Happy Anniversary of "The Greatest Game Ever Played"

51 years ago, on December 28, 1958, in [the old] Yankee Stadium, the 26th annual NFL Championship Game was played between the Baltimore Colts and the NY Giants.  This game has become commonly known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played."  It was first NFL game to ever go into sudden death overtime and is still the only championship game to have done so. 

This sparked the NFL's popularity and helped it become what it is today.  It was seen by an estimated 45 million people (thanks to NBC for airing it across the country).  Due to the growing popularity of the game, the American Football League (AFL) was founded a year after this game by Lamar Hunt.

This game was stocked with future Hall of Fame players and coaches.  From the Giants: tackle Roosevelt "Rosey" Brown (inducted 1975), halfback Frank Gifford (1977), linebacker Sam Huff (1982), wide receiver Don Maynard (1987), defensive end Andy Robustelli (1971), safety Emlen Tunnell (1967), offensive coordinator Vince Lombardi (1971), defensive coordinator Tom Landry (1990), VP/ Secretary Wellington Mara (1997), and owner Tim Mara (1963).  From the Colts: end Raymond Berry (1973), defensive tackle Art Donovan (1968), tight end John Mackey (1992), defensive end Gino Marchetti (1972), flanker-running back Lenny Moore (1975), guard-tackle Jim Parker (1973), quarterback Johnny Unitas (1979), and coach Weeb Ewbank.

During the first quarter, Pat Summerall kicked a 36-yard field goal, putting the Giants ahead 3-0.  In the second quarter, Frank Gifford fumbled and set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Alan Ameche.  A second fumble by Gifford allowed the Colts to score with a 15-yard pass from Unitas to Berry.  Colts went into halftime leading 14-3.

In the third, after the Colts turned it over on downs on the Giants 5-yard line.  The Giants went 95-yards and scored a 1-yard touchdown run by Mel Triplett.  With two minutes left in the fourth, Giants QB Charlie Conerly threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Gifford, putting the Giants up 17-14.

The Colts took over on their own 14-yard line with 1:56 remaining.  In what would become the first "2 minute drill," Unitas, with 3 consecutive throws to Berry for 62 yards, helped march the Colts down the field to the Giants 13-yard line.  Steve Myhra kicked a 20-yard field goal with 7 seconds left in the game, sending it into overtime.  See picture to the right.

The Giants won the coin toss and received fumbled (but recovered) the opening kickoff in OT, but were forced to punt.  The Colts drove 80 yards in 13 plays.  Ameche then scored on a 1-yard run.  Colts win 23-17.


This picture to the left is of Ameche scoring the game-winning touch down. 

The game ball, which Colts' center Buzz Nutter (great name) had to chase down a security guard for, went to Gino Marchetti (the picture to the left is of Marchetti receiving the ball from Coach Ewbank, while shaking hands with Ameche).  Marchetti broke his leg during the 4th quarter while stopping the Giants from getting a first down.  Even though he was injured, he was still a team captain and refused to get immediate medical attention.  He watched the rest of the game from a stretcher on the side of the field (see picture to the right.) 

Here's a little fact for you: What did each player of the Colts get for winning (besides the title)?  $4,718.77.  Each losing player got $3,111.33.

All the pictures on here are from the Baltimore Sun.  Click there to see more pictures that I didn't add.

Scratch what I said earlier about Urban Meyer...

You see two posts ago when I said Urban Meyer was going to step down due to his health?  Yea..now he's only taking a leave of absence and is reportedly going to be on the Gator's sidelines next season.  This change of heart came after a "spirited practice" on Sunday morning.

I'm sure this makes his family feel great considering that when he was "stepping down," he cited he wanted to focus on his health, faith and family.  So nice to see that a practice can make you say "screw my health, faith, and family."  Apparently experiencing severe chest pain, weight loss, and oh..passing out and having to be rushed to the hospital is less painful than spending extensive time with his family.

Let's see what happens after Florida's game on New Years Day...

Sundays don't get much better

Christmas came 2 days late this year for me, but I got everything I wanted...and more!

