1.
Dan Reeves (American football executive)
–
This article is about the owner of the National Football Leagues Rams franchise. For the NFL player and coach, see Dan Reeves, for other people named Dan Reeves, see Dan Reeves. Daniel Farrell Reeves was an American sports entrepreneur, best known as the owner of the National Football Leagues Rams franchise from 1941 to his death in 1971. Reeves is remembered for his move of the Rams from Cleveland to Los Angeles 71 years ago in 1946. Reeves was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967, Reeves was a graduate of the Newman School in Lakewood, New Jersey, and attended Georgetown University in Washington, D. C. which he left before acquiring his degree. While attending Georgetown, Reeves met his wife, Mary V. Corroon. The couple were married on October 25,1935 and would together have six children, the Reeves familys grocery chain was sold to Safeway Stores in 1941, generating capital and freeing the youthful Dan Reeves, age 29, to pursue his dream of owning a professional football franchise. Together with his friend and business partner Robert Levy, Reeves purchased the Cleveland Rams franchise in 1941 from a local group for $135,000. The team did not operate in 1943, and Reeves became the owner in December. On January 23, the Coliseum Commission approved use of the 103, the move did not immediately cure the teams financial woes, however, and in 1947, Reeves found himself in need of co-owners to share the mounting losses while attempting a turnaround. Reeves brought Levy back in for a stake in the team. Another third went to Harold Pauley and Hal Saley, boasting some of footballs most glamorous stars, the Rams drew extremely well at the ticket office. The previous closeness between Reeves and Levy fell away, though, and soon Levy was siding with Pauley against Reeves on most significant ownership decisions. Pauley eventually assumed Levys stake, giving Pauley two-thirds ownership of the team, finally in 1962, the NFL stepped in to resolve the situation by holding a closed auction to result in one partner buying out the other. Reeves outbid Pauley for the team, valuing the Rams at $7.1 million against Pauleys bid of $6.1 million, Reeves once again assumed sole ownership. He then raised the funds to support his bid by immediately selling 49% of the team to a group of minority owners that included Gene Autry, by the time of Reeves death in 1971, the teams worth was estimated at $20 million. The innovative Reeves made several other significant contributions to pro football and he instituted the famed Free Football for Kids program that enabled youngsters to enjoy the game in their formative years and then, hopefully, become ardent fans as adults. His signing of the great, Kenny Washington, in the spring of 1946 marked the first time a black player had been hired in the NFL since 1933
2.
Running back
–
A running back is an American and Canadian football position, a member of the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a play, to catch passes from out of the backfield. There are usually one or two running backs on the field for a play, depending on the offensive formation. A running back may be a halfback or a fullback, a running back will sometimes be called a feature back if he is the teams starting running back. The halfback or tailback position is responsible for carrying the ball on the majority of running plays, in the modern game, an effective halfback must have a blend of both quickness and agility as a runner, as well as sure hands and good vision up-field as a receiver. Quarterbacks depend on halfbacks as a safety valve receiver when primary targets downfield are covered or when they are under pressure, occasionally, halfbacks line up as additional wide receivers. As a trick play, running backs are used to pass the ball on a halfback option play or halfback pass. The difference between halfback and tailback is the position of the player in the offensive formation. In historical formations, the lined up approximately halfway between the line of scrimmage and the fullback. Because the halfback is usually the main ball carrier, modern offensive formations have positioned the halfback behind the fullback. As a result, some systems or playbooks will call for a tailback as opposed to a halfback, in most modern college and professional football schemes, fullbacks carry the ball infrequently, instead using their stronger physiques as primary lead blockers. On most running plays, the leads the halfback, attempting to block potential tacklers before they reach the ball carrier. When fullbacks are called upon to carry the ball, the situation calls for gaining a short amount of yardage. Fullbacks are technically running backs, but today the term running back is used in referring to the halfback or tailback. Although modern fullbacks are rarely used as carriers, in previous offensive schemes fullbacks would be the designated ball carriers. In high school football, where player sizes vary greatly, fullbacks are still used as ball carriers. In high school and college offenses, the triple option uses the fullback as a primary ball carrier. The fullback plays a role by establishing an inside running threat on every play
3.
Rome, Georgia
–
Rome is the largest city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, it is the city of the Rome, Georgia, Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 36,303 and it is the largest city in Northwest Georgia and the 19th largest city in the state. Rome was built at the confluence of the Etowah and the Oostanaula rivers, because of its strategic advantages, this area was long occupied by the Creek and later the Cherokee people. National leaders such as Major Ridge and John Ross resided here before Indian Removal, the city has developed on seven hills with the rivers running between them, a feature that inspired the early European-American settlers to name it for Rome, the longtime capital of Italy. It is the second largest city, after Gadsden, Alabama and it has developed as a regional center in such areas as medical care and education. In addition to its school system, there are several private schools. Higher-level institutions include private Berry College and Shorter University, and the public Georgia Northwestern Technical College, in the late 1920s a United States company built a rayon plant in a joint project with an Italian company. Residents frequently reference the unofficial mottos of the town, Theres no place like Rome and Rome is Home, Rome is located at the confluence of the Etowah and the Oostanaula rivers, whose merging forms the Coosa River. This gave it access to the waterways, the transportation routes of the era. Because of this feature, Rome developed as a regional trade center. As cotton plantations were developed in the area, Rome was an important market town. It was designated as the county seat of Floyd County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 31.6 square miles, of which 30.9 square miles is land and 0.73 square miles. The seven hills that inspired the name of Rome are known as Blossom, Jackson, Lumpkin, Mount Aventine, Myrtle, Old Shorter, some of the hills have been partially graded since Rome was founded. People of the Mississippian culture are known to have inhabited the area from about 1000 CE and these people are believed to have died off from disease brought by exposure to the Spaniards in the late 16th century. The Cherokee migrated into the Southeast and established themselves in the early 17th century, specifics before the Spanish expeditions in the 16th century are largely unknown, but archeologists have found evidence of thousands of years of indigenous cultures along these rivers. In 1560, Tristán de Luna sent a detachment of 140 soldiers and they established relations with the Coosa chiefdom, as they recorded assisting the Coosa in a raid against the rebellious province of Napochín, in what is now known as Tennessee
4.
Americus, Georgia
–
Americus is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 17,041, the city is the county seat of Sumter County. Americus is the city of the Americus Micropolitan Statistical Area. Americus is located at 32°4′31″N 84°13′36″W, according to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.7 square miles, of which,10.5 square miles of it is land and 0.2 square miles of it is water. Americus was founded by General John Americus Smith, while out on a scouting mission with his men, he noticed that there was a great deal of distance between two cities. He decided that he would come back and purchase land to build on in 1825, as he built on his land, his plantation grew very large in cotton production. Soon, more and more people started moving to the location until in 1832 the town of Americus was founded, gen Johns plantation was a huge part in helping Americus grow and providing income for the town. Gen John would later pass of the flu in 1868 at the age of 62 years, after his death his plantation was divided up into sections and auctioned off to different farmers that had now moved into the area. For its first two decades, Americus was a courthouse town. It was known as the Metropolis of Southwest Georgia, a reflection of its status as a distribution center. In 1890, Georgias first chartered electric street car system went into operation in Americus, One of its restored cars is on permanent display at the Lake Blackshear Regional Library, a gift from the Robert T. Crabb family who acquired the street car in the 1940s. The town was already graced with an abundance of antebellum and Victorian architecture when local capitalists opened the Windsor Hotel in 1892, a five-story Queen Anne edifice, it was designed by a Swedish architect, Gottfried L. Norrman, in Atlanta. Vice-President Thomas R. Marshall gave a speech from the balcony in 1917, on January 1,1976, the city center was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Americus Historic District. The district boundaries were extended in 1979, for the local minority community, Rev. Dr. Major W. Reddick established the Americus Institute. Booker T. Washington was a guest speaker there in May 1908, Rev. Alfred S. Staley was responsible for locating the state Masonic Orphanage in Americus, which served its function from 1898 to 1940. Both men engineered the unification of the General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia in 1915, the former as president, the public school named in honor of A. S. Staley was designated a National School of Excellence in 1990, two other institutions of higher learning were also established in Americus, the Third District Agricultural and Mechanical School in 1906, and the South Georgia Trade and Vocational School in 1948. South Georgia Technical College is located on the site of Souther Field
5.
South Carolina Gamecocks football
–
The South Carolina Gamecocks football program represents the University of South Carolina in the sport of American football. The Gamecocks compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, will Muschamp currently serves as the teams head coach. They play their games at Williams-Brice Stadium. Currently, it is the 20th largest stadium in college football, USCs SEC tenure has been highlighted by an SEC East title in 2010, Final Top-25 rankings in 2000,2001,2010,2011,2012 and 2013, and four wins over Top-5 SEC opponents. From 1953 through 1970, the Gamecocks played in the Atlantic Coast Conference, winning the 1969 ACC championship and finishing No.15 in the 1958 final AP poll. From 1971 through 1991, they competed as a independent, producing 1980 Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers, six bowl appearances. The Gamecocks have produced a National Coach of the Year in Joe Morrison and they also have four members of the College Football Hall of Fame in former players George Rogers and Sterling Sharpe, and former coaches Lou Holtz and Steve Spurrier. Carolina fielded its first football team on Christmas Eve, in Charleston, South Carolina, at that time the football team was not sanctioned by the University. They provided their own uniforms and paid their own train fare in order to participate in the game and they were nicknamed the College Boys by The News and Courier and their supporters wore garnet and black. USC won its first game in its season, on November 2,1895 against Columbia AA. The squad designated their first head coach, W. H. Dixie Whaley, the 1896 season also saw the inaugural game against arch-rival Clemson on November 12, which Carolina won 12–6. From 1902 to 1903, coach Bob Williams led the Gamecocks to a 14–3 record, in 1902, South Carolina beat Clemson, coached by John Heisman, for the first time since 1896, the first year of the rivalry. After the game on Thursday, the Clemson guys frankly told the Carolina students that if you bring this poster, and naturally, of course, the Carolina students brought the poster to the parade. If you give someone an ultimatum and they’re your rival, they’re going to do exactly what you told them not to do, as expected, another brawl broke out before both sides agreed to mutually burn the poster in an effort to defuse tensions. The immediate aftermath resulted in the stoppage of the rivalry until 1909,1903 also heralded the programs first 8-win season with an overall record of 8–2. Future senator and former player for South Carolina and UVA. 1904s captain Gene Oliver played against Georgia with a broken jaw, within months The Board of Trustees reversed their decision after hearing pleas, and receiving petitions, from students and alumni alike. Play was allowed to resume in 1907, a hastily assembled football team, coached by Board of Trustees member Douglas McKay, competed in an abbreviated season that same year, and the squad won all three games
6.
