Crappy economic times call for an underdog success story to lift our spirits. Conveniently, our neighbors to the south have one brewing: The Arizona Cardinals made it to the second round of the NFL playoffs. That’s right, those Cardinals. The ones who hadn’t hosted a playoff game for more than 60 years before last week’s win over the Atlanta Falcons. The ones who seem forever prone to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The ones who went 0-5 on the East Coast this year and still managed to squeak into the playoffs with a 9-7 overall record. Yes, it is like Christmas all over again, like the Democratic sweep, like the shoe flying at Bush, like all of these things wrapped into one giant Saturday-afternoon party. With beer!

Celebrate this unlikely event at Vegas’ Cardinals lair, Timbers Bar & Grill, 8540 S. Maryland Parkway (434-1456), Saturday, January 10 at 5:15 p.m., as the Cards take on the Carolina Panthers in ... one of the Carolinas—does it really matter which one? Timbers is offering $8 pitchers of Bud and Bud Light and $5 half-pound hot dogs. The Cardinals are offering a 37-year-old quarterback (Kurt Warner), an injured 1,000-yard receiver (Anquan Boldin) and the magic of being the season’s unlikely success story.