Full Version: Great Sports Stories
great sports stories
off-topic but nonetheless related to the NFL:
the freaking Broncos are choling again! what the hell's happening???
They still need a QB, not a John Elway, but a real QB...
the freaking Broncos are choling again! what the hell's happening???
They still need a QB, not a John Elway, but a real QB...
We'd love to hear about your favorite sports stories. Now you don't have to write them like I do. A paragraph, heck even a few sentences will do.
Of the two teams that played the 1979 NCAA Finals, five of them went to the pros.
Larry Bird went to the Celtics who drafted him prior to the 1979 season.
Carl Nicks went to the Denver Nuggets and later the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Earvin Johnson went to the Lakers as the No. 1 pick.
Greg Kesler played for the Detroit Pistons.
Jay Vincent played a long time for the Dallas Mavericks.
Larry Bird went to the Celtics who drafted him prior to the 1979 season.
Carl Nicks went to the Denver Nuggets and later the Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Earvin Johnson went to the Lakers as the No. 1 pick.
Greg Kesler played for the Detroit Pistons.
Jay Vincent played a long time for the Dallas Mavericks.
Ah yes, Doug Flutie. He could have been one of the great NFL quarterbacks if he was not vertically-challenged since NFL coaches/GMs have this fixation for tall QBs. Flutie at 5-9/5-10 just didn't fit the bill. But then again, nobody expected Montana to do well in the NFL. I had the rare opportunity to meet Flutie when he played quarterback for the Toronto Argos. I was in a music store having my bass tweaked while Doug was in the shop just trying out the drums and getting to know the locals. We started out swapping funny stories about the Jesuit priests in our respective universities and ended up trading rifts on the bass and drums. One really nice guy!
Of course, nothing beats his epic college football battle with Bernie Kosar on Thanksgiving 1984. Flutie vs. Kosar, Boston College vs. Miami,...David vs. Goliath (in more ways than one). I never got to watch this game live in 1984, but I get to see it at least once a year around Thanksgiving Day since ESPN makes this game a programming staple come Thanksgiving. One word describes that game: BAKBAKAN! I don't think I could capture the complete flavor of the game in my own words, so I'm lifting this piece by Rick Weinberg of ESPN, which pretty much captures the nuances of the brawl and Flutie's Hail Mary pass. By the way, fans polled by ESPN voted the game as the 9th most memorable sports moment of the last 25 years. Everytime I hear the color commentator's "Flutie to Phalen....Touchdown Boston College!" I always feel a chill running up my spine.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments/9
9: Doug Flutie's Hail Mary beats Miami, 47-45
Rick Weinberg
Special to ESPN.com
The television executives assembled in the conference room. The issue facing the TV execs on this day in 1984 is the University of Miami vs. Boston College football game scheduled for September 29. The game is a marquee showdown between two glamorous quarterbacks -- 5-foot-9 scrambling dynamo Doug Flutie of B.C., who was on the verge of becoming college football's first 10,000-yard passer, and 6-foot-5 Bernie Kosar of Miami, the defending NCAA champs.
The TV executives want to take advantage of this potential ratings bonanza, so they decide to switch the game to Friday, November 23, the day after Thanksgiving Day.
But the execs need to do some serious convincing and manipulating: Miami was scheduled to face Rutgers, so the TV honchos called the schools and inquired about the possibility of rearranging the schedule. Rutgers officials agreed to cancel its date with Miami -- for $80,000. The network forked over the money, and the B.C. game became a national telecast.
THE MOMENT
It's November 23, 1984, and the soldout crowd at the Orange Bowl has seen an electrifying shootout. Each team plays the entire 3-hour, 43-minutes marathon like a two-minute drill. There are 15 scoring drives, none less than 55 yards, five drives of 80 or more, and 1,273 yards produced by both teams combined.
At halftime, it's 28-21, B.C. While the teams rest and strategize in their locker rooms, a driving tropical rainstorm arrives. Snubbing the storm, Miami opens the third quarter with a 96-yard drive to tie the game at 28. The game remains tied at 31 entering the final quarter. Boston College snaps the stalemate with a field goal, but Miami regains the lead as Melvin Bratton comes right back with a dazzling 52-yard scoring run. With 3:50 remaining, B.C. completes an 82-yard drive to go back up, 41-38.
With 2:30 left, Miami is buried deep on its own 10 facing a third-and-21. Kosar scrambles back to his own goal line, is nearly tackled twice and unloads a pass to Darryl Oliver for a first down. The Hurricanes later make a first down on fourth-and-one and then Bratton scores his fourth TD of the game for a 45-41 lead.
The Hurricanes go wild on their sideline, celebrating what they believe is a landmark victory. Only 28 seconds remain. "I thought we had it won," Miami center Ian Sinclair would tell the media later. "We all did."
"I assumed we had lost," B.C. coach Jack Bicknell told the press. "I'm thinking, 'What am I going to tell these guys in the locker room?' They just played a great game."
Flutie isn't thinking only of the plays he's going to run on the game's final series. "We've got time for at least four plays," Flutie says to himself as he watches the kickoff. He runs through the Eagles' playbook in his mind. His plan is to get the ball near midfield with his first two passes, and then put one up into the end zone. Perhaps two, if there's time.
As the Eagles huddle up following the kickoff, Flutie yells, "OK, let's get near midfield. If we can get it there, we have a 50-50 chance of scoring."
Starting at the 20, Flutie gets 19 yards on his first play, a completion to Troy Stradford. Then, he gets 13 more on a completion to Scott Gieselman, getting the ball into Miami territory. Ten seconds remain. Flutie's next pass is incomplete. Six seconds remain -- and 48 yards to cover.
"OK, 'Flood Tip' on two," Flutie calls. Flood Tip is a play in which three receivers race downfield, flooding one area in the end zone and wait for Flutie's bomb to fall from the heavens. The play is specifically designed for Gerry Phelan at the goal line. If Phelan is unable to catch the ball, he is supposed to try to tip it to the two other receivers.
B.C. has tried "Flood Tip" three times in the previous two seasons and it worked once -- against Temple, earlier in the season, at the close of the first half. And it was Phelan who caught the touchdown pass.
Flutie takes the snap and darts backward. All-American lineman Jerome Brown chases Flutie out of the pocket. Staring straight into a 30-mile-per-hour wind, and with Miami's Willie Lee Broughton heading straight for him, Flutie heaves a bomb from his own 37, a bomb that sails ... and sails ... 60 yards through the evening sky.
Miami is in its prevent defense with three defensive backs assigned to the end zone. They plant themselves near the 10-yard line. They are unaware that Flutie can throw the ball 60 yards. As a result, they inexplicably allow Phelan to slip behind them, right at the cusp of the end zone.
"I didn't know Phelan was behind us," Darrell Fullington would tell the media later. "I took my eye away from him for just one second to see where Flutie was, and it was too late. I looked back, and the ball was in the air, and Phelan was past me. I jumped as hard as I could, but ..."
As the pass sails through the wet evening air, Fullington tries to recover. He scrambles backwards toward the goal line. He collides with teammate Reggie Sutton. With Fullington and Sutton off-balance at the 3, the ball begins to descend over their heads. They leap, but the ball sails right between their arms, just past the tips of their fingernails, and it falls right behind them ... right into Phelan's arms.
At the other end of the field, Flutie is lying on the ground, the aftermath of getting slammed by Broughton. As Flutie rises to his feet, he is unaware that Phelan is cradling the ball -- his 11th catch of the game for 226 yards -- as if it is "my first-born," he would say.
Flutie realizes what has transpired, that someone, somehow, caught the ball. Flutie begins running toward the end zone, his arms waving and flapping and whirling. "I thought the pass fell incomplete," he would say later. "When I saw the referee's arms go up in the air for a touchdown, I could not believe it."
"We flooded the area," Bicknell would say later with a laugh, referring to the name of the play, Flood Tip. "But nobody tipped it."
The B.C. players race jubilantly off the sideline, onto the field, toward the end zone, where Phelan is buried under a pile of wild, ecstatic players.
Of course, nothing beats his epic college football battle with Bernie Kosar on Thanksgiving 1984. Flutie vs. Kosar, Boston College vs. Miami,...David vs. Goliath (in more ways than one). I never got to watch this game live in 1984, but I get to see it at least once a year around Thanksgiving Day since ESPN makes this game a programming staple come Thanksgiving. One word describes that game: BAKBAKAN! I don't think I could capture the complete flavor of the game in my own words, so I'm lifting this piece by Rick Weinberg of ESPN, which pretty much captures the nuances of the brawl and Flutie's Hail Mary pass. By the way, fans polled by ESPN voted the game as the 9th most memorable sports moment of the last 25 years. Everytime I hear the color commentator's "Flutie to Phalen....Touchdown Boston College!" I always feel a chill running up my spine.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments/9
9: Doug Flutie's Hail Mary beats Miami, 47-45
Rick Weinberg
Special to ESPN.com
The television executives assembled in the conference room. The issue facing the TV execs on this day in 1984 is the University of Miami vs. Boston College football game scheduled for September 29. The game is a marquee showdown between two glamorous quarterbacks -- 5-foot-9 scrambling dynamo Doug Flutie of B.C., who was on the verge of becoming college football's first 10,000-yard passer, and 6-foot-5 Bernie Kosar of Miami, the defending NCAA champs.
The TV executives want to take advantage of this potential ratings bonanza, so they decide to switch the game to Friday, November 23, the day after Thanksgiving Day.
But the execs need to do some serious convincing and manipulating: Miami was scheduled to face Rutgers, so the TV honchos called the schools and inquired about the possibility of rearranging the schedule. Rutgers officials agreed to cancel its date with Miami -- for $80,000. The network forked over the money, and the B.C. game became a national telecast.
THE MOMENT
It's November 23, 1984, and the soldout crowd at the Orange Bowl has seen an electrifying shootout. Each team plays the entire 3-hour, 43-minutes marathon like a two-minute drill. There are 15 scoring drives, none less than 55 yards, five drives of 80 or more, and 1,273 yards produced by both teams combined.
At halftime, it's 28-21, B.C. While the teams rest and strategize in their locker rooms, a driving tropical rainstorm arrives. Snubbing the storm, Miami opens the third quarter with a 96-yard drive to tie the game at 28. The game remains tied at 31 entering the final quarter. Boston College snaps the stalemate with a field goal, but Miami regains the lead as Melvin Bratton comes right back with a dazzling 52-yard scoring run. With 3:50 remaining, B.C. completes an 82-yard drive to go back up, 41-38.
With 2:30 left, Miami is buried deep on its own 10 facing a third-and-21. Kosar scrambles back to his own goal line, is nearly tackled twice and unloads a pass to Darryl Oliver for a first down. The Hurricanes later make a first down on fourth-and-one and then Bratton scores his fourth TD of the game for a 45-41 lead.
The Hurricanes go wild on their sideline, celebrating what they believe is a landmark victory. Only 28 seconds remain. "I thought we had it won," Miami center Ian Sinclair would tell the media later. "We all did."