Dallas Cowboys
–
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues National Football Conference East division. The team is headquartered in Frisco, Texas, and plays its games at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The stadium took its current name prior to the 2013 season, the Cowboys joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1960. The teams national following might best be represented by its NFL record of consecutive sell-outs, the Cowboys streak of 190 consecutive sold-out regular and post-season games began in 2002. This has also corresponded to eight NFC championships, most in the NFC, the Cowboys are the only NFL team to record 20 straight winning seasons, in which they only missed the playoffs twice, an NFL record that remains unchallenged. In 2015, the Dallas Cowboys became the first sports team to be valued at $4 billion, making it the most valuable team in the world. The Cowboys also generated $620 million in revenue in 2014, a record for a U. S. sports team. Prior to the formation of the Dallas Cowboys, there had not been an NFL team south of Washington, D. C. since the Dallas Texans folded in 1952. Oilman Clint Murchison Jr. had been trying to get an NFL expansion team in Dallas, Murchison had tried to purchase the Washington Redskins from Marshall in 1958. An agreement was struck, but as the deal was about to be finalized and this infuriated Murchison and he called off the deal. Marshall then opposed any franchise for Murchison in Dallas, since NFL expansion needed unanimous approval from team owners at that time, Marshalls position would prevent Murchison from joining the league. Marshall had an out with the Redskins band leader Barnee Breeskin. Breeskin had written the music to the Redskins fight song Hail to the Redskins, Breeskin owned the rights to the song and was aware of Murchisons plight to get an NFL franchise. Angry with Marshall, Breeskin approached Murchisons attorney to him the rights to the song before the expansion vote in 1959. Murchison purchased Hail to the Redskins for $2,500, before the vote to award franchises in 1959, Murchison revealed to Marshall that he owned the song and Marshall could not play it during games. After a few Marshall expletives, Murchison gave the rights to Hail to the Redskins to Marshall for his vote, the one against Murchison getting a franchise at that time. From 1970 through 1979, the Cowboys won 105 regular season games, in addition, they appeared in 5 and won two Super Bowls, at the end of the 1971 and 1977 regular seasons
7.
Denver Broncos
–
The Denver Broncos are an American football team based in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues American Football Conference West division. The team began play in 1960 as a member of the American Football League. The Broncos are owned by the Pat Bowlen trust, the Broncos have played at Sports Authority Field at Mile High since 2001, after previously playing at Mile High Stadium from 1960 to 2000. The Broncos were barely competitive during their 10-year run in the AFL and they did not complete a winning season until 1973. In 1977, four years later, they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, since 1975, the Broncos have become one of the NFLs more successful teams, having suffered only six losing seasons. However, the Broncos have the NFL record for most Super Bowl losses and they have five players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, John Elway, Floyd Little, Gary Zimmerman, Shannon Sharpe, and the most recently elected member, Terrell Davis. The Denver Broncos were founded on August 14,1959, when Minor League Baseball owner Bob Howsam was awarded an American Football League charter franchise, the Broncos won the first-ever AFL game over the Boston Patriots 13–10, on September 9,1960. On August 5,1967, they became the first-ever AFL team to defeat an NFL team, however, the Broncos were not successful in the 1960s, compiling a record of 39–97–4 in the league. Denver came close to losing its franchise in 1965, until an ownership group took control. The teams first superstar, Franchise Floyd Little, was instrumental in keeping the team in Denver, due to his signing in 1967 as well as his Pro Bowl efforts on, in 1972, the Broncos hired former Stanford University coach John Ralston as their head coach. In 1973, he was the UPIs AFC Coach of the Year, in five seasons with the Broncos, Ralston guided the team to winning seasons three times. Though Ralston finished the 1976 season with a 9–5 record, the team, as was the case in Ralstons previous winning seasons, following the season, several prominent players publicly voiced their discontent with Ralston, which soon led to his resignation. Dan Reeves became the youngest head coach in the NFL when he joined the Broncos in 1981 as vice president, quarterback John Elway, who played college football at Stanford, arrived in 1983 via a trade. Prior to Elway, the Broncos had over 24 different starting quarterbacks in its 23 seasons to that point, Reeves and Elway guided the Broncos to six post-season appearances, five AFC West divisional titles, three AFC championships and three Super Bowl appearances during their 12-year span together. Reeves was fired after the 1992 season and replaced by his protégé and friend Wade Phillips, Phillips was fired after a mediocre 1994 season, in which management felt he lost control of the team. In 1995, Mike Shanahan, who had served under Reeves as the Broncos offensive coordinator. Shanahan drafted rookie running back Terrell Davis, in 1996, the Broncos were the top seed in the AFC with a 13–3 record, dominating most of the teams that year
8.
New York Giants
–
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues National Football Conference East division. The team plays its games at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants hold their training camp at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center at the Meadowlands Sports Complex. The Giants were one of five teams that joined the NFL in 1925 and their championship tally is surpassed only by the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. Throughout their history, the Giants have featured 28 Hall of Fame players, including NFL Most Valuable Player award winners Mel Hein, Frank Gifford, Y. A. Tittle, and Lawrence Taylor. The teams heated rivalry with the Philadelphia Eagles is the oldest of the NFC East rivalries, dating all the way back to 1933, the Giants played their first game as an away game against All New Britain in New Britain, Connecticut, on October 4,1925. They defeated New Britain 26–0 in front of a crowd of 10,000, the Giants were successful in their first season, finishing with an 8–4 record. In its third season, the finished with the best record in the league at 11–1–1 and was awarded the NFL title. In 1930, there were many who questioned the quality of the professional game. In December 1930, the Giants played a team of Notre Dame All Stars at the Polo Grounds to raise money for the unemployed of New York City and it was also an opportunity to establish the skill and prestige of the pro game. Knute Rockne reassembled his Four Horsemen along with the stars of his 1924 Championship squad and told them to score early, Rockne, like much of the public, thought little of pro football and expected an easy win. But from the beginning it was a one-way contest, with Friedman running for two Giant touchdowns and Hap Moran passing for another, when it was all over, Coach Rockne told his team, That was the greatest football machine I ever saw. I am glad none of you got hurt, the game raised $100,000 for the homeless, and is often credited with establishing the legitimacy of the professional game for those who were critical. It also was the last game the legendary Rockne ever coached, in a 14-year span from 1933 to 1947, the Giants qualified to play in the NFL championship game 8 times, winning twice. During this period the Giants were led by Hall of Fame coach Steve Owen, the period also featured the 1944 Giants, which are ranked as the #1 defensive team in NFL history. a truly awesome unit. They gave up only 7.5 points per game and shut out five of their 10 opponents, though they lost 14-7 to the Green Bay Packers in the 1944 NFL Championship Game. The famous Sneakers Game was played in this era where the Giants defeated the Chicago Bears on an icy field in the 1934 NFL Championship Game, the Giants played the Detroit Lions to a scoreless tie on November 7,1943
9.
Atlanta Falcons
–
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Falcons compete in the National Football League as a club of the leagues National Football Conference South division. The Falcons joined the NFL in 1965 as an expansion team, the AFL instead granted a franchise to Miami. The Falcons are tied with the Dolphins for being the second-oldest NFL franchise in the Deep South, the Falcons played their home games at the Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta from the 1992 to 2016 NFL seasons. Construction began on Mercedes-Benz Stadium in May 2014, with play projected to begin there during the 2017 season and their headquarters and practice facilities are located at a 50-acre site in Flowery Branch, Georgia. Two years later, the AFL held another exhibition, this time with the New York Jets taking on the San Diego Chargers, in 1965, after the Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium was built, the city of Atlanta felt the time was right to start pursuing professional football. Another group reported it had deposited earnest money for a team in the AFL and he forced the city to make a choice between the two leagues. By June 30, the city picked Rankin Smith and the NFL, former commissioner Pete Rozelle and Smith made the deal in about five minutes and the Atlanta Falcons brought the largest and most popular sport to the city of Atlanta. The Atlanta expansion franchise became the 15th NFL franchise, and they were awarded the first pick in the 1966 NFL draft as well as the pick in each of the first five rounds. The Falcons drafted All-American linebacker Tommy Nobis from the University of Texas with the first pick of the draft, the league also held the 1966 NFL Expansion Draft six weeks later in which the Falcons selected unprotected players from existing franchises. Although the Falcons selected many players in those drafts, they still were not able to win right away. The Atlanta Falcons Football Club received its nickname on August 29,1965, miss Julia Elliott, a school teacher from Griffin, Georgia, was singled out from many people who suggested Falcons as the nickname for the new franchise. Elliott wrote, the Falcon is proud and dignified, with great courage and it is deadly and has a great sporting tradition. The Falcons had their first season in 1966, and their first preseason game on August 1,1966, under Head Coach Norb Hecker they lost their first nine regular-season games in 1966 and secured their first victory on the road against the New York Giants. The team finished the 1960s with only 12 wins, the Falcons had their first Monday Night Football game in Atlanta during the 1970 season. The only two winning seasons in this period were 1971 and 1973. In the 1978 season, the Falcons qualified for the playoffs for the first time, the following week, they lost to the Dallas Cowboys 27–20 in the Divisional Playoffs. In the 1980 season, after a winning streak, the Falcons posted a franchise then-best record of 12–4
10.
