What's a successful 2009 Cardinals season?

[Totally_Red]

Pick one of the six choices in the poll....

 

[IAWarnerFan]

The downside of getting to the SB last year is that expectations are even higher for this year, but keep in mind that everything played out perfectly for the Cardinals last year. If the Cardinals would have traveled to New York maybe they fall short of the SB?

 

[Dr. Jones]

Getting to the playoffs with a bye.

Since that wasn't an option I picked winning one game.

 

[LVG]

After taking stock of last year, and the years before that, a successful season is getting a winning record and winning a playoff game.

Small steps - last year's run was incredible, but I'm not going to call this season a failure if we fall at the NFC Championship game. Right now, I'm more concerned about becoming a consistent contender.

 

[TJ]

Last season was a "walk before you crawl" season. 2nd playoff appearance in 10 years and you get to the big dance? It's hard to say that a 10-6 or better record and a trip to the NFC Championship game is a disappointment. It would hurt after the fact, but hindsight, it would establish the Cards as a perennial threat in the NFL as opposed to a "one hit wonder."

 

[Shogun]

I'm easy to please. Getting back to the playoffs would be enough for me.

 

[DakotaCardsFan]

I'm easy to please. Getting back to the playoffs would be enough for me.

Me too!

 

[slanidrac16]

Win the West , get a bye.

Whatever happens after that is gravy. If we have learned nothing else from last year it should be it's not the team with the best record when the playoff starts , it the team thats playing it's best football.

 

[CardLogic]

To those who voted - Winning the Super Bowl and Getting to the Super Bowl: Really? Anything less and you consider it not a successful season?

Winning the division will constitute a successful season. It wasn't listed so I chose: a playoff victory.

 

[Captain Matt]

Yep simply making it to the playoffs would have me completely satisfied. Now if we make it to the playoffs and have like 14 wins (in the regular season), then, of course I'll be disappointed if we don't continue to be successful. But my expectations this year are pretty mild - fight our butts off for a better-than-500-record, then hopefully get a chance to make another post-season run. All bets are off if we get the injury bug Seattle had last year. We were EXREMELY fortunate to be as healthy as we were at the end of the year. Aiming too high will only lead to diasppointment.... The power of positive thought only extends to those who are on the team. Every Cardinal better be saying that we have to make it to the SB!!! But we in the stands need to keep it in perspective.

 

[jmt]

Winning the Division and getting a bye.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

Just getting to the playoffs was enough last year. The expectations this year should be higher!
This team should be a bit better than last year and almost won it. Predictions wise tho, depending on health and rookie play the Cardinals should be able to get to the playoffs and maybe even get a 1st round BYE. In the end tho, the Cardinals might end up losing at NY or Philadelphia.

 

[Buckybird]

Ask a coach or a player on the Cards roster this question. The bar has been raised!!! Anything less than a Super Bowl Trophy would be a disappointment. Im disappointed in you guys as fans who are content with anything less.

 

[Duckjake]

Just getting to the playoffs was enough last year. The expectations this year should be higher!
This team should be a bit better than last year and almost won it. Predictions wise tho, depending on health and rookie play the Cardinals should be able to get to the playoffs and maybe even get a 1st round BYE. In the end tho, the Cardinals might end up losing at NY or Philadelphia.

But we all know how tough it is to stay on top in the NFC. The Cards aren't in the AFC where the same 3-5 teams win all the time. Just getting back to the postseason would be better than almost every other Super Bowl loser since 1997.

http://www.nfl.com/fantasy/story?id=09000d5d8066aec8&template=with-video&confirm=true

 

[AZ Native]

They are all great choices but to me I want to get back to the NFC championship. I like our chances from there.

 

[lauraw]

VICTORY OR DEATH!

 

[Cody]

Getting to the NFC Championship game

 

[FArting]

getting to the playoffs

 

[Perfectionist]

Ask a coach or a player on the Cards roster this question. The bar has been raised!!! Anything less than a Super Bowl Trophy would be a disappointment. Im disappointed in you guys as fans who are content with anything less.

Every year for 40+ years I have started the season saying we are going to win the super bowl this year. But even now you can count on one hand how many times the Cards have even made the playoffs.

I am starting this season out saying we are going to win the super bowl!! But I know that if we make the playoffs and win a game, I will think we had a successful season and maybe just maybe the national media will finally start respecting this team and organization.

The bar has been raised but winning the superbowl or else you have not had a successful season? It might be a disappointment, but that alone will not determine the success of this season.

 

[gamebird98]

As everyone on here hopes...the Super Bowl would be the ultimate goal. I do believe we need to win the West again, and at least 1 playoff game to keep the critics quiet.

 

[SuperSpck]

Like Sho, I'm school-girl easy and would take the playoffs.

The reality of the situation has nothing to do with expectations based on last year.

Teams that have lost the Superbowl go into the crap bucket the following year. Only the Seahawks have been immune, and that's 'cause of a weak division.

Making the playoffs would a success for any team in the Cards position.

 

[JeffGollin]

The Over/Under...

Before I opened up this thread to read, I asked myself to predict which would be the first post that said: "Win the Super Bowl."

I predicted: The first post.

I was right.

And I agree....but with a whole bunch of semantic qualifiers:

1. My definition of success would be: "To accomplish a pre-established objective."

2. Since we came this-close to winning the Super Bowl in 2008-2009, our only logical objective for 2009-2010 would be to win it.

3. Therefore, our objective has to be "to win the Supe."

4. And if we don't win it, it will be a big disappointment.

5. But, if we don't, will we have "failed?"

6. Yes & no.

We will have "failed" to achieve our objective, but - in terms of effort or level of play - if we did every thing we could to win and left our guts on the field & still came up short, I wouldn't label the team a "failure."

7. In addition to talent, effort, smarts, commitment and tenacity, other factors play a role in a team's success (or lack thereof): Injuries. Other Teams' Talent. An Oblong Ball That Bounces Funny. The Refs. It all boils down to "did we make the most of the things we can control?"

In short, we will have succeeded if we win the Super Bowl. But we will only have failed if we didn't do everything possible with every iota of our talent in our effort to win it.

The reason this is important is that otherwise, we'd leave the team (& its fan support) in a shambles should we not win the whole thing. I'm not sure that's a good idea.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Too many weird things can happen in single-elimination format where the better team does not always wins so I picked making the playoffs.

 

[English on tour]

Win the West...and a playoff win maybe.

 

[Lorenzo]

winning the west at the least. ending the superbowl loser curse and the madden curse.(joke)


but they have to win the west.