That Bird: A Tribute to The Arizona Cardinals

Last year was a great season for the Arizona Cardinals, there's no denying that. The stars aligned, passes were made, interceptions were kept to a minimum and somehow the 'Cards got all the way to the big game and, well, lost to the Steelers.

The loss at the Super Bowl aside, the Cardinals did some damage last year and really turned some heads in the NFC West as well as the whole NFL.

My favorite part by far was the reaction on some websites, on the tongues of my friends and in emails sent by angry family members.

That. Bird.

Yes, that bird. As in, "that bird just beat up on the Panthers," or "that bird is ACTUALLY doing something in the playoffs! Screw me sideways and call me Bessie!"

What my family/friends/enemies were referring to of course was not the team themselves but the logo of the Arizona Cardinals that they saw on Sports Center or newscasts after the game.  As we all know, before this season who the heck cared about the Cardinals?

You know the logo I'm talking about—the glorious red cardinal head, its eyes slightly inferring anger upon the masses of enemies before it. That was the face of anger and death the nation saw after the Cardinals picked off team after team in the playoffs like berries off of a small tree.

The crimson crow of death that was Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Kurt Warner. How they fought their way up the ladder to glory in the NFC West to become NFC Champs.

That. Bird.

Yes, yes! That bird was mine. Just as strong as Cinnicnati's "Who Dey?" or Stone Cold's "WHAT?" That Bird had become the international sign for anger among anti-Cardinal fans. On websites across the land I saw those two words posted among anger and resentment as teams bit the dust left and right to the 'Cards.

"That bird is the biggest fluke in the game, NFL IS RIGGED," said one passer by.

"THAT BIRD MAKES ME WANT TO KILL EVERYONE IN ARIZONA," a crazed Panthers fan said.

Oh how it was sweet music to my ears to hear anger and resentment at the fall of the Cardinals! After years of torment for defending the NFC West as a whole I could watch the boys from 'Zona fight their way to the top and make a mockery of everyone else.

Every dog has its day. And some days it's that bird.

But now we must hope that they will go somewhere this year, for we must remember that even though the Cardinals did well last season, this season is always ripe for fail. We must hope for the best.

Or we might just be saying "That Bird."

Sean Ahern is a contributing writer for SportInformant.com and keeps a blog at Single/White/Geek