The subject of which figures from a given sports franchise should be honored somewhere in said franchise’s playing venue, as with Hall of Fame voting, though not quite as intense, does stir emotions and debate.
Right to the point, Frank Boucher clearly deserves to be honored by the New York Rangers. I could point to the plethora of Rangers honored that played after 1940, and were not part of any title teams.
Certainly I am not disputing those choices, albeit quite a few honor a period of but one title in 75 completed NHL seasons, by the team.
Boucher was a member of two New York Rangers’ Stanley Cup winning teams as a player and coached the 1940 team that won the last title for the team until 1994 and again sorry Rangers’ fans, the lone title in 75 seasons.
There is so much more in a case for Boucher, who not so arguably along with team founder Lester Patrick (Yes I saw that in reading Wikipedia, but something else there, I did not know put Boucher, clearly worthy of “rafter” honors, it is a joke that he is not honored there, “over the top” with all due respect to some other Rangers players.)
Mr. Boucher selected Lester Patrick’s son, Lynn as coach and Mr. Patrick guided one of the best non title efforts, in any major sport.
The 1950 Rangers lost in the seventh and deciding game of the Stanley Cup Finals at Detroit (Pete Babando had the decisive goal). Please consider 5 of the seven games, including the last four were played in Detroit, with two at the Rangers’ “home” in Toronto.
That decided disadvantage against the Rangers, which would never happen now, was due to the circus being considered more important than any Rangers’ playoffs success.
A major reason, the Rangers, clearly for the most part, a continued good team, are a far bigger deal now is what was built in the past, and Frank Boucher, a part of 4 of the 5 best/(at least) most productive Rangers’ teams, deserves many honors from the team and certainly his own banner, in the Madison Square Garden rafters.
Mr. Boucher is an NHL Hall of Fame player, a true great. Also this is worth a direct quote/mention from Wikipedia, which did give me some great information.
From Wikipedia below.
“Frank was not only a brilliant forward, but was also one of the game’s classiest. Lady Byng, wife of Viscount Byng, the Governor-General of Canada, donated a trophy to be awarded to the NHL’s “most gentlemanly player.” While playing for the New York Rangers, Boucher won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy 7 times in 8 years. He was then given the trophy outright, and Lady Byng donated another trophy to the NHL.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers are sizable ten point favorites, as they meet the Miami Dolphins, in the early Sunday game (1 P.M. Eastern, with “Poo” Jim Nantz and “the everything is good, aw shucks” Phil Simms), the maximum third different, “within conference, playoff level,” at which the teams will have played, as of say, 4:15 P.M. on Sunday.
Pittsburgh and Miami combined for six Super Bowl titles in the 1970’s, four in six seasons by the Steelers from (1974-1979), after the Dolphins had won successive “Supes” in 1972, with an undefeated team and if you can believe it, a better team the next season.
I am pretty certain both the NHL and NBA have always honored, in some cases not all that much, (of course “Boris Badenov,” aka Andy B. was on the wrong rooting, trust me it was rooting and NOT betting, side each time) the team with the better record, giving it some home advantage in playoffs competition.
Of course this is not so in baseball finals, never has been, and was not always the case in earlier post-season rounds, in that once great sport.
While football does unilaterally honor the better record, or at least the one just as good “con” tiebreaker advantage, this was not always the case. A prime example below— concerning the ‘Phins and Steelers.
That undefeated 1972 Dolphins’ team referenced above, perhaps was not as great as the next year’s team, which dominated in its three playoffs wins, because incredibly, they had to sojourn to Pittsburgh for the 1972 AFC Title game.
During that game, Miami went back to Bob Griese at quarterback, replacing Earl Morrall, who had done remarkable work, quarterbacking at least 10, likely more, of the previous ‘Phins wins, and their punter Larry Seiple had a memorable and truly key fake punt, first down gallop, as Mia turned back Pittsburgh in that ’72 AFC title tilt, again incredibly with the (15-0) Dolphins on the road, and then (14-7)’d the Washington Redskins, to win it all.
