Just let it sink in...

[dreamcastrocks]

Ditto. While it's nice we're having a good season, it all means crap is we don't win the Super Bowl. Simply going isn't going to cut it. We went when it was painfully obvious we weren't a Super Bowl caliber team. Anything can happen in the playoffs. A lot of work has to be done. Now we get to rest up before travelling east for the biggest game since 2009. But in the end, I would like to see a championship before I die. I root for 4 teams, 1 each in the 4 'major' sports and all of them have championships in my lifetime except the Cards. Hell, even the AFL Soul have a title. But this version of the Cards are the first version that are literal contenders but now we need to close the deal.

Buzz kill

Total buzz kill and kinda right at the same time. We haven't had a team this good, well ever. Even in the Superbowl season, we were great on offense and terrible on defense. This team right now is good enough to beat any team on any field, neutral or no. We can't let this opportunity slip.

I have been a fan of this team my whole life and it was painful following this team through the 90s and early to mid 2000s. However, I wore it like a badge of honor though to still support this team that continually were so bad year after year.

 

[Redneck Voodoo]

Tremendous post. The craziest part for me is my state of mind now while watching the games. For decades, every snap of the game was me on the edge of my seat praying not to get sacked (again) or not to get beat deep (again). Heaven forbid we actually had the lead late, when the overwhelming sense of dread would come in the form of "which unique way are we going to blow this game today"?

But these days? No matter what bad thing might happen in a game, there is just this complete sense of calmness. "That's ok, we will make a play when we need it most and win." It's just weird, but I really love this feeling! Please never go away, unexpected relaxed demeanor version of me.

Thank you Michael Bidwill, Steve Keim, and Bruce Arians - you probably gave me back a few years on the back end of this journey! Go Cards!

I feel the same way. I'm calm through the whole game, knowing (believing) it's going to go our way in the end.

Also, great post, Bert!

 

[Cheesebeef]

Tremendous post. The craziest part for me is my state of mind now while watching the games. For decades, every snap of the game was me on the edge of my seat praying not to get sacked (again) or not to get beat deep (again). Heaven forbid we actually had the lead late, when the overwhelming sense of dread would come in the form of "which unique way are we going to blow this game today"?

But these days? No matter what bad thing might happen in a game, there is just this complete sense of calmness. "That's ok, we will make a play when we need it most and win." It's just weird, but I really love this feeling! Please never go away, unexpected relaxed demeanor version of me.

Thank you Michael Bidwill, Steve Keim, and Bruce Arians - you probably gave me back a few years on the back end of this journey! Go Cards!

I still have bad feelings every once and again, but I'm mostly with ya. There's just a sense of calm, fun... actual ENJOYMENT watching this team. I think I've only really yelled and screamed for a good portion of the game once this season and that was during the meltdown against Seattle... but was then screaming when we came back. But it's really nice not feeling like a roided up caged animal watching these games this year.

 

[Hollywood]

Sorry. This isnt a big deal to me anymore. The 'same old cardinals' died years ago.

This was sent from my cell pjone so please excise any typeos or other errors.

 

[JCSunsfan]

I still have bad feelings every once and again, but I'm mostly with ya. There's just a sense of calm, fun... actual ENJOYMENT watching this team. I think I've only really yelled and screamed for a good portion of the game once this season and that was during the meltdown against Seattle... but was then screaming when we came back. But it's really nice not feeling like a roided up caged animal watching these games this year.

Me too. Even the last drive last night. My daughter was sitting there and I said, "We are going to get an interception here." I was wrong. It was a fumble instead. The thing is that I am EXPECTING good things now. In the past, I could not enjoy the good things because I was expecting bad things.

"Yeah, they scored, but they left 50 seconds on the clock. I wonder how they will blow it this time."

I find it mystifying how people can be disappointed with this win. The freaking Cardinals are 11-2! Even when they have bad games, they find a way to win.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Me too. Even the last drive last night. My daughter was sitting there and I said, "We are going to get an interception here." I was wrong. It was a fumble instead. The thing is that I am EXPECTING good things now. In the past, I could not enjoy the good things because I was expecting bad things.

"Yeah, they scored, but they left 50 seconds on the clock. I wonder how they will blow it this time."

I find it mystifying how people can be disappointed with this win. The freaking Cardinals are 11-2! Even when they have bad games, they find a way to win.

I think people underestimated Minnesota and their 8-4 coming in.

 

[DeAnna]

Enjoy the ride.

 

[Bert]

Haha glad some people were on board with this. I dont drink, but I think my Blood Koolaid Level was like 40% last night when the legal limit is .08. lol I just cant help getting sentimental with this team. The Cardinals mean a lot to me.

GO CARDINALS!!!

 

[Cardiac]

I still have bad feelings every once and again, but I'm mostly with ya. There's just a sense of calm, fun... actual ENJOYMENT watching this team. I think I've only really yelled and screamed for a good portion of the game once this season and that was during the meltdown against Seattle... but was then screaming when we came back. But it's really nice not feeling like a roided up caged animal watching these games this year.

This is more where I am at this point. I will at times let doubt slip but the vast majority of the time I expect us to win.

 

[NeverSayDieFan]

Completely nailed it, Bert...

I came home tonight to say something similar and I think you said it EVEN better! WELL DONE! I get the...We have to win it all-mantra...BUT, man this is...AWESOME!!

At some point we will WIN! Maybe even this year!

But, here's to enjoyin' the ride!

Mark Bleedin' Cardinal red since 67'


BASKING...It's a Cardinal-thing!

