1.
National Football Conference
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The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League, the highest professional level of American football in the United States. This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference, currently contain 16 teams each, a series of league expansions and division realignments have occurred since the merger, thus making the current total 16 clubs per each conference. Since the 1970 AFL–NFL merger, the Dallas Cowboys lead the NFC with the most conference titles, the current NFC title holders are the Atlanta Falcons. Since 2002, the NFC has 16 teams that organized into four divisions each with four teams, East, North, South, two of these games are assigned on the basis of a particular teams final divisional standing from the previous season. The remaining 8 games are split between the roster of two other NFL divisions and this assignment shifts each year and will follow a standard cycle. Using the 2012 regular season schedule as an example, each team in the NFC West plays against every team in the AFC East and NFC North. In this way, non-divisional competition will be mostly among common opponents – the exception being the two games assigned based on the teams prior-season divisional standing, at the end of each season, the top six teams in the conference proceeds into the playoff. These teams consist of the four winners and the top two wild card teams. The NFC playoffs culminate in the NFC Championship Game with the receiving the George Halas Trophy. The NFC Champion then plays the AFC Champion in the Super Bowl, both the AFC and NFC were created after the NFL merged with the American Football League in 1970. When the AFL began play in 1960 with eight teams, the NFL consisted of 13 clubs, by 1969, the AFL had expanded to ten teams and NFL to 16 clubs. However, team owners could not agree to a plan on how to align the clubs in the NFC. When the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined the league in 1976, they were placed in the NFC and AFC, respectively. The Seahawks returned to the NFC as a result of the 2002 realignment, the Carolina Panthers joined the NFC in 1995. Parity is generally greater among NFC teams than AFC teams, the only NFC team that has never made a Super Bowl appearance is the Detroit Lions. Since the 2002 realignment, the time that an NFC team made back-to-back Super Bowl appearances was the Seattle Seahawks in 2013 and 2014. Since 1970, only two teams have relocated, in 1988, the St. Louis Cardinals moved to Phoenix, Arizona, while the Los Angeles Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995, and back to Los Angeles again in 2016. The original NFC logo, in use from 1970–2009, depicted a blue N with three stars across it, the three stars represented the three divisions that were used from 1970–2001
2.
American Football Conference
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The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League, the highest professional level of American football in the United States. This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference, currently contain 16 teams each, a series of league expansions and division realignments have occurred since the merger, thus making the current total 16 clubs per each conference. Since the 1970 AFL–NFL merger, the New England Patriots have won nine AFC titles, the most of any team in the conference, since 2002, the AFC has 16 teams, organized into four divisions each with four teams, East, North, South and West. Two of these games are assigned on the basis of a teams final divisional standing from the previous season. The remaining 8 games are split between the roster of two other NFL divisions and this assignment shifts each year and will follow a standard cycle. Using the 2012 regular season schedule as an example, each team in the AFC West plays against every team in the AFC North and NFC South. In this way, non-divisional competition will be mostly among common opponents – the exception being the two games assigned based on the teams prior-season divisional standing, at the end of each season, the top six teams in the conference proceeds into the playoff. These teams consist of the four winners and the top two wild card teams. The AFC playoffs culminate in the AFC Championship Game with the receiving the Lamar Hunt Trophy. The AFC Champion then plays the NFC Champion in the Super Bowl, both the AFC and the NFC were created after the NFL merged with the American Football League in 1970. The AFL began play in 1960 with eight teams, and added two expansion clubs before the merger. In order to equalize the number of teams in each conference, since the merger, five expansion teams have joined the AFC and two have left, thus making the current total 16. When the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined the league in 1976 and this arrangement lasted for one season only before the two teams switched conferences. The Seahawks eventually returned to the NFC as a result of the 2002 realignment, the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars joined the AFC in 1995. There have been five teams that have relocated at least once, in 1984, the Baltimore Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984. In California, the Oakland Raiders relocated to Los Angeles in 1982, the Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1997, where they were renamed the Tennessee Oilers. The team would change its name again, two later, to the Tennessee Titans. The NFL would again expand in 2002, adding the Houston Texans to the AFC, by contrast, the NFC has sent 12 different teams during that same time frame
3.
