Cardinals need something to believe in

The phrase "jumped the shark" has certainly "jumped the shark".

In fact, saying that the phrase "jump the shark" has "jumped the shark" has, indeed, "jumped the shark" as well.

(Note: "Jumping the shark" is a term used to describe a trend that has become played out and no longer relevant. I add this parenthetical after 80 percent of the people in the newsroom hadn't heard of the expression. Which may prove my point.)

But in the NFL, a tried and true mindset of the last seven years has jumped the shark, and the Arizona Cardinals are finding out too late.

Ever since the New England Patriots rode the "No one believes in us" wave to a Super Bowl win in 2002, that particular wave has been crowded with loads of surfers. Even in the middle of their dynasty the Pats still tried saying that no one believed in them. Except the experts. And the Patriots' ever-growing legion of fans. And, begrudgingly, fans of their rivals. And Gisele Bundchen. Basically, everyone but Bridget Moynahan. But that was enough.

The Cardinals rode that wave all the way to a Super Bowl appearance last year. This year, however, people are believing in them more. And they know it.

Two weeks ago, the Cardinals traipsed into Giants Stadium and stunned the red-hot Giants in a nationally-televised game. Nobody believed in them, and they made everybody look bad by clubbing Kurt Warner's former team.

This week, everybody believed in the Cardinals, facing a struggling Carolina team - the same Carolina team whose problems began in the playoffs last year against Arizona. Jake Delhomme committed six turnovers in that game. Everybody believed in the Cardinals.

And once again, the Cardinals made everyone look foolish. Kurt Warner repays Delhomme by committing, you guessed it, six turnovers, and the Cardinals, instead of being 5-2 with a two-game cushion for the NFC West title, are 4-3 and as vulnerable as ever.

The problem when you get motivation from shutting people up is if you do it well, eventually those people will shut up. Then you have two choices - get motivated somehow else, or lose.

Take this year's Rams. Please. Let's say, for the sake of argument, they top the Saints in two weeks after a bye. I'm sure a plane crash or swine flu outbreak or late-season hurricane would come into play, but let's just say it happens.

Now the Rams have won two straight, and no one believed in them. Still no one believes in them when they host the Cardinals. Meanwhile, everybody believes in the Cardinals, who just beat the Bears Nov. 8 in a game that no one believed they could win, and followed it up Nov. 15 with a win over Seattle.

If it played out like that, with these Cardinals playing the way they are, I would guarantee a Rams victory. Of course, it won't ever play out like that, but hypotheticals are fun.

Motivation should come from within. Sure, it's fun to rub things in people's faces. Who doesn't enjoy poor sportsmanship?

But if that's your sole motivation, the only way you get pumped up, then you are bound to jump the shark quicker than the phrase jump the shark.