Much Miscellaneous: “Value Teams” Plus Recalling Another Giants at Cleveland Third Week Game, That One, 51 Years In “The Rearview”

Another time I will detail about all-time value teams, both the S.F. Giants (2010,2012 and 2014) and New York Giants under Tom Coughlin, (he who sets his watch i believe it is 15 minutes ahead, a practice also in the Al Brown repertoire of great organization), in 2007 and 2011 and also from ’64 on, when going (5-0) in NFC title tilts/NFL “semis” and (4-1) in the subsequent Super Bowls, they have managed to win a so impressive 4 Super Bowl crowns, without in any of the 55, likely to be 56 other seasons, win as much as a “slots”/div round game.

The Bruce Bochy “value” is unreal and frankly disconcerting, as for example his so many bad seasons especially in and around his so impressive 4 titles, certainly leave him short of two other 4 titles winners, Walter Alston and Joe Torre, not to mention 5 time winner, Mr. Mack and a pair of 7 time title winners, all with the Yankees, and they had notable failures and in Marse Joe’s case near misses, “Marse” Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel.

Texas (Rangers) officially eliminated this week and managed by Bochy, won the title last season going (90-72), were a wild card entrant, that to their credit, noted and praised by me–you can check my archives, went (13-4) in the ‘offs, 3 of the losses vs Houston and all 4 at home, to win the crown.

This year, however, marks a 7th losing season in the last 8.

Finally back to “Hack,” (the football Giants, still an all-time important and in many ways great franchise now in their 100th season), in ’73 they went (6-0) in “exhibition” play (sorry Alvin “Pete” Rozelle, who was a good commissioner, certainly relative, to the exponentially “owners friendly,” Goodell of Bronxville, N.Y.) and were (1-1-1) when they sojourned to Cleveland, as they do today to face what are to me, the “phony” Browns, as the Graham, Jim Brown, and still alive 99 years old, “Dub” Jones Browns moved to Baltimore (Jones’ son, Bert was a fine Baltimore Colts quarterback).

In that ’73 tilt, as I watched at home, awaiting my ride back to S.U.N.Y. Albany, Don Cockroft booted 4 field goals as Cleveland won (12-10). The Giants finished that season with a (2-11-1) record.

Maybe today, (I say the Giants plus 6 plus, at least “cover,” I said Cincy last week and they nearly outrighted K.C. , who sooner or later will fall), the Giants, at least in another game 3 at Cleveland, reverse ’73.

Cockroft was very good, however there is only one Lou “The Toe,” Groza, pictured above.

He was a great kicker and also played the line and he of course with many other great past, “real” Browns ought to have been cited along with “Automatic” Otto Graham, Jim Brown and Dub Jones.

My great memory is that on the sad Monday on which “The Toe” began kicking elsewhere, (maybe and hopefully a better place), I called Jim Brown and he expressed to me his great respect and warm feelings for as he called Mr. Groza, “The Toe.”