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I didnt see this posted -- and found it interesting. I bolded Tim Hasselbeck's comments -- interesting perspective from an outsider.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/0205cards.html
Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 5, 2008 10:01 PM
They still were cleaning up in and around University of Phoenix Stadium on Tuesday and football fans still were scurrying to buy Super Bowl XLII novelties and clothing at a tent just west of the stadium.
There wasn't much left at the half-price discounts.
"It was such a cool thing to have the Super Bowl right here," a woman said as she stood in line with a bag full of T-shirts and caps.
"Yeah, but imagine what it would be like if the Cardinals got to play in it," a man next to her said. "Now that would be something."
No NFL team has appeared in a Super Bowl in its own stadium, and although the Super Bowl surely will be headed back to Glendale, the odds of the Cardinals being the NFC representative in their own stadium are unfathomable.
But why wait for unlikely fate?
The Cardinals finished 8-8 this past season under an aggressive coaching staff led by Ken Whisenhunt, and when it was over, every player in the locker room felt the team was headed in the right direction.
So why not shoot for the moon?
If the Cardinals can re-sign all their players, add a couple of solid veterans through free agency and make smart decisions on draft day, is it unreasonable to think they could have a season like that of the New York Giants, who defied the odds and beat heavily favored New England 17-14 on Sunday?
Recent history shows that anyone can emerge from the NFC. There have been seven different NFC champions in the past seven seasons, and the Giants reached the Big Game this year for the first time since 2001, when they lost to Baltimore.
"It takes so many things to go right for you to play in this game," Patriots linebacker Junior Seau said last week. "One play here, one play there can make all the difference. That's why when you get here, you better try to enjoy it, but you better make sure you bring your best game with you."
The Cardinals have never made it to a Super Bowl and since relocating to Arizona from St. Louis in 1988, they have made the playoffs only once.
But enough is enough.
It's time to start demanding more from our NFL team, and if the Cardinals truly are on the rise, as it would seem, then they have to expect a potential Super Bowl run, not just hope and dream for one.
Attention, Cardinals: Super Bowl XLIII is slated for Tampa on Feb. 1, 2009, if you're interested.
"You only have a shot if you have good guys - and they've got that here," said journeyman NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck, who made the Cardinals his seventh NFL team when he joined them late last season.
"You can see the right things are being done, especially between Whiz and Todd (offensive coordinator Todd Haley). There are some bad coaches out there, but you don't have that here, which is great.
"They don't have bad players here, either. I was on a team once where after practice, they announced the Pro Bowl rosters and there were five or six guys who you couldn't even get to practice 'cause they were all pouting about not make the Pro Bowl. Those are bad guys, and like I said, they don't have that here, either."
So is there really a legitimate Super Bowl sniff for the Cardinals? Or is such a notion just for the birds?
Well, next season's schedule is tougher than last year's. It's a lot tougher, actually. There are dates against five teams that made the playoffs, including both of this year's Super Bowl participants - the Giants at home and the Patriots on the road.
But the Cardinals play in the NFC West, which would appear to be pretty wide open again in 2008. Seattle, the division champion, might be showing signs of slowing down, particularly because of an aging running back in Shaun Alexander.
The Rams and 49ers are coming off down years and shouldn't be considered major threats. But the Cardinals know they have to improve and buckle down in close games, avoiding something that has plagued them.
"Obviously, one of the things we have to improve on also is our road record," Whisenhunt said, alluding to the Cardinals' 2-6 mark away from Glendale. "But we'll be a better team next year, because we'll have a year under our belt."
There are encouraging signs, to be sure. But it's time for the Cardinals to make that next giant step and, if you will, become a team like the Giants, who were coming off an 8-8 season, who persevered and wound up winning 11 games on the road, including the Super Bowl.
"I think the front office will do a good job keeping our core guys intact," Cardinals offensive lineman Elton Brown said at the end of the season. "We're building on something here; there's a good feeling around this organization, and it isn't just us.
"Everyone sees it. People know we're headed in the right direction."
Yeah, but will that direction lead them to Tampa for Super Bowl XLIII?
