Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – "Michael Bidwill Spotted At Ra Ra Room Before End Of Overtime Cardinals Loss..."

Date: November 24, 2025
Host: John Holmberg with Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Podcast: 98KUPD | Hubbard Radio (Arizona)

Episode Overview

This episode centers on John Holmberg’s firsthand account of seeing Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill at the Rah Rah Room (a downtown bar) before the Cardinals’ overtime loss had even ended. John speculates—half-jokingly, half-hopefully—that Bidwill might be in the process of selling the team. The crew digs into fan investment, owner accountability, and what it means when a franchise owner seemingly checks out before his team's game finishes. They weave in biting humor and raw cynicism, classic for the show.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Post-Game Blues and Armchair Analysis

• John recaps NFL Sunday: Talks about losing bets, team picks, and general disappointment with his Steelers’ mediocrity. (03:00–04:30)
• Emphasizes the emotional investment fans make in teams—money, time, and spirit—and how that ups expectations that owners match that commitment.

2. The Bidwill Sighting and Timeline Math

• Bidwill spotted at Rah Rah Room before OT loss ended:
  • Game ended at 5:27pm; John’s friend saw Bidwill at the bar at ~5:45pm.
  • Implies Bidwill left the Cardinals game early to go socialize at another Phoenix sporting event (the Suns game).
  • Compares this with others who needed ~40 mins to make the drive, suggesting Bidwill left well before the game’s end.
    • “It would have taken him 20 to 26 minutes to drive from Cardinal Stadium to the Suns arena... there's no way he got out of the Cardinals traffic into the Suns traffic in 20 to 26 minutes to be 15 minutes early for a Suns game in the Rah Rah room.” (05:54–08:10)
• Holmberg’s speculation: “I am going to start a wild rumor... I am going to speculate irresponsibly.” (05:18)
• The possibility: Bidwill left for something more important—perhaps even secretly meeting a prospective buyer.

3. What Does Leaving Early Say About Ownership?

• Harsh comparison to Jerry Jones:
  • “There is no Jerry Jones doesn't leave the game early. It would be a massive controversy if a Cowboys owner... wasn't in his booth at the end of the game...” (08:20)
• Perception of not caring:
  • “This dude doesn't care. And more so doesn't care that there he is and people see him like, shouldn't you be somewhere else right now? Shouldn't you be at the stadium talking to the team?” (08:40)
  • Cites Urban Meyer’s infamous club incident as a parallel in leaders not sticking with their team.

4. Fan Frustration and the Dream of a Sale

• John's wild (but hopeful) rumor:
  • Bet the meeting was with someone like Mat Ishbia (Suns owner) or a Jacksonville money figure—a potential buyer.
  • “I'm going to scream the dream to all you Cardinal fans. Scream it. I think Bidwill is meeting with buyers.” (14:06)
• If it’s nothing? “Because if nothing's going on, that dick just left an overtime game to go have fun somewhere else.” (16:20)

5. What If Other Leaders Did This?

• Draws analogies to other sports and job roles:
  • What if the quarterback did this? “People would destroy him in the media.” (20:01)
  • “My owners are at work every day. There’s only 18 events a year... If we were running 18 shows a year and the entirety... was on those 18 dates, I guarantee our owners would be here every day.” (19:11)
• Ownership as a responsibility: “The owner not being at the game at the end of the game. Use logic.” (20:36)

6. Bidwill Family and Arizona Sports Culture

• Digs at the Bidwills’ attempt to blend in Arizona:
  • “That's exactly what Bill Bidwell did when he moved here in the late 80s. I'm gonna wear a bolo tie because I'm from Arizona now. Look, I'm dressed like you guys. Like, none of us wear that, you knob.” (18:12)
• The city’s longing for a fresh start:
  • “Can you imagine? This city would act like AIDS was cured... There’d be a ding dong, the witch is dead party that you can’t imagine at all.” (16:38)

