What are the 10 moments(games, drafts, wins, losses)that define you as a Cards fan?

[Mulli]

49er fans at that time disliked Young, they still wanted Joe. They had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the Young era. There was a sort of it's time for a new QB feeling in the works, but until he won a Superbowl there were a lot of 49er fans who didn't like Young.

Curious how his HOF vote goes, his prime was brilliant, but he had a fairly short run with years of mediocrity before it. I think at his best nobody ever was a better overall QB, but that was for maybe 5 years.

The last play of that 49er game may be one of the best I ever witnessed in person. Too bad I was a the opposite end zone at the time.


My gut tells me that Steve Young is worthy of HOF consideration. However, I am not sure his stats measure up. He has a disadvantage of playing the USFL, playing in Tampa, and playing behind Montana. Plus going in with Marino does not help. Young pales in comparison, but who wouldn't.

I know this is off topic, but what do you think of Michael Irvin's HOF chances, Russ? I never liked him much when he played, but he was very good.

 

[Russ Smith]

The last play of that 49er game may be one of the best I ever witnessed in person. Too bad I was a the opposite end zone at the time.


My gut tells me that Steve Young is worthy of HOF consideration. However, I am not sure his stats measure up. He has a disadvantage of playing the USFL, playing in Tampa, and playing behind Montana. Plus going in with Marino does not help. Young pales in comparison, but who wouldn't.

I know this is off topic, but what do you think of Michael Irvin's HOF chances, Russ? I never liked him much when he played, but he was very good.

I figure Irvin gets in the way so many Steelers did, he was a major contributor on a "dynasty" level team. I agree, didn't like him at all as a person, thought he pushed off way too much, but you can't argue with the results individually or as a team.

On Young, I always say IMHO Young is the best QB I've ever seen but again it was a 5-6 year period not a whole career. You have 92-98 with 96 and 97 as injury years where he played 11-12 games. One year after that 5-6 blah years before that. hard to say.

I think he's a HOF level player, but I don't know if he'll get the votes first ballot because of the relative short time he was at that level.

64% career, led the NFL in passer rating multiple times better than 2-1 TD to INT ratio, 8 YPA for a career, he was a remarkable player and he's a great guy too, but I'm not sure if he gets in first try.

 

[slanidrac16]

1. We lived in Chicago and I remember my Dad would sit in the kitchen with his ear to an old Zenith radio as he tried to pull in KMOX. Most of the times he could barely hear it. He actually ran a wire up the side of the house and hooked it to the back of the radio hoping to get a better reception. It didn't. He would be in his glory when they featured the game on the Armed Forces network, usually against the Giants. At half time and after the game he would throw me passes. Back then I was Sonny Randle!
2. My Dad smashing his fist on the arm of his chair when he learned Charley Johnson had just been drafted into the army. That may have been the first time I heard about the dreaded "Cardinal Curse".
3. My first game. I was 14 when my Dad took me to St Louis in 1967. I don't remember much. I believe we fell behind 14-0 but roared back to smash the Eagles 48-14.
4.The 1970 season. Thats when we smashed the Cowboys on Monday night and we had 3 consecutive shutouts. We lost our last 3 games and Charlie Winner was fired.
5. The Don Coryell years. 74,75,76 were probably the best years to be a Cardinal fan in team history.
6. The death of J.V. Cain and tragic story of K-Steve Little. Anybody know how he has faired since his accident.
7. The Mel Gray catch against the Redskins. I was at that game. When Gray made the catch , a total stranger sitting next to me hugged each other as we jumped up and down. When I looked back down on the field, Gray was on his back , the ball was next to him. One ref was signaling incomplete, one ref was signaling tochdown. It took what seemed to be an hour as the refs huddled in a conference. Finally, the head ref turned to the crowd and signaled touchdown. Overtime. Cards won the toss. It was Jim Otis left. Jim Otis right.Jim otis up the middle. Then Jim Bakken calmly kicked the winning fg. It was a sweet ride back to Chicago!
8. The times my Dad and I would drive out toward Champaign and rent a hotel because the Champaign network was televising the Cardinal game instead of trying to just listen, still barely able to hear it anyway.
9. My Dad passed away in 81'. He had eventually upgraded his old Zenith radio for a newer Trans-Oceanic which I inherited.The final game of the season featured the Cards vs. Redskin game, which was supposed to be televised, but wasn't. Winner wins division . Loser goes home. The Cards came back after falling behind to take a 4th quarter lead only to see the Skins get the lead back very late in the game. I listened intently.Then, the televised game game concluded and they announced the were going to the switch for the coclusion of the Cards -Skins game. They joined the game as Neil O'Donoghue ran onto the field as time was running out. Alas the kick was wide leftby a foot. I punched the radio and screamed to the heavens. "For God sakes, When is it going to be our turn?" Except for 98' we're still waiting.
10. Since I have more than 10 , I'll abbreviate. The move to Arizona, Victory over Cowboys in playoffs, Direct TV, the tragic loss of Pat Tillman,and finally the Hiring of Dennis Green.

