Not that anyone expects great things out of a Cardinals fan but I just thought I would clarify what kind of answers could be found here.
The total number is Zero.
What you will get is a crap load of observations just like the one I’m about to drop on you right about…. NOW!
In 2005 I was aware of football… I understood there were 7 points for a touchdown and 3 points for a field goal. I could tell you who the West coast teams were… I knew that the Raiders were to be hated the Bronco’s loathed the Cardinals couldn’t win and that was about it. I could identify the major positions of the game but couldn’t tell you what any of them other then quarterback did. I could name the one year up to that point the Cardinals had done something in the playoffs only because I was living at NAU in the same dorm as the team the following summer and my brother was very jealous.
In 2009 I scream at the TV on a regular basis for teams I have no vested interest in other then one particular player because of a purely stats based pursuit I’ve taken up. I can tell when the Cardinals are going to run the ball vs throw the ball based on how they are lined up on the line of scrimmage. I can tell you what teams are in what divison and what their chances are of going to the playoffs. I can identify a team that is good and and team is just pretending to be good (for the most part).
Honestly it’s a little weird to basically going from knowing nothing about football to actually understanding 95% of what goes on at any given time. And I wonder why my brother calls me the rain-man of football….
I know that having a team is not a marriage I can walk away at any time and choose to follow another. But everyday Sunday in the fall and first week or two of winter there I am either cheering or screaming at tv or in the stands while watching my team The Arizona Cardinals…. whether they be up by 20 or down by 40 I’m there supporting them.
It’s always a ride… maybe not the most fun, but it’s always a ride.