local team playing at home, each network gets only one game (with the exceptions explained below).

Next is the blackout rule which requires that normal seating (not including loge or box seating) be sold out 72 hours prior to kickoff to lift a blackout of any station broadcasting within 50 miles of the stadium. At their discretion, of course, the NFL has the right to lift a blackout anyway. If the blackout is lifted, either due to sellout or by gift from the home office, it is added as a third game being broadcast. That said, the other network is not allowed to show a game in the local area while the home team's game is being broadcast.

Since those rules were implemented, and prior to this year, there were 13 weekends where every game was broadcast in their local markets. In 2002 and 2005, it happened four times each year. This year, the NFL is 7 of 7. That's right, every game has been sold out every week. Remember, of course, that the Cardinals alone were responsible for eight weeks per year of avoiding that record, but there were also at least five other weeks each year that we weren't the cause.

Noting this anomoly, Tim Lemke of the Washington Post wrote an article giving particular focus to the Phoenix market. Finding himself at this blog, he very kindly asked a few questions about the team and the impact of local broadcasts. As you've already noted from the title, he quoted me a couple of times in the article which you can find here. Enjoy the read!

What the Hell Happened?

2006-10-17T11:31:00.000-07:00

Last night, I sat next to a Bears fan. He was friendly, polite, visiting from Chicago, and I had the utmost respect for him.

Last night, around 15,000 fans in attendance cheered for the Bears. Most were locals who celebrated when the home team lost. I have no respect for these people who base their loyalty on an analysis of who is more likely to win.

The better team lost last night. Just as the better team lost last week and in Week 3. This is a team that should be 4-2 right now, but bizzarely keep finding losses where they should find wins. Suddenly, I feel personally aflicted by this disease. I just don't know what to say.

So I Skipped a Week

2006-10-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Frustrating is the word.

To begin a game with two first quarter touchdowns only to lose 23-20 singes. I remembered my camera this time, but the only decent action shot I got was of Ty Law intercepting a Leinart pass. I'm pretty sure I don't want to remember that.

What gets to me is the constant reminders from acquaintances that these are the same old Cardinals and that nothing will change until the Bidwill family is gone. I don't subscribe to that theory, but lacking significant wins, I have no argument back.

This team is two dropped balls away from being 3-2 right now. If Warner doesn't drop that snap as time was winding down against St. Louis, the Cards win that game. If Johnson doesn't let that third quarter pass bounce off his chest last week, the Cards go up 27-10 late in the third quarter. I suspect that would have been the final nail in the coffin.

Instead, we have 1-4. As a result, a very difficult game against Chicago becomes a must win. I'll be there. I'll have my camera. I'll be screaming. I just hope I get to take a few pictures of dejected Bears fans.

Football Disgusts Me

2006-10-04T09:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, so maybe I'm not disgusted, but for a year that held such great promise, this is sure turning out to be a joke of a season.

So, let's regroup. Thanks to incessant turnovers, we lost a hard fought game in Seattle, blew a very winnable game against St. Louis, and looked like amateurs in Atlanta.

I was out of town for a pool tournament in Las Vegas, so watching the game became a communal event with gamblers at the Riviera Casino. How depressing to hear so many people laughing about the Cardinals' ineptitude.

Nice job, Adrian Wilson, but for the rest of you, I sure hope you pick it up before the game on Sunday. The Chiefs will not roll over for you.

Sometimes, I Hate Football

2006-09-27T09:56:00.001-07:00

At the end of the 2003 season, as any good Cardinals fan (or Vikings fan for that matter) will remember, the final game of the year was at Sun Devil Stadium. Coach Mac was already a lame duck, and this was his final hurrah. So many Cards fans had bailed, and the Vikings had so much to gain that 2/3 of the stadium was filled with people wearing purple. On the second to last play of the game, Josh McCown was sacked leaving the Cardinals with the seemingly impossible task of scoring a touchdown from a quarter field away or losing. Fading back to pass, McCown barely escaped another sack sending the Vikings fans into a frenzy of happiness at their impending success only to see a desperation throw end up in the hands of Nate Poole giving the Cardinals an improbable win. In a matter of seconds, Vikings fans went from elation to disbelief desperately wanting to fix the incongruity of the moment.

I know how they felt. The moment the Cards fumbled the ball with only time to run out before kicking a game winning field goal was the sickly period that meant the difference between my elation of having the game won to the disbelief of a lost cause.

It should never have been that close. Dropped passes, stupid interceptions and a porous secondary all contributed to the game being closer than it deserved to be.

I am so pleased that next week's game takes place in Atlanta where I don't have to show up with the energy necessary to help the team to victory.

