The 2009 Cardinals Should Not Be The "Same Ole Cardinals" Should They?

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In 1988 when the Cardinals came to town, they were known as the Phoenix Cardinals. It was nice to have a NFL team in town. Sun Devil Stadium became home, and not too long after that the questions about what did we got as a team were main stream media. Now 21 years later the Cardinals play in the Super Bowl for the first time in their history. Great, right?

Well while making my picks for week 8, I came to the Panther, Cardinal game. Let’s see they are home, and they played well in week 7 and actually beat the Big Dogs of the NFC EAST. They have a 9 point spread, There is no way in hell I am picking the Cardinals to win by 9, let alone win. This is their history…show up one week die the next.

When the Cardinal have been favored by more then 7 points, I get leery of picking them, and then I doubt if they will at all. Week 8 proved me right as well as many weeks just like week 8.

As I sit and think about this game, they get their butts handed to them by an inferior team after beating a superior Giants team, I can not get one phrase out of my head. Same ole’ Cardinals. Same ole’ Cardinals was a phrase that was used widely on the Arizona airwaves, and in The East Valley Tribune, and Arizona Republic. Each year they would do that traditional 1-4 start and we lose interest in the Cardinals.

But this is not the Same Ole Cardinals. They are better. I mean Super Bowl last season better. They have a real coach. Ken Whisenhunt from the Steelers, and Russ Grimm? The Cardinals are really doing it.

Now it is time to do it on the field. Ken Whisenhunt needs to prepare this team, and have them ready for a Carolina Panthers. A team that is inferior to them on paper. Last week you can blame coaching. After beating the Giants in New York losing to the Panthers at home mind you is inexcusable!

The Cardinals have the Chicago Bears this week. A team like the Cardinals should be in contention for the playoffs should play well. Notice how I did not say win. I don’t think they will win on Sunday. I expect this team to be in the game until the end though. If they get blown out this week you can hear that familiar chant, Same Ole’ Cardinals coming back out of the closet. And it will be well deserved. Getting blown out 2 weeks in a row I would hope it to be inexcusable for Wizzy and the guys. It will be a long week of practice they do get blown out.

I mean if you really think about what the Cardinals did last season 9-7 got them to the playoffs, they did well obviously. But 9-7 is not 11-5. Those two more wins mean something. I wanted the Cardinals to win the Super Bowl, but I knew it was not in their cards. They don’t win games like that. They gave up the Super Bowl just like they give up games in the regular season; in the last minute on the last drive. That is “Same ole’ Cardinals”. That has to go. In a division like the NFC West, the Cardinal should not be scratching for the NFC West Championship. But they will be this season. The 49ers, and Seattle still have a shot. The wild card will not come out of the west for the NFC. So the Cardinals better have the NFC West crown in mnd to make the playoffs. Good football teams in a division like this, should walk their way to the division Championship, but it will be a nail biter, just like the Super Bowl.

Whisenhunt is a very good coach, and they have changed the thinking of the players, now all he has to do is change the play of these players so they can put themselves in a position to win against good teams.

Sonny Clark

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