[From Newport, Oregon…put together piecemeal due to long travel day.]
Baseball Quiz: [taken from info in a recent ESPN The Magazine chart] For the decade, name the leader in the following categories. For example, Ichiro led in singles with 1,650. 1) Steals 2) Hit by Pitch 3) Wins 4) Losses 5) Lowest ERA (min. 900 innings pitched). Answers below.
It was 50 years ago that the American Football League was conceived, Aug. 14, 1959 to be exact, and earlier this year USA TODAY Sports Weekly ran a series of pieces that I clipped out for future use. Such as the following.
Back in the 60s, the NFL draft was held early. For example the 1965 draft was held on Nov. 28, 1964. [Which makes for confusing reading…as I found out…had to do some digging around to make sure the writer didn’t have his facts screwed up….anyway…]
The AFL’s Raiders drafted Florida State receiver Fred Biletnikoff in the second round and the NFL’s Detroit Lions took him in the third round. Freddie then played in the Gator Bowl, Florida State against Oklahoma, and immediately following the game, Raiders owner Al Davis rushed onto the field with contract in hand.
“It was reminiscent of the scene in 1962 when Davis, as receivers coach for the San Diego Chargers, signed Arkansas star Lance Alworth under a goal post after the Sugar Bowl. Alworth, a second-round AFL pick, was drafted in the first round by the 49ers, eighth overall.
“Now Davis had similarly beaten the NFL on another future Hall of Fame receiver.
“ ‘I signed Biletnikoff on national TV, with a lawyer from Florida State, because his mother and the Detroit Lions were on the sideline screaming, ‘Don’t sign it, Fred! Don’t sign it!’’ Davis says now. ‘They had the police there and everything. We got ‘em held back in the middle of the field.
“ ‘It was just like getting married. ‘Do you know, under your own volition, that you are signing this contract?’
A big reason for the AFL’s success was that by 1964 they had signed a five-year deal with NBC worth $36 million and it allowed the AFL teams (of which there were only eight…Miami would join in 1966, Cincinnati, 1968) to fund their war chests. The NFL’s contract with CBS that began in 1964 was $28.2 million for two years but the league had to divide it among 14 teams. So, in 1965 the AFL’s package was worth $900,000 annually per team and the NFL’s was $1 million annually. Thus the AFL could be competitive in going after high-profile players like Joe Namath.
And this tidbit from USA TODAY’s Erik Brady concerning the late quarterback Jack Kemp, who played in five of the AFL’s 10 championship contests.
“Kemp presaged his political career, and his belief in supply-side economics, when he said of his $5,189 player share for the 1965 title game, ‘You can’t play football forever, so I’m putting my money in securities.’”
Current broadcaster Paul Maguire, one of 20 originals who played in all 10 AFL seasons (his first four with the Chargers at linebacker and then six more in Buffalo as a punter), tells the story of Buffalo coach Lou Saban and his hurried pregame speech before the 1964 title game.
“The referees were telling the Bills to get on the field. (Star running back Cookie) Gilchrist shouted at Saban to get going lest the Bills be penalized.
“ ‘So Saban jumped up on a table,’ Maguire says, ‘and, I swear to God, this is exactly what he said: ‘I only have one thing to say to you: Heads down, toes up!’
“ ‘And Cookie started to open the door, then closed it and looked at Lou and said, ‘What the [blank] does that mean?’ And Lou said, ‘I don’t know, I’m as nervous as you are.’ And we all just started laughing.’” The Bills won the game.
By the way, in 1961, George Blanda had 36 touchdown passes for the Houston Oilers. You could stump some friends with this one because it was the most by any AFL or NFL QB for a single season until Dan Marino threw 48 in 1984. [Y.A. Tittle had 36 as well in 1963, a fact USA TODAY missed.]
Back in 1970, the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee picked an All-AFL team, with only AFL tenures between 1960-69 being considered.
DT – Houston Antwine, Patriots
–The Phillies have the best mascot in the history of sports, the Phillie Phanatic, while the Yankees had Ronan Tynan before the insufferable Irish tenor uttered some anti-Semitic remarks and was sent to sing alone in the showers.
Ergo…..Phillies will win the Series in 5!!!!!
[I wrote the preceding before Game One\’s result….nice job Cliff Lee!!!]
–This is one year where the bitching over the scheduling of the baseball playoffs is warranted, such as 8 games in 21 days in one case. As the New York Times’ Tyler Kepner noted:
“Until Saturday, no league championship series game had ever been played later than Oct. 22. That stands to reason, because Game 1 of the World Series is scheduled for Oct. 28, the latest it has ever been. If the Series goes the distance, Game 7 will be played Nov. 5.”
There have been long rain delays between Series games in the past, like three rainouts in Boston before the famous Game 6 in 1975.