My Continuing Bipolar Disorder

2006-09-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

From the excessive happiness over last week's win to the anger and frustration attendant with yesterday's loss, keeping track of my emotions can be a challenging task.

For any reader who did not watch the game yesterday, Seattle beat Arizona handily 21-10. My emotions are running the gamut now.

First, there is the realization that when I plotted out the season and predicted 15-1, this was the one game I predicted as a loss (even a rabid fan has to show some restraint). So we're on track, right?

Wrong. Never figured into this one was the Monday night game against what I presumed to be a mediocre Chicago team. They've been anything but mediocre, but even that I have to temper with the knowledge that their impressive wins have come against Detroit and Green Bay, not exactly the cream of the NFL crop.

I also didn't envision an impressive San Diego team in San Diego. But, again, while San Diego has looked very good, they've done so against very bad teams (Oakland and Tennessee).

In other words, I'm still on board with the whole 15-1 thing, but I'd sure like to see the team play better. I'm off to a corner to lay down and mope for an hour about yesterday's game now.

1-0!

2006-09-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

First things first: if you're coming here to see pictures, sorry, but I forgot my camera in the excitement of the day.

On the Black Eyed Peas performance, well, they aren't really my speed, but they seemed to do quite well. I could have done without the fire effects as they simply reminded me of how hot Sun Devil Stadium used to be.

What a game! The crowd was pumped, they were loud, they were enthusiastic. The offense responded with a crowd pleasing performance (though the Monday night games have not yet been played, no other team scored 30 points yet this year). But as good as the offense was, the defense was dreadful. You can't base an entire season on a single game, but the 49ers are not exactly the cream of the crop in the NFL. I expected better.

Still, having the lead for virtually the entire game made everything go down better, even when the referee announced that San Francisco was getting a fourth time out in the first half. I wasn't even nervous when San Francisco recovered the onside kick at their own 38 with a half minute left in the game. Getting a touchdown from 62 yards away with no timeouts is not an easy proposition. I had faith, and the Cards rewarded me.

Now for Seattle and a real test.

Five Days and Counting

2006-09-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

You know, this is my 19th year of being a fan (I'm quite the homer, and I grew up in Dallas), and I don't think I've ever felt this good going into the season. I expect victory in every home game. I expect victory in most of the road games. This year will be something special.

I recall the Rams of 1999. I remember week after week, Chris Berman asking the question of how many times a player could throw three touchdown passes in a game? I'm ready for the same greatness. It's a more seasoned version of the same quarterback but with better receivers this time.

Let's see, it's 12:05 now, that means I still have 121 hours to go.

Why Do I Do This?

2006-09-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

When I started this blog last year, it was meant to chronicle my feelings during the course of the year as they related to my favorite football team, the Arizona Cardinals. While discussion of the games is an aspect of what I write, the reader can get that in much better detail from the likes of the Arizona Republic. And while I take pictures that I share, again, they are not of the quality one can get from the local newspaper.

I wanted to have a reviewable history of the emotions I endured (as in last year) or enjoyed (as in this year) for future review. I'm happy to see that some people have viewed these posts, but I'm also a community minded person. If you are a fan and would like to join in this process, there is a link to the right that reads, "Drop me a line." I would be honored to have a few fans join me in this process. Even if you join, there is no obligation ever to post. If you have something to say, you would add it, if not, well, I've gone entire months without posting anything.

Here's hoping I hear from you.

Preseason Is Done!

2006-09-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

I'm so pleased with how the A and B units performed last night. Have I said it before? This year is going to be special.

Sadly, I was unable to attend the game. It was the first game I missed since the season closer in Buddy Ryan's last year (I was sick beyond belief that night). In last night's case, it was important for us to shoot pool on our league night. I was destroyed two matches in a row. Sure wish I'd gone to the game, but in my place, my daughter and her husband were able to attend, so at least it wasn't a total loss.

Just nine more days until the games actually count.

Here's to Good Health!

2006-08-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

So the regular season is almost upon us. Unlike previous years, the Cardinals have done what they needed to do to minimize preseason injuries. No team comes out unscathed, and the questions about Karlos Dansby and Oliver Ross will continue, but compared to previous years, this team has reason to be happy.

I spent last week in Las Vegas for a pool tournament (we came in 129th place...woo hoo!), and I put a small amount down on the Cards to beat the Bears. Of course, once the game was over, I wished I had put down more and that I had taken odds to play a straight up win. Well, bets are easier to place once the results are in, and it was a preseason game.

One more week until the regular season begins. The five months of Christmas are only eight days away!

