It appears that in 4 Chiefs’ Super Bowl appearance seasons, not once did both the Chiefs and their eventual Supe opponent lose on the same day for the entire season.
This was the first time in their 4 Super Bowl appearances that K.C. “entered” (think of the classic “Sunshine Boys” scene when Mr. (Walter) Matthau’s character exponentially annoys George Burns’ by saying “ENTERRR”) the Supe as the team with the better record.
K.C. only lost 2 in the past year’s “reg,” one on October 11th, a day and week, their eventual Supe opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a bye/off day.
Last season, K.C.’s final loss was at Tennessee, whom they eventually “semi’d/AFC title tilted” at home, was on Sunday November 10th while their eventual Super Bowl opponent, the S.F. 49ers, lost their first game the next night.
For the record, last season, current title holder, Tampa Bay (Buccaneers) opened its season with a loss at eventual Supe “non-winner,” S.F. (49ers).
In neither ’66 or ’69, did the Chiefs or their eventual Supe opponents, (Green Bay in ’66 and Minnesota in ’69) come even close to losing on the same day.
Last week, around this time I cited a comparison between the 2019 and 2020 K.C. Chiefs with the football team from Washington D.C. (1981-1983).
I imparted the following:
Recall the (’81-’83) Washington football team. They won their last 3 under first year, and eventual 3 time Supe winning coach, Joe Gibbs in 1981. In the strike marred ’82 NFL season (Wash won two strike year NFL crowns and also 2 following baseball crowns won by the Minnesota Twins nee Washington Senators, first in strike marred ’87 and again in ’91), the team went (12-1) (4-0) in the ‘offs, winning it all.
They were superb in ’83, going (14-2) in the “reg” (K.C.’s record this season) and won 2 more in the ‘offs, thus going into the Supe vs the Raiders, that season the L.A. Raiders, having won 31 of its last 34 games.
I recall the Raiders so loose on the sideline as they were routing Sea Seahawks in the AFC title game, mocking the “Fun Bunch/Wash team.”
As 3 plus point underdogs, (same margin K.C. is favored by this time) the Raiders ripped “Wash” (38-9). Thus Wash was a “Lefty Grove/1931” (31-4) in its last 35 and as was the case with Grove’s 2 time champion Philly A’s in 1931, a final round non winner. Wash had one title in the (31-4) run.
K.C. enters the Supe having won an incredible 25 of its last 27 games, (25-1) in Mahomes games.
Now add, that the “Wash” record fell to (31-4), a great record, one Robert Moses “Lefty” Grove, the last pitcher, who probably was as great or better than Sandy Koufax, had in 1931–(31-4).
After two titles in a row, those great and largely forgotten, Philadelphia Athletics were denied a third straight by the John “Pepper” Martin led St. Louis Cardinals, who took the ’31 W.S. in 7 games.
That ’83 Wash team and this year’s Chiefs, each bidding for a second crown, were nowhere close in the final.
Both games/Supes were played in Tampa, Florida and in defeat both “Wash” and K.C. were held to 9 points. Oakland (38-9) and limited home team, Tampa Bay (31-9) as final scores.
Why not?!, as I have such fond memories of the first AFC/NFC configuration season (1970), one of now, 13 with the current calendar. (calendar and 13 evoke Friday the 13th, the rough year, 2020 had two such) and a game for the NFL crown. (Title games in 1936, ’42, ’53, ’59 and ’64), Super Bowls in ’70, ’81, ’87, ’92,’98, 2009, 2015 and 2020)
In the 13 NFL seasons with this calendar and a game for its title (The first NFL Title game was in 1933), one of the game’s participants city name or nickname “b”egan with a “B.” in twelve of those thirteen seasons.
The list follows:
1936 Green Bay Packers defeated the “B’oston “Inappropriate nicknames”
1942 (Now) Washington and with the great Sammy “Baugh” at the helm, the above referenced franchise “b”eat the Chicago “B”ears, the latter “b”idding(this is not eating potato chips, I can and will stop the quotes around the B’s unless said B’s are in the name) to cap an undefeated season with a third straight crown. To this day, only the 1972 Miami Dolphins went undefeated and won a game for the NFL crown while the (1965-1967) Green Bay Packers are the only team to cop 3 straight NFL titles. In a well remembered relatively recent tilt, the New York Giants, who denied another Chicago Bears team an undefeated season and title in 1934, repeated the feat, denying the undefeated New England Patriots in a game for the 2007 NFL crown.
