Cardinalsnet.com | St. Louis Cardinals News, cardinals Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>I was exactly one year, one month and one day old the last time the Cardinals won an NFL championship. </div>That, my friend, has been a long, long, long, long time ago. Dec. 28, 1947. A crowd of 30,759 watched Elmer Angsman's two long touchdown runs of 70 and 75 yards lead the Chicago Cardinals to a 28-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles at Comiskey Park. Former Wichita Falls High and University of Texas star Joe Parker was a 24-year-old defensive end on that Cardinals team. In 1997, Parker and his teammates gathered in Chicago for a 50th anniversary celebration and were given the championship rings a half a century late. Parker died the next year. "Jimmy Conzelman was the head coach of that team, and his son still calls my mom every Christmas day," Joe Parker Jr. said. "He said my dad was the leader and motivator of that team and he always remembered that." Joe Parker retired after that championship season. A year later, the Eagles won a rematch for the NFL title. Now 60 years later, we get the rubber match. The Cardinals - God bless them - have had one long, rough road to get back into the championship picture. Since that 1947 title, the team has had more name changes than Prince, Pacman and Ocho Cinco combined. The Chicago Cardinals became the St. Louis Cardinals in 1960 and then went west and became the Phoenix Cardinals in 1988. Then they changed their name to Arizona Cardinals in 1994. The so-called fans of this team - or at least those brave enough to admit it - called them many other names over the years - none of which I can print in a family newspaper. The franchise - owned by the Bidwell family since 1932 - has had 21 head coaches since their last championship. And some of those were big names. Curly Lambeau, who coached the Packers to six NFL championships and has the stadium in Green Bay named after him, was hired by the Cardinals in 1950. He went 5-7 and 3-9 and left town. Bud Wilkinson, who won three national championships at the University of Oklahoma, coached the St. Louis Cardinals in 1978 and 1979, He went 6-10 and 5-11 and made a quick exit. But Lambeau and Wilkinson weren't alone. Those 21 coaches produced 39 losing seasons. The Cardinals had their most success with Don Coryell as their head coach, winning back-to-back NFC East titles in 1974 and 1975. But they were one-and-done in the playoffs both years. The Dallas Cowboys struggled with the Cardinals during that decade but always seemed to have the last laugh. In 1970, St. Louis whipped up on Dallas 38-0 in a Monday night game at the Cotton Bowl. The Cowboys won their next seven in a row and got to the Super Bowl. The Cardinals lost their last three games and missed the playoffs. In 1975, after winning the division, Coryell's team sat home and watched the NFC East runner-up Cowboys go to the Super Bowl as a wild-card team. Dallas started the 1977 season with eight straight wins but was derailed 24-17 by St. Louis in a Monday night game in Texas Stadium. The Cowboys went on and won the Super Bowl. The Cardinals finished the season with four straight losses and missed the playoffs. Things were so bad in Arizona that every time the Cowboys played there, it was like a home game for them. The stands were filled with fans wearing silver and blue. But maybe, just maybe, this is finally the Cardinals' year. Remember the Cowboys were the team most experts picked to be hosting the NFC championship game today. The Cardinals, however, are the ones doing it. Like all of the remaining NFL playoff teams, they beat the Cowboys this year. And they did it with ex-Cowboy assistant coaches calling the shots. Arizona defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast was on the Dallas staff seven seasons (1996-2002). Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley was receivers coach and passing-game coordinator for the Cowboys three years (2004-2006). I know it is hard for any of us to imagine the Arizona Cardinals going to the Super Bowl. It would be like the Texas Rangers playing in a World Series. OK, maybe not that far-fetched. But if you like cheering for an underdog, this franchise is as big a mutt as you will find. There have been 42 Super Bowls, and the Cardinals are one of only six NFL teams who have never played in one. They have been living in the same pound as the Lions and the Ain'ts. Today is a glorious day in the not so glorious history of the Cardinals. I'm sure Joe Parker, his best buddy Stan Mauldin and most of their 1947 teammates will be smiling down from heaven. I, too, will be rooting for the redbirds.

