Cardinals in the Superbowl ... Really!

I remember the first Cardinals game in Sun Devil Stadium after they moved here in 1988(?) and back then we thought the team would definitely make the playoffs and that several Superbowl berths would be in our future. But then Neil Lomax got hurt, ruining that season, and dozens of low, low points followed for this woeful franchise.
But I've remained a Cardinals fan, but just didn't see this coming. What an incredible playoff run!
Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Adrian Wilson, Darnell Dockett and many other players and a great coaching staff have electrified this state and fans of exciting football throughout the nation.
My prediction is a tough game against a great Steelers defense. But this team has resilience and character and I think they will bounce back again and again. I think the defense will score at least one and possibly two touchdowns (watch Antrel Rolle and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) and the offense will match that. Add in a field goal or two and I predict a 34-31 Cardinals victory, perhaps in overtime.
GO CARDINALS!!!

How many Cardinals would it take to kill an Eagle?

The Arizona Cardinals football team is playing on Sunday for a place in the Superbowl.
I cannot freakin' believe that I just wrote that sentence. I saw the first regular season game the Cardinals played in Sun Devil Stadium and many other games in that broiler oven. And I've been two two games in the new stadium. It is a fantastic facility, and it is a fact that the Cardinals would not be in this position if the taxpayers didn't build that stadium for the team.
They were at a constant disadvantage in the old stadium. They have sellout, boisterous crowds in the new one. And the place will be rocking on Sunday when the Eagles come to town.
And I won't be here! My wife and I will be visiting my stepson in Philadelphia this weekend. And he doesn't own a TV. Sooooo, we have to find a place where we can watch the game, cheer for the Cardinals against the hometown Iggles, and not get killed.
I don't want to die, but I am going to enjoy this game. Who knows when this opportunity will come again?
I predict that the Cardinals will ... win, in a close game that may come down to the final possession. And then I will be stunned to write ... Cardinals in the Superbowl!

The Big Purple & Orange Aristotle

On my way home I heard a caller to the local sports talk radio station say that the Phoenix Suns should trade for Shaquille O'Neal. The two hosts laughed and derided the caller into radio purgatory for such a ridiculous suggestion. And then ... not more than 20 minutes later the news came across the wire that the Suns and the Miami Heat were talking trade: Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks would go from the Suns to the Heat for Shaq.
Many Suns fans are saying this would be the worst trade in franchise history. Why?

Shaq is old by NBA standards, almost 36 with many miles and battles on his 7-foot, 350+ lb. frame. He is injury prone, missing many games this season and last. He is big and slow, and would disrupt the Suns' run-n-gun style of play. He is due the remainder of his $20 million salary this year, another $20 mil next year, and another $20 mil the following year. And many Suns fans love Shawn Marrion and what he has done for the team during his nine year career. The Matrix is a key part of the teams' success in recent years.

But I love this trade proposal and hope it happens ... soon. Why?

Several other teams in the West have already made trades making it likely that this year's Suns team will not win the NBA Championship as it is currently put together. They have to make a trade to have any chance of winning in the playoffs this year. There are chemistry issues between Marion and Amare Stoudemire and Marion actually requested a trade in the off-season. Some believe Marion is on the downward side of his career and his physical skills are diminishing. The team is successful with their high octane style of play, but always come up short in the down-and-dirty playoffs -- a small team that gets beat up by tougher teams. The Suns have never had a dominant center and Shaq may not be what he was, but he is still better than most other big men in the league. The team currently has too many small forwards, and with the addition of Grant Hill losing Marion may not be such a devestating blow. We also get rid of the overpaid and underutilized Marcus Banks. With Shaq Daddy taking over the middle of the court, Amare can play big forward, where he wants to be, and I think he would increase his scoring. You would not see Manu Ginobili slicing through the lane to the rim so easily with Shaq sitting there to knock him on his ass.

It's time to gamble. If the Suns are going to win a championship it has to happen within the next two years, while Steve Nash is still playing at an MVP level. Suns Owner Robert Sarver may not want to spend the money on a broken down future Hall of Famer, but he may not have a better option. And he may make a ton of money back on the sale of Shaq Suns merchandise.
Word is Shaq may be in town tomorrow for a physical. If it looks like he is healthy enough to play down the stretch run they should pull the trigger and bring Shaq Diesel to the Valley of the Sun.