G.I. Joe Not Shown to Critics, Who See Cardinals Instead

What if that were really true?  Well the part where the critics go see the Arizona Cardinals instead of G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra, opening this Friday.  The part where the movie studio, Paramount in this case, isn’t screening the movie for critics in advance of Friday’s release date, is completely true.

Remember the days when Cardinals Training Camp resembled an event people weren’t invited to?  More people used to be found at a movie in Flagstaff than out on the football field on the Northern Arizona University Campus on a sunny August day.

The thought of seeing even a bad movie and spending $7 for it was more appealing than going out and watching Cardinals players practice for what inevitably would become another season.  People were willing to pay top dollar for a bad movie than see the Cardinals for free.  Mind-boggling, isn’t it?

These days, there are more people at a Sunday Cardinals practice session than Sunday Catholic Mass at The Vatican.  The popularity of the Cards has literally exploded overnight.  AZCardinals.com reported nearly two million hits since the beginning of the year, easily eclipsing old records.

Even with the large daily quadruple-digit crowds for practice, you’re going to have a tough time convincing anyone, even movie critics I think, that the Cardinals right now are better draw than a blockbuster movie.  The script for these Cardinals is showing a new chapter everyday.  Especially with today’s economy, I think time and money are better spent on a couple of soda’s and hot dogs and free admission to a Cardinals practice than that blockbuster movie everyone wants to see first.

Go Cards!

Scott Allen

AZScott