I've lived in Charlotte for more than four years, but Saturday's game against the Cardinals got me thinking of my time in Phoenix -- a summer back in the '90s, and several visits since then. Seems like a good time to run down how the two cities compare in certain areas. Pay attention. This is very serious stuff.
Population (metro)
Phoenix: 4.17 million
Charlotte: 1.65 million
Edge: Even. Bigger isn't necessarily better. Sure, Phoenix has more pro teams, but that metro area goes on forever and ever and ever. And if you think our rush hour traffic is bad ...
Weather - average January high
Phoenix: 67 degrees
Charlotte: 51 degrees
Edge: Phoenix. Hey, there's a reason everyone goes golfing there at the end of winter.
Weather - average July high
Phoenix: 107
Charlotte: 90
Edge: Charlotte. It's a dry heat? So is an oven.
Fortune 500 companies
Phoenix: 6
Charlotte: 8 1/2
Edge: Charlotte. We may be smaller, but even with Wachovia -- the 1/2 -- being absorbed into Wells Fargo, Charlotte still has more bigtime companies. They're higher on the list, too.
Major university
Phoenix: Arizona State University
Charlotte: UNC Charlotte
Edge: Phoenix. UNC Charlotte is growing like crazy, but "the other ASU" is a bonafide big conference school. Throw in the great weather during the academic year, and it's a hard scene to beat.
Local burger chain
Phoenix: In-N-Out
Charlotte: Showmars
Edge: Even. Too close to call here. I swear by In-N-Out -- actually based in California -- and eat there every time I'm out west. But while the burger is a little better
and the fries are homemade, In-N-Out doesn't give you the pita option, nor do they offer gyros and filet of flounder. Also, no onion rings!Local hike
Phoenix: Camelback Mountain
Charlotte: Crowders Mountain
Edge: Charlotte, barely. Arizona's geography is kind of cool, and this mountain juts up impressively from the
desert. But you can knock out Camelback in a half-day, while Crowder's -- with the Pinnacle Trail -- can keep you busy for a weekend. And it's nice to have shade when you've worked up a sweat.Housing
Phoenix: Average housing prices have lost 32.7 of their value in 12 months ending last October.
Charlotte: Prices have lost 4.4 percent of value.
Edge: Charlotte. We're hurting a bit, but those guys are positively reeling, with Phoenix the weakest of 20 major urban housing markets.
Famous movies set or filmed there
Phoenix: Psycho, Gunfight at the OK Corral, Jerry Maguire, Little Miss Sunshine and, of course, Raising Arizona
Charlotte: The Color Purple, Leatherheads, Talladega Nights, Shallow Hal and ... um, Hellraiser III? Juwanna Mann? The Rage: Carrie 2?
Edge: Phoenix, if only for "Raising Arizona," the funniest movie I've ever seen. Makes up for Phoenix playing a part in the Sly Stallone stinker "Over the Top." Bonus question: What movie was shot in both Phoenix AND Charlotte? "Days of Thunder," baby!
Score
It looks like Charlotte wins, 4-3, with 2 ties. Of course, this rundown -- while highly scientific -- is far from comprehensive. Now it's your turn. Where else does Charlotte trump Phoenix, or vice versa?
Posts
you got paid for writing this???
ReplyDeleteOh yeah. Big money, too.
ReplyDeletethis is probably the most worthless post i have ever read.
ReplyDeletePhoenix: Drunk Jason Richardson
ReplyDeleteCharlotte: Sober Jason Richardson
hahahahaha
ReplyDeleteYou forgot a biggie, tall buildings. Phoenix’s city and metro populations both dwarf ours, but you’d never know it from pictures. That city has the skyline of Greensboro. Not even close to ours. Charlotte wins hands down. On the other hand, Phoenix is the clear winner when you compare sports venues. They’ve got two retractable roof stadiums (football and baseball), and two professional arenas (hockey and basketball). Their sports venues trump us big time.
