Sports
The Wichitan Jan. 28, 2009
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Cardinals look to make history with Super Bowl win For a while it seemed like a cruel joke. A franchise that had gone 61 years since its last NFL title needed less than 20 minutes to blow an 18-point lead. But these are Bizarro times in the Valley of the Sun, a paralleluniverse that Sunday announced itself to the world. The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl. Really and truly. Ageless Kurt Warner threw four touchdown passes, three to unstoppable wideout Larry Fitzgerald, and the last an 8-yard shovel to rookie tailback Tim Hightower with 2:53 remaining that pushed the Cardinals to a 32-25 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game before a sold-out and success-starved University of Phoenix Stadium crowd of 70,650. One of the most shocking postseason runs in NFL history was eight decades in the making. The franchise - whether in Chicago, St. Louis or the Phoenix suburbs - had won just one playoff game since capturing the 1947 NFL Championship and earned its reputation as one of the most dysfunctional organizations in pro sports. MCT Campus
“I always thought this day would come,” said Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill, whose father bought the team in 1932. “I just didn’t know when.” But with Sunday’s thrilling comeback, which answered a game rally by the visitors, the Cardinals (12-7) won a third straight postseason game as an underdog and now will head to Tampa to face AFC champion Pittsburgh (14-4) in Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1 at Raymond James Stadium. “I’m having a hard time even saying it right now . . . much less thinking about,” said safety Adrian Wilson, at eight seasons the longest-tenured starter of the NFL’s longest-tenured loser. “The Cardinals changed their stripes today.” Funny. Just eight weeks ago, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and friends carved up the Cards 48-20 on Thanksgiving night. “And everyone thought they were going to do exactly the same thing,” Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said. “But this wasn’t the same team that played that night.” Apparently nothing about the Cardinals is the same as before. “I want to say ‘Arizona Cardinals’ and ‘Super Bowl’ in the same sentence,” Warner crowed
afterward. “I like the way that sounds. How ‘bout it?” Warner, 37, completed 21of-28 passes for 279 yards and didn’t turn the ball over. His first three touchdowns went to Fitzgerald, who continued his all-world postseason by hauling in nine balls for 152 yards, including touchdowns of 9, 62 and 1 yard to help Arizona open a 24-6 halftime lead. But McNabb, playing in his fifth NFC title game in eight years (and losing his fourth), rebounded from an ineffective first half to hit on 17-of-28 secondhalf throws for 266 yards and three touchdowns. His 62-yard scoring bomb to rookie DeSean Jackson (despite decent coverage by rookie first-round pick Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie) gave Philly a 25-24 lead and silenced the crowd with 10:45 to go in the game. At that point, the Eagles had outgained the Cards in total offense 251-29 in the second half. “The next seven minutes made the difference,” Arizona Coach Ken Whisenhunt said. Despite just one first down since intermission, the Cards marched with confidence, starting at their 28 and driving deep into Philly territory, converting a critical fourth-and-1 from the Eagles 49 along the way and a
MCT Campus Photo
Cardinals’ star wideout Larry Fitzgerald (11) sparked the team’s emergence into the national spotlight. In Super Bowl XLIII Arizona will be fighting for the franchise’s first-ever Super Bowl title against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
third-and-1 at the 14. On third-and-goal at the 8, Warner played it safe – a field goal would have given Arizona the lead – dumping a short, middle-like screen to Hightower, who bobbed, weaved and slammed his way into the end zone to put the Cards up 30-25. Warner’s two-point conversion pass to tight end Ben Patrick assured that a Philadelphia touchdown and point-after
would only tie the game. McNabb, facing a deafening din, moved his team to the Cards 47, but three straight incompletions set up a dramatic and very loud fourth-and-10. His sideline pass to Kevin Curtis was high and wide, caroming off the receiver’s hands, sending the Cards into ecstasy and the Eagles home with another disappointing title-game finish.
“You never want it to end,” McNabb said. The Cardinals and their fans were saying the same thing Sunday night. Whatever happens next, it will end in Tampa. In the Super Bowl. “Anyone who doesn’t believe it,” Dockett beamed, “just wake up and read the newspapers.”