Mike is SO Right

2006-08-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

I went to the stadium tour on the 19th as well (have been away from my computer for a week and was unable to post).

After going to some trouble to get tickets, park, walk to the stadium and enter, I come to find out it's no different from being there on game day. I expected a view of the lofts, maybe a guide to tell us what we may not have already known, but no, it was a walk around the stadium. Thanks, guys, but maybe I'll do that while the Black Eyed Peas are busy singing "My Humps."

Game One is in the Books

2006-08-14T14:12:00.000-07:00

So, August 12th represented the opening of the stadium. You probably need to be deaf and blind not to know about this, but I don't care. What a great day!

The team warned all of us to arrive early since traffic questions would remain well after the game had ended, so we decided to leave two hours before kickoff. As we headed south on Loop 101, we found traffic backing up just after Cactus. We held out but finally bailed at Olive to attempt a 91st Avenue approach.

It did no good. 91st Avenue was awful as well. With the lot between Glendale and Northern feeding shuttle buses, it remained frustrating, but by 11:45, we were in our parking place. A note to the planners here: if it takes two minutes for the next car to arrive in the lot, you're probably doing something wrong.

The building was amazing, but I suspect any reader has already heard much about that. I've seen some amazing shots of the field sized flag rolled out at the national anthem, but this represents the flag as I saw it. I love the angle I have with the field.

As the game began, the defense did its part and prevented (along with an errant field goal attempt: must have been the wind) any scoring on Pittsburgh's part. That was followed by a drive down the field using the pass (the run game still needs work) culminating in a touchdown catch by former first rounder, Bryant Johnson. That's right, it wasn't Q or Fitz, it was BJ. What a year we're going to have.

Since I wanted to enjoy the game, I didn't have my camera at the ready all game long, but I did get a decent shot of the defense stuffing a run in the second half. Note how far behind the line the runner is as he's being thrown to the ground.

I know it's only preseason, but this season will be special.

I know it's all in my head, but...

2006-08-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Suddenly, I'm worried about the Matt Leinart negotiations. People who may or may not know what they're talking about have started saying that it's going very badly at the moment. But the thing is, if he doesn't sign with Arizona this year, his value next year is likely to be lower than this year (which was lower than the previous year) combined with the fact that he'd have to wait another year for that payday.

It'll be interesting to see who blinks, but I sure would like my anxiety to just end.

Football is Back!

2006-07-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

The 2006 season (or at least the camp season) has finally started.

The anxiety level, for me, is still quite small since the only holdout at this point is Matt Leinart. Still, we all heard how big a holdout Reggie Bush would be, and his holdout was rather brief. That said, I suspect we'll have a Philip Rivers type holdout. In 2004, Rivers held out for most of training camp, thereby ceding the job to Drew Brees. It prevented him from starting for two years. There are even higher hopes for Leinart, but even if he doesn't show for training camp, I can rest well in the knowledge that Kurt Warner and John Navarre are there.

This is the year! Twelve days to the opening of the stadium!

Neil Rackers Rules

2006-07-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm partisan, but the new NFL Network commercial with Neil Rackers is awesome. Speaking of Fantasy Football, he ends the commercial with, "You need a kicker, right? Pick me."

http://www.azcardinals.com/news/detail.php?PRKey=1017

I Gotta Wear Shades

2006-07-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

I went to Disneyland (see my main blog for details). While walking through the Downtown Disney area, I saw a guy wearing a Matt Leinart Cardinals jersey. Oh, joy!

Greed Takes a Holiday

2006-07-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

The Cardinals have announced their parking prices for the coming season, and wonderfully, the price is $0.00.

Well, sort of.

As part of the paying back for the stadium process, all ticket holders must pay a facility fee of $4.25. I had already chalked that up to stadium construction cost, but as luck would have it, it's also being considered my payment for parking at the facility. Wow. So while I'm paying $79.25 per game for my tickets, my parking has gone from $5 per game to nothing.

Just another in a continuing stream of smiles on the way to shocking the NFL with a Super Bowl win.

Audio Blogging

2006-05-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

We've got an ASU student who's decided to start a podcast dedicated to Arizona Cardinals fans. Way to go! If you're interested, it's available on iTunes. Just search for Arizona Cardinals CardCast, and you'll get it. His web site is located at www.cardcast.com. I hope it goes well for him.

Time Marches On

2006-05-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

There is an aspect of football that I don't like. To the studious reader, I'm sure you know that this will not be an indication of a real problem so much as a frustration.

The season, while it is the perfect length, is too short.

Basketball starts in November and doesn't finish until June. That's eight months of watching roundball.