Super Bowl
–
The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League. The game is the culmination to a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. Normally, Roman numerals are used to each game, rather than the year in which it is held. For example, Super Bowl I was played on January 15,1967, the single exception to this rule is Super Bowl 50, which was played on February 7,2016, following the 2015 regular season. The next game, Super Bowl LII, scheduled for February 4,2018, the game was created as part of a merger agreement between the NFL and its then-rival league, the American Football League. It was agreed that the two champion teams would play in the AFL–NFL World Championship Game until the merger was to officially begin in 1970. After the merger, each league was redesignated as a conference, currently, the National Football Conference leads the league with 26 wins to 25 wins for the American Football Conference. The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most Super Bowl championship titles, with six, the New England Patriots have the most Super Bowl appearances, with nine. The day on which the Super Bowl is played, now considered by some as an unofficial American national holiday, is called Super Bowl Sunday and it is the second-largest day for U. S. food consumption, after Thanksgiving Day. In addition, the Super Bowl has frequently been the most-watched American television broadcast of the year, in 2015, Super Bowl XLIX became the most-watched American television program in history with an average audience of 114. The NFL restricts the use of its Super Bowl trademark, it is called the Big Game or other generic terms by non-sponsoring corporations. As a result, watching and discussing the broadcasts commercials has become a significant aspect of the event, for four decades after its 1920 inception, the NFL successfully fended off several rival leagues. However, in 1960, it encountered its most serious competitor when the American Football League was formed. The AFL vied heavily with the NFL for both players and fans, but by the middle of the decade the strain of competition led to merger talks between the two leagues. Prior to the 1966 season, the NFL and AFL reached an agreement that was to take effect for the 1970 season. As part of the merger, the champions of the two agreed to meet in a world championship game for professional American football until the merger was effected. A bowl game is a college football game. Exploiting the Rose Bowl Games popularity, post-season college football contests were created for Miami, New Orleans, and El Paso, Texas in 1935, by the time the first Super Bowl was played, the term bowl for any major American football game was well established
11.
Super Bowl VI
–
The Cowboys defeated the Dolphins by the score of 24–3, to win their first Super Bowl. The game was played on January 16,1972, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, despite the southerly location, it was unseasonably cold at the time, with the kickoff air temperature of 39 °F making this the coldest Super Bowl ever played. They posted an 11–3 record during the 1971 regular season defeating the Minnesota Vikings. The Cowboys dominated Super Bowl VI, setting Super Bowl records for the most rushing yards, the most first downs, and they remain the only team ever to prevent their opponent from scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl. The game was close in the first half, with the Cowboys only leading 10–3 at halftime, but Dallas opened the third quarter with a 71-yard, 8-play touchdown drive, and then Dallas linebacker Chuck Howleys 41-yard interception return in the fourth quarter set up another score. Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach, who completed 12 out of 18 passes for 119 yards, threw 2 touchdown passes and this was the last Super Bowl to be blacked out in the TV market in which the game was played. Under the NFLs unconditional blackout rules at the time, the Super Bowl could not be broadcast locally even if the team did not advance to the Super Bowl. The following year, the changed their rules to allow games to be broadcast in the local market if sold out 72 hours in advance. It was the last Super Bowl played with hashmarks at 40 feet apart, the year, they were brought in to 18 1⁄2 feet. The NFL awarded Super Bowl VI to New Orleans on March 23,1971 at the meetings held in Palm Beach. The Cowboys entered the season still having the reputation of not being able to win the big games, the Super Bowl V loss added more fuel to that widely held view. As in the season, Dallas had a quarterback controversy as Staubach. The Cowboys were 4–3 at the midpoint, including a 24–14 loss to the New Orleans Saints at Tulane Stadium. But after head coach Tom Landry settled on Staubach, the Cowboys won their last seven regular season games to finish with an 11–3 record. Staubach finished the season as the NFLs top rated passer by throwing for 1,882 yards,15 touchdowns. He was also a terrific rusher, gaining 343 yards and 2 touchdowns on 41 carries. Dallas also had a trio of running backs, Walt Garrison, Duane Thomas, and Calvin Hill. Garrison led the team in receptions during the season, wide Receivers Bob Hayes and Lance Alworth also provided a deep threat, catching a combined total of 69 passes for 1,327 yards and 10 touchdowns
12.
Super Bowl XII
–
The Cowboys defeated the Broncos 27–10 to win their second Super Bowl. The game was played on January 15,1978, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans and this was the first time that the Super Bowl was played in a domed stadium, and the first time that the game was played in prime time. The game pitted Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach against their former quarterback, led by Staubach and the Doomsday Defense, Dallas advanced to its fourth Super Bowl after posting a 12–2 regular season record and playoff victories over the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings. The Cowboys defense dominated most of Super Bowl XII, forcing eight turnovers, two of those interceptions led to 10 first-quarter points. Denvers longest play of the game was just 21 yards, which occurred on their opening drive, Dallas expanded its lead to 20–3 in the third quarter after wide receiver Butch Johnson made a diving catch in the end zone for a 45-yard touchdown reception. For the first and only time, two players won Super Bowl MVP honors, defensive tackle Randy White and defensive end Harvey Martin and this was also the first time that a defensive lineman was named Super Bowl MVP. The NFL awarded Super Bowl XII to New Orleans on March 16,1976 at the NFL owners meetings held in San Diego, the main storyline surrounding Super Bowl XII was Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach versus Broncos quarterback Craig Morton. Morton began his playing for Dallas in 1965. Staubach joined the Cowboys in 1969 after spending 4 years of service in the United States Navy, during the 1970 season, both Morton and Staubach started for about half of the regular season games. Morton was ultimately selected to lead the team through the playoffs and eventually to their Super Bowl V loss to the Baltimore Colts, the next year, Staubach won the starting job and eventually led Dallas to defeat the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI, 24–3. Staubach was also named Super Bowl MVP during that game, in 1972, Morton started most of the Cowboys games as Staubach was out with a separated shoulder. However, in the playoffs against San Francisco, Staubach relieved Morton and led the team to a come-from-behind victory. Morton was relegated to backup status until he left the team in 1974 to join the New York Giants, after spending three years with the Giants, Morton became the starting quarterback for the Broncos, a franchise with a dismal history. It had taken them 14 years to record their first winning season, but under the leadership of the newly arrived Morton and their new coach Red Miller, Denver finished 1977 with a 12–2 record and earned the #1 seed in the AFC. Denver tight end Riley Odoms was his target, with 37 receptions for 429 yards. Wide receiver Haven Moses was also a deep threat, catching 27 passes for 539 yards. However, the Broncos main offensive strength was their rushing game, Denver had 3 running backs, Otis Armstrong, Lonnie Perrin, and Rob Lytle, who carried the ball equally, combining for 1,353 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. On special teams, multi-talented wide receiver Rick Upchurch led the NFL with 653 punt return yards, while also catching 12 passes for 245 yards and recording 456 yards returning kickoffs
13.
American football
–
The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs, or plays, or else they turn over the football to the opposing team, if they succeed, they are given a new set of four downs. Points are primarily scored by advancing the ball into the teams end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponents goalposts for a field goal. The team with the most points at the end of a game wins, American football evolved in the United States, originating from the sports of association football and rugby football. The first game of American football was played on November 6,1869, during the latter half of the 1870s, colleges playing association football switched to the Rugby Union code, which allowed carrying the ball. American football as a whole is the most popular sport in the United States, Professional football and college football are the most popular forms of the game, with the other major levels being high school and youth football. As of 2012, nearly 1.1 million high school athletes and 70,000 college athletes play the sport in the United States annually, almost all of them men, in the United States, American football is referred to as football. The term football was established in the rulebook for the 1876 college football season. The terms gridiron or American football are favored in English-speaking countries where other codes of football are popular, such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, American football evolved from the sports of association football and rugby football. What is considered to be the first American football game was played on November 6,1869 between Rutgers and Princeton, two college teams, the game was played between two teams of 25 players each and used a round ball that could not be picked up or carried. It could, however, be kicked or batted with the feet, hands, head or sides, Rutgers won the game 6 goals to 4. Collegiate play continued for years in which matches were played using the rules of the host school. Representatives of Yale, Columbia, Princeton and Rutgers met on October 19,1873 to create a set of rules for all schools to adhere to. Teams were set at 20 players each, and fields of 400 by 250 feet were specified, Harvard abstained from the conference, as they favored a rugby-style game that allowed running with the ball. An 1875 Harvard-Yale game played under rugby-style rules was observed by two impressed Princeton athletes and these players introduced the sport to Princeton, a feat the Professional Football Researchers Association compared to selling refrigerators to Eskimos. Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Columbia then agreed to play using a form of rugby union rules with a modified scoring system. These schools formed the Intercollegiate Football Association, although Yale did not join until 1879, the introduction of the snap resulted in unexpected consequences. Prior to the snap, the strategy had been to punt if a scrum resulted in bad field position, however, a group of Princeton players realized that, as the snap was uncontested, they now could hold the ball indefinitely to prevent their opponent from scoring. In 1881, both teams in a game between Yale-Princeton used this strategy to maintain their undefeated records, each team held the ball, gaining no ground, for an entire half, resulting in a 0-0 tie
14.
