[StBernard] NFL vs. "old" AFL

[Westley Annis]

Interesting note in light of the recent Super Bowl:
 
Even though it's been 40 years since the merger between the two leagues, a
closer look at the list of Super Bowl champions makes one wonder if parity
has truly been achieved.
 
The Saints victory in Super Bowl XLIV make it the 32nd time a team
originating in the NFL has won the big game.  To date only 12 Super Bowls
have been won by teams orginating back to the old AFL - and those wins are
divided by only 6 different teams.
 
Keep in mind Super Bowl victories by the Colts, Steelers and Ravens
(formerly the Cleveland Browns) were by original NFL teams who were shifted
to the new AFC when the leagues merged in 1970.  No surprise the Colts and
the Steelers accounted for several of the first dozen or Super Bowls.
During that time only the Jets, Chiefs and Raiders of the old AFL could
claim parity with NFL teams.  In fact, in the 40 Super Bowls played since
the leagues merged, 11 of them have been between original NFL teams.
 
Interesting little fact:  Did you know the Minnesota Vikings were one of the
orginal AFL franchises...well, sort of.  The Vikings formed as one of the
original AFL teams in 1959, but just before they were to play in the AFL's
initial season (1960), their owner was offered the opportunity to join the
NFL and the team made the hop over to the old league.  For many years there
was great animosity between the Vikings and original AFL team owners.  In
Super Bowl IV (played in Tulane Stadium in Jan. 1970) the Chiefs (along with
their owner, Lamar Hunt, who founded the AFL) beat the Vikings 23-7 in a
major upset.  It was the last Super Bowl before the two leagues merged.
 
Tricky question:  Did the Minnesota Vikings ever win a NFL Championship?
The answer, YES.  Though most people would say "no" since most people
associate winning a NFL championship with winning the Super Bowl.  But
technically, Super Bowl IV was prior to the leagues merging and pitted the
AFL Champion Kansas City Chiefs against the NFL Champion Minnesota Vikings.
So "Yes" the Vikings have won a NFL championship, but never a Super Bowl.