Grantland Hates Us

[crisper57]

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8419209/the-niners-fall-rest-week-3-news

What I wanted to do, though, was put an end to the argument that's crept up over the past week or so. For some reason, before Sunday, Cardinals fans grew particularly enamored of an 11-game split in judging their past performance. Why would that be? Well, the Cardinals were 9-2 in those games! It's not surprising that, suddenly, looking at a team's past 11 games (and now 12 games) would have become the most meaningful measure of information about a team!

The issue here is that these well-meaning Cardinals fans have employed an arbitrary end point to try to mask a more meaningful sample of data. Every end point is arbitrary, technically, but some — like a 16-game stretch, or one full season — are in common usage. No one's ever found any meaning related to a 11-game or 12-game sample.

You can probably guess what happened in the games before that. The Cardinals, in fact, only started that 10-2 streak after a six-game losing streak. If you look at their 12 previous games before the 10-2 stretch, the Cardinals were 3-9. And if I really want to be a dick and employ arbitrary end points myself, I'll note that the Cardinals were 3-15 in the 18 games before that 12-game stretch.

 

[Russ Smith]

Grantland is 0-1 in articles I have read today.

 

[gmabel830]

I like Grantland, but that explanation called out by the OP is ridiculous. The reason we point to the 10-2 record and not the 1-6 record before it is because we were implementing a new defense and starting a QB brand new to the system and learning on the job. Oh, and before that we were starting Derek Anderson and Max Hall!

I guess they need something to point to in order to make themselves feel better about Simmons 1-15 pick for the Cardinals!

The rest of Barnwell's points are pretty fair though. He compared us to last year's Bills -- given the back-end of our schedule, I still don't think a Bills-esque season is the most improbable thing I've ever heard of. In fact, I dare say at this point it is more probable than the 14-2 record someone predicted us having yesterday.

 

[chickenhead]

Barnwell makes fair points, and I'm trying not to get ahead of myself in predicting how far this team will go--but I do think he's being a little but of a wet blanket here. The Cardinals defense is much better than the Bills defense of last year. I don't know that Fitzpatrick is much of an upgrade, and the Cardinals certainly have the advantage at receiver.

 

[Syracusecards]

How DARE we feel optimistic that our team is improving!!! That is such a ridiculous comment.

 

[D-Dogg]

Grantland and Bill Simmons are both stupid.

 

[Cheesebeef]

as someone who rarely thinks people in the media "hate" us... or even care about us, it's pretty obvious that guy hates that we're making him look stupid... and I hope we continue to!

 

[JeffGollin]

What's a Grantland, and why should I care?

 

[82CardsGrad]

We have a 7 game stretch starting in Week 7 that will most likely define this season. Of course, anything can happen over the next 3 games too I guess, but, starting in week 7 we go:

Week 7 @ Vikings: Will be a very tough game.
Week 8 Home vs 9ers on Monday Night! Shaping up to be yet another HUGE game against our bitter rivals!!
Week 9 @ Packers: Another very tough game.
Week 10 is our Bye... we'll need it!
Week 11 @ Atlanta: Yet another very tough road game!
Week 12 Home vs the Rams: Should be a chance to chalk up a W.
Week 13 @ The Jets...East Coast road game on December 2nd. It will be freezing and we just have never played well in that scenario.
Week 14 @ Seattle, always a very tough road W to grind out...

If we can go into Week 7 at 5 & 1 or 4 & 2 at the worst (which would mean we would have to lose 2 of the bext 3 to either the Dolphins, Rams and/or Bills), we could come out of Week 14 with a decent season still in play.
9 wins should get us into the post season... and 10 W's would be a lock. We'll see... one game at a time!!

 

[Pariah]

I'll say the same ting I say whenever negative media (or a dearth of media attention) is pointed out:

Whatever. Who cares?

 

[Cardiac]

Grantland is 0-1 in articles I have read today.

What's a Grantland, and why should I care?

There is thing called improving as a team. Every team that has had success had at some point a starting point for that success. Cardinals fans have identified that starting point. Many members of the media have identified that starting point. The Coaches and FO have .... Well we get the idea. Come on Simmons, follow the bouncing ball, look at the pretty pictures and we will wait for you to catch up.

 

[Catfish]

Too late Grantland-----you already ARE a real dick.

 

[JeffGollin]

There is thing called improving as a team. Every team that has had success had at some point a starting point for that success. Cardinals fans have identified that starting point. Many members of the media have identified that starting point. The Coaches and FO have .... Well we get the idea. Come on Simmons, follow the bouncing ball, look at the pretty pictures and we will wait for you to catch up.

Cardiac - I've heard members of the media make a big deal of the past 11 games W & L record, but seldom anything from Cardinal fans (on this board or elsewhere).

