The University of Michigan went (15-0) and won their first unanimous national crown since 1948 (they shared the title with Nebraska in 1997), defeating (14-1) Washington University (34-13) in last night’s title tilt.
Michigan, which really did not trail all year in any up for grabs tilt, save the late comeback win in the semis vs Alabama, never trailed in the title tilt, jumping (7-0) and (14-3) on a pair of 40 plus yard(s) touchdown runs by Donovan Edwards.
Blake Corum, who joined “Der” Henry of Alabama as the only players in college football annals with touchdown runs in all or even as many as 15 games in a season, added 2 in the 4th quarter when Michigan extended 7 and 14 point leads into the 21 point margin of victory.
The Michigan defense was superb, stifling “Wash” quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and allowed but 3 touchdowns in the two playoff victories that finally yielded an “all the way” crown for Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.
I cite both Will Johnson and Mike Sainristil from that defense, each of whom had interceptions, the former on a great deflected catch on the second half’s first play which set up the second of James Turner’s field goals (ode to another title winning kicker, Jim Turner, who had 3 in the Jets’ long ago Supe win vs the Colts) and the latter racing 81 yards with an “int” that set up Corum’s second touchdown and the final margin.
A big play was a catch and run by Colston Loveland of 41 yards on the 71 yard TD drive that gave “Mich” a (27-13) lead with 7:09 left in the game.
Blake Corum #2 with the football, pictured above.
Last night the Houston Texans, a 2002 NFL expansion team, clinched their first playoffs appearance since 2019, winning (23-17) at Indianapolis, vs the Colts.
The game’s result manifests in the Colts being eliminated from ‘offs contention and now if homestanding Tennessee, a mid sized underdog, upsets Jacksonville, the Texans would win the AFC South, be the “4” seed and host “5” seed Cleveland (Browns) next week in a wild card round game.
The (23-17) score evokes memories of not so arguably the NFL’s most important game, its first overtime game, making then commissioner Bert Bell so happy, the 1958 Baltimore Colts’ Title game win at Yankee Stadium, vs the New York Giants.
Earlier in the day, the Pittsburgh Steelers 18 for 18 (with one crown) in attaining better than break even seasons under coach Mike Tomlin, kept their ‘offs hopes alive with a (17-10) win at Baltimore vs the Ravens, who clinched the AFC top seed for just the second time last week.
The Steelers now need either a Tennessee win vs “Jax” or a Dolphins win vs the Bills to qualify for the 2023 season “NFL Tournament”/Playoffs.
“Balti” quarterback, Lamar Jackson, who did not play vs the Steelers (why would he?), will almost certainly be the league MVP for the second time.
There will be big “pressure” on him and the team, when the Ravens host a division round/”quarterfinal” playoff game either Saturday January 20th or the next day, January 21st.
In ’19 with Jackson as their quarterback, the Tennessee Titans won a Saturday night/second slot “div” game at Baltimore, eliminating the Ravens.
The city of Baltimore has won 5 NFL titles, (only Green Bay, Chicago, New York and Boston, the latter all under Bill Belichick, who might be coaching in his last Pats game, a meaningless one vs the New York Jets today), three with the Colts who now are in Indianapolis and two with the Ravens (2000 and 2012).
Both Ravens’ crowns occurred with the team playing and winning 4 ‘offs games, as each time they needed to win home wild card games in addition to the requisite three, for example they or the NFC top seed S.F. 49ers must win this year to win it all.
It was the (Baltimore) Colts, in the first year (1970) of the AFC/NFC configuration, that played, I believe the lone Saturday regular season final week game, a home victory, vs the Jets, who had “Suped” them 2 years earlier, in a game that makes the discussion as to which was pro football’s most important.
A week later, the Colts played in the first of what will 2 plus weeks hence, be 216 “slots”/”div” round games in the AFC/NFC configuration, on a Saturday, (The 2006 title winning Indianapolis Colts’ Jeff SATURDAY, an offensive center, scored a touchdown on an endzone fumble “pick up,” in Indy’s stirring comeback win vs the Patriots, in the AFC Title Game. These are notes, I cite/”tangent” the fine center, Jeff Van Note) and won in route to the ’70 crown, vs the Cincinnati Bengals.
It was a day NFL Commissioner Bert Bell thought he would never see, now 65 years and a week plus ago, that an NFL game first went into overtime, that (23-17) score in a game that eliminated the Indianapolis Colts last night and was the final tally in the Baltimore Colts’ first title game win on December 28, 1958.
Relatively often on these posts, I have written about December 27, 1964, its meaning, all in the hope of that wonderful day when Dr. Frank Ryan, who died days back at age 87, threw three touchdown passes to Gary Collins, leading the original Cleveland Browns to their last NFL crown, those memories do not fade away.