Rose Bowl (stadium)
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The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, just outside Los Angeles. At a modern capacity of a configuration at 88,500 the Rose Bowl is the 17th-largest stadium in the world, the 11th-largest stadium in the United States. One of the most famous stadiums in sporting history, the Rose Bowl is best known as an American football venue, since 1982, the stadium has also served as the home stadium of the UCLA Bruins football team. The stadium has hosted five Super Bowl games, second most of any venue. UCLA and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses also have one member on the company board, the game now known as the Rose Bowl Game was played at Tournament Park until 1922. The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, the organizer, realized the temporary stands were inadequate for a crowd of more than 40,000. The stadium was designed by architect Myron Hunt in 1921 and his design was influenced by the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, which was built in 1913 and opened in 1914. The Arroyo Seco was selected as the location for the stadium, the Rose Bowl was under construction from 1921 to 1922. The nearby Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum also was under construction during this time, originally built as a horseshoe, the stadium was expanded several times. The southern stands were completed in 1928, making the stadium a complete bowl, the stadium is extremely hard to get to due to the traffic caused by single-lane residential street access. The stadium has no dedicated parking lot for visitors and parking issues have routinely caused visitors to two to three hours completing the last mile to the stadium on game days. In 2016, Rose Bowl contracted ParkJockey to streamline parking in, there are also shuttles to help visitors get to the stadium and mobile lights powered by generators to provide visibility for people walking on the golf course at night. The first game was a regular season contest on October 28,1922 when Cal defeated USC 12–0 and this was the only loss for USC and California finished the season undefeated. California declined the invitation to the 1923 Rose Bowl game and USC went in their place, the stadium was dedicated officially on January 1,1923 when USC defeated Penn State 14–3. The stadium seating has been reconfigured several times since its construction in 1922, the South end was filled in to complete the bowl and more seats have been added. The original wooden benches were replaced by aluminum benches in 1969, All new grandstand and loge seats had been installed since 1971. New red seat backs had been added on 22,000 seats prior to the 1980 Rose Bowl, a Rose Bowl improvement was conducted because of UCLAs 1982 move and the 1984 Summer Olympics. This resulted in new seat backs for 50,000 seats, for many years, the Rose Bowl had the largest football stadium capacity in the United States, eventually being surpassed by Michigan Stadium
4.
Pasadena, California
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Pasadena /ˌpæsəˈdiːnə/ is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of 2013, the population of Pasadena was 139,731. Pasadena is the ninth-largest city in Los Angeles County, Pasadena was incorporated on June 19,1886, becoming one of the first cities be incorporated in what is now Los Angeles County, the only one being incorporated earlier being its namesake. It is one of the cultural centers of the San Gabriel Valley. The city is known for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game, the original inhabitants of Pasadena and surrounding areas were members of the Native American Hahamog-na tribe, a branch of the Tongva Nation. They spoke the Tongva language and had lived in the Los Angeles Basin for thousands of years, Tongva dwellings lined the Arroyo Seco in present day Pasadena and south to where it joins the Los Angeles River and along other natural waterways in the city. The native people lived in thatched, dome-shape lodges and they lived on a diet of acorn meal, seeds and herbs, venison, and other small animals. They traded for fish with the coastal Tongva. They made cooking vessels from steatite soapstone from Catalina Island, the trail has been in continuous use for thousands of years. An arm of the trail is still in use in what is now known as Salvia Canyon. When the Spanish occupied the Los Angeles Basin they built the San Gabriel Mission and renamed the local Tongva people Gabrielino Indians, today, several bands of Tongva people live in the Los Angeles area. The Rancho comprised the lands of todays communities of Pasadena, Altadena, before the annexation of California in 1848, the last of the Mexican owners was Manuel Garfias who retained title to the property after statehood in 1850. Garfias sold sections of the property to the first Anglo settlers to come into the area, Dr. Benjamin Eaton, the father of Fred Eaton, much of the property was purchased by Benjamin Wilson, who established his Lake Vineyard property in the vicinity. Wilson, known as Don Benito to the local Indians, also owned the Rancho Jurupa and was mayor of Los Angeles and he was the grandfather of WWII General George S. Patton, Jr. and the namesake of Mount Wilson. Berry was an asthmatic and claimed that he had his best three nights sleep at Rancho San Pascual, to keep the find a secret, Berry code-named the area Muscat after the grape that Wilson grew. To raise funds to bring the company of people to San Pascual, Berry formed the Southern California Orange and Citrus Growers Association and sold stock in it. The newcomers were able to purchase a portion of the property along the Arroyo Seco and on January 31,1874. As a gesture of good will, Wilson added 2,000 acres of then-useless highland property, at the time, the Indiana Colony was a narrow strip of land between the Arroyo Seco and Fair Oaks Avenue
5.
Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award
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The Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football Leagues championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game, the media panels ballots count for 80 percent of the vote tally, while the viewers ballots make up the other 20 percent. The games viewing audience can vote on the Internet or by using cellular phones, Super Bowl XXXV, the Super Bowl MVP has been awarded annually since the games inception in 1967. Through 1989, the award was presented by SPORT magazine, bart Starr was the MVP of the first two Super Bowls. Since 1990, the award has been presented by the NFL, at Super Bowl XXV, the league first awarded the Pete Rozelle Trophy, named after the former NFL commissioner, to the Super Bowl MVP. Ottis Anderson was the first to win the trophy, Most award winners have received cars from various sponsors. The most recent Super Bowl MVP was New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Brady is the only player to have won four Super Bowl MVP awards, Joe Montana has won three and three others—Starr, Terry Bradshaw, and Eli Manning—have won the award twice. Starr and Bradshaw are the ones to have won it in back-to-back years. The MVP has come from the team every year except 1971. Harvey Martin and Randy White were named co-MVPs of Super Bowl XII, including the Super Bowl XII co-MVPs, seven Cowboys players have won Super Bowl MVP awards, the most of any NFL team. Quarterbacks have earned the honor 28 times in 51 games, mark Rypien and Hines Ward are the only players born outside the United States to earn the Super Bowl MVP, having been born in Canada and South Korea, respectively
6.
Terry Bradshaw
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Terry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback who played professionally in the National Football League. Since 1994, he has been a TV analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday, Bradshaw is also an actor, having participated in many television shows and films, most notably starring in the movie Failure To Launch. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989, a tough competitor, Bradshaw is known for having one of the most powerful arms in NFL history. He also called his own throughout his football career. His physical skills and on-the-field leadership played a role in the Pittsburgh Steelers history. During his career, he passed for more than 300 yards in a game seven times. He played very well in the Super Bowl, and in four career Super Bowl appearances, he passed for 932 yards and 9 touchdowns, in 19 post-season games, he completed 261 passes for 3,833 yards. Bradshaw was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the second of three sons of Novis and William Bill Marvin Bradshaw and his older brother is named Gary and younger brother is named Craig. His mother, Novis, was one of five children of Clifford and Lula Gay of Red River Parish, the work ethic was particularly strong in the Bradshaw household. Bradshaw spent his childhood in Camanche, Iowa, where he set forth the goal to play professional football. L. Williams and led the Knights to the 1965 AAA High School Championship game and his team then lost to the Sulphur Golden Tornadoes 12–9. While at Woodlawn, he set a record for throwing the javelin 245 feet. His exploits earned him a spot in the Sports Illustrated feature Faces In The Crowd, Bradshaws successor as Woodlawns starting quarterback was another future NFL standout, Joe Ferguson of the Buffalo Bills. Bradshaws Steelers would defeat Fergusons Bills in a 1974 divisional playoff game, Bradshaw decided to attend Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. He has much affinity for his alma mater and he is a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He was active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and spoke before many athletic banquets, when he arrived at Tech in 1966, Bradshaw caused a media frenzy on account of his reputation of being a football sensation from nearby Shreveport. Robertson was a year ahead of Bradshaw, and was the starter for two seasons in 1966 and 1967, and chose not to play in 1968, as Robertson put it, Im going for the ducks, you can go for the bucks. In 1969, Bradshaw was considered by most professional scouts to be the most outstanding football player in the nation
7.
Quarterback
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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
8.
Pro Football Hall of Fame
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The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football. As of 2017, there are a total of 310 members of the Hall of Fame, groundbreaking for the building was held on August 11,1962. The original building contained just two rooms, and 19,000 square feet of interior space, in April 1970, ground was broken for the first of many expansions. This first expansion cost $620,000, and was completed in May 1971, the size was increased to 34,000 square feet by adding another room. The pro shop opened with this expansion and this was also an important milestone for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as yearly attendance passed the 200,000 mark for the first time. In November 1977, work began on another project, costing US$1,200,000. It was completed in November 1978, enlarging the shop and research library. The total size of the hall was now 50,500 square feet, the building remained largely unchanged until July 1993. The Hall then announced yet another expansion, costing US$9,200,000 and this expansion was completed in October 1995. The buildings size was increased to 82,307 square feet, the most notable addition was the GameDay Stadium, which shows an NFL Films production on a 20-foot by 42-foot Cinemascope screen. Through 2017, all inductees except one, played part of their professional career in the NFL. For CFL stars, there is a parallel Canadian Football Hall of Fame, only one player, the Chicago Bears have the most Hall of Famers among the leagues franchises with 32 enshrinees. Enshrinees are selected by a 46-person committee, largely made up of media members, each city that has a current NFL team sends one representative from the local media to the committee. A city with more than one franchise sends a representative for each franchise, there are also 13 at-large delegates, and one representative from the Pro Football Writers Association. Except for the PFWA representative, who is appointed to a term, all other appointments are open-ended and terminated only by death, incapacitation, retirement. To be eligible for the process, a player or coach must have been retired for at least five years. Any other contributor such as an owner or executive can be voted in at any time. Fans may nominate any player, coach or contributor by simply writing to the Pro Football Hall of Fame via letter or email
9.
