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Maddon's Cards Came Through In Title Game

Tribune photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER

Maddon has an Arizona Cardinals jersey with his name and No. 70 on it hanging in his Tropicana Field office.

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By MARTIN FENNELLY

mfennelly@tampatrib.com

Published: January 20, 2009

Updated: 01/20/2009 04:00 am

Sunday, Rays manager Joe Maddon and his wife Jaye were flying home to California from Rays baseball chief Andrew Friedman's wedding. As they landed in Atlanta to change planes, someone yelled, "They just beat the Eagles."

The Arizona Cardinals, of all teams, were going to the Super Bowl - just like Joe Maddon's Rays, of all teams, went to the World Series.

Initially miffed at learning the final (he was taping the game at home) Maddon started thinking: Here were people in Atlanta excited about his Cardinals.

"Now I totally understand, for the first time, the real impact of what we did, going to the World Series," Maddon said by phone.

Rays go the World Series, Cardinals go to the Super Bowl. Sure, why not.

"It makes perfect sense," Maddon said.

Wait: His Cardinals?

What doesn't make sense is a guy who grew up in the middle of Pennsylvania, with Steelers fans all around, has an Arizona Cardinals jersey with his name and No. 70 on it hanging in his Tropicana Field office. Even Maddon's bio in the Rays media guide notes "He is also a huge Cardinals fan." You just don't read that sentence every day.

During the American League Championship Series, Maddon stood in the visitors clubhouse at Fenway Park and cheered his Cardinals on against the Cowboys on TV, and told his players the Cards were going all the way. His Rays looked at him, smiled and wondered about his med levels. "I was losing a lot of respect at that particular point," Maddon said.

In 1963, when Maddon was 9, he decided he was a St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan. His fever spread to the Big Red, the football Cardinals. "It just happened," Maddon said.

He goes way back with the Cards, all the way to his favorite player, an ancient No. 12, '60s quarterback Charley Johnson. When he was a coach for the Angels in Arizona, Maddon owned Cardinals season tickets. Losing season after losing season, he kept the faith. "It's kind of like the Cubs thing," he said.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt has chatted with Maddon by phone. Maddon left Whisenhunt a good-luck message before each of Arizona's three playoff wins.

What a whirlwind since the Series. Maddon and his wife were honeymooning in Europe when he was named AL Manager of the Year. Then that pesky White House called. On Jan. 4, Maddon and his bride were among a handful of baseball couples to dine with our outgoing baseball fan president. "I sat next to Laura and Jaye sat next to the president," Maddon said. "Yeah, just another ho-hum offseason."

Enough of that. Joe Maddon got home to California late Sunday, wolfed a Wendy's burger and began watching the replay of the Cardinals' victory in the NFC title game. He'll be in Tampa for the big game, of course. He'd love to lay his hands on an old Charley Johnson jersey. Miracle Joe never doubted the Big Red.

"I always believed this would happen," Maddon said.

It makes perfect sense.

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