Tonight in New Orleans, a pair of (15-0) teams with superb starting quarterbacks, meet in the national title game.
LSU with Heisman Trophy winner, Joe Burrow at quarterback is a 5 point or so favorite vs defending champion Clemson, whose quarterback Trevor Lawrence, has to this point, never lost a college football game.
Clemson hopes to win a third crown in four seasons and is in the title game for the fourth time in 5 seasons. They were underdogs to Alabama and their coach Nick Saban all 3 times, winning twice and at least covering the spread all 3 times.
LSU won the title in ’03 under Nick Saban and also claimed it in ’07, coached by Les Miles, despite having two losses.
I recall Perry Tuttle and Clemson claiming the ’81 crown. Did not San Diego lead Miami (24-0) in the next day’s divisional playoff game?
Fifty years ago yesterday, on January 11, 1970, the Kansas City Chiefs pulled the second straight big upset for the old AFL, when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings, in the last AFL vs NFL Super Bowl. (The first, by the way was 51 years ago today, when the New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts).
Yesterday, the NFC top seed, S.F. 49ers ended the Vikings’ 59th season (Lonnie Warwick anyone?), winning easily at home. Minnesota has played more NFL seasons, sans an “all the way” title than any other team. They were credited with the last NFL Title, that in 1969, but they lost the subsequent Super Bowl.
On paper, where we know games are NOT played, it appears the Chiefs again had a big January 11th, as now they can advance to their first Super Bowl since that January 11th day 50 years back, with two home wins, one today vs the Houston Texans and another next week vs the Tennessee Titans nee Houston Oilers.
For a second straight Saturday night, ex Patriots’ Supe winner, Mike Vrabel’s Titans pulled a big upset, this roughly double the size of last week’s wild card round win at New England, going into (14-2) Baltimore (Ravens) and winning (28-12).
Today, in later starting division round games, the Chiefs face the Texans, the winner to host the Titans, at roughly the same time next week in the AFC Title Game.
Meanwhile in “night at Green Bay action,” the Packers host the Seattle Seahawks. The Niners, losers in their last two such games, host the GB/Sea winner, in the later title game start next week.
Gifford Nielsen, pictured above, was the Houston Oilers quarterback when they upset the heavily favored San Diego Chargers in the later, Saturday division round game forty years ago.
I thoroughly enjoyed Lawrence Tierney and the entire cast of “Born To Kill,” as I watched the 1947 film last night on “Movies”.
It was a highly entertaining film, even enjoyable with commercials.
Claire Trevor was in the cast, giving a marvelous performance.
Tierney a quintessential movie tough guy, was in many great films of that genre.
Additionally, Lawrence Tierney was an outstanding track and field competitor at Brooklyn’s Boy’s High School. Another New York athlete/guy, who did well.
Left to right, Mr. Tierney and Anne Jeffries, pictured in Tierney’s debut big role, as John Dillinger.
The 50th NFL division round/”slots” weekend commences with top seeds, San Francisco (49ers) and Baltimore (Ravens) hosting the two Saturday games.
This will be the 20th consecutive division round with a Saturday night game, this one matching the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens.
Sunday, for the first scheduled time and second time (concerns regarding inclement weather, caused a night start for Pittsburgh’s win at Kansas City in 2016), there will be a division round Sunday night game.
It is the NFL celebrating 100 seasons, fifty with the current NFC/AFC configuration. In 1970, Baltimore en route to an NFL title, but as the Colts, hosted the first division round game.
After this weekend 200 will have been played, number 198 at Baltimore Saturday night, with Ian Eagle, less than a year old when the Colts won (17-0) vs the Cincinnati Bengals in that first such game, the lead CBS television announcer.
In that first AFC/NFC configuration, division round game, the great John Unitas threw 2 touchdown passes, one to Roy Jefferson, another to Eddie Hinton.
Click above for a fine feature regarding Mr. Unitas, with the great reporter/journalist, Heywood Hale Broun.
