Revenge Of The Birds: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:



Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
Around SBN: NHL Free Agency Coverage: NHL Rumors, NHL Signings & Trades


An Interesting Take on the Arizona Cardinals Franchise

With so many new faces checking out ROTB and the Arizona Cardinals franchise this week, I couldn't help but post this article from Will Leitch at Deadspin. If you're not familiar with Deadspin, they're one of the biggest and best sports blogs on the net right now and Leitch is the former editor. He's also a long time Cardinal fan so he's been getting his fair share of "how the 'ell did this happen" questions. With that in mind, Leitch put together a fantastic group of Frequently Asked Questions concerning the franchise that is the Arizona Cardinals. Here's a short preview of what you'll find after the link:

Why does every person I see on television have a smirk on their face anytime they discuss the Buzzsaw (his nickname for the Cardinals)?

Two reasons.

1. The Arizona Cardinals have been so horrible for so long that no media members have even the slightest inkling of respect for them. The majority haven't paid attention to them in two decades and have been waiting for the Cardinals to lose so they don't have to do any more research. The best example of this was Cris Carter, who, on Sunday night, called Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby, alternately, "Dansmon," "Dockett" and "Darnell Dansby." (Amusingly, Carter tried to cover his tracks by pointing out that Dansby was "great at Florida State." Dansby went to Auburn; defensive tackle Darnell Dockett went to Florida State.) It's difficult to blame anyone for this. There are 32 teams in the NFL, and each team has 53 roster spots. That's 1,696 players to keep track of. You have to end up ignoring somebody, and for the last 30-some-odd years, the most efficient team to ignore has been the Arizona Cardinals..........................

If you watch any amount of national media, you've probably seen or heard countless mistakes from the 'so-called' experts (all the more reason to stick to ROTB) just like this one, but as Leitch says, who can blame them. And the million dollar question that all Cardinals fans are pondering themselves:

Star-divide

What would a trip to the Super Bowl mean for this fanbase?

Considering the notion of even making it this far - even making the playoffs at all - is beyond my ability to comprehend, it's difficult to pretend any Cardinals fans would be angry if they lost Sunday. (One suspects Eagles fans would have a different reaction, were they to lose.) No matter what happens Sunday, this is the best Cardinals season in the Super Bowl era, by a factor of about 40. No one will ever look back at this year with disappointment.

But to get to this point, hosting an NFC Championship Game against a No. 6 seed, and then to fall short would be tough to stomach in the short term. These opportunities don't come along often. (Say, once every 61 years.) Earlier this year, I said that if the Arizona Cardinals didn't win the NFC West this year, they're never winning the NFC West. Circumstances as they are, I could make the same statement now: If they don't make the Super Bowl under these conditions, they're never making the Super Bowl.

But yes: A Super Bowl berth would be redemption for the thousands of dollars and hours spent by fans following this team for 20 years, through all the infuriating front office moves and on-field collapses. Every year, a brave NFL prognosticator will pick the Cardinals as their surprise team, only to have them finish 4-12. The Cardinals have been their hardcore fans' surprise team for 20 years. And they'd still be surprised.

Compared to Eagles' fans, though? Well, Eagles fans actually have expectations for their team on a yearly basis. We don't. It's much sadder to have expectations unfulfilled than expectations far exceeded. That's what Cardinals fans are telling themselves, anyway.

Whether or not you agree with the 'never' statements, we can all agree how mind blowing it would be to sit on our respective couches on the biggest Sunday in the NFL world and see our very own Cardinals run out of the tunnel (ok, now we're getting way ahead of ourselves). Needless to say, it's a fun FAQ segment and Leitch does a good job of being informative and entertaining. Check it out and what FAQ would you add to the list?

1 recs | Comment 7 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

I'll just copy and paste my comment from Deadspin...

