I eschew more title tilt game details, not a foolish “ESCHEW” (no “God bless you,” for Reid, now (3-6) in title tilts with one Supe win) as Reid committed at “first half end,” in his Chiefs HOME LOSS (a 4th in title tilt, annals for Reid) for some Supe notes.
Twenty of the NFL’s (Jim Brown/O.J. Simpson)/32 teams, including the 4 point favorite Rams, have won Supes, while 12, including the Bengals have not.
Eleven, a seemingly powerful number is the number of Supes after the “by definition,” first one, matching two teams with no previous Super Bowl wins. (The last was the ’99 “Alfalfa” Michaels Rams on the # win vs Tennessee (Titans).
If Cincy prevails on February 13th in the second straight home team Supe, after all 54 previous were not such, only 11 teams will be without a Supe win.
Four teams the Detroit Lions (0 for 56, Mr. DiMaggio was 56 for 56 and only once did Detroit reach a “semi” in those 56 seasons), Cleveland Browns (the NFL says use the Otto Graham/Jim Brown/ say Bernie Kosar team records) thus they are (0 for 53, failing in 5 games in which victory would have gained them Super Bowl entry. Those were NFL title tilt losses vs Baltimore in ’68 and at Minnesota in ’69. Add on 3 losses vs the Denver Broncos in AFC title tilts, at home in ’86 and at Denver in both ’87 and ’89. None of the 5 teams to top the Browns in those games won the subsequent Super Bowl game), Jacksonville Jaguars (0 for 27 seasons, with 3 semis losses two at New England, each vs an excellent ,”Willie Boy” coach. (Bill Parcells’ Pats in ’96 and Bill Belichick’s Pats in ’17 won home AFC title games vs “Jax,” before losing the subsequent Supe) and a home loss vs Tennessee, who also lost the next game Supe in ’99) and the Houston Texans, (never as far as a “semi” in their 20 seasons.
The seven teams, other than the Bengals (0-2) in Supes (a fact that will be not only jammed down our collective throats, but will involve references to Cris Collinsworth, a beyond annoying/”never shuts up commentator,” who was a very good football player), that have been in but never won the so called “Big Game,” are the Bills and Vikings each (0-4) in Supes, the Falcons and Panthers each (0-2) in such games and the Cardinals, Chargers and Titans, each of whom lost in their lone Supe appearance. (All three (0-1) in Supes teams lost its Super Bowl game, in an Al “Alfalfa” Michaels broadcast.
Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer, pictured above.
After no team hosted any of the first “Chuck Howley”/54 Super Bowls, there will be a home team in that game for a second straight year, with the Rams (menos 4) in their L.A. home, vs the Cincinnati Bengals. (Four is operative as each team is a conference “4” seed, the first time no team as high as a conference “3” gained Super Bowl entry).
In the earlier tilt Steve “Ap,” a young man in tune with “apps,” hit both KC (menos 4, there is that # again), and Cincy 18 to 1 to win the AFC, as the Bengals down by the discovered by me, “comeback score,” of (21-3), rallied to (27-24) the K.C. Chiefs and raise their AFC title tilt record to (3-0).
Next as the NFL has produced 5 of 6 tilts decided by 3 points and the other by “6,” in an overtime/almost all-time classic after a dull so called “Super wild card weekend,” the Rams won their first L.A. home title tilt, (they lost to Dallas in their previous 2) overcoming a 10 point, 4th quarter deficit (in fairness L.A. was on the move as the 4th quarter began, however, it is another big lost lead game suffered by Niners’ coach Kyle Shanahan-see the ’16 Supe as Atlanta assistant and the ’19 season Supe as Niners coach vs K.C.) to “no cover” the San Francisco 49ers (20-17), as 3 plus point(s) favorites. (Rivkah, 2 for 2 yesterday, has correctly picked 9 of 12 ‘offs tilts after winning her division in the “regular season”).
