Thank You Mr. Bidwill, Rod Graves & Coach Whisenhunt! (A MUST READ)

[AZCardsWin]

Before last season this teams only identity was the Air Coryell years some 35 years ago and "1" wildcard playoff win over Dallas in the 1998 which was 12 years ago. Basically there wasn't much history at all for the present day football fans to recall on.

Now just 2 seasons later the Cardinals are defending NFC Champions, back-to-back NFC West Champions, played in one of the greatest Superbowls ever (vs. Steelers), and won what many are saying was the greatest playoff game ever (vs. Packers).

Suddenly the fan base is not just limited to Arizona and St. Louis. I see Cardinal jerseys at shopping malls, baseball games, etc. here in NJ. We now have a great fan club (AZ Red Army) and when the 2010 schedule comes out in March we expectt primetime games- which is something we never saw just three seasons ago. Live as a Cardinals fan is awesome!

Yes the Cardinals season ended disapponiting yesterday. 31 other teams will end the season also being dissapointed as well. Our Arizona Cardinals are now an NFL force and we have Michael Bidwill, Rod Graves & Coach Whisenhunt to thanks for that!

Go Cardinals!
~Tim in NJ

 

[Beaver]

Couple weeks ago I passed a chick with a Cardinal shirt on in downtown Seattle. Had to give her a loud WOHOO!!.

 

[SuperSpck]

It's been good.
Now it's a consistent expectation.
Thank you. Keep it going.

 

[40yearfan]

Before last season this teams only identity was the Air Coryell years some 35 years ago and "1" wildcard playoff win over Dallas in the 1998 which was 12 years ago. Basically there wasn't much history at all for the present day football fans to recall on.

Now just 2 seasons later the Cardinals are defending NFC Champions, back-to-back NFC West Champions, played in one of the greatest Superbowls ever (vs. Steelers), and won what many are saying was the greatest playoff game ever (vs. Packers).

Suddenly the fan base is not just limited to Arizona and St. Louis. I see Cardinal jerseys at shopping malls, baseball games, etc. here in NJ. We now have a great fan club (AZ Red Army) and when the 2010 schedule comes out in March we expectt primetime games- which is something we never saw just three seasons ago. Live as a Cardinals fan is awesome!

Yes the Cardinals season ended disapponiting yesterday. 31 other teams will end the season also being dissapointed as well. Our Arizona Cardinals are now an NFL force and we have Michael Bidwill, Rod Graves & Coach Whisenhunt to thanks for that!

Go Cardinals!
~Tim in NJ

Great post.

 

[artp]

Before last season this teams only identity was the Air Coryell years some 35 years ago and "1" wildcard playoff win over Dallas in the 1998 which was 12 years ago. Basically there wasn't much history at all for the present day football fans to recall on.

Now just 2 seasons later the Cardinals are defending NFC Champions, back-to-back NFC West Champions, played in one of the greatest Superbowls ever (vs. Steelers), and won what many are saying was the greatest playoff game ever (vs. Packers).

Suddenly the fan base is not just limited to Arizona and St. Louis. I see Cardinal jerseys at shopping malls, baseball games, etc. here in NJ. We now have a great fan club (AZ Red Army) and when the 2010 schedule comes out in March we expectt primetime games- which is something we never saw just three seasons ago. Live as a Cardinals fan is awesome!

Yes the Cardinals season ended disapponiting yesterday. 31 other teams will end the season also being dissapointed as well. Our Arizona Cardinals are now an NFL force and we have Michael Bidwill, Rod Graves & Coach Whisenhunt to thanks for that!

Go Cardinals!
~Tim in NJ

I

I agree wholeheartedly

 

[Catfish]

Thank you AZCardsWin for a really good post-----Right now hurts a lot, but look back and remember from where we came just 3 short years ago. 3-13, 4-12, 5-11 were not uncommon. Compare that to 8-8, 9-7, and 10-6 with two division titles, a Conferance title, and a SB game, and it is easy to see how the disappointment comes into being. We now have expectations that were untinkable before the Whizenhunt era, (the Stadium, and Michael's taking over football operations). We have SO VERY MUCH MORE TO BE HAPPY ABOUT THAN TO BE SAD FOR. I'll take this any day over the jaded past of this franchise, and believe me I have been there for a lot of years.

 

[CardLogic]

AZCardsWin, a decent post. However labeling a self-authored post as "A MUST READ" is really tacky...

 

[NeverSayDieFan]

AZCARDINALS represented at Jets/Chargers game...

Any of you guys see the 2 guys in red Cardinal T-shirts near the end of the game when they were doing crowd-shots? I thought..KOOL! CARDS fans' popping up all over the place! GO CARDS!

 

[Rottweiler]

Any of you guys see the 2 guys in red Cardinal T-shirts near the end of the game when they were doing crowd-shots? I thought..KOOL! CARDS fans' popping up all over the place! GO CARDS!

It looked like they had Mardi Gras Beads on too.. Maybe they got drunk and lost, and ended up at the wrong game

 

[CardLogic]

It looked like they had Mardi Gras Beads on too.. Maybe they got drunk and lost, and ended up at the wrong game

That would be really funny if it was the true story!

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Before last season this teams only identity was the Air Coryell years some 35 years ago and "1" wildcard playoff win over Dallas in the 1998 which was 12 years ago. Basically there wasn't much history at all for the present day football fans to recall on.

Now just 2 seasons later the Cardinals are defending NFC Champions, back-to-back NFC West Champions, played in one of the greatest Superbowls ever (vs. Steelers), and won what many are saying was the greatest playoff game ever (vs. Packers).