 

[Cardiac]

This is more where I am at this point. I will at times let doubt slip but the vast majority of the time I expect us to win.

Oh, and I'm a goofus jerk, great post Bert. It is truly wonderful/amazing/inspiring and in some way inconceivable that the team I rooted for since 1974 has become one of the top NFL franchises.

Go Cardinals.

 

[NYCARDS]

Great post. Onnly Cardinal fans can truly appreciate this post and what this era means.

 

[Iceman]

Have always been proud to wear Cardinals gear from the day they got here. Now it just feels really good to put on a Cards shirt, etc. and now expect to win every weekend instead of hoping for a miracle. These past few years (the last 2 years and the super bowl team) have been so exciting and enjoyable. Would love to go on a 13 game win streak and hold up the Lombardi trophy at the end. This team is beyond capable!

 

[perivolaki]

I still have bad feelings every once and again, but I'm mostly with ya. There's just a sense of calm, fun... actual ENJOYMENT watching this team. I think I've only really yelled and screamed for a good portion of the game once this season and that was during the meltdown against Seattle... but was then screaming when we came back. But it's really nice not feeling like a roided up caged animal watching these games this year.

It's funny you mention that. I was listening to "Moving the Chains" on NFL radio and a guy called in and said he wanted to talk about his teams fans holiday tradition. Said he was a Lions fan and the holiday tradition was looking ahead to next year.

It made me laugh but it made me appreciate what we have because we were just like that guy. For many years our holiday tradition was thinking about next year.

We are so lucky.

 

[TheHopToad]

Great post.

This season has been a big challenge for me as a fan. I honestly don't know how to reconcile my feelings. It's quite evident that this is top to bottom the best Cardinal team ever, at least during my lifetime, and I'm getting pretty old. Great offense, great defense...just an elite team all around.

That said, I have to say that it still doesn't compare to the feelings, emotions, and excitement I felt through the 2008 season and during the playoffs that followed. I have all four of our postseason games from that year on DVD and it's one of my off season rituals to go back and watch them again to get back in the mood (along with the Green Bay OT win in 2010). I still haven't felt like that about this year's Cards, even though I know they are a significantly better team.

It really comes down to expectations. Nobody thought the 2008 team would even come close to what they did and most of us were ecstatic that they even made the playoffs at 9-7. This year, we know they are that good and merely making the playoffs isn't good enough.

I was just 11 when the Suns made the NBA Finals in 1976, but I still remember the excitement and emotions of that postseason. They were 42-40 that year and had no business making the Finals and playing the mighty Celtics. But they did and that was more than good enough. Now along came the 1992-93 Suns team and they were significantly better in every way, and had the best record in the league. But they damn near lost in the first round to the Lakers and ended up losing to the Bulls in the Finals in heartbreaking fashion. It was a sour experience, because I had higher expectations (and let's not even talk about the 2006-07 Suns).

I'm optimistic about this years Cardinals, but I'm proceeding with caution. I don't want to be a buzzkill either, but I have that feeling that nothing less than the Lombardi Trophy will make me as excited as I was in January 2009, and I don't know if I will be re-watching our playoff run five years from now if it doesn't end with a ring. And that kinda sucks, because this team is worth celebrating as an all-time franchise best.

So let's just win the damn thing and keep me out of therapy....

 

[ajcardfan]

I had always thought that I would die right before the Cardinals win the Super Bowl.

So, it looks like I have less than two months to live.

 

[babedimancheff]

I had always thought that I would die right before the Cardinals win the Super Bowl.

So, it looks like I have less than two months to live.

dont associate your life span to tv entertainment

 

[CardNots]

I had always thought that I would die right before the Cardinals win the Super Bowl.

So, it looks like I have less than two months to live.

+1

 

[Jaccoob]

I remember being in Texas stadium when the Jake plummer led cardinals won there first playoff game in forever and thought too myself it could get no better......boy was I wrong lol

 

[MrYeahBut]

dont associate your life span to tv entertainment

Let me give you some advice... don't give advice..

 

[MrYeahBut]

Hop Toad,

Dude, at 50 you don't know what old is.

 

[SO91]

Great post Bert. Enjoy it, treasure it, and don't let the expectations of a trophy define your enjoyment of the season. I saw some posts from Patriots fans somewhere else and they said something along the lines of "they're feeling how we felt back in the late 90s and early 00s" when they went from a laughing stock of a franchise to what we know today. They also wanted to enjoy the journey we're going through now, instead of the Super Bowl or bust mentality many of their fans have.

I don't know how to feel about you cutting off the greatest gif ever made BTW. No hand waving, and no leg kick at the end?!?! Shame on you!

You must be registered for see images

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Said Cardinals coach Bruce Arians of clinching a playoff spot, “Somebody texted me, ‘Hey, you punched your ticket.’ I said, ‘Yeah, we’re trying to upgrade to first class.'”

 

[RugbyMuffin]

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+1

All I ever wanted was the Cardinals to be competitive. So that I got a good football game to watch on Sundays.

The last few seasons have been so much fun to watch. The fact they are one of the best teams in the league right now? Yeah, pretty surreal, its a long way from Jeff Blake.

 

[AZCrazy]

This has been a particularly satisfying run recently, coming directly off of three consecutive seasons with massive losing streaks instantly into three consecutive seasons of increasing double digit wins. Wasn't but a few months ago we were 5-11.

The Stadium
Michael's emergence
Keim
Arians

and this group of players that to a man are unified and respectable.