I was exactly one year, one month and one day old the last time the Cardinals won an NFL championship.

That, my friend, has been a long, long, long, long time ago.

Dec. 28, 1947.

A crowd of 30,759 watched Elmer Angsman's two long touchdown runs of 70 and 75 yards lead the Chicago Cardinals to a 28-21 win over the Philadelphia Eagles at Comiskey Park.

Former Wichita Falls High and University of Texas star Joe Parker was a 24-year-old defensive end on that Cardinals team.

In 1997, Parker and his teammates gathered in Chicago for a 50th anniversary celebration and were given the championship rings a half a century late. Parker died the next year.

"Jimmy Conzelman was the head coach of that team, and his son still calls my mom every Christmas day," Joe Parker Jr. said. "He said my dad was the leader and motivator of that team and he always remembered that."

Joe Parker retired after that championship season.

A year later, the Eagles won a rematch for the NFL title.

Now 60 years later, we get the rubber match.

The Cardinals - God bless them - have had one long, rough road to get back into the championship picture.

Since that 1947 title, the team has had more name changes than Prince, Pacman and Ocho Cinco combined.

The Chicago Cardinals became the St. Louis Cardinals in 1960 and then went west and became the Phoenix Cardinals in 1988. Then they changed their name to Arizona Cardinals in 1994.

The so-called fans of this team - or at least those brave enough to admit it - called them many other names over the years - none of which I can print in a family newspaper.

The franchise - owned by the Bidwell family since 1932 - has had 21 head coaches since their last championship.

And some of those were big names.

Curly Lambeau, who coached the Packers to six NFL championships and has the stadium in Green Bay named after him, was hired by the Cardinals in 1950. He went 5-7 and 3-9 and left town.

Bud Wilkinson, who won three national championships at the University of Oklahoma, coached the St. Louis Cardinals in 1978 and 1979, He went 6-10 and 5-11 and made a quick exit.

But Lambeau and Wilkinson weren't alone. Those 21 coaches produced 39 losing seasons.

The Cardinals had their most success with Don Coryell as their head coach, winning back-to-back NFC East titles in 1974 and 1975. But they were one-and-done in the playoffs both years.

The Dallas Cowboys struggled with the Cardinals during that decade but always seemed to have the last laugh.

In 1970, St. Louis whipped up on Dallas 38-0 in a Monday night game at the Cotton Bowl.

The Cowboys won their next seven in a row and got to the Super Bowl. The Cardinals lost their last three games and missed the playoffs.

In 1975, after winning the division, Coryell's team sat home and watched the NFC East runner-up Cowboys go to the Super Bowl as a wild-card team.

Dallas started the 1977 season with eight straight wins but was derailed 24-17 by St. Louis in a Monday night game in Texas Stadium. The Cowboys went on and won the Super Bowl. The Cardinals finished the season with four straight losses and missed the playoffs.

Things were so bad in Arizona that every time the Cowboys played there, it was like a home game for them. The stands were filled with fans wearing silver and blue.

But maybe, just maybe, this is finally the Cardinals' year.

Remember the Cowboys were the team most experts picked to be hosting the NFC championship game today.

The Cardinals, however, are the ones doing it.

Like all of the remaining NFL playoff teams, they beat the Cowboys this year.

And they did it with ex-Cowboy assistant coaches calling the shots.

Arizona defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast was on the Dallas staff seven seasons (1996-2002).

Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley was receivers coach and passing-game coordinator for the Cowboys three years (2004-2006).

I know it is hard for any of us to imagine the Arizona Cardinals going to the Super Bowl.

It would be like the Texas Rangers playing in a World Series.

OK, maybe not that far-fetched.

But if you like cheering for an underdog, this franchise is as big a mutt as you will find.

There have been 42 Super Bowls, and the Cardinals are one of only six NFL teams who have never played in one.

They have been living in the same pound as the Lions and the Ain'ts.

Today is a glorious day in the not so glorious history of the Cardinals.

I'm sure Joe Parker, his best buddy Stan Mauldin and most of their 1947 teammates will be smiling down from heaven.

I, too, will be rooting for the redbirds.