There are no rematches exactly 50 years later, in NFL play this weekend.
Then, the NFL concluded its first AFC/NFC configuration season, with one game on Saturday December 19, 1970 and twelve the next day.
This year, two more weeks of play will remain after one Thursday game, two Saturday, one Monday and again 12 on a Sunday December 20th, in the 32 team NFL.
On Saturday December 19, 1970 the eventual champion, then, BALTIMORE Colts, beat the New York Jets (35-20).
Some “M’s” notes: Dallas quarterback Don “M”eredith could not quite get the Cowboys to a Super Bowl, the excellent team, losing heartbreaking NFL title games to the Green Bay Packers in 1966 and 1967.
On December 20, 1970, getting help from Pat Studstill (2 touchdown catches) and the Rams, who beat the Giants, Dallas made the ‘offs, as the NFC East winner and eventually the 5th Supe.
In the last day win vs the Houston Oilers, (now that franchise is the Tennessee Titans), Craig “M”orton threw 5 touchdown passes in a (52-10) rout. Morton later took another team to a Supe, the ’77 Denver Broncos, only to lose, as his team did in that 5th Super Bowl, this time to his former team, the Cowboys.
Backing up the injured and great John Unitas, Earl “M”orrall led the 1968 Baltimore Colts to 15 wins in 16 games, including easy wins in two NFL playoff games.
However, the Joe Namath/Matt Snell led New York Jets derailed them, as incredible 18 point underdogs, in the third Super Bowl.
Two years later, Morrall first threw 4 touchdown passes in the aforementioned “reg” finale win vs the Jets and then teamed with Unitas, as the Colts quarterback in the aforementioned 5th Supe game win vs Morton and the Cowboys.
In 1970, Unitas started at “QB,” in all 3 ‘offs wins (he did not play in the two ‘offs wins in ’68 and many felt he was inserted too late in the Supe loss to the Jets), though Morrall finished the Supe win at the position, even holding on Jim O’Brien’s Super Bowl winning field goal (as NFL guru, great executive and supreme baseball fan, Ernie Accorsi notes on a fine video about the ’70 Colts, Irv Goode, acquired for such a purpose, snapped the ball on Jim’s historic kick).
Finally, a, if not the key play in the Colts (27-17) AFC title game, home win vs the then Oakland Raiders, was a long Unitas to Ray Perkins touchdown pass.
Sadly, Perkins, who like Accorsi, contributed mightily to a turn around in the New York Giants’ fortunes, that eventually led to TWO Super Bowl wins, died weeks back.
Earl Morrall, pictured above.
On the first “Happy Days” episode, at least the season 1, episode 1 half hour show that aired tonight on MeTV, the great Tom Bosley’s “Howard Cunningham” character likes Democrat Harry Truman better than Republican Dwight Eisenhower.
In a later episode Bosley/”Cunningham” is a big time Eisenhower supporter and lifelong Republican voter.
One of the first episode writers was Rob Reiner, probably married to Penny Marshall, Happy Days creator Gary K. Marshall’s sister, at the time (1974).
As you may have noticed the now called Washington football team has always been referred to here as “Wash” or Washington, never the racist nickname it had until this season.
Changing the Cleveland baseball team’s name from the Indians is not a big deal to me, either way. However, I will go along with it.
I have always been in tune with the cause concerning Native Americans.
I urge the new president, “middle of the road,” Joe Biden, by the way non bet by me as a 16 to 1 “dog” to be nominated when I knew he would win the South Carolina Primary, to free Leonard Peltier, a Native American, a man unjustly imprisoned for 44 years.
First of all, he is not guilty. Next that sentence is “cruel and unusual” thus vs the Constitution.
Light: I hope they do not bleep the part of an Abbott and Costello Show episode, in which a Native American asks Lou how the Indians are doing and he does not realize she means the “Cleveland Indians” (adding) dummy.”
Yesterday, the Supe 1 (it was not called the Super Bowl then) entrants, the defending champion (12-1) Kansas City Chiefs and (10-3) Green Bay Packers had “no cover” victories and when the (11-2) Steelers and (10-3) Saints lost, moved into the lead for their respective conference top seeds, seemingly the only one that matters.
K.C. which was on an incredible “cover” run, won for the 21st time in their last 22 tilts, which includes their required 3 wins that vaulted them to the 2019 NFL crown.
Now they lead in a bid to get the AFC “1” seed and thus need 3 NOT 4 ‘offs wins to repeat as champions.
The Packers, who as was the case with the Chefs, failed to cover when a kicker was “sent on,” to “cut” what really was an insurmountable deficit, own the tiebreaker with the Saints, who are a 4 point “home” underdog vs K.C. next week, in a likely “Pooh/Hedge Fund/Nantz” CBS late afternoon game.
