Things-----they are a changin'-----

BigRedRage

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No doubt. Let's remember how we beat Seattle (in a very similar fashion as the Detroit win) and then beat New England on the road last year. In the end, we still sucked. We could duplicate that, to an extent, by winning in New Orleans on Sunday but still winding up 5-11.


I hope you are right Catfish, but the proof that things have really changed is still far down the road.
this year we have a QB
 

Duckjake

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this year we have a QB

Dang refreshing isn't it? I don't care if he eventually kills us in a game or two with a late INT. It's just so much fun to watch our QB throw accurate passes and get the ball out in time to avoid sacks.

Almost 250 yards more offense in the first two games this season over last.
 

BigRedRage

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Dang refreshing isn't it? I don't care if he eventually kills us in a game or two with a late INT. It's just so much fun to watch our QB throw accurate passes and get the ball out in time to avoid sacks.

Almost 250 yards more offense in the first two games this season over last.


and those were when we at least had kolb
 

Rivercard

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Especially when one of those games was our usual win over Detroit. It's not like the Cards beat the Vikings or the Packers or the Bears.

The Lions look like a really good team to me and should compete with the Bears and Packers for that division.
 

DutchmanAZ

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I do think things are changing for the better. This is the first season in recent memory where i feel the team is competitive vs. embarrassing, and fun to watch. Several other friends of mine have similar comments.
 

Buckybird

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So you're saying that it takes a win like the one in Foxboro in order for you to be able to convey loyalty or confidence or trust that the franchise is trying to get better. Lame

No, but being 1-1 against so-so teams doesn't mean we go all lady gaga over them either fish. This team appears to be be better in certain areas & the same or worse in others as last year, with the biggest differance & ability to win in a functional QB. You act as if this team right now is on par or has almost as much talent as the Saints, Pack, Falcons, Niners, Hawks and Bears which are the NFC teams were behind IMO & possibly a few more.

I like the HC & new GM, but am very skeptical in his choice at DC, regardless of what we've seen in 2 games defensively. Say what you want but the 2013 Cardinals aren't better than the 2008 or 2009 teams talent wise IMO...yet. If this team doesn't add a young QB who's a stud in the next 2 drafts what happens then? That's the key component to taking the next step...along with a great edge rusher & a dominant LT...the 3 pieces to building a consistantly winner!!! I'm sure those reasons are also, why some fans are pulling the reigns in til we see more. We've seen this song & dance on this board before & it crumbled quickly without that star QB. Is BASK willing to gamble their futures to get one?

Keep up the koolaid bro, cause I'm dying to see Big Red raise the Lombardi. :D
 

Duckjake

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I do think things are changing for the better. This is the first season in recent memory where i feel the team is competitive vs. embarrassing, and fun to watch. Several other friends of mine have similar comments.

Does recent memory only go back to game 5 of last season? The Cards were 11-2 from mid 2011 through game 4 last season. I'd say that's relatively competitive. Then things got embarrassing. But we still beat the Lions 38-10.
 
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Totally_Red

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I do think things are changing for the better. This is the first season in recent memory where i feel the team is competitive vs. embarrassing, and fun to watch. Several other friends of mine have similar comments.

I agree! Even though I always try to have hope and root hard, the last three years have been extremely frustrating. There is still work to do, but I feel the Cardinals are moving in the right direction. Acquiring Carson Palmer, hiring BA, adding Rashard Mendenhall, re-acquiring Karlos Danby, building the covered training facility are all positive steps in the right direction.

It may not translate into making the playoffs this season, but the team is again watchable IMO.
 

DutchmanAZ

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Good question Duckjake.
I was never sold on the team ever since the 09 season. 10 was pretty good, but it felt like the wheels were indeed coming off - again, still a great season.
11 and 12 on the other hand, I thought were horrible. Perhaps it's only wishful thinking,but this team seems to have it together for the talent we have. yeah things could be better, but I've been pleasantly surprised thus far.
 

kerouac9

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The Lions look like a really good team to me and should compete with the Bears and Packers for that division.

I don't know about all that. I think the Lions can be a good home team, but I don't know if they have the horses on the offensive line or the outside pass rushers (unless Ansah develops in a way I don't project) to win games on the road. Their secondary is a work in process.

I think you're right to imply, at least, that the Vikings may be also-rans in this division. The NFC North is playing maybe the weakest division in both conferences--the AFC North (challenged only by the AFC West) and the NFC East (by virtue of the rest of the conference being so strong). They could be a 10 win team and still miss the playoffs.

I just don't know how they get 4 wins in division right now, and I'm not sure how they win on the road. Their last-place schedule is going to help, though.

Does recent memory only go back to game 5 of last season? The Cards were 11-2 from mid 2012 through game 4 last season. I'd say that's relatively competitive. Then things got embarrassing. But we still beat the Lions 38-10.

