In ’77 they/Notre Dame were upset at Mississippi in the season’s second game, but somehow ranked 5th and Cotton Bowl winners vs top ranked Texas, they “vaulted” Alabama, a la ’66, and claimed the mythical national college football crown.
This season losing as 28 point or so favorites, again the tilt was in the second week, this at home to Northern Illinois, one would have thought Notre Dame would have been out of it.
Instead they just rode a man named Jeter’s field goal (always was a link between them and the Yankees, as each for so many years defined greatness and even the greatest–another Jeter played on 5 Yankees’ title teams) to the title game vs either Texas or Ohio State, when they finally will be real underdogs, (bigger underdogs vs Ohio State which is a 6 point favorite vs Texas in Friday’s “semi.”
Beano Cook who died into the 2012 season, when Notre Dame would have made him big $$, always said you have to get them, the tv and national darlings they are, two losses.
Certainly with the 12 team ‘off and a ridiculous bracket, both they and Penn State benefitted, Penn State even more so, to make the semi.
Despite some of “this,” give Notre Dame credit under coach Marcus Freeman and such players as Duke portal transfer Riley Leonard and a Greathouse, who stood out in the semi.
Jaden Greathouse, pictured above.
This weekend’s first NFL playoff game, for an eighth time in as many home team Texans’ ‘offs wild card round appearances, matches them with the once L.A. once San Digo, and now again, Los Angeles Chargers.
The pairing evokes memories of the first two AFL Championship games back in 1960 and 1961, won by a Houston team, the Oilers, now the Tennessee Titans, vs the 1960 L.A. Chargers and the 1961 San Diego Chargers.
L.A. (Chargers) have never won a Super Bowl, (0-1) as they were routed by the fifth and last Niners’ title team, in the ’94 season game, and won only one AFL title despite appearing in half of the defunct AFL’s 10 title tilts, all in the first 6 seasons (’60-’65).
The Texans in their 23rd season are one of four NFL teams (there are 32 NFL teams), never to have made a Super Bowl and are technically the only one of the 32 never to have even made a conference title tilt/”semi.” (The other 3 teams, to this point, never to have made a “Supe” are the Detroit Lions, only slight underdogs to change that this season as they are the NFC “1” seed, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns. The expansion Browns, who started in ’99, also have never made as much as a “semi,” but NFL records include their mostly glorious past as the original “real” Browns with such greats as Marion Motley, Otto Graham and Jim Brown, when they won 4 NFL crowns and played and lost in the final game 5 other times.
Maybe with significant odds vs, (I think it has a “worthwhile” chance) there will be a redux of the ’64 and ’65 AFL Title games, won by the current AFC “2” seed, Buffalo Bills (they were (2-1) in AFL Title games and are (0-4) in Super Bowls) vs the Chargers.
The lone AFL title game win for the Chargers was a (51-10) Keith Lincoln led rout of the then Boston Patriots in the 1963 game.
The legendary George Blanda, pictured above was the Houston Oilers quarterback in both their 1960 and 1961 AFL Title game wins.
It was (15-2) Detroit (Lions) easing (31-9) vs (14-3) Minne, to become the NFC top seed and with it a first round bye, while the Vikings must head to L.A. as only slight “faves” Monday next in what will be the 8th ‘offs clash between them and the Rams. (The Vikings have won 5 of the previous 7 such tilts).
My thoughts went back to the strike marred, 15 games- 1987 season, when those numbers as a record (8-7), did not stop the wild card team Vikings from winning playoff games at (12-3) New Orleans Saints and then at (13-2), San Francisco before eventual champion Washington (they also won the strike marred ’82 NFL crown) held them off in the NFL title game/semi, producing a nice embrace between team owner Jack Kent Cooke and CBS correspondent, Lesley Stahl, I do believe.
Now it is the Vikings again on the road, but they have the better record, as the Rams finished with a (10-7) mark.
Meanwhile the Lions are the top NFC seed for the first time, home field being correlated as it has been for now 47 seasons (’78-2024).
“Det” avoids a wild card round game, a tilt in which they have a (1-9) record, that win, at home vs the Rams, whom (who?) they would have played had they lost Sunday past. Only in ’35 and ’53 did the Lions need only win a home tilt, then just one, to be NFL champions. They succeeded each time.
This season, if they win a “div” game for a third time (last year and ’91 are the previous) they would host the NFC title game/”semi” for the first time.