Jack Youngblood
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He was a five-time consensus All-Pro and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection and was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Before playing professionally, Youngblood played college football for the University of Florida and he is considered among the best players Florida ever produced—a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and one of only five Florida Gators to be named to the Gator Football Ring of Honor. After retiring as a player in 1985, Youngblood worked in the Rams front office until 1991. He also worked in the front office of the Sacramento Surge of the World League from 1992 to 1993, and he was a vice-president, then president, of the Orlando Predators from 1995 until 1999. From 1999 through 2002, he served as the NFLs liaison for the Arena Football League, Youngblood has made forays into broadcasting, acting, and business, and has written an autobiography. He was a spokesperson for various products, and he has been consistently involved in charity work, starting in college, continuing throughout his NFL career. Currently, Youngblood serves on the NFLPA Mackey-White Traumatic Brain Injury Committee, Youngblood has stated, The bonus with this therapy is that the time invested is minimal, while the results are extraordinary. Jack Youngblood was born in Jacksonville, Florida, the son of Herbert J. and he has two sisters, Paula and Lynn. Youngblood attended Monticello-Jefferson County High School in Monticello, Florida, graduating in 1967, as an offensive lineman and linebacker, he was a starter on offense and defense and team captain of the state champion Tigers, earning All-State honors in 1966 after recording 70 tackles. He was a letterman in football and also played basketball at M-JC High as well as participating in 4-H, Student Council. Youngblood was named to Floridas All-Time High school football team by Sports Illustrated in 1989, Youngblood had entered school at 195 pounds and put on 10 pounds a year through weight-lifting, finishing around 245 pounds. Said Youngblood, Dr. Cade began experimenting with Gatorade my freshman year and it was thick, like syrup, and had an aftertaste. Then, it started to look like milk. ″ As a freshman, Youngblood played defensive end, wearing number 52 and it was his first experience on the defensive line, after playing linebacker in high school. In 1969, Youngblood was part of a 9–1–1 Gators team that upset the Tennessee Volunteers in the Gator Bowl in coach Ray Gravess final game as coach at Florida, Youngblood played a key role in the Gator Bowl recording nine tackles and forcing a fumble. Youngblood first gained attention after an October 4,1969. He set a record for sacks in 1969 and led the teams defensive linemen with 66 tackles. In 1970, Youngblood was recognized as a first-team All-American, while recording 58 tackles, Additionally, he was a finalist for the Outland Trophy following the 1970 season and was voted the 1970 SEC lineman of the year. Youngblood was also named to the SEC All-Conference team in 1970 and he was also the 1970 recipient of Floridas Fergie Ferguson Award, which goes to the senior who displays outstanding leadership, character, and courage
10.