Richardson, Green carry squad during record-breaking streak After sputtering to a 3-3 start, it seemed that all the MSU Mustangs and Nolan Richardson needed was the sound of Jingle Bells and sight of Christmas wreaths during the holiday break. Then, after dropping a 56-55 nail-biter at Northeastern State on Dec. 15, the Mustangs reeled off 10-straight wins, including winning 11 of 13 games since the holiday break. Richardson led the Mustangs throughout the break taking in three Lone Star Conference South Player of the Week honors during the five-week schedule. After the fifth game of their 10-game winning streak Richardson and the Mustangs looked as in-tune as possible. The shooting guard and the
rest of the squad took no break with East Central as they dismantled them by 37, 106-69. Richardson poured in 10 3-pointers while putting up a game-high 32 points. The onslaught of treys broke Midwestern State’s previous school record of nine set by Damion McKinney on Nov. 30, 1996. Then 10 3-pointers led the way for breaking another school-record of team treys in a game with 19 total long-range shots made. Craig Green put in four 3-pointers, Trajinski Grigsby tallied three and both Marcus Anderson and Melvin Clark put another try in. Green finished with 22 points to help propel the Mustangs to the overwhelming LSC crossover game. The team finished shooting 50 percent overall from the field, while racking up
her career-best seventh trey as the buzzer rang to tie the game and place the game in the hands of Rosy Ofoegbu. Ofoegbu poured in eight of her 13 points in the extra period to help the Mustangs claim the 79-77 victory. Cierra Thompson and Katiya Jackson both helped MSU take the win with 18 and 10 points, respectively. The efforts overshadowed the performance of Camille Perkins who tallied up 23 points to go alongside Lauren Weishuhn’s eight points, rebounds and assists. Buben’s late-game heroics led to her garnering LSC South
Player of the Week honors for the first time this season. Thompson and Araujo helped key a second half run January 24 for the Mustangs’ second divisional win over the Eastern New Mexico Zias. The win marked the fourthstraight victory on Gerald Stockton floor in D.L. Ligon Coliseum and improved their overall record to 7-11, including 2-2 in LSC South play. The Mustangs will look to continue their home winning streak this Saturday against Abilene Christian. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and will be followed by the men’s basketball game.
Bobby Morris Sports Editor
Patrick Johnston | The Wichitan Nolan Richardson IV eyes his opponent during last Saturday’s game against ENM. MSU whalloped ENM 83-44.
Midwestern State Men’s Basketball During the Holiday Break
Dec. 15 - @ Northeastern State L 56-55 Dec. 17 - Texas A&M-Commerce W 70-67 (OT) Dec. 20 - Northwest Missouri State W 84-78 Dec. 21 - Ouachita Baptist W 77-72 Dec. 30 - Texas-Permian Basin W 67-60 Jan. 3 - Southeastern Oklahoma W 74-48 Jan. 5 - East Central W 106-69 Jan. 8 - @ Cameron W 85-56 Jan. 10 - @ Southwestern Oklahoma W 77-67 Jan. 14 - Angelo State W 95-82 Jan. 17 - @ Texas A&M-Kingsville W 68-65 (OT) Jan. 21 - @ West Texas A&M L 61-67 Jan. 24 - Eastern New Mexico W 83-44
33 assists on the evening. Richardson dropped at least 30 points in three-consecutive games during the break to tie a record set nearly 55 years ago when MSU competed in the
NAIA. The Mustangs return to action this Saturday where they will host the Abilene Christian Wildcats. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.
Holiday break brings winning into minds of young Mustangs team Bobby Morris Sports Editor
When Noel Johnson and her Mustangs squad went on the Christmas break, all that they could hope for was a sense of consistency. Five games into the season MSU had seen only one victory, and the extremely young team, led by a first-time head coach was still looking for what could spark them come conference competition. Led by a pair of some of the few experienced upperclassmen on the team, Andrea Buben and Regiane Araujo, the Mustangs
were able to piece together a few wins in a row and ultimately place themselves right into the middle of the conference tournament picture. From Dec. 15 through the New Year and until last Saturday, Jan. 24, the Mustangs won six out of seven, including two Lone Star Conference South division victories against Angelo State and Eastern New Mexico. Buben propelled the Mustangs to their first divisional win January 14 against the Angelo State Rambelles with a game tying three-pointer that led to the 79-77 overtime period. Andrea “Ace” Buben nailed
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Midwestern State Women’s Basketball During the Holiday Break
Dec. 15 - @ Northeastern State L 54-58 Dec. 17 - Texas A&M-Commerce L 72-79 Dec. 18 - Texas-Permian Basin W 73-67 Dec. 20 - Texas Woman’s L 60-63 Dec. 30 - @ St. Edward’s L 51-65 Jan. 3 - Southeastern Oklahoma W 76-71 Jan. 5 - East Central W 68-66 Jan. 8 - @ Cameron W 71-54 Jan. 10 - @ Southwestern Oklahoma L 52-53 Jan. 14 - Angelo State W 79-77 (OT) Jan. 17 - @ Texas A&M-Kingsville L 57-63 Jan. 21 - @ West Texas A&M L 56-69 Jan. 24 - Eastern New Mexico W 66-58
Kelsey Fund in need of donations MSUMustangs.com For the Wichitan
Donations to the Brandon Kelsey Fund are being accepted at the Midwestern State University Athletics Main Office. Kelsey’s father, Kevin, died early Saturday morning after being struck by a vehicle just south of the University of Texas at Arlington campus while attempting to cross the street in the 1300 block of South Cooper Street about 6:20 p.m. Friday
night. “The purpose of the fund is to offset funeral costs and living expenses he’s going to incur,” MSU coach Bill Maskill said. “He’s going to have no home after this and will be living on his own.” Brandon Kelsey served a redshirt season after completing a stellar prep career as a quarterback at Arlington High School. “Brandon is a good kid who is very mentally strong,” Maskill
said. “He’s a well-liked leader and a tough kid. His family has meant a lot to him.” Checks, which must be made payable to the Brandon Kelsey Fund, can be hand delivered to the main athletics office or mailed to the following address: Brandon Kelsey Fund 3410 Taft Blvd. Wichita Falls, Texas 76308