1953 Detroit Lions defeated Cleveland “B”rowns
1959 “B”altimore Colts defeated New York Giants
1964 Cleveland “B”rowns defeated “B”altimore Colts
1970 “B”altimore Colts defeated Dallas Cowboys
1981 San Francisco 49ers defeated Cincinnati “B”engals
1987 Washington “You know what’s” defeated Denver “B”roncos
1992 Dallas Cowboys defeated “B”uffalo “B”ills
1998 Denver “B’roncos defeated Atlanta Falcons
The lone exception follows:
2009 New Orleans Saints defeated Indianapolis Colts A “McCovey,” (alas Willie was known as “Stretch”), the Saints quarterback then and in fact now, was/is Drew “B”rees and the Colts’ more famous and title filled, the latter (3-1) in less seasons, home WAS “B”altimore.
2015 Denver “B”roncos defeated Carolina Panthers
2020 Tampa Bay “B”uccaneers with Mr. “B”rady and (not Major, but) Mr. “B”owles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs.
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In reading a nice WNYC recap of the most recent Supe (Brady and “Gronk” (Rob Gronkowski, who I once one ?’d “interview-d” as he held “court” and a big slice of pizza on 35th Street/NYC in Sept. 2019, when he talked of if Tom, then still with N.E., have “hooked up” for a record QB/receiver 14 post-season TD’s was included) I see that in creative fashion, Tampa Bay is nicknamed “Champa Bay.”
T.B. which of course has “T.B.” (the great Tom Brady, why as Brian McDonald, as I recall coincidentally a Chiefs’ rooter, once said am I always a day late and a dollar short. Unlike so many others, Brien was good to me. Maybe I can see or at least call him again) houses (they once had a fine player named Kevin House) the NHL champion, Lightning and NFL winners, the “B”rady/”B”owles “B”uccaneers (yes Todd Bowles, whose defense was even more a winning factor than that of Brady).
The baseball Rays, who sadly, I opine will not be “heard from” again (oh do I hope that I am wrong regarding that. Also I add that I with the odds slightly in my favor, “typed” here that the Chiefs would not repeat as champions and now I do so regarding the Lightning (odds pretty big in my favor, but no way would I go “big” vs them) made it to its sport’s final round/World Series, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Speaking of Los Angeles, that city also has 2 champions, as the Lakers and Dodgers in hopefully once in a lifetime proximity, due to the ongoing pandemic, won respective NBA and baseball crowns.
This has to be the first time (please tell me if I am wrong and I might be) 2 cities have all 4 major North American sports league titles at the same time.
I often listened to Tom Brady on Monday mornings, especially after the rare New England loss and knew of his dedication. Adding Mr. Brady and his winning a 7th crown, one more than the # of children in the TV sitcom, blended, Brady family, and his 5th Supe MVP (Devin White and the Todd Bowles coordinated Bucs defense anyone? They held the mighty Mahomes and K.C. without a touchdown!!) Tampa Bay (2-0) in Supes and plus 50 points in the 2, (Green Bay was plus 44 in the first two Supes) ripped the defending champion, Chiefs, (31-9) in a home, (of sorts), Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida.
They were helped by penalties, but truly dominated the tilt. Brady threw 3 touchdown passes, the first two to his former New England teammate, Rob Gronkowski.
Two excellent players, denied by Brady and New England in AFC title tilts past, Antonio Brown, who gathered in Brady’s short TD pass in the waning seconds of the first half after Reid foolishly called a timeout and Leonard Fournette, scored the other Bucs’ TD.
“Toe” Succop (first name, Ryan and get this, the final pick of the entire 2009 NFL Draft, having been selected by the Chiefs) added a 52 yard field to make it (31-9) T.B. The Bucs trailed (3-0) led (14-3), (14-6) (21-6) at half, (21-9) and cruised (31-9).
A title for 68 year old Bruce Arians, the oldest coach to win a Super Bowl.
What a run by Tampa Bay, as they join the ’05 Steelers, ’07 Giants and 2010Packers as Supe winners, after3 road playoff wins. The Buccaneers won their last 8 games, covering 7. By contrast K.C. covered in just one of their last 11 games.
Brady is among the three to five greatest in any sport, but the MVP could have/ought to have gone to White or just the Bucs’ defense. Hail Tom and I am fine with it.
Tom Brady, THE Winner and he HAS it all!
“The hills,” which as nature, endure long before and after us, seem disproportionately not “alive,” but of significant people’s deaths of late, Christopher Plummer, a superb actor, certainly fitting that category, having died days back, at age 92.
