Why Are You Surprised?

[BigRedMO]

This is what the Cardinals do. This is their MO for years. Even with a HOF QB the most regular season games they won was 10.

The offense scored 10 points. You cant win scoring 10 points. What is amazing is how long it took MN to overcome AZ. MN is truely a bad team. AZ gives up 14 points in 3:34. That reminds me of the Bears debacle in 06. After a 4 and out on the goal line what play do the Cards call with rougly 7 minutes left? A QB sneak. What do you think will happen when you give the ball right back to MN after 3 plays?

AZ is one of the worst teams in the league and should lose out to get a high pick. Even if the guy picked turns out to be Payton Manning they will screw it up at some point by being penny wise and pound foolish with him which is Bidwill's MO.

Why isnt ESPN or anyboby else talking about how bad AZ is instead of going on on and on about how bad MN or Dallas is? Because they know this is what the Cards are and always have been.

Congratulations Bidwill you are the the equivalent of the Harlem Globe Trotters travel opponent. The Cardinals are there to get beat. If you doubt me take a look at their career record against every other NFL team. I would be surprised if they have a winning record against anyone. So why are your surprised?

 

[Spielman]

The Cardinals have winning records against the Falcons (14-11), Saints (14-12), Seahawks (13-10) and Titans (5-4). Yeah, that's it.

 

[Derm]

You're right that this is not a good team this year - but I'm certainly not surprised how you consistently must add Bidwill to your rants. After all these many years, you got to let it go that he left MO for AZ

 

[BigRedMO]

You're right that this is not a good team this year - but I'm certainly not surprised how you consistently must add Bidwill to your rants. After all these many years, you got to let it go that he left MO for AZ

The coaches and players change but the results dont. Who would you blame? They are better than avg for a couple years then ownership dismantles the team and they suck for 10-20 years. You dont tire of that? Good 73-75, 84-85 dont suck, 98 playoffs, end of 07 to 08. The rest is a wasteland of players who cant play here but leave and are gangbusters like Thomas Jones.

 

[BigRedMO]

The Cardinals have winning records against the Falcons (14-11), Saints (14-12), Seahawks (13-10) and Titans (5-4). Yeah, that's it.

3 teams? lol. They have existed since 1898. What is there record against former division mates Dallas, Washington, Phil and NY?

 

[Osbern61]

3 teams? lol. They have existed since 1898. What is there record against former division mates Dallas, Washington, Phil and NY?

Versus Eagles all time 53-54-5. The other three, I'm confident will be extremely lopsided.

 

[BigRedMO]

Versus Eagles all time 53-54-5. The other three, I'm confident will be extremely lopsided.

I am surprised. I forgot how bad the Eagles were at one time.

 

[Catfish]

The coaches and players change but the results dont. Who would you blame? They are better than avg for a couple years then ownership dismantles the team and they suck for 10-20 years. You dont tire of that? Good 73-75, 84-85 dont suck, 98 playoffs, end of 07 to 08. The rest is a wasteland of players who cant play here but leave and are gangbusters like Thomas Jones.

If you are passing out blame-----then get it right. Ownership has nothing to do with the predicament we are in right now. Ownership and the front office worked very hard this off season to replace our losses. They put a really good plan out there, and did very well considering what was available to them in free agency and in the draft. They built up a run first offense, with a QB that managed the game, and took what the defense gave him. They strengthened a defense that gave up far too many scores.

THEN ----- they were rewarded for giving their head coach a new contract extension, by having him throw the entire plan away so that he could stroke his own ego by using his play-calling, and believing that he could coach-up a wild gunslinging QB to run a pass-first offense. He gets no mulligan from me, and he shouldn't get one from you either. It doesn't take a genius to realize that if his idea failed, we would end up starting an undrafted free-agent rookie at QB. How smart is that-----and just how is that deserving of a mulligan?????

 

[Buckybird]

The Cardinals have winning records against the Falcons (14-11), Saints (14-12), Seahawks (13-10) and Titans (5-4). Yeah, that's it.

Yeah!!! We're awesome

 

[THESMEL]

Why cause we extended a HC and staff for the first time in Arizona.
right before He took the natural destabilizing continuity of success and threw gasoline on it to make it flame higher and higher.

