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Thought I'd plug my hometown Cardinals again. This article is from the main sports columnist for 'The Arizona Republic', the biggest newspaper of Arizona. I think it's going to be in Monday's paper. It sums up what it's like to be a Cardinals fan, and how big this is for the team.

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/DanBickley/43229

I was able to get tickets for next week's game. I can't believe it.

End fanboy hype....Jason

Re: NFL talk
 

A Steelers/Eagles Super Bowl would be the most fun match up, but I'd like to see the Cardinals get in just for the hell of it. But it'll probably be an all PA match-up. I don't see the Eagles being caught with their pants down like the Panthers were nor do I see the Ravens matching up offensively with the Steelers.

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Forget about all of the end-of-the-world predictions for 2012. We're not going to make it. Just think, we're only two games away from the phrase: "Super Bowl Champion Arizona Cardinals."

I would love to see them win just for fun.

Stump-Your-Friends Trivia!

What's the oldest team in the NFL?
It's not the Bears or the Packers. It's the Cardinals. Even before joining a league that would eventually become the NFL in 1920, the Cardinals date back to 1898. They were originally called the Racine Cardinals, and not for Racine, Wisconsin, but I guess for Racine Street on Chicago's south side. Later they played at Comiskey Park while the Bears played at Wrigley Field. (Sox and Cubs is too much, I can't imagine Chicago still having two football teams.)

Why are they called the Cardinals?
It way pre-dates their days in St. Louis:
"In 1901, the team gained longstanding identification when O'Brien, finding a bargain, bought used jerseys from the nearby University of Chicago. The jerseys were faded maroon in color, prompting O'Brien to declare, "That's not maroon, it's Cardinal red!" The club's permanent nickname had been born!"

http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl.../cardschi.html

What school did the first Heisman Trophy winner attend?
The University of Chicago (1935). Then they had the first controlled atomic reaction underneath the football stadium bleachers, later demolished the stadium to build a library, and won like 50 Nobel Prizes. And 1 Heisman Trophy.

Ok, I'm done for now.

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I'm prowd to be from Pittsburgh today. Steelers played an inspired game to make it to the SuperBowl.
And, big congrats to the Cardinals, for shocking everyone again! Should be a fun SB in 2 weeks!

(Go Steelers!)

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Wow, I am really rooting for the Cards now - it is hard to forget how many points they have given up this season and how awful they have been running (and really still are), but they got it together and very nearly put the game away by the half. The fact they were able to put together a game-winning drive when all the momentum was on the other side was amazing. Kurt Warner is playing better than anyone right now - I think he deserved MVP (in retrospect), as this team would simply not work without him. (ok, it is the same with Manning, but the Cards pulled off THREE upsets - that is really saying something) Plus, he seems like a good guy as well...he even promised his family a puppy if he won the Super Bowl, how great is that?

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Well, Obama promised a puppy to his kids if he won the presidency, so if it worked for him, I can't see why it wouldn't work for Warner and the Cardinals! Sorry, holden, the Cards win! :D

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I like both teams, but I'm not sure I see the Cardinals doing a whole lot to the Steelers defense. They are sooo good... my two cents. They time blitz' extremely well and even McGahee's good pass protection pick-ups couldn't prevent all that pressure. Then again, Kurt Warner is great against the blitz and he won't make as many mistakes as the rookie Flacco.

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This is a big factor. Flacco did look pretty inexperienced out there against a great defense. Warner really did make the Eagles pay for blitzing him yesterday and hopefully he can do it in 2 weeks. I know the Steelers are generally favored, but I think the fact that the Cardinals pulled off three consecutive upsets in the playoffs is huge. We all know what the 10-6 Giants did last year.

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Since I might be the only semi-regular Dirty member from Phoenix, yesterday at the game was the loudest event I have ever, ever, ever been to. Jet engine level noise is the only way to describe it.

I maybe only 99% percent sure there is a God, but I am 100% sure there is a Kurt Warner.

The Cardinals coaches have gigantic balls to call a flea-flicker play like that. That never worked in grade school for me.

Jason

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So what are people's projections for the Super Bowl on Sunday?

34 - 24 Cardinals is mine. I have no idea why, just a hunch that Arizona's incredible run continues.

Jason

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Okay, so the native Pittsburgher in me is permitted, nay, required to shout: "YEAH, STEELERS!"

But what a game that was for both teams! Not decided until the final minute, with amazing, big plays from both squads.

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can't believe for the second year in a row, the go ahead score came with only 35 seconds left in the game. Sick game. Loved it.

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Fantastic game...didn't think the Steelers would pull it out after blowing their lead. But Santonio made some great hands plays and finally made himself worthy of the mid first round pick they used to get him.

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The best part was the fact that he let a first-down TD slip through his hands, the play before.

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All I wanted was a game that was exciting until the very end. That wish was fulfilled. And what a strange game. A 100-yard interception return as time ran out in the half (that play made/ruined many a Super Bowl squares game). And the offensive holding safety call, several critical and reviewable plays, amazing catches, topped off by Santonio Holmes' ridiculous two-foot dragger under triple-coverage. The most disappointing part of the Super Bowl was the commercials. I wanted the Cardinals to win, just to see them win it for the first time. But as strange as it is to see the 9-7! Cardinals in the Super Bowl, I feel like if they can keep their team together, they could be a contender for a while.