ReplyDeletePhoenix has Shaq
ReplyDeleteCharlotte has Sean May
How about which city loves USAirways more?
ReplyDeletei dunno charlotte, but sounds like a small place. Dunno if it's like... when driving, if i blink, i'll miss it.
ReplyDeletephx is golden !
You guys have that cool club where Shallow Hal meets the phat ladies...
ReplyDeleteDon't forget Sheriffs. We have Chip Bailey, they have Joe Apiro and his tent cities. We did have gerald Hege up the street in Lexington though.
ReplyDeleteLight Rail - Their system just opened on 12/27, goes 20 miles through PHX, Tempe and Mesa. Ours 9.6 miles, barely touches Pineville.
Famous residents who own downtown bars. Phoenix has Alice Cooper who owns Cooperstown near Bank One Ballpark. We have dale Jr. & Whiskey River.
Bigger is better. More things to do plus less closed-minded/small-minded people. I'd rather sit in traffic than be around a bunch of boring ignorants.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot that Phoenix has better shopping, dining, and nightlife. So does Atlanta. Seems like bigger is better to me... (unless your an old fart of course).
ReplyDeletePhoenix has the ASU co-eds. Nuff Sed.
ReplyDeleteWill Barney be driving in from Mt. Pilot to sing the National Anthem?
ReplyDeleteIf you combine Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, and Greensboro-Winston Salem you MIGHT have a metro area the size of Phoenix or Atlanta. Gosh, Charlotte is still so small. :-(
ReplyDeletePhoenix has real palm trees.
ReplyDeleteIt never fails, when a conversation starts up with someone from the "big city" concerning the pros and cons of Charlotte, a Mayberry reference is soon to follow. Just goes to show what a terrific piece of televison nostalgia The Andy Griffith show is. Generations later, it's still the only thing "yankees (that's anybody not from here)can identify with North Carolina.
ReplyDeleteNorth Carolina is a better state than Arizona. We have the ocean and the mountains, better universities, and lots of different cities to visit. There just isn't anything the size of Pheonix or Atlanta in North Carolina, yet. All NC is missing is a REAL big city - Charlotte is becoming one though (and if you don't like big cities, than don't live in one! Lots of small towns in NC everywhere).
ReplyDeleteGuess Charlotte has the edge in the number of Super Bowl appearances. The Arizona Cardinals has never appeared in a Super Bowl game. They are among the six teams that have never graced professional football's grandest stage (Other members include the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, & New Orleans Saints).
ReplyDeletewhich city will be happier come sunday?
ReplyDeletePHOENIX !!
Orginally from Los Angles, the "big sister" to Phoenix and having lived in Atlanta for years prior to moving to Charlotte, I feel uniquely qualified to comment....I would take Charlotte, warts and all, any day of the week over the others.
ReplyDeleteGMAB
Not to mention Phoenix is only 4 1/2 - 5 hours away from Las Vegas, while Charlotte is 10 hours away from Atlantic City.
ReplyDeleteYes, but less than 3 hours from Cherokee if gambling is your thing......Whatever!
ReplyDeleteGMAB
Charlotte is boring for young, single people. I guess it is ok if you're old or married and have 5 children. There aren't a lot of creative people in Charlotte either. Everyone is like a robot.
ReplyDeleteAlso to add to the sports venue.........Phoenix Metro area plays host to Major League Baseball Spring training.
ReplyDeleteIs there something wrong with being old or married with children? Young people get old and single people usually eventually get married. Don't knock it until you get there! Oh, our freeways do flow out of town to other destinations if you are unhappy here.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to look this stuff up and post if Jeffy-G.
ReplyDeleteThat mustve take some research an it always nice to have some free facts about the city your favorite team resides in.
The point is that bigger cities cater to young, single people and when you get older or get married you can move out to the suburbs and be happy. Plenty of people raise their kids in larger metro areas and they turn out just fine, if not better and less sheltered than children here. Charlotte caters mostly to old people and married people with little kids. If Charlotte wants to get competitive it needs to cater to young people (more specifically young, single professionals) too!
