When I was 8 years old my dad picked me up from school one day. (This was a very odd occurance because my dad owned his own business and was NEVER home early enough to pick me up from school.) I was so excited as I climbed into his truck, closed the door and gave him a hug. I looked at him and he had this strange smile on his face, this excited look I'd really never seen on my dad before.
"Guess what?" He asked
"You bought me a motorcycle?" I said, lol seriously, I'd really been wanting a motorcycle.
"NO silly boy, I told you no motorcycle it's too dangerous, besides, this is wayyy better than a motorcycle."
I was slightly bummed but still intrigued and excited (because he was clearly excited).
"Son, the St. Louis Cardinals are moving their football team to Arizona. They are going to play in Sun Devil Stadium! Isn't that cool?"
"So we're gonna have our own team here like the suns?" I asked
"Exactly!"
"Sweet Dad that's soo cool do you think we can go to a game?" I asked excitedly
"No son, we cant go to a game... We're going to ALL the games, I just put us on the list for season tickets!!!"
"So what does that mean? You get to go to every game?"
"EVERY game!"
"Holy crap that's awesome when is the first one???"
"About 4 months away in September."
"Crap, that's like FOREVER Daad!"
5 Years later, thanksgiving dinner with family 1993, watching the Cowboys play the Dolphins. (Brother in law is a huge, fat, obnoxious Cowgirl fan or FOCF)
FOCF:
"Hey there Bert, you need to take off that Cardinal jersey when ur in my house boy. We root for the Cowboys here son." He said
I swear, I stood up tall, right in front of Uncle Kev and said: "I would rather stick the carcus of that turkey up my butt than root for the stupid cowboys!!!"
I really think I would have been grounded for that comment, the whole room went silent and everyone looked at me shocked, but then, LEON LETT saved the day!
"OH NO THE COWBOYS FUMBLE!! AND THE DOLPHINS HAVE IT. I CANT BELIEVE IT LEON LETT TOUCHED THE BLOCKED FG AND THE DOLPHINS HAVE IT!"
Everyone forgot about my little comment after that. Thanks Leon!
ok
2 Years later 1997, Jr. High; Jimmy Bleamer, Bill fan says;
"Bert, give me a break with that Cardinals shirt dude, you're not still supporting those losers are you? They dont even have their own stadium! hahaha"
"Shutup Jimmy! You'll see, our year is coming! My dad takes me to every game and you'll be sorry you weren't there someday! It's the coolest thing ever, we hang out with friends before, and barbeque and play football in the parking lot"
"Ya then you go in the stadim and watch a crappy team get beat every week, wow, sounds like a blast."
2 years later 1999, Grocery store checker:
"Awe so you're a cardinals fan huh kid? Too bad they're gonna get killed by the Cowboys in the wild card!"
"Ya we'll see, you cowboy fans are always too cocky. My dad tells me not to be cocky cuz cocky people LOSE!" I said, indignantly.
"Your dad must be a Cardinal fan too kid!"
(fast forward 2 days as I returned triumphantly!)
"WOO HOOO, HOW BOUT THEM CARDINALS!!!" I shouted across the store.
(this memory marks the first time I can recall a grown man giving me the BIRD. lol)
Years Between:
Every year I'd sit and watch the NFC Championship. It was always either Dallas or San Francisco, or both. Every year. I'd watch with limited interest, dreaming of a day, some sweet day when MY team, ME AND MY DAD's TEAM. The Cardinals, would play in the NFC Championship. "Its the game that takes you to the superbowl..." My dad always said.
2006 Monday Night Football - Leaving the stadium after the Bearbacle:
"Son, we might need to give some serious thought to getting rid of these tickets. I just dont think the Cardinals are every going to turn the corner. I want to believe, but I just dont know anymore."
"Dad, that was a tough loss, but you're crazy. We cant get rid of our tickets, seriously. After all we've been through! They are gonna turn it around dad I promise, come on, 2 more years that's all I ask. (ALERT I SWEAR I ACTUALLY DID UTTER THIS EXACT PHRASE) If the Cardinals aren't in the NFC Championship game by 2009 you can get rid of the tickets and I'll just get some on my own."
And now here we are.
I walked up to my dad tonight, said, big guy, can we Keep the tickets now?
"What are you talkin about there's no way were getting rid of them those are OUR seats!" and we hugged,,, yaya I know cornball, piss off!
I'm a happy guy. When I think of the Cardinals, I think of my dad. This has been a long time coming, and I'm so thrilled!
