New Exterior Look for Stadium Unveiled
The Arizona Cardinals and the Tourism and Sports Authority (TSA) have unveiled a new exterior look for the multipurpose stadium. The distinctive design was created by international architect Peter Eisenman specifically for the Glendale location.
“The previous exterior of the stadium has been totally redesigned to better reflect the Glendale site,” said Michael J. Bidwill, Arizona Cardinals vice president and general counsel. “Now that the stadium has a permanent home we wanted to give it a fresh start with a fresh look.”
The basic form of Eisenman’s design takes its cue from a barrel cactus. The result is an outer skin featuring dramatic vertical slots that alternate with large, smooth panels. In addition, the design uses a fabric roof allowing light to penetrate, maintaining an airy feel inside.
While presenting the visual elements of the stadium, Eisenman stated, “I believe this stadium could become one of the most recognizable in the country.”
The basic structural elements of the stadium remain unchanged. The stadium will have a fixed seating capacity of over 63,000 and is designed to accommodate a temporary seating increase to 73,000 for mega-events like the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and NFL Super Bowls. The stadium’s retractable roof and rollout field combination is a first in North America.
“The redesigned exterior does not add any cost to the project and, in fact, has the potential to save money,” said Ted Ferris, TSA president/CEO. “Furthermore, the new exterior has no negative impact on the construction schedule.”
Ferris indicated the new exterior is a less complex design than the previous one and requires less steel. An updated project scope, budget and timetable will be completed next month for presentation to the TSA Board of Directors.
"Glendale is thrilled with the new design of the stadium,” said Ed Beasley, city manager. “It is our belief that the project will gain world-wide recognition and will provide our neighborhoods and surrounding communities what they were hoping for in a stadium design -- one that complements the area and is pleasing to look at."
“The Cardinals deeply appreciate the energy and vision of our friend Peter Eisenman and the hospitality and partnership with the great city of Glendale,” said Bidwill. “We look forward to next week’s groundbreaking, the construction process and moving into the permanent home of the Arizona Cardinals.”
The new $355.3 multipurpose stadium will host multiple events -- Cardinals football, Tostitos Fiesta Bowls, and future Super Bowls – and other events such as the NCAA Basketball Tournament “Final Fours” that Arizona currently cannot host. It is chiefly financed through a combination of a hotel bed tax, a surcharge on rental cars and contributions from the Cardinals.
New Multipurpose Stadium Fact Sheet
• The site is in Glendale, Ariz., between the Loop 101 and 91st Ave., Maryland Ave. and Bethany Home Road.
• The site’s Northwest Valley location is in the fastest growing area of the greater Phoenix area. The Loop 101 Freeway provides superior access to the site and all of the area's amenities.
• The site is located directly south of and adjacent to the new Coyotes Arena project which features a large master-planned, mixed-use retail, entertainment, and commercial development.
• The site is 165 acres, and is currently being purchased by the Arizona Cardinals from the Roveys and the Pendergasts, longtime West Valley farming families. The Cardinals will deed the land under the facility (approx. 25 acres) to the Tourism and Sports Authority. The rest of the land for parking will be deeded to the City of Glendale.
• Onsite parking will accommodate 16,000 cars. Offsite parking for an additional 6,000 cars is available at the Coyotes Arena and another 6,000 is available within one mile of the site.
• City of Glendale bus service will be available to the site.
• The stadium is aligned along a slight northwest to southeast axis to offer the maximum sun exposure for the grass field and maximum shade for stadium patrons.
• Infrastructure for the site beyond the drip line for the stadium is being provided by Glendale’s Community Facility District.
Stadium
• The stadium is owned and will be operated by the Arizona Tourism and Sports Authority.
• It is a state-of-the art facility featuring a roll-out natural grass field and retractable roof.
• The stadium will offer an air-conditioned space for 63,000 permanent seats, expandable to 73,000 for mega events like the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and NFL Super Bowls.
• For fan comfort, all seats will have backs, arm rests, and cup holders.
• For easier circulation and customer convenience, there will be wide concourses, and a sharp increase in the number of restroom toilets and concessions points-of-sale.
• The current design includes 88 individual suites on two levels. There is also some suite expansion capability.