In their slot 1 win AT Tennessee (Titans) (by the way that dropped the home team’s record in slot 1 to a still sensational (42-10), a tipped ball, interception by Logan Wilson (ode to defensive backs Jerry Logan and Larry Wilson) set up Evan McPherson’s last play field goal.
Yesterday, it was Vonn Bell, who set up McPherspon’s (called Adam by the monolith’s ) game winning/overtime boot, that sets up just the second ever Cincy vs L.A. ‘offs entity (the other a baseball Reds’ “bastardized/div series/”quarters” vs the Dodgers in ’95, also the only other time the Atlanta Braves won it all. Who but me?!!
As I try to cite some individuals, I hail the comradery after the NFC title tilt between Odell Beckham Jr. of L.A. (9 receptions, 113 yards) and the brilliant player, Deebo Samuel of the Niners. Also the sensational Rams’ receiver, Cooper Kupp gathered in 2 Matthew Stafford TD passes.
Plenty of notes, you likely can only get here ahead in the next 2 weeks and I will do so without listening to the endless hype for the Lawrence Taylor/56th Supe.
Beckham consoles Samuel.
Both Ashleigh Bardy and Rafael Nadal made history in winning Australian Open crowns.
First Bardy (I hit the small stuff, aforementioned Brady to retire, this originally 11 to win 49, but “mucho” hedging and about a 10 dollar profit on Nadal, but now bad intangibles on a bigger, still small Nadal French Open bet) became the first Australian woman to win a major title, “Down Under,” since Christine O’Neil (in attendance as was the great Rod Laver) did so in 1978.
Bardy won vs big underdog, Danielle Collins, who had an excellent tournament and reached her first major tournie final round.
Earlier this day in an unbelievable 5 set, 5 and one half hour match, Nadal passed Roger Federer and the non vaccinated/thus out of this one, in which he was close to an odds on “fave” (so foolish Mr. Djokovic, not to mention dangerous) great player, Novak Djokovic, by winning his 21st major tournie, at this moment the most won by any man.
He did so vs Danill Medvedev, who had eased in straight sets vs Djokovic, in the last major tournament, the 2021 U.S. Open.
Associated Press:
MELBOURNE, Australia — Rafael Nadal got to 21 first, breaking the men’s record for Grand Slam singles titles and doing it the hard way by coming back from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev in an almost 5½-hour Australian Open final.
Rafael Nadal, for the time being has the most Men’s major tennis tournie titles.
In today’s later Conference Title tilt/NFL “semi,” the L.A. Rams (0-2) in previous L.A. hosted such games, are 3 plus point(s) favorites vs the San Francisco 49ers, a team that has won 6 straight games vs them.
On January 9th, 3 weeks back, SF overcame a (17-0) deficit and a (24-17) one in the last minute plus to overtime the Rams and qualify for the ‘offs as the NFC “6” seed while dropping the Rams from a “2” to a “4” seed, something Joe Buck did not convey to the millions of people tuned to the broadcast.
Both the 49ers with road wins as respective 3 plus points and 6 point underdogs at Dallas (Cowboys) and top seed Green Bay (Packers) and the Rams (menos 4 vs Arizona (Cardinals) and plus 3 or so, in Mr. Brady’s last (told you so but only 7 at plus 175 as it really was not accessible) at Tampa Bay (Buccaneers) won 2 games and will meet today in Buck’s 20th title tilt, commencing about 6:30 Eastern Time following KC (-7 plus) vs Cincy, which starts about 3 Eastern Time.
The only previous NFL ‘offs clash between the teams was a semi and is one of only 2 times in say, as a stretch, 12 possibilities that the winner of a San Francisco/Los Angeles playoffs entity went on to win the league crown.
A great 1989 Niners’ team under George Seifert ripped both the Rams in a home title game/semi and the Denver Broncos in the subsequent Super Bowl.
However, I count, again with a bit of, but not much of a “stretch,” 10 times the winner of a San Francisco franchise vs L.A. franchise ‘offs entity failed to win it all.