As you can see, the Pats thrashed the Jags (Fred Taylor even got in, which is just poetic!), the Giants got MASSACRED by the Panthers (my dad was there, making it so much better because I got to send him multiple texts that just read "hahaha"), and the Colts lost to the Jets.

Since the Manning family is the cause of so much of my pain and agony (and both Eli and Peyton have rings that rightfully belong to the Pats), there is nothing that makes me happier than seeing them fail...especially when the Pats play so well!

The fact that this was the Giants' last game in Giants Stadium AND killed their chances at the playoffs was just more than I could have asked for.  Oh yes, and SAY GOODBYE TO THE COLTS PERFECT SEASON!  Manning could have pulled a Brett Favre and refuse to come out seeing how he is "such a fierce competitor," but instead he sat on the sidelines and watched as Curtis Painter ruined the Colts perfect season.  And get booed by the fans.

Thank you Santa, from the bottom of my heart!

Urban Meyer steps down as head coach

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4772952

I just saw this on ESPN..more to come later.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas. 

Hope everyone has been enjoying the BLOW OUT bowl games..hope tonight's NFL game is better!

Never underestimate girls...

I know I've only been posting videos lately but I'll be posting things soon.

Yesterday marked the beginning of the NCAA bowl games with ridiculous names.  My absolute favorite being the "San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl."  Does no one else think that this has gotten completely out of control?

Anyway, the New Mexico Bowl (Fresno St vs. Wyoming) and the St. Petersburg Bowl by Beef 'O' Brady's (Rutgers vs UCF) were played last night.  In addition, due to the NFL Network wanting to show how much it hates that the NCAA doesn't have a playoff system (and how pointless the early bowl games are), the Cowboys played the Saints during the St. Petersburg Bowl.

It was definitely a night for Cowboys since Wyoming won in double OT and Dallas were able to stop New Orleans from coming back (even after Dallas' kicker missed a 24 yard field goal).  Also, Rutgers won, which is awesome!

Since the Pats play at 1, it is time to get into game day attire!

this 6 year old can hit!

My boyfriend showed me this clip and it's awesome.  Please just watch this 6 year old hit!

RIP Chris Henry

As I'm sure almost everyone already knows, especially if you watch ESPN, Chris Henry, receiver for the Bengals, died early this morning due to injuries he sustained falling out of a pick up truck. 

For someone who was finally turning his life around after a very rocky start in the NFL, this is truly a tragedy. 

If you're having girl problems I feel bad for you son..

This week is super busy for me.  I have all my Christmas crafts to finish, jobs to look for, and on top of everything, my cousin Amanda (who is coming with 3 friends to see NYC for the weekend) is getting in on Thursday night so I've been running around the house cleaning everything.

Anyway, I saw this on the blog, How to Beat a Guy in 10 Plays, and it made me laugh.  I know it has nothing to do with football but, since this is my blog, I don't care. 

the weekend of kickers

On a football team, kickers are like red-headed step-children.  Look at the sideline of any football game-the kicker is always at the end, away from the rest of the team.  While they are essentially shunned by the rest of the players, they are quite essential (or detrimental) to a team.  They can either be heroes or scapegoats.  Case and point?  This weekend.

Let us examine what happened this weekend (in both college and professional football)

Saturday:

Nebraska-Texas:
We have a 3 kickers (Nebraska has two) to look at here:
Alex Henery, who with 1:44 left on the clock, kicked a 42 yard field goal to put Nebraska two points ahead of Texas (12-10).  He was a hero.  At the point, Henery was (finally) going to get laid (look at the picture and you will understand).  
Just as the idea of no longer being a virgin was sinking in to Henery's head, Adi Kunalic (the junior who does did kickoffs for Nebraska), stepped up and ruined everything.  He kicked the ball out of bounds, giving Texas the ball at their own 40.  What a douche bag.  I mean look at the guy, he even looks like a douche bag.  He's from Fort Worth, Texas too.  I bet you he did it on purpose.  He had been kicking them into the back of the endzone all game and suddenly does this?  As I said, douche bag. 
After McCoy miraculously throws the ball away and leaves exactly one second on the clock, Hunter Lawrence trots on and kicks a 46 yard field goal.  Texas wins. Lawrence definitely got laid. 