In remembering the great player, Dick Allen, yet another of that vintage who died in 2020, in his case, at age 78 days back, I choose, at least initially in my tangential writing, not to rage about his dying, without having been put into Baseball’s Hall of Fame.
Unable to truly express it, the racism Allen faced and my naivety regarding media/games and the view through the lens of a 13 year old will be referenced , but how in the world, this cruel world, could I walk in Allen’s shoes and feel what he felt.
Instead it is Sunday June 4, 1972 and after I believe three televised Yankees’ games vs the White Sox in a 4 game series, the second game of a doubleheader is radio only, with the great, but decidedly pro Yankees, Phil Rizzuto, calling the bottom of the ninth inning.
Allen, who once hit a home run that left the worldly, “seen so much,” late Dave Reichberg, with his mouth wide open, a story “Stone” has repeated “quite often” (ode to Jim Brown’s praise of Sam Huff as he attached himself to the real “J.B.” “quite often”) hit a game winning 3 run home run off the excellent relief pitcher Al “Sparky” Lyle that yielded a two run Chisox win and 3 of 4 in the series.
The 13 year old me was happy Allen was a no show for a June twilight night doubleheader vs the “to be,” miracle World Series winning, Mets, that my dad took the “Strato League” (Strat-O-Matic) baseball) (5 of us) to see in June 1969.
Later in the year, Allen helped the Mets again, hitting some big blows vs the Cubs, the team the Mets overtook to win the N.L. East.
In 1964, as a rookie of the year player, though his Phillies essentially “blew” the pennant, his team still had a chance on the glorious, no wild card garbage, final day.
Allen had a home run that helped sink the Reds and at the time the Cards, the eventual winners, were struggling to salvage one win vs the then lowly, third year Mets.
Dick Allen was great in his one year as a Dodgers player and was glorious, winning the 1972 A.L. MVP with the White Sox.
I believe God/whatever force will back Mr. Allen’s positive view on real grass. (About artificial turf he said “if a horse will not eat it, I do not like playing on it).
After all, did not God/whatever force put grass here?! History and such will praise him for standing up to the personal injustice, he suffered and while Mr. Allen, as with all of us, was not perfect, he was an incredible talented figure.
I treasure the great memories and you know what they can do with a Hall of Fame that denies Pete Rose and likely will even after his death, and did same to the magnificent player, Dick Allen.
Please click below for a fine recollection/obituary notice by Richard Goldstein from The New York Times, detailing some of the bigotry Allen faced and more of his great baseball achievements.
Dick Allen, 78, Dies; Baseball Slugger Withstood Bigotry …
After a while, a classic episode of “What’s My Line?” returns.
It originally aired on December 1, 1957 with the legendary, great movie star, Errol Flynn as the mystery guest.
The panelists were regulars: Arlene Francis, Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf and another on quite often, Martin Gabel. Mr. Gabel amd Ms. Francis were married.
John Charles Daly was the show’s host.
Enjoy watching.
A la the singer/storyteller in Bobby Vinton’s “Roses Are Red,” last week I “wrote into this post:
In one, the Raiders, then in Oakland and now in their first year as Las Vegas and in contention with a (6-5) mark, meet the (0-11) New York Jets. In ’70 both George Blanda and Daryle Lamonica threw touchdown passes to Warren Wells in a (14-13) Oakland victory.
I believe the winning score was in the waning seconds, with Wells catching the ball after a deflection. Mr. Blanda, whose game ending/game winning exploits that season were/are legendary, booted the decisive extra point.
Incredibly, on a ridiculous Jets’ coverage, Raiders’ Derek Carr to Henry Ruggs, waning seconds touchdown, it happened again, as the (7-5) Raiders stayed in the AFC ‘offs race, winning vs the (0-12) Jets.
In the other two exact 50 year anniversary tilts (Browns/Titans nee Oilers was a day later, 50 years earlier), the same franchise won, as the (9-3) Browns won at the (8-4) Titans nee Oilers and the (11-1) Chiefs, (16-0) victors vs Denver in ’70, won (22-16), as 13 plus point(s) “faves” last week.
There were 26 teams, thus 13 games each week in 1970 NFL. That was the first of what is now 51 years of the AFC/NFC configuration.
Ten of the thirteen teams that won on December 6, 1970 (again the Browns/Oilers was on Monday night. That week one non Sunday day game, last week there were four) won last week. Only Dallas, S.F. and Cincinnati did not. Only Cincy played on Sunday December 6th last week.
Among the 13 teams/franchises that lost in the referenced week in 1970, only four won last week, (Pats, Bills, Wash and New Orleans), with the Bills and “Wash” each doing so on Monday, not Sunday.
Jorge Santayana, you know what he said about history, if not as my mother often said “look it up,” is pictured above.