Hope I didn't bore you too much.

 

[Mulli]

Oh boy, I hope we don't have to argue about the whole first ballot thing. I don't understand why his career would not be good enough this year but it would be the next year.

Did Stallworth make it in yet?

I liked Steve Young a lot when he played as well except against the Cards. However, Didn't he play at the same time Elway did? Hard to make a case the Young was significantly better than Elway. However, I can't stand Elway or the Broncos so nevermind.

 

[Russ Smith]

Oh boy, I hope we don't have to argue about the whole first ballot thing. I don't understand why his career would not be good enough this year but it would be the next year.

Did Stallworth make it in yet?

I liked Steve Young a lot when he played as well except against the Cards. However, Didn't he play at the same time Elway did? Hard to make a case the Young was significantly better than Elway. However, I can't stand Elway or the Broncos so nevermind.

Usually it just means who you are up against in a given year. Plus I think voters feel "pressure" when a guy like Young misses one year so he gets more votes the next. I agree he won't be any better next year than this.

Elway was a brilliant talent but young's career numbers are better IMHO. Elway won one more Superbowl and had he been a 49er and Young a Bronco who knows how it would have worked out, Elway wasted a lot of years playing for a coach who had no idea how to use him (Reeves).

I don't think Stallworth is in and I don't think he was ever as good compared to the rest of the NFL as Irvin was in his era. I'd have a hard time voting for HOF any year outside of a guy like Marino who's a lead pipe cinch, it's just too hard to separate guys they were all great.

 

[WildBB]

A little Wild Billy Boy History:

I grew up in Long Island a staunch Jets fan. Namath's guarantee at a Miami poolside. Still follow them a little. My old AFL team.

I moved to Houston Texas in Earl Campbells rookie year. Luv ya Blue. No more Oilers. No mas.

I came to AZ in 83. I immidiately adopted the "Phoenix" Cards as my home team. Been following them ever since.

Highlights:

Win over SF first year here.

Signing Rob Moore former Jet - him becoming a Card.

Fav. draft pick - Definately E. Swann. He could take over a game.

Fav. player - P. Tillman - True heart. nough said.

The playoff yr. 1998 - Beating the Girls. Sorry Emmitt. I was like the only person at work that yr. wearing a Cards hat. At the playoff game everyone was cheering. Everyone.

2003 - The coming of Q. Watching him in that Det. Lions game. The only bigger impact or as big impact rookies I've witnessed are Earl Campbell and Barry Sanders (against the Cards).

2004 - Very Optimistic.

 

[Capital Card]

I came to AZ in 83. I immidiately adopted the "Phoenix" Cards as my home team. Been following them ever since.

Can I get next weeks powerball numbers from you???

 

[Duckjake]

I grew up in Long Island a staunch Jets fan. Namath's guarantee at a Miami poolside. Still follow them a little. My old AFL team.

Then you might remember an old friend of mine that I play golf with, Curley Johnson. He's the guy that called me when the Cards hired Ryan to tell me the team had made a terrible mistake because Ryan was a nutcase.

He was a lot better punter than he is a golfer.

 

[WildBB]

I grew up in Long Island a staunch Jets fan. Namath's guarantee at a Miami poolside. Still follow them a little. My old AFL team.

Then you might remember an old friend of mine that I play golf with, Curley Johnson. He's the guy that called me when the Cards hired Ryan to tell me the team had made a terrible mistake because Ryan was a nutcase.

He was a lot better punter than he is a golfer.

Right there's a blast from the past. Ask him if he still keeps up with Jim Turner?

 

[WildBB]

Can I get next weeks powerball numbers from you???

I meant when they got here in 88. I arrived first when ASU, Phx. Firebirds and the Suns were the only games in town.