Art Rooney
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Arthur Joseph Rooney Sr. often referred to as The Chief, was the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, an American football franchise in the National Football League, from 1933 until his death. Rooney is a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, was an Olympic qualifying boxer and he was the first president of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1933 to 1974, and the first chairman of the team from 1933 to 1988. Rooneys great-grandparents, James and Mary Rooney, were Irish Catholics who emigrated from Newry in County Down, while living in Montreal, the Rooneys had a son, Arthur. James and Mary later moved to Ebbw Vale, Wales, where the industry was flourishing, taking their son Arthur, then 21. This Arthur Rooney married Catherine Regan, in Wales, and they had a son, two years after Dan Rooney was born, the family moved back to Canada and eventually ended up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1884. Along the way the family grew to nine children of which Dan was the second. Dan Rooney remained in the Pittsburgh area, and eventually opened a saloon in the Monongahela Valley coal town of Coulter, Pennsylvania. This is where Dan Rooney met and wed Margaret Maggie Murray, who was the daughter of a miner. Dan and Maggie would eventually settle their family in Pittsburghs North Side in 1913, Dan operated a cafe and saloon out of the first floor with the family living above. The building was located just a block from Exposition Park, which had been home to the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team until 1909. In 1925 he served as Wheelings player-manager and led the Middle Atlantic League in games, hits, runs, stolen bases and finished 2nd in batting average as his brother Dan Rooney finished 3rd in BA. Art also played halfback for the semi-pro Pittsburgh Hope Harvey and Majestic Radio clubs which he took over. Rooneys affiliation with the National Football League began in 1933 when he paid a $2,500 franchise fee to found a club based in the city of Pittsburgh. The league was able to take advantage of Pennsylvania relaxing their blue laws that prior to 1933 prohibited sporting events from taking place on Sundays. In 1936, Rooney won a parlay at Saratoga Race Course and he used the winnings to hire a coach, Joe Bach, give contracts to his players and almost win a championship. The winnings funded the team until 1941 when he sold the franchise to NY playboy Alex Thompson, Thompson wanted to move the franchise to Boston so he could be within a five-hour train ride of his club. At the same time, the Philadelphia Eagles ran into financial problems, Rooney used the funds from the sale of franchise to get a 70% interest in the Eagles, the other 30% held by Rooney friend and future NFL commissioner, Bert Bell. Bell and Rooney agreed to trade places with Thompson, Bell took the role of President of the Steelers that he relinquished to Rooney in 1946 when Bell became Commissioner
11.
Dan Rooney
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Daniel Milton Rooney is the former United States Ambassador to Ireland, who served from July 3,2009 until his resignation in 2012. He is chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers American football team in the National Football League, Rooney was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 for his contributions to the game. He is credited with spearheading a requirement that NFL teams with head coach and general manager vacancies interview at least one minority candidate, Rooney is also co-founder of the Ireland-related fundraising organization The Ireland Funds. Rooney was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Kathleen, in the Steelers organization, Rooney has been involved in every aspect of the franchise since he was a young boy, often assisting his father at Pitt Stadium and Forbes Field. He grew up in the North Side neighborhood of Pittsburgh and attended North Catholic High School where he excelled as the teams quarterback and he was also the coach for the St. Peters Elementary school football team, which was quarterbacked by future CIA Director and lifelong friend Michael Hayden. Rooney was mentored by Fran Fogerty, Joe Carr, and Ed Kiely and these men assisted in teaching Dan the business of football. After being mentored and graduating from Duquesne University he knew football was what he wanted to pursue and he then met his future wife in the office of the Steelers where she was currently working. The couple got married soon after, by early 1969 Rooney was managing the day-to-day operations of the team and personally selected the coaching hire of Chuck Noll. During his tenure, he has implemented a philosophy and management style that open, practical. The results have been obvious, since 1972, the Steelers have won 15 division championships,8 AFC Championships, Rooney became the patriarch and controlling owner of the team in 1988, following the death of his father. In 2003, Rooney followed in his fathers footsteps by slowly ceding day-to-day operations of the franchise to the generation of the family. Although still chairman and to fans the public face of the team. Dan Rooney is a graduate of Duquesne University, majoring in accounting and he has been involved with the Steelers since 1960, originally working as director of personnel. While Rooney has generally avoided the spotlight, he has been an active owner behind the scenes. Rooney helped lead the negotiations of the collective bargaining agreement of 1982 and he is also one of the main architects of the salary cap, which was implemented in 1993. He surprised many with his endorsement of Barack Obama for president. The family had traditionally been very private on politics, even being rumored to have a Republican bent, Rooney responded to his public endorsement with, When I think of Barack Obama’s America I have great hope. I support his candidacy and look forward to his Presidency, Rooney is the benefactor of the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature and Vice-Chairman of The American Ireland Fund
12.