Right? The Cards until they quit last year were competitive in most games, they just weren't talented enough on offense to sustain that and make their own luck on the offensive side of the ball.

The amount of chest-thumping going on after losing to the worst or second-worst team in the division and beating a team close at home is really incredible. Yes, this team is better than last year, but last year's team was almost historically terrible, particularly on offense.

It would have been difficult to imagine an offense as impotent in 2013 as it was in 2012 unless Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne are somehow involved. Regression to the mean cuts both ways.

We've split games against two of the easier teams on our schedule. Congratulations. I'm not even going to feel great if we end up 3-2 though the first two weeks unless we're really putting teams like Tampa and Carolina away in the second half.

A team that loses close on the road and wins close at home isn't a good football team; it's a league-average one. After 2012, getting to league average would be a step forward. But we're going to see really remarkable turnover in the 2014 roster again, so a step forward in 2013 might not have a lot of predictive value in 2014.
 

Duckjake

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One thing that has changed is QB. Carson Palmer alone makes the Cards more fun to watch. But to claim that the team was horrible from opening day 2010 through the end of last season is just not right.

They were your father's Cardinals. Lose 7 in a row and then win 8 in a row and then just when you think they've turned the corner lose 11 in a row. They've done that for as long as I can remember. Although that's not as long as it used to be.

By the way. For those who are interested. My Father's Cardinals won an NFL Championship. :D
 

Jersey Girl

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Does recent memory only go back to game 5 of last season? The Cards were 11-2 from mid 2011 through game 4 last season. I'd say that's relatively competitive. Then things got embarrassing. But we still beat the Lions 38-10.

This. 4-0 to start last season and no one (talking national media here) gave us a chance. And they were right, granted we could pin a bit of that on injury.

The season is 16 games (thanks, captain obvious, lol). It is always great to point out and focus on the positives; but, to label fans as lame for not blindly giving their loyalty to the new regime after two games is unacceptable. Hell, many of the fans here have blindly given their loyalty (and money and hope and time and whatever else) for decades, which may explain why they are waiting a bit longer than one win and one loss to declare that times are changing. Count me among them.
 

ajcardfan

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This. 4-0 to start last season and no one (talking national media here) gave us a chance. And they were right, granted we could pin a bit of that on injury.

The season is 16 games (thanks, captain obvious, lol). It is always great to point out and focus on the positives; but, to label fans as lame for not blindly giving their loyalty to the new regime after two games is unacceptable. Hell, many of the fans here have blindly given their loyalty (and money and hope and time and whatever else) for decades, which may explain why they are waiting a bit longer than one win and one loss to declare that times are changing. Count me among them.

No, Jersey. Go to ESPN and CBS and pull up their power rankings after the 4th week. We were in the top 4 of both.
 

daves

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No, Jersey. Go to ESPN and CBS and pull up their power rankings after the 4th week. We were in the top 4 of both.

Not only top 4... i believe the Cardinals were #1 or #2 on CBS (can't pull up an archived page) and they were #1 on some other rankings, such as these (and this was when they were only 3-0, after the drubbing of the Eagles, who had come into the game 2-0 and were then still thought to be good!):

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...-refusing-let-officiating-151529514--nfl.html

http://www.teamrankings.com/nfl/ranking/overall-power-ranking-by-team?rating_date=2012-09-25

...dave
 

BigRedFan

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We actually look like a professional team this year, (offensively), competitive in every game and not the dysfunctional team of last year (last in nearly every offensive category, a historically bad blowout, etc).

I am so glad we cleaned house of the coaching staff and started fresh. Hopefully this corrected the sources of the past few years' dysfunctionality, and though we may have a long way to go, at least there is reason for optimism.
 

MrYeahBut

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By the way. For those who are interested. My Father's Cardinals won an NFL Championship. :D


I was around in 1947 but my dad didn't take me to the game. I was only about 6 months old.
So I don't know whether to say these aren't my father's Cardinals or they aren't my Cardinals...:D


.
 

john h

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If they can run the ball and stop the run; it would be a dream.

I would eat all my crow about this being a re-building team that will win less than five games.

But I am not wrong.

It was good to knock the Bush out early...in the Lions game, I mean.

With only two games played it is much to early for me to make any proclamations as to how good we are. I am happy to be 1-1 at this point and happy to see our new QB throwing like a real NFL QB. Just hope he keeps it up. This team can go up or down. We have some good players and some new players who are good. At this point we could win 9-10 or win 4-6. Next week will be a good test against a strong QB.
 
