azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Kent Somers
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 2, 2005 12:00 AM
Nearly two years ago, the Cardinals fired Dave McGinnis as coach because the Bidwill family and vice president Rod Graves thought the team had better talent than the 4-12 season indicated.
That was debatable, as was McGinnis' culpability for the horrible year, but, as historians like to say, it was what it was.
The important question now, two years later, is: Are the Cardinals any better?
At 2-5, it's hard to see how. To answer yes, you'd have to look in the bowels and corners of the team's Tempe facility, or cash a check signed by a Bidwill.
The running game is atrocious. The run defense isn't much better. There is no long-term answer at quarterback, the most important position in the game, because Josh McCown and Kurt Warner are both working under one-year deals.
The result is a third consecutive 2-5 start, and a chorus of - everyone now - same old Cardinals.
Nothing irritates Michael Bidwill, the team's vice president and general counsel, more than hearing that, according to several people who know him. That's why Bidwill was instrumental in hiring Dennis Green, a proven winner, as coach. That's why he worked tirelessly to obtain the funding for a new stadium that rises impressively out of cotton fields in the West Valley.
In his second season, however, Green has just an 8-15 overall record here, and you can't help but notice that other coaches in their second seasons are having considerably more success. The Giants are 5-2 under Tom Coughlin, the Bears are 4-3 under Lovie Smith and Joe Gibbs' Redskins are 4-3.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, are out of the playoff picture. They won't catch Seattle (5-2) for the NFC West title, and the two wild-card berths likely will come from other divisions.
Another poor start by the Cardinals would be easier to take if there were reasons to think the future was bright.
McCown's young and talented, but he will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. How much incentive is there for him to return, when he has no running game to back him up and a coach who benched him a year ago?
The offensive line is playing just as poorly as last season. Right tackle Oliver Ross' absence because of a broken hand hasn't helped, but Ross hadn't played well when healthy. Several people in the organization remain perplexed why left tackle Leonard Davis isn't playing better. And Green's off-season decisions to cut L.J. Shelton and Anthony Clement robbed the team of experienced depth.
Defensively, ends Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor have played well, as has linebacker Karlos Dansby in most games. The tackles, however, have not made plays, and the Cardinals still can't stop the run.
If this football team has improved in the past two years, it takes someone on the inside to see it.
"We've made a lot of progress," Bidwill said. "It didn't feel like it in Dallas, but this team has the potential to be better. We've got a talented group of coaches and players."
Bidwill blamed injuries as part of the reason for the poor record, pointing out that cornerback Antrel Rolle and Ross have missed significant time.
In the NFL, injuries are as common as luxury SUVs in the parking lot. Everybody deals with them, and no one feels sorry for anyone else.
"At the end of the day, the only statistic that matters in the NFL is your win-loss," Bidwill said. "But if you look at our offense, a lot has been said about the running game, but our passing game has really taken off. Our defense has shown a lot of great progress."
Bidwill's been around the NFL long enough, however, to know that progress is defined by victories. This isn't the AYSO.
In the coming months, the Cardinals will begin to sell tickets for the new stadium, which opens next season. Maybe the attraction of a new stadium will entice new fans to buy tickets, but their interest will fade quickly if the franchise continues to lose.
After all, who wants to pay big money for a great seat to watch a bad team?
Cardinals biggest fan: Gloria Trevino
To nominate a Cardinals Biggest Fan, go to cardinals.azcentral.com. Selected submissions run Wednesdays, with a winner to be named after the regular season.
A co-worker, Izzy Izdebski, nominated Trevino, who works seven days a week except during football season. She never misses a Cardinals home game and makes annual pilgrimages to training camp. She even attends draft day parties and every Cardinals-sponsored event she can.
A Cardinals flag marks the entrance to the Trevino home on Sundays in season. Inside, a special Cardinals room, the walls painted red and displaying a mural of the team logo, houses photos, autographs and other memorabilia.
Trevino, a season ticket holder for the past 10 years, paints her face on game days and dresses in full Cardinals attire.
"I knew absolutely nothing about the Cardinals, but after working with Gloria for the past two years, she has converted me to be a fan as well," Izdebski wrote. "I do not know of a single person who is more dedicated to any team, in any sport, more than Gloria is to her precious Cardinals."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/1102cardsinsider1102.html
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 2, 2005 12:00 AM
Nearly two years ago, the Cardinals fired Dave McGinnis as coach because the Bidwill family and vice president Rod Graves thought the team had better talent than the 4-12 season indicated.
