The sixth Super Bowl victory by the New England Patriots was the 16th for an AFL team, still leaving NFL teams with a significant (37-16) advantage.
However, this ninth Supe victory by an original AFL team in 22 seasons (’97-2018) has cut into what once stood as an NFL advantage of (22-3) over original AFL teams in NFC/AFC configuration Super Bowls.
Among original AFL teams, New England has 6 crowns, all from 2001 forward, the Denver Broncos three, all from 1997 on, while the Raiders with 3 in the NFC/AFC configuration, have not won one since 1983.
Both the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs, winners in the last two AFL/NFL Super Bowls, have failed to even qualify for a Supe in the 49 NFC/AFC configuration seasons.
The Miami Dolphins, a 1966 AFL expansion team, (Joe Auer returned the game’s opening kickoff for a touchdown in their first game. The next season, John Gilliam did so for the NFL expansion team, New Orleans Saints) have won 2 Super Bowls.
It is the All-Star break in the endless N.B.A. regular season, so “of course” I will comment on the N.H.L. which also has a seemingly endless “reg,” but one that is a bit more important.
The reason for the above comparison is that an upstart in the NHL actually has a chance to go a long way in the playoffs, maybe even win the crown. That is essentially not the case in the N.B.A.
Toward that end, though the Tampa Bay Lightning are almost certain to have the NHL’s best record, doing so with rare ease, it really does not mean all that much, especially in light of the NHL history and the fact, that the nature of the game makes hockey upsets clearly viable.
However, the Lightning are an impressive team, one that has gone far in recent ‘offs, so clearly they are the “plurality” favorite to win the NHL crown.
I thoroughly enjoyed and was highly impressed by Paul Mecurio in “Permission To Speak.”
Now playing at “The Actor’s Temple,” (339 West 47th Street) “Permission to Speak,” with Mecurio in great form, as the show’s host, brings people from the audience on stage to tell their stories.
It is a great concept and Mecurio, an award winning comedian, makes his idea of gray, not black and white and that we all have stories, manifest with humorous, insightful questions.
Each night there are different people on stage. On the night I attended, the “jackpot” of good participants was hit. Unlike and actually in sharp contrast with slot machines, there is a great chance “jackpot” will be hit, when you attend.
Click below to purchase tickets. I highly recommend doing so.
Paul Mecurio’s Permission To Speak Tickets
Paul Mecurio, pictured above is truly talented and his “Permission To Speak” is a great idea/show.
I really enjoyed actor Frank Sutton’s performance, as a man happy in his own place in life, on the legendary television show, “Gunsmoke.”
The episode aired this week on MeTV, which is a television channel that I thoroughly enjoy.
Sutton is best known for his role as “Sergeant Carter,” on the television show, “Gomer Pyle,” which starred Jim Nabors.
In 1955, Ernest Borgnine played against type and was brilliant in the Paddy Chayefsky written, “Marty.” Mr. Borgnine won the best actor Academy Award.
Frank Sutton was among a great supporting cast in the film, playing one of Borgnine/”Marty’s” pals.
Frank Sutton, pictured above.
Today another look back at an episode of the tremendous television show, “What’s My Line.”
This recollection is about a show that aired on October 25, 1964.
James Garner was the mystery guest.
The Panelists were Dorothy Kilgallen, Tony Randall, Arlene Francis, performing on Broadway at the time, and Bennett Cerf.
John Charles Daly, introduced beautifully by Mr. Cerf, is the host.
Enjoy!
The trivia: On that October 25, 1964 date, the eventual NFL champion Cleveland Browns won (42-20) at their Municipal Stadium home vs the New York Giants.
Within a year of what still is the last Cleveland football title, filming began on another great Billy Wilder film, “The Fortune Game” in and around the Cleveland Browns and their Municipal Stadium home.
Jack Lemmon starred along with Walter Matthau. Both Mr. Lemmon and panelist Tony Randall were fantastic as “Felix Unger” in different versions of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple.”
I told you it was a “stretch,” bit it is nice to remember.
The victory by the AFC representative, New England Patriots in a Super Bowl telecast on the AFC network, (CBS), pushed the home network teams, over the sixty percent win mark (25-16).
Home network conference teams have the following records in the 41 such games. Keep in mind, 11 Super Bowls were on the “neutral” network, first ABC and now NBC. Additionally the first Super Bowl, called the AFL/NFL Championship game, was telecast on both affiliated networks.
In this incarnation as the AFC network, CBS has telecast 7 Supes , occurring every 3 years starting with the 2000 season, with the AFC team winning 6 of 7 (the lone loss being the Saints win vs the Colts in ’09).
Once the NFC and before that the NFL, “home” network, CBS teams were (7-5) in their Supe telecasts. This includes Green Bay winning the first such telecast as the “home” network NFL team, in the second NFL vs AFL game.
Moving up the television “dial”, NBC as an AFL/AFC network is next. Its “home” network teams were (8-6), having started (7-0) with the first win by the AFL/home network, New York Jets, with Matt Snell scoring their lone touchdown, in the third AFL vs NFL championship tilt.
Fox is next, its NFC “package-home teams” are (4-4) in their Super Bowl telecasts.
Add it up and it is (25-16). That is over 60 percent.
Max McGee, supposedly after a night of much fun, stood out and scored the first ever “Supe” touchdown, in the dual telecast as CBS/NFL and NBC/AFL were both “on hand,” beaming the exploits of Max’s great “hands.”
While researching information on Cy Young’s 500th victory on July 19, 1910, I noticed the opposing catcher was Gabby Street.
