The more or less miracle, (7-7) Seattle Seahawks’ (20-17) win vs the (10-4) Philly Eagles on Monday night past, (more than overtones with (17-13) Eagles in ’60) makes it very likely that the (11-3) San Francisco 49ers will be the NFC top seed.
S.F. has a magic # of 2 vs both Philadelphia and Dallas (Cowboys) with each team having 3 tilts remaining on their schedule.
The Niners own the tiebreaker vs both of those teams as a result of rout wins vs each of them. It seems very likely the Niners would have the tiebreaker vs a third (10-4) NFC team, the Detroit Lions. Thus let’s call it a magic # of 2 concerning Detroit as well, all making S.F. a likely one seed.
In a battle of current conference 1 seeds, S.F. hosts (11-3) Baltimore (Ravens) on Monday/Christmas night.
The Eagles SEEMINGLY have the advantage over Dallas in a bid to become the first repeat NFC East winner since Dallas won 5 such titles from (1992-1996.)
Detroit almost certainly will win its first “div” crown since 1991 while each with (7-7) records the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints are tied for the NFC South lead with the former having the current tiebreaker advantage.
Alvin Harper, pictured above and very large, caught the go ahead to stay long TD pass for Dallas in its 1992 NFC title game win at San Francisco.
Last night, the (11-3) Baltimore Ravens took a step, likely a major one, toward being the A.F.C. “1” seed, with a (23-7) win at Jacksonville, vs the (8-6) Jaguars, who after a third straight loss, are in a 3 way tie with Houston (Texans) and Indianapolis, the former a winner by 3 points, for the AFC South lead with (sorry) three weeks/games remaining.
Miami (Dolphins) is (10-4) after a (30-0) win vs the Jets.
The Ravens face the top rated S.F. 49ers, on the road, before hosting the ‘Phins in the penultimate week.
Do not count out defending Super Bowl champion (9-5) Kansas City (Chiefs), in its bid for a chance to host the AFC Title Game/NFL “semi” (semi decent was said as) for an incredible 6th straight season.
The Chiefs host the Raiders on Christmas Day, a day that ought to be no NFL play, which was the case after Miami 2 overtimed K.C. on Christmas Day 1971, at venerable Municipal Stadium (Curt Gowdy talked often about the fans picking up their seat cushions and filing out, all but silently, after Garo Yepremian, once a tiemaker, broke the long in effect tie, booting a field goal that sent Miami to a home “semi” vs the Colts, which they won before Dallas finally won “The Big One” vs them in the subsequent Super Bowl), followed by a home tilt vs (8-6) Cincinnati (Bengals), before closing at the (5-9) Chargers.
One other game/update as the (9-5) Cleveland Browns came from 2 touchdowns down to FG the (5-9) Chicago Bears.
Two of the greatest NFL players, each at the very top or at worst so very close in the offensive and defensive categories, that died in 2023, Jim Brown and Dick Butkus, are honored as “Cleve” players wear Jim’s #32 on their uniform, while “Chi” players honor the great Butkus, with #51, adorning their uniforms.
I end this my apparent 4,500th post, with video of the conclusion of that December 25, 1971 Miami “div round” win at Kansas City.
Rick Weaver, long the voice of the Dolphins, is doing the play by play.
He told his one time football analyst partner, Hank Goldberg, himself like Weaver, a talented broadcaster, talk all you want between plays, but when they break the huddle–“shut up.”
Perhaps right now and oh does it change week to week, the S.F. Niners and Dallas Cowboys, each NFC teams that have met in 5 NFC Title Games/NFL Semis, are the two top teams in the NFL.
That, of course, is an arguable point.
In addition to S.F. and Dallas, the Philly Eagles and Baltimore Ravens have (9-3) records.
The S.F./Dallas thought led to Bruce Bochy as a positive, having guided the Texas Rangers to the most recent World Series crown, it, their first, occurring in the once Washington Senators franchise’s 62nd completed season.
Meanwhile De Sanders and his Colorado team, which has two of his sons on the roster and as viable participants, got so much publicity, even a segment on 60 Minutes, after a (3-0) start.
Colorado finished (4-8) and did not make one of the “half million” bowl games, so many of which are adversely affected by the transfer portal and the reality that top players would not risk injury as they have possible, even likely, lucrative pro careers in front of them.
Deion Sanders did play and contribute mightily to the ’93 Title Dallas Cowboys team, which semi’d the Niners in the last “CBS NFL/NFC package game” and similarly was integral to the Niners’ ’94 title team, which “semi’d” Dallas, en route to the crown.
Sanders also played on the ’92 N.L. Pennant winning Atlanta Braves.
Click below to view the last play of the ’92 NLCS, as Francisco Cabrera’s all-time type clutch hit was decisive.
