What He Said

[Lloydian]

In today's TMQ, Gregg Easterbrook writes,

Buck-Buck-Brawckkkkkkk Trailing San Francisco 14-3 in the second quarter, the Arizona Cardinals faced fourth-and-inches on their 40. The Cardinals, at 3-7, would run up the white flag on the season if they lose this game. They're playing at home on "Monday Night Football." Their opponent, also 3-7, is one of the league's worst teams, and its star, Frank Gore, has left the game injured. If the Cardinals are going to change their 2010 fortunes, it's got to be now.

In comes the punt unit.

After the game there was a dustup because Cards Derek Anderson and Deuce Lutui were observed yukking it up on the sideline as if they didn't care about Arizona producing what ESPN analyst Steve Young called "some of the worst football we've seen in a long, long time." Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt quit on the game in the second quarter. Why shouldn't the players quit?

The punt on fourth-and-inches when trailing big at home meant Whisenhunt decided the Cardinals would not even attempt to win, but rather would try to hold down the margin of defeat so the outcome would look less bad on his résumé. That's what the Cardinals offered their home fans on national television. That's pretty funny. I'd laugh too.

That was a tough game to walk out of the stadium from.

 

[ajcardfan]

He says exactly what I felt about that decision to not go for it on 4th down in the first half. When a coach doesn't think his team can get six inches, he's beat. He quit and then the team quit. The players were all waving their hands and yelling to go for it and Whisenhunt basically told them, "No, you suck too bad."

As bad as the entire game was, that was the lowpoint for me.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Yep. Your defense can't stop anyone so your best chance is to try and outscore them and get lucky. The offense was more inept that the defense this game, but not by much though.

 

[Mulli]

Yep. Your defense can't stop anyone so your best chance is to try and outscore them and get lucky. The offense was more inept that the defense this season, but not by much though.

Trufe.

 

[jefftheshark]

He says exactly what I felt about that decision to not go for it on 4th down in the first half. When a coach doesn't think his team can get six inches, he's beat. He quit and then the team quit. The players were all waving their hands and yelling to go for it and Whisenhunt basically told them, "No, you suck too bad."

As bad as the entire game was, that was the lowpoint for me.

When they didn't go for it on that play I turned to my 13 year old son and said, "Well, they're playing for the high draft pick."

And he asked excitedly, "If they lose really big, do they get like ten of them?"

With that simple question, the situation we find ourselves in finally crystallized in my mind: We are now at Year "Negative One" in the next Five Year Rebuilding Program.

Last night was the muted sound of the final spade of soil being placed upon the grave of the "New and Improved" Cardinals, the mocking laughter of DA and Lutui the sign that the mourners have passed through the stages of grief and are starting to return to normality. And just as halting nervous humor inevitably follows tragedy, so we find ourselves now - the uneasy gallows humor of the condemned, our fate now sealed to be forced to watch the endless replays of unending, hopeless seasons of mediocrity and decline.

And then we die.

Alone

JTS



Aw - **** it! I've seen enough bad Cardinal football over the course of my lifetime for this to be like water off a duck's ass. So we're going to suck for few years? BFD, the beer's going to be just as cold, the brats are going to be just as tasty, the cheerleaders are going to be just as bouncy as before.

And I'm not going to have to shell out that extra cash at Christmas time to pay for playoff tickets to boot!

So fire Whiz, or keep him, I don't care anymore. If there is any justice in the world he doesn't get the ax, he just gets to stew in the mess he's created along with Graves and the rest of the knuckleheads who contributed to this big stinkin' mess.

So to those of you who still care passionately about the remainder of this season I apologize, because I don't - I'm no longer in the same boat with you. Whiz & Graves tossed me out and DA pulled out a rifle and shot me as I was bobbing about in my life jacket.

But just before I begin to sink for the fabled third time I remember - They will all be gone someday while we're still here! And then I'm right back, because just like the legendary Phoenix this team used to be named after before they realized the only way they could be at the top of the leaderboard at the start of the season was to start with the letter "A", we'll be back to being good someday too. Of course my 13 year old will be old enough to be buying me beer at the stadium when that happens, but what the hell, that's good too - free beer!

 

[Mulli]

When they didn't go for it on that play I turned to my 13 year old son and said, "Well, they're playing for the high draft pick."

And he asked excitedly, "If they lose really big, do they get like ten of them?"

With that simple question, the situation we find ourselves in finally crystallized in my mind: We are now at Year "Negative One" in the next Five Year Rebuilding Program.

Last night was the muted sound of the final spade of soil being placed upon the grave of the "New and Improved" Cardinals, the mocking laughter of DA and Lutui the sign that the mourners have passed through the stages of grief and are starting to return to normality. And just as halting nervous humor inevitably follows tragedy, so we find ourselves now - the uneasy gallows humor of the condemned, our fate now sealed to be forced to watch the endless replays of unending, hopeless seasons of mediocrity and decline.

And then we die.

Alone

JTS



Aw - **** it! I've seen enough bad Cardinal football over the course of my lifetime for this to be like water off a duck's ass. So we're going to suck for few years? BFD, the beer's going to be just as cold, the brats are going to be just as tasty, the cheerleaders are going to be just as bouncy as before.