 

[Osbern61]

>>6. The death of J.V. Cain and tragic story of K-Steve Little. Anybody know how he has faired since his accident.<<


I believe Steve Little died a couple years ago.
Ok, mine in no particular order.
1. Blasting Dallas on Monday Night Football 38-0
2. Getting a St. Louis Cardinal paper placemat at IHOP
3.A last second loss to the Eagles in 1973 when Roman Gabriel hit Harold Carmichael at about the 5 with a pass, then proceeded to break a couple tackles(Roger Wehrli was one of them) to win the game 27-24. I was in 6th grade and this loss haunted me until...
4....Mar-Tay Jenkins catches Jake's pass to beat the Eagles in 2001.
5. Cards win the last game of the season against the Bolts to make the playoffs, I go straight to my job to brag, get caught up in a football game they were having during lunch and break my wrist.
6.The victory over Dallas in the playoffs in '98. I think I watched every repeat of Sports Center for about 8 hours straight.
7.The opening day loss to the Bengals in '97, and going to Cards Corner to vent, checking for new posts every 2 minutes. As an out of town Cards fan forums like this are like salve to a wound.
8.Being pyched to hear we beat the Giants in '88 but then seeing Lomax was hurt and getting scared. Cliff Stout wasn't up to the task of filling his shoes.
9.Beating the Raiders in '83. We were the last team to beat them that year.
10.Pat Tillman's death.

 

[Gee!]

I dont know if I have ten. I dont even have some specific dates.

- Beating Dallas in the playoffs.

- Telling my buddy Anquan would have a breakout year last year after watching him 2 weeks in TC.

- Plummer comebacks.

- Plummer interceptions.

- Plummer going to the Broncos.

- Aneas ending Youngs career on MNF.

- Buddy Ryan's "youve got a winner in town".

- Larry Centers hurdling the defense.

- Glendale getting the stadium.

- Winning the vote for the new stadium.

 

[Gee!]

Couple more.

- Rosenbach leaving football for the rodeo.

- The win over SD to get to the playoffs.

- Gramitica injuring himself celebrating.

- Tillman.

 

[TRW]

40+ years...

hard to believe I've followed this team that long. Dad was a baseball Cardinals fan and I sort of transferrd that into following the football Cards.

Can't remember exact dates but my memory contains these:

1) A couple of real great battles between Jim Hart and Sonny Jergonson of the Redskins in the early 70's (I think). The Redsins usually won as I recall but the games were great. I remember a particularly mud bowl game in DC where Jim and Sonny slung the pigskin all over the joint. Great fun! Jim Hart is one of my all-time favorites!
2) First season in AZ. Lomax-Green-Stump-Wolf. Exciting to have "my" team here!
3) Again, can't remember the year, but Larry Wilson just leveled a cowgirl player. Thought the dude was dead, can't remember who it was though. Wilson is "The Man"!
4) Timm Rosenbach's starting year, think it was 1990, played all season, every snap. What might have been!
5) Cheering when Buddy was hired.
6) Cheering when Buddy was fired.
7) Cheering when Denny was hired.
8) Season tickets in 1999 with my 2 boys. Only year I was able to afford them. What a gas! Hope to be able to do that again some year.
9) The 49er game we pulled the upset as others have mentioned.
10) Of course, BEATING THE DOGGONE COWGIRLS IN THE PLAYOFFS!!!!! The absoulte greates moment in my long Cardinal fandom! That was so great, my boys and I (one of whom was a Cowgirl fan before the Cards came to town) had such fun that day!

These types of threads evoke so many fond memories for me. Sunday afternoons in fall/winter watching football with my Dad. We saw the Cards several times each year because we always got the Cowboys in the old days. I would really relish the times we saw them play, my favorite games of the week. When my Dad was sick with cancer in 1992 I remember him sadly shaking his head at another boneheaded game they choked away. Then he smiled and said "Same old, same old.". It is one of the last good memories I have of watching this team with him, he passed away just a few weeks later. Yet, it is fitting that we had that afternoon, suffering through another painful loss, yet hoping beyond hope that "next year" would be "the year". Wish he could have been here for that playoff year...

What makes someone root for a particular team? Is it home town loyalty? Is it the color of the uniforms, the insignia on the helmet? Is it, as is with me, because one's Dad was a fan? There are as many reasons as opinions on this board I'm sure. But, one thing for sure, those who are Cardinal fans have to be the most tenacious, stubborn, never-say-die on the planet!

We may not have a TON of "winning memories" to draw on but we savor the few we have eh? Sorry for the personal ramblings but it just came out.

GO CARDS!!!