After having been a season-ticket holder for so many years when the team was in St.Louis had to be in attendance for what may have been the last season for the Rams in that God-forsaken baseball town. Was glad that Cardinal fans travelled in such strong support of our team. We certainly added to a likely large group attending the game from Cedar Rapids, Iowa area to cheer on rookie David Johnson representing them and Northern Iowa University. And to be treated to his first NFL start made it all the more memorable.
Enjoying the game in that half-empty cavernous building it was so striking how the Cardinal fans could be seen and heard dominating that space. I swear I could hear the ghost of Cardinal-great Elmer Angsman cheering David on to his great game. My father after he came home from the war followed the Fighting Irish attending many games before marrying. He was a big fan of HC Frank Leahy and to his dying day said that 1949 Heisman winner,Leon Hart, was the greatest college player he had ever seen play. He played on three national championship teams, in '46, '47 and 1949.
Well, the 1945 team had a dynamic RB. He was Chicago-born, Elmer Angsman, who the Cardinals' and HC, Jimmy Conzelman, coveted. The team was being built around the great Charlie Trippi and wanted to add an elusive speedster to complement the future HOF triple-threat back. They focused on Elmer and the youngster, who had been the youngest player ever drafted up to that time, really came into his own under Conzelman.
His place in franchise history was secured when in the only championship the team has he scored two TD's to help the team beat the rival Eagles. Elmer's ghost just has to be looking over David's shoulder now helping the rookie come into his own and I am sure David felt his presence.
That's my take on No.31 and I'm sticking to it. No.31 is on his way now and if TNF game hosting the Vikings shows him matching or surpassing AP in performance I will give Elmer's ghost its just due...
Well,