They did win their last crown to date at home in ’57, after having to win an unscheduled playoff game at San Francisco (49ers), additionally having split 2 road title games at Cleveland (Browns), winning in ’52 and losing in ’54.
Anthony Carter, pictured above, signing autographs, had great games in both Vikings’ upset ‘offs wins in 1987.
Playing the title character on the very successful and fine television show, “Alice,” Linda Lavin, who died days back at age 87, was afforded less “laugh lines,” at least proportionally, to that of some of the fine actors/characters in that show’s superb cast.
However, seeing Ms. Lavin on Broadway in “My Mother’s Brief Affair,” and surely in other shows I was not fortunate enough to see, (“The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife,” to name one), her comedic chops were more than evident. As once said on a famed television show, those “chops” were evident and they are/were “fantastic!”
The dramatic skills were certainly there as well.
Upon meeting Ms. Lavin outside, after her stellar performance in “My Mother’s Brief Affair,” (comedic and dramatic skills evident/fantastic), she showed an even more important side, her truly friendly, personable warm self, as she signed autographs and posed for pictures in her most dignified way.
She got it!!
Andy B. with the classy, talented, beautiful Linda Lavin, some years now in the “rear view.”
Tomorrow night’s 1 seed or 5 seed clash matching (14-2) teams, visiting Minnesota (Vikings) and Detroit (Lions) is important, however, “slow it down” those who are calling it the most important NFL “reg” game ever (at this point it is not close) and also making the same claim about what obviously are the great records of each team (by the way, Kansas City is (15-1) in this favorites strewn season).
The reason this tilt is nowhere near as important as say the Giants/Steelers battle for the NFL Eastern Conference, won by the Giants on December 15, 1963 is that unlike that game, the losing team in tomorrow night’s game will not be eliminated.
Concerning records, how about and try to top the 1967 game for the NFL Coastal Division crown contested at the still viable and venerable Los Angeles Coliseum, built for the L.A. hosted 1932 Olympic Games.
In that December 17, 1967 game, the home team, Rams finished (11-1-2), by defeating the Baltimore Colts, who also finished with that great record, but were eliminated from 4 teams NFL ‘offs competition (first year of more than 2 and the second year that the team winning the NFL crown still had a subsequent game, then the NFL/AFL Championship Game, now and for many years, starting not long after, known as the Super Bowl.
When there was only the NFL Championship Game to be contested (1933-1966), with all but the ’66 season having no subsequent game, if two teams finished tied a playoff game was held to determine which of the two teams would be a title game participant. (Example is 2 years earlier the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Colts tied for the Western Conference crown and met in a playoff game at Green bay won by the homestanding Packers, the first of 3 consecutive NFL titles all won in a game, something no other team has accomplished with this year’s Chiefs a viable but still pretty big underdogs “threat” to match.
It turned out the Rams went (1-1-1) vs the Colts in ’67 but if it had been (1-1) the tiebreaking procedure and no game would have given the Coastal to the team with more points scored in the head to head games.
Having the somewhat legitimate tiebreaker, the Rams advanced the Western Conference Title game played at the Packers then sometime Milwaukee venue, County Stadium despite the Rams’ (11-1-2) record being a great deal better than that of the “Pack.” (9-4-1).
Green Bay won the game (28-7) on their way to those still unprecedented 3 straight crowns. Tomorrow night’s winner will be afforded a wild card round bye and any NFC ‘offs tilt as a home such while the team with less points or if a tie the Vikings, will face a road wild card round game and be the 5 seed.
Again an important but nowhere near the most important NFL regular season game ever.
Above a classic photo, quite possibly from the ’67 Coastal showdown won at home by the Rams (34-10) vs the Colts.
Left to right #74 Merlin Olsen, partially hidden #76 Lamar Lundy, #75 David “Deacon” Jones and #78 Roger Brown, who was picked up from Detroit (yes the same franchise hosting tomorrow night’s game and in his autobiography, “Out of Bounds,” co written with Steve Delsohn, another Brown, the great Jim Brown wrote he knew it was a business when big market L.A. got a great player like Roger Brown to replace another great, Roosevelt Grier who was injured), known as “The Fearsome Foursome” are pictured.
Now that the 12 teams college football ‘offs are down to the 4 teams left, that was in effect for the 4 team college playoffs from (2014 -2023), here are some words regarding them.