A great Steelers’ team completed the aforementioned great run of 4 titles in six seasons, by winning it all in 1979. En route, in the lone slots/divisional round game between the teams, Terry Bradshaw, who recently and I believe correctly stated current “Pitts” coach Mike Tomlin is not great, (Alas I disagree with Terry’s assertion that Bill “lose so often in home playoffs” Cowher was a great coach and truly was upset, Terry did not cite his coach, Chuck Noll as a great one), “found” the truly, truly great John Stallworth, for a touchdown, in a rout of the Dolphins.
The third meeting and most recent until Sunday was in the 1984 AFC Championship Game in which the Dolphins easily prevailed, before the S.F. 49ers beat them in the lone Supe I attended, a tilt in cold Palo Alto California– (my backside just getting over the wooden rail of a not good, first row seat, still forever grateful for the youngsters selling hot apple cider and “awakened” by the sheer “coldness” of a former Joe Montana wife, toward me, after the tilt.)
The great John Stallworth pictured above.
Once I loved football and the grace of John Stallworth and the voice of John Facenda on NFL Films/ other NFL ventures, were two big reasons.
Mr. Facenda, whose narrative of a well written description of “Stall’s” greatness, is a “light in all this dark,” died during the 1984 NFL season.
You can imagine my shock, sitting in Stanford Stadium, having arrived early–too early, maybe that contributed to the “no seat cushion long afternoon for my posterior”—when I heard Facenda’s voice in a review, at least of the early part of the ’84 season.
If God ever does choose to speak to us via voice, one of his masterpieces in that category, Mr. Facenda would be a good choice as the vehicle. Maybe he was that day in Palo Alto?
I am pretty certain concerning the accuracy of the facts below. Why I remember this stuff is baffling, amazing, meaningless, all of the preceding.
In their 7 wild card round losses, which constitute the 7 seasons in which the Lions made the ‘offs sans a win, Detroit has played in and lost the later Saturday wild card round game, I believe with Al Michaels presiding, three times.
Few teams can match the post-season success of the Lions through 1957, winning four of 5 title tilts and victories in both unscheduled playoff games which gained the Lions entry to both the ’52 and ’57 title games, en route to titles.
Conversely few teams match Detroit’s ineptitude in post-season play starting with a famed (5-0) loss at Dallas in the late Saturday “slots” game in 1970, with Frank Glieber (why did he have to drop dead jogging leading to the rise at CBS of Verne Lundquist?!) and Frank Gifford on the CBS broadcast.
The great Dallas linebacker, Chuck Howley, pictured above, and the Dallas defense shutout the Lions in that “divisional playoff game without a touchdown (other such games? certainly not many if any) in 1970.
The Houston Texans are in the first NFL post-season game for the second straight season, having lost in a most boring such game last season vs the Kansas City Chiefs, with the unbearable Mike Tirico doing so called “play by play.”
Their tilt this year, vs the three plus point underdog Oakland Raiders, while perceived as the closest contest among (I am far from being good, regarding grammar, but can you believe the recycled “new” CBSer, Brad Nessler, so annoying for so long, said “BETWEEN the four teams,” when he shamelessly promoted a meaningless REGULAR SEASON college basketball tilt(s) some weeks back) the four wild card weekend games, is also the least enticing.
Neither team, it would SEEM, has much of a chance of advancing in the next week, especially with the New England Patriots, their likely opponent.
One good thing about Oak/Hous beginning at 4:30 on ESPN Saturday, is that not only is Sean McDonough, easily the best broadcaster among the group involved this or any other pro football weekend, which is not saying much, but he is actually a very good announcer.
I “noticed” last night that it was the Detroit Lions, who dealt the 1963 Cleveland Browns, the penultimate regular season week loss in the snow and rain of Tiger Stadium, that eliminated Cleveland in Jim Brown’s then record 1,863 yard season in 19SIXTY THREE (I do not know why I do that)..