7. Media Dynamics & Censorship

• Arizona Sports radio won’t cover this, John says, because of sponsor/owner influence.
  • “...98.7 won't be allowed to talk about this...they’re under his thumb. Like, he'll call [them] and go, knock it off, or I'll pull all the advertising.” (23:56)

8. Suns Owner Matt Ishbia: A Contrast

• Talks about Ishbia’s visibility and lifestyle:
  • “Matt Ishbia leaves with like nine, ten [women], and they get into this party bus together...” (25:18)
  • Jokes about the ‘upper echelon’ dating pool among billionaires and millionaires. (26:00–26:33)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

[05:53] John Holmberg:
“So my friend Brian says, 'I walked past a bar downtown when the game ended, 10 minutes before you text me, John, that you were already at the Rah Rah Room...so game ends at 5:27. He takes a walk. Let's say it's 5:35...We saw who we saw in the Rah Rah Room before then. Who am I talking about? Michael Bidwill.'”

[08:20] John:
“There is no Jerry Jones doesn't leave the game early. It would be a massive controversy if...he just left. Michael Bidwill lives in anonymity. The league doesn't care about the Bidwells. They don't care about him at all. And he knows it. And he left that game before it was over unless they choppered him in.”

[14:06] John:
“I'm going to scream the dream to all you Cardinal fans. Scream it. I think Bidwell is meeting with buyers.”

[16:38] John:
“Can you imagine? This city would act like AIDS was cured, like completely. Like STDs were all cured in the same day. There'd be a ding dong, the witch is dead party that you can't imagine at all.”

[18:12] John:
“That's exactly what Bill Bidwell did when he moved here in the late 80s. I'm gonna wear a bolo tie because I'm from Arizona now. Look, I'm dressed like you guys. Like, none of us wear that, you knob. That's a tourist thing. Old men and tourists do that.”

[20:01] (On owner accountability; hypothetical):
“What if Jacoby Brissette was at the Suns game and you’re like, he had to leave early? He didn’t stay with the team. … People would destroy him in the media.”

[23:56] John:
“98.7 won’t be allowed to talk about this the way I will because they’re under his thumb... I was on that station. I bashed the owner once, and I was no longer on that Station.”

Key Timestamps

• [02:58–05:45]: John recaps NFL picks, pivots to the Bidwill rumor.
• [05:53–08:10]: Detailed timeline of Bidwill sighting; logistics that make early departure almost certain.
• [08:12–11:43]: Comparing Bidwill to other owners/leaders; begins speculation about a potential team sale.
• [13:06]: More Suns game anecdotes; rant on importance of NFL owners being present.
• [14:06]: John’s “scream the dream” pitch for a sale.
• [16:38]: John describes what it would mean to the city if the Bidwills sold.
• [18:12]: Arizona sports/culture lampooning.
• [19:11–20:58]: Fan call-ins with arguments about owner responsibility.
• [23:56]: Discussion of media censorship and inside radio knowledge.
• [25:18–26:33]: Insights about Suns owner Matt Ishbia's lifestyle.

Tone & Style

• Casual, irreverent, and direct—The show’s classic blend of rant and humor.
• Fan perspective—Heavy on relatable frustration for Arizona sports followers.
• Conspiratorial and hopeful—Spins rumor as both critique and wishful thinking.

Takeaways for Listeners

• Owners have a responsibility to match the commitment and presence their fans invest, especially in an underperforming franchise.
• Michael Bidwill leaving a tied overtime game to go to a Suns event is—at best—a very bad look and—at worst—a sign he’s checked out or selling.
• The show openly wishes for a new era of Cardinals ownership and finds catharsis in commiseration and joking.
• Mainstream sports radio can't or won't criticize this, so independent voices like Holmberg’s Morning Sickness maintain a candid tone.

For Cardinals Fans

Keep your hope alive for a sale—or at least demand more from the top. As John puts it, the best-case scenario is something’s up. The worst? Your owner just didn’t care enough to stay to the very end.