• The exterior design of the stadium, provided by renowned architect Peter Eisenman, along with HOK Sport, will be very unique and will be a signature facility for Arizona. The basic form of the design takes its cue from a barrel cactus and offers alternating vertical slots with smooth panels. In addition, the translucent "Bird-Air" fabric roof will allow the stadium to have an open, airy feel even then the roof is closed.
• The roof has two large retractable panels that will uncover the entire playing field while providing maximum shading for fans. The roof can be closed and the facility air conditioned in the hot months, while the roof can be opened to take advantage of the Valley’s world-famous climate in cooler months.
The Field
• The natural grass playing surface is contained in a retractable, 12-million pound tray that will be 234 feet wide by 400 feet long, the first of its kind in North America.
• Natural grass is the preferred surface for professional football and is required for World Cup Soccer.
• Rollout natural grass playing fields are successfully used in European and Asian stadiums.
• Having the rollout field saves $50 million in costs since it is more economical to move the field than having the entire roof retract to allow the necessary sunshine to reach the grass (like Bank One Ballpark).
• The field will support approximately 94,000 square feet (over 2 acres) of natural grass.
• The tray will rest atop tracks and will roll out on steel wheel sets powered by small electric motors.
• The tray will take approximately 45 minutes to move.
• The grass field remains outside the stadium in the sun until game day getting the maximum amount of sunshine and nourishment, eliminating humidity problems inside the stadium and providing unrestricted access to the stadium floor for events and staging.
• The 152,000 square-foot concrete stadium floor will have a utility grid embedded in the floor and can host various events like trade and consumer shows, conventions, concerts, motor sports, and rodeos.
Economic Impact
• During the construction phase of the stadium and site infrastructure there will be more than 3,500 jobs and more than $400 million in economic benefits to Arizona’s economy.
• At the start of construction, the state will start receiving revenues from construction workers’ income taxes, as well as sales taxes collected on the increased consumption and spending from the workers and their families. The TSA estimates that the Arizona State general fund will net $20 million over the 3-year course of construction.
• When the NFL played Super Bowl XXX at Sun Devil Stadium in 1996, about $305 million was injected into the economy. It is projected that the impact will grow to more than $400 million when the next Super Bowl is played here, possibly as early as 2008.
• For Super Bowl XXX, 89,000 out-of-state visitors traveled to the Phoenix metro area for the event. Considering that Sun Devil Stadium’s capacity is 73,000, there is an attraction to the Super Bowl as an event that supercedes the actual game itself. These out-of-state visitors directly contributed $109 million in spending during the event.
• Super Bowl XXX in Tempe had a television audience of more than 900 million people around the world.
• The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl contributes $140 million annually to the local economy. About 70,000 out-of-town visitors come to the Valley for the event.
• The Arizona Cardinals contribute $150 million to the economy annually. The Cardinals estimate that 112,000 out-of-town visitors attend home games each year.
• The stadium will allow Glendale to be the only city in the Western U.S. capable of hosting the NCAA Final Four Basketball Championships, a week long extravaganza which requires a football stadium with a closed roof and seating of at least 40,000. The economic impact of a NCAA Final Four event is about $50 million to the host community. It takes place the first week of April and would provide and exciting and powerful finish to Arizona’s tourism season.
State-of-the-art Design
Climate controlled stadium with seating capacity of nearly 64,000
permanent seats, with expansion to 73,000 for extravaganza events
like the Fiesta Bowl (annually) and the NFL SuperBowl (every 5th or
6th year).
Retractable Roof and Moveable Wall
Two 800' long trusses will support the stadium roof, which will have
a retractable portion at the end where the roll-out field enters and
exits the facility. A moveable wall at the same end of the
facility will drop at the same time that the roof retracts, thereby
creating a three-dimensional opening, much like an observatory.
Roll Out Field
The stadium's natural grass field will roll out of the facility
where it will reside most the year and get its nourishment and
maintenance and grooming.
- This field tray will be 234 feet wide by 400 feet long, and will weigh some 12 million pounds.
- Inside, embedded in the concrete
stadium floor will be a utility grid that will allow the
multipurpose facility to easily accommodate a variety of trades
shows and conventions, consumer shows, motor sporting events,
and concerts.
