I have bad news today for Arizona Cardinals fans.
We're not going to win the Super Bowl.
We may not even play for the NFC Championship.
In fact, this could be a most disappointing year for the Cardinals.
Why am I so sure of all of this?
Because Sports Illustrated magazine has picked the Cardinals to win the Super Bowl.
Even worse, the Cardinals will be on the cover of the magazine (one of four regional covers to be published).
You see, many sports fans believe that to be on the cover of SI is like having a curse placed on your favorite player or team.
There is no scientific proof of this. I don't believe that anyone has actually researched the cursed effect of being an SI pick.
What I do believe is that it isn't very helpful for your team to get so much positive press before a single pass has been thrown in the regular season.
Yes, the Cardinals should have a Super Bowl contending team. All their offensive skill players are back and they've made some key additions on the defensive side of the ball.
All of this should encourage us as the NFL kicks off another season next month.
But I'm still remembering the stink bomb the Cardinals fired off as they got destroyed by Seattle at the end of the season. I'm remembering how Arizona got by Green Bay only through the magnificent play of future Hall of Fame receiver, Larry Fitzgerald. And I'm remembering how the Cardinals were thoroughly dismantled by Carolina in the NFC Championship game.
Some might say, "Ancient History! Don't live in the past!"
I lived in Missouri for 13 years. Missouri is called "the show me state."
So I guess I'm waiting for the regular season to get underway for the Cardinals to show me that they really are a Super Bowl contender.
If Sports Illustrated hasn't already ruined everything with the curse!