Chuck Noll
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Charles Henry Chuck Noll was a professional American football player, assistant coach and head coach. His sole head coaching position was for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League from 1969 to 1991, when Noll retired after 23 years, only three other head coaches in NFL history had longer tenures with one team. His four Super Bowl victories rank 2nd behind Bill Belichick for the most of any coach in NFL history. Between his playing and head coaching tenures, Noll won a total of six NFL Championships, Noll built the team through astute drafting and meticulous tutoring. During his career, he was notable for the opportunities he gave African Americans, starting the first African American quarterback and having the first black assistant coach. He was frequently credited with maintaining the morale of the Western Pennsylvania region despite an economic decline by fashioning a team of champions in the image of its blue collar fan base. Noll was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the youngest of three siblings of William Noll and Katherine Steigerwald Noll, on a local youth football team Noll played with Harold Owens, the nephew of Olympic star Jesse Owens. Noll early showed his ability to pursue a goal single-mindedly when he conceived the idea of going to Benedictine High School and he began working in seventh grade and by time he entered high school, he had saved enough for two years worth of the $150 tuition. Throughout high school he continued to work, making 55 cent an hour at Fisher Brothers meat market after school, education was always important to him, so despite the schedule, he studied enough to graduate 28th in a class of 252. He played running back and tackle on the school football team. During his senior year he was named to the All Catholic Universe Bulletin team by the Diocese of Cleveland newspaper, Noll planned to attend Notre Dame, but during a practice before his freshman year he suffered an epileptic seizure on the field. Notre Dame coach Frank Leahy refused to take the risk of allowing Noll to play there, Noll graduated with a degree in secondary education. As a member of the Dayton Flyers football team, he was a lineman, linebacker and a co-captain, and acquired the nickname, Noll was drafted by the Cleveland Browns with the 239th pick in the 1953 NFL draft. During his first year, the Browns lost to the Detroit Lions in the NFL championship, the next two years the Browns were NFL champions. Although drafted as a linebacker, Coach Paul Brown used the undersized Noll as one of his guards to send play calls to the quarterback. Brown recalled that Noll soon could have called the plays himself without any help from the bench, Noll was paid only $5,000 per season with the Browns and so while there he acted as substitute teacher at Holy Name High School and sold insurance on the side. During that period Noll also attended Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at night and he told Dan Rooney that he decided against becoming a lawyer because he didnt really like the constant confrontation and arguments that come with being a lawyer. Instead, when Noll lost the starting position to John Wooten
13.
Mel Blount
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Melvin Cornell Blount is a former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback, five-time Pro Bowler and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee. Blount is considered one of the best cornerbacks to have played in the NFL. His physical style of play made him one of the most feared defensive backs in the game at a time when pass interference rules were less stringent and he founded the Mel Blount Youth Home. Blount was born in Toombs County, Georgia, the early years of his life were spent in poverty on a Georgia farm. Blount was a star in baseball, football, basketball, upon graduation, he was offered a scholarship to Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While there, he was a Pro-Scouts All-American pick as both safety and cornerback, Blount was the prototype cornerback of his era and a significant reason why the Pittsburgh Steelers were the dominant team of the National Football League in the 1970s. A Pro-Scouts All-American as both a safety and cornerback at Southern University, Blount became a starter in the Steelers secondary beginning in 1972 and that season, he did not allow a single touchdown. Blount was equally effective playing either zone or man-to-man defense, known for his rugged style of play, his specialty was the “bump-and-run” pass defense. Because of his size and speed, he physically overpowered pass receivers, midway through his career, however, the rules regarding pass coverage were changed, making such harassment of a receiver illegal. The rule would come to be named the Mel Blount Rule, Blount ended his career with 57 interceptions, which he returned for 736 yards and two touchdowns. He intercepted at least one pass in all 14 NFL seasons, Blount also was used as a kickoff returner early in his career. He totaled 36 returns for 911 yards and a 25. 3-yard average and he also recovered 13 opponents fumbles, two of which he returned for touchdowns. Blount, who was named the NFLs most valuable player in 1975 by the Associated Press. He also was a four-time All-AFC selection and played in five Pro Bowls and his fumble recovery in the 1979 AFC Championship Game led to the Steelers winning touchdown in a 27-13 victory over the Houston Oilers. A season earlier in Super Bowl XIII, Blounts interception ignited a Pittsburgh drive that resulted in a touchdown in a 35-31 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Following his football career, Blount became Director of Player Relations for the NFL and he also became active in charity work. He founded the Mel Blount Youth Home, a shelter and Christian mission for victims of abuse and neglect in Toombs County. In 1989, he opened a youth home in Claysville, Pennsylvania
14.