Hockey starts in November and doesn't finish until June. In truth, hockey is shorter than basketball, but not much.

Baseball season starts in April and continues through October. That's seven months of good baseball.

Football season begins in September and is done five short months later.

My point is that I grow weary of the very long off season for the NFL. Sure, they give us NFL Europe, but it just isn't the same.

So let's see what we need to keep in mind on the calendar. Payment for season tickets is due on 5/31. That's 19 days away. Training camp opens somewhere around 7/24, so there are about 73 days until then. The first preseason game is 8/12, so there are 91 days until then. Opening day for the team in the regular season is four weeks later, so we have 120 days until opening day.

Sure wish I had more than 20 fingers and toes.

Wow! Wow! Wow!

2006-05-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I last posted, and oh, how much has changed. To build on James, they brought in Matt Leinert, and now the season tickets for 2006 have sold out.

I used to live in Dallas (until 1980). Even during the Cowboys height of fame, they never sold out all of the season tickets (they probably do now). Now, some of that may be due to the fact that, back then, you had to buy a $1,000 bond for your seat in order to buy a season ticket, but still---this is amazing for my Cardinals.

Whew! Now for Google to buy the naming rights and call it the Googleplex.

The bill showed up for season tickets yesterday. Time to pay another $544.50. Section 111, here I come!

Only a Fan Could Appreciate It

2006-03-31T10:34:00.000-07:00

As so often happens, I checked out the official site yesterday at about noon. There I found a story about Kurt Warner appearing at an Alltel store 47 miles away in Chandler. Well, that's a short enough distance.

Expecting quite a crowd, I showed up an hour and a half early. Finding no crowd at all, I had a reasonable lunch at Dilly's Deli (I highly recommend it) and went on to the event a little later.

Sponsored by Alltel (my mobile phone provider), the idea was to have him record a voice mail greeting for customers. I loved the idea. And while everyone else now has autographed memorabilia, I've got Kurt Warner encouraging my callers to leave a message.

I'm in Heaven!

Cautiously Optimistic?

2006-03-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

I don't know what to think any more. I'm very pleased with the addition of Edgerrin James. I may even buy a #32 jersey (authentic, of course).

But there's this nagging feeling of how sure I was that the team was headed for great things last year, then they just found a way to fall apart in every game. I'm looking forward to the new stadium, I expect improvement, and frankly I find that the talent on the team should be sufficient to win.

I'm just not giddy about the future yet unlike last year at this time.

Geez, We Can't Even Lose Right

2006-01-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

ESPN's Page Two did a story on miserable teams in the NFL. Or more specifically, the horribly treated fans. I don't know exactly what's wrong with their index, but any survey that feels the need to console Vikings fans more than Cardinals fans is just plain wrong. Read it for yourself.

And the beat goes on

2005-12-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

I'm sick.

No, I'm not sick of my team, though certainly I would have reason to be. No, I've caught a cold that should have been my excuse for not attending last Sunday's game. But I went anyway.

I saw a Redskins team that had no business winning but did anyway. The Cardinals gave up yet another touchdown return that ended up being the difference between winning and losing.

The folks who sit in the two seats in front of me had more important things to do than attend a football game, so they let their $62.70 seats go empty this week. What a good idea. I am beat. I am discouraged. Next week, the Cards travel to Houston to take on the worst team in the league, and according to the latest line, it's the most closely matched game of the week. How pathetic. Another year of being good enough to not get a top draft pick but being bad enough to be embarassing.

Week to Week

2005-11-22T13:35:00.000-07:00

So much time has passed since my last post. I read an article in the Republic about fans reading too much into the week to week results posted by the team.

But I'm going to anyway.

Since my last post, I've gone to Sun Devil Stadium to be demoralized by the Seahawks loss and watched the Cards completely fall apart in the second half of the Lions game.

But like any Cardinals fan, I've learned to ignore the past and rejoice in the victories as they come. Boy did they look good on Sunday. And now, a few pictures from the Seahawks game (I really thought they had a chance).

For Veterans' Day, Luke AFB arranged a flyover.

Quite the impressive catch, and it wasn't Fitzgerald or Boldin.

And sometimes, the running game looks awesome.

But the most impressive of all was the threading of this touchdown pass to Bryant Johnson. Alas, it was not enough. Sure glad the Rams were on the schedule.

Words Can't Describe

2005-10-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

Scott Bordow of the East Valley Tribune posted an article that asks the important question. Just what is Green doing for the Cardinals.