Forty years ago, I wrote “Just as John Smith was getting ready to attempt a potential game winning field goal for the Pats vs the Dolphins, Howard Cosell on the Monday Night Football telecast, announced the shocking, tragic news that John Lennon had been killed.”
It still resonates and hurts that this great artist and man of peace was taken away. So many in this country, need I cite John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King?!
40 years and John was only forty/40 years old. “Imagine” what he could have contributed had he lived.
Give peace a chance!
The inspirational, charitable, Rafer Johnson, so much more than an Olympic champion, died days back, at the age of 86.
While any of us, so called sports fans rightfully marvel at Johnson’s athletic feats and prowess, which includes a gold medal in the decathalon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and a silver medal in same at the Melbourne, Victoria, Australia event in 1956, a man denied his Olympic chance by politics (a euphonism for the hate and terror of Hitler and the utter hypocrisy and “goose step following’ of the U.S. Olympic Committee headed by Avery Brundage), Marty Glickman talked of what the Olympics could be and that is great comradery between the competing athletes.
Rare if ever, in any sport, was it better demonstrated than in the 1960 Decathalon final event when Rafer’s U.C.L.A. teammate and lifelong friend, but also competitor, urged him on and he captured the prize.
There is a prize in victory, especially in glorious competition, however the real “prize” of friendship in that event, has always resonated far beyond what lists Johnson and Yang’s 1-2 finish.
Additionally, Rafer worked tirelessly on behalf of the Special Olympics and in a perhaps related, “you do what you can but bad, real bad” does seap in, helped along with football star Roosevelt Grier get the gun away from Sirhan Sirhan, but tragically, not before his shots entered and eventually killed Robert F. Kennedy, a final, sick blow from a society that condones and promotes senseless violence.
Through it all, Rafer stood tall, a beacon of light and help, as we all go on, now 60 years after his Olympic moment with Mr. Yang and without either still on this angst ridden planet.
Memories include his brother Jim, #37 with the San Francisco 49ers, more than a Hall of Fame player, so good they rarely threw at him.
A tribute or two can be “linked” below, the silent footage of Johnson, Yang and the Russian bronze winner, Vasily Kuznetsov on the stand is moving and priceless.
Thanks for being and giving so much, Rafer.
First of all, a remembrance of Val Pinchback, who for many years led the NFL schedule making process. One day, more on Mr. Pinchbeck, who met a tragic death, when he was struck by a New York City cab.
I like the fact this year’s schedule has “paid some attention” to the great and same calendar, 1970 season, the first of now 51, with the AFC/NFC configuration.
This week, three same week reduxes, two on the exact date Sunday December 6th, the other 1 day shy of exactly 50 years after a December 7, 1970 Browns/Oilers tilt.
Starting there, as this Sunday December 6th, the Cleveland Browns, albeit the expansion Browns and NOT the franchise of Jim Brown and Otto Graham, though the NFL records say it is, and Tennessee Titans nee Houston Oilers, a pair of (8-3) teams, clash at the Titans/Oilers venue.
In the next to last Monday night tilt of the first year of the “package” in 1970, the Browns stayed in the ’70 ‘offs race, winning (21-10) at the Astrodome, vs the Oilers.
As he did in the first Monday Night Football “Package” (package— because there were other occasional Monday night NFL tilts, most notably one in which the Packers unveiled their great return man, Travis Williams, one who “lived” (existed is a better word for it) on the streets years later) game on September 21, 1970, the great Gary Collins, perhaps on his patented “post pattern,” scored the game’s first points.
Also tomorrow, two more exact 50 year rematches at the same team’s venue, albeit at a different location, 50 years later.
In one, the Raiders, then in Oakland and now in their first year as Las Vegas and in contention with a (6-5) mark, meet the (0-11) New York Jets. In ’70 both George Blanda and Daryle Lamonica threw touchdown passes to Warren Wells in a (14-13) Oakland victory.
I believe the winning score was in the waning seconds, with Wells catching the ball after a deflection. Mr. Blanda, whose game ending/game winning exploits that season were/are legendary, booted the decisive extra point.
Finally, tomorrow night, again at the home of a defending champion Kansas City Chiefs team, the Denver Broncos provide the opposition.
In winning the 4th Supe, now close to 51 years ago, Jan Stenerud kicked 3 field goals before Mike Garrett “TD’d” on a run, to give K.C. a (16-0) lead in an eventual (23-7) triumph, vs the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings.
On December 6, 1970 the Chiefs got the touchdown first, (Ed Podolak ran 65 yards for the score) then 3 Jan field goals and that was all the scoring in a (16-0) win.
In ’70 both the Raiders and Chiefs were in contention while the Jets and Broncos were not. That is the case now, fifty years later. Then, while the Browns were in contention, the Oilers now the Titans were not. Now both with (8-3) records, not only are in contention, but also likely ‘offs qualifiers.
Andy B Sports 