I am not sure whether any of us Cardinals’ fans have ever seen an off-season where the team is this engaged with each other, engaged with former players and, just as importantly, engaged with the community.

This weekend’s event, Kyler Murray’s Foundation Charity Softball Game was, by all accounts, a walk-off grand slam.

Kyler is making Fitz very proud:

“It’s wonderful what Kyler’s doing.”

Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald praises quarterback Kyler Murray for his intentional effort to give back to the Valley: pic.twitter.com/PRlBiHIW66

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) May 18, 2025

Silver sluggers:

Team Building 101 by bell cow RB James Conner:

Rookies getting fired up:

“Good teams stay connected:” head coach Jonathan Gannon

“Good teams stay connected.”

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has his money on James Conner to hit the first home run in the Kyler Murray Foundation Celebrity Softball Game: pic.twitter.com/hEFS7MoqUm

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) May 18, 2025

Resounding message for the team and the community:

“We need to win and do what we need to do to make the community really proud…what they deserve.”

Jonathan Gannon speaking on bringing a winner “home” to the folks here in Arizona. pic.twitter.com/5tuYGQR324

— PHNX Cardinals (@PHNX_Cardinals) May 18, 2025

Commentary:

As a teacher, I always felt that the ideal classroom scenario was to create the kind of unity and commitment from the students that inevitably would compel them to take ownership of the curriculum.

From the looks of all of the recent charity events that the Cardinals’ players have carefully planned and hosted —-> and all of the practicing they have been conducting with each other —-> in addition to the players taking command of the team’s schedule release “banger” via the singing of a teammate’s original rap song —-> the ownership of this team is tucked away in the hands of the Cardinals’ players.

Kudos to the teachers in the building, starting with GM Monti Ossenfort and HC Jonathan Gannon, for setting the energetic tone and for inspiring the players to take the proverbial ball and run with it.

Real winning in life and on the football field —-> looks very much like what the Cardinals’ players are drawing and drumming up!

This ain’t Kool Aid.

Because —-> this isn’t just talking the talk.

This is Gatorade!

Because —-> this is walking the walk!

Big difference.

Y’think?