Seating Options
A variety of seating options will include:
- 88 luxury suites (seating roughly 1,500 patrons)
- Club seating for 7,000 with access to private club lounge areas
- Lower bowl seating to accommodate some 29,000 patrons
- Upper deck seating for approximately 26,000 patrons
- All seats will be individual chairs with arm rests and cup holders
Improved Amenities - for the comfort of patrons:
- All spaces will be air conditioned
- Sharp increases in the number of concession points and the number of toilets per person
- Large concourses and escalators will efficiently move patrons through the facility
Architecture
The roof and skin of the facility will reflect the high design of
renown architect Peter Eisenman. A mix of surfaces including
steel decking, glass, stucco, and "Bird-Air" fabric (like
the Denver Airport) will be combined to create sweeping lines and a
sense of texture in the design.
- Stadium will occupy approximately 25 acres.
- Excavation will take field down to 26 feet below the present grade. When completed, the field will lie 39 feet below the main concourse level because 13 feet of berming will be added around the stadium.
- During the construction phase of the stadium and site infrastructure there will be more than 3,500 jobs and more than $400 million in economic benefits to Arizona's economy.
- The 152,000 square-foot concrete stadium floor will have a utility grid embedded in the floor and can host various events like trade and consumer shows, conventions, concerts, motor sports and rodeos.
- The grass field remains outside the stadium in the sun until game day getting the maximum amount of sunshine and nourishment, eliminating humidity problems inside the stadium and providing unrestricted access to the stadium floor for events and staging.
- The tray will take approximately 45 minutes to move.
- The tray will rest atop tracks and will roll out on steel wheel sets powered by small electric motors.
- The field will support approximately 94,000 square feet (over 2 acres) of natural grass.
- Having the rollout field saves $50 million in costs since it is more economical to move the field than having the entire roof retract to allow the necessary sunshine to reach the grass.
- The natural grass playing surface is contained in a retractable, 12-million pound tray that will be 234 feet wide by 400 feet long, the first of its kind in North America.
University of Phoenix Stadium won't be ready till 2006
Number of factors listed for holdups
Pat Flannery
The Arizona Republic
February 12, 2003 12:00
GLENDALE - It's official: Glendale's $355.3 million football stadium will be finished in summer 2006 instead of fall 2005, keeping the Arizona Cardinals in Sun Devil Stadium for an extra season.
The state Tourism and Sports Authority clarified the issue Tuesday as it modified a series of agreements with the Cardinals, Hunt Construction Group and several design firms. The group also adopted a rough building schedule for the stadium.
As recently as December, the authority hoped to open the stadium in time for the fall 2005 NFL season.
Though a final construction timeline won't be ready until design details are nailed down later this year, officials expect three months of excavations at Loop 101 and Maryland Avenue to begin in June. Hard construction will start after Labor Day, authority Vice President Kenny Harris said.
Authority board Chairman Jim Grogan attributed the late start to litigation delays. A suit against the authority by developer John F. Long ended in December when the Arizona Supreme Court decided the case in the authority's favor.
"We are now in a position to get moving again."
Long property Manager Jim Miller dismissed assertions that Long's suit was to blame, noting that the authority was unable to break ground by the end of 2002 despite promises to do so if Long's suit was over by then. Miller suggested the authority's ability to sell construction bonds also was clouded for most of 2002 by the Arizona Legislature's threat to pull the plug on the project and controversy with site selection.
"How long are they going to blame the lawsuit?" Miller said. "Let's move on with life . . . (and) let's quit blaming John for a little three-month deal."
University of Phoenix Stadium puts on a new face
A new design for the Arizona University of Phoenix Stadium blends metal and a translucent roof for more light and color.
Pat Flannery
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 14, 2003 12:00 AM
A new and highly stylized design for the Arizona Cardinals football stadium will soon be under construction in Glendale, and it's sure to set tongues wagging.
Fresh from proposing new ideas for New York's World Trade Center site, noted New York City architect Peter Eisenman on Thursday unveiled a contemporary look for the Cardinals' future home that he believes will make it "a signature stadium - something that will bring folks to visit."
The outside redesign is the latest revision in a project that has seen more stops and starts than a Cardinals running back. Eisenman, an avowed football fan, joked about the frustrations of designing a building whose political baggage kept it on the move.
"It's very exciting to finally get our stadium off wheels," Eisenman said. "We've been rolling around Maricopa County for five years now."