"I assumed we had lost," B.C. coach Jack Bicknell told the press. "I'm thinking, 'What am I going to tell these guys in the locker room?' They just played a great game."
Flutie isn't thinking only of the plays he's going to run on the game's final series. "We've got time for at least four plays," Flutie says to himself as he watches the kickoff. He runs through the Eagles' playbook in his mind. His plan is to get the ball near midfield with his first two passes, and then put one up into the end zone. Perhaps two, if there's time.
As the Eagles huddle up following the kickoff, Flutie yells, "OK, let's get near midfield. If we can get it there, we have a 50-50 chance of scoring."
Starting at the 20, Flutie gets 19 yards on his first play, a completion to Troy Stradford. Then, he gets 13 more on a completion to Scott Gieselman, getting the ball into Miami territory. Ten seconds remain. Flutie's next pass is incomplete. Six seconds remain -- and 48 yards to cover.
"OK, 'Flood Tip' on two," Flutie calls. Flood Tip is a play in which three receivers race downfield, flooding one area in the end zone and wait for Flutie's bomb to fall from the heavens. The play is specifically designed for Gerry Phelan at the goal line. If Phelan is unable to catch the ball, he is supposed to try to tip it to the two other receivers.
B.C. has tried "Flood Tip" three times in the previous two seasons and it worked once -- against Temple, earlier in the season, at the close of the first half. And it was Phelan who caught the touchdown pass.
Flutie takes the snap and darts backward. All-American lineman Jerome Brown chases Flutie out of the pocket. Staring straight into a 30-mile-per-hour wind, and with Miami's Willie Lee Broughton heading straight for him, Flutie heaves a bomb from his own 37, a bomb that sails ... and sails ... 60 yards through the evening sky.
Miami is in its prevent defense with three defensive backs assigned to the end zone. They plant themselves near the 10-yard line. They are unaware that Flutie can throw the ball 60 yards. As a result, they inexplicably allow Phelan to slip behind them, right at the cusp of the end zone.
"I didn't know Phelan was behind us," Darrell Fullington would tell the media later. "I took my eye away from him for just one second to see where Flutie was, and it was too late. I looked back, and the ball was in the air, and Phelan was past me. I jumped as hard as I could, but ..."
As the pass sails through the wet evening air, Fullington tries to recover. He scrambles backwards toward the goal line. He collides with teammate Reggie Sutton. With Fullington and Sutton off-balance at the 3, the ball begins to descend over their heads. They leap, but the ball sails right between their arms, just past the tips of their fingernails, and it falls right behind them ... right into Phelan's arms.
At the other end of the field, Flutie is lying on the ground, the aftermath of getting slammed by Broughton. As Flutie rises to his feet, he is unaware that Phelan is cradling the ball -- his 11th catch of the game for 226 yards -- as if it is "my first-born," he would say.
Flutie realizes what has transpired, that someone, somehow, caught the ball. Flutie begins running toward the end zone, his arms waving and flapping and whirling. "I thought the pass fell incomplete," he would say later. "When I saw the referee's arms go up in the air for a touchdown, I could not believe it."
"We flooded the area," Bicknell would say later with a laugh, referring to the name of the play, Flood Tip. "But nobody tipped it."
The B.C. players race jubilantly off the sideline, onto the field, toward the end zone, where Phelan is buried under a pile of wild, ecstatic players.
Nice post, Jaco.
Yes, thought that Doug Flutie never was given a chance with the Bears. But he did make a comeback years later reviving memories of his storied career at BC. I remember watching broadcast of a Bears game where Flutie came in for McMahon who had injured his arm and the broadcast panel showed that Hail Mary pass from Flutie to Phelan. The subsequent exultation from the broadcast panel reminded me of Johnny Most's "Havlicek stole the ball!," and Johnny Kerr's "Bulls win! Bulls win!" during the 1997 NBA Finals, and Al Michaels' "Do you believe in miracles!"
Yes, thought that Doug Flutie never was given a chance with the Bears. But he did make a comeback years later reviving memories of his storied career at BC. I remember watching broadcast of a Bears game where Flutie came in for McMahon who had injured his arm and the broadcast panel showed that Hail Mary pass from Flutie to Phelan. The subsequent exultation from the broadcast panel reminded me of Johnny Most's "Havlicek stole the ball!," and Johnny Kerr's "Bulls win! Bulls win!" during the 1997 NBA Finals, and Al Michaels' "Do you believe in miracles!"
Thanks for sharing, guys. I've been racking my brain for something noble or inspiring to share, but I think that's going to take some doing. In the meantime, I'd like to post the following anecdote:
Glen Sather, then coach of the Edmonton Oilers, prescribed an off-season training regimen to his players. One day, he called up veteran player Dave Semenko to check on his progress. "So, Dave, how's your training?"
"Fine, Coach," was Semenko's reply, "but I'm having touble with the running part."
"Why? You can't do it?"
"No, I can do it just fine, but my cigarette keeps going out."
Glen Sather, then coach of the Edmonton Oilers, prescribed an off-season training regimen to his players. One day, he called up veteran player Dave Semenko to check on his progress. "So, Dave, how's your training?"
"Fine, Coach," was Semenko's reply, "but I'm having touble with the running part."
"Why? You can't do it?"
"No, I can do it just fine, but my cigarette keeps going out."
if there's a college game that changed pro basketball forever, ive got a story that about a shoe that changed the WORLD OF SPORT. 
Amazing Hangtime by Dan Rovell of ESPN.com
In the summer of 1984, Michael Jordan didn't even want to visit Nike headquarters.
He loved wearing Adidas in high school. He had no problems with his Converse sneakers at the University of North Carolina. And he hated Nike's air soles, which he thought "was like playing in high heels."
But, at his parents urging, he dragged himself to Beaverton, Ore.
There, Phil Knight and his underlings presented their plan. Jordan would have his own shoe, a long-term deal and royalties from sales. And when Converse wouldn't offer him his own signature model and Adidas, to Jordan's chagrin, didn't submit a bid, Jordan signed with the Swoosh.
Twenty years later, nothing in sports marketing has matched the magnitude of their alliance, which laid the foundation to the modern-day formula that pairs athletes with companies in hopes of luring fans to buy their products.
"Even though I never envisioned myself wearing the (Nike) shoe, the creativity that it provided to me and the education of what this is all about -- what I wear on my feet and how it enhances my athletic ability -- I'm happy with the choice," Jordan said.
When Nike officials released the first Air Jordan on April 1, 1985, it was estimated 100,000 pairs would be sold by year's end. But the unexpected happened. Retailers nationwide sold 450,000 pairs, with a suggested price of $65, in less than a month. Sales in six test markets alone totaled almost $30 million. It didn't hurt when Jordan, the third overall pick in the 1984 Draft, was named the NBA's Rookie of the Year a month later.
It also didn't hurt that the league, citing its "uniformity of uniforms" rule, fined Jordan $5,000 per game for wearing the red and black shoes. The rule stipulated that players had to wear shoes that not only matched their uniforms, but matched the shoes worn by their teammates.
Not only did Nike pay the fines, they turned a marketing disaster into a coup in one of its first commercials for the shoe.
The commercial: "On Oct. 15, Nike created a revolutionary new basketball shoe. On Oct. 18, the NBA threw them out of the game. Fortunately, the NBA can't keep you from wearing them. Air Jordans. From Nike."
"We figured we had to come up with something so that players weren't running around with blue, green and purple shoes," NBA commissioner David Stern said. "Then, Nike was advertising that we banned the shoe. I guess you could say we played a role in what was really the beginning of modern-day sports marketing."
As Jordan established himself as arguably the best player in NBA history, Nike -- and its advertising partner Wieden + Kennedy -- took advantage by dreaming up some of the most memorable commercials of all time.
"I use to have to skip school on the day they came out so that I could get them at the mall," said rapper Nelly, who has an ownership stake in the Charlotte Bobcats. "It wasn't just about the shoes. It was the way he played, the way he jumped in the air. Now, it's to the point where it's more and more about the shoe than it is because of the man behind it."
The latter statement proved true when the Air Jordan shoes continued to sell when Jordan wasn't playing basketball. The brand became its own division of Nike in 1997.
Jordan knows that his success on the court is one of the main reasons why his shoe franchise has lasted 20 years (the Jordan XX will debut on Feb. 19), but he also knows that people buy the shoe because they expect it to be more fashionable and functional every year.
The Air Jordan III had the visible air pocket. The Air Jordan IV had the breathable mesh. The Air Jordan VII had a form-fitting sock liner. The Jordan XI included patent leather on athletic shoes for the first time ever.
"Marketing is great," said Jordan, who worked on most of his shoes with designer Tinker Hatfield. "But eventually you are going to have to live off that product and that product is going to have to stand by itself. That's what we've been able to sustain."
That might not have been true in the early years.
"In the beginning, it was much more about the person and the player that Michael was because that first Air Jordan was a god awful shoe," said Sonny Vaccaro, a Reebok executive who was then with Nike.
In 1998, Jordan's last year with the Bulls, he got nostalgic and put on the shoe that launched his sports marketing career.
"I tried to wear the (Air Jordan) I in a Madison Square Garden game and my feet were bleeding," Jordan said.
Despite the fact that Jordan isn't on the court anymore, the brand's executives insist that the value of their namesake's legacy is being passed on to the next generation of core consumers.
"Kids, particularly those in urban areas, want to buy something authentic," said Jackie Thomas, Jordan's director of marketing. "We have the advantage with Michael because they know that he stands for being the best."
It's not clear whether the power of the name of Jordan, whose first deal was a five-year contract worth $2.5 million, will start to fade as new players start to gain relevance with their play on the court, but there's certainly a lot of choice in the marketplace.
The best succession plan for the Jordan brand is Denver Nuggets rookie forward Carmelo Anthony, whose first signature shoe will be released on Nov. 26 under the Jordan brand label.
Nike is separately pushing last year's rookie of the year LeBron James, who signed a seven-year contract with the shoe brand worth $100 million. James' Zoom LeBron II shoes went on sale last week.
Reebok launched Yao Ming's signature shoe on Nov. 1 and Allen Iverson's "Answer VIII" on Nov. 5. Adidas launched Tracy McGrady's "T-Mac 4" on Oct. 29.
"Nike and Michael stood alone 20 years ago," Stern said. "Because there are so many shoe brands, and so many athletes with their own shoes, it's definitely harder to stand out. I'm not sure Michael and Nike is the pinnacle, but it is for now."
"LeBron can make money for Nike and Tracy can make money for adidas, but no one will ever be the kind of icon that Michael is and was," Vaccaro said. "He was the prototype and we're just making massive carbon copies now."
But James is confident of his ability to be unique and stand out in the future.
"I see what Michael did selling shoes and clothing and really inspired me to do my own thing," said James, who despite the Nike tie-in says he has never had a conversation with Jordan about marketing. "He is the model of how it is done, but I'm trying to do it a little earlier."
Aside from shoes, James already has a full line of apparel. There's a LeBron James Nike watch and an MP3 player is on the way.