National Football League
–
The National Football League is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. The NFL is one of the four professional sports leagues in North America. The NFLs 17-week regular season runs from the week after Labor Day to the week after Christmas, with each team playing 16 games, the NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season. The NFL agreed to merge with the American Football League in 1966, and the first Super Bowl was held at the end of that season, the merger was completed in 1970. Today, the NFL has the highest average attendance of any sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States. S. The NFLs executive officer is the commissioner, who has authority in governing the league. The team with the most NFL championships is the Green Bay Packers with thirteen, the current NFL champions are the New England Patriots, who defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34–28 in Super Bowl LI. Another meeting held on September 17,1920 resulted in the renaming of the league to the American Professional Football Association, the league hired Jim Thorpe as its first president, and consisted of 14 teams. Only two of these teams, the Decatur Staleys and the Chicago Cardinals, remain, the first event occurred on September 26,1920 when the Rock Island Independents defeated the non-league St. Paul Ideals 48–0 at Douglas Park. On October 3,1920, the first full week of league play occurred, the following season resulted in the Chicago Staleys controversially winning the title over the Buffalo All-Americans. In 1922, the APFA changed its name to the National Football League, in 1932, the season ended with the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans tied for first in the league standings. This method had used since the leagues creation in 1920. The league quickly determined that a game between Chicago and Portsmouth was needed to decide the leagues champion. Playing with altered rules to accommodate the playing field, the Bears won the game 9–0. Fan interest in the de facto championship game led the NFL, beginning in 1933, the 1934 season also marked the first of 12 seasons in which African Americans were absent from the league. The de facto ban was rescinded in 1946, following public pressure, the NFL was always the foremost professional football league in the United States, it nevertheless faced a large number of rival professional leagues through the 1930s and 1940s. Rival leagues included at least three separate American Football Leagues and the All-America Football Conference, on top of regional leagues of varying caliber. Three NFL teams trace their histories to these leagues, including the Los Angeles Rams
15.
Bill Belichick
–
William Stephen Belichick is an American football coach who is the head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League. Belichick has extensive authority over the Patriots football operations, effectively making him the manager of the team as well. He was previously the coach of the Cleveland Browns. Belichicks father, Steve, was a college football scout. Bill often studied football with his father, and has cited him as one of his greatest mentors and he went on to play football and lacrosse in high school and football, lacrosse, and squash at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut. He was captain of the team in his senior year. Belichick began his career in 1975, and by 1985, he was the Defensive Coordinator for New York Giants head coach. Parcells and Belichick won two Super Bowls together, before Belichick left to become the coach in Cleveland in 1991. He remained in Cleveland for five seasons, and was fired following the teams 1995 season, Belichick then rejoined Parcells, first in New England where the team lost Super Bowl XXXI, and later with the New York Jets. After being named coach of the Jets in early 2000. Belichick has led the Patriots to 14 AFC East division titles and 11 appearances in the AFC Championship Game and he was named the AP NFL Coach of the Year for the 2003,2007, and 2010 seasons. Since then, he has coached the Patriots to seven Super Bowl appearances and his teams won Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLIX, and LI and lost Super Bowls XLII and XLVI. In addition, the appearance in Super Bowl LI was the Patriots ninth Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, which is the most of any team. Belichick is the NFLs longest-tenured active head coach, and currently ranks fourth all-time in regular season coaching wins in the NFL at 237, and first in playoff coaching wins with 26. He completed his 40th season as an NFL coach in 2014 and won his fifth Super Bowl as a coach following the 2016 season. He is one of five head coaches with four or more titles in NFL history. He is also the head coach in NFL history to win three Super Bowl championships in a four-year span. Belichick was born in Nashville, Tennessee, the son of Jeannette and he was raised in Annapolis, Maryland, where his father was an assistant football coach at the United States Naval Academy
16.
Super Bowl XXI
–
The Giants defeated the Broncos by the score of 39–20, winning their first ever Super Bowl, and their first NFL title since 1956. The game was played on January 25,1987, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and this was the Broncos second Super Bowl appearance. Led largely through the play of quarterback John Elway and a defense led the AFC in fewest yards allowed, Denver posted an 11–5 regular season record. The game was tight in the first half, with the Broncos holding a 10–9 halftime lead, the only score in the second quarter, however, was Giants defensive end George Martins sack of Elway in the end zone for a safety. This began New Yorks run of scoring 26 unanswered points through the third, the Giants also posted a Super Bowl record 30 points in the second half, and limited the Broncos to only 2 net yards in the third quarter. Simms, who was named the Super Bowl MVP, finished the game with 22 of 25 passes completed for 268 yards and he also had 25 rushing yards on 3 carries. His 22 out of 25 completion percentage not only broke a Super Bowl record and this remains the only Super Bowl win for the Giants against a team that did not come from the AFC East, otherwise they have defeated Buffalo once and New England twice. The telecast of the game on CBS was seen by an estimated 87.2 million viewers, the practice was first started by Giants players in 1985 but it did not gain much national prominence until this season. NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXI to Pasadena, California on May 24,1984 during their May 23–25,1984 meetings in Washington, fourteen cities were part of the bidding process, which was scheduled to award four Super Bowls. The bidding cities included, Anaheim, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Pasadena, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa, and Tempe. The Philadelphia host committee assembled what was considered a strong, but long-shot bid, the balloting for XXI took 13 ballots and over two hours to complete, with Pasadena finally receiving the winning bid. XXII was also voted on, but the voting for XXIII and this was the fourth time that Pasadena hosted the game, and the sixth time it was held in the Greater Los Angeles Area. The Giants advanced to their first Super Bowl in team history, the Giants were led by quarterback Phil Simms, who threw for 3,487 yards and 21 touchdowns. Simms main target was tight end Mark Bavaro, who caught 66 passes for 1,001 yards and 4 touchdowns, although the Giants did not have one great wide receiver, they did have several good ones. Receivers Stacy Robinson, Bobby Johnson, and Phil McConkey combined for 76 receptions and 1,307 yards, however, running the ball was the Giants primary offensive attack. Running back Joe Morris finished the season with a then-franchise record 1,516 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, while also catching 21 passes for 223 yards. One reason for his success was fullback Maurice Carthon, who provided Morris with excellent blocking and was the second leading rusher with 260 yards. Another reason was the play of their line, led by Pro Bowl left tackle Brad Benson
17.
Super Bowl XXII
–
The Redskins defeated the Broncos by the score of 42–10, winning their second ever Super Bowl. The game was played on January 31,1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego and this Super Bowl came at the end of a season that was shortened by a players strike. Each team only missed one regular season due to the labor dispute. The Broncos were making their second consecutive Super Bowl, and third appearance, after posting a 10–4–1 regular season record, largely through the strength of their quarterback. This would be the last time that a team with a tie in their season record would play in a Super Bowl until the 2012 San Francisco 49ers played in Super Bowl XLVII with an 11–4–1 record. The Redskins, who were making their fourth Super Bowl appearance after posting an 11–4 regular season record, were led by quarterback Doug Williams, after Williams entered the season as a backup, he was promoted to starter midway through the season and led Washington to two playoff victories. In games not started by Williams, the team was 11-2, Williams was 0-2 as a starter during the regular season. Williams, who was named the Super Bowl MVP, completed 18 of 29 passes for a Super Bowl record 340 yards and four touchdowns and he also became the first player in Super Bowl history to pass for four touchdowns in a single quarter, and four in a half. Williams was the first African American starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl, the 10-point deficit was the largest deficit overcome by a team to win the Super Bowl in any given season until Super Bowl LI. NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXII to San Diego on May 24,1984 during their May 23–25,1984 meetings in Washington and this was the first Super Bowl to be played at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California. Fourteen cities were part of the process, which was scheduled to award four Super Bowls. The bidding cities included, Anaheim, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Pasadena, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa, and Tempe. The Philadelphia host committee assembled what was considered a strong, but long-shot bid, Jacksonville had no NFL team at the time, the Jacksonville Jaguars were founded in 1993 and would not start play until 1995. After the balloting for XXI took over two hours to complete, XXII was also voted on, but the voting for XXIII, San Diego was awarded the game, marking the second time consecutive Super Bowls were played in the same state, with Pasadena hosting Super Bowl XXI. This has now happened three times in NFL history, Super Bowls II and III were both played at the Miami Orange Bowl and Super Bowls XLIII and XLIV were played in Florida, Williams had taken a rather unconventional route to the Super Bowl. He began his career as the first round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1978. After five seasons, a dispute caused him to leave the team. When that league folded a few later, Williams found himself out of a job until Redskins coach Joe Gibbs asked him to join the team to be the backup for quarterback Jay Schroeder
18.