ReplyDeleteGrew up in Phoenix, Lived here in CLT for 3 years.
ReplyDeleteCLT Weather overall, much better than Phoenix. Try dealing with the 90's and up from March to November.
Things to do: Phoenix by far. The outdoors options are much better. Shopping, golf, nightlife, sports scene, universities, close destinations are beeter in AZ. City planning actually ocurrs in AZ, vs. here in CLT. (You say better universities, but I would say no, seeing that UNC Chapel Hill has so few students, only the best of the best of the best of the best can get in. So that sucks.)LOWER TAXES!!! state tax is great, and property taxes pale in comparison. And there is no ridiculous vehicle tax that CLT assesses.
CLT advantages, much better atmosphere, nicer people, (less of the CA, "I want to be cool at all costs" attitude.), lower cost of living, better downtown, green, warmer Atlantic coast ocean vs. freezing Pacific.
if that person doesnt like old people then apparently they have never been to phoenix which is south florida west.(not that there is anything wrong with that.) gotta love people saying that they hate the small minded ignorant people here(which i dont think people here are) yet they go and paint the entire city's residents with a broad brush. also, i have never heard about phoenix being such a great place for young people. i think some people just enjoy complaining.
ReplyDeleteTo young single professional.....move on to your "big" city so your needs will be catered to....that will leave one more job for some old, married person. GMAB.
ReplyDeleteGo Panthers!
Hey GMAB......Whatever! Your right, if it's just about gambling you can go many places. Vegas, just in case you have never been there has a lot more to offer then just gambling. You should make it out there one time and take in the whole experiance. Actualy with so much to do, to fly all the way there just to sit a the tables all night is a waste ........but whatever.
ReplyDeleteAlso as stated about the freeway comment. For those of you who don't like Charlotte and are unhappy. Pack up you stuff and move out. No one is forcing you to be here. If its because of a job that was your choice. School, your choice again. The rest of us will do just fine without you.
I love how everytime people compare cities, it always ends up in a, "well ours is bigger" argument. If PHX has cool stuff to do and it is a great place to live, then fine, but don't give me this, "if you put CLT, RDU and GSO together it is still small compared to PHX" That is such a stupid argument. If that is all you care about, then move to Mexico City. It's got five times more people than PHX and I am sure Jason Richardson could get plenty drunk there, too.
ReplyDeleteUm, NC has better universities. Duke, NC State, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Charlotte, UNC Asheville, UNC Wilmington, UNC Greensboro, Wake Forest University, Elon University, Appalachian State, Davidson, Eastern Carolina, Western Carolina etc etc. NC is known for its excellent universities mmmk!
ReplyDeleteIt is hilarious that so many of you are getting offended when the positives and negatives are being compared. What are you a bunch of two year olds??? Who get offended and say "leave if you don't like it" when a good conversation about the strengths / weaknesses is ocurring. GET LOST if you are too emotionally connected to CLT to have a decent conversation without becoming a whambulance!
ReplyDeleteUNC Charlotte, UNC Asheville, UNC Wilmington, UNC Greensboro, Elon, Appalachian, Davidson, Eastern Caroline, Western Carolina are not better schools than Arizona State or University of Arizona.
ReplyDeleteDuke, Wake forest is private, NC State is ok, and UNC has become so elite, the actual number of NC students there is hilarious.
One of the biggest drawbacks to CLT is there is no major university.
NC has better colleges definitely, but all you had to write was Duke, NC State, UNC Chapel Hill, Wake and Davidson. Those other schools are garbage...
ReplyDeleteHey Whambulance,
ReplyDeleteProof reading what you write before you send it.........try it sometime. Maybe you won’t sound like the two year old.
