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Arizona Fans Rally, Predict Upset Victory

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By HOWARD ALTMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 31, 2009

TAMPA - Frank Henderson, donning an Arizona state flag as a cape, a Cardinals banner and holding a "Shock The World" sign, reveled in the Rodney Dangerfieldness of it all.

"We get no respect," said the civil engineer from Desert Hills, Ariz. "No one expected us to be here."

Well, no one, perhaps, outside the grand ballroom of the Doubletree Hotel, where Henderson and a couple hundred other Cardinals fans attended a pep rally this afternoon.

Henderson just arrived in town Friday and had enough time to check out the NFL Experience.

"This is my first time here," he said. "I love this city."

Einar Johnson, a construction worker from Payson, Ariz., was also decked out in Cardinal finery – a white construction helmet with the team logo and a Larry Fitzgerald jersey.

For Johnson, it is all about "Big Red."

"The final score will be Big Red 32, Steelers 21," he said.

This is his second trip to Tampa.

"I was here in 2002 and caught some big redfish."

The mayor of Glendale, home of the Cardinals, has never caught a fish here, never even been here before, but looks forward to seeing a little bit of the city. And a meeting tomorrow with Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio.

Elaine Scruggs predictably predicted a Cardinal victory but would not give a score.

"I am not good enough for that," Scruggs said. "All I know is that it will be a high-scoring game."

While getting this far "is a surprise," the Glendale mayor said a trip to the Super Bowl is the culmination of a promise made by team owners.

"The Bidwells promised us that if we built a stadium, they would build a great team," said Scruggs. "In three years, we went to the Super Bowl."

Not everyone in the crowd was enamored with Tampa.

"Phoenix is better," said Richard Ketter, who works in retail for Robb & Stuckey. "It is warmer, nicer and drier," he said.

Henderson, the man in the cape, had no time for such thoughts.

His focus was on Sunday.

Predicting a 27-20 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Henderson said that six decades of franchise frustration is almost over.

"No one is giving us a chance," Henderson said. "But 61 years ends Sunday."

Howard Altman can be reached at (813) 259-7629

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