After 4 favorites, all playing at home won and covered the spread, with not a good game among them, one of the four “quarters” was close, that Texas, a 13 plus points favorite, surviving (39-31) in 2 overtimes vs upstart Arizona State.
They will meet Ohio State, which for the second straight ‘offs tilt, routed their opponent, in this case, the nation’s lone unbeaten team in the “reg,” top ranked Oregon.
A week from tomorrow night Ohio State has opened as a 6 point favorite vs Texas.
In the other “semis” tilt, a week from tonight, the two teams Beano Cook rooted vs, but often predicted would win, Notre Dame (they beat Georgia) and Penn State (31-14) vs Boise State, clash in any kind of post-season game for the first time. Likely Notre Dame will be the slightest of favorites.
The great broadcaster, Lindsey Nelson, who said “as they come back up the field, the score is … , narrates and note Cotton Speyrer’s great diving, “must have” catch 27 minutes into the “above,” without which no national crown for Texas in 1969.
Alas ’69 and this allotment of 4, evokes it.
First Michigan pulled a shocking “reg” finale upset of Ohio State denying them a second straight crown. (This year roughly as big, actually slightly bigger u/dog Michigan but Ohio State is alive and a pretty big plurality favorite to “title.”
In the Cotton Bowl, view above and spoiler alert 55 years later Speyrer and Texas won and claimed the title. Unbeaten Penn State was denied, likely rightfully so.
Last January 1st, in the first of 3 ‘offs games to determine the 2023 college football title winner, Michigan won a scintillating semi from Saban (his last) coached Alabama, “nicking” them in overtime as Blake Corum stood out.
On 2023’s last day, Michigan, roughly a 17 point underdog, beat Alabama, repeating a triumph vs ‘Bama coach Kalen DeBoer, he having been the Washington University coach, whose team was final’d by “Mich” last season.
Also yesterday, in the only other, if not only meaningful college tilt as it was a quarterfinal Penn State (31-14) win vs Boise State.
First what, then why (two position players in the classic Bud (Abbot) and Lou (Costello) “Who’s On First,” routine.
Go to YouTube as “instructed,” to view the highlights of the ’66 NFL Title including most of the great broadcaster Ted Moore’s call of Tom Brown’s clinching interception, more than made possible by Dave Robinson’s pressure on Don Meredith. Green Bay Packers holding off Dallas (Cowboys) (34-27). won the ’66
Why? The two “Mich” wins, one in an ‘offs “semi,” the other yesterday in a meaningless game, were on the first and last days of just completed 2024.
The Packers won the ’66 title game on 1967’s first day and then “Ice Bowl’d” Dallas in the December 31,1967 NFL Championship Game.
No politics, no editorial comments, just a recollection of my time/talk with the 37th man (still no women and Grover Cleveland ascended to it twice, as Donald J. Trump Senior did 132 years later), James Earl “Jimmy” Carter to ascend to the U.S. presidency, who died yesterday at the ripe old age of 100 plus years.
I arrived early at an event and spotting Mr. Carter, asked if we could do an interview and yes take a picture.
He politely said he would do both but indicated a visit to the lavatory would precede either endeavor.
My “joke/comment” to the former president was do not worry, I will not do what someone did to the great actor, Paul Newman, namely follow you into the “facilities.”
It seems he smiled, as he often did.
When he emerged, I steered the conversation to a man each of us truly admired, Henry Aaron.
We proceeded to have a nice chat about Mr. Aaron’s greatness as a player and more important as a person.
Somewhere I have the picture, however, can not find it, and thus it will not be posted here today.
What is: my post regarding Mr. Carter’s appearance on What’s My Line.
Jimmy Carter On “What’s My Line?” on September 10, 2019
Though, the Cincy (Bengals) (-3 or so) (30-24) win over (an incredible Mims TD catch and Payton correctly going for 1 to tie, as a tie, which nearly manifested, would have given Denver an ‘offs spot, made el over 50 very probable) Denver (Broncos) yesterday, makes the ‘offs qualifying situation a tad (what is a tad, I will say a bit) more interesting, I believe, just as 50 years ago in 1974, when the then 8 ‘offs qualifiers were known before the final week, most of the ‘offs mystery, certainly that regarding qualification is no big mystery.