Phoenix has KFC
ReplyDeleteClt has Price's Chicken Coop
Here's your tale of the tape: AZ offense versus Car defense: Advantage AZ. With or without Boldin we will pass when and where we please. We have developed some what of a run game making your LB's and safeties having to stay honest.
ReplyDeleteCar offense versus AZ defense: Advantage neither team. Carolina has a great running game and a decent passing game. What will AZ do to counteract those? We have a defensive line which is getting pressure up front allowing our LB's to come clean for tackles. DRC did not start for AZ last time these two played and he will be matched up with Smith all day with over the top help from Rolle or Wilson. Muhammed doesn't scare anyone, but is an option once we lock up Smith. He isn't anyone Hood and our other safety couldn't lock down.
Special Teams: Advantage AZ. AZ's punt and kick coverage has been awesome of late and Rackers has made 21 of his last 23 FG attempts with both misses coming over 50 yards.
Prediction: AZ 31 Car 21
If AZ can contain the run game this week like they did last week(against a more potent attack) then that will spell big trouble for Carolina. This game will once again be won in the trenches. If AZ controls the line of scrimmage this week again, NFC Championship get ready because the Cardinals are coming!
Biggest thing for AZ to be successful: No missed tackles.
Biggest thing for Car to be successful: Control the time of possession battle.
Really? Are we really comparing metros? You can't compare a metro of >4 million people to a metro of <2 million. That's not really a relevant comparison. That's like comparing NYC to Atlanta. It's pointless.
ReplyDeleteI know it's all in fun, but larger cities will always have more options because they have grown to cater for more people. That's simple economics. So of course a city with twice as many people will have more entertainment, nightlife, etc. That's how it should be. If Charlotte beat Phoenix in any of those categories, it would be a joke.
Charlotte is a great town, I travel a lot and I have spent a lot of time in some of the larger cities in and outside of this nation and I always come back to Charlotte. If it weren't for the occasional annoying ice-storm we get every winter or so, I'd say that Charlotte's weather is almost perfect.
In terms of education, UofPheonix is an expansive college nationwide and ASU is a HUGE school. That's about it. You can't really say they don't provide a higher quality education in comparison to Charlotte, Chapel Hill, NC State, ECU, etc though.
That said, the state of NC has a better college system than the state of Arizona, but you can't really compare that in a comparison of cities. Because, if you included Chapel Hill in with Charlotte's side of the fight, then you could also include Clemson and USC too as they are just as far of a drive and offer in-state tuition to Charlotte residents. Charlotte has both UNC Charlotte and Davidson to hold to its name. UNCC is growing at an alarmingly fast pace and Davidson is gaining popularity through its academics and athletics programs lately. Thus, I would say that the two cities are a tie.
To those of you who said Charlotte is boring, you are looking at a side of Charlotte in comparison to major metros like NYC, LA, Chicago, Atlanta, San Diego, and, yes, Phoenix. Charlotte has a lot to offer if you know where to look. There is adequate hiking, we have the national white-water center, and there is a LOT of new nightlife uptown now. We also have Lake Norman, Lake Wylie, etc. as well as a short drive to the mountains and beaches. There are constantly day-time activities in University City, Southpark, Huntersville, etc. You just have to know where to look for them.
The reason why Charlotte is the way it is in terms of population is the same reason why cities in the rest of NC are, as well as the many similar sized cities in SC, OH, and TN. Each of those states do not have a focus metro like Georgia, Illinois, NY, etc. Our state's economy does not pour into one central city like in those states. Thus, in Charlotte, Raleigh, and G'boro, a lot of growing pains are put on the economies and governments of those cities. Whereas in Atlanta, a lot more state investment can be made into their city as well. The exceptions to this rule are obvious CA, TX, and FL which all have/had such strong economies that a multi-major-city economy can be supported by state and local governments.