Instead of stabalizing our consistant SB/playoff talent and making them at least a little bit happy He ran through the sandcastle flailing his arms and stomping his feet, with a stone expression on his face.

I'm surprised Ken Whisenhunt destroyed his own oppurtunity and legacy foolishly. He made a good team awful, and has yet to accept responsibility. He is the decider and He needs to decide to get some outside help for my Cardinals.

We suck and are getting worse each week.

 

[Pariah]

We suck and are getting worse each week.

how so?

 

[THESMEL]

engine

1 carry -2 yards for the bean.

THT and LSH dancing around the hard yards.

passing way more than we run with the worse qB in the NFL, you pick which QB ?

A defense that is all about trading yards for big plays, high risk high reward.

Our Special teams are keeping us in it when they aint gettingh penalties 50% of the time.

Our Head Coach, RGC, PGC, are so far over their heads they have to unzip to call a play.

Whiz is not a GM type coach, He's already failed

how so?

 

[conraddobler]

What's dissapointing is not that we're losing, it's the general direction of the team.

You can be well coached and just not win, but that's not what I'm seeing, I'm seeing a poorly coached monkey copulation almost every Sunday.

Things are repeatedly happening, bad, and they are not addressed and frankly the team just looks lost.

An example of this is the extremely poor playcalling again in crunch time, both offensive and defensive playcalling, it was horrible this week as it was last week.

Stuffing guys into an 8 man box, no screens, never any screens, probably cause we can't run them, we can't defend them either.

I'm sure we'll compete for the division, just because it's so awful but that dosen't mean anything to me in the long run.

An average NFL team would run away with this division.

 

[desertdawg]

Things are repeatedly happening, bad, and they are not addressed and frankly the team just looks lost.

An example of this is the extremely poor playcalling again in crunch time, both offensive and defensive playcalling, it was horrible this week as it was last week.

This hits home big time with me. Both offense and defense are getting worked at the end of halves and games. Defense burnt out? maybe. QB solely to blame? nah.

We are much more successful on both sides of the ball at the beginning of these games.
At the end of games, we seem out coached, and its looks like we have been figured out by the other teams staff.

We simply take a lot of sacks in the 4th quarter on offense.
Our QB pressure dies as soon as the game gets tight in the 4th quarter on defense.
I fear other teams are adjusting and we aren't during the game.

 

[Pariah]

1 carry -2 yards for the bean.

THT and LSH dancing around the hard yards.

passing way more than we run with the worse qB in the NFL, you pick which QB ?

A defense that is all about trading yards for big plays, high risk high reward.

Our Special teams are keeping us in it when they aint gettingh penalties 50% of the time.

Our Head Coach, RGC, PGC, are so far over their heads they have to unzip to call a play.

Whiz is not a GM type coach, He's already failed

Yeah, but all of that was here in game 1. How are they getting worse?

 

[BigRedMO]

If you are passing out blame-----then get it right. Ownership has nothing to do with the predicament we are in right now. Ownership and the front office worked very hard this off season to replace our losses. They put a really good plan out there, and did very well considering what was available to them in free agency and in the draft. They built up a run first offense, with a QB that managed the game, and took what the defense gave him. They strengthened a defense that gave up far too many scores.

THEN ----- they were rewarded for giving their head coach a new contract extension, by having him throw the entire plan away so that he could stroke his own ego by using his play-calling, and believing that he could coach-up a wild gunslinging QB to run a pass-first offense. He gets no mulligan from me, and he shouldn't get one from you either. It doesn't take a genius to realize that if his idea failed, we would end up starting an undrafted free-agent rookie at QB. How smart is that-----and just how is that deserving of a mulligan?????

The best QB available was McNabb. Why didnt the owner demand the Cards go after McNabb? If I was the owner I would have demanded it. The only conclusion I can reach is money. That is the only logical reason not to go after the best QB available. You are happy with your team not pursuing the best solutions to problems? What happens to you at work if you dont apply the best solutions to problems? I know what happens to me. What has been the one constant over all the futile years? Coaches and players all have moved on but same results.

I have never said Whiz doesnt deserve blame. I do think the problems are above his level and they always have been. Whiz has to deal with the Bidwill weight around his neck. It has drowned every coach before him including a should be HOFer Don Coryell. All you have to do is look at the only teams the cards have winning records against to recognize this organization is deeply flawed. Everyone else ALWAYS has beaten the Cards like a drum. If you cant recognize that the problems are longer term than Whiz then I cant help you.