"The marketing numbers speak for themselves," James said. "My first shoe sold well and my jersey was the No. 1 sold jersey in the NBA last year."
Although Nike is following the same formula with James as it did with Jordan -- show the buying public that the star athlete helped design the products that bear his name -- Jordan says he's not sure there is a clear path to follow to reach sales success.
"Sometimes we have a tough time figuring out what that ingredient was to get us to where we are," Jordan said. "It's hard to duplicate something that you've done once. ... We've been able to transcend from parents to kids and in some cases down to their kids. And that, to me, is success."
Amazing Hangtime by Dan Rovell of ESPN.com
In the summer of 1984, Michael Jordan didn't even want to visit Nike headquarters.
He loved wearing Adidas in high school. He had no problems with his Converse sneakers at the University of North Carolina. And he hated Nike's air soles, which he thought "was like playing in high heels."
But, at his parents urging, he dragged himself to Beaverton, Ore.
There, Phil Knight and his underlings presented their plan. Jordan would have his own shoe, a long-term deal and royalties from sales. And when Converse wouldn't offer him his own signature model and Adidas, to Jordan's chagrin, didn't submit a bid, Jordan signed with the Swoosh.
Twenty years later, nothing in sports marketing has matched the magnitude of their alliance, which laid the foundation to the modern-day formula that pairs athletes with companies in hopes of luring fans to buy their products.
"Even though I never envisioned myself wearing the (Nike) shoe, the creativity that it provided to me and the education of what this is all about -- what I wear on my feet and how it enhances my athletic ability -- I'm happy with the choice," Jordan said.
When Nike officials released the first Air Jordan on April 1, 1985, it was estimated 100,000 pairs would be sold by year's end. But the unexpected happened. Retailers nationwide sold 450,000 pairs, with a suggested price of $65, in less than a month. Sales in six test markets alone totaled almost $30 million. It didn't hurt when Jordan, the third overall pick in the 1984 Draft, was named the NBA's Rookie of the Year a month later.
It also didn't hurt that the league, citing its "uniformity of uniforms" rule, fined Jordan $5,000 per game for wearing the red and black shoes. The rule stipulated that players had to wear shoes that not only matched their uniforms, but matched the shoes worn by their teammates.
Not only did Nike pay the fines, they turned a marketing disaster into a coup in one of its first commercials for the shoe.
The commercial: "On Oct. 15, Nike created a revolutionary new basketball shoe. On Oct. 18, the NBA threw them out of the game. Fortunately, the NBA can't keep you from wearing them. Air Jordans. From Nike."
"We figured we had to come up with something so that players weren't running around with blue, green and purple shoes," NBA commissioner David Stern said. "Then, Nike was advertising that we banned the shoe. I guess you could say we played a role in what was really the beginning of modern-day sports marketing."
As Jordan established himself as arguably the best player in NBA history, Nike -- and its advertising partner Wieden + Kennedy -- took advantage by dreaming up some of the most memorable commercials of all time.
"I use to have to skip school on the day they came out so that I could get them at the mall," said rapper Nelly, who has an ownership stake in the Charlotte Bobcats. "It wasn't just about the shoes. It was the way he played, the way he jumped in the air. Now, it's to the point where it's more and more about the shoe than it is because of the man behind it."
The latter statement proved true when the Air Jordan shoes continued to sell when Jordan wasn't playing basketball. The brand became its own division of Nike in 1997.
Jordan knows that his success on the court is one of the main reasons why his shoe franchise has lasted 20 years (the Jordan XX will debut on Feb. 19), but he also knows that people buy the shoe because they expect it to be more fashionable and functional every year.
The Air Jordan III had the visible air pocket. The Air Jordan IV had the breathable mesh. The Air Jordan VII had a form-fitting sock liner. The Jordan XI included patent leather on athletic shoes for the first time ever.
"Marketing is great," said Jordan, who worked on most of his shoes with designer Tinker Hatfield. "But eventually you are going to have to live off that product and that product is going to have to stand by itself. That's what we've been able to sustain."
That might not have been true in the early years.
"In the beginning, it was much more about the person and the player that Michael was because that first Air Jordan was a god awful shoe," said Sonny Vaccaro, a Reebok executive who was then with Nike.
In 1998, Jordan's last year with the Bulls, he got nostalgic and put on the shoe that launched his sports marketing career.
"I tried to wear the (Air Jordan) I in a Madison Square Garden game and my feet were bleeding," Jordan said.
Despite the fact that Jordan isn't on the court anymore, the brand's executives insist that the value of their namesake's legacy is being passed on to the next generation of core consumers.
"Kids, particularly those in urban areas, want to buy something authentic," said Jackie Thomas, Jordan's director of marketing. "We have the advantage with Michael because they know that he stands for being the best."
It's not clear whether the power of the name of Jordan, whose first deal was a five-year contract worth $2.5 million, will start to fade as new players start to gain relevance with their play on the court, but there's certainly a lot of choice in the marketplace.
The best succession plan for the Jordan brand is Denver Nuggets rookie forward Carmelo Anthony, whose first signature shoe will be released on Nov. 26 under the Jordan brand label.
Nike is separately pushing last year's rookie of the year LeBron James, who signed a seven-year contract with the shoe brand worth $100 million. James' Zoom LeBron II shoes went on sale last week.
Reebok launched Yao Ming's signature shoe on Nov. 1 and Allen Iverson's "Answer VIII" on Nov. 5. Adidas launched Tracy McGrady's "T-Mac 4" on Oct. 29.
"Nike and Michael stood alone 20 years ago," Stern said. "Because there are so many shoe brands, and so many athletes with their own shoes, it's definitely harder to stand out. I'm not sure Michael and Nike is the pinnacle, but it is for now."
"LeBron can make money for Nike and Tracy can make money for adidas, but no one will ever be the kind of icon that Michael is and was," Vaccaro said. "He was the prototype and we're just making massive carbon copies now."
But James is confident of his ability to be unique and stand out in the future.
"I see what Michael did selling shoes and clothing and really inspired me to do my own thing," said James, who despite the Nike tie-in says he has never had a conversation with Jordan about marketing. "He is the model of how it is done, but I'm trying to do it a little earlier."
Aside from shoes, James already has a full line of apparel. There's a LeBron James Nike watch and an MP3 player is on the way.
"The marketing numbers speak for themselves," James said. "My first shoe sold well and my jersey was the No. 1 sold jersey in the NBA last year."
Although Nike is following the same formula with James as it did with Jordan -- show the buying public that the star athlete helped design the products that bear his name -- Jordan says he's not sure there is a clear path to follow to reach sales success.
"Sometimes we have a tough time figuring out what that ingredient was to get us to where we are," Jordan said. "It's hard to duplicate something that you've done once. ... We've been able to transcend from parents to kids and in some cases down to their kids. And that, to me, is success."
Larry Bird, one of the best trashtalkers ever.
One of my favorites was when he walked into the locker room before the 3pt shooting contest and asked everyone: "so who among you will get second place?"
He did win the contest and i think this was the one where he lifted his index finger just after he released the contest clinching 2pt ball. Gotta love it
One of my favorites was when he walked into the locker room before the 3pt shooting contest and asked everyone: "so who among you will get second place?"
He did win the contest and i think this was the one where he lifted his index finger just after he released the contest clinching 2pt ball. Gotta love it
Thanks for the posts, ADMU_ADDICT and Ethanboy.
We at atenista.net look forward to reading some interesting sports stories from you. Wag na muna yung mga Blue Eagles stuff because there are threads on that anyways.
Watch out for the Round Mound of Rebound and the Black Hole of Boston in their gastronomic adventures.
We at atenista.net look forward to reading some interesting sports stories from you. Wag na muna yung mga Blue Eagles stuff because there are threads on that anyways.
Watch out for the Round Mound of Rebound and the Black Hole of Boston in their gastronomic adventures.
Pizza! Pizza!
Or for the love of pizza
Or for the love of pizza
speaking of pizzas, does anyone remember the pizza incident between arsenal and manchester united recently? just another proof that arsenal is a sore loser...
AA, I don't know anything about that incident. Share ka naman
=======================
Now that lunchtime is over (here in the Philippines, at least), I think I can share with you the following:
The Case of the Vomiting Veteran
Former NHL coach Scotty Bowman has guided eight teams to a Stanley Cup championship. The first team he ever coached in the NHL was the St. Louis Blues back in 1967-68, which featured veteran goalie Glenn Hall.
Glenn was well-known in the sport for (1) employing the "butterfly" style of goaltending, which was unique until Patrick Roy made it popular in the 1980s, and for (2) losing his lunch before every game. His vomiting took on the status of a pregame ritual such that, if he didn't do it before a game, he would perform poorly.
In the playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers that year, the Blues were playing Game 6 at home. Glenn failed to perform his pregame ritual, and the Blues lost in double overtime and had to play Game 7 in Philadelphia.
On the day of Game 7, Glenn hadn't lost his lunch and warned his coach in advance. "He told me if he didn't have it, I should pull him out of the game early," Bowman said. "Well, our other goalie, he hadn't played a minute in two months."
Bowman tried to seek the advice of another veteran player, defenseman Doug Harvey, and eventually located Doug in the men's washroom, performing his own pregame ritual - shaving. "I'll keep both eyes on him [Glenn]," Doug promised, "but he'll be fine."
Sure enough, as Bowman left the washroom, he noticed a pair of goalie pads jutting out of one of the stalls.
Later that evening, Glenn Hall stopped 26 shots to win the game, 3-1, and eliminate the Flyers from the playoffs.
=======================
Now that lunchtime is over (here in the Philippines, at least), I think I can share with you the following:
The Case of the Vomiting Veteran
Former NHL coach Scotty Bowman has guided eight teams to a Stanley Cup championship. The first team he ever coached in the NHL was the St. Louis Blues back in 1967-68, which featured veteran goalie Glenn Hall.
Glenn was well-known in the sport for (1) employing the "butterfly" style of goaltending, which was unique until Patrick Roy made it popular in the 1980s, and for (2) losing his lunch before every game. His vomiting took on the status of a pregame ritual such that, if he didn't do it before a game, he would perform poorly.
In the playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers that year, the Blues were playing Game 6 at home. Glenn failed to perform his pregame ritual, and the Blues lost in double overtime and had to play Game 7 in Philadelphia.
On the day of Game 7, Glenn hadn't lost his lunch and warned his coach in advance. "He told me if he didn't have it, I should pull him out of the game early," Bowman said. "Well, our other goalie, he hadn't played a minute in two months."
Bowman tried to seek the advice of another veteran player, defenseman Doug Harvey, and eventually located Doug in the men's washroom, performing his own pregame ritual - shaving. "I'll keep both eyes on him [Glenn]," Doug promised, "but he'll be fine."
Sure enough, as Bowman left the washroom, he noticed a pair of goalie pads jutting out of one of the stalls.
Later that evening, Glenn Hall stopped 26 shots to win the game, 3-1, and eliminate the Flyers from the playoffs.
