Bitter-enders: Chicago Cardinals fans not backing Bears

As with baseball, Chicago used to be a two-team town in football. The Chicago Bears--they played in the Cubs' Wrigley Field on the North Side, and the Cardinals--their home games took place in Comiskey Park, home of of the White Sox on the South Side.

The Bears abandoned Wrigley Field in 1971--they've played in Soldier Field just south of the Loop since then--except for one year in Champaign.

My late father was a Chicago Cardinals fan--but gave up on the Cards when they moved to St. Louis in 1960--even though he knew present Arizona Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill---they both attended the same high school. The Bidwills have owned the Cardinal team for decades.

To know Bill Bidwill is not to love him--based on what my father told me.

Amazingly, there are still a few Cardinal fans--or former Chicago Cardinal--fans who refuse to root for the Bears living in the Chicago area.

From ABC 7 Chicago:

In the north suburbs, the Bears are getting ready for Sunday's game. In the south suburbs, it's a group of 76 year olds who would rather see the Saints win.

"I really don't care. I'm not a Bears fan," said Bill Cook.

"I don't use the word hate or anything like that. I'm not fond of the Bears. Never was," said Jack Morrissey.

These men are from the 1948 class of Leo Catholic High School on the South Side, and when they were kids, there was only one football team they would ever think of rooting for.

"I always was a Chicago and always will be a Cardinal fan," said Cook.

My dad ended up being a Bears fan.

As you'll read in the below post, the Bears, for only the fourth time in the Super Bowl era of the NFL, are playing in the NFC championship game. Kickoff is at 1:00PM Chicago time.

Go Bears!

Technorati tags: Arizona Cardinals Chicago Bears history NFL sports Chicago