In Cincy last night I see a lot of the Cardinals. Two dysfunctional franchises that are twins in many ways. Both organizations look for ways to lose especially in the national limelight.

 

[Duckjake]

Yeah, but all of that was here in game 1. How are they getting worse?

They were winning. Now they are winning and end up losing. That's worse.

 

[Redheart]

Shouldn't you be a Ram's fan by now?

You will find me in my seat, cheering very loadly for my team to beat Seattle this weekend; probably for a share of first place of the NFCW.

Believe it or not, we are still in the hunt for our third NFCW crown, and for the year after Warner, that is not bad.

I have to admit that reading these "we suck, we have always sucked" posts drain me. Every game is unique and we have been competative in the last two, I am looking for a convincing win this weekend to really set up or next home game agains the 'niners.

Should be fun! Should be exciting! If it gets to be too much, I will be sure to look for you posts, you know, to bring me back down...down...down...are the RAMS looking good to you, yet?

 

[BigRedMO]

Shouldn't you be a Ram's fan by now?

You will find me in my seat, cheering very loadly for my team to beat Seattle this weekend; probably for a share of first place of the NFCW.

Believe it or not, we are still in the hunt for our third NFCW crown, and for the year after Warner, that is not bad.

I have to admit that reading these "we suck, we have always sucked" posts drain me. Every game is unique and we have been competative in the last two, I am looking for a convincing win this weekend to really set up or next home game agains the 'niners.

Should be fun! Should be exciting! If it gets to be too much, I will be sure to look for you posts, you know, to bring me back down...down...down...are the RAMS looking good to you, yet?

Please feel free to provide alternative explanations of the points I raised. I desperately want the Big Red to be a franchise I can be proud of like in 74-76 and would do anything to make it happen like sign McNabb if I owned the team. I dont believe Bidwill has that same passion for his team. Otherwise it would kill him to have them be an embarrassment all these years. I thought after 08 with finally a real NFL stadium the corner had been turned and Bidwill really did want to win but had been hamstrung by the stadium. After this season I know Bidwill's passion doesnt match mine.

 

[Duckjake]

Shouldn't you be a Ram's fan by now?

You will find me in my seat, cheering very loadly for my team to beat Seattle this weekend; probably for a share of first place of the NFCW.

Believe it or not, we are still in the hunt for our third NFCW crown, and for the year after Warner, that is not bad.

I have to admit that reading these "we suck, we have always sucked" posts drain me. Every game is unique and we have been competitive in the last two, I am looking for a convincing win this weekend to really set up or next home game agains the 'niners.

Should be fun! Should be exciting! If it gets to be too much, I will be sure to look for you posts, you know, to bring me back down...down...down...are the RAMS looking good to you, yet?

These posts drain me. "Not bad"? Too many years around here of being satisfied with losing records I guess. How about "very good" once in a while? Is that too much to ask for?

I didn't see anything in my season ticket license agreement that said I have to blindly accept and be happy with whatever I see on the field to be able to stay a Cardinal fan.

A big part of the enjoyment of the games for me IS being able to impress my friends and family by telling them exactly what goofy stunt the Cards are going to pull next. I also look forward to seeing the new and different surprises they like to pull out each week and each year.

This season's new and different Cardinal fact is that the Defense and Special Teams have almost as many TDs as the offense.

This seasons best surprise has been the kick return team. TWO TDs in the same season for the first time since the team was in Chicago.

 

[Redheart]

Plese feel free to provide alternative explanations of the points I raised. I desperately want the Big Red to be a franchise I can be proud of like in 74-76 and woud do anything to make it happen like sign McNabb if I owned the team. I dont believe Bidwill has that same passion for his team. Otherwise it would kill him to have them be an embarrassment all these years. I thought after 08 with finally a real NFL stadium the corner had been turned and Bidwill really did want to win but had been hamstrung by the stadium. After this season I know Bidwill's passion doesnt match mine.

It is clear that you have lost your passion, which is the sad part. If you don't enjoy the game / team anymore...life is just too short.