Joe Greene
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Charles Edward Greene, better known as Mean Joe Greene, is a former American football defensive tackle who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League from 1969 to 1981. He was noted for his leadership, fierce competitiveness, and intimidating style of play for which he earned his nickname, Greene attended North Texas State University, where he earned consensus All-America honors as a senior for the North Texas State Mean Green football team. He was drafted by the Steelers fourth overall in the 1969 NFL Draft and made an impact with the team. Greene is credited with providing the foundation upon which Steelers coach Chuck Noll turned the franchise into a sports dynasty. He was the cornerstone of the Steel Curtain defense that led Pittsburgh to four Super Bowl championships in a six-year span, throughout his career, Greene was one of the most dominant defensive players in the NFL, overpowering opposing offensive linemen with ease. Former teammate Andy Russell called Greene unquestionably the NFLs best player in the seventies and he is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame, and his number 75 jersey is retired by both the North Texas football team and the Steelers. Greene is also known for his appearance in the Hey Kid. Coca-Cola commercial in 1979, which aired during Super Bowl XIV, charles Edward Greene was born September 24,1946, in Elgin, Texas. He played high school football at Dunbar High School in Temple, despite Greenes talents, the Dunbar Panthers had a mediocre record, and he was not heavily recruited by colleges. His options were limited due to segregation of the Southwest Conference. He was eventually offered a scholarship to college football at North Texas State University. He led the team to a 23–5–1 record during his three seasons, in his 29 games at defensive tackle, North Texas State held the opposition to 2,507 yards gained on 1,276 rushes, a per-carry average of less than two yards per attempt. Greene was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection and his college coach, Rod Rust, said of Greene, There are two factors behind Joes success. First, he has the ability to make the big defensive play, second, he has the speed to be an excellent pursuit player. A pro scout said, Hes tough and mean and comes to hit people, while sources agree the name is a reference to North Texas athletics teams, the Mean Green, there are conflicting accounts as to how, when, and why Greene received his Mean Greene nickname. When he first arrived at North Texas, the moniker was the Eagles. In 1966, Greenes first year on the varsity team, the team adopted the Mean Green moniker, two possible origins of the nickname are two separate cheers that supposedly developed independently during North Texas 1966 game against UTEP. One cheer was by Sidney Sue Graham, wife of the North Texas sports information director, in response to a tackle by Greene, she blurted out, That’s the way, Mean Greene
15.
Franco Harris
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Franco Harris is a former American football fullback who played in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks. In the 1972 NFL Draft he was picked up by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round and his selection by the team was considered controversial at the time, as many thought the team would select his Penn State teammate, Lydell Mitchell. He played his first 12 years in the NFL with the Steelers, his 13th and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990. Harris was born in Fort Dix, New Jersey and his African-American father served in World War II, his mother was a war bride from Italy. Harris graduated from Rancocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly Township, New Jersey in 1968 and he led the team in scoring in 1970. 1969,115 carries for 643 yards and 10 TD.12 catches for 189 yards,1970,142 carries for 675 yards and 8 TD.6 catches for 66 yards. 1971,123 carries for 684 yards and 6 TD.10 catches for 97 yards and 1 TD, in his first season with the Steelers, Harris was named the leagues Rookie of the Year by both The Sporting News and United Press International. In that season he gained 1,055 yards on 188 carries and he also rushed for 10 touchdowns and caught four touchdown passes. He was popular with Pittsburghs large Italian-American population, his fans dubbing themselves Francos Italian Army, in his 13 professional seasons, Harris gained 12,120 yards on 2,949 carries, a 4.1 yards per carry average, and scored 91 rushing touchdowns. He caught 307 passes for 2,287 yards, a 7.4 yards per reception average, Harriss 12,120 career rushing yards rank him 12th all time in the NFL, while his 91 career rushing touchdowns rank him 10th all time tied with Jerome Bettis. Harris was chosen for nine consecutive Pro Bowls, and was All-Pro in 1977, Harris rushed for more than 1,000 yards in eight seasons, breaking a record set by Jim Brown. The running back tandem of Harris and Rocky Bleier combined with a defense to win four Super Bowls following the 1974,1975,1978. On January 12,1975 he was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl IX, in that game he rushed for 158 yards, Harris was the first African American as well as the first Italian-American to be named Super Bowl MVP. Harris was a contributor for the Steelers in all of their first four Super Bowl wins. His Super Bowl career totals of 101 carries for 354 yards are records, Harris claims he extended his career and thus his contribution to the teams objectives by avoiding unnecessary contact. Following the 1983 season, Harris and Walter Payton were both closing in on Jim Browns NFL rushing record, and Harris asked the Rooney family for a pay raise. The Rooney family refused, believing that Harris was on the downside of his career, the Steelers released Harris in training camp in 1984 and he eventually signed with the Seattle Seahawks during the 1984 season. He played just eight games with the team, gaining only 170 yards before retiring, Harris was a key player in one of professional footballs most famous plays, dubbed The Immaculate Reception by Pittsburgh sportscaster Myron Cope
16.
