Musings on the Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl

It's been ages since I've written--so why not start up again with the miracle of the AZ Cardinals!

I was born and raised in Minnesota so I've always been a Vikings fan. But from the day the Cards moved to Arizona back in 1988 I have been a die-hard Cards fan. And like all Cards fans, I died hard week in and week out for years. And while most AZ Cards game memories are not good ones, I do have some great Cards memories of my own.

The first game in Arizona Cardinals history (then they were the Phoenix Cardinals) was a Monday night game. The Sunday before the game I had the opportunity to interview Cardinal Ron Wolfley (now the color commentator for the AZ Cardinals broadcasts). He was as fun and engaging as he is on radio! I asked him why he was a follower of Jesus. He said in one simple sentence, quoting Jesus: "What does it profit a person to gain the whole world but lose his soul?" Good stuff.

Over the years I had the chance to interview other Cardinals players including Linebacker Garth Jax and quarterback Chris Chandler. On March 1 I will be interviewing former Card quarterback Neil Lomax at our Sunday services. (A Grace'r is trying to line up Kurt Warner! We'll see!)

A couple of years after the Cardinals arrived my son and I had the chance to spend a day at Cards training camp. Larry Wilson, the hall of fame Card from days of old, took us around. We ate in the mess hall with the players and had a chance to talk with a few of them. We then watched them practice before we headed home.

I attended the first game where Jake Plummer was the starter. And my daughter and I were at the game against San Diego (the final game of the season) when the Cards beat the Chargers by 3 to send them as a wild card to their first playoff appearance as the AZ Cardinals--10 years after arriving in Phoenix. They beat the Cowboys (huge game) but ended up losing to the Vikings in the second round of the playoffs--and while I was glad the Vikes went on to the NFC Championship game (but lost to the Eagles) I was rooting for the Cards.

My kids and I were at the final game of the season at Sun Devil Stadium against the Vikes. The Vikes needed a win to go to the playoffs. The Cards needed to lose to get the first round draft pick. On a last second hail Mary pass from Josh McCowen, the Cards beat the Vikes, knocking the Vikes out of the playoffs while the Cards lost the first round draft pick.

I endured 5 miserable seasons as a season ticket holder at Sun Devil stadium--miserable because the Cards were awful and the first several games of each season were in 100+ degree weather.

I moved with the team to the new stadium. The stadium was great. The team not so much. I gave up my tickets in disgust (besides, the home games were now finally on TV).

And then this magical season. By chance I purchased the last 3 games of the season so was at the Rams game when the Cards won the NFC for the first time since God created the heavens and the earth. I was at the playoff game against the Eagles--the wonder-filled, surreal, unbelievable game that sent the Cards to their first ever Super Bowl. I went through every emotion imaginable from elation to despair to fear to a near heart attack to delirium. I still can't get my brain around it. The Arizona Cardinals are playing in the Super Bowl.

I'm in Hawaii this week for some R and R. It's our favorite time of year as it's whale season. The whales, however, have been a big disappointment so far. But...to my amazement, I saw a Cardinal, twice!, right out our window. Jan has the pics to prove it.

Gotta be a good sign! :)

And remember, God always has a soft spot for the David's of this world. Not so much for the Goliaths.

Go Cards! (I still can't believe it!)