See you in 6 months.

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I thought a night of sleep might take out some of the sting, but dammit it still is gut wrenching today. I know the Cardinals were not predicted to make it this far, but hell, if you get to the Super Bowl, you might as well win it.

I thought after making some dumb penalties, giving up the INT TD return, falling behind 13, and seriously suspect officiating, the Cardinals STILL took the lead with 2:37 to go. But the Steelers made the plays, so props to them. Except for James Harrison...that guy is a prick.

The Cardinals will be back...they have too many badasses to not keep being successful: Darnell Dockett, Karlos Dansby and Adrian Wilson on Defense. Plus Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie looks like the real deal at corner after just his rookie year. I hope they can mend fences with Anquan Boldin.


Then there is Larry Fitzgerald. I like to call him 'Spiderman'.



--Jason in Phoenix

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Yeah, I thought the officiating was kind of bad too. I don't think the refs were biased but it seemed all the dubious calls were against the Cardinals. James Harrison's 100-yard TAINT should have been looked at closer - I just do not see him evading that many tackles without some kind of defensive holding or clipping, and it really did look like he was stopped an inch short. But there was not really enough evidence either way, so whatever was called on the field was going to stand.

Second half, it seemed like the Cardinals were called for some ridiculous things, including at least one holding call that was very dubious, and a weak "roughing the passer" that simply was a product of momentum. You can't expect these huge guys to stop on a dime! Meanwhile the Steelers are getting called for "unnecessary roughness", which was more like assault! I can't believe Harrison didn't get thrown out. And since they were pinned against their own 2, it was only a 1-yard penalty. And what about that last play? It's a close call, but it looked like a forward pass to me. I don't see why more people aren't questioning that - the way it ended was shady and easily could have been overturned.

Either way it was a great game...I wonder if the Cards will play this well in 2009?

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Teams that make it to, and lose the super bowl, generally aren't that great the next year. Its physically and emotionally draining...

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Maybe true, I haven't really thought of that. I do remember however the Bears got trounced under Rex Grossman people could not believe the next year that Rex got the team to the Super Bowl. Hopefully the Cards will not be forgotten - their division is weak and they could easily make another playoff appearance, unless the Seahawks suddenly have a resurgence (which is entirely possible).

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The officiating wasn't that bad. The roughing the passer penalty aside (it was close), the calls were generally pretty good and they let the teams smack each other around a bit when the whistles blew. The last play was close but I thought it was a forward pass, also. Doesn't really matter, though, there wasn't going to be any miracle on that play, not with Pittsburgh playing 8 at the goal line.

And yeah, there is a Madden-esque curse on teams that lose the Super Bowl. The Giants took a step back after the '01 bowl, the Rams after the '02 bowl, the Bucs after the '03 bowl, I mean...look at the list...Panthers, Eagles, Seahawks, Bears, hell even the Patriots last year. All of these teams have something happen during the next season that sinks them. It it bad play? Injuries? Who knows...these teams, lately, haven't even made it back to the playoffs the next year.

For the Cardinals? Well, it might be Kurt Warner retiring.

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Hey, let's not forget the Bills, they made the Super Bowl 3 more times after they lost it ;)

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Yeah, and notice after Norwood's miss they never came close to winning another one. ;)

The AFC wasn't that deep back then and the Bills were loaded with Hall of Famers. Their chief rivals were the Bengals and, after their one shot at the big game, they never threatened to make it back.

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I didn't want to seem like I was partly blaming the refs for Arizona losing...the refs were just more involved than should be needed.

It will be very tough for both teams to get back to the Super Bowl next season. Recently, even some of the winners don't fair well.

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It looks like Pittsburgh is going to be a great team for the next couple of years, at least. It's not as though the SB teams are falling off the map...the Giants did very well, and the Colts shook a shaky start to make the playoffs, and the Pats are pretty much always good (at least, this decade). I predict the Steelers make the playoffs and go fairly deep.

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If I correctly read a stat that I saw on TV last night, and I think I did, the last Super Bowl losing team to win a playoff game the following year was the 1972 Miami Dolphins. What a staggering statistic! (I'm trying to find this online; I caught a snippet about it on ESPN last night. I may be wrong but again, don't think so.)

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Nah, the Buffalo Bills went to 4 Super Bowls in a row, so there's that for ya.

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BTW the '72 Dolphins went undefeated that year and they won the Super Bowl :D

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I totally missed this thread.

I grew up on Bills football. You have to admit that the record of reaching 4 Super Bowls in a row (furthermore, to lose all of them) is unlikely to be broken. I bought a Super Bowl XXV t-shirt in a thrift store once. And one of my fantasy teams is named "Norwood All-Stars.

But I don't think the AFC was that weak back then. Yeah, the Patriots were garbage, but there were always teams like Miami, Denver, and Houston ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Com...ican_football) ) who later got their revenge ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_City_Miracle ). The NFC was much better then, but I think that was the glory days of quarterbacks. Elway, Kelly, Montana, Young, Aikman, Marino, Esiason, all of those guys were studs. Now you have your Favre's and Mannings and Bradys, but those older guys to me seem like classic quaterbacks.

Also, even last year I was thinking this, but the idea of the AFC as totally superior to the NFC is no longer true, and the tides are changing.

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