But way back in 1911, in the Series between the Philadelphia A’s and the New York Giants, Game 3 was played on Oct. 17, but thanks to a ton of rain, Game 4 wasn’t played until Oct. 24. And now you know…the rest of the story.
SN: Does it ever bother you that so many people know you not as a player but as a comedic figure and a pitchman?
Berra: I know you’re talking about my comments. I got it the first time in St. Louis in 1947. They gave me a day, so I asked (teammate) Bobby Brown, “What can I say to thank the people?” He said, “Just say you’re very thankful that you got the gift and all that.” I got up and said, “I just want to thank people for making this day necessary.” It just comes out. I don’t even know I say these things. “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” It just comes out. “You get to the fork in the road, take it.”
And when you look at Yogi’s career (go to baseballreference.com), check out the astounding figures for how many times he struck out. Just 414 in 7,555 career at bats, including five seasons when he had more homers than strikeouts. In 1950, for instance, he had 597 official plate appearances and whiffed just 12 times! [Yogi hit .322 with 28 homers and 124 RBI that year.]
Also, for those of you in the New York / New Jersey area, don’t forget Yogi has a super museum on the campus of Montclair State. It’s open while undergoing an extensive renovation that will include a large addition.
–How lousy is the NFL season thus far? From the Wall Street Journal and the Elias Sports Bureau:
“26…Number of NFL games decided by 21 points or more through Sunday, the most at this point in the season since the NFL merger in 1970.”
–Geezuz, we’ve had a plethora of idiots expose themselves in the past few months, the latest being Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson, who Tweeted that his coach, Todd Haley, had “nuthn” (sic…as is all that follows) when it comes to NFL coaching credentials.
“My father got more creditentials than most of these pro coaches…My father played for the coach from ‘remember the titans.’ Our coach played golf. My father played for redskins briefly. Our coach. Nuthn.”
Well it is true Todd Haley didn’t play high school or college football, but once he got into coaching in his late 20s, he did work his way up to offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals last year and that worked out pretty well. Later Johnson tweeted some homophobic slurs.
[And then Johnson was told to stay away from the team. This is one of the truly awful people on the planet.]
–The life of an NFL player isn’t all peaches and cream. The Jets All-Pro running back/return specialist Leon Washington has the opportunity to become a restricted free agent next year and he was unhappy with the Jets offer this past summer, said to be in the neighborhood of $5 million a year. So he turned it down and is earning $535,000 for this season. Remember, it’s all about the upfront, guaranteed money and Washington didn’t think he was going to get enough of that with the contract the Jets were offering.
So of course he’s carrying the ball for the first time in Sunday’s contest and a Raider falls on his leg. Some of his teammates were told to stay away from the scene because Leon had suffered a compound fracture of his right tibia and the bone had broken through the skin. Yes, it was gruesome. And with his season shattered as well as his leg, it will be interesting to see how management treats him in the offseason. He is expected to heal completely.
–The news on the NFL and concussions just gets worse and worse. It\’s gotten to the point where any good fan, such as yours truly, no longer likes to see spectacular hits that knock a guy out. We used to cheer when it happened. Now we cringe.
–Last time I wrote of college football, “This has not been a good year thus far.” Later, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach wrote, “With apologies to Boise State, Cincinnati, Iowa and TCU, the 2009 college football season has been a flop by most accounts.” Florida, Alabama and Iowa, for starters, have hardly been dominant. Then you had USC losing to Washington, Ohio State to Purdue, Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford-related issues, Texas’ Colt McCoy hardly playing like the superstar he was last year, and on and on. But all of this doesn’t mean the season still can’t end on a high note.
—Division I-AA Football poll…gotta give these other schools some pub.
1. Richmond…Spider Nation
2. Montana
3. Southern Illinois
4. Villanova
5. William & Mary
6. Elon
7. New Hampshire
8. Appalachian State
9. South Dakota State
10. South Carolina State
25. Colgate…Pete M.’s alma mater ekes out one more week
–Phil W. pointed out that App State’s Armanti Edwards has been on quite a roll his last four games…92-126 (73%) through the air, 1299 yards, and 40 carries for 255 yards. Edwards has to be drafted. I say 5th or 6th round and he’ll be a steal. [Better than the Jets’ Brad Smith, for starters, Smith having been a somewhat similar QB at Missouri.]
–A man was charged in the murder of UConn football player Jasper Howard. Two others were charged in connection with a fight that led to Howard\’s death. None of the three is a UConn student.
The alleged murderer, John William Lomax III\’s attorney, Deron Freeman, said "He was just partying. Often people from out of town go to the UConn campus to party."
Yoh, Mr. Freeman. Your client shouldn\’t have been there. To all the readers who are college graduates (or current students), I bet all of about 2% of you liked it when townees crashed your parties. I know we didn\’t like it. They were all freakin\’ losers! And up to no good. This stuff just pisses you off.