In NBA annals, the Lakers took the Warriors in semis in both 1968 and 1973, in quarters (’69, ’77, ’87. ’91) and in the past season’s “BS” play in game. The Warriors swept L.A. in a best of 5 “quarter” in 1967.
Only the ’87 Lakers won it all, the Lakers lost in the final in ’68, ’69, ’73 and ’91 while the Warriors lost in the ’67 final. (Greats Bill Russell (2-0), Wilt Chamberlain (1-2) while both Rick Barry and Earvin “Magic” Johnson went (0-1) in those final round entities). The Lakers were semi’d out in ’77 and “round of 16’d” last season.
In baseball’s most recent completed season, the 105 wins L.A. Dodgers one runned the 106 wins Giants in the decisive 5th game of their bastardized/division series, only to lose to the 88 wins Atlanta Braves, who went on to title, in the NLCS/semis.
Those two teams/franchises also engaged in two all-time type, unscheduled best of 3 playoffs for the National League Pennant.
The first one was in 1951 when the Giants were New York and the Dodgers were Brooklyn. The next one was in 1962, each team in its current locale.
Both times the Giants, who had overcome overwhelming odds to force the ‘off, rallied in their last at bat to take the pennant, only to lose tos the vaunted Yankees in the subsequent World Series.
Thus 7 of 8 times basketball and 3 of 3 baseball but o for 1 football, the SF vs /LA franchise ‘offs entity winner, did NOT win it all.
Tomorrow Kansas City Chiefs’ head coach, Andy Reid will coach his team in a 4th straight AFC Title game. The franchise first known as the Dallas Texans did not host either an AFL or AFC Title game in its first 58 seasons (1960-2017) before this run of 4 straight home semis/AFC Title tilts.
Reid also guided the Philadelphia Eagles to 4 straight semis/NFC Title game appearances after the team had made the conference title tilt, just once, that under Dick Vermeil in 1980, (They won that tilt vs Dallas, Wilbert Montgomery bursting for a long td run on the game’s third? play, certainly on the Eagles’ first possession, before losing to Tom Flores’ Raiders in the subsequent Supe), in the first 31 years (Montgomery’s #), of the AFC/NFC configuration (1970-2000). The last three Reid/Eagles title tilts were home games.
Thus far, Reid is (3-4) in title tilts (3-3) at home. His team won 1 Supe, and lost 2 (both to a Brady led team, the ’04 Patriots and 2020 Buccaneers).
Another Reed, the Knicks’ Willis was part of Knicks’ teams that made 6 straight NBA “semis,” 3 final rounds, winning 2 titles from (1969-1974). Reed did not play in the 1972 playoffs.
There has never been a post-season clash between major North American Sports league teams from Kansas City and Cincinnati. Tomorrow’s Chiefs/Bengals will be the first.
A link goes to basketball again. The Cincinnati Royals, originally in Rochester where they won the franchise’s lone crown 70 years ago (The NFC title game hosts, the L.A. Rams won their lone L.A. crown also 70 years ago in 1951) and now in Sacramento, moved to Kansas City/Omaha and became the K.C. Omaha Kings in 1972-1973.
Also K.C. as is the case with Cincinnati, has 2 major North American sports league teams, one each in baseball and football. The K.C. baseball team, the Royals won titles in “5” years, 30 years apart in 1985 and 2015. The Cincinnati Reds have won 5 crowns, 3 in “5” or “0” years, including titles 15 years apart in 1975 and 1990.
I doubt you will find this anywhere else. Additionally, it is likely not many would care regarding that or these notes. However, here they are.
Joe Buck is in his 20th season as the Fox Network lead football announcer (he also just completed his 26th in baseball, at least in football he works the whole season) while Jim Nantz is in his 18th in that capacity at CBS.
