What a wacky few weeks it’s been.  We went from wondering if the Cardinals would be able to finish the regular season with a winning record, to watching them dispose of two teams from what many consider to be the toughest division in the NFL in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

If I said I expected this, I’d be lying to you like Kobe to his wife after a trip to a Colorado resort.  That said, when I size up the matchup in Sunday’s NFC Championship game and just look at it as a football game (which is actually what it is), I can’t help but think the Cards are going to win and go to Tampa as one of the last 2 teams standing in the NFL.  It’s when I think about the magnitude of this prediction (actually picking the Cardinals to go to the Super Bowl) that doubt starts to sink in, not when I think about whether or not this team can beat the Eagles.

Sure I’m aware of how good and dominant the Eagles defense has looked lately.  And, yes, I’m familiar with the fact that Philly has been there before (5 title games in 8 years).  I also know that they embarrassed the Cards on Thanksgiving night and just shut down the defending champs on the road.  None of these factors are enough to convince me that the Eagles are ready to roll into what will be an absolutely electric atmosphere in Glendale and come out victorious.

Keep in mind, this is coming from a guy who is an admitted fan of both the star quarterback and wide receiver who will be wearing green and white.  I went to school with Donovan McNabb at da ‘Cuse and frequently played pickup basketball with him while also contributing on a radio show with the man I consider to be one of the best “guys” in sports.  His rookie wideout Desean Jackson also became a favorite of mine several years ago while lighting up the highlight reels for my beloved Golden Bears at Cal.

The big reason I think Arizona accomplishes the unthinkable on Sunday is the respect factor.  While many of my cohorts will disagree and give the mental edge to Philly thanks to their 48-20 Turkey Day victory, I strenuously object to that notion.  When the Eagles line up Sunday and look across at their opponent, no matter how much their coaches have stressed during the last week of preperation, they will remember blitzing Big Red right out of the city of Brotherly Love.  Sure they might be filled with confidence thanks to that memory, but it’s human nature for them to think they are facing a subpar opponent and thus have a lack of respect for who their up against.  Meanwhile, the Cards will definitely recall being embarrassed by that team and add that to the long list of things that have propelled them to wear tee shirts with the phrase “Prove It” around the lockerroom this week.

The other factor that can’t be overlooked is the home field advantage which will once again play a huge role on Sunday.  As I prepare to man the P.A. booth at University of Phoenix Stadium, I can’t wait to see and hear what you Cardinals fans are capable of this weekend and look forward to what will without a doubt be one of the most memorable sporting events I’ve ever been a part of.

Prediction:

Cardinals 27
Eagles 24

No you’re not dreaming…the Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl!!!!

For those who think there aren’t enough basketballs for the Suns star players to share, let tonight’s game in Portland be an example.  The way the offense looks right now reminds me of what it’s like when I get together with my boys from high school.  Whenever we hit the bars we have a knack of rotating who buys the rounds throughout the night, and nobody worries about being left out of the rotation.  It’s something that we’ve picked up over years of practice, and while our core group has remained the same there have been new additions to the posse and they eventually blend right in the fold.

Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Leandro Barbosa are the three guys left from the Suns core over the past few years.  Those guys know they are going to get their touches and while Shaq, J-Rich, Grant Hill and Matt Barnes are new to the group, it seems as if their roles are starting to get defined.

Phoenix opened the game pounding it down to Shaq while Amare showed some surprising unselfishness in the post.  Jason Richardson got free and hit 3 of 4 shots from downtown to help the Suns out to an early lead which stood at seven at the half.  That was with just six points on 1 of 5 shooting from Amare, prompting a studio discussion between technical director Jarrett Carlen and myself about when Stoudemire will start complaining of the lack of touches.  That issue was kicked to the curb as the Suns made STAT the focal point of the offense to start the second half and built a 12 point lead on his broad shoulders and smooth stroke from the free throw line. Steve Nash and Shaq both took a back seat to start the second half, while Matt Barnes and Leandro Barbosa continued to give the team solid minutes off the bench.

The bugaboos that continue to hurt the Suns are turnovers and perimeter defense and once again those were both exploited by the Blazers.  Brandon Roy was the man doing the damage this time as he continued his hot stretch with his 5th straight game over 29 points and a career high 52 points.  Before you point your finger at Jason Richardson and yearn for Raja Bell’s so-called defensive prowess, watch the film and you’ll see that Roy did most of his scoring when guarded by those not wearing #23, but that doesn’t excuse the Suns for their inability to shut the Blazers star down.  In the end it goes down as a very entertaining but painful 124-119 loss to an extremely talented and young Portland team who had lost 11 in a row to the Suns heading in.  I guess the streak had to end sometime.

The 4th year Public Address announcer, backup play by play broadcaster and radio host for the Arizona Cardinals hails from the San Francisco Bay Area, but has made stops in New York and Michigan before making his way to the Valley of the Sun.

Jon graduated from Syracuse University with a major in Broadcast Journalism in 1997. While at S.U. he served as the sports director of what is widely considered the top student-run radio station in the country and called the action of Syracuse football, basketball and lacrosse as well as minor league baseball for the Houston Astros Single-A affiliate in Auburn, NY.

After graduation, he was hired by Sportsradio 1130 The Fan in Detroit, where he served as an Anchor/Reporter/Host for six years. In addition to covering the Lions, Red Wings, Tigers and Michigan and Michigan State, Jon was a host of the Pistons pregame, halftime and postgame shows and handled the play by play duties for Oakland University basketball and Wayne State University football. In addition, he spent seven years as a co-host of a syndicated radio and TV show called “Michigan Golf Live.”

Along with working for the Cardinals and serving as a sideline reporter on Touchdown Radio’s national broadcasts of the College Football Game of the Week, Jon is currently the host of his own weekly sports radio show on Sports 620 KTAR in Phoenix the flagship station for the Cardinals, Suns, Diamondbacks and Arizona State University.

During the winter and spring Jon works for CBS Sports’ coverage of the PGA Tour at several stops throughout the year including The Masters & Pebble Beach, and serves as a golf analyst for Fox Sports.com and ABC 15 in Phoenix. He also handles voice over work and production for marketing and public relation firms both in Phoenix and Detroit.

Jon and his wife Jill moved to Scottsdale in November of 2003. They had their first baby, a little girl named Marlee in July of 2006.