Pej3 article on the 2008 Arizona Cardinals: NFC West Champions

December 8, 2008

Arizona Cardinals, friends and family, guest writers

The Cardinals are Good
By Pej3
December8, 2008

2008-2009 NFC West Division Champions – Arizona Cardinals. Wow. I can’t believe I am saying those words, and it actually happened! My usual prediction of “Cards 2 Super Bowl in xxxx” actually has a chance of coming true this year! Usually, my prediction is off by the 3rd week of the season. How did we get here? How are the Cardinals 8-5 at this point in the season? How are the Cardinals going to be HOSTING a playoff game? This is unreal. I still don’t believe it.

Before we can understand the magnitude of the situation, we need to take a look back at some Cardinals history. I will focus on the history of the Cardinals since I began to follow them in 1994, the beginning of “Buddy Ball.” From 1994-2007, the combined record of the Cardinals was 73-135. Of the 73 games they won, 6 of them were by more than 14 points. Pretty much every game they have won over the past 14 years was a nail biter, and it cut 3-4 years off of my life. They finished in last or 2nd to last, 11 of those 14 years. They have had a winning record 1 time, the year they beat the Cowboys in the playoffs. Truly, they are one of the worst franchises in sports history. But, at least you can’t accuse me of being a front-runner. The worst part of all of the losing was that every year, they would provide us hope only to be crushed by another 31-3 defeat. I would be so excited for the season to start because “this is the year they are going to turn it around.”

But, my patience and perseverance have paid off. The Cardinals have finally turned it around. By jove, they are GOOD! They aren’t winning games by luck; they are dominating them. Even the handful of games they have lost, they easily could, maybe even should have, won 3 of them. Now, let’s examine the current accomplishments of this season. Through the first 13 games of this miracle season, the Cardinals have won by more than 14 points 4 times, they may potentially have more blowouts this year than over the past 14 years combined! They have won their division for the first time since the mid-1970’s. They will be hosting a playoff game for the first time since 1947! Is this a joke? This year marks the first time the Cardinals started the season 2-0 since 1991! Kurt Warner is doing better this year than in his MVP season with the Rams! They are the 3rd highest scoring team in the NFL, and they are the 2nd highest passing team.

The Cardinals are the division champions. It still sounds awkward to me. We’ve come a long way from “Cruddy Ball” to “Eon of the Simeon” to Jake “The Snake” Plummer to Joke Misablocka. We finally have a legitimate team. We finally have a winner. 14
years in the making and all I gotta say is “I told you so.”

Is this the year that I finally light myself on fire after the Cardinals win the Super Bowl? Who knows…but whatever happens from now to the rest of the season, I do know that this has been the greatest year ever in Cardinals history.