39 Years, “Snow into Rain”

Yesterday was the exact 39 year anniversary of Orenthal James Simpson breaking Jim Brown’s single season rushing mark, and then going over 2000 rushing yards for the season in a game between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. The game was played in the snow at Shea Stadium in the regular season finale.

Think of all that has changed concerning Simpson and the NFL. Now there are 12 teams in the playoffs and still two weeks to play. Then only eight made post season and December 16, 1973 was the last day of the regular season. Simpson was revered by most of America (Not me–he was a great running back but I preferred Jim Brown on the field and off) and now that is not the “case,” no pun intended. I suppose Simpson “let us down” but many of you who did “revere” him, did so because you perceived him as a “harmless” black man running through airports and being ejected into a famous rent a car company’s vehicle. That exacerbated your disappointment when Simpson “let you down.”

A final comparison; yesterday, thirty nine years later, as in a great Dan Fogelberg song, “The Snow Turned Into Rain.” Figuratively, it did so long before.

Dan Fogelberg