Ryan was a tremendous example of physical and intellectual excellence, being a mathematics standout and title winning NFL quarterback.
He contributed mightily on the campuses of Yale, Rice and Case Western. I wish I had talked with him.
Tributes from elsewhere come in and I know enough to cite his fine play in non-title, but mostly playoffs seasons for “my” Browns, including a conference crown/title tilt loss at Green Bay, in the great Jim Brown’s last Browns’ game, after the 1965 season.
Most of all and by far most meaningful and cherished regarding Dr. Frank, is that title winning day, as cited before, me sitting in an upholstered chair, with my parents and grandmother present–(Dad a N.Y. Giants fan and oh that Browns/Giants rivalry!!)–watching Cleveland win (27-0) vs the great quarterback, John Unitas and the Baltimore Colts on December 27, 1964.
I will “seek (it is hard to) and find” another Frank, the fine broadcaster, Messer’s broadcast calls, as Dr. Frank threw those 3 TD’s to Gary Collins, that wonderful day.
Perhaps faded with time, (think, I guess Mr. Tracy’s speech regarding passion/love in “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner,”) but not to be forgotten or measured less.
The NFL, for better or worse was built on the greats that played then, before and after.
That memory for me and others when their team won, requires a “higher calculation” that DR. Frank Ryan might, as he did the memory, produce.
Go easy Frank and I know Jim (Brown) loved catching your passes so that might now resume. Please be careful playing chess with him as I doubt his passion to win has faded. I hope this in any case.
Frank Ryan, pictured above, likely after the Browns’ ’64 Title Game win.
“Exact” 56 Year “Anniversary” Of The Browns’ Last Title on December 27, 2020
Above, a previous post about the ’64 Title Game, which includes Frank Ryan’s passes, Frank Messer’s call on the first highlight a Jim Brown run and a still needed opinion, that Gary Collins belongs in The Pro Football Hall of Fame.
NEW YORK— January 13, 14, and 15 is ‘Wild Card Weekend’ at Rick’s Cabaret New York, the world famous adult club known for its beautiful dancers, top-rated Rick’s Steakhouse, and the best in VIP treatment.
“Wow! There are games on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday,” said Rick’s girl Sonia. “Come watch the games while surrounded by the sexy Rick’s girls. And stay for the After Parties. It’s going to be awesome.”
The three-story club will be showing all of the football games and there are so many hot babes who will keep you entertained regardless of how your team is doing. Beautiful girls, great food, and football–it’s a sure bet!
“The champagne is always flowing and there are sexy girls everywhere you look at Rick’s,” gushed Rick’s girl Naomi. “We all love football, so come flex, and make it rain on all the hotties!”
Rick’s Cabaret New York is located in midtown Manhattan (50 West 33 Street) and has won many awards for its first-rate entertainment and warm hospitality. The Rick’s Steakhouse serves daily lunch specials, dinner, and the city’s best late-night menu. Highly recommended.
RICK: NASDAQ Listed
Beautiful Dancers
VIP Suites, Deluxe Sky Boxes
Rick’s Steakhouse, Open Late
One Block From Madison Square Garden
Perhaps I was waiting for the great musical theme of the iconic Smothers Brothers Show as my tribute to the great Tom Smothers, who died last week at age 86, was delayed until now.
Together with his slightly younger brother, Dick who was so gracious to me when I interviewed him at a charity tennis event roughly thirty years ago, Tom/Dick(not Harry),The Smothers Brothers were both humorous and poignant, not an easily attainable feat.
Theirs was an incredible show and Tom Smothers in the more comedic role teamed with “straight man” Dick to produce incredible comedy.
Without sticking out too far, the Smothers Brothers stance against what proved not only a ridiculous but ultimately disintegrating “policing action ” was one I need to hear and am so grateful to Tom and Dick, at a personal cost, for having done so.
Go easy Tom and so many of us “Moms” like you, relativity while almost always present, does not matter here. So many LOVED you both!!
Tom on the left, Dick to the right and eventually in the video above, the great talk show host, Jack Paar in the middle.
The 1/1/2024/2023 season last “4 in the college football ‘offs,” produced two scintillating semi-final games, manifesting in Michigan and Washington holding respective 7 and 6 point(s) leads, yielding a Wolverines vs Huskies title game a week hence.
After Michigan, which trailed (7-0), led (13-7) and eventually trailed (20-13) with about 4 minutes remaining, prevailed (27-20) in overtime vs Alabama, with Blake Corum’s 17 yard TD scamper decisive, Michael Penix Jr. threw for 430 yards and 2 touchdowns in Washington’s (37-31) win vs Texas.
