Cards did it to me again...

[slanidrac16]

I already conceded to the fact this was going to be a down year. Too many holes to fill. Not enough cap space to be a major player. They couldn't possibly fill all the voids to compete in 2013.

They've sucked me back in. I'm not predicting division title. Hell, I'm not even predicting a playoff birth.

Think about what this team has done.

Completely revamped our QB situation. We argues on this site about Kolb or Skelton...Skelton or Kolb. No matter who you personally backed it was still a futile situation. Is Palmer going to lead us to the promise land? Who knows? But he sure gives us respectability at the position.

Completely revamped our RB situation. Any team that would be forced to start Hyphen says it all. MAny argues it makes no sense to cut Beanie Wells because he was so cheap. Gone. We prayed that Williams would finally stay healthy and flourish. Maybe he will but we are no longer in a position to rely on that. Mendenhall could be the answer. Maybe not. But he is so much better than relying on Wells. And now add Taylor and Ellington to the mix.

Addressed the o-line more than any Cardinal team has in 20 years. Hired numerous coaches to make sure this unit is improved.

Added to a WR corp even though it was on the bottom of the "need" chain. Woods could very well be the T.Y. Hilton of 2013. He adds depth, speed and should light a bit of a fire under Floyd.

Purged the secondary but did not ignore it. Had the balls to release fan favorites for the better of the team.

Adressed the LB corp throught F/A AND the draft.

Speaking of the draft. When has a Cardinal team ever been so savvy? In the past the Cardinals at times would pass over talent if their driving record was poor. They apparently have the balls to trust their grade and conviction on players the evaluated. Mathieu could be a bust or he could turn out as one of the biggest steals in the 2013 draft. The front office took players they believed will fit OUR system. Rankings be damned.

This teams seems to have it SO much more together. Their plan is crystal clear ( to them). We are going to see an entirely different offense then the garbage we've been forced to put up with over the last 3 years.

Yep. They did it again. They've sucked me in for this 2013 season without it being a kool-aid induced high. Like I said in the opening, we might not make the palyoffs but it's going to be a lot more fun than it has been for the last 3 years. The train seems to be back on the tracks.

 

[Jetstream Green]

This

 

[seesred]

WEll put but I sucked in every year no matter what! I do agree that it appears that they have really worked hard from the time they took the jobs up till now.

Now it's almost time to see on the field what we really have. Championship???

GBR
40

 

[moosehead]

Of course, the proof will be in the pudding. That being said - I am almost astounded at just "how different" this team feels, in nearly every aspect - than it has in all of the years I've been following the Cards.

 

[CHAPTER 7]

I say train seems to be back on tracks with clear light at the end of the tunnel!!!! Or we are riding on the new tracks that has clear destination!

 

[Dr. Jones]

I love this team.... And I love this forum. I have no intentions of changing my prediction of 5 or 6 wins but damn I love what we did in the draft.

My homer setting is at 10.

 

[Jetstream Green]

These pesky Cardinals are the sporting world professionals at making you hold on regardless of past results, only the Cards could pull this off after last season...damn those redbirds

 

[WildBB]

I already conceded to the fact this was going to be a down year. Too many holes to fill. Not enough cap space to be a major player. They couldn't possibly fill all the voids to compete in 2013.

They've sucked me back in. I'm not predicting division title. Hell, I'm not even predicting a playoff birth.

Think about what this team has done.

Completely revamped our QB situation. We argues on this site about Kolb or Skelton...Skelton or Kolb. No matter who you personally backed it was still a futile situation. Is Palmer going to lead us to the promise land? Who knows? But he sure gives us respectability at the position.

Completely revamped our RB situation. Any team that would be forced to start Hyphen says it all. MAny argues it makes no sense to cut Beanie Wells because he was so cheap. Gone. We prayed that Williams would finally stay healthy and flourish. Maybe he will but we are no longer in a position to rely on that. Mendenhall could be the answer. Maybe not. But he is so much better than relying on Wells. And now add Taylor and Ellington to the mix.

Addressed the o-line more than any Cardinal team has in 20 years. Hired numerous coaches to make sure this unit is improved.

Added to a WR corp even though it was on the bottom of the "need" chain. Woods could very well be the T.Y. Hilton of 2013. He adds depth, speed and should light a bit of a fire under Floyd.

Purged the secondary but did not ignore it. Had the balls to release fan favorites for the better of the team.

Adressed the LB corp throught F/A AND the draft.