@5fc, cge, kaw pa! lakas mo sakin eh hehe 
di lang pala pizza un, soup was also involved haha.
this incident was after ManU's win over Arsenal which broke the latter's 49-game unbeaten streak that dates back to March of 2003.
Soup Thrown at Fergie
Soup Thrown At Fergie - Report
Mon 25 Oct, 8:09 AM
Reports on Monday morning claim that Sir Alex Ferguson had soup and sandwiches thrown at him following the bitter 2-0 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford that ended the Gunners 49-match unbeaten league run.
The Daily Telegraph allege tomato soup was hurled at the Manchester United manager by an "opposition player" in a corridor off the main tunnel.
The alleged incident came after a controversial match in which Ruud van Nistelrooy put United ahead after Wayne Rooney won a controversial penalty when he was being brought down in the area by Sol Campbell.
Rooney himself celebrated his 19th birthday with the second goal.
The Times report that Ferguson was "spattered with soup, sandwiches and pizza by an Arsenal player" and had to change his suit before coming out for television interviews in a tracksuit.
They admit there was no video evidence of the alleged incident which would almost certainly leave the Football Association with a difficult decision if they were to follow up the claims.
The Daily Mail adds that there was a heated tunnel exchange between Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.
The paper claims Wenger said of the penalty incident: "Even Rooney himself was telling our players that nobody touched him."
And the Daily Mirror claim Ferguson was pelted by "pea soup" and that Thierry Henry was involved in a row with United keeper Roy Carroll.
Edu (of Arsenal) Confirms Tunnel Fracas
Edu Confirms Tunnel Fracas
Fri 29 Oct, 8:09 AM
Brazil midfielder Edu has admitted there was an altercation between Manchester United and Arsenal players after last Sunday's controversial Old Trafford encounter.
The Gunners' 49-game unbeaten Premiership run ended with goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy, who converted a hotly-contested penalty, and Wayne Rooney.
It has since been reported that Sir Alex Ferguson subsequently had soup and pizza thrown at him by a so far unidentified member of the Arsenal squad in the tunnel.
The FA are trying to establish what happened and, although Arsene Wenger has dismissed the incident as "nothing happened", Edu has shed some light on the matter.
He told www.uefa.com: "Afterwards, as we went down the tunnel, I saw people being pulled apart, people pushing, pointing and shouting.
"The United players were shouting at us and trying to wind us up about the result. But I didn't see any soup being thrown at anyone.
"To be honest, there was nothing that I haven't seen in the Brazilian derbies. Derby matches in Brazil are worse. I like to play in games like this with this intense rivalry."
Arsenal chairman David Dein has reportedly had peace talks with the United board in a bid to put a lid on the bitter dispute which has raged between the two clubs since last weekend.
However, Edu reopened the war of words as he added: "I think we were a lot fairer in the tackles than United.
"Jose Antonio Reyes was being kicked all over the park - they were beating up the boy. And Gary Neville was tackling in such a way that he should have been sent off.
"I also thought Rio Ferdinand was fortunate to remain on the pitch after his challenge on Freddie Ljungberg as the last defender in the first half.
"The way both teams played showed that neither team wanted to give in and, of course, every time we meet it's going to be like that.
"It shows the intensity of the fight for dominance between us and that is good for the sport and the Premier League. The games are played with a lot of energy but I think some of the United players were malicious last Sunday."
Van Nistelrooy has already been banned for three matches for his horror tackle on Ashley Cole while the FA have asked Wenger to explain his post-match comments about the Dutch striker and referee Mike Riley.
United legend George Best has revealed his disdain for the perpetrators of the food fight which took place.
Best dismissed the antics as "childish" and insisted his generation would have dealt with the situation in a very different manner.
He told the Manchester Evening News: "That's what children do - throw food. That's not fighting. We were real men. We'd have chinned them."
Cole (of Arsenal) handed United Pizza Action
Cole handed pizza United action: report
Wed 27 Oct, 11:18 AM
Cole handed pizza United action: report
LONDON (AFP) - Britain's biggest-selling newspaper said that Arsenal full-back Ashley Cole was responsible for throwing a piece of pizza that it claimed hit Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
The incident, one of the most bizarre of this or any other English football season, took place after United ended Premiership champions Arsenal's top-flight record of 49 unbeaten games with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Various reports have suggested that soup, a sandwich or pizza, if not a combination of all three, had been thrown by an unidentified Arsenal player following an ill-tempered clash.
However, the Sun - which has a daily circulation of over three million - led its Wednesday front page with the banner headline 'Old Fling Cole'.
It said the 23-year-old England defender was aiming for United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who earlier in the match appeared to stamp on Cole, but missed and hit Ferguson instead.
The United manager was forced to change out of his suit for a television interview.
On Tuesday Dutch international Van Nistelrooy, 28, who scored United's opener from the penalty spot, accepted a Football Association (FA) charge of serious foul play.
He also said he would serve the standard three-game ban punishment to those found guilty of such charges even though the panel hearing his case does not meet until Thursday.
According to a witness quoted by the Sun: "Ashley loves pizza. He'd normally eat it not throw it... The Arsenal players thought it (the pizza hitting Ferguson) was hilarious. They were splitting their sides in the dressing room."
Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger branded van Nistelrooy a "cheat" and was also severely critical of referee Mike Riley. The FA are currently looking into both Wenger's comments and the tunnel incident.
Meanwhile the Sun's inside pages carried a photograph of some of its reporters holding pizza boxes branded with the paper's logo being ignored by Arsenal players leaving the London's club training ground on Tuesday.
And the Sun also joined forces with one of Britain's largest chain of pizza restuarants to offer its readers tokens for purchasing the newly created 'Flaming Fergie' and 'Wenger Wobbler' pizzas.
The creation named in honour of the United boss was described as a "fiery feast that will knock your head off," a reference to Ferguson's notoriously short temper.
Anyone eating a pizza bearing Wenger's name was assured of an "explosive Mediterranean experience".
Meanwhile, a Pizza Hut spokesman said: "Unfortunately, we are not able to supply any sour grapes."
Arsenal, who return to Manchester to play Manchester City in the League Cup on Wednesday, currently lead the Premiership by two points from second-placed Chelsea with fifth-placed United eight points off top spot.
di lang pala pizza un, soup was also involved haha.
this incident was after ManU's win over Arsenal which broke the latter's 49-game unbeaten streak that dates back to March of 2003.
Soup Thrown at Fergie
Soup Thrown At Fergie - Report
Mon 25 Oct, 8:09 AM
Reports on Monday morning claim that Sir Alex Ferguson had soup and sandwiches thrown at him following the bitter 2-0 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford that ended the Gunners 49-match unbeaten league run.
The Daily Telegraph allege tomato soup was hurled at the Manchester United manager by an "opposition player" in a corridor off the main tunnel.
The alleged incident came after a controversial match in which Ruud van Nistelrooy put United ahead after Wayne Rooney won a controversial penalty when he was being brought down in the area by Sol Campbell.
Rooney himself celebrated his 19th birthday with the second goal.
The Times report that Ferguson was "spattered with soup, sandwiches and pizza by an Arsenal player" and had to change his suit before coming out for television interviews in a tracksuit.
They admit there was no video evidence of the alleged incident which would almost certainly leave the Football Association with a difficult decision if they were to follow up the claims.
The Daily Mail adds that there was a heated tunnel exchange between Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.
The paper claims Wenger said of the penalty incident: "Even Rooney himself was telling our players that nobody touched him."
And the Daily Mirror claim Ferguson was pelted by "pea soup" and that Thierry Henry was involved in a row with United keeper Roy Carroll.
Edu (of Arsenal) Confirms Tunnel Fracas
Edu Confirms Tunnel Fracas
Fri 29 Oct, 8:09 AM
Brazil midfielder Edu has admitted there was an altercation between Manchester United and Arsenal players after last Sunday's controversial Old Trafford encounter.
The Gunners' 49-game unbeaten Premiership run ended with goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy, who converted a hotly-contested penalty, and Wayne Rooney.
It has since been reported that Sir Alex Ferguson subsequently had soup and pizza thrown at him by a so far unidentified member of the Arsenal squad in the tunnel.
The FA are trying to establish what happened and, although Arsene Wenger has dismissed the incident as "nothing happened", Edu has shed some light on the matter.
He told www.uefa.com: "Afterwards, as we went down the tunnel, I saw people being pulled apart, people pushing, pointing and shouting.
"The United players were shouting at us and trying to wind us up about the result. But I didn't see any soup being thrown at anyone.
"To be honest, there was nothing that I haven't seen in the Brazilian derbies. Derby matches in Brazil are worse. I like to play in games like this with this intense rivalry."
Arsenal chairman David Dein has reportedly had peace talks with the United board in a bid to put a lid on the bitter dispute which has raged between the two clubs since last weekend.
However, Edu reopened the war of words as he added: "I think we were a lot fairer in the tackles than United.
"Jose Antonio Reyes was being kicked all over the park - they were beating up the boy. And Gary Neville was tackling in such a way that he should have been sent off.
"I also thought Rio Ferdinand was fortunate to remain on the pitch after his challenge on Freddie Ljungberg as the last defender in the first half.
"The way both teams played showed that neither team wanted to give in and, of course, every time we meet it's going to be like that.
"It shows the intensity of the fight for dominance between us and that is good for the sport and the Premier League. The games are played with a lot of energy but I think some of the United players were malicious last Sunday."
Van Nistelrooy has already been banned for three matches for his horror tackle on Ashley Cole while the FA have asked Wenger to explain his post-match comments about the Dutch striker and referee Mike Riley.
United legend George Best has revealed his disdain for the perpetrators of the food fight which took place.
Best dismissed the antics as "childish" and insisted his generation would have dealt with the situation in a very different manner.
He told the Manchester Evening News: "That's what children do - throw food. That's not fighting. We were real men. We'd have chinned them."
Cole (of Arsenal) handed United Pizza Action
Cole handed pizza United action: report
Wed 27 Oct, 11:18 AM
Cole handed pizza United action: report
LONDON (AFP) - Britain's biggest-selling newspaper said that Arsenal full-back Ashley Cole was responsible for throwing a piece of pizza that it claimed hit Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
The incident, one of the most bizarre of this or any other English football season, took place after United ended Premiership champions Arsenal's top-flight record of 49 unbeaten games with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Various reports have suggested that soup, a sandwich or pizza, if not a combination of all three, had been thrown by an unidentified Arsenal player following an ill-tempered clash.
However, the Sun - which has a daily circulation of over three million - led its Wednesday front page with the banner headline 'Old Fling Cole'.
It said the 23-year-old England defender was aiming for United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who earlier in the match appeared to stamp on Cole, but missed and hit Ferguson instead.
The United manager was forced to change out of his suit for a television interview.
On Tuesday Dutch international Van Nistelrooy, 28, who scored United's opener from the penalty spot, accepted a Football Association (FA) charge of serious foul play.
He also said he would serve the standard three-game ban punishment to those found guilty of such charges even though the panel hearing his case does not meet until Thursday.
