American Sports Thread

[Oraisteach]

Congrats AZOffaly -- Whup the Steelers or the Ravens

[mc_grens]

holy shit what a game.

[Rossie11]

Wheres AZoffaly?

Probably trying to explain to a cop what the hell he is doing dancing in a fountain in an Edge James jersey on a cold sunday night..

[thejuice]

this game wont be as high scoring im thinking, but plenty of hard hits hopefully,


Wembley tickets on sale this thursday, bad bad timing, dont have the cash right now

[AZOffaly]

Holy shit lads. I never thought I'd see the day. All them games when I lived over there watching apes like Kent Graham throwing passes at lads ankles, the false dawn of Jake Plummer. Never thought I'd be saying this.

The Cards are going to the SUPERBOWL!!!

Mac Gearailt is the man..

[thejuice]

Ravens are in a rut. Offense is toothless and are giving up big plays on defense. Cant see Steelers losing this

[AZOffaly]

So it's the Steelers up next. Very tough assignment, I'd have preferred the Ravens because their offense doesn't really hurt you in the same way as the Steelers can. Roethlisberger, Ward and co have won one before as well, so that's no advantage to have James and Warner. Also, the Steelers Defense is frightening. The one 'X' factor for the Cardinals might be Anquin Boldin. He's another savage talent at WR, but has been injured over the last few weeks with a hamstring. He togged out yesterday, and caught a few balls, but the Cardinals obviously felt he wasn't going at full speed because of his hammy. Boldin disagreed, hence the shouting and roaring on the sideline at the Offensive Coordinator as the Cards marched down the field in the 4th quarter. If he has an extra 2 weeks to get himself a bit better, the Steelers might find they have to deal with more than just Larry Fitzgerald out wide.

I also think you can get at Roethlisberger and hit him, but Clancy Pendergast (The Cardinals 'D' coordinator) will have to be careful with Blitzes. Last night we saw it again, when the Cardinals got tired, they couldn't get near McNabb, and the back 4 were victimised on big plays. That can't happen against the Steelers. The Cardinals have been good against the Run in the playoffs, and if they can continue to do that, and get Roethlisberger on his back, they have a chance.

But Jaysus. The Cardinals are in the Superbowl.

[AZOffaly]

I hope ye'll indulge me with some of these photos. I'm still finding it hard to believe. I'm listening to KTAR AM in Phoenix, and they are STILL doing the postgame show Since 11.30 PM our time last night! What's rare is wonderful.

[thejuice]

Dont blame them at all. They have every right to celebrate but the players need to remember they have a bigger fish still to catch. Have you checked the price of a ticket to Tampa yet AZ?

Wonder will Ciarán McManus emulate Kurt Warner this year? He's still hanging in there.

[AZOffaly]

Going by the results so far, Offaly will be lucky to be in the Championship more than a few weeks after the Superbowl is over! Whatever about Warner, I'm looking into seeing whether Mac Gearailt has any Offaly blood in him. He'd be the answer to the midfield dilemma

As for the players focus, I think they'll be okay from that perspective. Warner and James have been there before, as has Wisenhunt and a couple of his coordinators. They have 2 weeks to focus, so they're entitled to blow off a little steam for a couple of days, and then get back into it.

They shouldn't have a chance against the Steelers, but if they play loose, and give it a lash, who knows?

[thejuice]

I'm looking into seeing whether Mac Gearailt has any Offaly blood in him. He'd be the answer to the midfield dilemma

Surely he'd be given the Bomber role?

I dont think they need to fear the Steelers. Fitzy will make catches against them and so will Boldin if he's there.

[AZOffaly]

Well, the Steelers Defense is savage in the front 7. Their linebackers are mental, so I'd be worried that the Cardinals won't be able to even keep them occupied on the ground. That'll mean blitz x 100 against Warner. Screen passes and dumps out to Arrington and Hightower might be the order of the day early to keep them off balance. Then look for one on ones outside. I still think Boldin and Breaston might be major factors if the Steelers focus on Fitzgerald.

He'd be an ideal full forward alright, but we're struggling for someone to win ball in the middle. I'd start him there.

[thejuice]

Was reading a Phoenix newspaper there,  one of the headlines was

"Why did they close the roof?"
"To stop the pigs from flying in!"

[the Deel Rover]

Well Az looks like we called The finalists right there a few weeks ago Its great to see Arizona get to the superbowl funnily enough i have been watching them closely this year because they were my definsive them in the fantasy football and their defense just blew hot  and cold . lets hope they do it in the final . Any one know the story with boldwin and the offensive co ordinator late on in the game looked like they were having cupla focail 

[DrinkingHarp]

Police: Men burned Cards message into Eagles QB's lawn
Police: Men burned Cards message into Eagles QB's lawn by Megan Boehnke - Jan. 20, 2009 12:03 PM
The Arizona Republic

The Cardinals fans who left diesel fuel messages in the lawn of Donovan McNabb's Chandler home also left something else - a box with a postage sticker that listed the suspect's name and address.

The two men, Rex Perkin, 37, and Ryan Hanlon, 28, were arrested Saturday around 6 p.m., for using the fuel to kill the grass in the Philadelphia quarterback's lawn and leave the messages., "Go Cards," "Go Kurt," and "I (heart) AZ."

Police said the pair admitted to dousing the grass midnight Saturday, the day before the Arizona Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship.

But the story actually started two days before, when McNabb came home to his house in the Ocotillo neighborhood on the Thursday to find a Cardinals flag hanging from a tree in his yard. The quarterback found the prank amusing and left the flag hanging in the tree, Favazzo said.

When McNabb came home late the next night, he saw the cardboard box that the vandals made into a makeshift sign - "Go Cards" was written on one side and "Beat Philly" on the other. Again McNabb brushed it off, but when he woke up early the next morning on the day of the game, he smelled diesel fuel and called police.

"Police did a very, very quick investigation," said Sgt. Joe Favazzo, a Chandler police spokesman. Officers quickly spotted the postage sticker on the box with Perkin's name and address. They went Perkin's home, where police arrested him at about 6 p.m. when he admitted to the prank and outted his co-worker, Hanlon. Perkins wore a Cardinals cap in his booking photo.

Hanlon turned himself in at the police station after officers called him on the phone.

The two were booked and cited for criminal damage. The diesel fuel caused an estimated $2,000 of damage to the lawn.