Another NFL week, (it started with the (6-8) Raiders tripling the so disappointing (5-9) Chargers by a (63-21) count, in an ’80 AFC Title game redux, that franchise also won. (Joe Peta said “start” as), the 15th, began last night, one in which, I saw “Sabbath’s Theater” and thought it to be great!
There are three other semis or conference title reduxes this 15th week, plus a rematch of two Supes, each won by Dallas as the (10-3) Cowboys “Dallas to Buffalo” to face the (7-6) Bills.
Elsewhere the (9-4) Miami Dolphins, who as 14 point favorites, dissipated a 14 point lead in the last 4 minutes to (5-8) Tennessee (Titans) and lost in “reg,” which I believe to be unprecedented, host the (5-8) New York Jets, in a redux of the strike marred 1982 season AFC Title tilt. Miami “A.J. Duhe’d” the Jets in that one.
In one of three Saturday games, none on over the air television, (also 6 bowl games, but 2 on over the air television) a rematch of the ’95 AFC Title tilt,when Pittsburgh (Steelers) at home, held off the Indy Colts and Jim Harbaugh’s near miracle pass, yielding a call to the sleeping Beano Cook, informing that his Steelers’ AFC “pick” was in. (He was not excited).
Both the Steelers and Colts enter tomorrow’s tilt with (7-6) records.
Finally, in the early time slot on Sunday, (8-5) defending champion K.C. (Chiefs) visits (3-10) New England (Pats) in a redux of the overtime, Pats AFC Title Game win at Kansas City in 2018.
There is a game matching the (8-5) Cleveland Browns and the (5-8) Chicago Bears this week. I note it in this context, as despite the fact the teams could have met in 16 “all the way” NFL title games (’50-’65), 4 “called the NFL Title game, but as semis,” with Supes to follow (’66-’69) (that sounds like an ad, ode to Winston tastes good (as) like a cigarette should) and after this season 54 more Supes (’70-2023), but never have met in any ‘offs game, with the caveat that any such game, other than a final round one, was not possible.
Chicago played for the NFL crown 8 times from ’33-’49 before Cleveland entered the league in 1950. Since that time “Chi” played in 2 “all the way” NFL title tilts, splitting with the Giants, losing in ’56 and prevailing (14-10) with two QB sneak TD’s by Billy Wade in 1963.
The Bears also split in 2 Supes, crushing New England in ’85 and losing in rainy Miami to the Colts, after the ’06 season. Meanwhile all as the original Browns, “Cleve” played in 9 “all the way” NFL title tilts, going (4-5) and also 5 NFL semis, all losses with Supe bids on the line.
All 5 times, (the Colts famously in ’68, the Vikings in what should be more publicized in ’69 and the Denver Broncos (’86,’87 and ’89), the team that “semi’d” the Browns, lost and fairly decisively at least, each time, in the subsequent Super Bowl.
In ’50 both teams had unscheduled playoff games to decide conference crowns. While Cleveland won vs the New York Giants, the Rams rode 3 Bob Waterfield to Tom Fears TD passes to a (24-14) home win vs the Rams.
That result in a game played exactly 73 years ago this Sunday (then it was one week after the 12 games “reg” had ended, now there will remain 3 more weeks of “reg” play in the 17 game NFL regular season after Sunday), prevented a Browns/Bears ‘offs tilt in the first year it was possible. It remains the closest the NFL has ever come to such an ‘offs game.
A final “73” note: After the Browns won the ’50 title tilt at home vs the Rams, L.A. prevailed at home the next season, with a Norm Van Brocklin 73 yard TD pass to Mr. Fears as the decisive play. As noted here before and likely will be again, the Rams title as St. Louis in ’99, their next one, was again in a game in which a 73 yard td pass, that one Kurt Warner to Isaac Bruce, was the decisive offensive play.
The fact Tennessee came so close was cleverly included in the movie “Cast Away.”
Notice that above, I imparted “offensive play” as the Rams/Titans Supe game ended when Mike Jones tackled Kevin Dyson just short of the goal line.
In a tragic event, Frank Wycheck, an excellent player on the Titans, fell and died. “Tenn” won its next game, the aforementioned game vs Miami.
It was Wycheck, who threw across the field to Dyson in a play known as “The Music City Miracle,” that gave Tennessee a wild card/home win vs the Bills.
That play with the Titans’ analyst “no-no” “stepping on” the play by play man’s call is shown below.
It is indeed sad, exacerbated by a relative lack of coverage that ought to have been accorded a superb player, George McGinnis, who died days back, far too young at age 73.
Was he 73 or 72, probably the former, born in 1950 was likely 73 (it is December, a “mo” that creeps closer no matter), however, certain is that he was an integral part of Indiana Pacers’ title teams in both 1972 and 1973.
