The second of the semifinals matchups pits the Arizona Cardinals against the Denver Broncos. The teams have gotten this far for very different reasons, one because they rolled out the red carpet and made a personal appeal, the other because they 're a team with a good history and fanbase in a great city.
Arizona Cardinals
Pros
- The city of Phoenix. Great weather...plenty to do...just a cool place to visit.
- An incredible stadium. It's lost a lot of the attention in the wake of Jerry-Land, but it's an impressive facility
- Some big and diverse personalities on the roster like Larry Fitzgerald, Antrel Rolle, and Darnell Dockett
- Oh, and there was this...and then there was this.
Cons
- Not your most passionate fan-base. They've had some trouble filling the seats in recent years.
- Not a lot of winning in the modern era.
- Let's just say the QB position post-Kurt Warner is a big question mark
Denver Broncos
Pros
- The city of Denver. A much different climate than Phoenix, but one of the best winter destinations in the country.
- A more passionate and established fanbase. Rarely an empty seat no matter the weather
- With Elway and a couple Super Bowls, a good team history to fall back on.
Cons
- So they've got a young hot coach, who apparently no one likes.
- While it's not about who sent the best stuff, the Broncos chose to make no case for themselves at all with no response.
- Orange Crush uniforms? Awesome Today's? Awful
The Verdict:
So we've got two cities I'd have no problems spending a winter weekend in. One team brings a little more of a history and an established fanbase, the other team is looking to swing its past fortunes and build on some young talent on its roster. Both appealing, but...
I just can't get past one factor on this, and that is the way the Cardinals responded. It's not just about who made the best response, but the Cardinals was convincing and personal. They got to me. The letter, the invite, the name on the scoreboard. When someone makes a case like that, it's a little easier to take a chance on them.
Cardinals Move On....
Hi, I've been following your quest for a team since the blog was mentioned on si.com. I think you've narrowed the list down to a pair of really great teams. I'm looking forward to seeing who you finally choose. -Andy
ReplyDeleteAnd the Cardinals aren't a foregone conclusion...
ReplyDeleteI'm a little scared you're going to pick the Chiefs just to show us an upset. You shouldn't do that.
So the Cardinals are going to win this thing simply because they put your name on the jumbotron? Talk about a sell out.
ReplyDeleteIf that's selling out, I'll sell out any time any team wants to wine and dine me. I have a team, but I can be bought.
ReplyDelete