Don't get me wrong. I want Dennis Green to come to Arizona a year before he actually made it. I still hold out hope that things will turn around. But Bordow correctly points out that two years in, we have yet to see the "improvements" translate into actual victories, and sadly, that's the point.

We suffered for years under Joe Bugel giving us the best losing team in football. It would sure be nice to not have to listen to friends and co-workers ridicule me for being stupid enough to follow the local team.

Man, What a (Great) Snoozer

2005-10-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

There were points during the game yesterday when I wished I could just go to sleep. Certainly, the offense was encouraging me.

After the game, Denny mentioned that it was a great defensive matchup. Yes, that's it. Josh has Q running out to the flat, but he sees Lee open a few yards downfield. Result: interception.

And, yes, I was very impressed with the defense, but one of our group at the stadium asked, after the Titans scored a touchdown on their opening drive, what was wrong with the defense at the start of every game. Let's see...Giants first drive: TD; Rams first drive: TD; Seahawks first drive: TD; 49ers first drive: punt (their two touchdowns were on fumble recoveries); Panthers first drive: fumble; Titans first drive: TD.

So four of six games have started with the Cards digging themselves out of a hole. Yesterday was no exception.

Don't get me wrong. I'm happy they won, and I sure hope they do the same against the Cowboys, but 173 yards of total offense is just pathetic. Baltimore was held to six points by the Bears but still gained 15% more yardage than the Cardinals.

I am not a rash person, but I believed before the game, and also now, that Kurt Warner should be manning the offense. Here's hoping Texas Stadium wakes up the team.

Kill Me. Kill Me Now.

2005-10-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

Going into halftime, I was encouraged. The Cards were up, but they had clearly shown themselves what adjustments they needed to make in order to shut down the Panthers in the second half. It was only going to get better.

Then came the litany of turnovers that made the game unwinnable, or at least unwinnable for Arizona.

With over three minutes left, the fans started leaving en masse after McCown threw the jump ball on 4th down that was intercepted by Carolina. I asked some of them why they were leaving with so much time and three time outs available. No one answered. I should never have asked. So now I get to hope for the 11-5 season. It's a good thing our division is so bad (though amazingly, not as bad as the NFC North).

Take a week off fellas. Come back and tear apart Tennessee.

Oh, Joy!

2005-10-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

I watched the game at the new home of our company's owners. They built a home theater in the basement with a 100+ inch screen (front projection), and the view was unbelievable. Of course, I was watching with a normal assortment of Cardinals detractors who, like oh so many people, insist that Bill Bidwill is the reason for the team's troubles over the years. I believe that assessment to be too simplistic.

To blame him for the team's failures, one would necessarily need to credit him for their successes, such as the Air Coryell years in St. Louis, but for those in need of simple explanations, the reasoning is that when things go wrong, it's Bidwill's fault. When they go right, it's in spite of Bidwill. I suggested that if Bidwill was so wrong, how do you reconcile Oakland choosing a former Cardinal head coach for their own team only to see that head coach flounder in Oakland just as he did in Arizona? I also weighed in on the success of Daniel Snyder in Washington. He's no hoarder of money, but his teams have been rather pathetic as well (this appears to be a better year, but being 3-0 for Washington is more an issue of a freak comeback against Dallas, winning in overtime when Seattle should have put them away in regulation, and winning at home against a less than impressive Bears team).

In other words, Bidwill could have made different choices that could have improved his success, but week in and week out, he is never the one putting on the pads.

Indeed, when the 49ers got off to that 14-0 lead, I was dreading hearing the incessant reminders of how stupid I am to be a fan, but a funny thing happened on the way to the NFC West cellar. The team woke up. The defense reminded us of their potential. The offense showed off why they have Boldin and Fitzgerald. And McKown showed why he was worthy as the starter last year. Oh, what a joyful game to watch.

And now, the Panthers get to play a Monday nighter followed by a short week of practice and travel across country to face us. And I suspect that either Seattle or St. Louis will lose (since they're playing each other). Time to move into second place.

Go Cards!

Painful but True

2005-09-26T10:31:00.000-07:00

In between my tears, I read this. He feels my pain.

My Faith is Shaken

2005-09-26T09:06:00.000-07:00

How can they be this bad?

We all heard about Oliver Ross and how he would energize the offensive line, but between him and Davis, the main thing they energized was the market for flags. Surely they wore out the officials' pockets yesterday.

But that wasn't the worst of it. The Cards have given up touchdowns on the opening drives of each game this year. And not because the other team got lucky. The defense was decimated each time. Is this the same defense we saw last year? Clearly it isn't.

