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[16Forever]

"Fight 'Em 'Till Hell Freezes Over, Then Fight 'Em On The Ice."
TCU Head Coach Dutch Meyer - 1939 - classic quotes never die. GO FROGS GO...GO 49ERS!

[Emeritus]

That's a great quote. Some coaches seem go have a gift for that sort of thing. Darrell Royal had an endless supply of them. When Jess Neely was the football coach at Rice, he was asked about the Owls lack of team speed. He said, "Smart boys can't run fast." Lombardi's quotes were all about how he hated losing. Did you know that at one time he was the offensive coordinator for the Giants and the offensive coordinator was Tom Landry? I wonder what the head coach did?

[tenn10]

so Em were both of them offensive cooridnators or is that a miss type?

[Emeritus]

That was me not reading what I was typing. Lombardi was the offensive coordinator and Landry was the defensive coordinator. The big rivalry in those days was between the Giants and the Baltimore Colts, who had a quarterback named Johnny Unitas.

[tenn10]

Johnny Unitas?....yeah I've heard that name before.....he was good or something wasn't he?

[Emeritus]

The rules of the game have changed so much since his day, especially in protecting the quarterback and in letting receivers run free. In those days a receiver had to FIGHT his way down field. Because of all those changes, most of Johnny U's records have been broken. There is one that nobody has matched yet, though. He threw touchdown passes in 47 consecutive games.

[cklaurence]

Unitas was one of the greatest QBs ever. I think Emeritus was kind when he talked about all the new rules that are now in place. I just say, "since they turned football into a sissy game," lol. They are killing the game with all the new rules. There's just no flow anymore.

[Emeritus]

If the present rules had been in place when Dan Marino was playing he would have passed for ten thousand yards in a season and the Dolphins would have retired the Lombardi trophy. People who weren't around when he was playing simply have no idea how great he was.

[cklaurence]

You get no argument from me there, Em. He was something else again to watch! Every game was an air show.

I remember the Fouts/Marino games. We pretty much played San Diego every year in those days--at least once during the season, and then again during the playoffs. OMG, what an experience! Marino got the ball up in the air so fast that if you blinked, you missed it. Duper and Clayton might have had glue on their hands to have caught the balls at the speed Danny threw them. Oh, and the catches they made... You never heard them whining that they didn't get enough time or attention. They knew what they were there to do, dammit, they did it! You're so right about the rules now and what they might have done to the "history" of the game.

I saw a little of Danny in Henne--some of the passes he made, that most QBs can't handle; however, I had expected "Henne to Marshall" might be some kind of great and recognized this preseason that just isn't going to happen. Unless Marshall was really dawging it in preseason (something I don't think a really great receiver would do)--we'll have to look more to "Henne to Hartline" for our cheers...

[Emeritus]

Of course Danny was famous for his quick release. The key to it was that he read faster than anybody. Then his passing motion was just perfect. His arm came up and it was gone. It's one thing to get the ball out, but another to get it out accurately and with a lot of velocity. It's just my opinion, but he was the best that I ever saw.

[cklaurence]

Again, I agree with you, Em. I'm sorry to see how sportscasters have moved away from crediting Danny for his incredible talent. He has become an "also ran" when they talk about the likes of Peyton Manning and not-so-much, Brett Favre. They never allow the difference in the rules to even the playing field (pun intended) between Danny and the new breed. There was no one, even when Danny played, who could compare with him. I'm glad someone still recognizes how amazing he was (that would be you).

[Emeritus]

I'm just grateful that I got to watch him. I feel sorry for the younger people who missed that. Even if he was playing against your team, it was a pure pleasure just to watch.

[cklaurence]

Me too, Em. He was something special.

[Emeritus]

I have to pull for the home team, but I love to see great plays, no matter who makes them. Sometimes somebody will do something that's just hard to believe. I remember when the first soccer-style kickers came into the NFL, most of them were from Europe and knew nothing about American football. In a game that I was watching one of them right-footed a field goal attempt. It hit the crossbar dead center and came right back at him. He jumped into the air, kicked it with his left foot and split the uprights. It was ruled no good. It seems that you only get one try. The color man said that he thought that it was worth at least six points. I know that I'll never see THAT again!

[cklaurence]

Must have been grand to see!

[Emeritus]

I've always hoped to see a replay. I checked all of the football follies videos, but never found it. It was the highlight of the game for me.

[Emeritus]

Just wanted to wish everybody a happy Labor Day. I've been invited to two barbecues.

[cklaurence]

We were at friends' home for dinner yesterday and I had a breakfast date this morning, but no plans for this afternoon. I'm kind of tired, though, so I'm glad to have the time to rest...

[cklaurence]

BTW... Happy Labor Day, Swissies!!!

[Emeritus]

Oh God, I can't believe I ate the WHOLE thing! My plan was to just show up at the two Labor Day barbecues (put on by the local labor councils) and visit, but people kept handing me food and beer. It was almost as bad as during political campaigns. I think that I need a nap.

[cklaurence]

lol@Emeritus! Sweet dreams...

[Emeritus]

Perhaps sweet dreams and being stuffed are mutually exclusive. Maybe I'll feel better after a nights sleep. I'm going to have to find a way to gracefully decline some invitations.

[cklaurence]

I have gotten pretty good at declining invitations, but then again--I'm not the town's most eligible bachelor...

[Emeritus]

LOL, neither am I. My guess is that everybody thinks that I'm harmless. Eccentric, but harmless.

[cklaurence]

GOOD MORNING, SWITZERLAND!

I seriously doubt anyone thinks of you as "harmless," Em my friend. You are way too intelligent to be dismissed with that tag. No doubt, you are on everyone's guest list because you keep the level of conversation way up. You are bright, funny, knowledgeable and you bring so much to the table, you are a must at all of the parties. I'm just sayin'...

[Emeritus]

LOL, I wasn't fishing for compliments, ck, but thank you. I come here because I can talk with smart and funny people. It's what cocktail parties should be but so seldom are.

[cklaurence]

I really love it here, Em. I don't think I would know what to do with myself if I didn't have Switzerland to check in with and say hey to my friends here. It's a unique relationship we have developed here, and I look forward to seeing what's going on with everyone--hearing how their days are going and talk some football. I can't help but take it personally when people leave, but most at least stop by every now and again for a visit.

[Emeritus]

Expect to see me around. I don't give up on my friends.

[cklaurence]

Expect to see me around. I don't give up on my friends.

Much appreciated, sir.

[Emeritus]

Nothing is as important as the people in our lives. We all worry about other things, but when our people are threatened everything else loses its importance. I'm afraid that many people learn that too late.