Speaking of the draft. When has a Cardinal team ever been so savvy? In the past the Cardinals at times would pass over talent if their driving record was poor. They apparently have the balls to trust their grade and conviction on players the evaluated. Mathieu could be a bust or he could turn out as one of the biggest steals in the 2013 draft. The front office took players they believed will fit OUR system. Rankings be damned.

This teams seems to have it SO much more together. Their plan is crystal clear ( to them). We are going to see an entirely different offense then the garbage we've been forced to put up with over the last 3 years.

Yep. They did it again. They've sucked me in for this 2013 season without it being a kool-aid induced high. Like I said in the opening, we might not make the palyoffs but it's going to be a lot more fun than it has been for the last 3 years. The train seems to be back on the tracks.

I think we pretty much nailed it. I think the other teams in the division know it as well. Or will know it!

 

[Cheesebeef]

adding Palmer, Cooper, a healthy Levi (who I'm still not enamored with but can admit is LEAGUES better then anything else we had at LT last year) and another year of seasoning on Massie definitely gives me a little more hope the season. i still fear our D takes a major step at the open of the season being behind the 8 ball at S and with Washington out for the first 4 games, but I'm far from writing off the season.

should be interesting to say the least. lots of new parts. Keim and BA have definitely put their own stamp on their team. Only time will tell if it will work, but I'm willing to give them that at this point.

 

[Darkside]

We always talk about a players "range"--how much field he can cover in a given amount of time. What about a coach's range or foresight? Arians brought in all these coaches to coach 'em up before he'd even made a single personnel decision. Then he guts the secondary, guts the backfield, and brings in insurance players under 1-year deals. Then drafts the hell out of BPA and positions of need along the O-line, RB, and (partially) secondary. He set the foundation (coaches who actually teach) and then brought in the players for them to mold. He never flinched, never apologized.

(As a side-note, his drafting of two RB's is important for every reason already mentioned and one nobody has mentioned: BA has said numerous times that he loves him some Ryan Williams. Didn't stop him from trying to improve our team at that position. Hoyer, same situation. He's no-nonsense. He wants to win. Whisenhunt held on to Porter way too long, Faneca way too long, Todd Heap way too long. Just to name a few. That won't happen with BA)

((Anyone here think BA would ever let Max Hall see the field?))

 

[Catfish]

We are certainly no longer a sure bet to finish in the cellar of the NFC West, like last year. I too feel reborn as a fan. This is a whole new breath of fresh air. I feel that as a fan, I can now look forward to competitive football EACH week, and that when we do lose, it won't be because we did not get effort or that we were not properly prepared. It will be simply because our talent level fell a little short of the opponent's. Even that is not likely to last over time however, because this REAL GM and FO, and REAL Coaching Staff have already delivered on their promise to improve things here, and almost certainly will continue to do so. Best of all, they have shown that they not only have a collective 'head', but they have a 'heart' as well. I TRULY believe that this is going to be fun for a long time.

 

[Duckjake]

We always talk about a players "range"--how much field he can cover in a given amount of time. What about a coach's range or foresight? Arians brought in all these coaches to coach 'em up before he'd even made a single personnel decision. Then he guts the secondary, guts the backfield, and brings in insurance players under 1-year deals. Then drafts the hell out of BPA and positions of need along the O-line, RB, and (partially) secondary. He set the foundation (coaches who actually teach) and then brought in the players for them to mold. He never flinched, never apologized.

(As a side-note, his drafting of two RB's is important for every reason already mentioned and one nobody has mentioned: BA has said numerous times that he loves him some Ryan Williams. Didn't stop him from trying to improve our team at that position. Hoyer, same situation. He's no-nonsense. He wants to win. Whisenhunt held on to Porter way too long, Faneca way too long, Todd Heap way too long. Just to name a few. That won't happen with BA)

((Anyone here think BA would ever let Max Hall see the field?))

That did happen but that's not what sunk CKW. Completely dismantling the playoff team in the spring of 2010 and the retirement of Warner without a clue how to replace and hanging on to Russ Grimm too long.

Its great to get excited about all these new guys but I've seen this before and it didn't work out at all. The new guys haven't proven anything on the field and our only real success the last 15 years came when a new coach came in and didn't turn everything upside down. Maybe the Cards have caught lightning in a bottle and have found a group with Denny Green's eye for talent and CKW's ability to coach them to win on Sundays. That would be awesome.