Mr. Plummer was certainly not enamored of his “hills are alive” Sound of Music,” iconic role, but if nothing else, he was aware of its help in his “vault,” as though it were some great (fiber glass?) pole.
Thank goodness, he not only entertained us in “Sound” with the fabulous Julie Andrews, his friend, but that he went on to give so many great performances on stage and screen.
He epitomized class and eloquence. Where has it gone?!
Roles in the Ron Howard directed “A Beautiful Mind” and not long ago, “Knives Out” helped round out a tremendous career in film.
On stage, so many and so many from history.
I close with this from the obituary written by Nardine Saad in the Los Angeles Times newspaper. (Remember them?) This concerns his role as John Barrymore and sums his brilliance, rather well.
“Back on stage, Plummer continued his tour de force performance as actor John Barrymore in William Luce’s 1998 biographical play. Barrymore’s widow came to see the play twice and said she “closed her eyes and heard him.”
“That was the nicest thing anyone could possibly say,” Plummer recalled in a Times interview.”
The superb actor, Christopher Plummer, pictured above.
Joe Buck, who has been the lead television announcer on every World Series this century, accounting for his record breaking 21 consecutive “such,” is not the only “son of a” (do not like either, but the words are) FAMOUS FATHER, to succeed wildly beyond, what I opine, as remotely fair, witness Kevin Harlan.
In fact just listen today as Harlan the son of “Pack” long time executive, Bob Harlan, calls his record breaking 12th consecutive Supe on radio (Westwood One) breaking a record, if today he is breaking it, that he shared with Joe’s entree, his father Jack Buck. (I know Jack Buck had a long streak of radio-ing Supes, (he also TV’d the Chiefs first Supe win, with Joe doing the same 50 years later, last year, when K.C. won a second. “They” replaced Buck, with the arrogant, but far more competent than either Buck and certainly Harlan, Howard David, when among other things, Jack “had” tight end Jay Novacek going back to pass and not Joe Buck’s future analyst, Troy Aikman.)
Anyway, this is to finally “rain” on Harlan, (don’t worry he will live) who last year “had his cake and ate it,” calling a Chiefs’ AFC Title Game win and Supe triumph. He admits the Chiefs are special to him and his family. I know they have a phenomenal record in games I know about, both winning and covering so many.
I can live (still can not stand him. Mr. Aprea deemed him “Elephant Mouth”) with him on television. However, on radio, he, as was the case with Dave Sims who talked with buddy James “Stairwell” Lofton, rather than play by play, and that on radio, when he is “our eyes,” (Harlan) does not delineate yardage. He tells us such as “inside the hashes,” but not yardage, until after his nonsense. Many times he fails to tell us at all.
So let’s hope and even pray, those involved in the car accident involving another “son of,” K.C. assistant coach Britt Reid are ok.
I call for the beer companies and the car companies, who have so much “loot” to install the equivalent of a “boot,” so people intoxicated, do NOT drive. They can throw in limo passes, perhaps putting the much hyped Eldrick Woods on such, as a reminder.
Yes I have vitriol (here’s more Bob Papa, who unlike his mentor, the great Marty Glickman who “gave us” every 3 yards, does NOT delineate yardage, called David TYREE, as “wide open,” (again the opposite was beyond clearly evident, yet Papa was rewarded with NFL Network gigs at the time). That was vs Brady, TYREE at best did little before or after. Today Brady is vs an established great receiver, TYREE(k) Hill of K.C.) largely due to the fact I ate it/slept it/breathed it regarding sports and have NADA to show for it.
However, minimum I have rights as a fan and when especially on radio those such as Papa and especially the highly acclaimed Harlan do not RADIO properly, that is “Call” for protest vs their non calls and incredible status.
Why the ’36 Red Wings at this time?
Quickly, Tampa joins (perhaps among others, it is noteworthy that within just over a half year all 4 Philadelphia teams made the final starting in May 1980, winning one but not having the fall/winter “deal”) 2018-2019 Boston, 1970-1971 Baltimore and 1935-1936 Detroit (Detroit is the only one to win all 3 titles) as having ALL 3 of its area teams in the final in the same fall/winter span.
Of course, it happened this year due to the pandemic, as the 2020 NHL ‘offs commenced in the late summer and the 3 Tampa final entities, will have been played in a span of just over five months.
In looking up the 1936 Red Wings, who, as was the case, with Detroit’s other major professional league teams at the time (the NBA and the Pistons, who first were in Fort Wayne were over a decade away), won their first title in that ’35-’36 span, I noticed three names that were repeated in some great Red Wings’ lore.