Ten of the now 14 ‘offs participants are known, while the Rams and Broncos, the former a (-6 plus/(13-9) winner at night, vs Arizona (Cardinals) yesterday, control their destiny, with the other ‘offs spot to be the winner of the mediocre NFC South where both Atlanta (it is their tiebreaker) and Tampa Bay are (8-7) with 2 tilts remaining.
More clarification after the remaining 10 games, 8 with some meaning, though again we know close to all of the ‘offs qualifiers.
On December 28, 1958 the famed ’58 Title Game between the Colts and Giants was played in New York. Today’s redux between the two franchises has a bit (or is it a “tad?”) more meaning, after the Denver loss, as the (7-8) Colts still have ‘offs qualifying hope.
I hail the still alive Baltimore Colts greats, Lenny Moore and Raymond Berry, who played in that most important (the!) game.
Finally, in researching the remembered as no meaningful ’74 season finale tilts, the Cardinals needed a win or Wash loss to clinch the “div.”
At that time they were in both St. Louis and the NFC East, but I believe both teams were already ‘offs qualifiers.
St. Louis beat the (2-12) Giants (the Giants (2-13) this season were (2-11-1) the year before, (’73) (6-0) in exhibition games, and were (1-12-1) in ’64. This is a bad stretch, however, this still glorified and certainly important franchise, an all-time “value team” (4 Supe wins in 5 such games) as are their namesake baseball Giants under Bruce Bochy, after being the virtual opposite from say (’57-’63 in football and at least say ’59-2003 in baseball. One day more specifics though it is a sports theme I have cited before) to win the “div.”
Wash, which 34 years earlier lost (73-0) to the Bears in the 1940 NFL Title Game, ripped “Chi” that December 15, 1974 day.
Of all people, coach George Allen wont to do “certain things” at or near game’s end, when way ahead, sent the great defensive lineman David “Deacon” Jones on to attempt the extra point, with the score (41-0) Chi.
Deacon Jones kicked an extra point in his final NFL game
I guess he made it!!
The great Lenny Moore, still on this earth at age 91 was used mostly as a decoy that relatively warm New York day in ’58, helping another great, still with us at 91, Raymond Berry have a great game.
Today some of today’s NFL situation and an initial foray into recalling title tilts played on December 27, 28 and 29 with some relevant comments.
For now current NFL is K.C. (the (15-1) Chiefs, the AFC one seed), who in bidding for an unprecedented third straight Supe crown will be at home in the slots/”div” round on either January 18th or 19th and if victorious in that one, likely as a big “fave” vs a team not the Bills or Ravens, they would host the AFC title tilt/”semi” on Sunday January 26th.
It has been 60 years (today) since the Cleveland Browns (really they became the Baltimore Ravens, referenced above along with the Bills as AFC threats to a Chiefs’ repeat, however, I will not go into that now) won their last crown, a great memory for me, doing so (27-0) vs a great Baltimore Colts’ team led by John Unitas. (Below my post regarding that game on its fiftieth anniversary).
Tomorrow marks the 66th anniversary of the NFL’s most important game. (no 90 million worldwide viewers paying for a not so hot “reg” game, if not for the glorious Colts (23-17) (first) overtime win at Yankee Stadium, vs the New York Giants).
Alas in a game so close to 180 degrees apart in importance to that ’58 title game, the same two franchises meet in the New York/New Jersey area, 66 years and a day later this Sunday the 29th, with the Colts, now “Indy” based and still with a slight, ever so slight chance, to make the ‘offs, a TD favorite.
The hopefully last Amazon, “oppo” (Gill Alexander an “oppo” sayer is out on a bought late “Survivor” entry) of a great game, (6-3) “Sea” (-4) win at “Chi” (Bears have lost 10 straight games and are (4-12), evokes 1963– and Sunday ahead, marks the 61 year anniversary of the Bears’ (14-10) home win, vs the Giants, in that year’s title game.
Recalling The 1964 NFL Championship Game
Today it is 60 years, (please click above, to read my post commemorating the ’64 NFL Title Game on the 50th “ann” of that 3 Frank Ryan to Gary Collins (please get Gary in the “Hall” before it is too late) TD passes Browns’ title game win.
#9 Bill Wade, pictured above shaking Alvin’s (the excellent NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle, who did fear NFL over exposure) hand, likely after scoring both Bears’ TD’s in their (14-10) win vs the Giants, 61 years ago Sunday, 2 days hence.
Andy B Sports 