In what will be Nantz’s 18th AFC Title tilt, home team Kansas City (Chiefs) are a touchdown favorite in the earlier title game vs the Cincinnati Bengals. If, as most expect, (beware when that is the case!), K.C. prevails, it would give the home team an 8th straight earlier/Nantz title game victory, after New England won at (15-1) Pittsburgh,, as a slight fave, in Nantz’ first AFC title game in ’04.
(13-4) records come up twice for home teams in these, beyond esoteric Nantz/Buck notes. First with home teams as (7-1) in earlier Nantz title games, add their (6-3) record in late ones and that yields (yield-Nantz-good record-chalk of home and hedge funds, but I fear regarding the far from sure market stuff, I have) a (13-4) mark for home teams in Nantz title games.
Home teams are (6-3) in previous later Buck title games, the 10th Sunday, a redux of the San Francisco “Niners” rout home win vs the Rams in the ’89 NFC title game, the only previous ‘offs clash between this week’s opponents. In fact there have been more (3) Supes among the AFC/NFC semi-finalists than the paltry one ‘offs clash of any kind between this week’s opponents. (S.F. won Supes vs Cincy, 40 years ago in ’81 and a “no cover” job in ’88 with 9 points the total margin of victory. K.C. took S.F. in a Supe played less than 2 years ago in ’19).
Thus in previous Nantz earlier/Buck later, title games, the home team is (13-4) going into that configuration this week. A (5-5),(.500) record by home teams in the 10 Buck earlier title games leaves the home teams with a (24-12)/two thirds wins/(.667 win percentage) in the 36 (19 Buck and 17 Nantz) title tilts with those two.
Sorry, but without demeaning them, most things in life are relative and I prefer and profess that previous conference title tilt lead announcers Ray Scott, Curt Gowdy, Pat “Super” Summerall even the at times sappy with Merlin Olsen, Dick Enberg outdistance Nantz and Buck in Secretariat/1973 Belmont Stakes fashion. (e.g. by a great, great margin!!)
Let’s face it Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Jim Kaat and many other undeserving, non real impact players are in the no longer, sacrosanct (even close) Baseball Hall of Fame while greats, Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, Lefty O’Doul and Joe Jackson (maybe he needs shoes to get in) are not, however David Ortiz, is a rare, great choice.
Once, long ago at SUNY Albany, an Angel David Ortiz was a truly enlightening member of my dormitory suite. This Mr. David Ortiz had an all-time clutch hitting series in an all-time series, when his team, the Boston Red Sox, in route to breaking an 86 year title drought, overcame a (3-0) ALCS deficit vs the still vaunted, Joe Torre managed Yankees.
That is the only instance in either baseball or NBA annals, in which a team down (3-0) won said series. Torre’s Yankees had won 6 of the last 8 A.L. Pennants at that point. (That gave them 39 pennants and they have added but one in the 18 seasons since that one, an excruciating Red Sox defeat in ’03).
Now to Boston teams lover, a seemingly knowledgeable source for the history of Red Sox horrors before Ortiz and ’04 named Dan Shaughnessey.
How dare he call Ortiz undeserving of Hall status!! Do you Want those results taken back?!
Mr. Shaughnessy. You want the “reap,” but you want to deny the man most responsible for “reaping” it. Surely there is “Bible talk” for such actions/talk.
Ortiz had a word for you. I will not use it, however, will cite this, Mr. Shaughnessy, as an unappreciative act of a high degree!
The great clutch hitting David Ortiz, pictured above.
He was born 27 days after the penultimate of the four, 7 game World Series defeats suffered by the Red Sox on November 18, 1975.
Mr. Ortiz was from the Dominican Republic. Another great player, pitcher Juan Marichal, of course best remembered for a “Hall” career with the Giants (alas the ego driven writers kept Juan out for a long, far too long time) did pitch, however briefly for the Red Sox in 1974.