Cincinnati-Pittsburgh:
This game was beyond infuriating.  I really wanted Cincinnati to lose.  Like really really bad.  And Pittsburgh HAD them.  It was Pitt was beating them by 21 points during the second quarter.  So what happened?  Go to 1:38.



Now, I know this is not the kicker's fault.  It's Andrew Janocko's.  But it has to do with kicking the ball so I HAD to include it.  You cannot do that.

You can guess what happened next...Cincy marched down the field, scored, and THEIR holder did his job and allowed Jake Rogers kicked the extra point.  Cincy wins.

Note: My boyfriend called the outcome of both of these games after the botched kicks.

South Florida-Connecticut:

Didn't watch it but UConn kicker, Dave Teggart, kicked a 42 yard field goal as time expired, giving UConn the win.

Onto Sunday:

Patriots-Dolphins:

You all know how I feel about this game.  I'm still angry and I still hate the Dolphins.  So..I'll make this short.  God damn Dan Carpenter made a 41 yard field goal with 1:02 on the clock, giving the Dolphins the only lead they had all game..and the (undeserved) win. God damn it.

Saints-Redskins:

I still cannot believe the Redskins screwed this up.  Actually, what am I saying..of course I can.

Even though the Redskins, as a team, did nothing to stop the Saints come back, who gets blamed? Kicker Shaun Suisham.  Why?  Because he MISSED a 23 yard field goal that could have given the Skins the win.  Instead, the Saints came back, the game went into OT and Saint's kicker Garrett Hartley, made an 18 yarder and the Saints won.  See the post directly prior to this one. 

Oh yea, the Redskins released Suisham on Tuesday.

49ers-Seakhawks:

The kickers were the only ones that scored in the 4th quarter of this game.  With 5:30 left in the 4th, Olindo Mare made a 25 yard field goal to put the Seahawks up 17-14.  49ers kicker, Joe Nedney, tied it up again with 2:57 left. Then, as time expired, Mare made a 30 yarder to win the game for the Seahawks.

Atleast I got this done before the first game of Week 14 ends. Right, so now I'm off to devote my full attention to the Browns-Steelers game, which all of you should be doing right now.

The Saints Must Be Proud..

Please just watch this.




I think my favorite part, besides how fabulously redneck these people are, is how they are getting out of their cars with their guns and OPEN BEERS.
I'm surprised no one was killed, besides the BIG ASS TV.

How I Feel About the Pats-Dolphins Game

Fake Football Fans

There is NOTHING that pisses me off more when it comes to sports than FAKE FANS!  While every team has them, they definitely pop up more often when a team is doing well.  The worst part about this is that the majority of these fake fans are women.  This is just unacceptable and embarrassing.  It makes people second guess my dedication to my teams and often times I end up having to prove that I am not a poser.  This makes me hate these people even more. 

While I started this post a while ago, a certain, blatantly obvious FAKE fan, at the Pats game against the Jets (my wonderful boyfriend bought us tickets to the Pats-Jets game in New England for my birthday) reminded me about my post and so I have been inspired to finish it...so here it is:

You know you someone is a fake fan when he/she...

• Can not name current players on the team besides the famous players.  I.e. a Cowboys "fan" only knowing Tony Romo.  If this person is a woman, she probably only knows who Romo is because he dated Jessica Simpson. 
  
• Doesn't know the history of "his/her" team.  If someone claims to be a Colts fan and does not know that they are cheering for a team that was stolen from Baltimore in the middle of the night in 1984, they are not a true fan.  
• Has to ask what the rules are.  I don't mean the random ass rules, I mean the, "you have to have two feet in, with possession of the ball, for it to be ruled a completion in the NFL" kind of rules.
  
• Has to ask who "his/her" team is playing.  This is especially true on game day.  Week 1 I can't tell you off the top of my head who the Pats are playing in Week 12, but I definitely know who they play for the next 3-4 weeks. 
  
