Bickley: In a Once-Lost Season, Cardinals Find Dignity

[Evil Ash]

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/columns/articles/1210bickley1211.html

In a once-lost season, Cardinals find dignity

Dan Bickley
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 10, 2006 09:01 PM

The winners of the Pride Bowl received no trophy. But at long last, the Cardinals have regained their dignity.

They are no longer a punch line, no longer the biggest joke of the 2006 season. They are no longer easy prey for well-coached opponents.

And after notching their first quality win of the new era - a 27-21 slugfest against the powerful Seahawks - the Big Red have rallied from the brink of implosion to become one of the more dangerous teams in the NFL.

"It took us longer than other teams to put it together," safety Adrian Wilson said. "But we really do have great veteran leadership."

While this late-season surge is infuriating for what could have been, valuable truths are starting to shine inside the locker room. Like Matt Leinart's presence and Gabe Watson's girth, some are impossible to miss.

For instance, the Cardinals may have spent far too much money on a retractable roof. I mean, if they're not going to open it up on a 64-degree day in December, when will they?

But just like the Diamondbacks, they are kowtowing to a small portion of fans that don't want sun in their eyes, the fans who never have heard of baseball caps and sunglasses and dealing with the elements.

And given the awful state of their home turf, the Cardinals spent too much on this rollout field. Field turf would've been less expensive and, maybe then, the Cardinals would've spent more on a sound system that actually sounds good.

But even at $30 million for four years, they did not overspend on Edgerrin James.

For the second consecutive game, James surpassed 100 yards in rushing. Not coincidentally, the Cardinals have a two-game winning streak for the first time since the middle of the 2004 season. More importantly, James is beginning to be the fourth-quarter force that his team has been missing all these years, helping the Cardinals hang on to leads and secure victories that once leaked like sand through their fingers.

Statistically, James rushed for 42 of his 115 yards in the fourth quarter, averaging more than 5 yards per carry. This helped keep the defense fresh, a defense that would not allow the Seahawks to steal the game in the waning moments.

It also helped the defense exact a measure of revenge on Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander, a player who was held to 76 yards rushing - a player who normally treats the Cardinals the way an 18-wheeler treats an armadillo.

"We finally found something and stuck with it," James said. "It was just a matter of being patient, for (the team) to realize what I've come here for, what I've done for so many years. And we've finally gotten to that point."

While coach Dennis Green deserves a nod for not losing the team completely, this is truly a testament to the players. After all, it seemed like only yesterday we were hearing about feuding factions in the locker room, players walking out of defensive meetings and teammates who didn't like each other one bit. At times, mutiny seemed inevitable.

But instead of total collapse, the emergence of Leinart has spread the seeds of hope. The defense is playing with renewed passion. No longer must James plead for carries. And offensive lineman Reggie Wells received the game ball for his devotion to the new cause, for playing on despite feeling terribly ill when he awoke Sunday morning.

The Cardinals simply would not let the Seahawks clinch the NFC West in their building. And now, with a win next week against the Broncos, they can finish .500 at home in their first season in Glendale.

It's not much, but surely the Bidwill family must be tickled. For this late-season surge surely will keep a lot of season-ticket holders on the hook come next season.

"I'm not sure we're that different," said Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, whose team throttled the Cardinals in Week 2. "I think they're different."

Indeed, a team with a flawed foundation would've buckled by now. But this team hasn't pulled up the stakes or drifted apart, even though their coach is surely a goner come January. As Wilson noted, that says something about their inner core, about their character, about the leadership that will carry this team forward.

And, for once, the news is all good.



Reach Bickley at [email protected] or (602) 444-8253. Check out his blog at azcentral.com.

Another nice Bickley article

 

[green machine]

He's totally wrong on the field. It only looked like crap because there were two high school games played there last night. Otherwise I think it has been the highest rated field in the NFL.

 

[Codeofhammurabi]

I like the quote by Holmgren at the end.

 

[BigRedArk]

Strongly disagree on the part about how they shoulda put in field turf instead of natural grass. Why did they start playing HS state finals on the Cards field? Where did they play them in years before?

 

[BigRedArk]

I like the quote by Holmgren at the end.

Me too.

 

[Evil Ash]

Strongly disagree on the part about how they shoulda put in field turf instead of natural grass. Why did they start playing HS state finals on the Cards field? Where did they play them in years before?

SDS. The finals just typically happened while the Cards were on the road

 

[BigRedArk]

SDS. The finals just typically happened while the Cards were on the road

Whose idea was it to play at the Nest?

