The Cardinals did it…and you better believe the Suns can too

The Arizona Cardinals lost 4 of their last 6 games before the playoffs…they are now in their first ever Super Bowl. 

How?  It’s pretty simple really - they got hot at the right time and there wasn’t a completely dominant team in the NFC; every team had fatal flaws and any team that was playing the best at the right time was going to win. 

Sound familiar?  Hey, anything can happen - and all it takes is a team that believes in each other.  Remember the 2007 Golden State Warriors? 

“We Believe” (coincedentally, we have two players that were on that team)

In the NBA, aside from the Lakers (who do have flaws by the way) teams #2 - #9 in the West are fairly even.  To win a series (or multiple series), the team that is playing better at the time is going to win.  Rather, you have to get hot at the right time (and be playing your best ball together) heading into the playoffs. 

The Suns are just as capable of doing this as anyone, if not more so, than any other team.  And for those fans that are questioning Terry Porter and Steve Kerr, you better think again.

The Suns formula this year is much more balanced than the last four years - stating the obvious.  However, the balanced approach taken by the Suns has been proven to be effective in the post season.  The Suns previous approach has been proven time and time again, to not be effective in the playoffs.

Earlier this month, I wrote a blog of how this Cardinals team was a lot like the 04-05 Suns team.  However, I’m seeing they might actually be more similar this year. 

This year, the NFC had a lot of good teams - just good teams, not necessarily elite - and that was proven as the year concluded.  The Giants and Panthers were largely the favorites in the regular season but as we saw, the Eagles got hot at the right time (like the Cards) and beat the Vikings and Giants on the road.  However, the Cardinals were just a little bit hotter.  Again, sound familiar?  Yes, the Lakers have established themselves as a clear favorite in the West.  But do you really think that the Jazz couldn’t knock them off if they played well?  The Rockets?  The Spurs?  Any one of those teams could start playing well at the right time and take the series.

The Cardinals were led by a veteran who has the heart of a champion, and so are the Suns.  The Cardinals defense got hot at the exact right time, and the Suns are improving each week.  The Cardinals had a coach that brought a new mindset and philosophy to the team, Porter has certainly done that.  The Cardinals strengthened their depth chart, obviously the Suns have improved their roster.  The Cardinals have a dynamic, play-making receiver in Fitzgerald - the Suns have their version of that in Amare Stoudemire.  We saw a resurgence of Edgerrin James, and we are seeing a more forceful resurgence with Shaq.  The Cardinals played better as the underdog, and the Suns have always played better as the underdog.  The Cardinals had players that had been to the Super Bowl before and knew what it took mentally to win, the Suns have a four-time champion in Shaq.

Remember Gar Heard?  Yes, I know the Suns eventually lost but this was a team that believed in each other.

The entire theme of this post is to get Suns fans excited!  They are fully capable of doing what the Cardinals did - so don’t give up on them or Porter.  Hey, the Cardinals getting to the Super Bowl is almost unbelievable - but I believed.

I believe in the Suns too.  And Harvey Dent.

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