Washington never trailed, having a 7 point lead thrice only to be tied before leading (28-21), (31-21), (34-21), (34-28), (37-28) and (37-31) with 45 seconds left and then needed to stop Texas, which had 4 “shots” from the “Wash” 12 or 13.
The two teams met in and split 4 Rose Bowls (Wash winning after the ’77 and ’91 seasons, Michigan winning after the ’80 and ’92 seasons).
Speaking of “split,” the last title for each team was a split one.
Washington’s lone post wire service crown was a shared one with Miami in ’91, as stated “claimed” after a Rose Bowl win vs Michigan.
Michigan won the ’97 season Rose Bowl vs Washington State and shared its first crown, shared or otherwise since 1948, with Miami Florida.
Tonight the (10-5) Dallas Cowboys, minimum an ‘offs team and needing 3 of 4 results to be Dallas wins or (11-4) Philly (Eagles) losses, to win their division, host the (11-4) Detroit Lions, who last week, clinched their first “div” crown in 30 years.
Detroit is a likely NFC “3” seed and just might face the currently (8-7) L.A. Rams, whose quarterback Matthew Stafford was at that position for many years, with the Lions, in a wild card round game, 2 weeks or 2 weeks and and one day day hence.
In their very likely wild card round game, (the Lions who are (0-9) in wild card round games have a very slight chance to avoid playing in one, but need 3 of 4 decisions to be their wins and both Philly and (11-4), current top seed, S.F. (49ers) losses), Detroit will be seeking to make just their fourth “slots”/division round appearance.
Their previous such tilts were in ’70 (the first year of such games as the AFC/NFC configuration began), ’83 and ’91.
The Lions won vs Dallas at home in ’91, but lost a Saturday “slots”/div round game, by the highly unusual score of (5-0), at Dallas, in the late afternoon, second ever such game in ’70.
In ’83, the usually reliable excellent kicker, Eddie Murray missed a potential game winning field goal and S.F. prevailed at home, vs Detroit, in that slot 2/later Saturday “div” round game.
Ten years later, Murray’s overtime field goal at the New York Giants in the “reg” finale, gave Dallas the NFC one seed, which they rode to a second straight Super Bowl crown, within a period of 3 titles in 4 seasons.
Dallas has not “titled” or even made a “semi” since, while the Lions have made but one semi in the 65 completed seasons, since they thumped the Cleveland Browns in the 1957 NFL Title Game.
Fifty nine years and one day after their last title, the Cleveland Browns (1999 expansion team version) are over a touchdown favorite in tonight’s last Thursday night and maybe Al MIchaels’ last game, vs the New York Jets, to clinch an ‘offs spot for just the third time in their 24 seasons.
It is noteworthy that the Browns and Jets met in the first “packaged” (i.e. there would be a full season of such and have been for 54 years and counting) Monday Night Football tilt, that juxtaposed with the fact tonights game is available only on something called Amazon.
The Browns are (10-5) with the great Jim Brown’s #32 proudly displayed on their uniforms.
Jim died earlier this year, in perhaps eery or maybe a symbolic situation, 60 years to the date, after another Syracuse University great, Ernie Davis, died tragically young at the age of 22.
Left to right, Ernie Davis and former Browns’ owner, Art Modell, who as with once Giants owner Well Mara, did much good and some not so, (Modell moved the great Browns to Baltimore where they play as the current best record Ravens).
Truly good: Modell helped Ernie Davis and his family.
In a too hyped game, however one in which the result might make it a bit more worthy of said hype, the (12-3) Baltimore Ravens won (33-19), at (11-4) San Francisco (49ers).
Both teams control their destiny to be their conference’s top seeds.
Yesterday, in the other two games, somewhat questionably played on Christmas Day, the (7-8) Las Vegas Raiders, a huge underdog won outright, at the (9-6) defending champion and still very likely “div” winning, Kansas City Chiefs.
Next the (11-4) Philadelphia Eagles maintained their NFC East advantage, winning (33-25), but as 2 TD favorites, vs the (5-10) New York Giants.
“Balti” would clinch the “div” and the AFC top seed with a win vs Miami, as an opening field goal home “fave.”
In an epic overtime game con Jim Simpson behind the television microphone, a Baltimore team, the Colts, rode a Toni Linhart overtime field goal to a div clinching win in 1975’s 13th, but also as this year, for ‘Phins/Balti, the penultimate NFL week, (now the 17th), vs the Dolphins.
Perspective on a day with Billy G, sure joy if as in the past, dogs not “dogging” but let’s (en)joy what we have while we have it!!
