‘In The Heat of the Night” is a great show and I will have more on its greatness in future posts.
Today a television oddity, as both MeTV and WGN America will air season 4’s first episode, each commencing at 11 A.M. Eastern Time.
Let me go watch.
No significant favorite (one could say the disappointing Miami Dolphins, who were bet from minus 2 to plus 3 plus) lost outright in a not so dramatic but mucho at stake, final week of the 2020 NFL regular season (somehow completed with no cancellations or what would have been worse, forfeits).
The manifestation for the AFC version of the prostituted 6 game wild card round next weekend are as follows, with some notes and comments.
On the exact 28 year anniversary of the Frank Reich led Bills amazing comeback win in a home wild card game, vs the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans), Reich’s Colts aided by the (13-3, 7 straight rout wins, certainly “covers,” after the B.S. Hail Mary by Arizona (they are out) beat them, Bills (56-26) rout of the (10-6) ‘Phins), now will sojourn to Buffalo in the first of the again, prostituted 6 wild card round games, which, among other negatives, in effect, especially this year with no or a limited number of fans at the games, makes having the 2 seed almost meaningless.
The franchise that lost the memorable game exactly 28 years earlier on another Sunday “Jan” 3rd, the Tennessee Titans “boinked good” and got the “4” seed, no covering the team from their former city, the Houston Texans, and “opened” a 3 plus underdog vs the (11-5) Ravens, the team Tennessee “slot 2’d” going to Baltimore when they were the AFC one seed last season.
Elsewhere, after the (11-5) Cleveland Browns (notes on that and others later in the week), bet to a 10 point favorite, held off the (12-4) Pittsburgh Steelers (24-22), to “qualify,” for the first time in 18 years, and its ‘offs game will be a rematch of the “reg” finale, this time with the Steelers hosting the tilt. In the aforementioned ’02 last Browns’ ‘offs tilt, also at “Pitts,” the Steelers had an amazing comeback win/no cover vs the Browns.
I will have an NFC update and other notes later in the week.
Yesterday, after hearing the expected death of the great running back and man, Floyd Little, at age 78, I realized I was paying tribute to Mr. Little, listening to the best, each like Floyd, Syracuse University years, (those precious commodities), apart.
The best radio football broadcaster ever, Marty Glickman was calling key runs by the best running back ever, Jim Brown and though Marty loved the team he worked for (the New York football Giants), he always appreciated greatness displayed by the opposition, particularly so, in the case of Jim Brown.
My mind is scary, memory as cited by Joseph Cotton’s “Leland” in the classic, “Citizen Kane,” a curse, but this one was great.
In defeat, Floyd Little of the Denver Broncos, for whom he played his entire career and stayed in the organization, one which once termed Floyd, “The Franchise,” broke off a long touchdown run.
I remembered listening in those pre home television, yet better NFL days, and Marty’s call and praise of Little, still resonates.
Memories of Floyd at Syracuse, surely with future Dolphins’ great and two time Supe winner, Larry Csonka abound.
Floyd carried on after and in the previous “#44” steps of Jim Brown and Ernie Davis at Syracuse and lived an exemplary life helping people.
I believe Chadwick Boseman, whom we lost so horribly early in what was a fateful (put politely) 2020, played Floyd in the movie “The Express,” about Ernie Davis, dead at the absurd age of 22 (I remember my parents and grandmother saying why medically, but I will never get it–either the reasons for such nor faith, though the latter clearly would help (a la chicken soup “it couldn’t hurt).
Floyd worked hard to become an athletic great, gave his word to Ernie to attend Syracuse and in honor of Floyd, I hail Syracuse for the good and great ones, Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, the real Jim Nance-(sorry but not the hedge fund-“do we have to show them” remarking, golf elitist phony who will call this year’s Supe and spells his name differently and did not attend Syracuse) and hard working, giving Jeff Lovins.
Go run Floyd as so many of us remember how great you did so, that and much more.
It will be top ranked, (11-0) Alabama, established as a 7 plus point(s) favorite, (less than originally perceived), vs third ranked, (7-0) Ohio State (guess # of games played did not matter, big mouth, but still con 2 titles Dabo Swinney) in the college football title game on January 11th in Miami, Florida.
