The San Francisco 49ers were victorious in their first five final round entities, all Super Bowls, three in routs and in two, certainly one (Montana to John Taylor for a last minute, game winning touchdown) truly close wins vs the Cincinnati Bengals (Cincy is (0-3) in Supes losing by 5, 4 and 3 points in chronological order), however, have lost their last two, each a very close tilt.
Some historical similarities emerge.
Two other franchises won their first 5 final round entities before “suffering” well known final round loss skeins and eventually more crowns.
Most famous are the Boston Red Sox, I guess also or just the Pilgrims (Mr. O’Connor, brilliant as “Archie” regarding the Pilgrims on an Archie Bunker’s Place, I viewed last night) for some of the 5 World Series wins, sans defeat, accomplished in 1903 (the first modern W.S.), 1912, 1915, 1916 and 1918.
They would endure 86 years and 84 completed seasons (1919-2003 with no completed season in ’94) without a crown, losing 4 hard fought, maximum 7 games World Series in ’46,’67,’75, and ’86–the last two of those with among other facts of closeness, with (3-0) mid innings/game 7 leads.
The Red Sox have won in their last 4 World Series appearances, doing so in 4 game sweeps in 2004 and 2007 and going (8-3) for two more titles in 2013 and 2018..
Playing in Minneapolis, the Lakers were victorious in their first 5 final rounds, winning titles in ’49,’50 and (’52-54).
However, 8 final round losses (7 to the Boston Celtics, the first while still a “Minne” team and the next 6 as L.A. and one to the New York Knicks) followed.
Since that point, L.A. has a (12-7), (11-7) “non bubble” final round record with two 3 final round win skeins , those (2000-2002) and a current one that includes 2009, 2010 and the fairly tainted 2020 “bubble” crown.
Eventually to You Tube (below) and a nice video recalling the Niners’ Supe winning drive to win the ’88 season crown.
At about “2:10” a confluence of three greats, as Joe Montana passed to Jerry Rice and Lon Simmons is the broadcaster!!
‘Twas a Sunday and I will list the nine starters (the designated hitter was 8 years away and in fact, it was in a Yankees at Red Sox tilt that Ron Blomberg of the Yankees became the first), none in the Baseball Hall, two that were/are, Mickey Mantle and Carl Yastrzemski, not in or at least starting that day, ditto regarding Roger Maris, who now even 38 plus years after his death, is denied entry.
The position players and pitchers, visiting Yankees then home, Red Sox: First base: Joe Pepitone and Tony Horton (think beyond baseball for these two fine players), second base: Bobby Richardson and Chuck Schilling, shortstop Tony Kubek (is he in as a broadcaster?) and Ed Bressoud (as Jerry Coleman “relayed” Bressoud’s length of remaining time as Boston SS depended on the development of one Americo “Rico” Petrocelli, who certainly did “develop,” third base an all time great fielder, Clete Boyer and Dalton Jones, who 2 plus years later was a platoon starter on the 1967 “Impossible Dream” A.L. Champion, Red Sox.
To the outfield and left to right for the Yankees, Tom Tresh (he of the many big World Series home runs), Roger Repoz and Hector Lopez, who caught a Vada Pinson fly ball for the clinching last out as the ’61 Yankees, among baseball’s greatest teams clinched the crown.
The Red Sox outfield left to right was Lee Thomas, who at least on first batter Kubek’s hit off the famed wall in left, was “Yaz like” and held Tony to a single, Felix Mantilla (Felix was days earlier voted the A.L. starting second baseman in the July 13th at Minnesota All Star Game) and just 20, already with impressive HR figures, Tony Conigliaro.
The batteries: Jim “Bulldog” Bouton and 2 years later a big help to the ’67 Red Sox, an under rated excellent catcher, Elston Howard while Bill Monbouquette and the “ever ready–forgive it, please) Bob Tillman behind the plate, completing the Bo Sox battery.
I have stories, I recall “what might have beens,” however choose a positive regarding Tony Conigliaro’s (pictured above) sad story (essentially, being hit by a pitch curtailed a potentially great career).
Al Davis, the late maverick Raiders’ owner, paid Tony C’s hospital bills and gave great time and effort to their friendship.
The second Super Bowl clash between Kansas City and San Francisco will be the third major North American sports league final round entity, contested between the cities of Kansas City (Missouri) and San Francisco.
In 2014, the San Francisco Giants won in 7 games with pitcher, Madison Bumgarner starring vs the Kansas City Royals.
I do not know of too many, (any?) other cities with as many as 3 final round entity clashes in baseball and Super Bowl football in such proximity.
Research? If you do it or know, please comment.
Madison Bumgarner, pictured above.
It’s the Chiefs vs the 49ers! A great place to watch the game is midtown Manhattan’s Rick’s Cabaret New York, home of the world’s most beautiful dancers.