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/0205cards.html
Bob McManaman
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 5, 2008 10:01 PM
They still were cleaning up in and around University of Phoenix Stadium on Tuesday and football fans still were scurrying to buy Super Bowl XLII novelties and clothing at a tent just west of the stadium.
There wasn't much left at the half-price discounts.
"It was such a cool thing to have the Super Bowl right here," a woman said as she stood in line with a bag full of T-shirts and caps.
"Yeah, but imagine what it would be like if the Cardinals got to play in it," a man next to her said. "Now that would be something."
No NFL team has appeared in a Super Bowl in its own stadium, and although the Super Bowl surely will be headed back to Glendale, the odds of the Cardinals being the NFC representative in their own stadium are unfathomable.
But why wait for unlikely fate?
The Cardinals finished 8-8 this past season under an aggressive coaching staff led by Ken Whisenhunt, and when it was over, every player in the locker room felt the team was headed in the right direction.
So why not shoot for the moon?
If the Cardinals can re-sign all their players, add a couple of solid veterans through free agency and make smart decisions on draft day, is it unreasonable to think they could have a season like that of the New York Giants, who defied the odds and beat heavily favored New England 17-14 on Sunday?
Recent history shows that anyone can emerge from the NFC. There have been seven different NFC champions in the past seven seasons, and the Giants reached the Big Game this year for the first time since 2001, when they lost to Baltimore.
"It takes so many things to go right for you to play in this game," Patriots linebacker Junior Seau said last week. "One play here, one play there can make all the difference. That's why when you get here, you better try to enjoy it, but you better make sure you bring your best game with you."
The Cardinals have never made it to a Super Bowl and since relocating to Arizona from St. Louis in 1988, they have made the playoffs only once.
But enough is enough.
It's time to start demanding more from our NFL team, and if the Cardinals truly are on the rise, as it would seem, then they have to expect a potential Super Bowl run, not just hope and dream for one.
Attention, Cardinals: Super Bowl XLIII is slated for Tampa on Feb. 1, 2009, if you're interested.
"You only have a shot if you have good guys - and they've got that here," said journeyman NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck, who made the Cardinals his seventh NFL team when he joined them late last season.
"You can see the right things are being done, especially between Whiz and Todd (offensive coordinator Todd Haley). There are some bad coaches out there, but you don't have that here, which is great.
"They don't have bad players here, either. I was on a team once where after practice, they announced the Pro Bowl rosters and there were five or six guys who you couldn't even get to practice 'cause they were all pouting about not make the Pro Bowl. Those are bad guys, and like I said, they don't have that here, either."
So is there really a legitimate Super Bowl sniff for the Cardinals? Or is such a notion just for the birds?
Well, next season's schedule is tougher than last year's. It's a lot tougher, actually. There are dates against five teams that made the playoffs, including both of this year's Super Bowl participants - the Giants at home and the Patriots on the road.
But the Cardinals play in the NFC West, which would appear to be pretty wide open again in 2008. Seattle, the division champion, might be showing signs of slowing down, particularly because of an aging running back in Shaun Alexander.
The Rams and 49ers are coming off down years and shouldn't be considered major threats. But the Cardinals know they have to improve and buckle down in close games, avoiding something that has plagued them.
"Obviously, one of the things we have to improve on also is our road record," Whisenhunt said, alluding to the Cardinals' 2-6 mark away from Glendale. "But we'll be a better team next year, because we'll have a year under our belt."
There are encouraging signs, to be sure. But it's time for the Cardinals to make that next giant step and, if you will, become a team like the Giants, who were coming off an 8-8 season, who persevered and wound up winning 11 games on the road, including the Super Bowl.
"I think the front office will do a good job keeping our core guys intact," Cardinals offensive lineman Elton Brown said at the end of the season. "We're building on something here; there's a good feeling around this organization, and it isn't just us.
"Everyone sees it. People know we're headed in the right direction."
Yeah, but will that direction lead them to Tampa for Super Bowl XLIII?
GO BIG RED!!!