According to a witness quoted by the Sun: "Ashley loves pizza. He'd normally eat it not throw it... The Arsenal players thought it (the pizza hitting Ferguson) was hilarious. They were splitting their sides in the dressing room."
Arsenal's French manager Arsene Wenger branded van Nistelrooy a "cheat" and was also severely critical of referee Mike Riley. The FA are currently looking into both Wenger's comments and the tunnel incident.
Meanwhile the Sun's inside pages carried a photograph of some of its reporters holding pizza boxes branded with the paper's logo being ignored by Arsenal players leaving the London's club training ground on Tuesday.
And the Sun also joined forces with one of Britain's largest chain of pizza restuarants to offer its readers tokens for purchasing the newly created 'Flaming Fergie' and 'Wenger Wobbler' pizzas.
The creation named in honour of the United boss was described as a "fiery feast that will knock your head off," a reference to Ferguson's notoriously short temper.
Anyone eating a pizza bearing Wenger's name was assured of an "explosive Mediterranean experience".
Meanwhile, a Pizza Hut spokesman said: "Unfortunately, we are not able to supply any sour grapes."
Arsenal, who return to Manchester to play Manchester City in the League Cup on Wednesday, currently lead the Premiership by two points from second-placed Chelsea with fifth-placed United eight points off top spot.
A Love Supreme
My tribute to Julius Winfield Erving and why I love basketball
“
My tribute to Julius Winfield Erving and why I love basketball
“
My first favorite pro basketball team was the Philadelphia 76ers. That team (even their predecessors, the champion ’67 team) remains a fond memory. In many ways, I am even more passionate about those Sixers team more than my love for the Bulls even after I switched allegiances. I switched when Doc retired and they traded Moses (who had led them to the Promised Land) for Jeff Ruland, who was never the same player he was when he was with the Bullets. Coincidentally, Ruland was one-half of DC’s McFilthy and McNasty; the other being Rick Mahorn who would later join Charles Barkley to form Bump and Thump for the Sixers in the 91 season.
It was a shame that those Sixers teams, no matter how talented they were, never won more than one title. They had the misfortune (along with the Stilt’s team) of oft running into the Celtics (whom I hated with a passion as much as I did the Red Sox) and the Lakers.
Doug Collins, who was the team’s No.1 draft pick in 74 (and was nearly traded for Chicago’s Clifford Ray but was voided when Ray failed the physical) has always been one of my fave Sixers (along with Doc, Toney, the Stilt, Bobby Jones, Big Moe, Sir Charles, Manute Bol, Billy Cunningham, Darryl Dawkins, and Eric Snow). If I had only three jerseys to wear, they be Doc’s #6, MJ’s #23, and Doug’s #20.
Jack McCallum once said that watching the Sixers in the old Convention Hall was magic. And although I never got to see those Sixers teams except on TV (the Sixers I did watch were of Allen Iverson’s), every single game was magic to me as well; even the losses.
Today, I remain a Bulls fan and root also for the San Antonio Spurs (mainly because of the team’s two international stars in da man Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker) whom I had the good fortune of watching in New York, New Jersey and Philly). Maybe one day, I’ll be a Sixers fan again. For a bit, I was hoping that Kobe Bryant would sign up with his hometown Sixers and then, just then, I’ll be rooting for those old faves of mine again.
It was a shame that those Sixers teams, no matter how talented they were, never won more than one title. They had the misfortune (along with the Stilt’s team) of oft running into the Celtics (whom I hated with a passion as much as I did the Red Sox) and the Lakers.
Doug Collins, who was the team’s No.1 draft pick in 74 (and was nearly traded for Chicago’s Clifford Ray but was voided when Ray failed the physical) has always been one of my fave Sixers (along with Doc, Toney, the Stilt, Bobby Jones, Big Moe, Sir Charles, Manute Bol, Billy Cunningham, Darryl Dawkins, and Eric Snow). If I had only three jerseys to wear, they be Doc’s #6, MJ’s #23, and Doug’s #20.
Jack McCallum once said that watching the Sixers in the old Convention Hall was magic. And although I never got to see those Sixers teams except on TV (the Sixers I did watch were of Allen Iverson’s), every single game was magic to me as well; even the losses.
Today, I remain a Bulls fan and root also for the San Antonio Spurs (mainly because of the team’s two international stars in da man Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker) whom I had the good fortune of watching in New York, New Jersey and Philly). Maybe one day, I’ll be a Sixers fan again. For a bit, I was hoping that Kobe Bryant would sign up with his hometown Sixers and then, just then, I’ll be rooting for those old faves of mine again.
I'm what you call a "balimbing" NFL Fan: I have a team for the season, which I may or may not root for next year. This year I'm rooting for the Chargers since everyone gave them a snowball's chance in hell to do well this season. However, ever since I started following the NFL, I've always had a soft spot for the Oakland Raiders even before the thugs and gangstas adopted the silver and black as their very own.
They had their share of heroes: Marcus Allen, Tim Brown, Charles Woodson, Jim Plunkett, Bo Jackson, Art Schell, Howie Long, Gene Upshaw (Jerry Rice will always be a 49er to me). They also had their share of clowns and characters: John "The Tooz" Matuszak, Lyle Alzado, Lester "Stickum" Hayes, etc. One thing for sure, if there ever was a controversy in the NFL, you could bet a month's pay that the Raiders would be involved in it one way or another.
Probably the most high profile controversy that the Raiduhs got themselves involved in was the Heidi Bowl: the greatest football finish that never was. The game changed the way sports programming operated, and is Al Davis' contribution to the media management knowledge base. Since the game happened in the late 60s, I'll leave it to the experts at NFL.com to give a blow-by-blow of what happened. Read on.
The Heidi Game
Oakland Raiders 43, New York Jets 32
Nov. 17, 1968
By Phil Barber
NFL Publishing
(Nov. 24, 1999) — You want an indication of the bizarre nature of the football war waged by the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets on the afternoon of Nov. 17, 1968? Though the game was filled with marquee-worthy stars — Joe Namath, Daryle Lamonica, Fred Biletnikoff and Don Maynard among them — the two most notable acts were turned in by guys named Preston Ridlehuber and Dick Cline.
Ridlehuber would be permanently out of football little more than a year later. Cline never set foot on an NFL field.
The event now known as the Heidi Game featured a most remarkable ending. But what earned it a spot in sporting lore — and 10th place among the Most Memorable NFL Games of the Century — is the fact that most of the nation was not allowed to see that conclusion. After the Jets' Jim Turner kicked a field goal to give his team a 32-29 lead with 1:05 to play, NBC went to a commercial. When the network returned, it was not to a taut battle of American Football League heavyweights. It was to "Heidi," that pig-tailed Alpine goat-herder, as played by Jennifer Edwards in a made-for-TV premiere movie.
Time out for a little contextual set-up: The Jets and Raiders were the class of the AFL. Each was 7-2 coming into this showdown at the Oakland Coliseum. More than that, their games had blossomed into hatefests, full of late hits and bloody noses. This one was not a disappointment.
The Heidi Game featured five lead changes and a dizzying show of aerial acrobatics. Namath passed for 381 yards and a touchdown, Lamonica for 311 yards and four touchdowns. Maynard caught 10 passes for 228 yards. The game also included 19 penalties for 238 yards.
It was the penalties, in part, that caused the game to overflow its three-hour time slot. It was due to end at 7 p.m. Eastern time. When it didn't, NBC switched to Heidi in the Eastern and Central zones. The man who threw the switch was Cline, NBC's supervisor of broadcast operation control (BOC).
"I knew something big had happened," says Cline, who still directs sporting events for NBC and CBS, "because we didn't get any phone calls at all. And we couldn't call out."
What happened was a torrent of angry calls from East Coast couch potatoes, who asked, in colorful terms, why a spunky little girl had replaced their football game. They flooded the switchboard at Manhattan's Rockefeller Plaza and crashed the phone exchange.
As it happened, they missed a fairly exciting 65 seconds. Lamonica threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to halfback Charlie Smith with 42 seconds to play, giving Oakland a 36-32 lead. The ensuing kickoff spurted free and Ridlehuber, the Raiders' reserve fullback, picked it up and ran into the end zone. The Raiders had scored 14 points in a shorter time than it took Heidi to yodel.
NBC president Julian Goodman issued a formal apology the next day. But no heads rolled, least of all Cline's.
"I was saved by the set of conditions [distributed to network executives each week]," he says. "I had it in print. In fact, the vice president of my division told me that if I had taken it on my own and stayed with the game, I would have been fired."
The problem was one of policy, not individual decision-making. NBC had sold the Heidi advertising to Timex, and was obligated to show the movie from 7 to 9 P.M. The game's surreal finish altered that practice. Evermore, TV networks would stay with football games until their conclusion. The program to follow would then "slide," rather than being joined in progress.
At NBC, one other lasting change followed in the wake of the Jets-Raiders game. The network installed a new phone in the BOC room, wired to a separate exchange. Of course, it became known as the Heidi Phone.
They had their share of heroes: Marcus Allen, Tim Brown, Charles Woodson, Jim Plunkett, Bo Jackson, Art Schell, Howie Long, Gene Upshaw (Jerry Rice will always be a 49er to me). They also had their share of clowns and characters: John "The Tooz" Matuszak, Lyle Alzado, Lester "Stickum" Hayes, etc. One thing for sure, if there ever was a controversy in the NFL, you could bet a month's pay that the Raiders would be involved in it one way or another.
Probably the most high profile controversy that the Raiduhs got themselves involved in was the Heidi Bowl: the greatest football finish that never was. The game changed the way sports programming operated, and is Al Davis' contribution to the media management knowledge base. Since the game happened in the late 60s, I'll leave it to the experts at NFL.com to give a blow-by-blow of what happened. Read on.
The Heidi Game
Oakland Raiders 43, New York Jets 32
Nov. 17, 1968
By Phil Barber
NFL Publishing
(Nov. 24, 1999) — You want an indication of the bizarre nature of the football war waged by the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets on the afternoon of Nov. 17, 1968? Though the game was filled with marquee-worthy stars — Joe Namath, Daryle Lamonica, Fred Biletnikoff and Don Maynard among them — the two most notable acts were turned in by guys named Preston Ridlehuber and Dick Cline.
Ridlehuber would be permanently out of football little more than a year later. Cline never set foot on an NFL field.
The event now known as the Heidi Game featured a most remarkable ending. But what earned it a spot in sporting lore — and 10th place among the Most Memorable NFL Games of the Century — is the fact that most of the nation was not allowed to see that conclusion. After the Jets' Jim Turner kicked a field goal to give his team a 32-29 lead with 1:05 to play, NBC went to a commercial. When the network returned, it was not to a taut battle of American Football League heavyweights. It was to "Heidi," that pig-tailed Alpine goat-herder, as played by Jennifer Edwards in a made-for-TV premiere movie.
Time out for a little contextual set-up: The Jets and Raiders were the class of the AFL. Each was 7-2 coming into this showdown at the Oakland Coliseum. More than that, their games had blossomed into hatefests, full of late hits and bloody noses. This one was not a disappointment.