The three-level club is known for providing the best in VIP treatment, warm hospitality, and delicious food from its own top-rated Rick’s Steakhouse. Watch the game while surrounded by the sexy Rick’s girls who love to entice you with their bodies. And don’t miss the After-Party featuring bottle specials that is sure to go all night long!
“Its the biggest contest in all of sports and this year’s match-up of the Chiefs vs 49ers will be exciting,” said Rick’s girl Nadia. “Football and the hot Rick’s girls—it’s going to be an awesome fun time. Come flex, be a baller, and make it rain!”
Rick’s Cabaret New York 50 West 33rd Street
“The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, meeting in the Super Bowl for the second time in five seasons/four years, have each lost 2 Super Bowl games and after the upcoming tilt, one of the teams will be (0-2) in “CBS as the AFC network” (although there are numerous cross over telecasts, denying the old rules of visiting team/that conference network, “getting”/telecasting said game), Super Bowl telecasts. “T
This will be Jim Nantz’ sixth Supe as lead broadcaster.
Both the Chiefs (vs and actually at TB/TB–Tampa Bay (Buccaneers) with Tom Brady, winning a record seventh Super Bowl crown) and 49ers (to the John Harbaugh coached Ravens, an entity still in tact that K.C. beat to gain 2023 season, Supe entry) are (0-1) in such games.
The Chiefs are (3-2) in previous Supes, with all three wins coming on the NFL/NFC network, including the ’69 crown on CBS, when it was the NFL, as opposed to AFL network.
K.C. also won the crown on NFC network, Fox in both ’19 and ’22, the former vs the Niners and last year against the Philadelphia Eagles.
S.F. won it all in their first 5 Supe appearances but have lost in the last two, one under current national champion coach with Michigan but also new L.A. Chargers’ coach, Jim Harbaugh vs (as cited above) to brother John’s Baltimore Ravens in ’12 and as also cited above, to the Chiefs in ’19.
Their Supe wins were in ’81 on CBS when it was NFC, neutral ABC in ’84 and ’94, on AFC/NBC in ’88 and again on NFC/CBS in ’89.
Click below as I posted this video as tribute to greats, Willie Mays (upcoming Mays’ 2/24/24 day) and broadcaster Lon Simmons.
It is Lon’s call of Willie’s 600th home run. He also broadcast 49ers games in good, bad and great S.F. seasons.
Last Sunday, the underdog and defending champion, Kansas City Chiefs came to Baltimore for a second straight week and second ever road ‘offs tilt with their great quarterback, Patrick Mahomes and in relatively “swift” fashion, scored touchdowns on their first two possessions, albeit on long drives, en route to a (17-10) win at the Ravens, moving them into a fourth Super Bowl appearance in five seasons.
Travis Kelce, another great offensive player on the Chiefs, whose much publicized “significant other,” has a first name, Taylor, evoking such football greats with that surname as Jim, Lawrence, Charlie and another Chiefs’ great receiver, Otis, hauled in the game’s first score and made three, 3rd or 4th down conversion catches, on the two K.C. touchdown drives.
Ms. Swift, who ought to be back from her musical tour in Tokyo, Japan the day before and is so likely to attend the Supe, to be played in Las Vegas, Nevada, also has a football connection, that of a player with her name, Swift, that was on another team, that defeated a Baltimore based team, in an AFC Title game.
That player is Dr. Doug Swift, a member of the 1971 Miami Dolphins, who won at home vs the then Baltimore Colts, in that season’s AFC Title game, just the second of what is now 54 such games.
Those ’71 Dolphins lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the subsequent Super Bowl, however, Dr. Swift, an anesthesiologist, played on 2 truly great Miami title teams the next two seasons.
Swift graduated from Nottingham High School in Syracuse, New York.
Don Nottingham was a member of the ’71 Colts and later a teammate of Swift, as he was traded to Miami during that season, on the ’73 Super Bowl winning team.
Sunday past’s title tilts are over and for the second time in 5 seasons/4 years on the calendar a low spread Kansas City Chiefs vs San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl matchup has manifested (S.F. is a very slight “fave”).
After the Chiefs scored touchdowns on their first two possessions, none after, just a field goal, however held off the Baltimore Ravens to advance to a 4th Supe in 5 seasons (17-10), the 49ers all but “reversed ’57” when they dissipated a (27-7) halftime lead and lost to the Detroit Lions in another “at S.F. NFL “semi,” by overcoming a (24-7) halftime deficit to (34-31) Detroit and advance to their 8th Super Bowl (5-2 in previous but they lost in their last two, one to K.C. in ’19).
Travis Kelce had 9 receptions for 109 yards and scored the game’s first TD in the K.C. win while I cite Brock Purdy’s two big scramble runs, first a 21 yard “such” to the Detroit 4 before McCaffrey plowed in to essentially tie the tilt at 24 (S.F. did not quite love Mr. Mays the way they ought to have, however ceremonies for Willie on 2/4/24, a week before the Supe) and another big one on the drive that culminated in the go ahead to stay field goal.
