Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
In a year where Barack Obama galvanized and re-energized a nation scourged by profound politcal, global and economic tumult with the mantra YES WE CAN...the Arizona Cardinals, about as unlikely as an African American from Hawaii finding his way through the darkness with a flashlight all the way to the White House, have adopted the YES WE CAN mantra with similar style and aplomb.
The Cardinals Can't Win on the East Coast? YES WE CAN! The Carolina Panthers were 8-0 at home playing in the NFL's toughest division where teams combined for 40 wins...and the Cardinals were 0-5 in their games played on the East Coast. The Cardinals not only won this game, they DOMINATED this game.
The Cardinals are one-dimensional on offense...the Cardinals can't run the ball? YES WE CAN. The Cardinals have just outrushed the two top rushing offenses in the NFC. Not only that, the Cardinals outrushed Atlanta and Carolina by significant margins.
The Cardinals can't stop the run? YES WE CAN. See above.
The Cardinals can't tackle? YES WE CAN. This defense is finishing tackles like a bunch of crazed dogs. Finally!
The Cardinals can't cover anyone? YES WE CAN. DRC, a rookie standout CB had Steve Smith, a perennial superstar, blanketed the moment he sprinted out of the tunnel. DRC dominated Smith, who did not have a single reception until the waning seconds of the third quarter.
The Cardinals can't outcoach anyone? YES WE CAN. These past two weeks, the film preparation these coaches and players have done has been the most thorough and effective as any game preparations the Cardinal coaches and players have done, EVER. Remember two weeks ago when Darren Urban related what he saw in an empty locker room when the Cardinals were holding meetings? He said that as he passed Edgerrin James' locker, Edge's TV, which is usually tuned into a music channel, was replaying Atlanta Falcon clips. How about the Cardinals picking up how QB Matt Ryan was tipping off the timing of his snaps? How about the secondary coverage on the Panthers' receivers which prompted Moose Johnston to say "it's as if the Cardinals know exactly what routes the Panthers are running." When have Cardinal fans ever heard something like that?
The Cardinals can't handle success? YES WE CAN. Kurt Warner, in the midst of the locker room pandemonium last night reminded his elated teammates that they all need to "appreciate" the opportunities they are providing themselves with through hard work and every player doing his job to the best of his ability. There's great wisdom in these words and the Cardinal players and coaches, as young and inexperienced as most of them are to the playoffs, are paying full attention. One senses their appreciation for each other is extraordinarily special.
Yes, the Cardinals have embraced the now trite "we against the world" and "nobody gave us a chance" rally cries. But, the reality is, the world acknowledges the Cardinals that made the playoffs thanks to playing in the weakest division in football, and the world has not forgotten the Cardinal team that layed eggs in Philly and New England and at home versus Minnesota. Thus, the Cardinals can thank themselves for creating world-wide skepticism. Just the same, the players have now united around the "shock the world" cause...and for them it all makes sense...I mean after all, when all of these players were either drafted or signed by the Cardinals none of their freinds and family were congratulating them for signing on with a perennial winner. All of these players had to cope with the stigma of being an Arizona Cardinal, a.k.a. a perennial loser. And now ALL of these players have become part of the solution, and for that they deserve the highest of praise.
The Cardinals can't erase the stigma of losers? YES WE CAN. The Cardinals have won themselves the right to play in the NFC Championship game...for the first time EVER. Perhaps this is the greatest form of winning because of how far the coaches and players had to travel...and not just the 6 long flights to the East Coast...but all the hard work, the off-season training, the shrugging of past curses and demons...the recent realities of their own embarrassments and all the national scrutiny...
Well, what we saw last night sent all Cardinal fans to bed with goosebumps and woke us up this morning with goosebumps. Yes we have learned these Cardinals CAN play lights-out on the world's grandest stage. Wow! Consider the world officially SHOCKED!
On a personal note: to all my ASFN brothers and sisters, we've stayed a family through thick and thin (all the lean years my friends)...and all of us, like the Cardinals have been doing our parts to make this board as outstanding as it is, and I would sincerely like to thank you all for being who you are and adding so much to this board, and as always, especially thank the founder of this family, Jim Skane, for giving us all the opportunity to strangle and hug each other all at the same time! This is the way loving families are...and today we can truly revel in the fact that as Arthurraccoon says so astutely: the Cardinal smiles!