• Doesn't know major injuries on "his/her" team.  So say it's last year and a Pats "fan" doesn't know that Brady is out.  They not only live in a hole, but they definitely aren't a football fan, let alone a Pats fan.
• Doesn't know the outcome of the game.  With the amount of technology around today, there really isn't a reason not to know how your team did.  Have to work or be away from a tv?  Follow the game on your phone or the internet, or if you don't have a phone that can do that and can't be near a computer, have a friend text you updates.  There really is NO excuse.
• Doesn't know when "his/her" team plays.  This becomes harder later in the season when the times get changed but since your Sunday should revolve around watching your team, you should stay up to date with this.
• Doesn't know when "his/her" team has a bye.  When your team has a bye, it is the one week a fan gets to relax and not worry about how their team does (unless they are playing the Rams or Lions).  It is also the one week you cannot watch your team play.  How would you NOT know that?
• Can't name the head coach.  If you love your team so much, you should be able to name the guy in charge.
• Cheers improperly.

Don't be that USC cheerleader..the one with the poms poms in the air cheering for the TEXAS touchdown.  The majority of people who do this don't know the rules.  These people are usually the ones who make the most noise for no good reason.   It's their way of over compensating for not being a true fan.  If someone does this in your presence, stare at them and make him/her feel bad about themselves. 

• Suddenly becomes a fan when "his/her" team has a good season.  Bandwagon "fans" are the absolute WORST.  These people anger me more than anything.  Where the hell were you when "your team" was the laughing stock of the NFL?  If you can't stand by your team at their worst, you aren't allowed to cheer for them when they are on their way to the Super Bowl.
  

• Doesn't own any apparel of "his/her" team.  How else are you supposed to express your devotion to your team if you don't own anything that has to do with the team?  I own a Pats t-shirt, a Bruschi t-shirt, 2 pairs of Pats slippers, a Welker jersey (thanks to my wonderful boyfriend's wonderful mother), a Bruschi jersey that I commandeered from my brother, a pair of sweatpants, a koozie, hand painted glasses (painted by yours truly--if you want one, just ask), 2  blankets, and a sweatshirt.  Obsessed?  To put it bluntly, HELL YES. But no one can say that I don't love the Pats!  Now, this is not to say that owning a particular team's gear makes you a fan. IT DOESN'T!

..which leads me to my last one..and this one is directed at the ladies:

• The only team apparel owned is pink or any other non-team color (see picture).

I can't explain how much this pisses me off.  When the hell did the Patriots become powder blue and the Bengals become "guava"?  Oh that's right, NEVER!  The Manning and Palmer jerseys actually have rhinestones on them and are called, "glitter jerseys."  If you are wearing a jersey (sweatshirt, t-shirt, etc.) that isn't a team's true colors and/or has been attacked by a bedazzler, you aren't a true fan, you just wear it because you think it "looks cute."

If you happen to see this kind of behavior, I beg of you to call them out.  Humble them.  Put them in their place.  Do something to stop this ridiculous behavior.  Especially you ladies, if you are a true football fan and you see another woman acting a damn fool and disgracing other female fans with her lack of true fan-ship, declare shenanigans on her ass and expose her for what she is.

If I have failed to list something and you believe it should be on here, please leave a comment!

The Holidays Fill My Time

Yes, it's been a while.  Yes I'm incredibly lazy.  I also got a new computer for my birthday (a very SEXY titanium MacBook Pro) and it's finally December, which means I have gone all Christmas crazy. 

I was beginning to think that I was just going to forget about my blog and just stop doing it but then I got an email about some site featuring it and someone else has become a follower, so I figured I shouldn't just give up on it.  The thing about most of my posts is that they take me a while to write.  Since I am not OK with posting crap that isn't correct, I double check a lot of my information. 

With that being said, I will begin posting again shortly.   Here are few things you should do to keep yourself occupied:

1. Go see The Blindside.  I saw it the day it came out and LOVED it.  I also recommend you read the book since it has more factual information and goes into more detail than the movie could.
2. Finish your Christmas shopping.  I pretty much have.  
3. Bake.  Remember, I'm a woman. 
4. Find me a real job.  That would be AWESOME and greatly appreciated.  I have a bachelors in Psych and would LOVE to do research (preferably on sports) and I have experience doing it.
5. With the NFL having games on Thursdays (and soon on Friday and Saturday), there is football on almost EVERY day. 

That should keep you occupied until I write (it really shouldn't be too long)