Sorry for the long post, just wanted to share on this special day. WE ARE IN THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME YOU GUYS!! WOO HOO, CHERISH IT, dont take any of this for granted!
GO CARDINALS!!! Love you guys
"Guess what?" He asked
"You bought me a motorcycle?" I said, lol seriously, I'd really been wanting a motorcycle.
"NO silly boy, I told you no motorcycle it's too dangerous, besides, this is wayyy better than a motorcycle."
I was slightly bummed but still intrigued and excited (because he was clearly excited).
"Son, the St. Louis Cardinals are moving their football team to Arizona. They are going to play in Sun Devil Stadium! Isn't that cool?"
"So we're gonna have our own team here like the suns?" I asked
"Exactly!"
"Sweet Dad that's soo cool do you think we can go to a game?" I asked excitedly
"No son, we cant go to a game... We're going to ALL the games, I just put us on the list for season tickets!!!"
"So what does that mean? You get to go to every game?"
"EVERY game!"
"Holy crap that's awesome when is the first one???"
"About 4 months away in September."
"Crap, that's like FOREVER Daad!"
5 Years later, thanksgiving dinner with family 1993, watching the Cowboys play the Dolphins. (Brother in law is a huge, fat, obnoxious Cowgirl fan or FOCF)
FOCF:
"Hey there Bert, you need to take off that Cardinal jersey when ur in my house boy. We root for the Cowboys here son." He said
I swear, I stood up tall, right in front of Uncle Kev and said: "I would rather stick the carcus of that turkey up my butt than root for the stupid cowboys!!!"
I really think I would have been grounded for that comment, the whole room went silent and everyone looked at me shocked, but then, LEON LETT saved the day!
"OH NO THE COWBOYS FUMBLE!! AND THE DOLPHINS HAVE IT. I CANT BELIEVE IT LEON LETT TOUCHED THE BLOCKED FG AND THE DOLPHINS HAVE IT!"
Everyone forgot about my little comment after that. Thanks Leon!
ok
2 Years later 1997, Jr. High; Jimmy Bleamer, Bill fan says;
"Bert, give me a break with that Cardinals shirt dude, you're not still supporting those losers are you? They dont even have their own stadium! hahaha"
"Shutup Jimmy! You'll see, our year is coming! My dad takes me to every game and you'll be sorry you weren't there someday! It's the coolest thing ever, we hang out with friends before, and barbeque and play football in the parking lot"
"Ya then you go in the stadim and watch a crappy team get beat every week, wow, sounds like a blast."
2 years later 1999, Grocery store checker:
"Awe so you're a cardinals fan huh kid? Too bad they're gonna get killed by the Cowboys in the wild card!"
"Ya we'll see, you cowboy fans are always too cocky. My dad tells me not to be cocky cuz cocky people LOSE!" I said, indignantly.
"Your dad must be a Cardinal fan too kid!"
(fast forward 2 days as I returned triumphantly!)
"WOO HOOO, HOW BOUT THEM CARDINALS!!!" I shouted across the store.
(this memory marks the first time I can recall a grown man giving me the BIRD. lol)
Years Between:
Every year I'd sit and watch the NFC Championship. It was always either Dallas or San Francisco, or both. Every year. I'd watch with limited interest, dreaming of a day, some sweet day when MY team, ME AND MY DAD's TEAM. The Cardinals, would play in the NFC Championship. "Its the game that takes you to the superbowl..." My dad always said.
2006 Monday Night Football - Leaving the stadium after the Bearbacle:
"Son, we might need to give some serious thought to getting rid of these tickets. I just dont think the Cardinals are every going to turn the corner. I want to believe, but I just dont know anymore."
"Dad, that was a tough loss, but you're crazy. We cant get rid of our tickets, seriously. After all we've been through! They are gonna turn it around dad I promise, come on, 2 more years that's all I ask. (ALERT I SWEAR I ACTUALLY DID UTTER THIS EXACT PHRASE) If the Cardinals aren't in the NFC Championship game by 2009 you can get rid of the tickets and I'll just get some on my own."
And now here we are.
I walked up to my dad tonight, said, big guy, can we Keep the tickets now?
"What are you talkin about there's no way were getting rid of them those are OUR seats!" and we hugged,,, yaya I know cornball, piss off!
I'm a happy guy. When I think of the Cardinals, I think of my dad. This has been a long time coming, and I'm so thrilled!
Sorry for the long post, just wanted to share on this special day. WE ARE IN THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME YOU GUYS!! WOO HOO, CHERISH IT, dont take any of this for granted!
GO CARDINALS!!! Love you guys
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