Young was with the Cleveland franchise, now the Indians, pitching vs the Washington franchise, now the Minnesota Twins, when he notched a victory that in all probability will never, ever (tribute to Johnny Evers) be matched.
Street was involved in some great baseball history in later years.
In a future post, I will cite some of that history.
I am truly enjoying Mr. Browning’s book about Cy Young.
In searching, I found two previous, relatively recent posts in which the great Frank Robinson was cited. I will put links to each post below.
I have a great personal memory of asking my friend Brad Weiner, to tune his “big radio,” which, I believe was short wave, to tune in WBAL in Baltimore to hear how the Orioles were faring vs the Oakland A’s.
“Oak,” where Frank grew up and was a basketball teammate of major North American sports league’s greatest winner, Bill Russell, led in the bottom of the ninth with Frank batting against, a soon to be great, Rollie Fingers.
The year is 1971 and Frank hit it out, a game ending home run and I was happy, having heard it on Brad’s radio.
Click below, as Frank Robinson is referenced in two previous posts.
Memories And Comments Of AN August 1965 … – andybsports.com
Boston Celtics’ Notes | Andy B Sports
| b9 | 0-2 | 0 | 12- | RRR | BAL | Frank Robinson | Rollie Fingers | 70% | 100% | Home Run; Buford |
|---|
Baseball Reference above, it was a none out, three run home run that transformed a (2-0) A’s lead into an Orioles victory.
Some notes on eighteen, even chai, years of incredible success/mazel for the Robert Kraft owned, New England Patriots.
Of course choosing eighteen helps frame the greatness, however, consider 6 titles, 9 final game appearances and a (13-2) record in division round games (12-1) at home.
In future posts I will compare this eighteen year span of New England greatness (2001-2018), with that of the San Francisco 49ers also during an eighteen year period of time (1981-1998).
I do believe in football annals, only the Cleveland Browns who did it within 16 seasons, (1950-1965) made as many as nine final game appearances, other than the Patriots.
A notable near miss by a team that sustained greatness was that of the Chicago Bears. The team made eight of the first fourteen NFL title games (1933-1946) but no other until their quarterback, Bill Wade scored on two short sneak plays, in their 1963 title game win.
Frank Robinson, truly a baseball player and figure worthy of a select pantheon of greatness, died yesterday, at the age of 83.
His playing career (the only player to be voted most valuable in both the National and American Leagues, essentially the best player on five pennant and two World Series winning teams and so much more) and his pioneering effort, as baseball’s first black manager are well documented, as the great, historic achievements they are.
I can and eventually will add so much more as Frank was one of my favorite and one of the greatest players of not only his GREAT (less players, ALL players, more intensity, fundamentals and so on) era, but any in baseball’s long history.
Today, a recollection of one game, a big one, #6 of the ’71 World Series, eventually won by the Roberto Clemente/Steve Blass led Pirates, vs Frank’s Baltimore Orioles (Frank was on 4 O’s pennant winners and 2 World Series winners. His other pennant was won as a member of the Cincinnati Reds.)
That game seems so “near” in my mind, maybe because on this couch sat Jack Locker, an American League fan and a contemporary of my father, an N.L. rooter.
Unlike kids today, I at least greeted company and with Jack especially and regarding sports, it was fun. That night Jack, Dad, and 15 year old Andy B marveled at the following Frank baseball exploit.
#6 was in the glorious Saturday daytime and tied, bottom 10 and the Buccos leading the “Classic,” (3-2).
Frank walked, by the way a “specialty” of his along with his penchant for getting hit by pitches, as he stood right over the plate.
Mervin Rettenmund, who the next day would also hit one up the middle, but 24 hours later Jackie Hernandez fielded and threw him out, yielding a Pirates’ crown, singled up the middle.
Mr. Robinson a great and intense, even ferocious, base runner went from first to third, just beating the throw.
Next, Brooks, another Robinson and another great, hit a fly ball to medium center, Frank tagged up and slid home safely– broadcasters Jim Simpson (radio) and Curt Gowdy (television) intoning the manifestation of a game 7 the next day, doing so long before Buck and son did so, the latter getting the fanfare.
Where do you go now, Frank?! The eternal question.
My mind and imagination (you know what Mr. Einstein said regarding imagination) are rocking, words to whatever this is (cyberspace, I suppose) not so easy.
Something out there/God/a force, perhaps, has been too “random,” surely it is easy and justifiable to feel that way, if for no other reason, life on earth is finite.
However in life, there is great and once baseball, (the game still is) its time, my age, the associations, Chuck Thompson, Bill O’Donnell and at times, John Gordon on Orioles radio 11 WBAL, augmented that greatness.
Thus I volunteer Frank has been told to slide hard, go all out and you will be there.
Guess who in redundant fashion told Frank to slide hard. Guess who volunteered to play second base, you guessed it God.
In a rare “quote” the deity said, “I did help produce greatness and beauty and I want to greet a big time example, Frank Robinson, even if he might “spike” me.”
Click below to view Frank’s great base running to help the O’s win #6 of the ’71 W.S.
1971 WS Gm6: Brooks Robinson’s sac fly forces Game 7
Among other tremendous achievements, Frank and Brooks, pictured left to right above, hit consecutive first inning, game 1, 1966 World Series home runs off Hall of Fame pitcher, Don Drysdale to get the Orioles/”The Birds,” off to a “flying” start, en route to an incredible 4 game sweep, of the defending champion, Los Angeles Dodgers.
Andy B Sports 