The Heidi Game featured five lead changes and a dizzying show of aerial acrobatics. Namath passed for 381 yards and a touchdown, Lamonica for 311 yards and four touchdowns. Maynard caught 10 passes for 228 yards. The game also included 19 penalties for 238 yards.
It was the penalties, in part, that caused the game to overflow its three-hour time slot. It was due to end at 7 p.m. Eastern time. When it didn't, NBC switched to Heidi in the Eastern and Central zones. The man who threw the switch was Cline, NBC's supervisor of broadcast operation control (BOC).
"I knew something big had happened," says Cline, who still directs sporting events for NBC and CBS, "because we didn't get any phone calls at all. And we couldn't call out."
What happened was a torrent of angry calls from East Coast couch potatoes, who asked, in colorful terms, why a spunky little girl had replaced their football game. They flooded the switchboard at Manhattan's Rockefeller Plaza and crashed the phone exchange.
As it happened, they missed a fairly exciting 65 seconds. Lamonica threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to halfback Charlie Smith with 42 seconds to play, giving Oakland a 36-32 lead. The ensuing kickoff spurted free and Ridlehuber, the Raiders' reserve fullback, picked it up and ran into the end zone. The Raiders had scored 14 points in a shorter time than it took Heidi to yodel.
NBC president Julian Goodman issued a formal apology the next day. But no heads rolled, least of all Cline's.
"I was saved by the set of conditions [distributed to network executives each week]," he says. "I had it in print. In fact, the vice president of my division told me that if I had taken it on my own and stayed with the game, I would have been fired."
The problem was one of policy, not individual decision-making. NBC had sold the Heidi advertising to Timex, and was obligated to show the movie from 7 to 9 P.M. The game's surreal finish altered that practice. Evermore, TV networks would stay with football games until their conclusion. The program to follow would then "slide," rather than being joined in progress.
At NBC, one other lasting change followed in the wake of the Jets-Raiders game. The network installed a new phone in the BOC room, wired to a separate exchange. Of course, it became known as the Heidi Phone.
like jaco, i've always considered myself an oakland raiders fan through and through, though my season favorites may vary from year to year (this season, i'm riveted to the touchdown exploits of the indianapolis colts led by QB peyton manning and mentored by the unlikeliest of coaches, defensive whiz tony dungy--whose last team, the tampa bay buccaneers, averaged only about 14 pts a game).
the john madden raiders were a bruising band of oddballs and police characters. they had a quarterback nicknamed snake (kenny stabler). they had a wide receiver who didn't run fast but was money down the stretch (fred biletnikoff, whose slant move was later copied with great success by seattle's steve largent). they had a kicker and backup quarterback who was older than the coach (george blanda). they had an out-of-this-world offensive linemen tandem who were adept in both pass and run blocking (guard gene upshaw and tackle art shell, now both at the hall of fame in canton, ohio).
they had a linebacker who at 6'7, 215 lbs, will be considered too thin to play basketball nowadays, yet was among the most feared outside rushers in his time (ted hendricks). and they also had a defensive lineman who personified the raiders' renegade image with his handlebar moustache, leather jacket, and harley chopper (ben davidson). he was a hell's angel without even trying. add to the mix the likes of lyle alzado, the tooz, jack "the assassin" tatum (probably the most murderous hitter of all time together with dick butkus), and willie brown (acknowledged as the best cornerback ever), and you have a team that you either loved or hated to pieces.
for me, what really made me a favorite is their willingness to throw the bomb or the gamebreaker, wherein snake or jim plunkett or vince evans would drop back 10 steps and just let loose to the coffin corners six, seven times in a game. it was a sight to behold--the drama of the drop back, the blockers forming a V-alignment in pass protection, the release, the flight, and the sight of cliff branch and freddie b running underneath to receive the pass. even if it resulted in an incompletion, whoa, that got me out of my seat
now, all this west coast offense thing is getting tiresome. that's why hooray for michael vick, peyton manning, and tom brady for their rocket arms!
the john madden raiders were a bruising band of oddballs and police characters. they had a quarterback nicknamed snake (kenny stabler). they had a wide receiver who didn't run fast but was money down the stretch (fred biletnikoff, whose slant move was later copied with great success by seattle's steve largent). they had a kicker and backup quarterback who was older than the coach (george blanda). they had an out-of-this-world offensive linemen tandem who were adept in both pass and run blocking (guard gene upshaw and tackle art shell, now both at the hall of fame in canton, ohio).
they had a linebacker who at 6'7, 215 lbs, will be considered too thin to play basketball nowadays, yet was among the most feared outside rushers in his time (ted hendricks). and they also had a defensive lineman who personified the raiders' renegade image with his handlebar moustache, leather jacket, and harley chopper (ben davidson). he was a hell's angel without even trying. add to the mix the likes of lyle alzado, the tooz, jack "the assassin" tatum (probably the most murderous hitter of all time together with dick butkus), and willie brown (acknowledged as the best cornerback ever), and you have a team that you either loved or hated to pieces.
for me, what really made me a favorite is their willingness to throw the bomb or the gamebreaker, wherein snake or jim plunkett or vince evans would drop back 10 steps and just let loose to the coffin corners six, seven times in a game. it was a sight to behold--the drama of the drop back, the blockers forming a V-alignment in pass protection, the release, the flight, and the sight of cliff branch and freddie b running underneath to receive the pass. even if it resulted in an incompletion, whoa, that got me out of my seat
now, all this west coast offense thing is getting tiresome. that's why hooray for michael vick, peyton manning, and tom brady for their rocket arms!
picked these up from Sports Illustrated:
Pat Williams, GM of Philadelphia 76ers during 260-pound power forward Charles Barkley's rookie year in 1984:
"Charles joined my family for a day at the beach last summer, and my children asked if they could go to the ocean. I had to tell them, 'Not right now, kids. Charles is using it.'"
Steve Largent, Seattle Seahawks' record-setting All-Pro Wide Receiver, when asked which record he would cherish most when he'd retire:
"Probably the Beatles' White Album."
Jeff Innis, New York Mets pitcher when asked to comment about an unflaterring photo of him in 1991:
"That picture was taken out of context."
Elden Campbell, Los Angeles Lakers power forward in 1991 when asked if he earned his degree from Clemson:
"No, but they gave it to me anyway."
DOESN'T THIS REMIND YOU OF SOME SCHOOL'S GIMMICK? bwahaha
Joe Theismann, former Washington Redskins Quarterback:
"The word genius isn't applicable to football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
Bwahaha
Pat Williams, GM of Philadelphia 76ers during 260-pound power forward Charles Barkley's rookie year in 1984:
"Charles joined my family for a day at the beach last summer, and my children asked if they could go to the ocean. I had to tell them, 'Not right now, kids. Charles is using it.'"
Steve Largent, Seattle Seahawks' record-setting All-Pro Wide Receiver, when asked which record he would cherish most when he'd retire:
"Probably the Beatles' White Album."
Jeff Innis, New York Mets pitcher when asked to comment about an unflaterring photo of him in 1991:
"That picture was taken out of context."
Elden Campbell, Los Angeles Lakers power forward in 1991 when asked if he earned his degree from Clemson:
"No, but they gave it to me anyway."
DOESN'T THIS REMIND YOU OF SOME SCHOOL'S GIMMICK? bwahaha
Joe Theismann, former Washington Redskins Quarterback:
"The word genius isn't applicable to football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."
Bwahaha
Just to add to BK's post......
From a Bob Hope special in the early 80s wherein he made the annual ritual of introducing the year's college all-american football team:
Da Nose: What do you prefer, grass or Astro-Turf?
Mr. College Jock (forget his name): Can't say. I haven't yet smoked Astro-Turf.
Juuuutttttts!!!!!
From a Bob Hope special in the early 80s wherein he made the annual ritual of introducing the year's college all-american football team:
Da Nose: What do you prefer, grass or Astro-Turf?
Mr. College Jock (forget his name): Can't say. I haven't yet smoked Astro-Turf.
Juuuutttttts!!!!!
at larry bird's retirement ceremony at the old boston garden, of course all the great celtic players, those before him and his contemporaries, were there to see his jersey raised to the rafters. so at one point during the ceremony, bird spoke up and said something like "you know, there are so many great players out there now who will eventually take my place in the near future", something like that.
then magic johnson comes up and speaks. he says something like "no, no, you're wrong. yes there may be a lot of up-and-coming superstars today, but one thing's for sure, THERE WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER, BE ANOTHER LARRY BIRD."
the sincerest validation of his greatness.
then magic johnson comes up and speaks. he says something like "no, no, you're wrong. yes there may be a lot of up-and-coming superstars today, but one thing's for sure, THERE WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER, BE ANOTHER LARRY BIRD."
the sincerest validation of his greatness.
As an unabashedly avid and loyal Kings fan, I HAVE to put this in:
It was a Kings-Lakers game last season, at Staples Center. Webber was still out with his knee injury, and the game was pretty tight. At about halftime, TNT's Charles Barkley piped up, "There's no way in hell the Kings are gonna win this game." As the final buzzer sounded, the Kings picked up the win behind Peja Stojakovic's 37 points (including 16 in the third quarter, perfect from the field). But the player of the game turned out to be Mike Bibby, who scored 30 points as well as a couple of HUGE three-pointers in the final minute to win the game for Sactown.
Barkley was tasked to interview Bibby, and instead of congratulating Mike, he started mouthing off, saying that the Kings could never win an NBA title without better defense and better play on the road. He said that those things are essential to win the big one.
Mike paused for a moment and then answered, "Well, how would you know, Charles?"
It was rumored that TNT's Kenny Smith was seen rolling on the floor with laughter a moment later.
It was a Kings-Lakers game last season, at Staples Center. Webber was still out with his knee injury, and the game was pretty tight. At about halftime, TNT's Charles Barkley piped up, "There's no way in hell the Kings are gonna win this game." As the final buzzer sounded, the Kings picked up the win behind Peja Stojakovic's 37 points (including 16 in the third quarter, perfect from the field). But the player of the game turned out to be Mike Bibby, who scored 30 points as well as a couple of HUGE three-pointers in the final minute to win the game for Sactown.
Barkley was tasked to interview Bibby, and instead of congratulating Mike, he started mouthing off, saying that the Kings could never win an NBA title without better defense and better play on the road. He said that those things are essential to win the big one.
Mike paused for a moment and then answered, "Well, how would you know, Charles?"
It was rumored that TNT's Kenny Smith was seen rolling on the floor with laughter a moment later.
this thread is great. just goes to show how diverse atenean interests and knowledge are...
thanks, bluewing. haven't seen you post in these parts in some time now. happy new year, dude! and great posts, guys! keep them coming. hope you love the new home page. if you haven't, go check it out. new columns and articles will be out soon.
SHAMELESS PLUG: check out my new year's resolutions in my next column. bwahaha
now back to the topic!