Super Bowl XXIV
–
The 49ers finished the 1989 regular season with a league best 14–2 record. This game remains the most lopsided game in Super Bowl history to date, San Franciscos 55 points were the most ever scored by one team, and their 45-point margin of victory was the largest ever. The 49ers are also the team to score at least eight touchdowns in a Super Bowl. San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana was named the Super Bowl MVP and he completed 22 of 29 passes for a total of 297 yards and a Super Bowl record 5 touchdowns, while also rushing for 15 yards. Montanas 75.9 completion percentage was the second highest in Super Bowl history, NFL owners voted to award Super Bowl XXIV to New Orleans, Louisiana on March 14,1985 during their March 10–15,1985 meetings held in Phoenix. This would be a seventh time that New Orleans hosted the Super Bowl. Tulane Stadium was the site of Super Bowls IV, VI, and IX, while the Louisiana Superdome previously hosted XII, XV, originally, the selection was to be voted on during the May 23–25,1984 meetings. However, after balloting for XXI took more than two hours, voting for XXIV was rescheduled, twelve cities were part of the bidding process, which was scheduled to award two Super Bowls. The bidding cities included, Anaheim, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, New Orleans entered as the favorite. The 49ers entered the game seeking to win their second straight Super Bowl and their two losses were only by a combined margin of 5 points. The 49ers offense was just as dominating as it was during the regular season. Quarterback Joe Montana threw for 3,512 yards,26 touchdowns, Montana also rushed for 227 yards and 3 touchdowns, and earned both the NFL Most Valuable Player Award and the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. Wide receiver Jerry Rice had another outstanding season, catching 82 passes for 1,483 yards and 17 touchdowns, running back Roger Craig was the teams leading rusher with 1,054 yards and 6 touchdowns, and he recorded 49 receptions for 473 yards and another touchdown. But other stars on the 49ers offense began to emerge, enabling the team to spread the ball around, tight end Brent Jones recorded 40 receptions for 500 yards. Fullback Tom Rathman had the best season of his career, rushing for 305 yards, kicker Mike Cofer scored 136 points while making a career high 80. 6% of his field goals. Even Montanas backup, Steve Young, had a year, throwing for 1,001 yards and 8 touchdowns with only 3 interceptions. With all of these weapons, San Franciscos offense led the league in yards from scrimmage. The 49ers defense allowed the third-fewest points in the NFL, defensive end Pierce Holt recorded 10.5 sacks, as did linebacker Charles Haley
19.
Super Bowl XXXIII
–
The Broncos defeated the Falcons by the score of 34–19, winning their second consecutive Super Bowl. The game was played on January 31,1999, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos entered the game with an AFC-best 14–2 regular season record. The Falcons, under former Denver head coach Dan Reeves, were making their first Super Bowl appearance after posting a 14–2 regular season record. Aided by quarterback John Elways 80-yard touchdown pass to receiver Rod Smith, at 38 years old, Elway became the oldest player, at the time, to be named Super Bowl MVP. In the final game of his career, he completed 18 of 29 passes for 336 yards with one touchdown and one interception, Elway retired on May 2,1999 before the following season. NFL owners then awarded Super Bowl XXXIII to the Miami area during their October 31,1996 meeting in New Orleans, other cities under consideration were Atlanta, Tampa, and Los Angeles. Owners initially planned on selecting only two hosts, but decided to name three after strong showings by the respective delegations, Miami, Atlanta, and Tampa were selected to host XXXIII, XXXIV, and XXXV, respectively. This was the time that the South Florida area hosted the game. This started a streak of 11 straight Super Bowls in which every game with the NFC as the team was played outdoors. Following the Broncos victory during Super Bowl XXXII the previous season, but Elway decided to stay with Denver and see if he could lead them to a second consecutive championship. But Davis rushing numbers did not reduce Elways passing production, the 38-year-old quarterback made the Pro Bowl for the 3rd year in a row and the 9th time in his career, throwing for 2,806 yards and 22 touchdowns, with only 10 interceptions. A big reason for Elways passing success was that he had two Pro Bowl wide receivers and a Pro Bowl tight end to throw to. Wide receivers Ed McCaffrey and Rod Smith provided the team with outstanding deep threats, the Broncos also had three Pro Bowlers anchoring their offensive line, center Tom Nalen, guard Mark Schlereth, and tackle Tony Jones. On special teams, running back Vaughn Hebron returned 46 kickoffs for 1,216 yards, the Broncos defense typically did not get as much attention as their offense, but it was still effective, giving up 308 points. Up front, the line was anchored by defensive tackles Maa Tanuvasa and Trevor Pryce, behind them, Pro Bowl linebacker Bill Romanowski recorded 55 tackles,7.5 sacks,3 fumble recoveries, and 2 interceptions. The secondary was led by Pro Bowler Steve Atwater and Darrien Gordon, who led the team with 4 interceptions, which he returned for 125 yards, Gordon was also a great punt returner, returning 34 punts for 379 yards. The Falcons advanced to their first Super Bowl in franchise history, like the Broncos, they finished the 1998 regular season with a 14–2 record, including wins in each of their last nine games. But unlike the Broncos, Atlantas success in 1998 was very surprising to many because they had a 7–9 record in the previous season, in fact, the team recorded just four winning seasons in the last 20 years prior to 1998, and only two in the 1990s
20.
Bud Grant
–
Harry Peter Bud Grant, Jr. is a former coach and player of American football and Canadian football. Grant served as the coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for eighteen seasons, he was the teams second. Before coaching the Vikings, he was the coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League for ten seasons. Grant is the most successful coach in Vikings history, and the third most successful football coach overall. Grant was elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and he was the first coach in the history of professional football to guide teams to the Grey Cup finals and the Super Bowl. Grant attended the University of Minnesota and was an athlete, in football, basketball. After college, he played for the Minneapolis Lakers of the National Basketball Association, the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL, on October 23,2014, a statue of Grant was unveiled in front of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers new stadium, Investors Group Field. Bud Grant was born on May 20,1927, in Superior, Wisconsin to Harry Peter Sr. and his mother called him Buddy Boy, which later became Bud. As a child, Grant was diagnosed with poliomyelitis and a doctor suggested he become active in sports to strengthen his leg muscles over time. He started with baseball, adding basketball and football as he got older, due to a lack of organized school teams, he arranged football games between neighborhoods and contacted kids from other schools to participate. During weekends, he would spend time outdoors alone hunting rabbits, in his late teens and college years, he played organized baseball in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Bud married Pat in 1950, and they had six children and their son Mike Grant has been the football head coach for Eden Prairie High School in Eden Prairie, Minnesota since 1992. Mike Grant has coached Eden Prairie to ten state championships since 1996, Bud Grants grandson Ryan Grant was a quarterback and linebacker at Eden Prairie and played at the University of Minnesota as a linebacker. Buds granddaughter Jenny is married to former NFL quarterback Gibran Hamdan, Pat Grant died in 2009, of Parkinsons Disease. Grant played football, basketball, and baseball at Superior Central High School and he graduated from high school in 1945 and enlisted in the Navy during World War II. He was assigned to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois, using an acceptance letter from the University of Wisconsin–Madison to be discharged from the service, Grant decided to attend the University of Minnesota instead. He was a three-sport, nine-letterman athlete in football, basketball, after leaving the University of Minnesota, Grant was selected in both the NFL and NBA Draft. He was selected in the first round of the 1950 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles and he played thirty-five games during the 1949–50 NBA season and signed with the Lakers for the 1950–51 NBA season
21.
Jeff Fisher
–
Jeffrey Michael Fisher is an American football coach and former player. He served as a coach in the National Football League for 22 seasons. He coached the Titans for 17 seasons and Los Angeles Rams franchise for five seasons, Fisher became the coach of the Titans franchise towards the end of the 1994 season during their tenure as the Houston Oilers and was the teams first coach when they relocated to Tennessee. He continued to coach the Titans until after the end of the 2010 season, when he, following a season away from football, Fisher was hired as the head coach of the Rams franchise in 2012 and coached the team during their last four years in St. Louis. He remained the coach of the Rams during the franchises return to Los Angeles in 2016. Fishers most successful season was in 1999, when he led the Titans to the franchises first Super Bowl appearance in XXXIV and he holds the record for the most regular season losses by an NFL head coach at 165, tied with Dan Reeves. A native of Southern California, Fisher starred as a high school All-American wide receiver at Taft High School in Woodland Hills, Fisher went on to star at USC, under coach John Robinson. During his collegiate career, he played alongside such stars as Ronnie Lott, Dennis Smith. Fishers USC teammates also included offensive lineman Bruce Matthews, whom he would coach years later with the Oilers. Fisher and the Trojans won a championship during the 1978 season. Fisher was drafted in the round of the 1981 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He appeared in 49 games as a back and return specialist in his five seasons with the Bears. In 1983, Fisher had suffered a leg on a punt return when he was tackled by then-Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Bill Cowher. Coincidentally the two rivals as head coaches beginning in the AFC Central in 1995, Fishers Oilers/Titans squads came out with an 11–7 record against Cowhers Pittsburgh Steelers. Fisher earned a Super Bowl ring after Chicagos 1985 Super Bowl season, Fisher stayed with the Bears as a defensive assistant while on injured reserve for the season. During 1985, Fisher used his time on the Bears injured reserve to assist defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, after the Bears won the Super Bowl that season, Ryan was hired as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and Fisher joined as a defensive backs coach. In 1988, Fisher was promoted to defensive coordinator at age 30, the 1989 Eagles defense led the NFL in interceptions and sacks. The 1990 squad led the league in rushing defense and finished second in sacks, in 1991, Fisher was hired as defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, which reunited him with his college coach John Robinson
22.