Ten years after Jim Brown (seeing him run was of seeing Michelangelo sculpt) set the NFL single season rushing record which included 51 yards gained vs the DALLAS Cowboys, no less, on November 24th, a day in disgraceful, unforgivable, (yet the league flourishes and even I look forward to its post-season play) fashion, games were played a scant two days after ‘they’ blew the back of Jack’s head off, another great player, one faster, but not quite as great as Jim, named Orenthal James (O.J.) Simpson, also with a non playoff team, broke the record gaining 2,003 yards.
The last 200 of those yards were “called” by not only Bills’ broadcaster, Van Miller (I believe but could be wrong), but the great Giants’ broadcaster Marty Glickman, (the latter on the call when Jim along with Frank Ryan to Rich Kreitling, led “Cleve” to a perhaps misleading, (35-24) win at Yankee Stadium vs the eventual Eastern Conference champion, New York Giants 5 games into the ’63 season), gained in the snow at Shea Stadium vs the New York Jets, with another Simpson (no not Homer) but Jim, calling the game for NBC television.
Evoking Billy Joel “going on with the show,” The Lions are (0-8) in wild card round games, the last seven such losses in seasons (’93, ’94. ’95, ’97, ’99, 2011, and 2014) in scheduled “such playoff level tilts” with the first w/cd/rd loss taking place, with the extra round added due to manifestations of a player’s strike in 1982.
“Det” lost in late Saturday “slots” road games at Dallas in 1970 and to Joe Montana’s greatness at “S.F.” in 1983, before securing what is to this point their lone post “configuration” ‘offs win, in the late Sunday “Super” Summerall, (goodness do we miss Pat and his low key style. Now we have Joe Buck, enough said!) “slots” game in 1991.
The win vs Dallas that day (the Lions hoping against hope? at least as 8 point “dogs,” they will get a fourth ‘offs tilt vs Dallas (Det was perhaps “robbed” in their wild card round loss at Dallas in 2014) which would be the case should the scoreboard light a > (greater than) number for the Lions Saturday night), put Detroit in the NFC title game.
Perhaps an omen, the lone Det “slots” win the aforementioned one, vs Dallas in ’91, put them in the NFC title game at eventual champion Washington (Redskins). The “Wash” victory, one of 20 vs just two losses, in “at Wash tilts,” between the two teams, clearly establish “Wash” as a huge Detroit historical nemesis.
However, those Redskins lost last Sunday, in effect enabling and certainly assuring that at the very least, the Lions once (9-4), despite a (9-7) finish, did at least make the ‘offs.
There is no real moral to this but Earl Morrall, pictured above was the Lions’ quarterback in that 1963 “spoiler” win vs the Cleveland Browns at Tiger Stadium in Detroit.
Before the NFC/AFC configuration began in 1970, a season in which the Detroit Lions suffered the first of what are 11 post-season defeats in 12 such post configuration games, the team had a glorified post-season history.
Even now, despite the horrible record in what were first expanded playoffs and now is a tournament, (yet by default, the least prostituted version in the 4 major North American sports leagues), one looks back with admiration at Detroit Lions’ glory including a (6-1) playoffs record leading to 4 NFL titles.
The first was in 1935 (a year both the Lions and Tigers brought titles to The Motor City) then three more with their fabulous 1950’s teams when names like Bobby Layne, Dick “Night Train” Lane and coach Buddy Parker resonated, as they still do, as Gordon Mc Clendon said on 10/3/51, ” down the corridors of time” (note the date Verne Lundquist, who minimum should have had to “stay after” a CBS production meeting and “blackboard” 100 times, that Bobby Thomson’s home run was in 1951 (October 3rd, Bobby and Ralph Branca are dead, Lundquist whose arrogant, assured statement that we all know where we were when Thomson homered in nineteen FIFTY TWO, was not only never sanctioned, but this year sent off to “born again glory,” in myriad Trump carried states that constitute (pray for our Constitution) the lucrative CBS college football package. I saw ‘them’ put up SEC promos, while waiting to see Southern, Trump voted state of Louisiana’s Harry Connick on his show in 2016).