Michael Bidwill, Cardinals vice president, said the team sought to redraw the stadium's exterior because "we thought a fresh new look would be a terrific thing for Glendale and for the West Valley."
He dismissed suggestions that it was intended to save money, saying the changes are "cost neutral" but would simplify construction.
"The inside of the stadium is still the same . . . but it's going to look a lot different," he said.
Some at the Thursday unveiling thought the new design looked like a barrel cactus; others said it resembled a sunburst.
Eisenman's vision is a shiny metallic-silver beacon whose color and reflected light are supposed to shift to mimic the countless hues of Arizona's desert skies.
He tossed out the normally horizontal "banded" design lines of sports stadiums, designing alternating metal panels and vertical glass corridors for the stadium's exterior, "slicing it like a grapefruit" and topping it with a gauzy, see-through cloth roof he says will "take the curse off being inside."
"It's a whole new feeling in the interior," Eisenman said. "It gives a feeling of being both indoors and outdoors."
The use of Birdair, a translucent canvaslike fabric that is waterproof, reduces the weight and complexity of the roof. The previous design had a roof of three heavy-metal panels that retracted to one end, opening the central part of the roof and one end of the stadium. The new design has two steel-and-cloth panels, each opening toward opposite ends.
Bidwill said $3.5 million worth of Luxembourg steel ordered 18 months ago will still be put to use in the new design. The height, according to Eisenman, will be about 18 feet lower.
The rollout field remains a dominant feature, rolling into an outdoor bowl where it will remain when football is not being played. It will give the natural turf air, sun and water.
"The previous depiction of the stadium everyone had identified with Tempe," Glendale City Manager Ed Beasley said.
He described the new look as "neighborhood friendly . . . more pleasing to the eye," a plus for those living around it.
Glendale and the state Tourism and Sports Authority plan a splashy ceremonial groundbreaking Tuesday, but real work won't start until at least June, when machines start digging a huge hole in which the stadium will be built. Until then, workers will be installing sewer lines and other infrastructure, some of it in conjunction with the Phoenix Coyotes arena opening next door in December.
A precise construction schedule will be penned out in a few months when detailed design drawings are in hand. Hunt Construction, the builder, is expected to lock in on its guaranteed maximum price to build the facility in September.
Saving money is paramount for the Cardinals because every extra cent of construction cost comes out of the team's pocket. Delays in choosing a stadium site already have driven construction costs to $355 million from $331 million, putting the team on the hook for the extra $24 million. The Cardinals' original investment was $85 million. The balance is paid by tax-financed bonds sold last month.
THE ULTIMATE SPORTS ROAD TRIP
By: Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell
| University of Phoenix Stadium Ranking by USRT |
| Architecture |  | 10 |
| Concessions | | 8 |
| Scoreboard | | 6.5 |
| Ushers | | 9 |
| Fan Support | | 4 |
| Location | | 6 |
| Banners/History | | 8 |
| Entertainment | | 2 |
| Concourses/Fan Comfort | | 4.5 |
| Bonus: Tailgate Scene | | 3 |
| Bonus: USRT Red Carpet Treatment | | 4 |
| Bonus: Retractable Field | | 2 |
| Bonus: Tillman Plaza | | 1 |
| Total Score |  | 68 |
November 12, 2006 - The Arizona Cardinals hold bragging rights as the oldest franchise in the National Football League, tracing its roots all the way back to 1898. But incredibly, the team has never had a sports venue to call its very own. Until now.
Since moving to Arizona back in 1988, the team has shared Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe with the Arizona State University football program. But all that changed in 2006, as the Cardinals have opened their spanking new stadium in suburban Glendale. University of Phoenix Stadium is now the exclusive home of the Arizona Cardinals, and what a showplace it is.
Getting to the Venue
Simply put, this is a stadium reachable by car or other means of transportation only. It is located in Glendale along Loop 101, a freeway which circles the entire metro area. For now, the stadium is surrounded by mostly vacant tracts of land, and clearly marked roadways direct you to the stadium and the proper lot. Here’s the first heads up – almost all parking lots here require a pre-purchased parking pass, which is color and letter coded and signage will direct you to your lot. Cash parking is in the dreaded “Lot H”, far far away north of the stadium and a shuttle ride necessary.. Advice to the single ticket buyer – check out eBay or Craigslist and buy a parking pass in advance.