The point to that rant is that Phoenix has had the ability to grow through both state and local investments much more than cities like Charlotte and Raleigh. Therefore, this comparison isn't exactly a fair one to be made, but I applaud its original intent, to inform the public, not to open up a can of worms for people to argue about who's city is better.
phnx is actually a really nice place, pretty too. But is so hot . You get no change in seasons, its just not as hot or hotter than the day before given the month. phnx zctually is very diverse, lot more stuff to do. but the workforce isnt that educated. higher crime. I drove from phnx to vegas, 4 hour drive. Two totally different cities.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte also has the edge in selling playoff tickets . . . we didn't need an extension from the NFL!! Amazing how many people are jumping on the Cardinals bandwagon.
ReplyDeletewell, i live in PHX and grew up in NC...i would say the state of NC is pretty diverse with mountains and the coast...although PHX has just about everything within same driving distance as charlotte...skiing in flagstaff = 2 hours at 10K feet, 4 hours in the white mountains in eastern AZ...mexico beaches = 4 hour drive, 1 hour flight, cali beaches 4.5 hour drive 45 minute flight, san diego, l.a., vegas...all in 4-5 hours drive, 45 minute to 1 hour flights...oh and Arizona State has the largest student pop (tied with Ohio State) n the country...hmmm...well, the outerbanks are pretty cool...but when i was there last we saw wild mustangs on the beach...i'm betting that's not happening as often...anyhow...GO CARDINALS!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete"More things to do plus less closed-minded/small-minded people. I'd rather sit in traffic than be around a bunch of boring ignorants."
ReplyDeleteYou must be SO open minded.
Lived in Charlotte 44 years and have traveled the US and abroad extensively. I cannot compare Clt to Phx because I have never had a desire to go to Phoenix. No coastline, no green mountains and seems to be a very dangerous city. Just how many episodes of COPS were filmed there?
ReplyDeleteWhew! Talk about a lot of crap totally unrelated to football!
ReplyDeleteI've been to Phoenix and Charlotte several times...after being in Charlotte, I wanted to stay. After being in Phoenix, I wanted to take a BATH!
Dry, dusty, a seriously deranged seedy area that runs for miles, and full of old farts. PASS!
NC: Obama.
ReplyDeleteAZ: McCain.
nuff said.
Jefferson George said...
ReplyDeletePopulation (metro)
Phoenix: 4.17 million
Charlotte: 1.65 million
Edge: Even. Bigger isn't necessarily better. Sure, Phoenix has more pro teams, but that metro area goes on forever and ever and ever. And if you think our rush hour traffic is bad ...
_____________________________________
Charlotte's has awful sprawl for a metro area of it's size.
How about rain?
ReplyDeleteLived in Charlotte all my life and have been to Phoenix many times. Great place to visit. The desert is absolutely stunning. The mountains will take your breath away in the right light. Everyone I've ever met from there has been polite and hospitable. But no trees. And no lawns (unless you're a yankee). And in the winter you change clothes three times a day. I suppose it's all in what you enjoy the most. I prefer the trees and the rain.
Jefferson George said...
ReplyDeleteFortune 500 companies
Phoenix: 6
Charlotte: 8 1/2
Edge: Charlotte. We may be smaller, but even with Wachovia -- the 1/2 -- being absorbed into Wells Fargo, Charlotte still has more bigtime companies. They're higher on the list, too.
_____________________________________________
LOL! The Charlotte metro area now has 8 Fortune 500 companies; not 8 1/2. BTW, Minneapolis would be the "second city" for Wells Fargo, not Charlotte.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteArizona State has the largest student pop(tied with Ohio State) n the country
No, as of fall 2008 Arizona State had the second largest student population.
Top 5
Ohio State University 53,715
Arizona State University 52,734
University of Florida 51,413
University of Minnesota 51,141
University of Central Florida 50,254
I love how every time there is an article on here were someone says anything critical about this area some local has to yell "move", or "go back where you came from".
ReplyDeleteSo much for the myth of "Southern Hospitality" or "Southern Hostility" as I like to call it!
