Arizona Cardinals have mixed feelings on last game at Candlestick Park

Candlestick Park has been part of the National Football League since 1971.

That will change next season as the San Francisco 49ers will relocate to the brand new, $1.2 billion Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara in time for the 2014 season.

The Arizona Cardinals are preparing for their final trip to Candlestick Park as they’ll meet the 49ers Sunday in an important early-season NFC West matchup.

Cardinals’ head coach Bruce Arians doesn’t feel all that nostalgic about the stadium they call “The Stick.”

“No, not at all,” Arians joked when asked if he’d miss the venerable stadium located on the western shore of the San Francisco Bay.

Although Arians is new to the Cardinals, there are likely many in the organization who feel the same way, solely based on the team’s results there.

The Cardinals are just 5-14 as the visitors at Candlestick, and only 3-11 since moving to the Valley in 1988. The Niners have won the last four meetings between the teams in San Francisco by an average score of 29-8.

Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer, who attended his first NFL game at Candlestick, feels a little different about the stadium.

“I do have an affection for it, growing up in California, you saw a lot of games on TV at Candlestick,” Palmer said. “I’m excited to play there.”

This will be Palmer’s second career game at Candlestick. The first came on December 15, 2007, as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals. Palmer completed 19-of-31 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown, but it wasn’t enough as the 49ers prevailed 20-13.

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