Winning is hard in this league and a new stadium does not mean wins; ask Jerry and Wade.

I will not complain about the last two years at all! But as much as I enjoyed the dream-run to the Superbowl, and know we played well enough to win it, and that I watched it with my son (who became a die-hard fan in the last few years along with MANY others), there was something about being one of the "thirty-thousand" in SDS during the dark days.

It was hard to be a fan then, in the dark days. Sure, there was KOC, the Avengers and the NEZ; they always showed and cheered and laughed and jeered and cried and enjoyed the momement as one of the die-hards. Losing was a art-form then; nothing to be proud of...but we were still proud. What were we proud of??? Why, of having our own team, our own place, our own NEZ...

Fast forward to today and I can only feel surrounded by riches. The coaching staff we have now compared to what we had then??? Starwars to Stonhenge. The players? We have a ton of talent, enough that we are competative without even an average QB!

An finally, we have our nest, this is were the real difference lies. I don't mean just the cash-flow and the wonderfuly comfortable enviroment to watch football (seems sacreligious after the physical price we payed to watch it in SDS); the part that makes our nest wonderful is the way it sells out for every game with screaming, passoniate CARDINAL fans making it one of the most hostile places to play in the NFL.

The Cardinals are a great team to cheer for; you can be proud of them, players, coaches and ownership. They are a top-class act in the valley with their (unadvertised) charity work. The fact they don't win all the time? Pffffttt.

 

[THESMEL]

how about the vikings total yardage? Or Career day passing for the all time leader in passing at 41 years old with a broke ankle and a broke jaw.

How about I think we declined in every NFL ranking except return TD's again this week?

worst offense, passing, rushing
worst defenses passing, rushing,
special teams are feast or famine, with how many great plays destroyed by mistakes?

Please show me I'm wrong, please put me out of my fanatic misery.

 

[Duckjake]

The Cardinals are a great team to cheer for; you can be proud of them, players, coaches and ownership. They are a top-class act in the valley with their (unadvertised) charity work. The fact they don't win all the time? Pffffttt.

So in reality you just like having a cool place to go hang out with your friends.

That there is an NFL football game going on is secondary.

I can relate to that. It's why I play golf. I get to go to a cool place and hang out with my friends. Actually beating the Golf Course is secondary.

 

[john h]

You're right that this is not a good team this year - but I'm certainly not surprised how you consistently must add Bidwill to your rants. After all these many years, you got to let it go that he left MO for AZ

One cannot look at the futility of the Cardinal organization and not recognize the part that the Bidwills have played in it since as long as I have watched them (since 1944). They have been known among all fans for the most part as being cheap. It is their legacy and with it comes our record of total futility. We are the oldest team in the league and surely the worst in the past 100 years. This is no accident. The only common denominator is ownership. Will the family turn this team around? The acorn does not fall far from the tree. The new management with the son running the team has at least got us a new stadium but not with his own money. He is smarter than Mr. B without doubt but just how smart is he when it comes to organizational matters. Why is Rod Graves still here? With his history every team in the league would have fired him. We have run off some good coaches and some good players. Next up is Larry Fitzgerald. Whiz seems to be the kicking boy at the moment. We got lucky when we got Kurt Warner. Other teams thought he was over the hill. We did not get him because of the brilliance of our GM or ownership. We are what we are this year and that is a bad team for obvious reasons we have beat to death. How dumb can we be thinking that Hall would be our QBOTF. There was nothing to suggest anything close to that. He will be out of the NFL in a year most likely. He will not be on our team.

 

[john h]

Plese feel free to provide alternative explanations of the points I raised. I desperately want the Big Red to be a franchise I can be proud of like in 74-76 and woud do anything to make it happen like sign McNabb if I owned the team. I dont believe Bidwill has that same passion for his team. Otherwise it would kill him to have them be an embarrassment all these years. I thought after 08 with finally a real NFL stadium the corner had been turned and Bidwill really did want to win but had been hamstrung by the stadium. After this season I know Bidwill's passion doesnt match mine.

Good post and likely true. It would be nice if the financial books were open to the public like publicly held companies are. We could certainly find out a lot of truths or myths about the Cardinals being cheap. Being a team held by one family these are not open to scrutiny. I think the Packers books would be open as the Packers are publicly owned.