And I'm not going to have to shell out that extra cash at Christmas time to pay for playoff tickets to boot!

So fire Whiz, or keep him, I don't care anymore. If there is any justice in the world he doesn't get the ax, he just gets to stew in the mess he's created along with Graves and the rest of the knuckleheads who contributed to this big stinkin' mess.

So to those of you who still care passionately about the remainder of this season I apologize, because I don't - I'm no longer in the same boat with you. Whiz & Graves tossed me out and DA pulled out a rifle and shot me as I was bobbing about in my life jacket.

But just before I begin to sink for the fabled third time I remember - They will all be gone someday while we're still here! And then I'm right back, because just like the legendary Phoenix this team used to be named after before they realized the only way they could be at the top of the leaderboard at the start of the season was to start with the letter "A", we'll be back to being good someday too. Of course my 13 year old will be old enough to be buying me beer at the stadium when that happens, but what the hell, that's good too - free beer!

Join

 

[82CardsGrad]

Aw - **** it! I've seen enough bad Cardinal football over the course of my lifetime for this to be like water off a duck's ass. So we're going to suck for few years? BFD, the beer's going to be just as cold, the brats are going to be just as tasty, the cheerleaders are going to be just as bouncy as before.

And I'm not going to have to shell out that extra cash at Christmas time to pay for playoff tickets to boot!

So fire Whiz, or keep him, I don't care anymore. If there is any justice in the world he doesn't get the ax, he just gets to stew in the mess he's created along with Graves and the rest of the knuckleheads who contributed to this big stinkin' mess.

So to those of you who still care passionately about the remainder of this season I apologize, because I don't - I'm no longer in the same boat with you. Whiz & Graves tossed me out and DA pulled out a rifle and shot me as I was bobbing about in my life jacket.

But just before I begin to sink for the fabled third time I remember - They will all be gone someday while we're still here! And then I'm right back, because just like the legendary Phoenix this team used to be named after before they realized the only way they could be at the top of the leaderboard at the start of the season was to start with the letter "A", we'll be back to being good someday too. Of course my 13 year old will be old enough to be buying me beer at the stadium when that happens, but what the hell, that's good too - free beer!

Could not have summed it all up any better... Thanks man.

 

[ActingWild]

When they didn't go for it on that play I turned to my 13 year old son and said, "Well, they're playing for the high draft pick."

And he asked excitedly, "If they lose really big, do they get like ten of them?"

With that simple question, the situation we find ourselves in finally crystallized in my mind: We are now at Year "Negative One" in the next Five Year Rebuilding Program.

Last night was the muted sound of the final spade of soil being placed upon the grave of the "New and Improved" Cardinals, the mocking laughter of DA and Lutui the sign that the mourners have passed through the stages of grief and are starting to return to normality. And just as halting nervous humor inevitably follows tragedy, so we find ourselves now - the uneasy gallows humor of the condemned, our fate now sealed to be forced to watch the endless replays of unending, hopeless seasons of mediocrity and decline.

And then we die.

Alone

JTS



Aw - **** it! I've seen enough bad Cardinal football over the course of my lifetime for this to be like water off a duck's ass. So we're going to suck for few years? BFD, the beer's going to be just as cold, the brats are going to be just as tasty, the cheerleaders are going to be just as bouncy as before.

And I'm not going to have to shell out that extra cash at Christmas time to pay for playoff tickets to boot!

So fire Whiz, or keep him, I don't care anymore. If there is any justice in the world he doesn't get the ax, he just gets to stew in the mess he's created along with Graves and the rest of the knuckleheads who contributed to this big stinkin' mess.

So to those of you who still care passionately about the remainder of this season I apologize, because I don't - I'm no longer in the same boat with you. Whiz & Graves tossed me out and DA pulled out a rifle and shot me as I was bobbing about in my life jacket.

But just before I begin to sink for the fabled third time I remember - They will all be gone someday while we're still here! And then I'm right back, because just like the legendary Phoenix this team used to be named after before they realized the only way they could be at the top of the leaderboard at the start of the season was to start with the letter "A", we'll be back to being good someday too. Of course my 13 year old will be old enough to be buying me beer at the stadium when that happens, but what the hell, that's good too - free beer!

Excellent post.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

When they didn't go for it on that play I turned to my 13 year old son and said, "Well, they're playing for the high draft pick."

And he asked excitedly, "If they lose really big, do they get like ten of them?"

With that simple question, the situation we find ourselves in finally crystallized in my mind: We are now at Year "Negative One" in the next Five Year Rebuilding Program.

Last night was the muted sound of the final spade of soil being placed upon the grave of the "New and Improved" Cardinals, the mocking laughter of DA and Lutui the sign that the mourners have passed through the stages of grief and are starting to return to normality. And just as halting nervous humor inevitably follows tragedy, so we find ourselves now - the uneasy gallows humor of the condemned, our fate now sealed to be forced to watch the endless replays of unending, hopeless seasons of mediocrity and decline.

And then we die.

