 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
My tribute to the game of Football |
|
|
|
"If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride and never quit, you'll be a winner. The price of victory is high but so are the rewards."
Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
From Pop Warner to Highschool to College to the Pros, on any level football is a game for warriors. This is truly the greatest sport in the history of mankind. Anyone who has ever tasted the sensation of banging heads on the gridiron will never get the love for this game out of their system.
This page is a small tribute to the heroes of yesteryear that paved the way for the game we know and love today. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
American Football began in the late 1800's as a mixture between the sports of Rugby and Soccer. The sport was propelled through College Athletics and grew heavily in popularity. Any type of protective equipment was non existant at this stage of the sport. The games were so violent and bloody that it was not uncommon to have over 20 college players fataly injured accross the country during each football season. This led President Teddy Roosevelt to force the College's to form the NCAA to protect their student athletes. If acedemia refused Roosevelt said he would abolish the sport. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
College Football's first bowl game took place in 1902 when Stanford played Michigan in the Rose Bowl. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By the time the 1920's rolled around players were wearing thigh, hip, and shoulder pads along with helmets. |
|
|
|
|
Professional Football had been around since 1895 but it was highly unorganized and really nothing more than a bunch of guys traveling the country playing pick up games. However in 1922 the National Football League was born. Red Grange (Chicago Bears) and Jim Thorpe (Canton Bulldogs) were a couple of the leagues early heroes. Bronco Nagurski (another Chicago Bear) was one of the leagues heroes in the 1930's.
Some of the early teams in the league were the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Cowboys, Canton Bulldoags, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cardinals, Akron Indians, Milwaukee Badgers, Racine Legion, Rock Island Independants, Pottsville Maroons, New York Giants, Buffalo Rangers, New York Yankees, Cleveland Panthers, Cleveland Indians, Boston Braves, Philadelphia Yellow Jackets, Brooklyn Dodgers, Dayton Triangles, Portsmouth Spartans, and Providence Steamrollers. Other cities with teams were Frankford, Los Angeles, Duluth, Hartford, Columbus, Hammond, and Louisville. I believe those are all the teams from the first 10 years of the league. Not only was this back in the day when a city had thier pro-sports teams share the same name but it was also a time when the NCAA governed the NFL. |
|
|
|
Now we move along to the 1950's. Single and double bar facemasks are in and the leather helmet is taking it last breath. Heroes of this era are Sammy Baugh, Otto Graham, Gino Marchetti, Doak Walker, Lou Groza, Bobby Layne, Ollie Matson, Frank Gifford, Dick "Night Train" Lane and Sonny Jurgenson. By this time professional football has 28 years of history and has become a major american sport. |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
The 1960's change the face of Football forever. A new league, the AFL is founded by Dallas businessman Lamar Hunt. The Oilers, Chiefs (Texans), Patriots, Raiders, Jets (Titans), Bills, Bengals, Broncos, Chargers, and Dolphins were the original AFL teams. In 1967 the Chiefs played the Packers in Superbowl 1 where the AFL and NFL champions clashed for the first time. Three years later the Leagues murge and two conferences of the NFL are formed. Former AFL teams become the AFC and NFL teams become the NFC except for the Steelers, Browns, and Colts who are sent to the AFC Central. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The 1960's are the golden era of the NFL. Some of the great players of this era were Bart Starr, Len Dawson, George Blanda, Johnny Unitas, Fran Tarkenton, Jim Brown, Deacon Jones, Don Merideth, Paul Hornung, Dick Butkus, Joe Namath, Ray Nitchke, Bobby Bell, Jim Otto, Ron Mix, Herb Adderley, Buck Buchanan, Otis Taylor, and Gale Sayers.
The first Superbowl was played on Jan 15th 1967 between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. This game was Lombardi vs Stram, Starr vs Dawson, and Cheese vs Ribs.
The Chiefs were the AFL's best team of the 1960's as they won three AFL Championship games and played in two Superbowls. At the end of the AFL the Chiefs record was 92-50-5, better than any other AFL team.
The Packers were the NFL's best team of the 1960's winning five NFL championships in 61,62,65,66, and 67.