Jack Webb, one I still admire despite reactionary views, apparently regarding marijuania–for the record a Ringo Starr song yielded “I don’t smoke it no more,” essentially I never did—since they have some excuse per their time, just “called” saying please “just the facts.”
The law now and in days past, true respect for police officers, such as those portrayed by Webb on “Dragnet,” manifest in my “obeying” the request, as will follow below.
The Lions ARE (4-1) in NFL title tilts and (2-0) in unscheduled playoffs to determine a conference winner, in Detroit’s “case” (another ode to Jack Webb, sorry for the “high corn”) the NFL’s Western Conference in 1952 and 1957, the latter when the “bomb went off,” Tom “The Bomb” Tracy leading Detroit’s great comeback win at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco vs the 49ers. I could opine on another bomb and the related 1950’s injustice, but I “promised” Jack Webb, just the facts.
The Lions with the great Bobby Layne as their quarterback and Buddy Parker as their coach, won 2 of 3 NFL title games against the truly great Cleveland Browns’ teams quarterbacked by Otto Graham and coached by Paul Brown.
Detroit won at Cleveland in 1952 and at home in 1953 ( broadcaster Dick Enberg has recounted how much the ’53 game with its Layne to Jim Doran, decisive touchdown pass meant to him) before losing at Cleveland in 1954.
In 1957, George Wilson, he of the great block that sprung Bill Osmanski to open the scoring in the famed Chi Bears’ (73-0) rout of the Wahington Redskins in the 1940 NFL title tilt, (do you think Joe Buck, even the great Bob Costas knows that?!!), was the Lions’ coach and Tobin Rote (Rock’s father, remember him as a WCBS sports newsman, signed by Parker before he left before the season) was the quarterback when the Lions annihilated the Browns (59-10) in the title game, which ended the great Cleveland player, Jim Brown’s first season on a sour note. (Parker by the way was a first year player on the 1935 Lions’ title team, thus when one considers the acquisition of Rote for 1957, a big part of all 4 Lions’ title winners.)
In a future post, I will continue to “Jack Webb” it, stick to the facts, limit my anger and give you notes those in charge, for many reasons, none good, will never dispense your way, those notes to be concerning the Lions’ awful playoffs record since “operative 59,” that number points, that many years ago to gain their last title.
There has been only one previous post-season clash in any major North American sports league between the cities of Detroit and Seattle, whose NFL teams, the Lions and Seahawks respectively meet in the “Alfalfa” (Al Michaels) Saturday night wild card round game in Seattle, four days hence.
Michaels, affiliated with the bigger NFL night television package starting in 1986, a period of time encompassing all 4 Supe titles won by THE “value team,” New York Giants, (1986 with the best record and “reg” team and three others, one in ’90 with a home slots game as the NFC “2” and two others with Eli Manning as quarterback, in which the slightly better than mediocre “reg” culminated in Bob Papa announced titles (could you call that announcing and I know I keep bringing it up but alas, ’twas the non Giants fan, “Baba,” who reminded me Papa yelled “wide open is Tyree” (David) when in fact, Pats defender Rodney Harrison had great coverage thus Tyree’s catch, in the first Manning Supe win was incredible and Papa’s call beyond horrible and misleading, but not one that prevented Papa soaking in “Giants glory”), I BELIEVE has called the later (1990-2000) and Saturday night wild card game each year but last, since the 4 wild card games round was introduced in 1990.
Last year, for the first time, Michaels was involved in a Sunday early post-season or really a non Super Bowl, Sunday playoff tilt for the first time. This was after “Poo,” Jim Nantz presided over Pittsburgh’ no cover win at Cincinnati, in the Saturday night wild card tilt.
Last year, having announced 2 straight “at Minnesota” wins, Michaels sojourned (I doubt the Californian stayed in “Minne” for the week leading up to the Sea “no cover,” “Blair Walsh miss,” win) there for the aforementioned Sunday early wild card game tilt.