Andy Reid is now (5-6) in title tilts, (1-2) on the road, the Ravens lost in their first home title game, while the Lions sans a road ‘offs game win since the aforementioned Western Conference playoff game at S.F. have now lost a record 11 straight road playoff games.
Brock Purdy is #13 and pictured above.
Yesterday, Aryna Sabalenka completed a dominant Australian Open, winning all 14 sets and a second straight title, defeating Zheng Qinwen (6-3, 6-2) in the final.
Earlier today and it is still early, this title tilts day, Jannik Sinner won his first major title, overcoming a 2 set deficit to win the crown vs Daniil Medvedev.
Medvedev had overcome a 2 sets to none deficit vs Alexander Zverev in one “semi,” while Sinner ousted the great Novak Djokovic in the other one.
Jannik Sinner, pictured above.
It is very likely (Isaiah Likely is a Baltimore Ravens player and they are seeking a third title) the song by the great “Seals and Croft,” which emits “we may never pass this way (again)’ is appropriate, as for just the second time in the annals (more details later), there are simultaneous first time major league baseball, NHL and NBA champions.
With an asterik (ode to Roger (Maris) and The Dick Van Dyke Show–please comment if you know), it is possible we can have an unprecedented four, if the longest shot remaining, the Detroit Lions win their next two games.
The Lions have won a title, in fact they have won four (not too many have more–rhyme), doing so with crowns in “The Year of Detroit, 1935), 1952, 1953 and 1957.
A technicality/asterik is that the Lions have never appeared in a Super Bowl, (the game for the NFL Title since 1970, and the “all the way” football crown starting in 1966), no less won one.
In fact Detroit is in just their second NFC Title Game/NFL semi-final game.
At the present time, the baseball Texas Rangers winning it all for the first time in their 62nd completed season, (1961-2023 with no completed season in 1994), having played in Washington D.C. and Texas, Denver Nuggets (they claimed a first title in their 56th season including the defunct ABA and 47th NBA season) and Las Vegas Golden Knights in just their 6th season (incredibly they made the NHL Final in their first season, losing to another first and still only time champion, the Washington Capitals, then in their 44th NHL season (’75-2019) with no NHL season in 2004-2005).
Once before did the sports world enter this round or the post baseball part of the NFL season with simultaneous first time champions in the other three major North American sports leagues.
The St. Louis Blues, with the late, great Laura Branigan’s “Gloria,” as their inspirational song won their first NHL title (still the only, but as with all these first time winners–that is great/enough in itself, at least in most instances) in what was their 51st NHL season (’68-2019), (again no NHL season in 2004-2005).
That calendar 2019 year was also one in which the Toronto Raptors in their 24th (Willie (Mays) wore #24 and S.F. by the way the host team vs the Lions in tomorrow’s NFC Title tilt will have Willie Mays Day on the numbers configuring 2/4/24 or February 4, 2024 and stay tuned here for a confluence of greats regarding one of another great’s, Mickey Mantle’s home runs) season and the Washington Nationals in what was their fiftieth completed season (1969-2019 with no completed season in 1994) as both the Montreal Expos and Washington Nationals.
The 2019 year’s NFL “semis”/title tilt participants included the Tennessee Titans nee Houston Oilers, who had not and still have not won an NFL crown in then their 54th possibility (50 such, ’70-2019 in the NFC/AFC configuration with 4 more in seasons that culminated with NFL/AFL Championship/Super Bowl games (’66-’69) and what is now, (we will denote as), 58 such possibilities.
Playing as the Houston Oilers the Titans/nee Oilers franchise won the first two AFL crowns in 1960 and 1961. In 2019, the Kansas City Chiefs, who that season won their first AFC/NFC configuration Supe and certainly their first title in 50 years, “semi’d” the Titans in the earlier title game.
The later/late NFC Title game matched two teams that had won many crowns, the Green Bay Packers and again tomorrow’s NFC Title game hosts, the San Francisco 49ers. (S.F. prevailed vs Green Bay only to dissipate a 4th quarter double digit lead in the aforementioned Supe loss to the Chiefs).
I was not quite “there” literally or figuratively for the seminal Woodstock Event in the incredible year of 1969 (think the moon and the miracle Mets also), when Melanie, born Melanie Safka, was one of just three female solo performers but surely was “there” big time for her great song “Brand New Key.”
Sadly, the key that opens the door to life no longer fits as Melanie died far too young at age 76.
Having ridden many “bicycles past,” still sans “the key,” as with many, many on this planet, Melanie’s beautiful song about loneliness and need, with a great tune, will always resonate.
Add among others, “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain),” inspired by people at Woodstock, lighting candles after the rain began to fall.
Click below to view Melanie’s great song, “Brand New Key.”