—Bob Griese apologized twice but it wasn’t enough. ESPN suspended the college football analyst for one week following his remark that NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya was “out having a taco.” For his part, Montoya said, ‘Who’s Bob Griese?’
–Steve Phillips’ gal pal, Brooke Hundley (who is not to be confused with Brooke Burke, to say the least), was fired, joining Stevie, who is now in rehab for “sex addiction.”
Dan Mangan of the New York Post started out his column: “Schlubby seductress Brooke Hundley….” Mangan also labels her “the tubby temptress.” For his part, a Phillips spokesman said the creep wants to keep his wife and four kids. Fat chance of that happening.
[Jay Leno was among those who blasted Brooke\’s looks.]
—Andre Agassi admits in his autobiography that he was a major druggie, including an addiction to crystal meth. I\’m shocked!
2. Wake Forest
4. Florida State
8. Wake Forest…Go Lady Deacs!
“A 10-foot shark was bitten nearly in half by a ‘monster shark’ twice it’s size – and that Great White is still on the prowl off the coast of Queensland, Australia.” [New York Daily News]
As Bar Chat Director of Shark Attacks Bob S. noted, “Given that we know the fall offensive has begun, I would hazard a guess that the ‘small’ guy was an informant, and was silenced by Mr. Whitey.”
Hugh Edwards, a local shark expert, told Australia’s 7 News, “That cannibal thing is what great whites do; they’ll eat anything, including their own kind.”
Personally, I wouldn’t even want to be on a cruise ship in those waters.
—Bill Cosby received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Monday night (to be shown on PBS Nov. 4). Fellow comic Dick Gregory joked about his long friendship with Cos.
“When the stock market crashed last September, they was going to repossess my Rolls-Royce. I said, ‘Bill, what do I do?’”
–In noting the death of “The Big Whistle,” Bill Chadwick, for you long-time Rangers fans out there I forgot to recall his biggest line concerning defenseman Barry Beck, always said in total exasperation.
–A guy in Norway tried to smuggle two dozen snakes and geckos into the country by hiding them under his clothes. You can’t make this stuff up.
Customs agents said he was apprehended after getting off a ferry from Denmark. He had 14 pythons and 10 geckos, somehow taped to his clothes. Agents must have been notified when the geckos were heard in a very low voice pleading, “Helllp meee….helllp meeee.”
–Time to get back to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. In a few weeks they are unveiling a “4-D, multisensory experience,” titled Beyond All Boundaries, to be shown in the museum’s new state-of-the-art theater, which, as noted in U.S. News & World Report, “aims to give viewers a ‘you are there’ feeling, from the sensation of snowflakes during the Battle of the Bulge to the gut-churning rumble of tanks across Europe.” Tom Hanks, as you’d expect, is involved in doing voice-overs, Mr. Hanks having already played a critical role in getting this spectacular museum built.
–Lastly, it’s a long drive from Portland to Newport, Oregon, where I’m staying a few days before heading to Eugene, Saturday, for the football game. Newport is a cool, largely fishing community on the coast that I discovered two summers ago when I was in the area for the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. I thought at the time I’d head back one year, just didn’t know it would be only 15 months later. I’m going to the Oregon Coast Aquarium shortly, but first a good run because I have to get it in before I hit a fish ‘n chips establishment and a few local brews. You know, talk Great Whites with the locals.
Anyway, more on my stay here next chat (if warranted) but for now I do have to note that when you drive to Newport, you go through Corvallis, home of the Oregon State Beavers! Among the current OSU NFLers are St. Louis running back Steven Jackson (literally, the only good player on that sorry ass team), receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh (now on Seattle after some great years in Cincinnati), the world’s worst quarterback, Cleveland’s Derek Anderson, and the one and only Chad Ochocinco! [Formerly known as Chad Johnson] No time to stop on campus, but last time I did pick up some Beaver wear.
Top 3 songs for the week 10/28/72: #1 “My Ding-A-Ling” (Chuck Berry) #2 “Burning Love” (Elvis Presley) #3 “Nights In White Satin” (The Moody Blues)…and…#4 “Use Me” (Bill Withers) #5 “I Can See Clearly Now” (Johnny Nash) #6 “Freddie’s Dead” [Theme from “Superfly”] (Curtis Mayfield) #7 “Garden Party” (Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band) #8 “Ben” (Michael Jackson) #9 “Everybody Plays The Fool” (The Main Ingredient) #10 “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues” (Danny O’Keefe)
Baseball Quiz Answers: 1) For the decade, 2000-2009, Juan Pierre led in steals with 459. 2) Jason Kendall was hit by a pitch 159 times. 3) Andy Pettitte had 148 wins. 4) Livan Hernandez had 124 losses. 5) Pedro Martinez had the best ERA, 3.01.
A-Rod led in homers, 435; Adam Dunn, strikeouts, 1433; Barry Bonds, walks, 1128; Randy Johnson, strikeouts, 2182; Mariano Rivera, saves, 397.