One I knew, a great player named Syd Howe, a “Vogue”/Red Wings player for 11 seasons, who played on 2 title teams and retired the season before the legendary Gord Howe, began his incredible 25 year career.
Thus a Howe was on 36 consecutive Red Wings’ teams. The teams won 6 titles, the first in 1936.
Another player on the ’35-’36 Red Wings’ was Pete Kelly. He played on the consecutive Red Wings’ Cup winners in ’36 and ’37.
Years later, the fabulous Leonard “Red” Kelly, who wore #4 and also won 4 titles as a player wearing #4 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, preceded his Leafs’ feats, playing on the four Cup winners with Gordie Howe (’50,’52,’54 and ’55), and others with Detroit.
Finally consider Ralph Bowman, also on those first two Detroit NHL champions in 1936 and 1937.
Sixty years after that ’37 title, Detroit ended a 42 year title drought, winning the first of three crowns under the great, great coach and as told to me by my friend, the late Beano Cook, a great guy–Scotty Bowman.
Mr. Bowman passed his idol Hector “Toe” Blake for the most coaching NHL titles, when he won his 9th and final title with Detroit in 2002.
Leonard “Red” Kelly, pictured above.
I was going to comment on the horrific horror of that elected official’s (I know her name, but will not cite it “wrong” now) comments nor showing I am not all liberal, but “Bill Klem,” (call them as I see them and far from always correct and that includes politically correct, though usually I suppose I am) the fact two highly ego driven, but largely brilliant, talented figures Jonathan Schwartz and Leonard Lopate have virtually disappeared from the scene due to a far too punitive aspect of “The Me Too Movement”
I guess I just did and will put up a link of a Fred Guttenberg reaction at the end here.
Quickly regarding it, I “lead the league,” in getting no’s from women, often asking, before even trying to kiss one and that after spending “tough” money on a dinner, knowing my mother would criticize me for that.
Yet “No means No,” and I ALWAYS respected that, NEVER not doing so! So without Lopate and especially Schwartz, I strike out yet again, not on a date, but being denied their work, even past work.
So in honor of Mr. Schwartz’ once “A Salute To Baseball,” which aired on what is now PIGfest Sunday, a moment from what he would call “an ordinary game.”
The great Lindsey Nelson is brilliantly flying solo behind the microphone, the Mets in Jarry Park where there was a power failure earlier in the day, have the bases loaded none out, T1 in a Mc Anally vs Mac Andrew pitching matchup this July 3rd, in 1973.
Daniel “Rusty” Staub, always loved in Montreal, is the Mets’ batter. He was a tremendous hitter, but not this time, as he hits into a 4-6-3 double play, a run scoring, no RBI and with great inflexion Lindsey intones “The Mets are out in front (1-0).”
The second baseman who fielded and threw to shortstop, Tim Foli, was Ron Hunt, the Mets’ first All-Star starter.
Foli and Mike Jorgensen the Expos’ first sacker that game, were dealt to Montreal along with Kenny “Key” Singleton, the Mtl. RF that game, in exchange for Staub.
A moment, a great broadcaster and a memory that reveals.
MSNBC – Gun safety activist and Parkland father Fred
Jim “Pooh” Nantz, a week after all the hedge fund “news,” (see needles, rich people and heaven) will be on his 6th Supe, second in 3 seasons (the first to have that many in such a span, since the far better Dick Enberg did so in ’97, which also was his 4th in 6 seasons).
Nantz is better luck for his conference/league as “his” AFC is (4-1) straight up and ATS, in his 5 previous Supes. The AFC team went (1-3) in those 4 Enberg Supes and won just 2 of his 8 Super Bowls overall.
I believe the home network conference is (24-18) straight up and (29-13) ATS in past Super Bowls. Eleven were “neutral network” telecasts, the first game was TV’d by both the NFL and AFL networks.
Two of the “other network” wins were in the two Chiefs’ Supe wins, each with a Buck (Jack in ’69, Joe “talking at us” 50 years later) as the lead announcer. This time, the Chiefs, losers in the first Supe/both networks game, are on their conference’s network.
Brady in 9 New England Super Bowls was (2-0) on his conference’s network (CBS), (3-1) on the other/NFC network, Fox and (1-2) on “neutral” NBC. N.E. won in its only previous Nantz Supe, however Nantz was the lead announcer in all 8, non Super Bowl Brady/N.E. playoffs losses.
Andy B Sports 