This town so wants to love the Cards

[D-Dogg]

I wore my Cards gear today, going down to the sporting goods store, Home Depot, Wal Mart, Safeway, soccer practice, dropping my daughter off at school, etc.

I never, ever, had so many people instantly want to talk about the Cardinals...the Home Depot guy practically fell over himself to help me with some wood stain mix so he could talk Cardinals with me. The guy giving me popcorn chicken was talking nonstop about the game and how you still have to smile because we have Leinart.

One of the kindergarten teachers at my kid's school told me I had to leave, because seeing Cards gear was making her start to cry all over again and we talked about being at the game and how she could hardly sleep last night. Several other parents there all talked about the game, the heartbreak and the hope.


This town is just DYING to embrace the Cardinals...they saw a lot of heart out there last night. There is a sublevel of Cardinals fans here that want to see us succeed.

I thought I'd get stupid looks, but I got none...every man, woman and child nodded or gave a look to me that said "I feel your pain." Even some dude in an Eagles jersey shook his head sympathetically and shrugged his shoulders.

WHEN we start winning consistently, this town will gobble this team up. There are already about 45-50K of us at the games who are complete die-hards and winning will bring the rest along.

Just an interesting observation.

 

[arthurracoon]

For the first time, my friends believe that this team doesnt suck anymore (they are just really good at screwing up at the worst times).

We are so close, and when we turn the corner this city is gonna bleed cardinal red.

 

[AZ Shocker]

This town is just DYING to embrace the Cardinals...they saw a lot of heart out there last night. There is a sublevel of Cardinals fans here that want to see us succeed.

Oh yeah...it's always been there! Just gotta be .500 every once in a while, and maybe make the playoffs a time or two per decade.

Easy-capezee...

Football is KING is professional sports and this market is indeed dying for a real NFL team. Just look how easily the new air-conditioned stadium sold-out. Nuff said...time for this franchise to grow a pair and be a player!!!

 

[Gambit]

For the first time, my friends believe that this team doesnt suck anymore (they are just really good at screwing up at the worst times).

We are so close, and when we turn the corner this city is gonna bleed cardinal red.

On local radio in Houston, there was a Cards fan who called in. He too felt the team was right on the cusp. A lot of people like the Cards and want to see them succeed. Fans of other teams have embraced them as an adoptive second team (that's pretty much the case with me--they are my NFC team). Monday night would have been great to have.

But the thing is painful losses like that can unite fans too. It was like that in Houston last year after Game 5 of the NLCS, when the 'Stros blew it to the Cardinals of baseball. After everyone wrote them off saying they could never come back from that kind of loss, they went out and easily won Game 6 to make it to the World Series for the first time ever. Of course, they got swept there but let's not dwell on that part.

 

[Scot1]

AR, this team still sucks till they prove they don't. I agree they did better on Monday, but one game would not be much proof even if they won, and they did in the end find a way to lose, or to say the same thing, screw up. Yes, we benched Warner and Step, so Rackers and Ross took over for them. Remember that first series against SF? I honestly thought we were going to the playoffs. At this point, this year's team has to show me a record close to .500 before I reassess. I hope they do, but no bets till then.

 

[D-Dogg]

Hey, I stayed in hopeful mode after SF hung half a hundred on us in the Mac One Faltering Heartbeat days. I stayed a season ticket holder. I know there are many who wouldn't do so back then, and there are many now that see this team is close...very close. We've come soooo far in those few years from when we were getting beat by 20 by bad teams...now we hang with anybody, and we will learn to win. We have a QB who will enforce his will on us. He will break us of our losing ways and lead us out of the mire. Everything is on the up...but it isn't there yet. I believe it will get there, and the tone of the city I'm seeing that aren't the longtime Cards fans or the MJ/Dickley listeners reflect that they believe too.

 

[abomb]

Well put. Borderline or nonfans look to us diehards as the communication line for what is going on with the team. I make it a point to defuse "Bidwills suck", "we have $10M in unused cap", etc any time I can. Always be selling.

I was talking with a friend about how huuuuge the Monday Night Game was for the Cardinals DESPITE the loss. National exposure. I remember as a kid falling in love with the Chicago Bears, Walter Payton and the Fridge because of Monday Night Football.

Somewhere, Monday night, a kid in middle America saw Anquan Boldin break three tackles to get an extra yard and became a Cardinals fan.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I wore my Cards gear today, going down to the sporting goods store, Home Depot, Wal Mart, Safeway, soccer practice, dropping my daughter off at school, etc.

I never, ever, had so many people instantly want to talk about the Cardinals...the Home Depot guy practically fell over himself to help me with some wood stain mix so he could talk Cardinals with me. The guy giving me popcorn chicken was talking nonstop about the game and how you still have to smile because we have Leinart.

One of the kindergarten teachers at my kid's school told me I had to leave, because seeing Cards gear was making her start to cry all over again and we talked about being at the game and how she could hardly sleep last night. Several other parents there all talked about the game, the heartbreak and the hope.


This town is just DYING to embrace the Cardinals...they saw a lot of heart out there last night. There is a sublevel of Cardinals fans here that want to see us succeed.

I thought I'd get stupid looks, but I got none...every man, woman and child nodded or gave a look to me that said "I feel your pain." Even some dude in an Eagles jersey shook his head sympathetically and shrugged his shoulders.

WHEN we start winning consistently, this town will gobble this team up. There are already about 45-50K of us at the games who are complete die-hards and winning will bring the rest along.

Just an interesting observation.

I feel ashamed that I do not have enough Card's gear. I need to buy something every week.

Leinart/Boldin jersey is in my forecast.

 

[RedViper]

I had people calling or emailing from around the country offering condolences. One buddy from Detroit sent an email that literally made it sound like a loved one died. People will remember this game for years. And although its embarrassing as hell and remembered for the wrong reason, I agree there seem to be a ton of people that want to see this team breakthrough. Especially with Leinart. According to the map barely anyone gets to watch that Raiders game. But I'll bet you a ton of people would like to see how we do in that one.

 

[Derm]

I wore a new cardinals shirt yesterday just for the heck of it without thinking much about wearing it.
Surprisingly I was greeted by a number of people who came up to me and said things like "great game", "man that was exciting", "I gotta go to one of the games".... they all wanted a Cards victory.
The word "suck" was never heard - a moral victory!

 

[PortlandCardFan]

For the first time, my friends believe that this team doesnt suck anymore (they are just really good at screwing up at the worst times).

We are so close, and when we turn the corner this city is gonna bleed cardinal red.

In a nutshell!!!

Couldn't have said it better myself

 

[CardLogic]

I hope the team itself is "feelin' the love", because at this juncture the team could go one of two ways.

 

[seesred]

IMO we are so very close. We are better than any team we have had in AZ. I've never missed a game and to see the way Matt played, the way the defense played we can match anybody. This week the O-line played together for the first time, Matt was playing his second game, we were missing an important piece with Fitz out. All that said nobody beilieved we could hang with them. 10 1/2 point dogs at home! We are so close.

GBR
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