So what do you get when you combine a porous defense, an offense that seems incapable of scoring touchdowns and a whole pile of penalties? You get 0-3. Coming into this season, San Francisco was the consensus pick as worst team in football. Sunday night (boy, how happy is ESPN to have this game?), the 49ers will probably be heavy favorites.

Maybe I should learn to love hockey.

The End of Depression

2005-09-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

I have dreaded this for some time. Another post after another disappointing performance. As I left Sun Devil Stadium, dazed as a result of the surreal end to an exciting final drive, I started visualizing the future.

Monday, I would come to work to hear my coworkers laugh at me for being a Cardinal fan. Then Brian would come in and find new ways to make fun of my devotion. I seriously considered calling in sick.

So here it is, Thursday, and life is not yet over. I enter yet another NFL weekend fully expecting the turnaround that I know is coming. Seattle is in for quite the surprise. And when Dallas and Tennessee also win, we'll get the humor of noting that all the teams in the NFC West are 1-2. So be it. Go Cards!

Okay, I Was Off a Little

2005-09-12T15:57:00.000-07:00

So my 15-1 prediction did include the expected win over the Giants, so I guess I'll have to modify my prediction to 14-2.

Boy was that depressing. As halftime approached, I was giddy. With the Cards dominating in all phases of the game, victory was just a matter of not letting up their guard. Even after giving up a drive to start the second half, I rationalized it as being equivalent to the drive at the start of the game.

And when the team responded to the second score in the quarter with the Fitzgerald TD, I was calm again. Then the wheels came off. My only solace is knowing that only San Francisco managed to win among the teams in the division. The season now begins on 9/18.

Already Someone Who Agrees with Me

2005-09-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

I bring you the Houston Chronicle and Norman Chad with his prediction for the 2005 season, "He (Kurt Warner) and his earthly Cardinals teammates are destined for Super Bowl 40 in Detroit."

Uh, Coach Slouch, for the record, I bought my ticket to win on 8/22/05, but I appreciate someone who agrees.

If they can do it, so can I

2005-09-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

Since every sports pundit in the country has taken the time to inform us of how this season will end up, I have decided to do the same. So, on to my dubious, at best, predictions.

NFC West

It should come as no surprise to anyone who can read the name of my blog how I pick this division to end up. What may surprise some is that I think that this will be a surprisingly powerful division this year. While I respect the Rams offense, the overall balance in Seattle should provide them with a wild card entry into the post season.
Cardinals (15-1)
Seahawks (10-6)
Rams (8-8)
49ers (1-15)

NFC North

While I would love to see Favre wind down his career on a high note, I have little confidence in his team. The Vikings look tough, though I don't think a Mike Tice led team will ever be truly great.
Vikings (13-3)
Packers (6-10)
Lions (4-12)
Bears (3-13)

NFC South

Here is the other tough NFC division. While I like the Falcons, they sure have a rough schedule compared to the Panthers.
Panthers (12-4)
Falcons (10-6)
Buccaneers (8-8)
Saints (4-12)

NFC East

Yet another weak year for the East. I don't see Philadelphia being as dominant as last year, but with little competition in this division, they'll have a better record than they deserve.
Eagles (12-4)
Cowboys (9-7)
Giants (6-10)
Redskins (4-12)

AFC West

The AFC, once again, appears to be tougher than the NFC. As a result, teams that otherwise would have made it to the post season will be stopped due to the volume of quality in this conference. And the West will be the toughest division of them all.
Chiefs (14-2)
Chargers (10-6)
Raiders (7-9)
Broncos (7-9)

AFC North

This division will come back to earth after last year's stellar showing by Pittsburgh. I still expect greatness from them, but Ben could not have two consecutive lucky streaks.
Steelers (12-4)
Ravens (10-6)
Bengals (6-10)
Browns (5-11)

AFC South

And now for the obvious choice of the list: who will win this division?
Colts (14-2)
Jaguars (11-5)
Titans (8-8)
Texans (3-13)

AFC East

And now for the weakest division in football. Not only do I expect a weak showing from the defending champs, but the division around them will be awful. Expect a cake walk for the Patriots, at least until playoff games begin.
Patriots (11-5)
Jets (8-8)
Bills (3-13)
Dolphins (2-14)

As I've already stated before, I've already placed my bet on the Cardinals to win Super Bowl XL (over the Colts, in case you're curious). I look forward to seeing how stupid I was in very short order.

Enough of the Practice Games

2005-09-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

So I forgot to bring my camera to work last Friday. I remembered my ticket. So when I picked up my father to go to the game, I borrowed his (also a 5 MP model, but with a bit less configuration ability). Curiously, while all of my photos have 0.07 fewer MP, his averaged 0.9 MB per photo while mine averaged 2.9 MB per photo. I have no idea why. But on to the meager photos.