After Alabama rode 4 Mac Jones touchdown passes, three to DeVonta Smith, who likely will win the “virtually presented” Heisman Trophy this week, with Mac second, in a “no cover”/predicted here (31-14) win vs Notre Dame, Josh Fields threw 6 touchdown passes and Trey Sermon, a game after his school record rushing yards performance vs Northwestern, (also a bowl game winner on 2021’s first day), in the Big Ten title tilt, ran for 193 yards and a score, as 7 plus point “dog,” Ohio State won (49-28) vs second rated Clemson.
It was the first time Ohio State, twice a later game semis loser to Clemson, including a heartbreaking one last year, won vs them in 5 games (all bowl games), including the famed 1978 season Gator Bowl, when Ohio State coach, Woody Hayes, always a “powder keg,” finally was deemed to have gone too far, when he punched Clemson nose guard, Charlie Bauman. (the Baumans were original neighbors of Marlo Thomas’ “Ann Marie” on “That Girl.” How’s that for a run on, tangential, ADD sentence?!).
In Bama’s win, Naj Harris had a spectacular hurdle play run that set up Jahleel Billingsley gathering in the other Jones touchdown pass, which made the score (14-0) Bama. Their coach, Nick Saban will be seeking his 6th title with Alabama in the title tilt.
Paul “Bear” Bryant, at the helm, when his Alabama team (35-6)’d Hayes’ Ohio State team in the ’77 season Sugar Bowl yet were vaulted, I will always say unjustly, by Notre Dame, which “claimed,” also has 5 Alabama titles.
Though Alabama again scored 35 points, Urban Meyer, on his way to a third title (he won 2 as Florida coach, Saban(o) (ode to Gross, but it is “Bell” who wins, if Saban loses) also won/shared the ’03 crown, with L.S.U.) coached Ohio State to an upset (42-35) win vs Alabama in the first later game, “semi” in 2014.
In the resounding win vs Clemson, whose Trev Lawrence likely played his last college tilt, Chris Olave and Jeremy Ruckert each gathered in 2 Fields touchdown passes.
Clemson’s Bauman has kept his silence since Woody Hayes .
Above some perspective in a nice piece by Aaron Brenner.
On a lighter, but literally “heavier” note, kudos to Danny Ford, the other coach to title with Clemson, (’81 season) (a truly good man, Jesse, was there at their title clinching Orange Bowl win vs Nebraska), for having a meatball sandwich at 2 A.M. or so, as per the article. These days, I would not dare.
In tomorrow’s college football semis, a pair of results that would match ’15 and ’17 champion, top ranked, undefeated Alabama and ’16 and ’18 champion, second ranked, once beaten (they were sans, very likely top NFL draft pick, Trevor Lawrence in the loss) Clemson is a two to one favorite to manifest. The teams are a combined 4 touchdown favorite.
Alabama, denied titles in close losses twice (’73 and ’74) and truly questionable polling twice (’66 and ’77) by Notre Dame, is a 20 point favorite vs them, in the semis opener tomorrow. The Tide (Alabama, “they call Alabama The Crimson Tide,” so beautifully part of Steely Dan’s “Deacon Blues”) ripped Notre Dame in the 2012 title tilt, two years before the first 4 team ‘offs began in 2014.
Meanwhile, Clemson with tremendous coach, but seemingly reactionary and definitely over zealous “my way or the highway” regarding religion, Dab Swinney at the controls, and the aforementioned Lawrence, are seven plus point(s) faves vs Ohio State.
The Clemson/Ohio State clash is their second straight “later semi” clash and third in five seasons. Clemson prevailed easily in the ’16 semi and won a close game vs Ohio St. last season. Clemson has made the college football ‘offs the last 6 seasons, thus has only missed them once.
Alabama also is in the ‘offs for a 6th time in 7 possibilities, Ohio State is in their fourth while Notre Dame is in its second.
Friday January 1, 2021, the day/date of the two semis tilts, marks the exact 50 year anniversary of another Notre Dame first then Ohio State bowl game (these semis are also bowls, the first the Rose Bowl, but to be in Texas and the second the Sugar in its traditional home, New Orleans) with decided, albeit far more mythical, national title consequences.
