Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

These NFL owners past and present never seem to amaze me. With his son in full command of his team, Bill Bidwell, one of the worst owners in NFL history, will be inducted into the team Ring Of Honor. Yes, Cardinals fans, something to truly celebrate. These owners believe they are immortal and will do anything to keep their "legacy" and name out there. Bidwell was never about winning, got rid of a coach who was the best they had since Conzelman, took his team out of St Louis after his mother took them out of Chicago and had a GM/Personnel man that was terrible for the team for many years. Cheap and under-handing to many great players that deserved better but though his son, Michael has done better for the franchise, this gesture of nepotism crap isnt in the best interests of fans or NFL-Cardinals history, at all ...

Well, his father or grandfather is in the Hall of Fame, honored by the whole league, not just a single team. And for what? Uh, he owned a team for 15 years or so, and they weren't good, but ... well, did I mention that he owned a team?

Bidwell Sr. was probably the worst "contributor" elected to the Hall before they changed the rules and started putting at least one worse guy in each year.

At least the Cards won two chanpionships under Charles Bidwell's watch. If I am not mistaken, he helped out Papa Bear as well but the owners were shrewd financing the HOF, or amounts of it while trying to put in their own ... I will be amazed if Mike Brown allows naming rights over his father's name with the stadium. The Wolfner's should have sold the team after Charle's death. Had Lamar Hunt bought the team, there probably wouldnt have been an AFL but who knows.

Brian wolf wrote:At least the Cards won two chanpionships under Charles Bidwell's watch. If I am not mistaken, he helped out Papa Bear as well.

No, they never won a championship with Bidwell -- in fact, I think they had just two winning seasons, in 1935 and '46. He did in the spring of 1947, before they had their two-year run as title contenders.

Chris O'Brien was the owner when the Cardinals won the 1925 championship. And as for the second point, I think O'Brien was the one who helped out Halas when he trying to buy the Bears from Dutch Sternaman or somebody. By the time Bidwell owned the Cardinals, Halas was on pretty firm financial footing.

Great call, Bob ... so Bidwell helped Halas as a minority owner of the Bears but died before the Cards won their 1947 championship. Now I can see your points more clearly ...

Bob Gill wrote:Well, his father or grandfather is in the Hall of Fame, honored by the whole league, not just a single team. And for what? Uh, he owned a team for 15 years or so, and they weren't good, but ... well, did I mention that he owned a team?

Bidwell Sr. was probably the worst "contributor" elected to the Hall before they changed the rules and started putting at least one worse guy in each year.

I think Charles is in the Hall because he kept the league alive during the "war" with the AAFC by financially bailing out numerous teams in the league.

Anyway, nepotism is alive and well today in the coaching ranks. Just look at all the father and sons coaching in the league.

When I saw the scroll the other day about Bill Bidwill being put in the Cardinals' Ring of Honor I was astonished. The Cardinals' ownership group has had a bad reputation for a long time, hasn't it? Maybe the Bidwell family demanded that it be done (kinda like Napoleon [from "Animal Farm] awarding himself medals just for being him).

Anyone who has worked for a family owned enterprise probably realizes this problem is not exclusive to football.
Regardless (in my experience) of position, salary or union protection what the family says is LAW.

It is a whole other world than working for a publicly owned corporation.

Whether a stadium or field named after them or better yet, a team ring of honor, the Bidwell name will follow no matter which city to soak up money and incentives from blue collar fans. The team could end up in SD, Oak or San Antonio before too long ...

Bidwill openly rooted for the Bears in a must-win game against the Cardinals in 1941.