2020-2021 NFL Season (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

You are thinking of the Immaculate Reception. I was writing about the Immaculate Deception which is also referred to as The Holly Roller.

I never heard The Holy Roller game referred to as the Immaculate Deception until now! Also, again that was the first or second game of the 1978 regular season which is quite different than a playoff game in which you either win or you're done.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

That Sunday just a few days before Christmas, 1972 was the worst day of my Raider fandom until that freaking 'Tuck' game.

Of course the Jackie Smith drop was a another moment that featured a lot of airplay over the years. (To be fair to Smith, Staubach mentioned at times that it was a poor pass, and it was a tough way for a Hall of Fame Tight End to finish his career.)

Those were two of the most joyous moments for this Steelers fan growing up in the '70's. Of course, the Immaculate Reception did not lead to a Super Bowl win that season -- those would come later.

The '70's were the glory years for this sports fan. The Steelers won four Super Bowls, and my favorite hockey team -- the Montreal Canadiens -- won six Stanley Cups. I grew up thinking it was normal for my teams to win. I learned later that championships are more rare than that, and should be savored. Since that time, each of those teams has won just two more championships -- and it's been over 27 years since Montreal's last Cup. That's still better than long suffering fans of some teams have seen (or never seen), though.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Those were two of the most joyous moments for this Steelers fan growing up in the '70's. Of course, the Immaculate Reception did not lead to a Super Bowl win that season -- those would come later.

The '70's were the glory years for this sports fan. The Steelers won four Super Bowls, and my favorite hockey team -- the Montreal Canadiens -- won six Stanley Cups. I grew up thinking it was normal for my teams to win. I learned later that championships are more rare than that, and should be savored. Since that time, each of those teams has won just two more championships -- and it's been over 27 years since Montreal's last Cup. That's still better than long suffering fans of some teams have seen (or never seen), though.

That's fandom for you. If I knew then what I know now, I seriously doubt I would choose a favorite sports team. It's just not worth the disappointment as I should have placed more concentration on other entertainment activities.

 

[John Dirk]

That, I can agree with as his playoff success speaks to him being the most accomplished QB. With that said, I will never let go of the 'tuck' rule being the beginning of that success.

Right. If you look at stats alone then Brady is the undisputed GOAT but we generally don't do it that way. There are other, less tangible, factors such as likeability, excitement on the field and integrity to name a few. In my opinion, Brady scores low in each of these areas. There's also the fact that the game has changed during his tenure to the point where the QB position gets a lot more focus.

I do respect Brady for his work ethic and accomplishments but he doesn't inspire in the least. Give me Joe Montana any day.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I do respect Brady for his work ethic and accomplishments but he doesn't inspire in the least. Give me Joe Montana any day.

That's where our personal biases can come into play. Being a lifelong Michigan Wolverines fan, I could never truly embrace Joe Montana, who played for the hated Fighting Irish. I did pull for those 49ers teams quite a bit, but mostly because they were playing Dallas in the playoffs (plus I admired Jerry Rice). And while I was never a Patriots fan, I would pull for Brady as long as he wasn't playing against Pittsburgh, as I do other former Wolverines. Heck, I even pulled for Charles Woodson during his years with the Raiders.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Right. If you look at stats alone then Brady is the undisputed GOAT but we generally don't do it that way. There are other, less tangible, factors such as likeability, excitement on the field and integrity to name a few. In my opinion, Brady scores low in each of these areas. There's also the fact that the game has changed during his tenure to the point where the QB position gets a lot more focus.

I do respect Brady for his work ethic and accomplishments but he doesn't inspire in the least. Give me Joe Montana any day.

It's also much easier to play the QB position in today's NFL. The rules in place today makes throwing the ball down field a cake walk compared to past football eras.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I see Philip Rivers has retired. He's probably not the only QB that's going to retire in the next several weeks.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Oh, and it appears the circus in Detroit is continuing. After owner Sheila Ford Hamp stated they would be looking for experienced people after firing GM Quinn and HC Patricia, they have done the following:

• Hired Chris Spielman as an assistant to team president Rod Wood. Spielman has never worked for any football organization, having gone to the broadcast booth after retiring as a player (shades of Matt Millen).
• Hired Brad Holmes as GM. Holmes has no experience as a GM / assistant GM, and has been involved with scouting only with the Rams.
• Hired Dan Campbell as head coach. He's been a position coach throughout his coaching career, never even a coordinator. He did serve as interim head coach with Miami, though. Campbell gets a six year contract.
• Hired Aaron Glenn as defensive coordinator. He's never been a coordinator before.

That's a lot of inexperience in Lions Land, including Rod Wood, who admittedly knows almost nothing about football, and Ford Hamp, who knows nothing about running anything. While you want to give them the benefit of the doubt, that's difficult to do with the 60+ year track record of this organization.

 

[Jeffrey D]

It's also much easier to play the QB position in today's NFL. The rules in place today makes throwing the ball down field a cake walk compared to past football eras.

Yes your statement can’t be overlooked or belittled in any way- today’s QBs have it much easier than QBs of 30 or 40 years ago (the QBs of yesteryear got the crap kicked out of them).

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes your statement can’t be overlooked or belittled in any way- today’s QBs have it much easier than QBs of 30 or 40 years ago (the QBs of yesteryear got the crap kicked out of them).