First, we have an action shot (the only one that was even remotely usable).

But there came a point where I decided that the only people doing their jobs properly were the cheerleaders, so I got a fuzzy image of them.

Sure hope next week goes better.

Getting My $61.20 Worth

2005-08-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

Last year, season tickets in the seat I have were $56.70 per game ($63 - 10%). This year they went up to $61.20 ($68 - 10%). Since preseason games were never that good to begin with, I always justified it as 8 games at full price and two preseason games at half price. So 8*63+31.5+31.5=$567 for the full season.

With the new pricing combined with a game in Mexico City, it is 7 games at the new, higher, full price and two preseason games at $37.40 each (or 55% of normal games). In other words, this year's preseason, on a relative cost basis, are 10% higher than last year's (not even accounting for the price hike that was also sent our way).

So adding to the disappointment of a significantly more expensive preseason, we get a Broncos team that does not intend to play their starters. We're paying to see a scrimmage of second teamers. Whoop-de-doo!

Easy to be a Fan Now

2005-08-29T15:34:00.000-07:00

I realize that it's still just preseason, but they've looked so very good in their first team offense. I fully expect to watch a win on Friday simply because it means more to Dennis Green than it does to Mike Shanahan. As I understand it, Plummer and crew won't play more than a single series.

Still, It'll be nice to go to New York with a load of confidence at their backs. Go Cards!

But What About the Chiefs?

2005-08-23T16:11:00.000-07:00

It occurred to me that in my rush to happily note my purchase of a ticket to win for the Cardinals in the Super Bowl that I haven't made any comments about their most recent encounter in Kansas City.

I didn't see all of it. Being away from home, I couldn't watch live (I was competing) and the hotels don't carry the NFL Network. So I watched when I got home and kind of wished that my Tivo would have failed to record it. As most fans know, the Cards won, but only because the second and third teams made up for the ineptitude of the first team. Up front blocking seemed to be the key, and there are plenty of reasons why, so I won't be too frustrated. That's why they play in preseason.

Vegas, Baby!

2005-08-23T16:01:00.000-07:00

I shoot pool. Not very well, mind you, but I'm in a handicapped league, and our 9-Ball team made it to the national finals last weekend at the Riviera. We did well. Not great, but well enough. Of the 287 teams that qualified for the event (from among many thousands of teams), only 32 progressed farther than we did.

As long as I was in Vegas for the tournament, however, I decided to get in my bet for the Cardinals to win the Super Bowl. That's right, my $20 is down on the Cards to win (with a payoff of $1000 when they do). Go Cards!

New Uniforms, Old Frustration

2005-08-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

A couple of pictures from last Saturday's game...

First, we have a picture of the opening kickoff. You'll note that the sun is still slightly out at this point. By the way, no matter what the people on ESPN say, I like the new uniforms. Note the sparse crowd even though it's the Cowboys. Hmmm.

And an action shot. But in this case, I was limited on the shots I could use. Since this was a night game and my ISO was not properly set, there was quite a bit of action that just turned out too blurry to use (this one is really not an exception to the rule). Note that this is the second team getting a very Cardinal-like one yard gain on a rushing play.

That Was a Beautiful Thing

2005-08-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

It was great to go to a game surrounded by Cardinals fans for a change. The seat I have is not in a cheap section of the stadium, but since it is in the shaded portion (and has a back), the people who buy there tend to be loyal. That said, all too many of the seats just go unsold, and we regularly have visiting family of the opposing team. Maybe when the Eagles come to town, TO can serve his suspension in my section.

But I digress. This team looked fantastic on Saturday night. How many more days until 9/11 in New York (wonder what the halftime will be like)?

26.5 Hours and Counting

2005-08-12T16:31:00.000-07:00

It's finally (almost) here. The opportunity to go to Sun Devil Stadium, with all the hope and expectation that attends a new football season.

How exciting to see my acquaintances over in Section 9, complete with the ability to glare at people who deign to bring beer into our section; the deep green of a carefully manicured, yet thoroughly unused football field ready for a new season; the view of millionaires getting ready to work themselves to exhaustion simply for my benefit (we don't thank the players enough).

For this season, my goal is to document the beauty that is football, and to be on the bleeding edge of the legion of Cardinals fans that will instantly sprout as so often happens when a team finds success.

Go Cards!

Hallelujah!

2005-08-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

And I'm not even religious. With today's news, all the pieces are in place. It's time for the Cards to shock the NFL.