Up: Getting Carson Palmer
Down: A real weakness at Safety that still hasn't been addressed.

So we'll see.

 

[moosehead]

I feel that as a fan, I can now look forward to competitive football EACH week, and that when we do lose, it won't be because we did not get effort or that we were not properly prepared.

This. The last few years, especially last year - we were almost unwatchable. My teenage daughter would leave the room, literally crying tears of frustration. An 0-16 year of competitive, professional football - every game, every minute - would be preferable to some of the stuff we have watched in the past.

 

[Duckjake]

There sure seems to be a lot of short term memory loss around here. But that's understandable for Cardinal fans.

Arizona was 11-2 from Nov 6 2011 through Sept 30th 2012. That's being pretty competitive to me especially when you consider that streak included wins over 13-3 SF and NE in Foxboro. And who didn't enjoy the win against Dallas and over Seattle to close out the 2011 season? It's always great to beat Dallas.

Sure the last half of 2012 was bad but it hasn't been all horrible the last 3 seasons.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

The Cards always make me think of every woman I have met in a bar and taken home. They look so promising until I wake up in the morning and see what they really look like when I am not excited with booze and emotion.

 

[Cardiac]

Great post Slanidrac.

I loved me some Whiz but it was time for a change. BA will bring a different message and energy than the prior staff and after the huge losing streak last season it is needed.

Listened to a Docket interview on 910 from a couple of days ago. DD is so pumped about the change in D philosophy and with BA as the new HC. He used the analogy of a caged animal who couldn't do what they do best and now being set free. Thinks he and CC will explode this year. It's about 20 minutes and definitely worth the listen.

Yes DD is a bit left of center but I love his passion and he does bleed cardinal red. It will be fun to see how Bowles does with this D.

I'm thrilled with Keim and believe he will create a top tier FO.

I'm looking for at least 7 wins this year and no blow out losses.

 

[perivolaki]

We always talk about a players "range"--how much field he can cover in a given amount of time. What about a coach's range or foresight? Arians brought in all these coaches to coach 'em up before he'd even made a single personnel decision. Then he guts the secondary, guts the backfield, and brings in insurance players under 1-year deals. Then drafts the hell out of BPA and positions of need along the O-line, RB, and (partially) secondary. He set the foundation (coaches who actually teach) and then brought in the players for them to mold. He never flinched, never apologized.

They did do all that, and maybe more important, they didn't break the bank to do it.

Think about the foresight to sign most of these guys to 1 year make good contracts, and then draft their replacements.

That does two things. It ensures the free agent they signed will have to play their a$$es off to ensure a job next year. And second if they don't perform and the kids do we already have a replacement.

Genius.

 

[WildBB]

We always talk about a players "range"--how much field he can cover in a given amount of time. What about a coach's range or foresight? Arians brought in all these coaches to coach 'em up before he'd even made a single personnel decision. Then he guts the secondary, guts the backfield, and brings in insurance players under 1-year deals. Then drafts the hell out of BPA and positions of need along the O-line, RB, and (partially) secondary. He set the foundation (coaches who actually teach) and then brought in the players for them to mold. He never flinched, never apologized.

(As a side-note, his drafting of two RB's is important for every reason already mentioned and one nobody has mentioned: BA has said numerous times that he loves him some Ryan Williams. Didn't stop him from trying to improve our team at that position. Hoyer, same situation. He's no-nonsense. He wants to win. Whisenhunt held on to Porter way too long, Faneca way too long, Todd Heap way too long. Just to name a few. That won't happen with BA)

((Anyone here think BA would ever let Max Hall see the field?))

Grimm toooooooooo looooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggg!

 

[JCSunsfan]

This is a team that is sure going to be interesting to watch.

 

[cardpa]

The one thing I am so happy about is we have not heard these words coming out of BA's mouth. "The System Works".

Every time I heard those words out of Whiz's mouth all I could ever think of was
"The fiery chasm of Mount Doom!"

 

[slinslin]

If they go 8-8 I will be shocked.

Division is too strong.

 

[Duckjake]

That does two things. It ensures the free agent they signed will have to play their a$$es off to ensure a job next year. And second if they don't perform and the kids do we already have a replacement.

On the other hand it could ensure that those 1 year wonders leave for more money elsewhere and we're looking at yet another major roster turnover.

But they did get 3 kids backing up free agents.

Mendenhall-Ellington
Brinkley-Minter
Alexander-Okafor

Plus 2 more backing up veterans.
Cooper and Wartford