As a Cardinals fan for more than 47 years(I’m very, very old), I have seen, and suffered through some of the worst football ever played in the history of the No Fun League. The biggest embarrassment that comes to mind first is that the Cards were the 2nd team ever to lose to the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The second is Bill Bidwill. You know the old saying, “he’s so tight, he makes the buffalo on an Indian nickel burp”? In Bidwill’s case, the buffalo can’t even fit on the coin; he’s so tight.
With all that said, this season has been a complete shock to me, albeit a pleasant shock, not to mention the playoff “run”. Will I be upset if they lose on Sunday? Sure, I will. Will I lose any sleep over it? Nah; this season has already been more than I could ask for.

by cfaddct on Jan 13, 2009 6:17 PM MST reply reply actions actions   1 recs

And then, my response to the perceived

bandwagon effect this team has elicited:

I come by my fandom naturally; in fact, it was passed down by my late father, who had been a fan since their days in Chicago(he was 18 the last time the Birds were in the Championship). I even remember them beating the Packers in the “Playoff Bowl”(the 3rd place game) after the ‘64 season. They had guys like Gene Stallings, Larry Wilson, Pat Fisher on defense, and Sonny Randle, Prentice Gautt, and Charley Wilson on offense. Plus, Jackie Smith played for the Cardinals before he dropped that pass in the end zone in SB XIII.
My loyalty has never waivered, even in all of those lean years, so no, I’m not one of “those” fans.

by cfaddct on Jan 13, 2009 6:21 PM MST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Sweet, a fan that remembers the team before the merger!

Welcome to RotB, cfaddct! I can vaguely remember the Cards of the mid to late ’70’s, but that’s as far back as I can go. The first NFL game I had seen start to finish was the Cardinals/Cowboys Thanksgiving Game in ’76.

It’s been a long time of suffering since ‘47. Losing to the Vikings and Rams in the ’70’s, then Green Bay in the “Super Bowl Tournement” in ’83, getting whooped by the Vikes after that wonderful whooping of the Cowboys in ’98…

This has been a spectacular season, for sure. Unlike ’98 when the cap was maxed for ’99, the Cardinals have a lot of cap room next year to resign players and lure some talent to the desert. The Cards should be “good” for a few years to come.

About bloody time!

We all leave footprints in the sands of time, just watch out for the discarded fish hooks!

by Hawkwind on Jan 13, 2009 7:38 PM MST to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Well...

I wont even pretend that I ever truly loved the Cards.

Growing up in Phoenix (born in 85) I could never bring my self to love the Cards, ever. They just seemed to find new ways to piss me off at every corner. As the Leitch said, they either found ways to lose even the easiest of games or the front office found new and even more infuriating ways to keep the team in the basement of the NFL. Even the great win against the Cowboys in 98 couldn’t get me to warm up the the Cards, because I knew the Bidwell’s would find a way to screw things up yet again.

Now though? I actually have some hope that finally the culture of this team may be changing. Of course we wont truly know until we see if the Bidwell’s want to keep this winning squad intact, but for now I’m optimistic. After decades this team actually is respectable, let us pray it stays that way.

GO CARDS!!!

"Yeah I could have been king, but maybe I already am king. Hail to the king baby." Ash from Army of Darkness

by Turambar on Jan 13, 2009 8:45 PM MST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Yeah those "never" statements..

are a bit extreme but I guess I have to consider they’re coming from a die hard Card fan, long-suffering. As a matter of fact, I’d like to say that I think you guys have quite possibly turned the proverbial corner. I think you have finally hired a winning coach and staff, got the players to execute but more importantly I think your players finally bought in to the system and believe enough in each other to get the job done. As long as the coaching staff and a core group of players are retained I think you guys could be highly dangerous for years to come. Every post-season game adds to the positives, win or lose, because they add to that higher-level experience.

by Benthere on Jan 13, 2009 10:30 PM MST reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Covering your Arizona Cardinals 24/7.
Start posting about the Cardinals »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Bridge1_small
Bring it
Small
Arizona Cardinals # 33 in ESPN Ultimate Standings
Small
Calvin Pace Gets Supended for Four Games
Helmet_small
Uh Oh, Is Darnell Dockett Really Going to Hold out of Training Camp?
100_0035_small
Informal: '09 NFC West Division Predictions
Small
June Predictions for the 2009 Cardinals
Helmet_small
Check Out Antrel Rolle's Official Site
Helmet_small
Overrated/Underrated Stories for the Cardinals this Offseason
Matt-leinart-standing_small
New to ROTB - Xbox
Small
Boldin for Brandon Marshall - Any takers?

Post_icon New FanPost All FanPosts Carrot-mini


Head Coach

G_small cgolden

Coordinators

100_0035_small Hawkwind

Andrew602_avatar_small Andrew602

Assistant Coaches

W-michelle_small AJ BirdWatcher

Rw_cf08_small CardsFan08

Official Partner of Yahoo! Sports