Arizona Cardinals make it to the NFC title game!

The story is quite remarkable(well, to us it is). Gary and Kim are both football fans. Gary likes the Raiders, Kim likes the 49ers. Kyle has switched between New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers to now the San Diego Chargers. We know that someday he will settle in and decide on who his team is. We moved here in 2006, that fall they opened up the new Cardinals stadium - just 7 miles from our house. It's not the most attractive of stadiums from the outside, its been said to resemble a large pimple and now the "chrome dome". But, architecturally it is really remarkable. The grass field slides out, yes out..and there it is watered and gets to sit in the warm Arizona sun. Then, on game days it slides back in. The NFL players have stated that the field is one of their favorites to play on because it is so even...and fast.

Kim's company that she works for actually made the open webbed steel joists for the stadium (see the zig zag things near the roof?)

The story of the Cardinals this year has been crazy. They win the NFC division with a really horrible record (imagine the rest of the teams in this division and how bad they must have been - including my 49ers). They go on to win the next 2 playoff games - including beating the Carolina Panthers - which no one thought they could do. When the Philadelphia Eagles beat San Diego - another crazy thing happened - the Cardinals would play for the NFC championship game agains the Eagles in Arizona! The town has been lit on fire with excitement. It reminds me of the 1981 SF 49ers -the longshots, the team no one thought would do anything but made it to the SuperBowl.

So, Sunday just 7 miles away from our home, the Cardinals will host the Eagles. Even this 49er and Raider household will be cheering for them. How can you not like an underdog!

And..for the readers of our blog that aren't into football..I'm sorry to have bored you with this post. Forgive me, I'll now return to posting cute pictures of Kyle. :-)