That was debatable, as was McGinnis' culpability for the horrible year, but, as historians like to say, it was what it was.
The important question now, two years later, is: Are the Cardinals any better?
At 2-5, it's hard to see how. To answer yes, you'd have to look in the bowels and corners of the team's Tempe facility, or cash a check signed by a Bidwill.
The running game is atrocious. The run defense isn't much better. There is no long-term answer at quarterback, the most important position in the game, because Josh McCown and Kurt Warner are both working under one-year deals.
The result is a third consecutive 2-5 start, and a chorus of - everyone now - same old Cardinals.
Nothing irritates Michael Bidwill, the team's vice president and general counsel, more than hearing that, according to several people who know him. That's why Bidwill was instrumental in hiring Dennis Green, a proven winner, as coach. That's why he worked tirelessly to obtain the funding for a new stadium that rises impressively out of cotton fields in the West Valley.
In his second season, however, Green has just an 8-15 overall record here, and you can't help but notice that other coaches in their second seasons are having considerably more success. The Giants are 5-2 under Tom Coughlin, the Bears are 4-3 under Lovie Smith and Joe Gibbs' Redskins are 4-3.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, are out of the playoff picture. They won't catch Seattle (5-2) for the NFC West title, and the two wild-card berths likely will come from other divisions.
Another poor start by the Cardinals would be easier to take if there were reasons to think the future was bright.
McCown's young and talented, but he will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. How much incentive is there for him to return, when he has no running game to back him up and a coach who benched him a year ago?
The offensive line is playing just as poorly as last season. Right tackle Oliver Ross' absence because of a broken hand hasn't helped, but Ross hadn't played well when healthy. Several people in the organization remain perplexed why left tackle Leonard Davis isn't playing better. And Green's off-season decisions to cut L.J. Shelton and Anthony Clement robbed the team of experienced depth.
Defensively, ends Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor have played well, as has linebacker Karlos Dansby in most games. The tackles, however, have not made plays, and the Cardinals still can't stop the run.
If this football team has improved in the past two years, it takes someone on the inside to see it.
"We've made a lot of progress," Bidwill said. "It didn't feel like it in Dallas, but this team has the potential to be better. We've got a talented group of coaches and players."
Bidwill blamed injuries as part of the reason for the poor record, pointing out that cornerback Antrel Rolle and Ross have missed significant time.
In the NFL, injuries are as common as luxury SUVs in the parking lot. Everybody deals with them, and no one feels sorry for anyone else.
"At the end of the day, the only statistic that matters in the NFL is your win-loss," Bidwill said. "But if you look at our offense, a lot has been said about the running game, but our passing game has really taken off. Our defense has shown a lot of great progress."
Bidwill's been around the NFL long enough, however, to know that progress is defined by victories. This isn't the AYSO.
In the coming months, the Cardinals will begin to sell tickets for the new stadium, which opens next season. Maybe the attraction of a new stadium will entice new fans to buy tickets, but their interest will fade quickly if the franchise continues to lose.
After all, who wants to pay big money for a great seat to watch a bad team?
Cardinals biggest fan: Gloria Trevino
To nominate a Cardinals Biggest Fan, go to cardinals.azcentral.com. Selected submissions run Wednesdays, with a winner to be named after the regular season.
A co-worker, Izzy Izdebski, nominated Trevino, who works seven days a week except during football season. She never misses a Cardinals home game and makes annual pilgrimages to training camp. She even attends draft day parties and every Cardinals-sponsored event she can.
A Cardinals flag marks the entrance to the Trevino home on Sundays in season. Inside, a special Cardinals room, the walls painted red and displaying a mural of the team logo, houses photos, autographs and other memorabilia.
Trevino, a season ticket holder for the past 10 years, paints her face on game days and dresses in full Cardinals attire.
"I knew absolutely nothing about the Cardinals, but after working with Gloria for the past two years, she has converted me to be a fan as well," Izdebski wrote. "I do not know of a single person who is more dedicated to any team, in any sport, more than Gloria is to her precious Cardinals."
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/1102cardsinsider1102.html