Just look at the number of older QBs today those dudes would be leaving the field on a stretcher if they played by the rules of the 1970s and 1980s. Their completion rate would be lower while their interception rate would be much higher as back then they could mug the receivers compared to now.

 

[Jeffrey D]

Oh, and it appears the circus in Detroit is continuing. After owner Sheila Ford Hamp stated they would be looking for experienced people after firing GM Quinn and HC Patricia, they have done the following:

• Hired Chris Spielman as an assistant to team president Rod Wood. Spielman has never worked for any football organization, having gone to the broadcast booth after retiring as a player (shades of Matt Millen).
• Hired Brad Holmes as GM. Holmes has no experience as a GM / assistant GM, and has been involved with scouting only with the Rams.
• Hired Dan Campbell as head coach. He's been a position coach throughout his coaching career, never even a coordinator. He did serve as interim head coach with Miami, though. Campbell gets a six year contract.
• Hired Aaron Glenn as defensive coordinator. He's never been a coordinator before.

That's a lot of inexperience in Lions Land. While you want to give them the benefit of the doubt, that's difficult to do with the 60+ year track record of this organization.

A bunch of untried guys in the important positions, coupled with an aging QB who has no track record of winning, and it’s easy to predict several more years of ugly. If you could please repeat the stat of the last time a former Lions coach was hired as a head coach in the NFL? I’d like to pass this along to my friends- it’s one of the best stats of futility in sports.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Oh, and it appears the circus in Detroit is continuing. After owner Sheila Ford Hamp stated they would be looking for experienced people after firing GM Quinn and HC Patricia, they have done the following:

• Hired Chris Spielman as an assistant to team president Rod Wood. Spielman has never worked for any football organization, having gone to the broadcast booth after retiring as a player (shades of Matt Millen).
• Hired Brad Holmes as GM. Holmes has no experience as a GM / assistant GM, and has been involved with scouting only with the Rams.
• Hired Dan Campbell as head coach. He's been a position coach throughout his coaching career, never even a coordinator. He did serve as interim head coach with Miami, though. Campbell gets a six year contract.
• Hired Aaron Glenn as defensive coordinator. He's never been a coordinator before.

That's a lot of inexperience in Lions Land, including Rod Wood, who admittedly knows almost nothing about football, and Ford Hamp, who knows nothing about running anything. While you want to give them the benefit of the doubt, that's difficult to do with the 60+ year track record of this organization.

I know you have a bias against Lions ownership which is understandable, but I don't have an issue with the first two hires. You have Lynch out in Frisco, a former broadcaster doing a damn good job out there with no football organization experience beyond being a former player. Also, I'm tired of the old boys club getting GM and HC positions. As to Campbell's hire, I do have some question marks because he wasn't hired by the new GM.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

A bunch of untried guys in the important positions, coupled with an aging QB who has no track record of winning, and it’s easy to predict several more years of ugly. If you could please repeat the stat of the last time a former Lions coach was hired as a head coach in the NFL? I’d like to pass this along to my friends- it’s one of the best stats of futility in sports.

That would be never during the 60+ years of Ford Family ownership, with the exception of Dick Jauron, who was just an interim HC for the Lions after Steve Mariucci was fired in-season back in 2005. Jauron later was head coach in Buffalo.

 

[Jeffrey D]

That would be never during the 60+ years of Ford Family ownership, with the exception of Dick Jauron, who was just an interim HC for the Lions after Steve Mariucci was fired in-season back in 2005. Jauron later was head coach in Buffalo.

So the Lions were not owned by the Fords when they won the NFL championship in 1957, I assume. The one playoff win since 1957 is a pretty good stat of futility too.

 

[Robert Crawford]

So the Lions were not owned by the Fords when they won the NFL championship in 1957, I assume.

Ford bought the Lions majority stake in 1963.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I know you have a bias against Lions ownership which is understandable, but I don't have an issue with the first two hires. You have Lynch out in Frisco, a former broadcaster doing a damn good job out there with no football organization experience beyond being a former player. Also, I'm tired of the old boys club getting GM and HC positions. As to Campbell's hire, I do have some question marks because he wasn't hired by the new GM.

Yes, Lynch is doing an excellent job working for a competent ownership. The last time this happened in Detroit, though, it was a disaster with Matt Millen under the clown show that is Lions ownership. I am all for giving new blood a chance, but an organization needs some experience somewhere, and there is none at any level in this case.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

So the Lions were not owned by the Fords when they won the NFL championship in 1957, I assume. The one playoff win since 1957 is a pretty good stat of futility too.

He was a minority owner then, took over majority ownership a couple of years later, and became sole owner in 1963 (as @Robert Crawford stated).

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes, Lynch is doing an excellent job working for a competent ownership. The last time this happened in Detroit, though, it was a disaster with Matt Millen under the clown show that is Lions ownership. I am all for giving new blood a chance, but an organization needs some experience somewhere, and there is none at any level in this case.

I'm not so sure that ownership group was competent after that Harbaugh crap storm.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I'm not so sure that ownership group was competent after that Harbaugh crap storm.

Considering Harbaugh's record since then, maybe they knew something the rest of us didn't.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Considering Harbaugh's record since then, maybe they knew something the rest of us didn't.

That's not the point! The organization was in trouble when Lynch and Shanahan took over.