Ultra Maroons

Presenting your World-Champion Pottsville Maroons!

On December 6, the Pottsville Maroons defeated the (then) Chicago Cardinals, 21-7, to establish the best record in the league and seemed to all but officially clinch the NFL championship.

Remember, under the league rules during that time, the NFL title was automatically given to the team with the best record at the end of the season instead of having the winner be determined by a playoff tournament. What's more, there was an open-ended schedule during that season; although the final listed league games ended on December 6, teams could still schedule contests against each other through December 20 so they could make more money. Sadly for the Maroons, two things happened: first, the Cardinals hastily scheduled games against two weak teams which had disbanded for the year and second, NFL President Joseph Carr suspended the Maroons for playing the University of Notre Dame All-Stars in Philadelphia (and unbelieveably winning 9-7) on the same day the Frankford Yellow Jackets were scheduled to play a game in Philadelphia, violating Frankford's franchise rights. Although Carr warned the Maroons in writing that they faced suspension if they played the Notre Dame All-Stars in Philadelphia, the Maroons claim that the league office verbally approved the game during a telephone call.

Their victory in Notre Dame was huge for the NFL, which was struggling for acceptance in a nation that held fast to college football, and didn't see the point of these so-called "professional" football players. The arguments -and the victory- didn't matter, though. and Chicago was declared the 1925 champions by default as the result of Pottsville's suspension.

Although the NFL attempted to officially award the 1925 NFL championship to the Cardinals, they refused the title at first. Years later, though, they seem to have no objection to claiming the 1925 championship. You'd think the curse would make them think twice.

The (now) Arizona Cardinals franchise currently holds the NFL record for the longest championship drought, having won only one title since 1925 (in 1947) and only one playoff game in sixty years. Maroons faithful insist to this day that the Cardinals are cursed to wallow in this futility until the NFL returns the 1925 championship to it's rightful, coal-stained place in Pottsville.

Me? I have to say that in an NFL era that legislates parity, there's really no other explanation for the Cardinals perpetual failure. None. It's like the curse is Lucy Van Pelt holding the football for Charlie Brown: sure, he can keep running at it time after time, but at some point he has to learn that there's a better way... right? You listening, Charlie Bidwell? Chuck? You learning yet?