Outside the Venue
This area of Glendale is developing rapidly, as is most of the Greater Phoenix area, but for now much of the surrounding area is empty acreage, with subdivisions and other construction going on off in the distance. Jobing.com Arena, home of the NHL Phoenix Coyotes is next door to the north, and the finishing touches are being put on a mixed use residential, retail and entertainment center called “Westgate”. When open for business, a plethora of restaurants and bars will be open to cater to visiting fans in a splendid and attractive setting.
The other bit of news is that the Arizona Cardinals fans are developing quite the tailgate scene outside the stadium. “Sportsman’s Park” on the west side of the stadium seems to be the center of a lot of the action, and here is where you will find “The Great Lawn”, complete with a stage offering pre game entertainment. Fans can set up their canopies and decorations, and the team awards a prize for the best tailgate based on originality of décor, culinary presentation and fan spirit.
As word of this new venue continues to grow and spread, Arizona Cardinals fans should rightfully take their place among the NFL’s best tailgaters. For now they are definitely underrated.
Architecture and Seating Bowl
University of Phoenix Stadium has earned worldwide acclaim for its forward looking architecture, and rightfully so. The silver steel colored edifice looks like a flower blooming in the desert from afar. It is unlike any other of its peer venues in the NFL. The roof supports two huge panels which can retract in about 12 minutes. In another unique feature, the entire playing surface can slide to the outside like a huge drawer. Not only can the team tend to the playing surface on non game days and keep it in superb shape, but this also allows the facility to be used for a myriad of other non football events.
The seating capacity for football is just over 64,000 seats, and sandwiched in between the main and terrace level are two levels of premium seating which run from corner to corner on each side. The open end zones each have a wide public gathering and viewing area from the main concourse, and the south end zone has a “Budweiser Red Zone” area on the ground level for a pre game buffet open to all fans with a separate ticket.
Hovering over the north end zone is a great pictorial mural of the Cardinals through their history and reminding all that this is the NFL’s eldest franchise.
The most stunning feature of the seating bowl is the roof, with its breathtaking design and superb engineering. A massive mural adorns the north end zone with the team logo and black and white photos of the team’s great moments.
Concourses
The concourses here are somewhat drab and lifeless – occasional splashes of red with plenty of grey concrete. They should take a lesson from Westgate next door – add more color and pizazz to the décor here. There are escalator towers on three sides of the building to go from lower to upper level. Elevators and an additional two private escalators are reserved for premium ticket holders.
Despite being a brand new stadium, lower level corridors here get congested fast, with choke points at the corners as well. The open end zones are plenty roomy however. There is a view of the playing surface and seating bowl from both the main and terrace concourses.
The major video board hangs in the south Red Zone, with a secondary video board at the opposite end. LED ribbon boards straddle the balcony along the sidelines. The electronics here are adequate, but unspectacular.
Concessions
Here’s no surprise – very good and varied food items offered here, albeit on the pricey side. The concession stands all have their own theme – Gridiron Grill offering the standard fare (the AZ Grande hot dog topped with cheese and chili at $6.75 is tops! Make sure you grab a fork). PizzAZ offers personal pan pizzas southwest style; Mr. B’s BBQ brisket and pulled pork; Grande Roja and Touchdown Tortilla offering the local southwest favorites. Portable kiosks offer specialty items such as wings, carved bombers and tortillas.
The main team store is on the main concourse on the east side of the stadium, with plenty of merchandise kiosks scattered throughout the rest of the building.
In addition, there are Guest Services stands everywhere. The team has plenty of personnel on hand to assist fans, and they actively solicit fan input – good and bad from their patrons.
Banners, Retired Numbers
As part of the opening of this stadium, the Cardinals unveiled their “Ring of Honor”, straddling the entire balcony, showcasing the franchise’s icons throughout their history not only in Arizona, but to their days in St. Louis and Chicago as well. On this day, former Arizona Cardinal Pat Tillman, who gave up his lucrative football career to join the Army Rangers and perished in Afghanistan, was added to the Ring, which also includes former owner Charles Bidwill, Coach Jimmy Conzelman, and players Dan Dierdorf, Paddy Driscoll, Marshall Goldberg, Dick “Night Train” Lane, Ollie Matson, Ernie Nevers, Charley Trippi and Larry Wilson.
