"The Super Bowl is in Arizona, home of the Cardinals, who will never get there (to the Super Bowl) because of the curse of this city (Pottsville)."
-David Fleming

The Cardinals are cursed. At least, that's the gist of a new article that will appear in a future issue of ESPN The Magazine (hits store shelves January 31st). Author David Fleming goes as far back in history as 1925 to explore the possibility that maybe, just maybe, it isn't lack of talent or coaching that has held the franchise from a championship.

The Maroons defeated the Chicago Cardinals in a 1925 NFL championship game, only to lose the title less than two weeks later after playing an exhibition game against the famed Notre Dame Four Horsemen squad at Shibe Park, Philadelphia.

The title was awarded to the Cardinals, who later moved to Arizona.

Is it a curse?

"I just think it’s bad management," says Jay Dieffenbach of the Arizona Republic. "You might find the most diehard of Cardinals fans that know something about the Maroons, but that’s it."

To be perfectly honest, I don't know much at all about the Pottsville Maroons. In fact, I only know them from perhaps reading something about them years ago, as the name sticks out in my mind.

But at least a few thousand fans know more than I do. An online petition supporting the Maroons and urging the NFL to return the title received 10,654 signatures as of Saturday.

10 thousand? How does that happen? Honestly, the sheer fact that more than three people know about this surprises me. Apparently a story appeared in ESPN The Magazine last year (October 9th) and reminded the citizens of Pottsville of their beloved Maroons. And though I'm not sure what the population of Pottsville is, I'm guessing it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,654.

Regardless, I look forward to the issue and reading into more detail as to why the Cards are cursed (and if there's any way to lift the hex). Personally, I don't put a lot of stock into curses, but I have seen what they can do to franchises (the Chicago Cubs come to mind), so let's just hope this isn't for real.