Alone

JTS



Aw - **** it! I've seen enough bad Cardinal football over the course of my lifetime for this to be like water off a duck's ass. So we're going to suck for few years? BFD, the beer's going to be just as cold, the brats are going to be just as tasty, the cheerleaders are going to be just as bouncy as before.

And I'm not going to have to shell out that extra cash at Christmas time to pay for playoff tickets to boot!

So fire Whiz, or keep him, I don't care anymore. If there is any justice in the world he doesn't get the ax, he just gets to stew in the mess he's created along with Graves and the rest of the knuckleheads who contributed to this big stinkin' mess.

So to those of you who still care passionately about the remainder of this season I apologize, because I don't - I'm no longer in the same boat with you. Whiz & Graves tossed me out and DA pulled out a rifle and shot me as I was bobbing about in my life jacket.

But just before I begin to sink for the fabled third time I remember - They will all be gone someday while we're still here! And then I'm right back, because just like the legendary Phoenix this team used to be named after before they realized the only way they could be at the top of the leaderboard at the start of the season was to start with the letter "A", we'll be back to being good someday too. Of course my 13 year old will be old enough to be buying me beer at the stadium when that happens, but what the hell, that's good too - free beer!

Next time I see you, a cold beer is on me. More free beer.

 

[conraddobler]

When they didn't go for it on that play I turned to my 13 year old son and said, "Well, they're playing for the high draft pick."

And he asked excitedly, "If they lose really big, do they get like ten of them?"

With that simple question, the situation we find ourselves in finally crystallized in my mind: We are now at Year "Negative One" in the next Five Year Rebuilding Program.

Last night was the muted sound of the final spade of soil being placed upon the grave of the "New and Improved" Cardinals, the mocking laughter of DA and Lutui the sign that the mourners have passed through the stages of grief and are starting to return to normality. And just as halting nervous humor inevitably follows tragedy, so we find ourselves now - the uneasy gallows humor of the condemned, our fate now sealed to be forced to watch the endless replays of unending, hopeless seasons of mediocrity and decline.

And then we die.

Alone

JTS



Aw - **** it! I've seen enough bad Cardinal football over the course of my lifetime for this to be like water off a duck's ass. So we're going to suck for few years? BFD, the beer's going to be just as cold, the brats are going to be just as tasty, the cheerleaders are going to be just as bouncy as before.

And I'm not going to have to shell out that extra cash at Christmas time to pay for playoff tickets to boot!

So fire Whiz, or keep him, I don't care anymore. If there is any justice in the world he doesn't get the ax, he just gets to stew in the mess he's created along with Graves and the rest of the knuckleheads who contributed to this big stinkin' mess.

So to those of you who still care passionately about the remainder of this season I apologize, because I don't - I'm no longer in the same boat with you. Whiz & Graves tossed me out and DA pulled out a rifle and shot me as I was bobbing about in my life jacket.

But just before I begin to sink for the fabled third time I remember - They will all be gone someday while we're still here! And then I'm right back, because just like the legendary Phoenix this team used to be named after before they realized the only way they could be at the top of the leaderboard at the start of the season was to start with the letter "A", we'll be back to being good someday too. Of course my 13 year old will be old enough to be buying me beer at the stadium when that happens, but what the hell, that's good too - free beer!

Yes, someday Graves will be gone, yet it might be after I need diapers again.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Go for it on fourth and inches or don't. Like it really matters. We could barely convert on third downs; I don't see how we could've converted on a fourth. God know we can't run the ball and DA can hardly complete a decent pass.

I don't care passionately anymore, but I still care.

 

[nashman]

it matters Jersey if your team and the fans think of you as a GUTLESS and DUMB coach and thats what that decision was!

 

[nashman]

Decisions like that are why he has LOST this team NO ONE is buying into his crap ass system and it SHOWS!

 

[Jersey Girl]

it matters Jersey if your team and the fans think of you as a GUTLESS and DUMB coach and thats what that decision was!

I'm pretty sure a lot of fans thought that before last night's debacle.

 

[nashman]

I disagree Jersey as much as I am not like Whiz currently GUTLESS was not on my list of reasons, and now he has proven along with his other faults he is. Not only that when your team is saying go for it and you send out your punt unit, you basically gave them all the big FU and I don't have a lick of faith in you, not exactly a way to instill confidence in your team. This team is done and COACH WHIZ is at fault any way you shake it!

 

[ajcardfan]

Go for it on fourth and inches or don't. Like it really matters. We could barely convert on third downs; I don't see how we could've converted on a fourth. God know we can't run the ball and DA can hardly complete a decent pass.

I don't care passionately anymore, but I still care.

A 6'5" QB should get six inches on a sneak at least 9 out of 10 times.

 

[Jersey Girl]

A 6'5" QB should get six inches on a sneak at least 9 out of 10 times.

Should being the key word.

 

[ajcardfan]

Should being the key word.

The worst part was all of the oline and Anderson were begging to stay on the field and go for it. Then, factor in that the defense was getting reamed and had been on the field a lot already.... I still can't believe he punted. It was the wrong decision even if a sneak had been stuffed for a loss.