High school football
–
High school football is gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular sports in both countries. It is also popular amongst American High school teams in Europe, High school football began in the late 19th century, concurrent with the start of many college football programs. In the late 19th and early 20th century, many college, other traditions of high school football such as pep rallies, marching bands, mascots, and homecomings are mirrored from college football. No true minor league farm organizations exist in American football, therefore, high school football is generally considered to be the third tier of American football in the United States, behind professional and college competition. The National Federation of State High School Associations establishes the rules of high school football in the United States, two states, Texas and Massachusetts, use NCAA playing rules except as shown below. Kickoffs take place at the kicking teams 40-yard line, as opposed to the 35 in college, if an attempted field goal is missed it is treated as a punt, normally it would be a touchback and the opposing team will start at the 20-yard line. However, if it not enter the end zone, it can be downed or returned as a normal punt. Any kick crossing the line is automatically a touchback, kicks cannot be returned out of the end zone. Pass interference by the results in a 15-yard penalty. Pass interference by the results in a 15-yard penalty, from the previous spot. The defense cannot return an extra-point attempt for a score, any defensive player that encroaches the neutral zone, regardless of whether the ball was snapped or not, commits a dead ball foul for encroachment. 5-yard penalty from the previous spot, prior to 2013, offensive pass interference resulted in a 15-yard penalty AND a loss of down. The loss of down provision has been deleted from the rules starting in 2013, in college and the NFL, offensive pass interference is only 10 yards. The use of overtime, and the type of overtime used, is up to the state association. The NFHS offers a suggested overtime procedure based on the Kansas Playoff, intentional grounding may be called even if the quarterback is outside the tackle box. The home team must wear dark-colored jerseys, and the team must wear white jerseys. In the NFL, the team has choice of jersey color, and in the NCAA
23.
Baseball
–
Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of nine players each, who take turns batting and fielding. A run is scored when a player advances around the bases, Players on the batting team take turns hitting against the pitcher of the fielding team, which tries to prevent runs by getting hitters out in any of several ways. A player on the team who reaches a base safely can later attempt to advance to subsequent bases during teammates turns batting. The teams switch between batting and fielding whenever the team records three outs. One turn batting for both teams, beginning with the team, constitutes an inning. A game is composed of nine innings, and the team with the number of runs at the end of the game wins. Baseball has no clock, although almost all games end in the ninth inning. Baseball evolved from older bat-and-ball games already being played in England by the mid-18th century and this game was brought by immigrants to North America, where the modern version developed. By the late 19th century, baseball was widely recognized as the sport of the United States. Baseball is now popular in North America and parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, in the United States and Canada, professional Major League Baseball teams are divided into the National League and American League, each with three divisions, East, West, and Central. The major league champion is determined by playoffs that culminate in the World Series, the top level of play is similarly split in Japan between the Central and Pacific Leagues and in Cuba between the West League and East League. The evolution of baseball from older bat-and-ball games is difficult to trace with precision, a French manuscript from 1344 contains an illustration of clerics playing a game, possibly la soule, with similarities to baseball. Other old French games such as thèque, la balle au bâton, consensus once held that todays baseball is a North American development from the older game rounders, popular in Great Britain and Ireland. Baseball Before We Knew It, A Search for the Roots of the Game, by David Block, suggests that the game originated in England, recently uncovered historical evidence supports this position. Block argues that rounders and early baseball were actually regional variants of other. It has long believed that cricket also descended from such games. The earliest known reference to baseball is in a 1744 British publication, A Little Pretty Pocket-Book, David Block discovered that the first recorded game of Bass-Ball took place in 1749 in Surrey, and featured the Prince of Wales as a player. William Bray, an English lawyer, recorded a game of baseball on Easter Monday 1755 in Guildford and this early form of the game was apparently brought to Canada by English immigrants
24.
Basketball
–
Basketball is a non-contact team sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of five players each. The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high that is mounted to a backboard at each end of the court. The game was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket being defended by the opposition team during regular play. A field goal scores three points for the team if the player shoots from behind the three-point line. A team can also score via free throws, which are worth one point, the team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but additional time is mandated when the score is tied at the end of regulation. The ball can be advanced on the court by passing it to a teammate and it is a violation to lift, or drag, ones pivot foot without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling. The game has many techniques for displaying skill—ball-handling, shooting, passing, dribbling, dunking, shot-blocking. The point guard directs the on court action of the team, implementing the coachs game plan, Basketball is one of the worlds most popular and widely viewed sports. Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the Euroleague, the FIBA Basketball World Cup attracts the top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for teams, like EuroBasket. The FIBA Womens Basketball World Cup features the top womens basketball teams from continental championships. The main North American league is the WNBA, whereas the EuroLeague Women has been dominated by teams from the Russian Womens Basketball Premier League, in early December 1891, Canadian Dr. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied, after rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot elevated track. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball and these laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith, dribbling was not part of the original game except for the bounce pass to teammates. Passing the ball was the means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the shape of early balls. Dribbling only became a part of the game around the 1950s
25.
College football
–
It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. No minor league farm organizations exist in American football and it is in college football where a players performance directly impacts his chances of playing professional football. The best collegiate players will declare for the professional draft after 3 to 4 years of collegiate competition. Those not selected can still attempt to land an NFL roster spot as a free agent. Even after the emergence of the professional National Football League, college football remained extremely popular throughout the U. S, in many cases, college stadiums employ bench-style seating, as opposed to individual seats with backs and arm rests. This allows them to more fans in a given amount of space than the typical professional stadium. College athletes, unlike players in the NFL, are not permitted by the NCAA to be paid salaries, colleges are only allowed to provide non-monetary compensation such as athletic scholarships that provide for tuition, housing, and books. Modern North American football has its origins in various games, all known as football, by the 1840s, students at Rugby School were playing a game in which players were able to pick up the ball and run with it, a sport later known as Rugby football. The game was taken to Canada by British soldiers stationed there and was soon being played at Canadian colleges, the first documented gridiron football match was a game played at University College, a college of the University of Toronto, November 9,1861. One of the participants in the game involving University of Toronto students was William Mulock, a football club was formed at the university soon afterward, although its rules of play at this stage are unclear. In 1864, at Trinity College, also a college of the University of Toronto, F. Barlow Cumberland, modern Canadian football is widely regarded as having originated with a game played in Montreal, in 1865, when British Army officers played local civilians. The game gradually gained a following, and the Montreal Football Club was formed in 1868, early games appear to have had much in common with the traditional mob football played in England. The games remained largely unorganized until the 19th century, when games of football began to be played on college campuses. Each school played its own variety of football, Princeton University students played a game called ballown as early as 1820. A Harvard tradition known as Bloody Monday began in 1827, which consisted of a mass ballgame between the freshman and sophomore classes, in 1860, both the town police and the college authorities agreed the Bloody Monday had to go. The Harvard students responded by going into mourning for a figure called Football Fightum. The authorities held firm and it was a dozen years before football was again played at Harvard. Dartmouth played its own version called Old division football, the rules of which were first published in 1871, all of these games, and others, shared certain commonalities
26.
Columbia, South Carolina
–
Columbia is the capital and largest city of the U. S. state of South Carolina, with a population of 133,803 as of 2015. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, the name Columbia is a poetic term used for the United States, originating from the name of Christopher Columbus. The city is located approximately 13 miles northwest of the center of South Carolina. It lies at the confluence of the Saluda River and the Broad River, in 1860, the city was the location of the South Carolina Secession Convention, which marked the departure of the first state from the Union in the events leading up to the Civil War. At the time of European encounter, the inhabitants of the area that became Columbia were a people called the Congaree, in May 1540, a Spanish expedition led by Hernando de Soto traversed what is now Columbia while moving northward. The expedition produced the earliest written records of the area. From the creation of Columbia by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1786, the Congarees, a frontier fort on the west bank of the Congaree River, was the head of navigation in the Santee River system. A ferry was established by the government in 1754 to connect the fort with the growing settlements on the higher ground on the east bank. Like many other significant early settlements in colonial America, Columbia is on the line from the Piedmont region. The fall line is the spot where a river becomes unnavigable when sailing upstream, State Senator John Lewis Gervais of the town of Ninety Six introduced a bill that was approved by the legislature on March 22,1786, to create a new state capital. There was considerable argument over the name for the new city, according to published accounts, Senator Gervais said he hoped that in this town we should find refuge under the wings of COLUMBIA, for that was the name which he wished it to be called. One legislator insisted on the name Washington, but Columbia won by a vote of 11–7 in the state senate, the site was chosen as the new state capital in 1786, due to its central location in the state. The State Legislature first met there in 1790, after remaining under the direct government of the legislature for the first two decades of its existence, Columbia was incorporated as a village in 1805 and then as a city in 1854. Columbia received a stimulus to development when it was connected in a direct water route to Charleston by the Santee Canal. This canal connected the Santee and Cooper rivers in a 22-mile-long section and it was first chartered in 1786 and completed in 1800, making it one of the earliest canals in the United States. With increased railroad traffic, it ceased operation around 1850, the commissioners designed a town of 400 blocks in a 2-mile square along the river. The blocks were divided into lots of 0.5 acres and sold to speculators, buyers had to build a house at least 30 feet long and 18 feet wide within three years or face an annual 5% penalty. The perimeter streets and two streets were 150 feet wide
27.