I have held my tongue in this post, anxious, but not quite ready to excorciate Michaels on a more personal level, and as most things in life are relative, again wish him good health and another “in Minne” appearance when NBC telecasts the 52nd Supe in about 13 (one quarter of 52) months.
Certainly I do not wish Michaels, in fact, any human being harm, but have a bit more “skin” regarding Michaels, whose politics almost surely differ from mine.
This is because no Michaels would mean Mike Tirico, with whom I might agree politically, but should he get as “plum” an assignment as the Supe, would further illustrate, in fact exponentially, the industry’s horribly eroded standards.
This year, (I did not forget the previous Detroit vs Seattle post-season clash/series), it is a team that lost at home in the Michaels’ “reg” finale last Sunday night vs Green Bay (Again as in 2015, both teams were assured of ‘offs berths going into the final Sunday night tilt. Last season, in the “reg,” Minne won vs “G.B,” but lost at home to Seattle in the ‘offs. Conversely, G.B. lost at Minne only to go to “Wash” and beat the Redskins. Oddly this season, a Redskins’ inexcusable home loss to the Giants, assured both Det and GB qualifying for the ‘offs), namely the Lions visiting, you guessed it Seattle, while the Packers again get the late Sunday “I see you” (Joe Buck) game, this time at home vs you guessed it, relevant to this TANGENT, New York (Giants).
In 1975, in a best two of three NBA preliminary series, the Seattle SuperSonics, now the Oklahoma City Thunder, defeated the Detroit Pistons two games to one.
The home team prevailed in each game. Coincidentally both the SuperSonics after beating the Pistons, and Pistons, the next season, went on to face great Golden State Warriors’ teams.
As was the case in the last two seasons involving a pair of (I guess) great Warriors’ teams forty years later, the first Warriors team not as great record wise, won the crown (1975), but lost in the semis in 1976, that in the series after which they beat Detroit.
About to shoot and almost surely make one of his classic shot underhand free tosses, (the great Joe Tait announced FT’s as “free tosses,” one of two meant “he split the pair”) the truly great player, Rick Barry is pictured above.
Barry led the 1975 upstart Golden State Warriors to the NBA crown, dispatching the Seattle SuperSonics in the quarters along the route/journey.
That series commenced just after Seattle had beaten Detroit (Pistons) in what is until they “boot” Sat night in “Sea,” with Al, the only previous Sea/Det post-season major North American sports league clash. Bet “you could not have lasted a day” (I am not afraid to say I loved the Carpenters’ music and am reading “Little Girl Blue,” figuratively and at times literally crying, regarding Karen) without knowing that tidbit of truly inconsequential knowledge.
In their 2016 regular season finale and coach Gary Kubiak’s last game after winning a Supe then not (playoff) qualifying, the dethroned champion, Denver Broncos repeated a triumph exactly 39 years earlier, vs the Oakland Raiders.
However, unlike the 1977 AFC title game win in a game played on the first day of 1978 vs defending champion Oakland, the game’s result does not alter the fact defending champion Denver is not going to the playoffs.
Meanwhile, while the loss to Denver hurt “Oak,” in that they dropped to the AFC “5” seed, they still have playoffs life, opening as a 3 point plus underdog at Houston, in what will be the earlier game (say 4:30 P.M. Eastern Time) this Saturday.
However the real blow, that likely dashed any big playoffs success after a fine (12-4) season, came when the Raiders’ fine quarterback Derek Carr was injured while passing the “pig,” with his team ahead (33-14) with only 11 minutes remaining in the team’s penultimate game, vs disappointing Indy and its equally disappointing quarterback, Andrew Luck (Did you see him celebrating a meaningless win vs “Jax” last Sunday?!! Please!!)
Rick Upchurch (left) and Haven Moses, with glasses perched a la William Kuntsler, Bud Greenspan, and often me, two members of the 1977 Broncos, pictured above at a charity outing years (not too many as the guys look well) later.
