The Sports Retorter: I’m a recovering “Same Ol’ Cardinals” addict

(Scene: a room full of people wearing red shirts are gathered in a circle of folding chairs)

Hi, my name is Greg and I’m a recovering “Same Ol’ Cardinals” addict.

(Red Clad Crowd Responds: “Hi Greg!”)

I’ve been conditioned to believe that no matter how good things seem the Arizona/Phoenix Cardinals will find a way to blow a game, a draft pick or a free agent signing (see 2005’s MNF against the Bears, Wendell Bryant and Dexter Jackson). I’ve been positive for two days now.

I had started down the road to recovery during last season’s playoffs but the Super Bowl loss coupled with a poor preseason and an opening week loss to the 49ers made me fall off the wagon. Sunday’s win against the Giants gave me the strength to put down the pessimism, hopefully for good this time.

I’ve been here before. The 1998 season was probably the closest to recovery I’ve been, but 1999’s disappointment and the decade that followed took me to an all-time low. Ken Whisenhunt, Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and Adrian Wilson have helped put me on the road to recovery.

The Cardinals’ NFC West-leading 4-2 record has me excited. Their remaining schedule has me completely optimistic.

In the month of November the Cardinals’ opponents are a combined 7-24 this season (Panthers 2-4, Bears 3-3, Seahawks 2-4, Rams 0-7 and Titans 0-6). It’s not until the first Sunday in December that they face what one would consider a formidable opponent in the Minnesota Vikings, who are 6-1.

The Cardinals could easily be 9-2 entering the month of November. At worst they should be 8-3 (the weather in Chicago will determine how that game goes). The Cardinals remaining opponents are a combined 20-36 and the only two winning teams they face are the aforementioned Vikings on December 6th and the Green Bay Packers on the last weekend of the season.

For the first time ever I’m actually considering the possibility of twelve regular season wins and home field advantage in the playoffs, but I digress.

Hi, my name is Greg Esposito and I’m a recovering “Same Ol’ Cardinals” addict, as long as the Cardinals don’t have a let down this weekend against Carolina.

And Now Time For Something Completely Different

Hooked on Phonix Worked For Me

I’ll admit, I’m probably the last person in the world that should be correcting someones spelling but this was too good to pass up. The Clippers sent out this flier to fans promoting tomorrow nights match up against the Suns. Can you catch the error (no it’s not that Blake Griffin is in a uniform instead of a suit)?

NHL Wins Stare Down

Headline: Moyes Agrees To Sell Coyotes To NHL Sounds great, if it were May of 2009.

Jerry Moyes finally did the right thing and agreed in principle to sell the Coyotes to the group that has been paying their bills for a year, the NHL. It’s a good thing that it happened but the six months it took may have done enough damage to force the Yotes from the desert.

Did I mention that the only thing holding up the deal is the $22 million owed to Wayne Gretzky? Hopefully he can do his first great deed for hockey in Arizona and accept the deal.

The Big Grudge?

Usually I love the content over at TheBigLead.com. It is the right mix of humor, insight, analysis and dirt. With that said, I have a bone to pick.

Over the last two days the writers over at TBL have been a little too anti Arizona for my liking. First they pick the Suns to only win 30 games this season. Even the most negative of “experts” have them narrowly missing the playoffs. Then today they said the Cardinals are only the 11th best team in the NFL.

I’m not sure if their writers came to Phoenix on vacation, got a sunburn and subsequently were rejected by the ladies at one of our fine nightlife establishments or what but come on. If that’s the case let me take the time to apologize on behalf of the sun and our fine city. Just don’t hate on our teams.

Tweet of the Day

The Phoenix Suns Jared Dudley in response to talk about the team picking up his contract extension.

And Now To Play You Off…

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Tags: Adrian Wilson, Arizona Cardinals, Blake Griffin, Carolina Panthers, Jared Dudley, Jerry Moyes, John Tesh, Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, los angeles clippers, Minnesota Vikings, NHL, Phoenix Coyotes