Then in the Cotton Bowl, “spoiler,” Notre Dame upset top ranked Texas, spoiling Texas’ chances to repeat as national champions (R.M. Nixon, the former Vice President and then President of the United States having declared Texas the ’69 champions, much to the consternation of one Joe Paterno, whose Penn State team went undefeated, untied (there were ties then), for a second straight season and frankly were barely considered for national title honors. I feel Nixon, surely I am no fan of he, was right regarding Texas and while Paterno has fallen exponentially in history’s eyes, Mr. Nixon proving once again that most things in life are relative, has gained).
That result gave Ohio State, the ’68 champions, who were denied by 17 point underdog, Michigan (yes there was a time Michigan beat Ohio State or tied them, costing them mythical national titles/chances), enabling Texas to win the ’69 crown if they “Cotton Bowl’d” Notre Dame, which they did, highlighted by Cotton Speyrer’s all-time clutch catch (do you think Chris Fowler, who shamelessly talked of Notre Dame being close in previous big games under its good but you know he is a harda–, coach Brian Kelly, when evidence entirely refutes it, knows this?!), if it beat Stanford.
However, Jim Plunkett and Stanford said no, beating Ohio State (27-17). That gave Nebraska a chance to “vault” 2 places to mythical #1, which they did, with quarterback Jerry Tagge also “vaulting” (literally, not figuratively) in for a big, if not, decisive touchdown.
If Notre Dame shocks almost everyone and “outrights” Alabama (despite their poor performances in these type games and actually because of them, I think Notre Dame will at least cover, probably be competitive and maybe even pull a shocking upset), theoretically, that would help an Ohio State team playing immediately after.
If Ohio State upsets Clemson and faces Alabama, the Tide would be at least 10, likely more, point(s) favorites.
85 years ago, another “Bill” Shakespeare made history, when in a famed regular season game, he led Notre Dame to victory vs Ohio State, passing to Wayne Millner for the last minute winning touchdown. If the two meet again (no Bard/Shakespeare words comes to mind, the “fault lies with me,” knowing this sports c–p, and not Shakespeare) for the 2020 title, each having pulled an upset (Notre Dame’s if it happens, three times bigger), I believe Ohio State would be established as roughly a 6 to 7 point favorite.
If as expected, it is Alabama vs Clemson for a 5th time in 6 seasons and in a 4th title tilt, the highest of those numbers, SIX, would be the spread, with Alabama, as the favorite.
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, this 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 the upcoming one to climax the 2020 season).
In the 12 previous 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.”
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
This is a manifestation of many things, not the least of which being a heterosexual man sans a woman, with whom to “build.”
Three quarters of the 16 final regular season week NFL games have meaning with half of the 14 playoff spots and the lone NFC first/wild card round bye to be determined.
Last week, the defending champion K.C. Chiefs again won but did not cover (0-6-1) vs the spread in 7 straight victories) edging Atlanta, to clinch the AFC one seed and the aforementioned first round bye.
Elsewhere in the AFC, (12-3) Buffalo, after its rout Monday night win vs (6-9) New England, needs either a win vs “win and they are in the ‘offs,” (10-5) Miami or a (12-3) Pittsburgh loss vs “win and they are in, also (10-5) Cleveland, to gain the once important, perhaps still, “2” seed.
In addition to Miami and Cleveland, three other AFC teams are (10-5) and one of the 5 (10-5) teams will not make the ‘offs, perhaps with an (11-5) record, (in that case it would be the Colts, who dissipated a (24-7) second half lead at Pittsburgh last week), while in the NFC, the NFC East winner will qualify and host a few if any fans first round tilt, with at best a (7-9) record and maybe even (Giants fans hope so or do they as they could get the third draft pick in one scenario, certainly involving a loss vs Dallas) a (6-10) mark.
Both Baltimore and Tennessee, last year’s slot 2 opponents are in with a win, while the Colts need to win and for one of the other current (10-5) teams to lose, otherwise be out of the ‘offs.
Later this week, more on the ‘offs possibilities with notes you will, very likely, only find/read here.