McGinnis must be mentioned as one of, if not the greatest player/achiever in ABA annals, before his < than, but still excellent NBA career, an assessment one could put forth about the media darling, and great player, Julius Erving.
Oh to see George hold the ball, his almost one man team effort as the Pacers made the 1975 ABA final, upsetting the almost unbeatable at home, Denver Nuggets in a 7 game semi, in which “Indy” prevailed thrice at Denver’s unreal advantage/”snakepit” small arena, in which they played before moving to the far bigger and less advantageous, McNichols Arena the next season.
Another time for opinions (save one) and details. Today, I cite that a fabulous player, George McGinnis died and there was far too little publicity accorded a great and Hall of Fame player.
Two pictures of 1974-1975 A.B.A. MVP George McGinnis below (I found a tape from April 1976 on which my late friend Brad Weiner and I “discussed” the ’74-’75 NBA MVP results, greats Rick Barry and Bob McAdoo involved just yesterday before learning George, pictured below holding the ABA ball with one hand before likely launching a jump shot).
Last night/early this morning, I tuned into MeTV and viewed an excellent episode of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” titled “The Doubtful Doctor,” which starred Dick York and the fabulous Gena Rowlands.
York, best known as Darrin (“Mantha’s” husband on “Bewitched”–the beautiful, classy Elizabeth Montgomery, as “Samantha”) on “Bewitched” is excellent as “Ralph Jones” who “It’s A Wonderful Life’s” back, in this case 2 years, to see his life sans wife Lucille, played by Rowlands.
The episode aired on Tuesday October 4, 1960.
As one might expect here, some sports within the episode and these notes: the next day, the eventual Pirates’ 7 game World Series triumph, vs the powerful Yankees began.
3 National League, (now with Hodges in), eventual Hall of Fame baseball figures, Ed Mathews, Edwin “Duke” Snider and Gil Hodges are cited in the episode.
In a first scene back two years, to 1958 in York’s/”Ralph’s” apartment, a calendar from 1958 is shown. I see Sunday the 28th.
Soon, (16 days hence), it will be 65 years since the famed 1958 NFL Championship Game, an overtime Baltimore Colts’ win at the New York Giants, in Yankee Stadium, that more than any game, helped pro football soar in this country, which was contested on Sunday December 28, 1958.
Left to right, Dick York and Gena Rowlands are pictured below.
Let’s be up front and nice. I once loved both the Lakers and Dodgers and their title winning glory in such seasons as 1965 (Dodgers, with Lou Johnson a Black man calling Sandy Koufax a Jewish man, the greatest, this after race riots had torn into L.A.’s Watts, not long before) and 1988 (Lakers as first repeat NBA champions since the Celtics 19 (Don Nelson’s # and his lucky shot in #7/’69 NBA final) years earlier, with me there, on the TV broadcast sitting behind Dyan Cannon and in the victorious locker room, are moments I treasure to an exponential degree.
I have perhaps sadly, outgrown rooting for teams (I prefer teachers and nurses to name two) however, surely regrettably still root “vs,” and one I root vs, with some success and mucho failure, is Leb James.
Let’s mildly state, I think the “in season tournament” (appropriately held in Las Vegas) result means nada and the fact James, in his futile attempt to climb above say Kareem and Mr. Jordan for sure (I add at least 5 others) on the list of all-time greats, might cite this contrived event to boost his “case,” makes him even more of an egomaniac than I thought.
Now the Lakers, whose best player albeit not as consistent as James, who as I have stated before is an incredibly great player, just not and not near the greatest, is Anthony Davis do loom, certainly in the NBA West and even to win and that unfortunately would elevate James, the whole shabang. (Most said “bang” on some Celts’ hoops, (ode to Jo Jo White) and another “fear” is Silver and ABC get a first Celts/Lakers since 2010.
Mind you there is a long way to go!!
There is a discernibly greater “distance” between a first Fox salivating, Yankees/Dodgers W.S. in 43 years, despite the respective annexations of Soto and Ohtani.
Baseball whose wild card presence gives me far more objective ground for criticism than what might easily be interpreted as unfair overdoing anti Leb sentiment, also taught us yet again, that as now ex manager John “Dusty” Baker “you can say that again’d” my the ‘offs are a crapshoot comment at least ten years ago–they are!!
Toward that end, a major boosted L.A. down from 8 to 5 elsewhere, to 10 (max 25 $’s) to title.
We shall see, but for subjective me, I fear the Lakers, not the Dodgers, as there are far worse potential baseball winners but not many, if any, I want less than my once beloved Lakers.