First of all, while the poor defense, yes great offense and exciting Chiefs (menos 2) (42-36) overtime win vs the hard luck franchise, Bills (horror loss in this, wild card game at Tennessee in ’99, the so called “Music City Miracle” and most of all the ’90 Supe vs the Giants. Alas they did not show up, even one time forgetting a helmet in Supe losses (’91-’93) but they qualify as hard luck) was a great game, “slow it down” regarding calling it the greatest game.
There had been 4 previous ‘offs tilts between the two original AFL teams, the K.C. Chiefs nee Dallas Texans and the Buffalo Bills and all were routs or at least virtual routs.
In the ’66 AFL Title Game, the Chiefs won (31-7) at venerable War Memorial Stadium and in ’20 won the AFC Title Game at home, in the closest of the four previous ‘offs games between the teams, a “never in doubt” (38-24), later game.
The Bills eased in the ’91 slot 3/earlier Sunday game (37-14) and (30-13) in an earlier AFC title tilt vs Joe Montana and K.C. in ’93. (Montana played in 7 Conference title games, 6 in the NFC, going (4-3), he was (4-0) in Supes, and his teams went (4-1) in later title games, as stated above in route to Supe crowns, but (0-2) in earlier ones (at “Wash” in ’83 and vs the Giants in ’90).
On all 4 occasions, the Chiefs/Bills playoffs game winner lost that year’s Super Bowl. Only in ’91, after a slots game between the two did the Buff/K.C. winner advance in its next game. K.C. is a touchdown fave to do so this week and only an approximate 7 to 5 underdog to win it all.
My coincidences certainly induced by having past media or simultaneous “media/books/writing here” continue and this was pretty big.
Two televisions, neither modern, one sans sound showing highlights involving Mr. Brady, the other a 1999 American Film Institute Top 50 performers, 25 of each gender, and simultaneously the great Spencer Tracy is shown.
The simultaneous “clip” is from “Inherit The Wind” and in a classic scene with the great Fredric March, Tracy really as Mr. Clarence Darrow but as “Henry Drummond,” says to March’s Matthew Brady (really William Jennings Bryan)– “BRADY/BRADY/BRADY.”
Prediction: Tommy will retire. Supposedly 6 to 1 for him to do so is “out there,” but where and how?
One more Brady thing, did “The Bunch’s, (alas Tommy married a BUNDCHEN) “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia” stem from “Wind’s” “Brady/Brady/Brady?”
I seriously doubt it, but my mind goes to that type thing.
In what certainly could be and likely was the “Brady/Brady/Brady” scene, Spencer Tracy is standing, Mr. March is sitting and Harry Morgan (Henry Morgan was another very good “Morgan,” baseball-er Joe was a great one) is “Da Judge.”
After a bad wild card round, the NFL got 4 excellent games in the slots/division round.
On Saturday, as posted here, the “linked” Bengals and 49ers won games as road underdogs, doing so on last play field goals.
Sunday’s games were even better, though it was the Rams’ miscues and poor coaching by so called genius, McVay, whose first down and at times, second down running was awful strategy, that enabled Brady and T.B. to tie the tilt with 24 straight points.
Luckily for L.A. which opened a 3 plus point(s) favorite vs S.F. in next week’s home title tilt, Stafford found Cooper Kupp to set up the third last play, game winning field goal in as many slots tilts.
Next, in as wild an NFL ‘offs game as every played, there was a last play of “reg,” game tying field goal and that, plus a winning coin toss (opposite of the ’18 title tilt vs Brady, Rex Burkhead and New England) enabled a Mahomes to Kelce TD, lifting K.C. to a 4th straight title tilt, all at home, after having NEVER hosting one in their first 58 seasons, the first 10, being in the AFL.
It is the second time Chiefs’ coach Andy Reid has guided a team to 4 straight title games. He did so with the Eagles (’01-’04), losing the first three before winning in ’04, only to lose, but cover vs Brady in the subsequent Supe.
With the Chiefs, thus far his team lost to New England in aforementioned ’18 title game, ripped Tennessee, in route to a title in ’19 and took Buffalo, before losing to Brady and Tampa Bay, which had a home Supe last season.