The guy’s name is on his sloppy work so I will not say it here.
After their loss to S.F. Arizona stood/stands at (8-7) while the Bears entered today’s tilt, which they won at (7-7).
Thus ‘Zona did not need 2 Bears’ losses but one, if they won their finale vs the Rams.
Also if the Rams lost, which they did, Arizona could/would get in with a win vs the Rams, I do believe.
The obvious was/is Arizona with a win needed one, not 2 Bears’ losses, as Arizona would be (9-7) and the Bears would be (8-8).
The erroneous below:
The Cardinals’ playoffs hopes are beginning to slip away after Saturday’s loss to the 49ers. All Arizona needed to do was win and the Cardinals would’ve stayed in control of their playoff destiny. Instead, they lost, and now have to rely on the Chicago Bears to lose their last two games for Arizona to make the postseason for the first time since 2015. — Josh Weinfuss
On this day and date 56 years ago, the Cleveland Browns won their last NFL title and the great Jim Brown’s only title, when they defeated the Baltimore Colts and their beyond superb quarterback, John Unitas, by a (27-0) score, at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland.
Browns quarterback, Frank Ryan hurled 3 touchdown passes to Gary Collins, while the Bernie Parrish and Jim Kanicki led defense, shutout the Colts. Lou “The Toe” Groza added 2 field goals, the first set up by Brown’s run after a swing pass.
The game was scoreless at the half. It is still a great memory for me, the brown upholstered chair, my father, mother and grandmother watching with me and “my” team won.
A vintage photo of Gary Collins, above. He belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Of course death, specifically that of sports greats, will continue in 2021, let’s just hope not anywhere near its rate in 2020. Another great, K.C. Jones part of twelve NBA title teams, two NCAA title winners and an Olympic gold winner, when the U.S. clearly better, at least sent college players and not the B.S. that sent professionals, after a loss in ’88, died at age 88 today/Christmas Day.
This was a wise, truly great and nice man. The way he stood up after the Celts’ ’85 final round loss to the Lakers, who finally beat them and said “2-3-2?” when asked about the changed final round format, in such a cool manner, will forever resonate.
Defeat happened (two others as a final round coach with the then Bullets in ’75 and another to L.A. in ’87) but oh the victories, for this legitimate straight up defensive great.
K.C. was a member of all 8 consecutive title teams with the legendary Boston Celtics, occurring in his first eight seasons, (1959-1966). In his last season, one of the two great Wilt Chamberlain led title teams, the ’67 76ers, 5’d the Celts in the semis. K.C. then retired.
He won two college crowns alongside his future teammate and 60 plus years friend, who expressed his grief upon hearing of K.C. dying and comments regarding 2020, with a word rhyming with “truck” and I do not mean Robinson.
After his playing days, Jones (another Jones, the great clutch player Sam and of course Mr. Russell, are the only NBAers, with more titles as a player, than K.C.) won with the other Wilt led, great championship team, the ’72 Lakers, as he was an assistant coach, under another Celts’ great, Bill Sharman.
Loving that team, I recall fondly Bill Russell telling the great Jerry West “not to worry,” as he had two Celtics with him, that great ’72 season. My crazy memory recalls it after L.A. went up (3-0) vs Chi in a nationally tv’d Sunday “quarters” tilt, Bill working for ABC television at the time.
Greater glory awaited and of course it was with the Celtics. He won another title, as an assistant coach under Bill Fitch with the ’81 Celtics and then guided Boston to the 15th and 16th of their 17 crowns, winning it in ’84 and ’86.
I met Mr. Jones covering a rally for then presidential candidate Bill Bradley during a frenetic time in 1999 (why no tape with Whitney Houston, who called me Andy thrice and made me “melt” with her charm and beauty and the even greater thrill of interviewing Mr. Gregory Peck–but alas no sound-no tape-so cruel, but on we must go) and he was gracious, recalling titles but more important the friendships.
God/the force must be playing some big inter galactic games soon, as he/she/it has “recruited” so many sports greats in recent times. On we go, bye K.C.
K.C. (on the right) and Andy B.
Andy B Sports 