Richard Long was a fine actor, best known for television work on such shows as “The Big Valley” and “Nanny and the Professor.”
A good link is that Mr. Long has an important scene in the 1946 film, “The Stranger” with acting great, Edward G. Robinson.
On “The Big Valley,” he had many scenes with the legendary Barbara Stanwyck, who played his mother on the show.
In the classic film, “Double Indemnity” Mr. Robinson and Ms. Stanwyck are two of the top three billed cast (Fred MacMurray is the other), however they have only one scene together, that with others including MacMurray involved.
Fond memories abound, thinking about these four actors.
Richard Long, pictured above.
The same day/same conference wild card round wins by Minnesota (a big upset win at New Orleans, vs the Saints) and Seattle (at Philadelphia vs the Eagles) manifests in the Vikings going to San Francisco, to play the 49ers in the division round for the 5th time, but first time since 1997. Seattle will visit Green Bay in a virtual night game Sunday.
Minnesota at S.F. will be the first game of the weekend (Saturday) and will be played in the late afternoon Eastern Time slot also for a 5th time. The Niners are (4-1) vs the Vikings in previous post-season games, winning at Minnesota in ’70 and at home in ’88, ’89 (en route to titles) and in ’97.
A brilliant effort by Anthony Carter led the Vikings to their lone post-season win vs the 49ers, that in 1987, with Tim Ryan, the CBS lead announcer.
Green Bay is (2-1) vs Seattle in previous post-season games, all 3 games resulting in home team victories.
While all six Niners/Vikings playoff games have been division round battles, the previous three Packers/Seahawks playoff games were in the 3 possible different rounds.
Anthony Carter, pictured above.
Today a marvelous episode of “What’s My Line?” with the one and only Jerry Lewis as the mystery guest.
This episode is from 1956 and the separation of Mr. Lewis and Dean Martin is imminent and addressed briefly. It is great television.
The panelists are Arlene Francis, Paul Winchell (with his puppet “friend,” Jerry, Vivian Blaine and Bennett Cerf.
John Charles Daly is the show’s host. Enjoy it.
I really believe that Bert Campaneris was a tremendous baseball player.
He was one of my favorite players.
“Campy” played all 3 Oakland Athletics’ teams that won 3 straight World Series crowns from (1972-1974).
Bert got two huge hits in helping the A’s win the 1973 World Series vs the Mets.
At Shea Stadium in game 3, he had the extra innings game winning single while in game 7 Campaneris hit a two run home run to open the scoring.
Bert Campaneris, pictured above.
The current and former Houston NFL football franchises advanced to the division round with thrilling wild card round victories.
Houston (Texans) rallied from a (16-0) third quarter deficit and won (22-19) in overtime, vs the Buffalo Bills, who suffered a 6th straight ‘offs loss and have not won such a game since beating the Dolphins, in Don Shula’s last game as coach in the 1995 wild card round.
At night, the Tennessee Titans, nee Houston Oilers won (20-13) vs the defending champion New England Patriots.
Both the Titans and Texans are big underdogs in the division round.
AFC top seed Baltimore (Ravens) are 10 point faves vs Tennessee, likely with Nantz next Saturday night.
Meanwhile K.C. , (Chiefs) the AFC two seed, is a 9 point favorite vs the Texans.
On his 26th birthday, Derrick Henry, the NFL rushing champion for 2019, pictured above, ran for 184 yards and a touchdown as his Titans upset the Patriots.
All these years later, the movie “Planet Of The Apes,” which started the still going, successful “franchise,” still resonates and was truly a great film.
I watched it again on TCM last night.
Ben Mankiewicz, one of the fine TCM hosts informed with some good notes including the presence of the great writer, Rod Serling as one of the screenplay writers (Michael Wilson was the other) and his “Twilight Zone” type influence, throughout the film.
I saw this depicted in the lead character “Taylor’s” (played by Charlton Heston) thoughts and insights. It truly enhanced my enjoyment and appreciation of the memorable film.
