What are the Arizona Cardinals doing in the NFC Championship game? Sign of the Apocalypse?

[bushmeister0]

Seriously, the same franchise that's only won one championship in almost 100 years? The same franchise that got chased out of Chicago, moved to St Louis and since that wasn't far enough away to hide the stench of futility, all the way out to Arizona?

Now they're one game away from the Super Bowl? WTF?

I'm sure it must be the sign of the Apocalypse.

Let's check the headlines . . . yup, I knew it.

AP:

"Pyongyang said it was adopting 'an all-out confrontational posture' and warned of a 'strong military retaliatory step.' South Korea immediately put its forces on alert. . . The North has issued similar threats in the past in anger over the hard-line policies Lee has implemented since taking office last year. Lee ended previous administrations' unconditional aid to North Korea, but has also called for dialogue.

Saturday's threat from Pyongyang appeared more serious, however, because a uniformed military officer — flanked by military unit flags — read the statement instead of the usual television newsreader."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090118/ap_on_re_as/as_koreas_tensions

Yikes! Another fuck up coming back to haunt us.

(Oh oh, McNabb is smiling, not a good sign!)

[JVS]

1. What the hell is with the NFC that a team that is 9-6-1 and a team that is 9-7 are playing for the..

championship?

[W_HAMILTON]

3. That's one reason I don't like the NFL much...

and one reason why I liked the Patriots. I like teams that are good, and you can expect to be good. I don't like teams that spring up from nowhere to be good for one season, then go back to sucking the next.

Just a few weeks ago, people were talking about how the Eagles were at a crossroads, and how they would have to make some important decisions in the offseason about how to approach their future, including about whether or not to retain McNabb.

Now they are poised to go to the Superbowl.

What? I just don't like that. It seems like the NFL is left completely up to chance, or injuries, or sucking one year then getting a cupcake schedule the next and being great, then getting a tough schedule the next season and going back to sucking again, etc.

I actually preferred when there was a little more predictability in the NFL. It seems to lower the legitimacy of a Superbowl when a one-season upstart team can win it all, then fade back into obscurity the next year.

[JVS]

4. It's a result of playoffs and wildcards.

The playoff system allows some extrordinarily poorly performing teams into the playoffs

[W_HAMILTON]

9. But why do those teams win?

There's almost too much parity.

I also didn't like how Indianapolis had to play on the road, at San Diego, when the Colts had a better record. I think that's right. Why would that happen? Because they weren't a division winner or something?

It just seems like there are too many factors to being a good team in the NFL, many of which the teams themselves have very little control over. I like seeing teams suck, then develop and get better, then reach their peak for a few years, then fade away and rebuild. It seems like this order is disrupted in the NFL. A team can be 3-13 one year, then in the playoffs the next. A 12-4 playoff team can be 6-10 the next. There's just no order to it.

Some fans may like that, but I don't. As I said, it seems to take away the legitimacy of it all. Dumb luck seems to be just as important as brains when it comes to building a successful team.

[alfredo]

12. I don't give a shit, just as long as they are good games well played.

[bushmeister0]

10. It's a long season and there are 32 teams, which I think is too much.

However, the talent hasn't dropped off that much, really.

You figure every one of the thousand or so players in the league were super stars in high school and college. The pro game is fast and incredibly punishing, not just anyone can make it to the NFL.

Once teams get into the playoffs, regardless of their record, it's a whole 'nuther game.

And the conferences aren't always equal. Sometimes the NFC is up and the AFC is down.

I'd say this time around the two teams in the AFC championship really deserve to be there.

It's still a great game. This is some great football being played here, despite the way these two got there.

[NutmegYankee]

2. Hopefully keeping the Eagles out of the big game. n/t

[bushmeister0]

5. Well, I'm in Philly but it's hard for me to root for them because of their

knucklehead fans. And I'm a Miami Dolphins fan, so what happens in the NFC doesn't really concern me much.

I really don't want freaking Kurt Warner in the SB, though. I don't want to hear all the Jesus stuff he spouts. He makes it sound like he's winning because Jesus likes the Cardinals. Funny, Jesus used to like the Rams.

[NutmegYankee]

8. I don't care about the Cardinals, I just want vengence for last week.

Giants Fan, even after they do the normal late season choke.

[cloudbase]

6. Indeed.

An African-American elected president.
The Cardinals looking as though they'll be going to the Super Bowl.
I'm going to go out on a limb and bet on the Cubs to win the World Series.

[bushmeister0]

7. Yaw! I'm building a bunker!!!!

[alfredo]

11. It could be worse, it could be the Lions or Tampa Bay.

[Are_grits_groceries]

13. They are winning right now.

The Eagles better get their shit together.

[bushmeister0]

15. Damn, McNabb is on fire!

As long as he keeps that stupid grin off his face, they might have a chance.

Jesus! Missed PAT? Stupid kicker!

[AZBlue]

14. No, it's a sign of CHANGE!

Things are changing everywhere.