Quarterback
–
A quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the team and line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is considered the leader of the offensive team. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually the leader of the offense, the quarterback touches the ball on almost every offensive play, and his successes and failures can have a significant impact on the fortunes of his team. Accordingly, the quarterback is among the most glorified and scrutinized positions in team sports, prior to each play, the quarterback will usually tell the rest of his team which play the team will run. After the team is lined up, the center will pass the ball back to the quarterback, usually on a running play, the quarterback will then hand or pitch the ball backwards to a half back or full back. On a passing play, the quarterback is almost always the responsible for trying to throw the ball downfield to an eligible receiver downfield. Depending on the scheme by his team, the quarterbacks role can vary. While quarterbacks in Canadian football need to be able to throw the ball often, in the NFL, quarterbacks are required to wear a uniform number between 1 and 19. In the CFL, the quarterback can wear any number from 0 to 49 and 70 to 99. Because of their numbering, quarterbacks are eligible receivers in the NCAA, NFHS, after a Super Bowl victory, the starting quarterback is the first player to be presented with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The starting quarterback of the victorious Super Bowl team is chosen for the Im going to Disney World. Campaign, whether they are the Super Bowl MVP or not, examples include Joe Montana, Trent Dilfer, Dilfer was chosen even though teammate Ray Lewis was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXV, due to the bad publicity from Lewis murder trial the prior year. In addition to their role, quarterbacks are occasionally used in other roles. Most teams utilize a backup quarterback as their holder on placekicks, in the Wildcat, a formation where a halfback lines up behind the center and the quarterback lines up out wide, the quarterback can be used as a receiving target or a blocker. A more rare use for a quarterback is to punt the ball himself, Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway was known to perform quick kicks occasionally, typically when the Broncos were facing a third-and-long situation. As Roger Staubachs back-up, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White was also the teams punter, ascending the starting role upon Staubachs retirement, White held his position as the teams punter for several seasons—a double duty he performed to All-American standard at Arizona State University. White also had two touchdown receptions as a Dallas Cowboy, both from the halfback option, if quarterbacks are uncomfortable with the formation the defense is using, they may call an audible change to their play
28.
Big Eight Conference
–
The Big Eight Conference was a National Collegiate Athletic Association -affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football. Additionally, the University of Iowa was an member of the MVIAA. The conference was dissolved in 1996, the Big Eight kept its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. In February 1995, the Big Eight and the Southwest Conference announced that the two leagues had reached an agreement to form a new conference. The eight members of the Big Eight joined with SWC schools Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, and Texas Tech to form the Big 12 Conference the following year. A vote was conducted on whether to keep the new headquarters in Kansas City. The two Oklahoma schools, all four Texas schools, and Colorado voted for the move while both Kansas schools, Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa State voted for Kansas City. The University of Iowa who was also a member of the Western Conference was also a joint member of the conference, Iowa only participated in football and outdoor mens track and field. In 1908, Drake University and Iowa Agricultural College joined the MVIAA, Iowa who was a joint member departed in 1911 to only compete in the Western Conference, but Kansas State University joined the conference in 1913. Nebraska left in 1918 to play as an independent for two seasons before returning in 1920, in 1919, the University of Oklahoma and Saint Louis University applied for membership, but were disapproved due to deficient management of their athletic programs. The conference then added Grinnell College in 1919, with the University of Oklahoma applying again, Oklahoma A&M University joined in 1925, bringing conference membership to ten, an all-time high. At a meeting in Lincoln, Nebraska, on May 19,1928, Six of the seven state schools formed a conference that was initially known as the Big Six Conference. Just before the start of practice, the six schools announced they would retain the MVIAA name for formal purposes. However, fans and media continued to call it the Big Six, the three private schools – Drake, Grinnell, and Washington University – joined with Oklahoma A&M, becoming known as the Missouri Valley Conference. For the remainder of the Big Eights run, both conferences claimed 1907 as their date, as well as the same history through 1927. To this day, it has never been established which conference was the original. Conference membership grew with the addition of the University of Colorado on December 1,1947, later that month, Reaves E. Peters was hired as Commissioner of Officials and Assistant Secretary and set up the first conference offices in Kansas City, Missouri. With the addition of Colorado, the unofficial name became the Big Seven Conference, coincidentally
29.
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln)
–
Memorial Stadium is located on the campus of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. It is the home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team, at the conclusion of the 2016 season, the stadium holds an ongoing NCAA record of 354 consecutive sellouts, which began in 1962. When full, Memorial Stadium holds more people than any Nebraska city except Omaha, because most fans wear red apparel, the stadium is referred to as the Sea of Red on game days. In the fall of 1922, a drive for $430,000 in funds to build a new stadium was undertaken by faculty, students, alumni. Later, the stadium would also honor the 3,839 Nebraskans who died in World War II, the 225 in Korea, construction was completed in just over 90 working days, Memorial Stadium was dedicated on October 20,1923. Southwest, Not the victory but the action, Not the goal but the game, northwest, Courage, Generosity, Fairness, Honor, In these are the true awards of manly sport. Northeast, Their Lives they held their countrys trust, They kept its faith, a statue of Nebraska former coach Tom Osborne and former Nebraska quarterback Brook Berringer can be found outside the north side of the stadium. Prior to the move to Memorial, finals for each class were contested at local sites. Memorial Stadium has undergone several phases of expansion and renovation since its original construction, in its original configuration, the stadium consisted of stands on the east and west sidelines. It was modeled after Ohio States Ohio Stadium and had a capacity of around 31,000. A series of four additions between 1964 and 1972 enclosed the stadium by adding seats above the north and south end zones, more than doubling Memorial Stadiums seating capacity to nearly 74,000. A major renovation in 1999 added 42 luxury boxes above the west stands, the stadium was rededicated, reflecting Nebraskas rise to national prominence during his 34 years as an assistant coach and head coach, the stadium almost doubled in size during his tenure. In 2004, construction began to renovate and expand the north end zone stands, Memorial Stadium now features an additional 13 luxury boxes above the north stands called the Skyline Suites and an additional 6,000 seats, increasing seating capacity to 81,067. Nebraska has the twentieth-largest video screen in college football, at 33 feet tall, concurrently, ribbon boards stretching the length of the field were installed along the east and west balconies of the stadium. This expansion was built on the stadiums east side, and includes 3,300 general admission seats,2,119 new club seats and 38 additional skybox suites. The expansion totals more than 6,000 new seats and brings the number of private suites inside the stadium to 101. The original east facade of the stadium, plus Gate 20, was preserved within a new entrance lobby, the creation of the first standing room only area in Memorial Stadium was also built, an area available for companies and private parties to host events on a game-to-game basis. In addition, the university created a 20, 000-square-foot cutting-edge athletics research facility in addition to another 20,000 square feet dedicated to campus research, the expansion project was completed and dedicated on August 22,2013
30.
Touchdown
–
A touchdown is a means of scoring in both American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, to score a touchdown, one team must take the football into the opposite end zone. The touchdown is scored the instant the ball crosses the plane of the line while in possession of a player whose team is trying to score in that end zone. The play is dead and the scores the moment the ball crosses the goal line in possession of a player. The slightest part of the ball being over the line is sufficient for a touchdown to score. However, only the ball counts, not a players helmet, foot, touching one of the pylons at either end of the goal line with the ball constitutes breaking the plane as well. Touchdowns are usually scored by the offense by running or passing the ball, however, the defense can also score a touchdown if they have recovered a fumble or made an interception and return it to the opposing end zone. Special teams can score a touchdown on a kickoff or punt return, in short, any play in which a player legally carries the ball across the goal line scores a touchdown, and the manner in which he gained possession is inconsequential. A touchdown is worth six points, the scoring team is also awarded the opportunity for an extra point or a two-point conversion. Afterwards, the team scored the touchdown kicks off to the opposing team. This rule was changed to the iteration in 1889. If the teammate could fair catch the ball, he could follow with a try for goal from the spot of the catch, the governing rule at the time read, A match shall be decided by a majority of touchdowns. A goal shall be equal to four touchdowns, but in the case of a tie, in 1881, the rules were modified so that a goal kicked from a touchdown took precedence over a goal kicked from the field in breaking ties. In 1882, four touchdowns were determined to take precedence over a goal kicked from the field, two safeties were equivalent to a touchdown. In 1883, points were introduced to football, and a touchdown counted as four points, a goal after a touchdown also counted as four points. In 1889, the provision requiring the ball to actually be touched to the ground was removed, a touchdown was now scored by possessing the ball beyond the goal line. In 1897, the touchdown scored five points, and the goal after touchdown added another point, in 1900, the definition of touchdown was changed to include situations where the ball becomes dead on or above the goal line. In 1912, the value of a touchdown was increased to six points, the end zone was also added
31.
Right fielder
–
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate, in the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the right fielder is assigned the number 9. Outfielders must cover large distances, so speed, instincts and quickness to react to the ball are key. They must be able to fly balls above their head and on the run. Being situated 250–300 feet from home plate, they must be able to throw the ball accurately over a distance to be effective. Of all outfield positions, the right fielder often has the strongest arm, the right fielder backs up second base on any ball thrown from the left side of the field, i. e. shortstop, third base, or foul line territory. The right fielder backs up first base when the first baseman is in a run down between 3rd base and home, right field has developed a reputation in Little League as being a position where less talented players can be hidden without damaging a teams defense in any significant way. Additionally, since most batters are right-handed, the fielder will have far more opportunities to make a play than the right fielder. Lucy van Pelt Evelyn Gardner Baseball Hall of Fame Gold Glove Award Outfielder
32.
