Skip to main content
Animated graphic with red feathered background and information about Cardinals @ 49ers
Advertising

Arizona Cardinals Home: The official source of the latest Cardinals headlines, news, videos, photos, tickets, rosters and game day information

Of Cardinals, Cubs and championships

First of all, it was cool to see (given that I really didn't have a rooting interest) that big Cardinals fan Joe Maddon, who happens to be the manager of the Chicago Cubs, led his team to the World Series title. Maddon has been a fan of the franchise since 1963, and stayed with them even from their move to Arizona in 1988. He was rooting for them in their Super Bowl run in 2008, and when the Cardinals were in Chicago last season, he popped over to the Cardinals' team hotel to talk to Bruce Arians.

Secondly, yes, I saw the graphic.

It was hard to miss, as Fox put it up for the world to see after the Cubs won. (If I would've missed it, I had plenty of Twitter followers who wanted to send me a copy.) The fact had already been floating around since the Cubs won Game 6 -- if the Cubs won the whole thing, the Cardinals would be the pro sports franchise with the longest title drought. The Cards last won in 1947. The Indians, oh so close Wednesday night, were next at 1948.

The feeling is a little different because the franchise has moved twice since then, although I have talked to plenty of fans who ache even if they became fans in '88 after the move West. It's why for many, any part after Larry Fitzgerald's amazing 64-yard catch-and-run in Super Bowl XLIII is just a blurry memory. It's why Fitzgerald was so upset in the locker room following last year's NFC Championship loss. It's hard to even get a chance to win the whole thing.

But it's also the great thing about sports, something the Cubs have done for a long time. Each season is a chance renewed. And as Arians said the other night even about this season -- which obviously hasn't gone the way anyone expected -- "This is just another good challenge." This year's chase isn't over yet.

droughtblog
Advertising