SHAMELESS PLUG: check out my new year's resolutions in my next column. bwahaha
now back to the topic!
here's another hilarious one:
Brother Ray Page, teacher at St. Anthony High School, Jersey City, NJ (and a few blocks from where I live!), on alumnus and former Duke and Sacramento Kings guard, Bobby Hurley:
"He once asked me if Beirut was named after that famous baseball player who hit home runs."
bwahaha
Brother Ray Page, teacher at St. Anthony High School, Jersey City, NJ (and a few blocks from where I live!), on alumnus and former Duke and Sacramento Kings guard, Bobby Hurley:
"He once asked me if Beirut was named after that famous baseball player who hit home runs."
bwahaha
happy new year, BK.
haven't been checking out the site egularly since the old one f*cked up. nakakawalang-gana dati e...
but this new one... i love it. it's very classy and well-put together.
haven't been checking out the site egularly since the old one f*cked up. nakakawalang-gana dati e...
but this new one... i love it. it's very classy and well-put together.
Overheard by someone on an airplane:
STEWARDESS: Mr. Ali, please fasten your seatbelt.
MUHAMMAD ALI: Superman don't need no seatbelt.
STEWARDESS: Superman don't need no airplane, either.
STEWARDESS: Mr. Ali, please fasten your seatbelt.
MUHAMMAD ALI: Superman don't need no seatbelt.
STEWARDESS: Superman don't need no airplane, either.
charles barkley recently asked an NBA player, "did you see sam cassell in lord of the rings?"
Larry Bird to KC Jones during timeout to map out play for game winning basket (against Seattle I think)
"Just pass me the ball and tell everyone to get out of the way"
Bird makes last shot over Xavier McDaniel to win game. Later on, the X-man said that everyone in the building knew who would get the last shot and he made it anyway.
"Just pass me the ball and tell everyone to get out of the way"
Bird makes last shot over Xavier McDaniel to win game. Later on, the X-man said that everyone in the building knew who would get the last shot and he made it anyway.
Joe Montana to rest of the 49ers in one of the huddles during SF's winning drive to in Superbowl XXIII (11 plays 92 yards)
Noticing someone in the crowd..."Hey guys, isn't that John Candy?"
Noticing someone in the crowd..."Hey guys, isn't that John Candy?"
at the start of the 1992 NBA season, Charles Barkley (who was then playing his last year for the Philadelphia 76ers) changed his uniform number from his usual #34 to #32 in honor of Magic Johnson who recently retired because of testing HIV positive. That caused a furor cause #32 was retired by the Sixers org for former player and coach Billy Cunningham. Cunningham and the Sixers acquiesed to avoid a public relations flap.
But the number change was done before the season started. To my knowledge, there have been two number switches by one player during one season (providing they were not traded):
Michael Jordan 94-95 from #45 to #23 (in that infamous "#45 doesn't take offlike #23 used to" by the Magic's Nick Anderson.
The other was Rick Barry in his twilight years with the Houston Rockets. He wore #2 for home games and #4 for road games.
If that were to happen this day and age, he'd be singled out for crass commercialism.
But the number change was done before the season started. To my knowledge, there have been two number switches by one player during one season (providing they were not traded):
Michael Jordan 94-95 from #45 to #23 (in that infamous "#45 doesn't take offlike #23 used to" by the Magic's Nick Anderson.
The other was Rick Barry in his twilight years with the Houston Rockets. He wore #2 for home games and #4 for road games.
If that were to happen this day and age, he'd be singled out for crass commercialism.
QUOTE(Bleachers King @ Jan 4 2005, 10:27 AM)
Michael Jordan 94-95 from #45 to #23 (in that infamous "#45 doesn't take offlike #23 used to" by the Magic's Nick Anderson.
if i may add, jordan also also wore No. 12 once, when his jersey was stolen in a trip to Orlando in 1990.
Some of the most stupid questions ever asked during a sports interview
To Raiders QB Jim Plunkett after a Superbowl victory:
”Jim is it that your father’s blind or your mother’s dead or is it your father’s dead and your mother’s blind?”
To New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen after pitching a perfect game in the 1956 World Series:
“Is this the best game you’ve ever pitched?”
To Washington Redskins QB Doug Williams after winning the Superbowl:
”So, Doug, how long have you been a black quarterback?”
To Raiders QB Jim Plunkett after a Superbowl victory:
”Jim is it that your father’s blind or your mother’s dead or is it your father’s dead and your mother’s blind?”
To New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen after pitching a perfect game in the 1956 World Series:
“Is this the best game you’ve ever pitched?”
To Washington Redskins QB Doug Williams after winning the Superbowl:
”So, Doug, how long have you been a black quarterback?”
nice thread, BK. Here's a story about Muhammad Ali during the Thrilla in Manila:
Supposedly, when he was introduced to then President Marcos, Ali reportedly remarked:
"You're not as dumb as you look. I saw your wife."
Supposedly, when he was introduced to then President Marcos, Ali reportedly remarked:
"You're not as dumb as you look. I saw your wife."
In the 1940 NFL title game (before the AFL and Superbowl), the Chicago Bears behind Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski destroyed the Washington Redskins in the most lopsided game ever --- 70-0 (it's either this or 73-0 but whichever, it was at least 70 points scored by the Bears to none).
After the game, one of the Redskins was asked if a Washington conversion early in the game might have changed the complexion of the game. "Yeah" answered the Redskin (who's name I can't remember right now), "The scored would have been 70-7."
Bwahaha 
After the game, one of the Redskins was asked if a Washington conversion early in the game might have changed the complexion of the game. "Yeah" answered the Redskin (who's name I can't remember right now), "The scored would have been 70-7."
Bwahaha
very interesting thread!
any stories from local sports, maybe PBA or UAAP history?
any stories from local sports, maybe PBA or UAAP history?
Babe Ruth when he was informed that US President Herbert Hoover earned less than the $80,000 that Ruth was demanding during contract negotiations in 1930: "I had a better year than he did."
Mel Turpin (remember him when MJ dunked on him in 86 after a Utah Jazz fan razzed him about picking on someone his own size after His Airness dunked on John Stockton), the 7-foot center of the Utah Jazz was the first NBA player to be traded for another player in another league of another country when he switched places with Jose Ortiz of Zaragoza, Spain.
PBA stuff coming up...
Mel Turpin (remember him when MJ dunked on him in 86 after a Utah Jazz fan razzed him about picking on someone his own size after His Airness dunked on John Stockton), the 7-foot center of the Utah Jazz was the first NBA player to be traded for another player in another league of another country when he switched places with Jose Ortiz of Zaragoza, Spain.
PBA stuff coming up...
who can forget miller time?
back in the 90's playoffs, reggie miller saved his team from the knicks when they were down by 6 pts with only less than 15 sec left. he made 2 three's within only a few sec from each other, getting the game tied.
as if that wasn't enough, when john starks missed his free throws, reggie got the rebound and was fouled, sending him to the line. he sinks both charity shots with no problem.
the knicks couldn't get back and reggie pulled one under the knicks' (and spike lee's) nose.
that's a total of 8 pts within 15 sec.
back in the 90's playoffs, reggie miller saved his team from the knicks when they were down by 6 pts with only less than 15 sec left. he made 2 three's within only a few sec from each other, getting the game tied.
as if that wasn't enough, when john starks missed his free throws, reggie got the rebound and was fouled, sending him to the line. he sinks both charity shots with no problem.
the knicks couldn't get back and reggie pulled one under the knicks' (and spike lee's) nose.
that's a total of 8 pts within 15 sec.
In Super Bowl XX, January of 1986, The Chicago Bears destroyed the New England Patriots by a score of 46 - 10.
In the aftermath of the game a reporter asked one of the Patriots players if he had ever dreamed that his team would lose the Super Bowl by 36 points. The player responded, " No I never dreamed that. Actually, I only dream about girls."
In the aftermath of the game a reporter asked one of the Patriots players if he had ever dreamed that his team would lose the Super Bowl by 36 points. The player responded, " No I never dreamed that. Actually, I only dream about girls."
Anyone remember Houston vs. Spurs, 9 December 2004? Here's how you score
13 points in 35 seconds, courtesy of T-Mac:
(0:44) [SAN 76-68] D. Brown Free Throw 2 of 2 (18 PTS)
(0:35) [HOU 71-76] McGrady Jump Shot: Made (23 PTS)
(0:31) [HOU] Sura Foul: Personal (6 PF)
(0:31) [HOU] Sura Substitution replaced by Gaines
(0:31) [SAN] Rose Substitution replaced by Ginobili
(0:31) [SAN 77-71] D. Brown Free Throw 1 of 2 (19 PTS)
(0:31) [SAN 78-71] D. Brown Free Throw 2 of 2 (20 PTS)
(0:24) [HOU 74-78] McGrady Jump Shot: Made (26 PTS)
(0:24) [SAN] Duncan Foul: Shooting (3 PF)
(0:24) [HOU] Ming Substitution replaced by R. Bowen
(0:24) [HOU 75-78] McGrady Free Throw 1 of 1 (27 PTS)
(0:24) [SAN] Team Timeout: Regular
(0:24) [SAN] B. Bowen Substitution replaced by Rose
(0:24) [SAN] Ginobili Substitution replaced by Barry
(0:16) [HOU] Padgett Foul: Personal (3 PF)
(0:16) [SAN 79-75] Duncan Free Throw 1 of 2 (25 PTS)
(0:16) [HOU] R. Bowen Substitution replaced by Ming
(0:16) [SAN] Rose Substitution replaced by B. Bowen
(0:16) [SAN] Barry Substitution replaced by Ginobili
(0:16) [SAN 80-75] Duncan Free Throw 2 of 2 (26 PTS)
(0:16) [HOU] Team Timeout: Regular
(0:11) [HOU 78-80] McGrady Jump Shot: Made (30 PTS)
(0:11) [SAN] Team Timeout: Regular
(0:11) [SAN] B. Bowen Substitution replaced by Barry
(0:11) [SAN] Ginobili Substitution replaced by Rose
(0:11) [HOU] Barrett Substitution replaced by R. Bowen
(0:07) [SAN] D. Brown Turnover: Lost Ball (2 TO) Steal: McGrady (5 ST)
(0:01) [HOU 81-80] McGrady Jump Shot: Made (33 PTS)
(0:00) [SAN] Parker Running Jump: Missed
(0:00) [SAN] Team Rebound
(0:00) End Period
13 points in 35 seconds, courtesy of T-Mac:
(0:44) [SAN 76-68] D. Brown Free Throw 2 of 2 (18 PTS)
(0:35) [HOU 71-76] McGrady Jump Shot: Made (23 PTS)
(0:31) [HOU] Sura Foul: Personal (6 PF)
(0:31) [HOU] Sura Substitution replaced by Gaines
(0:31) [SAN] Rose Substitution replaced by Ginobili
(0:31) [SAN 77-71] D. Brown Free Throw 1 of 2 (19 PTS)
(0:31) [SAN 78-71] D. Brown Free Throw 2 of 2 (20 PTS)
(0:24) [HOU 74-78] McGrady Jump Shot: Made (26 PTS)
(0:24) [SAN] Duncan Foul: Shooting (3 PF)
(0:24) [HOU] Ming Substitution replaced by R. Bowen
(0:24) [HOU 75-78] McGrady Free Throw 1 of 1 (27 PTS)
(0:24) [SAN] Team Timeout: Regular
(0:24) [SAN] B. Bowen Substitution replaced by Rose
(0:24) [SAN] Ginobili Substitution replaced by Barry
(0:16) [HOU] Padgett Foul: Personal (3 PF)
(0:16) [SAN 79-75] Duncan Free Throw 1 of 2 (25 PTS)
(0:16) [HOU] R. Bowen Substitution replaced by Ming
(0:16) [SAN] Rose Substitution replaced by B. Bowen
(0:16) [SAN] Barry Substitution replaced by Ginobili
(0:16) [SAN 80-75] Duncan Free Throw 2 of 2 (26 PTS)
(0:16) [HOU] Team Timeout: Regular
(0:11) [HOU 78-80] McGrady Jump Shot: Made (30 PTS)
(0:11) [SAN] Team Timeout: Regular
(0:11) [SAN] B. Bowen Substitution replaced by Barry
(0:11) [SAN] Ginobili Substitution replaced by Rose
(0:11) [HOU] Barrett Substitution replaced by R. Bowen
(0:07) [SAN] D. Brown Turnover: Lost Ball (2 TO) Steal: McGrady (5 ST)
(0:01) [HOU 81-80] McGrady Jump Shot: Made (33 PTS)
(0:00) [SAN] Parker Running Jump: Missed
(0:00) [SAN] Team Rebound
(0:00) End Period
Joe Torre after being on the receiving end of a Steinbrenner tirade/panic attack after losing first 2 games at home to the ALMIGHTY Braves in 96 Series
"Relax, George, we'll go down to Atlanta, win 3 there and come back home to win it all." --which is exactly what they did, thanks to Jim Leyritz, et al.