Toward that end at around 6:08 of the above video, (you probably have to run it a few times, I do) James Worthy, so brilliant and especially so in #7/’88 final vs a great Detroit Pistons’ team, that would win the next 2 crowns, (I told Isiah as he walked with Chuck Nevitt outside the L.A. locker room that the Pistons would “title” the next season) makes an offensive rebound basket.
In an orange shirt I think I still have, (do not worry as I do not wear it and do monitor it) there I am looking down, seemingly not excited, but I was nervous as h–l, as Det had significantly cut into the L.A. lead and then as in the song, “I loved L.A.”
A better way to find me and “on my late parents” it is me, soon after, looking great in a white outfit, Ms. Cannon stands and cheers in exuberant fashion.
Again start it around 6:00 or watch the whole thing, orange shirt, looking down to see if I was recording (where is that tape?!!) and Ms. Cannon cheering.
Andy Warhol/Andy B.–I have had a few.
Both the CBS special and Scott Simon’s comments this morning on NPR were great tributes to Norman Lear, a man who revolutionized television and stood for human rights all over the world. (If you missed both or either try On Demand and NPR.org Weekend Saturday for Simon’s comments including a description/audio of Sammy Davis Jr. kissing Carroll O’Connor’s “Archie Bunker” on the cheek, to call that a breakthrough would be an all-time understatement).
Personally, his great television shows, “Maude,” “The Jeffersons” and “Sanford and Son,” to name three will always resonate with me.
One show, (not so?) arguably the greatest of all shows, “All In The Family” stands out more than any.
My mother, who certainly loved me but unlike most mothers did not compliment all that freely, always cited to those many who listened, that I called “All In The Family” to be great very early, in fact just seeing the promo and certainly after the first episode aired so long early in 1971.
A toilet flushed, race, homosexuality and menopause among many hitherto never discussed topics on television, even elsewhere as the pendulum, which perhaps has swung too far, had not even come close to getting off the bench (Desi and Lucy sleeping in separate beds though married on the show and in real life) was discussed.
Lear was the “king” of it, nobody is Shakespeare, but he was/is an all-timer.
I met/interviewed the fabulous “All In The Family” star, Carroll O’Connor once and compared “All In The Family” to “The Babe” (Ruth) in 1920 or 1921, when he easily out distanced any other A.L. players in home runs.
Mr. O’Connor a great baseball fan as were his “Archie Bunker” and “Bill Gillespie,” (the latter on “In The Heat Of The Night,”), retorted you mean 1927 when Mr. Ruth clouted 60 home runs.
Respectfully, I gave my reason for the comparison as in 1927, another great Lou Gehrig came close to the Babe, swatting 47 homers.
The Ruth of ’21, All In The Family and Norman Lear have nobody even close in homers prowess and breaking new ground on television.
Bye Norman, (my father’s name) and thank you for the many incredible shows (“Good Times,” “One Day At A Time,” not cited above, others) your caring and here’s hoping it does not fall apart, without one as wonderful as you.
The great Norman Lear pictured above.
Tonight on CBS at 8 P.M. Eastern Time, a special tribute show to Norman Lear will be presented.
Mr. Lear’s contribution to television is exponentially important and caused great change, venturing into hitherto topics.
The following from reports:
Just days after the death of legendary TV producer Norman Lear at age 101, the new entertainment special “Norman Lear: A Life on Television” will air on CBS this Friday at 8 p.m., in addition to streaming on Paramount+.
The hourlong special, presented by “Entertainment Tonight,” will feature new interviews with Jimmie Walker of “Good Times” and Mackenzie Phillips of “One Day at a Time,” along with other stars of the comedies Lear created. An interview with Lear and “Entertainment Tonight” host Kevin Frazier to celebrate Lear’s 100th birthday a few years ago will also be featured. In the interview, Lear discussed his lengthy career in depth.
Amidst it all, there is music and Denny Laine, who died days back, too young at age 79, was an integral part of two groups, “The Moody Blues” and “Wings,” whose songs resonate greatly with millions of people, most certainly me.
Denny Laine was an original member of the incredible “Moody Blues,” with the hit song “Go Now,” a memorable hit during Denny’s relatively brief time with the group.
Later, on to “Wings,” with the one and only Paul McCartney, yielding so many great songs/hits “Band On The Run” and “Junior’s Farm” two of the best.
Some baseball related: Yankees broadcaster called the ’74 team, that bid for and fell just short of the O’s in the A.L. East race, The “Band on the Run.”
Next via Yahoo, in tribute to Denny Laine, he also won 30 (actually 31) for the Tigers in ’68. Another “commentator” you add Paul McCartney to get Denny McLain.
I add Ray Lane was one of the Tigers’ broadcasters that season.
Go easy, Denny Laine and thank you, thank you!!
Andy B Sports 