JeffGollin
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For starters:
We've Been Handed a Gift. Make the Most of it.
A few game backs, I dared envision the following scenario: (1) we don't draw Dallas as our opening playoff opponent and maintain crowd advantage, (2) we don't draw Philly or the Giants early. (3) we minimize the possibility of playing in icy weather by drawing Carolina instead of the Giants or Philly. (4) instead of facing the Giants at the Meadowlands in mid-January, Philly wins and our racehorse offense gets to compete at our house in 72-degree weather.
All of this has happened. It is highly unlikely that the football gods will smile so kindly on this franchise again in our lifetime. We've been handed a gift. Let's not blow it.
Making New Fans Feel Welcome
With success will be a flood of casual, unsophisticated and fair weather fans who will now jump on the Cardinal bandwagon. They will frustrate us all (by saying dumb things, not acting "like they've been there" and at the first hint of adversity, calling for wholesale firings, becoming apathetic and/or in extreme cases, quitting the team altogether).
Be patient oh ye Cardinal regulars - the hope is that, with success and a little educating , some of these flighty newcomers will be tranformed into knowledgeable loyal permanent Cardinal fans. It's the way franchises are built.
Watching Coach Wiz take that lap around BOA Field shaking hands with the Cardinal faithful is a promising sign that something special is starting to happen.
We can help it happen by not looking down on newer Cardinal fans who didn't sweat through the bad times like we did. Instead we should make them feel welcome - like they're being let in on something special. When they say or do dumb things, avoid the temptation to belittle them or excercise a little patience and forbearance instead.
We should always be sold out in 6-minutes; And there should be a ring of loyal Cardinal rooters at every away stadium. How cool would that be?
We've Been Handed a Gift. Make the Most of it.
A few game backs, I dared envision the following scenario: (1) we don't draw Dallas as our opening playoff opponent and maintain crowd advantage, (2) we don't draw Philly or the Giants early. (3) we minimize the possibility of playing in icy weather by drawing Carolina instead of the Giants or Philly. (4) instead of facing the Giants at the Meadowlands in mid-January, Philly wins and our racehorse offense gets to compete at our house in 72-degree weather.
All of this has happened. It is highly unlikely that the football gods will smile so kindly on this franchise again in our lifetime. We've been handed a gift. Let's not blow it.
Making New Fans Feel Welcome
With success will be a flood of casual, unsophisticated and fair weather fans who will now jump on the Cardinal bandwagon. They will frustrate us all (by saying dumb things, not acting "like they've been there" and at the first hint of adversity, calling for wholesale firings, becoming apathetic and/or in extreme cases, quitting the team altogether).
Be patient oh ye Cardinal regulars - the hope is that, with success and a little educating , some of these flighty newcomers will be tranformed into knowledgeable loyal permanent Cardinal fans. It's the way franchises are built.
Watching Coach Wiz take that lap around BOA Field shaking hands with the Cardinal faithful is a promising sign that something special is starting to happen.
We can help it happen by not looking down on newer Cardinal fans who didn't sweat through the bad times like we did. Instead we should make them feel welcome - like they're being let in on something special. When they say or do dumb things, avoid the temptation to belittle them or excercise a little patience and forbearance instead.
We should always be sold out in 6-minutes; And there should be a ring of loyal Cardinal rooters at every away stadium. How cool would that be?
