HIST: 40 years ago today!!

[Pats726]

http://www.tbo.com/sports/bucs/MGBY8IZI6OE.html

Nice article about the merger...to any football fan 40ish and older who remembers the war between the established NFL and the upstart young league of innovation, it WAS a big deal!!! I know it had been rumored for a bit of time and it made so much sense. The chance to see this upstart league take ON the big time NFL... It was a big deal and so so important!! And while the common draft and Super Bowl were the first things done, it wasn't until Namath and company won in SB 3 that many took the AFL seriously. I remember clearly the buildup before the Cheifs took on the Packers...how embarrassing!!! Were the leagues that much different?? How incredible how in 2 years..the tides had changed.

 

[mikey]

http://www.tbo.com/sports/bucs/MGBY8IZI6OE.html

Nice article about the merger...to any football fan 40ish and older who remembers the war between the established NFL and the upstart young league of innovation, it WAS a big deal!!! I know it had been rumored for a bit of time and it made so much sense. The chance to see this upstart league take ON the big time NFL... It was a big deal and so so important!! And while the common draft and Super Bowl were the first things done, it wasn't until Namath and company won in SB 3 that many took the AFL seriously. I remember clearly the buildup before the Cheifs took on the Packers...how embarrassing!!! Were the leagues that much different?? How incredible how in 2 years..the tides had changed.

Who was the bigger underdog? Jets of SB3 or Pats of SB36?

Who was the bigger #12? Jets' Namath or Pats' Brady


.

 

[patsfan13]

Who was the bigger underdog? Jets of SB3 or Pats of SB36?

Who was the bigger #12? Jets' Namath or Pats' Brady


.

The Jets were a far bigger dog in SBIII, the Colts were viewed as possibly the best NFL team ever at the time, the Jete were 17-18 point underdogs.

Brady's easily the est #12 though.

 

[dalero]

Underdog I'd call close to even. Best#12 is Brady by alot.

 

[TNPatsFan]

I was only 2 years old so I didn't see the Jets-Colts super bowl. But I did see one of those extended super bowl videos where they show just about every play. It looked like the Colts actually dominated that game but they kept turning the ball over when they got close to scoring.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Fweh! Good thing this is a HIST thread and not OT!

Actually I'm not questioning the appropriateness of this thread... just think its funny that "OT is taboo" now

 

[zippo59]

I recently discovered that I have the same birthday as 'ole Joe (I know this is random and pretty meaningless but hey, it's the offseason).

 

[Pats726]

It was much different then...the AFL was newer..and not as stodgy NFL...whoi were so old school..NOTHING could be better..you know, the old NFL, the clock on th e field wasn't official..just close...FUNNY..the AFL clocks were live and the OFFICIAL time. The NFL refused to cancel games 2 days after a President was gunned down...the NFL MUST go on..even though they were not televised or broadcasted. And there was a real difference in the feel of the games... IT WAS historic..and much needed!!

 

[fgssand]

Curt Gowdy.....
2 point conversion
Wide open, high scoring offensive football games
Fun
Namath and Huard...bonus babies!
Al Davis in his prime
Pete Rozelle at his best
Weeb Eubanks
Babe Parelli
jim nance
Lance Allworth

 

[italian pat patriot]

http://www.tbo.com/sports/bucs/MGBY8IZI6OE.html

Nice article about the merger...to any football fan 40ish and older who remembers the war between the established NFL and the upstart young league of innovation, it WAS a big deal!!! I know it had been rumored for a bit of time and it made so much sense. The chance to see this upstart league take ON the big time NFL... It was a big deal and so so important!! And while the common draft and Super Bowl were the first things done, it wasn't until Namath and company won in SB 3 that many took the AFL seriously. I remember clearly the buildup before the Cheifs took on the Packers...how embarrassing!!! Were the leagues that much different?? How incredible how in 2 years..the tides had changed.

thanks for this thread - i loved the 'old' ones...

 

[Pats726]

Curt Gowdy.....
2 point conversion
Wide open, high scoring offensive football games
Fun
Namath and Huard...bonus babies!
Al Davis in his prime
Pete Rozelle at his best
Weeb Eubanks
Babe Parelli
jim nance
Lance Allworth

Al Derogatis...official clock ON the field...names on the back of jerseys...Parilli, Capeletti, Dee, Hunt, Eisenhauer, It was a different game..and what was needed...esp in this area...
BEFORE that it was the NY FOOTBALL Giants...shoved down the throat of all New Englanders...

 

[Tunescribe]

I remember the banner sports page headline when this came down. Everyone thought the Colts, Steelers and Browns were going to dominate the AFC. I think it was the very next season that the Colts beat Dallas in the Super Bowl, right?

 

[Pats726]

I remember the banner sports page headline when this came down. Everyone thought the Colts, Steelers and Browns were going to dominate the AFC. I think it was the very next season that the Colts beat Dallas in the Super Bowl, right?

It was a few years before interleague play came in and the Colts, Steelers and Browns shifted...1970 was the first year of that. The Browns really didn't dominate..the Colts did a bit more. Took the Steelers a few years to...but it wasn't as obvious as those who saw the leagues as unequal thought it would be.