South Carolina Gamecocks baseball
–
The South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college baseball. Carolina is one of six schools in NCAA history to win back-to-back titles, since joining the Southeastern Conference in 1992, the team has competed in the Eastern division. Chad Holbrook is the current head coach, taking over for Ray Tanner and this follows a string of three consecutive appearances in the national championship series, including two consecutive national championships. Between 2010 and 2012 the Gamecocks set two NCAA records for success, the most consecutive NCAA tournament wins and the most consecutive wins in the College World Series. In 2013, Carolina set the record for consecutive home NCAA tournament wins, the team plays its home games at Founders Park, which opened on February 21,2009. South Carolina played its first intercollegiate game on May 2,1895 against Wofford in Spartanburg after the faculty agreed to let the athletic teams travel outside of Columbia. After decades of lackluster performance on the diamond, Carolinas fortunes quickly changed with the hiring of former New York Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson in 1970, since then, the Gamecocks have been regular NCAA Tournament participants, making 31 Regional and 11 College World Series appearances. Carolina owns a 32-18 all-time record at the College World Series and is 137-66 in NCAA Tournament play, Carolina holds the NCAA Tournament records for consecutive NCAA tournament wins, consecutive CWS wins, and consecutive home NCAA tournament wins. In 124 years of baseball, through 2016, Carolina has 2,533 wins,1,508 losses, Richardson led the Gamecocks to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1974, which set the stage for what would happen a year later. In 1975, South Carolina posted a 51-6-1 record, made the College World Series, Richardson left South Carolina after the 1976 season, finishing his tenure with a 221-92-1 record and three NCAA Tournament appearances. June Raines took over the Gamecocks in 1977 and picked up where Richardson left off, leading the Gamecocks to a 43-12-1 record, during the Raines era, South Carolina made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances and posted nine 40-win seasons. The 1980s saw the programs most successful run during Raines tenure, as the Gamecocks made eight NCAA Tournaments, in 1997, Ray Tanner was hired and quickly built upon the winning tradition that Richardson created and Raines had perpetuated. Under Tanner, the Gamecocks have made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, advanced to the Super Regionals 10 times, in addition, the Gamecocks won the 2000,2002 and 2011 SEC regular season championships, the 2004 SEC Tournament Championship, and six SEC East titles. In 2011, Coach Tanner led the Gamecocks to a share of the 2011 Regular Season SEC Championship before winning the 2011 NCAA National Championship at the new TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha. On July 13,2012, Coach Tanner accepted the position of director at USC. Chad Holbrook became head coach at the start of the 2013 season, South Carolina defeated Liberty 4-3 on a day honoring Tanner. Carolina reached the NCAA tournament in 2013,2014, &2016, in the 10 years from 2000–2009, South Carolina posted an impressive 468-201 overall record. The 468 overall wins ranked fourth in Division I College Baseball, the Gamecocks made the NCAA Tournament every season, advancing to seven Super Regionals and three College World Series
33.
History of the San Diego Chargers
–
The Los Angeles Chargers franchise was founded in 1959 as a charter member of the American Football League. The team played the 1960 season in Los Angeles, moving to San Diego in 1961, the Chargers played in San Diego for 56 years. In 2017, the Chargers owner announced a move to Los Angeles, effective with the 2017 season, the Chargers original owner was hotel heir Barron Hilton, son of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton. Frank Leahy, a former Notre Dame University football coach, was named the teams first general manager, the Chargers initially considered playing at the Rose Bowl, but instead signed a lease to play at the Los Angeles Coliseum. There is also a theory about a man named Gerald Courtney of Hollywood who won an all-expenses-paid trip to Mexico City. They played ten years in the AFL before the merging of the league into the older NFL and their only coach for the ten-year life of the AFL was Sid Gillman, former coach of the NFLs Los Angeles Rams, who originally signed a three-year contract as head coach. Gillman, who was voted to the Hall of Fame, was widely recognized as a great offensive innovator. He also took on the role of coach and general manager after Frank Leahy resigned because of poor health. The early AFL years of the San Diego Chargers were highlighted by the play of wide receiver Lance Alworth with 543 receptions for 10,266 yards in his 11-AFL/NFL-season career. In addition, he set the pro football record of games with a reception during his career. With players such as Alworth, Paul Lowe, Keith Lincoln and John Hadl, the high-scoring Chargers reached the AFL Championship Game five times winning once during that ten-year span. The Chargers spent only one season in L. A. before moving in 1961, on that season, the defense recorded 49 pass interceptions as the AFL played an exciting brand of football featuring strong passing attacks. The Chargers were the originators of the term Fearsome Foursome to describe their all-star defensive line, anchored by Earl Faison, the phrase was later appropriated by various NFL teams. Houston defeated the Chargers 10–3 before 29,556 persons in Balboa Stadium to win the second AFL championship. The next year, the Chargers stumbled to a 4-10 record, as of 2016, this was the last professional sports championship for the city of San Diego. In 1964, the AFL teams signed a television contract with National Broadcasting Company for a record $36 million. The Chargers and New York Jets tied 17-17 before a record AFL crowd of 50,222 fans,46,828 paid in New Yorks Shea Stadium, a Balboa Stadium attendance record of 34,865 was set as Buffalo defeated San Diego 27-24 on Thanksgiving Day. The Chargers defeated the Jets 38-3 before 25,753 persons in Balboa Stadium to clinch their fourth AFL West title in five years, in 1965, San Diego won their fifth AFL West title in six years by defeating Houston on December 12 by the score of 37-26
34.
American Football League
–
The American Football League was a major professional American football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when it merged with the National Football League. The upstart AFL operated in competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence. The AFL was created by a number of owners who had been refused NFL expansion franchises or had shares of NFL franchises. The league first gained attention by signing 75% of the NFLs first-round draft choices in 1960, the transformation of the struggling Titans into the New York Jets under new ownership further solidified the leagues reputation among the major media. As fierce competition made player salaries skyrocket in both leagues, especially after a series of raids, the agreed to a merger in 1966. Among the conditions were a common draft and a game played between the two league champions, which would eventually become known as the Super Bowl. The AFL and NFL operated as separate leagues until 1970, with regular season. During this time the AFL added the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals, in 1970, the AFL was absorbed into the NFL, and the ten AFL franchises along with the Baltimore Colts, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers became the American Football Conference. During the 1950s, the National Football League had grown to rival Major League Baseball as one of the most popular sports leagues in the United States. One franchise that did not share in this success of the league was the Chicago Cardinals, owned by the Bidwill family. The Bidwills hoped to relocate their franchise, preferably to St. Louis, needing cash, the Bidwills began entertaining offers from would-be investors, and one of the men who approached the Bidwills was Lamar Hunt, son and heir of millionaire oilman H. L. Hunt. Hunt offered to buy the Cardinals and move them to Dallas, while Hunt negotiated with the Bidwills, similar offers were made by Bud Adams, Bob Howsam, and Max Winter. When Hunt, Adams, and Howsam were unable to secure a controlling interest in the Cardinals, they approached NFL commissioner Bert Bell, Bell, wary of expanding the 12-team league and risking its newfound success, rejected the offer. On his return flight to Dallas, Hunt conceived the idea of a new league. He contacted Adams, Howsam, and Winter to gauge their interest in starting a new league, hunts first meeting with Adams was held in March 1959. Hunt, who felt a regional rivalry would be critical for the success of the new league, convinced Adams to join, Hunt next secured an agreement from Howsam to bring a team to Denver. After Winter and Boyer agreed to start a team in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Hunt then approached Willard Rhodes, who hoped to bring pro football to Seattle. With no place for his team to play, Rhodes effort came to nothing, Hunt also sought franchises in Los Angeles, Buffalo and New York City
35.
Pittsburgh Pirates
–
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball as a club of the National League Central division. Founded on October 15,1881 as Allegheny, the franchise has won five World Series championships, the Pirates are also often referred to as the Bucs or the Buccos. They also won the 1971 World Series, led by the talent of Roberto Clemente, overall, the Pirates have won five World Series and lost two. They would then advance to the NL Division Series round, where they lost in 5 games to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pirates would continue their success and make the playoffs in both 2014 and 2015, losing in the Wild Card Game both times. Professional baseball has been played in the Pittsburgh area since 1876, the teams of the era were independents, barnstorming throughout the region and not affiliated with any organized league, though they did have salaries and were run as business organizations. On October 15,1881, the strongest team in the joined the American Association as a founding member to begin play in 1882. Their various home fields in the 19th century were in a city called Allegheny City. After five mediocre seasons in the A. A, Pittsburgh became the first A. A. team to switch to the older National League in 1887. At this time, the team renamed itself the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, at that time, owner-manager Horace Phillips sold the team to Dennis McKnight, Phillips stayed on as manager. Before the 1890 season, nearly all of the Alleghenys best players bolted to the Players Leagues Pittsburgh Burghers, the Players League collapsed after the season, and the players were allowed to go back to their old clubs. However, the Alleghenys also scooped up highly regarded second baseman Lou Bierbauer, although the Athletics had failed to include Bierbauer on their reserve list, they loudly protested the Alleghenys move. In an official complaint, an AA official claimed the Alleghenys signing of Bierbauer was piratical and this incident quickly accelerated into a schism between the leagues that contributed to the demise of the A. A. Although the Alleghenys were never found guilty of wrongdoing, they made sport of being denounced for being piratical by renaming themselves the Pirates for the 1891 season, the nickname was first acknowledged on the teams uniforms in 1912. The Pirates were a team in the early 1900s, winning National League pennants from 1901–1903. They again won the NL in 1925 and 1927 and the World Series in 1925, after a slow period, they returned to dominance and won the 1960 World Series,1971 World Series and 1979 World Series. They won Eastern Division titles from 1990–1992 but did not return to the post-season after that until 2013, on Opening Day 2015 the Pirates loss to the Cincinnati Reds represented its 10, 000th franchise loss since moving to the NL. This made the Pirates the fourth MLB team to achieve distinction, following the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves