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Catfish

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Keep the dream alive and the positive energy flowing Catfish.:thumbup:

I am trying to do that bankybruce, but it is hard to do when you get flamed week after week by the same people, then get banned for flaming back. I hope some of you go back and read the first 4 and a half paragraphs of my first post this thread, and then look to the responses that I received from the same posters who have been flaming me for weeks now. There are a lot more like them over nearlly all the off season, (one even had me eating crow for saying we would be better able to stop the run than last year).

I have gone to great lengths to show how we have gotten better, but all I get in return are one liners that basically are telling me that I am full of it, and that there is no way that I can say at this point that we are not exactly as we were last year. I simply got tired of trying to respond to that logic, and resorted to flaming back, and got myself banned for it. Rather quickly too, I might add.

One good thing has come from all this however, and that is that some of them have finally acknowledged that there are at least some improvements from last year's version of Cardinal's Football. Believe it or not, apparently enough positive posters responded so that there actually ended up being a genuine discussion about Cardinal's Football instead of simple one liners meant to flame me into silence. That is good, and it is at least a start toward real discussion.

Meanwhile, I served my time off, and I am back again, hoping to contribute some genuine discussion. I hope that I will be allowed to join in it without simply getting one line insults to my intelligence in return for my efforts. Thanks for your kind words. They are like a breath of fresh air to me.
 

Duckjake

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So you're saying that it takes a win like the one in Foxboro in order for you to be able to convey loyalty or confidence or trust that the franchise is trying to get better. Lame

but all I get in return are one liners that basically are telling me that I am full of it,

I love some of the things people write on the board. :D

Time to put you on ignore. Your posts are too long anyway.
 

Chopper0080

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Hope you are right bro.

But I've read things like this for 25 years in Arizona, but the light at the end of the tunnel was a train 22 out of 25 times.

If you can dance around with red and white poms-poms in your living room chanting "BA - SK!" over a 1-1 regular season record... hey, more power to you. I actually wish I could. I don't think that makes you a better fan than anyone else though. Certainly not to the point you can think of anyone as "lame" for being a die hard for this team. It is not our fault the data is overwhelming that the Cardinals don't win and go to the playoffs very often. Data is what it is.

Yes.
 

Chopper0080

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I hear you too AJ-----But if you are going to buy into all the 22 times in 25 years stuff without really considering the facts, and buying into what the P&M'rs are selling then you will be cheating yourself.

Consider that the Cards have been in the valley for 25 years. In that time, I believe they have changed coaches 6-7 times. So there are really only 6-7 times that this change for the better has occurred. It actually happened twice-----Once with Joe Bugel, and once with Whiz. Bugel built the best run offense we have seen here in the desert, and had a great O'line. The defense was getting better each year, but Mr. B fired him, despite that he won 5 of his last 8 games here in order to hire Buddy Ryan. Ryan immediately set about destroying the O'line, and caused a total rebuild to become necessary in his very short tenure. It took Mr. Biege, Mack, and Denny three tenures to put it back to where Bugel left it. Then came Whiz, and rode KW to a SB appearance, and then an additional NFCW title before he pretty much screwed the pooch. So really there were only about 5 times when real change came, not 22. See how easy it is to get caught up in this stuff, good or bad.

The change occurring now is unprecedented here in the desert. Everyone complained that SK delivered a bunch of short term garbage to BA. Not the case it seems, because these guys were all leaders. That they did not break the bank is a plus. They work their butts off, and they help those around them learn.

Then everyone complained that SK could not handle a draft, (because he was part of the problem). Not so. He proved to be very adept at maneuvering in the draft and even created extra picks from nothing. He had a sensational draft.

Then they all wanted to complain that we should have brought Norv Turner in to coach the offense, and keep our defensive co-ordinator. Well, how is that working out in Cleveland? After all, they were a better team than we were last year, and what have those two done for them.

Meanwhile, the roster players here have bought into what BA is selling much quicker that they bought into what Ray Horton sold last year, and this roster is looking much better and deeper than before. We are better at CB, QB, RB, WR, OL, DL, and ILB than last year, and MUCH deeper. Remember Massie and Potter were both starters on the OL last year. Now they are depth. We are still 5 deep at corner, and 5 deep at RB. Each WR that has been kept on this roster has contributed. None have failed or let us down. We have added depth to the DL and are good at ILB, with the opportunity to get much better there when D-Wash comes back. Remember too, that both Cooper and Swope could possibly come back next year, although Swope is likely to a much lesser degree than Cooper to do so. WE lost two veteran safeties, but Rashad Johnson and Yeremiah Bell are being pushed by Tryan Mathieu and Tony Jefferson, both rookies. Meanwhile Wilson was on the bubble at NE, and Kerry Rhodes is not even in the league. So it would appear that we got better everywhere but at OLB, and that can be argued some, because we brought in John Abraham as a situational pass rusher during camp.

So, my thought is, if you want to only listen to the P&M'rs, your year could be long and wanting. But if you want to have some fun, really look at what is happening here, and join in. This team plays competitive football, and they strive to learn during each practice. They all appreciate what is happening here, and want to contribute to it. That is the real change that has happened here, and it only looks to get better with time.

A sensational draft? How do you figure? Despite the fact that it is way too early to make a determination either way, what makes this class sensational?

our first round pick being out for the year?

Our second round pick being a backup?

Our third round pick being our nickel CB?

Our fourth round picks not starting?

Our fifth round pick being our short yardage back?

One sixth round pick having retired and the other being a 3rd down back?

Our seventh round pick being beat out by a street free agent in Kory Sperry?

I liked that class as much as most, but I can't see any justification in referring to it as sensational.
 

Chopper0080

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I am trying to do that bankybruce, but it is hard to do when you get flamed week after week by the same people, then get banned for flaming back. I hope some of you go back and read the first 4 and a half paragraphs of my first post this thread, and then look to the responses that I received from the same posters who have been flaming me for weeks now. There are a lot more like them over nearlly all the off season, (one even had me eating crow for saying we would be better able to stop the run than last year).

I have gone to great lengths to show how we have gotten better, but all I get in return are one liners that basically are telling me that I am full of it, and that there is no way that I can say at this point that we are not exactly as we were last year. I simply got tired of trying to respond to that logic, and resorted to flaming back, and got myself banned for it. Rather quickly too, I might add.

One good thing has come from all this however, and that is that some of them have finally acknowledged that there are at least some improvements from last year's version of Cardinal's Football. Believe it or not, apparently enough positive posters responded so that there actually ended up being a genuine discussion about Cardinal's Football instead of simple one liners meant to flame me into silence. That is good, and it is at least a start toward real discussion.

Meanwhile, I served my time off, and I am back again, hoping to contribute some genuine discussion. I hope that I will be allowed to join in it without simply getting one line insults to my intelligence in return for my efforts. Thanks for your kind words. They are like a breath of fresh air to me.

I imagine you get banned because you proceed to attack the poster who questions your points.

As a champion for change you must understand that the evidence that proves things have really changed only comes with time whereas the evidence against is steeped in history.

You want to gush optimism and change, be ready for folks to point to the significant lack of evidence to support those statements, and when they do, understand that you just don't have the evidence to back up your statements. Therefore, it is up to you to either curb your enthusiasm or accept the lack of information to support your claims.
 
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Catfish

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I imagine you get banned because you proceed to attack the poster who questions your points.

As a champion for change you must understand that the evidence that proves things have really changed only comes with time whereas the evidence against is steeped in history.

You want to gush optimism and change, be ready for folks to point to the significant lack of evidence to support those statements, and when they do, understand that you just don't have the evidence to back up your statements. Therefore, it is up to you to either curb your enthusiasm or accept the lack of information to support your claims.

One could conclude that one of the major reasons that your clique answers with one line statements is that you seldom, (if ever), actually read my posts. Surely the statement, ("Therefore, it is up to you to either curb your enthusiasm or accept the lack of information to support your claims.") cannot be a qualifier for folks to point to a significant lack of evidence. That whole paragraph is inflammatory. You simply ignore the evidence, and flame me with one liners like this.

I showed how the FO made changes to stop the run before we ever went to TC. I only got one liners in return which had nothing to do with disproving my reasons. So far, it appears that it's working pretty well.

I showed that our O line was improved over last year, even after losing Cooper. Two of last year's starters have been beaten out, and are riding the bench. That is significant proof of improvement.

I showed that we are deeper at CB than we were last year. The players we cut were ranked well below the ones we brought in to replace them. Not by me, but by the people who ranked the free agency period.

I showed that we made our D line stronger and deeper, and how we did it. That was ignored.

I showed that we were stronger and much deeper at RB. That was argued against as well, but without just cause. We do have a running game this year. We did not last year.

I showed that the two safeties we unloaded to create cap space, were not of consequence this year. One is out of football all together and the other is waiting on an injury settlement and is on the bubble with NE. Johnson has improved, and both Mathieu and Jefferson have played very well indeed. Most experts believe that Mathieu is going to be VERY special. Meanwhile Bell, although long in the tooth has brought much experience and knowledge with him for far less money than we were paying.

I showed how BA was addressing things that didn't go well from the week before. Just one incident, (the latest) was correcting the poor tackling from the Rams game. The tackling against Detroit was better than any I watched the Cards do last year. This is a huge improvement from Whiz.

These are clear and concise arguments to back up my claims. They are NOT deniable. And there have been, (and will continue to be), many more. In the face of all this, How DARE you instruct me to curb my enthusiasm? I would be ashamed to have made a remark like that one! But then, I guess that is just my opinion, and I am certainly entitled to that.
 
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