People here want national recognition, yet the feel no one can be critical of this area no matter how true it may be! Grow a back bone will you!..
LOL!
I have been all over this great country and the world for that matter. It is a shame Charlotte is LOSING its small town charm to the Joneses crowd. Too many times bigger is not better. For the most part people will still talk to you, but we are definitely getting the influx of half backs and transplants that are dilluting this cities southern charm. Yes we need to grow in some area but like it or not this is one of the best places in the country and the world for that matter to live. Otherwise the people that are here would not complain about things we do not have, they moved here for a reason. Yankee= Person from the north. D@#! Yankee= Person from the north that will not leave! If things are so bad just pack up and go, the rest of the million+ here will be happier to not have a soured personality around. IMHO
ReplyDeleteIt is hilarious that so many of you are getting offended when the positives and negatives are being compared. What are you a bunch of two year olds??? Who get offended and say "leave if you don't like it" when a good conversation about the strengths / weaknesses is ocurring. GET LOST if you are too emotionally connected to CLT to have a decent conversation without becoming a whambulance!
ReplyDelete-----------
It is the "suthern double standard" as I like to call it.
People from the "sou-th" think they have some God given right to call those that are not from the south names, put down where you may be from (while most likely never traveling there themselves!) and expecting the entire world not to say anything derogatory about this area not matter how true it may be.
It is rather entertaining!
Yankee= Person from the north. D@#! Yankee= Person from the north that will not leave! If things are so bad just pack up and go, the rest of the million+ here will be happier to not have a soured personality around. IMHO
ReplyDelete-------
The above is a perfect example of the ignorance that is still rampant in the south eastern United States.
I am so glad I was not raised like that!
I strongly resent the comment that said Gomer was going to drive in from Mt. Pilot to sing the National Anthem. While it's true Gomer is driving, Andy will definitely be singing the anthem!
ReplyDeleteHaving lived in Phoenix for 3.5 years and grown up in Charlotte. It's hard to compare. They are such different cities.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte is definetly more scenic. I appreciate desert scenery but I miss seeing trees and greenery (even the kudzu). People are more friendly in Charlotte, however Phoenix isn't bad.
As far as things to do for singles I am married with 2 small kids so I can't say for sure which is better. But PHX has greater #s of singles than CLT, so that would seem like an edge to PHX.
As for people with families PHX is pretty good, but I think CLT is better because the kids can be outside more during summer break. We have to go to the mall playgrounds too much!
Traffic is not that bad here.Don't know what the comment was referring to about changing clothes 3X a day but-not it's not true. Bottom Line: I prefer Charlotte but Phoenix is not a bad place to live.
"It is a shame Charlotte is LOSING its small town charm to the Joneses crowd. Too many times bigger is not better."
ReplyDeleteThat is YOUR opinion. Cities = melting pots with different cultures. It doesn't matter what region the city is in, cities are always more diverse and fast-paced. If you don't like larger cities, don't live in Charlotte. Charlotte is not the only place in NC to live. There are hundreds of small towns all over this state that will never change. It sounds like you might be happier in a small town. I swear, I think the natives complain more than the transplants do...
Dang. I thought this was a story about ...Never mind.
ReplyDeleteSome of you people give Charlotte a black eye with your grammar.
You're not YOUR.
"Your right, if it's just about gambling you can go many places."
Charlotte isn't a place for singles, but it has nothing to do with the fact that the Arizona Cardnials are coming to town Sat.
This was a cute story made ugly by these comments.
Oh and it's about Phoenix and Charlotte. UNC, Duke and Wake Forest aren't in CHARLOTTE, Nuggnuts!
ReplyDeleteFirst I would like to say that I lived in Phoenix my entire life. So this might be a little bias.
ReplyDeleteThe people in Phoenix suck. You don't want to live in the bigger city. Everyday it is go go go! People has very short tempers which makes road rage a regular scene throughout the city. Crime is high because there are a lot more people and an a big influx of drugs resulting in murders etc.