Very cool historical tributes, obelisk style, can be found along the concourses in each corner of the stadium – a decade by decade timeline of the team’s history; a showcase of area high school championship teams; a display of the construction of the stadium, a list of players to have advanced to the NFL from Arizona colleges and universities, and team firsts – including such ditties as being the first team to play an exhibition and a regular season game in foreign soil. All very nicely presented.
As part of the timeline, the team’s two, yes two, NFL championships are showcased here from the years 1925 as well as 1947, and the old timers on the south side of Chicago are still talking about it!
Premium Seating
Along the sidelines on the second level are 7500 club seats with access to private entrances and carpeted concourse. This area also offers premium concession services including private bar, an Asian stand called Azianwok/Loft Grill and a Club Buffet. The team has installed 88 suites which they call “lofts”, again offering a unique design in urban architecture and décor for their most exclusive patrons.
Touchdowns, extra points, fumbles…
Touchdown… to the Cardinals for their stirring and emotional tribute, as part of the unveiling of Pat Tillman’s name and number on the Ring of Honor. Few fans left their seats at halftime in order to watch the video and ceremony, and there wouldn’t have been a dry eye in the place, except for…
Fumble… The game day crew totally messed up the six minute video tribute. The audio was, well, inaudible, and the superimposed music and screeching bagpipes overwhelmed the dialogue. It really wrecked the moment. But let’s not be too hard on them. Later on when they did the shuffling pizza box contest, there were no glitches – the video crew nailed it! (And for anyone who gives a damn, the pizza was under box 2.)
Touchdown… to the super friendly in game staff. No sphincter police moments on this day. The security check was seamless, ushers eager to help, and on the way out we were thanked for our patronage. We’ve had some ugly experiences here in Phoenix with their other teams and were bracing for the worst with the Cardinals. To our pleasant surprise, it was the complete opposite.
Extra Point… Near the main entrance on the northwest side is “Pat Tillman Plaza”, centered by a very poignant statue and garden.
Fumble… The smoking areas aren’t located outside, but rather in the large north vestibule which isn’t ventilated all that well unless there is a good breeze going outside. Second hand smoke takes on an entirely new meaning here. Worst of all, this area shares space with the main escalator tower to the terrace level. By the time you reach the top of the building, you will need to set up an appointment with an oncologist.
Extra Point… Peter being the trivia geek that he is took exception to the notion that the Cardinals played in the first pro football night game back in 1929. And with good reason, the first pro football night game took place right down the road from his hometown in 1902 in Elmira, NY. Eh, we’ll give ‘em credit for the first NFL night game.
Fumble….to that USRT Karma, apparently we used up all of it a day prior in Tucson during Arizona’s stunning upset of Cal. On this day the Cowboys came to the desert and walked away with a 27-10 pasting of the Cards. At 1-8, it’s looking like another long season for these guys.
Touchdown… and a big high five to MARK DALTON, Senior Director of Media Relations for the Arizona Cardinals. Mark gave us a tour of the Cardinals practice facility in Tempe earlier in the week, and set us up with awesome game tickets, parking and even pre game field passes. Mark is inducted into the Ultimate Sports Road Trip Hall of Fame with our heartfelt thanks and appreciation.
Summary
University of Phoenix Stadium has earned accolades from all over the place as the next generation of stadium design. The publication Business Week has listed this venue as one of the 10 best stadiums in the world. And indeed, the architecture is simply dazzling and will take your breath away, both inside and outside. Secondly, a totally functioning and practical retractable field is surely going to become a duplicated element in venues yet to come, and this stadium can claim bragging rights as being the first to do it.
What this venue lacks, however, is trailblazing amenities in terms of concourse design, cutting edge electronics, and other bells and whistles that have come online in recent years in its peer venues.
For now, the fans here seem to be happy with their new digs. They have sold out the entire season, and there is a waiting list for new season tickets. This contrasts with the days at Sun Devil, when most games displayed huge and yawning gaps of empty seats.
Talk to the people who follow this team though, and it is not dazzling design, loft suites, and showcase concourses that attract them here. They are desperate for a winner, and while the team has assembled a top notch roster of marquee players and a proven head coach, success on the field has eluded them again this season. To at long last get a winning program on the field, here in the desert, they will have to buck the tide of their futile history.