Suddenly the fan base is not just limited to Arizona and St. Louis. I see Cardinal jerseys at shopping malls, baseball games, etc. here in NJ. We now have a great fan club (AZ Red Army) and when the 2010 schedule comes out in March we expectt primetime games- which is something we never saw just three seasons ago. Live as a Cardinals fan is awesome!

Yes the Cardinals season ended disapponiting yesterday. 31 other teams will end the season also being dissapointed as well. Our Arizona Cardinals are now an NFL force and we have Michael Bidwill, Rod Graves & Coach Whisenhunt to thanks for that!

Go Cardinals!
~Tim in NJ

Many, including myself, agree.

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/f4/thank-you-all-for-another-great-season-146921.html

 

[Perfectionist]

Yes, it is a lot easier and a lot more fun being a Cardinal fan after the last few seasons. Now Cards, keep it going!!!

 

[seesred]

Just remember what you said this year. The FO and Coach have put this team in the top ten teams in the league. I stand optimistic, but I know that things happen to change real quickly see Steelers, NE,Etc. I think we have got to remember that the FO and the team might not change much, but in the NFL, change is indeed coming!

GBR
40

 

[DeAnna]

During the Chargers-Jets game last night, they showed 2 guys with their Cardinals t-shirts on. They were still wearing their Mardi-gras beads.

 

[AZCardsWin]

Thank you AZCardsWin for a really good post.

Thanks for all the kind words. Ive been getting a lot of PMs. Very cool!!

Go Cardinals!
~Tim in NJ

 

[football karma]

I agree, but would only add the following to the front office:

lets not get cocky.

 

[artp]

I think the win vrs GB erased a lot of years. Last yrs SB wa still kind of seen as a 1 hit wonder. That we won the NFC West again and won a Playoff game established the Cardinals as a team no longer considered a perennial bottom feeder

 

[Capital Card]

During the Chargers-Jets game last night, they showed 2 guys with their Cardinals t-shirts on. They were still wearing their Mardi-gras beads.

I saw that also, and was going to post the same thing.

I'll add that while at the mall yesterday, I noticed the sports kiosk had some Cardinal stuff for sale.

Other than an autographed Elton Brown helmit, (I told the store owner that I should get a discount for the helmit because I'd have to have his name removed from it) and some old logo stuff, it's been pretty rare to find any Card gear near me.

 

[AZCardsWin]

I think the win vrs GB erased a lot of years. Last yrs SB wa still kind of seen as a 1 hit wonder. That we won the NFC West again and won a Playoff game established the Cardinals as a team no longer considered a perennial bottom feeder

If you look back on the past two years it honestly as put the Cardinals on the NFL map. Playoff and primetime games will do that. Lets hope for more of the same in 2010!

~Tim in NJ

 

[john h]

Before last season this teams only identity was the Air Coryell years some 35 years ago and "1" wildcard playoff win over Dallas in the 1998 which was 12 years ago. Basically there wasn't much history at all for the present day football fans to recall on.

Now just 2 seasons later the Cardinals are defending NFC Champions, back-to-back NFC West Champions, played in one of the greatest Superbowls ever (vs. Steelers), and won what many are saying was the greatest playoff game ever (vs. Packers).

Suddenly the fan base is not just limited to Arizona and St. Louis. I see Cardinal jerseys at shopping malls, baseball games, etc. here in NJ. We now have a great fan club (AZ Red Army) and when the 2010 schedule comes out in March we expectt primetime games- which is something we never saw just three seasons ago. Live as a Cardinals fan is awesome!

Yes the Cardinals season ended disapponiting yesterday. 31 other teams will end the season also being dissapointed as well. Our Arizona Cardinals are now an NFL force and we have Michael Bidwill, Rod Graves & Coach Whisenhunt to thanks for that!

Go Cardinals!
~Tim in NJ

I agree with all that you say but fans tend to think in terms of "what have you done for me now". As a Cubs fan I clearly recall 1945 when we last won anything of significance. That gets old real fast much less 64 years ago. If the team you mention above makes some good offseason decisions that is all I can ask for. If they hold back a lot of money for the owners then I will not be happy. We have had a good run. Let us keep it up and not fall back into oblivion from which we came. Losing Warner is going to hurt there is no getting around that but that will happen if not this year then next.

 

[AZCardsWin]

I think the win vrs GB erased a lot of years. Last yrs SB wa still kind of seen as a 1 hit wonder. That we won the NFC West again and won a Playoff game established the Cardinals as a team no longer considered a perennial bottom feeder

Cards are 4-2 in playoff games over the past 2 years. Not too shabby! In comparison I think the Chargers are 3-5 in playoffs past 6 years.

 

[AZCardsWin]

Thank you AZCardsWin for a really good post-----Right now hurts a lot, but look back and remember from where we came just 3 short years ago. 3-13, 4-12, 5-11 were not uncommon. Compare that to 8-8, 9-7, and 10-6 with two division titles, a Conferance title, and a SB game, and it is easy to see how the disappointment comes into being.

Thanks for the kind words. I agree 100%, if you are a Cardinals fan who is happy about the past two seasons and the direction this organization is going, then make yourself heard and leave a post under this subject thread!

~Tim in NJ

 

[AZCardsWin]

I agree, but would only add the following to the front office:lets not get cocky.

and by giving Coach Whisenhunt a contract extension would be a great start for the front office geading into the 2010 season!

 

[CardNots]

I look at it like this. Barkley put the SUNS on the map, Warner has done the same for the Cardinals.

 

[chickenhead]

I was always excited for the new season to begin, but as soon as the Saints game was over, I wanted the draft to be this past weekend, and I wanted the 2010 season to begin this weekend. It really feels like a great work-in-progress, which is something we never really had before in Arizona. It's great.