I was out today and drove by the stadium (my future cathedral). It was amazing to see so many workers standing on the roof doing their work. Ah, and now for Saturday to come.

Go Cards!

I'd Feel Better if Rolle Was Signed

2005-08-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

But then that goes without saying.

As many people making blog entries do (I hate to call myself a "blogger" since I'm not that serious about it), I waste entirely too much time on the Internet. Today, I visited the ESPN site and looked at the SportsNation polls.

They had one about NFL jerseys. Which player would you buy? Would you buy Terrell Owens? How many do you own? I had to laugh when I got to the last question. "Are you wearing a jersey right now?" Yes, I'm wearing Rob Moore right now.

I love the scene in "Fletch" where Larry (Geena Davis) observes him and says, "Magic today?" He replies, "Yeah, Kareem's in the wash."

On any given day, for me, it will be one of Joyner, Hill, Williams (35), Plummer, Tillman, Moore, Smith (22), Boston, Wadsworth, Sanders. Notably, I tend to buy a player right before he leaves the team (true of all but Emmitt).

T-3 Days

2005-07-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so only two draft picks are signed so far, but I'm not panicking. That said, I've done some predicting among my friends. It's shocking how many of them are not on board with my 15-1 prediction.

Okay, so Tennessee might present a bit of a problem. Sure, Philadelphia is good, but are they that good on the road? 15-1, here we come!

Prescott, Here They Come

2005-07-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

My first thought was to say, "Here We Come", but then I realized that I'm just an idiot with a blog. That was one of my favorite moments in "Fever Pitch".

They let you go to their camp? Actually we just observe. To see who should go and who should stay.
And the team takes your advice?

Ah, to understand the true fan. This year is gonna be special.

Just What Are They Saying?

2005-07-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

Another preseason poll is out, and the Cards rank only 10th in the NFC in this list. Why, oh why do the Cowboys get so much respect? And why does an aging Brett Favre garner so much hope with a coach who has not yet inspired success for the team? And how in the world did they pick the Lions higher?

I know I'm a homer. But I see the team jumping out to victory in their first five matchups (at NYG, vs StL, at Sea, vs SF, vs Car), then they get two weeks to prepare to host the Titans. Again, I know I'm biased, but I don't see why they can't be 14-0 when they meet the Eagles on 12/24. So 14-1 or 15-0 when they go to Indianapolis in a meaningless game (having locked up homefield advantage throughout the playoffs).

I love the view through these rose colored glasses.

Ten Days and Waiting

2005-07-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

While I'm nervous about the lack of signings of draft picks, at least I know that it's common to all of the NFL.

In my Internet wanderings yesterday, I came across an anti-Cardinals site run by someone who has a bit too much time on his hands. His site proclaims his love of the Cowboys (hey, they won six games last year, too) and even boasts a forum for bashing the Cards. I actually enjoyed reading it due to the large number of posts he was forced to delete for violating the "bashers only" rule.

I sure can't wait until even greater success breeds frustration on his part.

2005-07-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

The good folks at blogger.com recently added a feature for posting photos to a blog in line. I'm going to test it out with a photo from the last home game of the year.

My fear is that it will only upload the entire 5MP photo which is too large to post on an ongoing basis. That said, there's Frank Kush Field (inside Sun Devil Stadium) from the perspective of my seat.

2005-07-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

Oh, the memories. Snoopy and I share a moment the day before the Cardinals played their most recent postseason game near the Mall of America.

Countdown is at 12 Days

2005-07-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how slowly time can pass when all too much of your life is consumed by thoughts of a football season. It's all the more maddening when the object of your devotion has rewarded it so seldom. It is in this vein that I anticipate the opening of training camp.

The team is getting ready for the season certainly. I have not yet received my tickets, but the parking passes have arrived along with four additional solicitations to purchase season tickets. Okay, I get it. You have season ticket packages available, and buying one gets me priority at the new stadium (which I already have).

How many hours in 12 days? Around 288? Go Cards!

Anyone Care to Join In?

2005-06-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

The reason for this site was to track the trials and tribulations of the common fan. It doesn't need to be a one-sided conversation. So if anyone is interested in being added to the list of contributors, let me know. Drop me a line (look to your right).

It's Cover Time

2005-06-09T14:45:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo, a Cardinal makes the cover of The Sporting News! Then the writer goes on to give conflicting signals.

In his writeup, he says that, of the two pictured, Drew Bledsoe is likely to see more success citing a better running game, seasoned veterans at wide receiver (who still believes the hype about Keyshawn Johnson?). Then they grade team prospects and rate the Cardinals higher than the Cowboys. Go figure (and enjoy).