The Cardinals Can't Win on the East Coast? YES WE CAN! The Carolina Panthers were 8-0 at home playing in the NFL's toughest division where teams combined for 40 wins...and the Cardinals were 0-5 in their games played on the East Coast. The Cardinals not only won this game, they DOMINATED this game.
The Cardinals are one-dimensional on offense...the Cardinals can't run the ball? YES WE CAN. The Cardinals have just outrushed the two top rushing offenses in the NFC. Not only that, the Cardinals outrushed Atlanta and Carolina by significant margins.
The Cardinals can't stop the run? YES WE CAN. See above.
The Cardinals can't tackle? YES WE CAN. This defense is finishing tackles like a bunch of crazed dogs. Finally!
The Cardinals can't cover anyone? YES WE CAN. DRC, a rookie standout CB had Steve Smith, a perennial superstar, blanketed the moment he sprinted out of the tunnel. DRC dominated Smith, who did not have a single reception until the waning seconds of the third quarter.
The Cardinals can't outcoach anyone? YES WE CAN. These past two weeks, the film preparation these coaches and players have done has been the most thorough and effective as any game preparations the Cardinal coaches and players have done, EVER. Remember two weeks ago when Darren Urban related what he saw in an empty locker room when the Cardinals were holding meetings? He said that as he passed Edgerrin James' locker, Edge's TV, which is usually tuned into a music channel, was replaying Atlanta Falcon clips. How about the Cardinals picking up how QB Matt Ryan was tipping off the timing of his snaps? How about the secondary coverage on the Panthers' receivers which prompted Moose Johnston to say "it's as if the Cardinals know exactly what routes the Panthers are running." When have Cardinal fans ever heard something like that?
The Cardinals can't handle success? YES WE CAN. Kurt Warner, in the midst of the locker room pandemonium last night reminded his elated teammates that they all need to "appreciate" the opportunities they are providing themselves with through hard work and every player doing his job to the best of his ability. There's great wisdom in these words and the Cardinal players and coaches, as young and inexperienced as most of them are to the playoffs, are paying full attention. One senses their appreciation for each other is extraordinarily special.
Yes, the Cardinals have embraced the now trite "we against the world" and "nobody gave us a chance" rally cries. But, the reality is, the world acknowledges the Cardinals that made the playoffs thanks to playing in the weakest division in football, and the world has not forgotten the Cardinal team that layed eggs in Philly and New England and at home versus Minnesota. Thus, the Cardinals can thank themselves for creating world-wide skepticism. Just the same, the players have now united around the "shock the world" cause...and for them it all makes sense...I mean after all, when all of these players were either drafted or signed by the Cardinals none of their freinds and family were congratulating them for signing on with a perennial winner. All of these players had to cope with the stigma of being an Arizona Cardinal, a.k.a. a perennial loser. And now ALL of these players have become part of the solution, and for that they deserve the highest of praise.
The Cardinals can't erase the stigma of losers? YES WE CAN. The Cardinals have won themselves the right to play in the NFC Championship game...for the first time EVER. Perhaps this is the greatest form of winning because of how far the coaches and players had to travel...and not just the 6 long flights to the East Coast...but all the hard work, the off-season training, the shrugging of past curses and demons...the recent realities of their own embarrassments and all the national scrutiny...
Well, what we saw last night sent all Cardinal fans to bed with goosebumps and woke us up this morning with goosebumps. Yes we have learned these Cardinals CAN play lights-out on the world's grandest stage. Wow! Consider the world officially SHOCKED!
On a personal note: to all my ASFN brothers and sisters, we've stayed a family through thick and thin (all the lean years my friends)...and all of us, like the Cardinals have been doing our parts to make this board as outstanding as it is, and I would sincerely like to thank you all for being who you are and adding so much to this board, and as always, especially thank the founder of this family, Jim Skane, for giving us all the opportunity to strangle and hug each other all at the same time! This is the way loving families are...and today we can truly revel in the fact that as Arthurraccoon says so astutely: the Cardinal smiles!