7 of the 8 Reid title tilts were at his home field. Belichick made 8 straight title tilts, all with New England (’11-’18). Six of those were played at home. His teams went (5-3) and (3-2) in subsequent Supes.
The great and too often forgotten Paul Brown, (the Browns are named for him and he started the Bengals) made the NFL Title game in his first 6 NFL seasons and 7 of his first 8 (’50-’55) and ’57, after winning all 4 ALL AMERICAN Football Conference crowns (’46-49).
The NFL alternated what were “all the way” title games (Reid and Belichick were in title game/semis), with Brown’s Browns at home in ’50,’52 and ’54. They won the crown in ’50, 54 and ’55.
KC has opened a 7 point fave. Again LA is menos 3 plus. If the two home favorites prevail, a second straight Chiefs at a team hosting a Supe will manifest.
No team hosted in the first 54 years of Supe play.
In a pair of low scoring (only 5 touchdowns in the two tilts, only one each by the underdog/linked/visiting/lower seed vs the top seed, but winning teams, Bengals and 49ers) games won by relatively long, last play field goals, the “LINKED” Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers, won road games vs conference top seeds, Tennessee (Titans) and Green Bay (Packers) respectively, to advance to road title tilts, a week hence.
First, in Eagle’s third straight outright dog/second straight vs a top seed, slots tilt, Evan McPherson’s 4th field goal of the game, a 52 yard such, kicked as time expired, lifted Cincy to its first ever road ‘offs win, (19-16) (plus 4), handing Tennessee a third slots loss in as many such games, as the “1” seed.
At night, I went to sleep a bit disgusted that anti-vaccine, but one and now STILL ONLY ONE Supe appearance despite 6 home slots games, Aaron Rodgers led (7-0). However, similar to the stop of “Bellman” and Tennessee, (PAY) the phone “said” 6 point dog S.F. first (13-10). (Believe me I revel at the Lombardi/Bart Starr/Jim Taylor to name 3 greatness, however I did not like nor consider either Favre or Rodgers that great, a point backed up as each has just one Supe win. Additionally the (13-10) vs Green Bay, this in a “quarter” was some karma even vs the Lombardi legacy, as G.B.’s (13-10) overtime win in the 1965 Western Conference playoff game (that was 56 years ago in same calendar ’65 and the Pack have been ousted 85, 60, 55, and 25 years after titles and in a same calendar year as aforementioned ’65 and the lone Rodgers’ title season, that in 2010) was controversial, as Don Chandler’s all important tying field goal may well have not been good. Extensions to the goalposts were added after that season).
While Cincy led (6-0), were tied (6-6–Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel joining the “bonehead decision list,” going for 2, albeit from the 1 and a half yard line at (6-6), and led (16-6), thus never trailing, the Niners trailed (10-3) with less than 5 minutes to play.
The key play was a Niners’ blocked punt touchdown, however please note tied (10-10) in the waning minutes, Mr. Rodgers went 3 and out. That led to Robbie Gould, (all-time 20 of 20 on ‘offs field goal attempts), booting the game winner on the last play from 45 yards away.
As cited yesterday, but …– SF and Cincy have now gone a combined (9-1) (that was Coach Lombardi’s ‘offs record), playing on the same playoffs day.
After a combined same day ‘offs record of (5-2) after Green Bay’s greatest win, that in the ’67 NFL title game/”Ice Bowl,” the Packers and Titans nee Oilers (they were the Oilers for same day NFL/AFL title tilts from (’60-’62) and in ’67) have lost a combined 5 straight same day ‘offs games (the ’67 Oilers title game loss to Oakland (Raiders), title game losses in ’19 and now same day losses as the respective conference “1” seeds in 2021 season playoffs action).
In the Raiders’ rout of Houston (Oilers), in the ’67 AFL Title tilt, Dave Kocourek, who had a stellar AFL career, gathered in a fake field goal touchdown pass.
Andy B Sports 