"Relax, George, we'll go down to Atlanta, win 3 there and come back home to win it all." --which is exactly what they did, thanks to Jim Leyritz, et al.
here's something close to home.
ateneo has 14 NCAA basketball (srs) titles.
1. letran is the only school that has more (15).
2. ateneo has not been playing in the NCAA since 1978.
ateneo has 14 NCAA basketball (srs) titles.
1. letran is the only school that has more (15).
2. ateneo has not been playing in the NCAA since 1978.
when my brother was still in high school he played for the basketball varsity. on one of the knockout games, they were down by points with 11 seconds to go. they fired 2 three pointers and got the lead down to 2 points with 4 seconds to go. afterwhich the opponents made a turnover and the captain of our team got the ball and made a buzzer beater from the 3 point lane and made the shot. the referees said stepping daw so 2 points. the game went into overtime and we won! it was one of the most heart stopping games i ever saw.
In 1989, Michael Chang was a then unknown teenager who reached the semi-finals of French Open. Ranged against him was Ivan Lendl, then the number 1 ranked tennis machine. Chang used his quickness to chase ball after ball until his opponent will finally make a mistake. This style also wore him down as the tournament played on. During the fourth set of their semi-final match, Michael was hit by the cramps and was forced to serve underhanded with no power against Lendl; he played his service games as if he had no serve. The man was in obvious agony with every shot he chased and chased. And yet he won ... and he went on to win the 89 French Open (his first and only major title).
That is, what you call in sports, heart.
That is, what you call in sports, heart.
Australian Open 2003: The first major tournament in tennis played on a rubberized surface at the start of the year.
The match that I am still in awe with is the quarterfinals match between Morocco's Younes El Ayanoui and USA's Andy Roddick. This was the longest match in the Open Era of tennis up to date. The quality of the shots were superb and it never waned. The Rod Laver arena was packed to the rafters and even if the match lasted a good five hours, no one left their seats. Never mind that there was work the following day. Australia had their attention on the epic match that they were privileged enough to witness. Roddick won 21 - 19 in the final set. But it was a brilliant match where the only downside was that there had to be a loser. Roddick didn't go on to win the title but that match was a match for the century.
The match that I am still in awe with is the quarterfinals match between Morocco's Younes El Ayanoui and USA's Andy Roddick. This was the longest match in the Open Era of tennis up to date. The quality of the shots were superb and it never waned. The Rod Laver arena was packed to the rafters and even if the match lasted a good five hours, no one left their seats. Never mind that there was work the following day. Australia had their attention on the epic match that they were privileged enough to witness. Roddick won 21 - 19 in the final set. But it was a brilliant match where the only downside was that there had to be a loser. Roddick didn't go on to win the title but that match was a match for the century.
Here's one of many stories about my all-time favorite NBA player, Larry Bird:
Before a Celtics practice was about to start, Coach KC Jones, noticing that his players were pretty beat up from a tough game the night before, issued a special challenge to the team.
If anyone, Jones announced, could hit a shot from midcourt, he would call off practice. Bird immediately got up, grabbed a ball, dribbled to center court, and casually launched a shot. Of course, it went in.
Practice was cancelled.
Before a Celtics practice was about to start, Coach KC Jones, noticing that his players were pretty beat up from a tough game the night before, issued a special challenge to the team.
If anyone, Jones announced, could hit a shot from midcourt, he would call off practice. Bird immediately got up, grabbed a ball, dribbled to center court, and casually launched a shot. Of course, it went in.
Practice was cancelled.
QUOTE(keenan tut @ Jan 13 2005, 08:53 PM)
In 1989, Michael Chang was a then unknown teenager who reached the semi-finals of French Open. Ranged against him was Ivan Lendl, then the number 1 ranked tennis machine...During the fourth set of their semi-final match, Michael was hit by the cramps and was forced to serve underhanded with no power against Lendl; he played his service games as if he had no serve. The man was in obvious agony with every shot he chased and chased. And yet he won ... and he went on to win the 89 French Open (his first and only major title).
"Because he's a hockey player!"
One thing I remember from all those ESPN Sportscenter hockey recaps (back when I could catch Sportscenter in English and when there was hockey
) is that there was almost always a report about a player getting hurt or wounded during play, but returning later in the game and sometimes even helping their team to victory. "Because he's a hockey player," the broadcaster would always say.1. After breaking his ankle during Game 6 of the 1964 Stanley Cup finals, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Bobby Baun insisted on having his broken bone frozen and taped so he could return to the ice. He went on to score the game-winning goal in overtime.
2. During his playing days, Nashville Predators head coach Barry Trotz was checked head-first into the boards. Trotz fractured seven vertebrae in his back and was taken off the ice. However, he promptly returned to play the rest of the game.
3. During a game against the Phoenix Coyotes in November 2000, Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Steve Heinze took a vicious slash to the face from 'yotes goon Brad May. (Said slash earned May a 20-game suspension.) "Stitch me up quick, boys," Heinze instructed trainers in the medical room. "We're on a power play."
After the repair job, Heinze returned to the game and scored a power play goal.
4. Chicago Blackhawks forward Theoren Fleury lost two of his front teeth during his junior hockey days, due to a high-stick from an opposing player. Fleury spent the bus ride home holding his lip over the newly exposed nerve, but what he remembers most is that he scored the game-winning goal on the power play.
5. Fleury also sprained his ankle during one of his NHL games as a Calgary Flame. Despite the swelling, he skated in the very next game and was named the first star (recognized as the best player of the game - for more background on the three stars, click here).
6. In his first nine NHL seasons, Fleury missed only seven games out of over 700. He missed two of those seven games due to an off-ice injury - when a puck hit him in the eye while he was sitting on the bench.
Because they're hockey players.
At 5'10", 152 lbs., left wing Camille Henry was one of the smallest players in the history of the NHL. Nevertheless, he once got involved in an altercation with Fernie Faman, an imposing defenseman who must have outweighed him by 75 pounds. During the course of the David-and-Goliath-style encounter, the pint-sized Henry issued the following warning to his enormous opponent:
"Watch out, Fernie, or I'll bleed all over you!"
"Watch out, Fernie, or I'll bleed all over you!"
Anyone remember Goran Ivanisevic, probably Croatia's greatest tennis player?
in 2001, he became the first wild-card player to win tennis' greatest prize - the Wimbledon title. in the final, he beat third-seeded serve-and-volleyer Pat Rafter (6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7), then climbed into the crowd to share that special moment with his family.
The three-times beaten finalist had been given a wild card as a gesture of goodwill for what he once did; he was 125 in the world and two months off his 30th birthday. A string of early exits and a lingering left shoulder problem provoked talk of imminent retirement and a career without a Grand Slam. No one could believe how it all turned out.
The crowd, on People's Monday, cried, cheered, roared and chanted as Ivanisevic, like a gentle giant, stood with his arms aloft on top of a television commentary box to cast his shadow over his kingdom; acknowledging the ovation, capturing the moment with his mind's eye.
"I shall remember this day forever," he said. Ivanisevic hugged his father Srjdan, who had defied doctors concerned about his heart condition, and dedicated the victory to him and tragic friend, NBA basketball player Drazen Petrovic
He said: "I knew I had to calm down, to keep cool, that I couldn't afford to be crazy. I said to myself 'this is your last chance, you're going to win'. "I was sure it had to be me this time. It was like a dream."
Rafter, himself troubled by injury and losing a second successive final, was a gallant loser and recognised the Centre Court happening described by Ivanisevic as a time when "everybody was going nuts". The third seed said: "I don't think Wimbledon has seen anything like it and I don't know whether it will again."
in 2001, he became the first wild-card player to win tennis' greatest prize - the Wimbledon title. in the final, he beat third-seeded serve-and-volleyer Pat Rafter (6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7), then climbed into the crowd to share that special moment with his family.
The three-times beaten finalist had been given a wild card as a gesture of goodwill for what he once did; he was 125 in the world and two months off his 30th birthday. A string of early exits and a lingering left shoulder problem provoked talk of imminent retirement and a career without a Grand Slam. No one could believe how it all turned out.
The crowd, on People's Monday, cried, cheered, roared and chanted as Ivanisevic, like a gentle giant, stood with his arms aloft on top of a television commentary box to cast his shadow over his kingdom; acknowledging the ovation, capturing the moment with his mind's eye.
"I shall remember this day forever," he said. Ivanisevic hugged his father Srjdan, who had defied doctors concerned about his heart condition, and dedicated the victory to him and tragic friend, NBA basketball player Drazen Petrovic
He said: "I knew I had to calm down, to keep cool, that I couldn't afford to be crazy. I said to myself 'this is your last chance, you're going to win'. "I was sure it had to be me this time. It was like a dream."
Rafter, himself troubled by injury and losing a second successive final, was a gallant loser and recognised the Centre Court happening described by Ivanisevic as a time when "everybody was going nuts". The third seed said: "I don't think Wimbledon has seen anything like it and I don't know whether it will again."
Brazil is the only country to have qualified and played in every World Cup tournament.
Wow!!!!!
Wow!!!!!
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