 

[kerouac9]

as someone who rarely thinks people in the media "hate" us... or even care about us, it's pretty obvious that guy hates that we're making him look stupid... and I hope we continue to!

This. I'm a defender and admirer of Barnwell's work, but he is a Patriots fan and a guy who predicted the Cards to go 1-15 at the beginning of the year. The bad thing about Twitter is that people can pile on you when you make extreme pronouncements and don't back them up.

Barnwell was really, really wrong about the Cards, and he didn't say anything to support that. He could/should be taking a different tack on it, because he doesn't back any of these new opinions up. Yes, the Cards are 10-2 in their last 12 games. AND they were 3-9 before that. But those facts by themselves don't say anything. He'd have been better off not saying anything.

 

[MrYeahBut]

I like Grantland, today's Barnwell comments not withstanding. Simmons is generally astute in his columns. I don't take any offense to stuff like this. What does it matter?

 

[Cardiac]

Cardiac - I've heard members of the media make a big deal of the past 11 games W & L record, but seldom anything from Cardinal fans (on this board or elsewhere).

I believe it was Sando who first released the stat that the Cards were 2nd to the Pats with the most regular season wins in the past 10 games. I posted this in a thread that had another fun Cards factoid. There were several posters who responded to this.

Whiz has been talking about our 7-2 finish the entire offseason and it's part of his battle cry to the team.

Duckjake has referenced last years finish countless times. I know several others have as well. The debate has been how much credit Skelton or the D gets for that strong finish.

Now a lot of fans predicted we would win 6 games or less this year because of the uncertainty of our QB and Oline. When we beat the Pats is when many fans have started to believe we could be playoff contenders and yes that connect that to the past 11 now 12 games.

 

[freebyrd]

What's a Grantland, and why should I care?

i have heard of grants pass, OR grantland doesn't ring a bell

 

[crisper57]

No reason to call out fans. This team makes him look foolish and he lashes out at its fans. What a dick.

 

[crisper57]

What's a Grantland, and why should I care?

It is Bill Simmons site on ESPN.com

 

[Doc Cardinal]

And if I really want to be a dick

Well that's a wish that has already been granted grantland.

 

[Superfuzz]

In other words, he picked us to win 2 games all year and we've already officially made him look stupid and now he's mad.

People cherry pick samples for "streaks" all the time. I suppose the Giants' 4-0 playoffs record last year means nothing to him because they were really just 13-7 on the season...

 

[AzStevenCal]

No reason to call out fans. This team makes him look foolish and he lashes out at its fans. What a dick.

I'm glad it wasn't Simmons as I still like that guy. Seriously, what's so hard about saying: "Listen all, I screwed up. I focused on the weak offensive line and the overall deficiencies of the offense and didn't pay enough attention to just how solid this defense is?"

Take a punch or two and then get up off the canvas. So what if there are a few trash talking Cards fans taking shots at you? Smile and move on instead of making yourself look like an even bigger idiot.

Steve

 

[Doc Cardinal]

Is he Japanese?

Me thinks he's ready for heri keri.....that's not Harry Carry.

 

[slanidrac16]

We have a 7 game stretch starting in Week 7 that will most likely define this season. Of course, anything can happen over the next 3 games too I guess, but, starting in week 7 we go:

Week 7 @ Vikings: Will be a very tough game.
Week 8 Home vs 9ers on Monday Night! Shaping up to be yet another HUGE game against our bitter rivals!!
Week 9 @ Packers: Another very tough game.
Week 10 is our Bye... we'll need it!
Week 11 @ Atlanta: Yet another very tough road game!
Week 12 Home vs the Rams: Should be a chance to chalk up a W.
Week 13 @ The Jets...East Coast road game on December 2nd. It will be freezing and we just have never played well in that scenario.
Week 14 @ Seattle, always a very tough road W to grind out...

If we can go into Week 7 at 5 & 1 or 4 & 2 at the worst (which would mean we would have to lose 2 of the bext 3 to either the Dolphins, Rams and/or Bills), we could come out of Week 14 with a decent season still in play.
9 wins should get us into the post season... and 10 W's would be a lock. We'll see... one game at a time!!

If we win Sunday and w-l-w-l-w-l-w-l-w-l-w-l the remaining games we will be 10-6 and playoff bound!
But the heck with talking about losing. We are 6 pt. favorites and should win this week against a visiting rookie QB. The trip to St Louis is going to be a bit tougher than in the past but can you imagine a 5-0 start?

WInning early in the year takes a lot of pressure off. But also keep in mind every team ( us especially ) win a few you shouldn't and lose a few that you shouldn't.

No matter what this is shaping up to be a fun season.

 

[Mainstreet]

When I think about the winning street going back to last season, I tend to think of the Cardinals as getting better, better and better. Their stability has clearly been the defense. Without the Cardinals defense the critics might be right... but it is for real. Just waiting for the offense to come around to be somewhat average.