True Phoenix has four sports teams and each team has their own respected arena/stadium. It is very hard to sell out these venues when most of the people that live here are from the east coast and support different teams. I am a Cardinal season ticket holder and I have to put up with the other teams fans every game. Just look at a AZ Diamondbacks game and you will see what I mean unless the Cubs are in town.
The weather here is not that bad. You only have to put up with the 100 degree temps in the summer. That's what A/C is for. I here it's pretty hot in CLT and humid.
Alright. Enough with the city comparison. Now lets get down to the real matter at hand. Who is going to win the game Saturday? Now remember I am a Cardinal season ticket holder.
I think the Cards have a real shot at winning the game. Things must go the Cards way in order for them to win the game. I am worried about the Panthers run game, Steve Smith and as well all know the Cards are 0-5 on the east coast this year. The Cards need to keep inside pressure to slow the run down. The most important key is containing Steve Smith. Looks like the rookie DRC will be covering Smith instead Rod "Barbecued" Hood who gets beat frequently. I don't know though. If the Cards can do these things then advantage Cardinals.
The Cardinal offense is one of the best in the league and should have no problems scoring points. I know Anquan Boldin is out but no one can cover #11. If Warner has time to throw it could be a long day for the Panther defense. The key here is if James can keep the Panther defense honest.
Prediction
Cardinals 34
Panthers 31
I think this game will be the best of the weekend and it could be a crap shoot. You didn't think I was going to pick the Panthers?
One more thing. Thanks for J-Rich because Boris Miaw is the most expensive dud in the NBA.
The Cards offensive
Charlotte vs. Phoenix:
ReplyDeleteCity skylines -
EDGE: Charlotte by a mile!
Whatever, Los Angeles beats both.
ReplyDeletewhoever it was the wrote about the driving distances to LA, Vegas, and San Diego is a dud. I'm pretty sure we're comparing Charlotte to Phoenix. Are you really defending Phoenix by saying how easy it is to go to ANOTHER city? haha
ReplyDeleteBy that respect, NYC is a 1hr15min flight (I just did it last week) from Charlotte. Also remember that Philly, Atlantic City, Boston, Pittsburgh, etc are in the same region. And it's a 5 hour drive to Florida from Charlotte. People here just realize they are defending the city, not the ones around it.
There is my regrettable rebuttal; now remember you're defending Phoenix, not the cities near it.
I always go to Panthers games as a fan, but I try to remain unbiased when looking at how the game will stack up when making my predictions. I knew the Panthers would lose a close game to the Giants. I had no idea that it would be that close, but still. Had their OT score been a field goal instead, my spread would have been perfect.
Arizona is going to be able to defend Stewart and Williams until Fox realizes he has Smith and Moose out in the open play after play. As soon as the Cardinals double cover Smith, (and they will,) the run game will kick in and Delhomme will undoubtedly start throwing to Moose and our B team receivers, of which half will be caught for roughly 15 yards. The other half will be dropped. He will then start passing into coverage to Smith. The Cardinals will most likely get a pick out of those mistakes. The Panthers aren't really about the short pass unless they leave Smith near the line after the first seconds of the play.
I have no doubt in my mind that Warner will pass for at least 300 yards and 1 interception. The Panthers defense is garbage lately. With Kemo... back, our rush defense will not let James gain more than 100yds on the ground. The Cardinals offensive stats are almost a given. But if they can get the run going, the Panthers will lose.
However, I put this game on Jake Delhomme's ability to land passes in the hands of Steve Smith. Once that starts happening, the Cardinals will scramble to find the right mix to cover both he and Williams without forgetting about Stewart and Moose.
Panthers 34 - Cardinals 28 would be my fan prediction
Panthers 31 - Cardinals 30 would be my realistic prediction. It will come down to who has the last possession.
This years playoffs have some great matchups. I'm glad there wasn't ONE dominant team this year.
-Luke