When the dust cleared the Packers were victorious over the Chiefs by a score of 35 to 10. |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
The 70's are defined by dynasties and ultra talented players. Two years after the Chiefs won Superbowl 4 they ran in to what was going to become one of the early jugernauts of the decade. In the first round of the playoffs the Chiefs played the Miami Dolphins in what would become the longest game in NFL playoff history. The Chiefs lost 27 to 24 in double overtime game that lasted 80 minutes. (I bring this game up because many of the Chiefs players from the 60's and 70's believe their 1971 team was the best team they ever had).
The next year in 1972 the Miami Dolphins became the first team in NFL History to go undefeated. Legendary coach Don Shula lead his team to a perfect 17-0 season with NFL greats Larry Csonka, Bob Griese, Jim Langler, Paul Warfield, Nick Buniconti, Manny Fernandez, & Larry Little. This great Dolphins team beat the Redskins in Superbowl 7 for win number 17. A year later the Dolphins again went to the Superbowl to beat the Vikings 24 to 7.
In the 1974 season a new monster came on the scene. Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Mean Joe Greene, Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, Mike Webster, John Stallworth, Mel Blount and Franco Harris were some of the players made up one of the most dominant teams in NFL history. The infamous "Steel Curtain" of Dwight White, Ernie Holmes, Joe Green and LC Greenwood helped lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Superbowl victories in 75, 76, 79 & 80.
The Steelers however werent the only dominant team in the league at this time. The Dallas Cowboys were the terror of the NFC. In the 70's the Cowboys played in five different Superbowls winning three of them. Their only two Superbowl losses both came agains the Steelers in 76 & 79. Lead by Hall of Fame Coach Tom Landry the Cowboys roster contained NFL greats like Bob Lilly, Roger Staubach, Randy White, Tony Dorsett, Robert Newhouse, Tony Hill, & Drew Pearson over the decade.
Other great players from the 1970's are Earl Campbell, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Jack Tatum, OJ Simpson, Alan Page, Ken Stabler, Elvin Bethea, Carl Eller, Jack Younblood, Dave Casper, Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Willie Lanier, John Riggins, Dan Dierdorf, Joe Theismann and Mel Renfro. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
In the 1980's the NFC took control of the league. The San Francisco 49ers won four Superbowls in this decade followed by the Redskins and Raiders each with two. The NY Giants also won a Superbowl after a dominant season in 1986 but no one dominated a single season in the 80's like the Chicago Bears did in 1985. Head coach Mike Ditka lead an offense that featured the GREAT running back Walter "Sweetness" Payton, speedy WR Willie Gault, and a one hit wonder QB in Jim McMahon. The defense was the heart and soul of this team with the samurai LB Mike Singletary, LB Wilber Marshall, LB Otis Wilson , phenom DT William "The Refridgerator" Perry, DT Dan Hampton, and DE Richard Dent. The Bears went 15-1 in 1985 scoring 592 points while only allowing their oponents to score 198 points. They went on to crush the Patriots in the Superbowl with a score of 46 to 10.
In 1983, one year before a young Joe Montana (drafted in 79) would lead the 49ers to their second Superbowl in the 80's, there were a handfull of rookie QB's making their NFL debut. John Elway, Dan Marino, and Jim Kelly would begin thier long careers and throw their way in to NFL football imortality. Elway, Marino, Kelly, and Montana would domiante the quarterback position in the 1980's and 90's. All four quarterbacks were known for bringing thier teams from behind to win in the fourth quarter. Oposing teams knew they needed atleast a 17 point lead at the two minute warning to feel comfortable about securing a win.
Just as quarterbacks began to dominate the league a secret weapon was drafted by NY Giants in 1981. The first and maybe the greatest Outside Linebacker/Sack Artist was Lawrence Taylor. Taylor played from 1981 to 1993 and he revolutionized the OLB position during that time. Taylor was an unstopable force and he played a major role in the NY Giants NFL Championship season 1986. Taylor played in 10 pro-bowls from 1981 to 1990 and finished his career with 132.5 sacks.
Other great players from the 1980's are Warren Moon, John Riggins, Eric Dickerson, Roger Craig, Marcus Allen, Bo Jackson, Dexter Manley, Howie Long, Bernie Kosar, Art Monk, Darrell Green, Lyle Alzado, Jerry Rice, and Steve Largent. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
I Still have more work to do on the 30's, 40's, 80's, & 90's. |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
HOME |
|