Moses caught two touchdown passes from Craig Morton in that game leading Denver, to as Dick Enberg intoned “The Promised Land.”
Subsequent to the game, Kermit “Kenny” Weiner, a truly likable, good man, that often told/chided me regarding how “his” Giants led by Sam Huff, stopped “my” Cleveland Browns and Jim Brown, said “Every dog has its day,” regarding ex Giants’ quarterback, Morton.
The “promised land” was anything but, (Dallas 27 Denver 10).
Kermit, a big Giants’ fan who “suffered” with Morton and other players far worse, sadly died in 1985, thus not bearing witness (at least on earth), to any of the 4 Giants’ Super Bowl wins.
My eyes hurt and coffee has not entered, but after the previous post, which was anything but the incredible recall I have (sadly unrecognized and likely virtually useless) of things that interest me, NFL history and recurrence, being a major one, (baby) here goes.
Yesterday was the exact 50th anniversary of both the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs securing victories, that put them opposite each other, in the first “championship game” (it was not called the Super Bowl, but is now considered the first, its heights and ridiculous glory as the ball (remember the superball) for which a K.C. Hunt named it) between the established NFL and upstart AFL.
Both the Pack and Chiefs marked the anniversary with “last game of the “reg” victories, that yielded higher seeding (K.C. is the AFC two seed, gaining a first round bye and will try to win a home slots/division round game for the first time in team history, on Sunday January 15th, the exact 50th anniversary of that first NFL/AFL game won by the Packers (35-10), while G.B. is the NFC “4” to host ancient and recent playoffs rival, “Hack” i.e., the N.Y. Giants, next Sunday in a first round/wild card round game).
Who knows, as the odds are against any Supe matchup manifesting, even one between top seeds, New England and Dallas, but wins by K.C. and G.B. on the exact 50th anniversary of those that produced their title battle in January 1967, slightly increase the chances of a redux these “big round number” years later.
While I have been dreadful on my college football predictions, most of them vs Alabama (as cited (0-6), the pro predictions and loser/loser/underdog vs a winner/winner/favorite “items” have fared much better. (I guess I could check the record but really, why?!)
On this last day full 16 game Sunday, one quarter/4 games fit the system. One is the no matter what somewhat meaningful, likely playoffs at stake game matching 3 point “fave” Green Bay at Detroit.
Another is a “going nowhere,” potential spoiler, San Diego (last week the Browns won their first game vs S.D. (Chargers), getting 5 or so points vs a K.C. Chiefs team that with a win is at least a “5” seed (if Mia wins an earlier tilt vs N.E. and K.C. loses then Mia is the 5 and visits far easier on paper at any rate, Houston RATHER than Pittsburgh whose owner, as with newscaster Rather, has the first name Dan) and if K.C. wins and Oakland playing simultaneously with “Poo” Nantz presiding and beamed here/N.Y. market, loses then the Chiefs are the AFC “two seed” a designation with a major perks, namely a first round bye and a home slots/division/second round home game assured.
Next on the list 7 point underdog N.Y. Giants, the definite NFC “5” seed which means a wild card round game next week, likely late Sunday with Joe Buck (as cited earlier, he is at Wash today) against a “Wash” team that with a win is almost certainly in the ‘offs and is definitely out with a loss.
The fourth system game as you will see with a fourth different scenario is the Rams plus 6 at home vs Arizona. Both teams go home after this tilt.
I predict at least covers by the Lions and Rams in the “system” tilts and in a game to be shown here, the Jets plus 4 vs the Buffalo Bills.
50 years ago, the Jets final game win and subsequent Buffalo win yielded a Bills AFL East crown. I recall a year, I believe 1989, when the Bills crushed the Jets in a season finale tilt “at Jets.” Of course last year, the spoiler Bills won at home denying the Jets a playoff berth.
This time in a meaningless force fed game but not prediction— Jets 24 Bills 23.
Andy B Sports 