 

[CardShark]

Strongly disagree on the part about how they shoulda put in field turf instead of natural grass. Why did they start playing HS state finals on the Cards field? Where did they play them in years before?

Sun Devil Stadium. It would have made more sense to keep them there as the it's not being used now.

 

[CardShark]

It also helped the defense exact a measure of revenge on Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander, a player who was held to 76 yards rushing - a player who normally treats the Cardinals the way an 18-wheeler treats an armadillo.

I had to laugh.

 

[BigRedArk]

Sun Devil Stadium. It would have made more sense to keep them there as the it's not being used now.

I agree. Did the TSA or whatever that state agency that oversaw most things on this stadium decide to play the finals in the Nest? Or did the Bidwill's?

 

[Espo]

I'm sorry but the field should be able to hold up to having three games in a weekend played on it.

 

[green machine]

I'm sorry but the field should be able to hold up to having three games in a weekend played on it.

I don't know, all that running on grass. I would like to see how other teams' grass fields look after having one NFL game played on it.

 

[CardShark]

I'm sorry but the field should be able to hold up to having three games in a weekend played on it.

No field other than artificial turf would hold up to that wear. Football shoes are equipped with cleats.

 

[MadCardDisease]

The new stadium is a multipurpose stadium. In fact the whole mulitpurpose thing is why the stadium made it past a vote in the first place. I have no problems if our star HS teams get to play on the field. It is part theirs no matter how many Cardinals logos are hanging all over the stadium.

 

[Shane]

The new stadium is a multipurpose stadium. In fact the whole mulitpurpose thing is why the thing made it past a vote in the first place. I have no problems if our star HS teams get to play on the field. It is part theirs no matter how many Cardinals logos are hanging all over the stadium.

 

[Espo]

No field other than artificial turf would hold up to that wear. Football shoes are equipped with cleats.

If it can't hold up then don't schedule the games. I think whoever scheduled it had to expect the field was capable of holding up to it otherwise they wouldn't have done it. Then again this is the Bidwills team so maybe it just wasn't ever thought about.

 

[BigRedArk]

The new stadium is a multipurpose stadium. In fact the whole mulitpurpose thing is why the stadium made it past a vote in the first place. I have no problems if our star HS teams get to play on the field. It is part theirs no matter how many Cardinals logos are hanging all over the stadium.

SDS is the people's stadium too isn't it?

 

[green machine]

If it can't hold up then don't schedule the games. I think whoever scheduled it had to expect the field was capable of holding up to it otherwise they wouldn't have done it. Then again this is the Bidwills team so maybe it just wasn't ever thought about.

I doubt the Bidwills had much of a choice in the matter, since the city probably made them have the games there. It was just bad luck with the scheduling, that's all. No grass field can stand up to it, so for one game out of 10 the field looked like crap. It will be fine for next week, just as it has been for the previous 8 games.

 

[CardShark]

The new stadium is a multipurpose stadium. In fact the whole mulitpurpose thing is why the stadium made it past a vote in the first place. I have no problems if our star HS teams get to play on the field. It is part theirs no matter how many Cardinals logos are hanging all over the stadium.

Let's just not schedule heavy use all at the same time. That was the biggest complaint about the turf at SDS. I think Fitz was pissed when he caught the ball behind him and lost his footing as he was reacting to it.

 

[KingofCards]

Bickley sucks.

He sent me an taunting email when we lost to the Bears.


Hmmm..... Why would he do that?

 

[MadCardDisease]

SDS is the people's stadium too isn't it?

And as one of the people forced to watch a game there way to many times, I think it should be imploded.

 

[Shane]

Bickley sucks.

He sent me an taunting email when we lost to the Bears.


Hmmm..... Why would he do that?

Maybe because you probbaly did it to him first knowing you? Could it be?

 

[40yearfan]

The new stadium is a multipurpose stadium. In fact the whole mulitpurpose thing is why the stadium made it past a vote in the first place. I have no problems if our star HS teams get to play on the field. It is part theirs no matter how many Cardinals logos are hanging all over the stadium.

If you were a high school football player, wouldn't you rather play in a NFL stadium than a college stadium? And if you were a parent of that football player, wouldn't it thrill you to see your son playing in an NFL venue? I think kudos needs to go to the TSA for having the foresight to allow this.

 

[KingofCards]

Maybe because you probbaly did it to him first knowing you? Could it be?

Me?

Never.

 

[BigRedArk]

And as one of the people forced to watch a game there way to many times, I think it should be imploded.

It oughta be good enough for HS football fans. They are used to sitting on bleachers. I presume it worked fine all those years the state finals were held there???