Jack Lambert (American football)
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John Harold Lambert is a former American football linebacker who played in the National Football League. Lambert was born in Mantua, Ohio and he played football for Kent State, winning two All-Mid-American Conference linebacker honors. Don James was his head coach, alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban and Missouri Tigers football coach Gary Pinkel were teammates. During his college career he was going to study to become a veterinarian. Lambert was selected by the Steelers in the round of the 1974 NFL Draft, though many pro football coaches. While most of his pro career he was reported to be 64 and 220 pounds in the program, Lambert was the prototypical middle linebacker for what became the Tampa Two defense. Middle linebackers had not been tasked in such a way previously, but Lamberts size, speed, the Steelers took a chance on Lambert when he replaced injured middle linebacker Henry Davis. Lambert prided himself on his ability to hit hard and intimidate the opposition and he was the Steelers starting middle linebacker for eleven seasons and, according to Steelers media guides, averaged 146 tackles per season through his 10th year. He recorded only 19 in his 11th and final season because of a toe injury, Lambert amassed 28 career interceptions,1,479 career tackles, and 23½ sacks. In a nine-year span, Jack Lambert was named to nine straight Pro Bowls and was NFL Defensive Player of the Year once, Lamberts four upper front teeth were missing as a result of taking an elbow in basketball during high school. Although he had a partial denture he wore in public, he didnt wear it during games. In 1976, Lambert assumed the role as leader of the Steelers after star defensive tackle Mean Joe Greene missed several games due to a back injury. After quarterback Terry Bradshaw, receiver Lynn Swann and several other starters went down with injuries, at a players only meeting, Lambert made it clear that the only way we are going to the playoffs to defend our title is to win them all from here out. In a remarkable nine-game span, the Steelers defense allowed two touchdowns and a total of 28 points, including five shutouts. The Steelers won all of games and finished at 10–4. The defense gave up only a record low 138 points for the entire season, eight of the eleven defensive starters on the Steelers made the Pro Bowl that year. Jack Lambert was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1976, during the 1984 season, a severe and recurring case of turf toe sidelined him, after which he retired. A bachelor throughout his NFL career, Lambert got married after retirement and he has been a long time volunteer deputy wildlife officer and he now focuses on coaching youth baseball and basketball, tending to his land and maintaining his towns ball fields
17.
John Stallworth
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Johnny Lee John Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is considered to be one of the best wide receivers in NFL history and he played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships, and went to four Super Bowls and his career statistics included 537 receptions for 8,723 yards and 63 TDs. Stallworths reception total was a record until being surpassed by Hines Ward in 2005. Stallworth played in three Pro Bowls and was the Steelers two-time MVP and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002. A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Stallworth was an All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference receiver for Alabama A&M in 1972 and 1973, Stallworth earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Alabama A&M University. Stallworth was the 82nd player taken in 1974, a part of a class that saw the Pittsburgh Steelers draft four future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After a rookie year as an understudy, he became a starter in his second season, Stallworth battled a series of fibula, foot, ankle, knee and hamstring injuries that forced him to miss 44 regular-season games. In Super Bowl XIII, Stallworth caught a record-tying 75-yard touchdown pass from Terry Bradshaw that would later be a touchdown in the 35-31 win over the Dallas Cowboys. He suffered leg cramps later and played sparingly in the half, finishing with 3 receptions for 115 yards. Sports Illustrated considered the catch notable enough to put Stallworth on the cover of a subsequent issue, overall, Stallworth recorded three receptions for 121 yards in the game. Stallworth holds the Super Bowl records for career average per catch and he has 12 touchdown receptions and a string of 17 straight games with a reception in post-season play. Stallworth also scored touchdowns in eight playoff games at one point. Stallworth led the AFC with a career-high 1,395 yards gained on 80 receptions in 1984, Stallworth was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2002. In 1986 he founded Madison Research Corporation, which specializes in providing engineering and information services to government. Under Stallworths leadership, MRC grew to more than 650 employees, MRC manages six regional offices, Huntsville, Alabama, Warner Robins, Georgia, Orlando, Florida and Shalimar, Florida, Montgomery, Alabama, Houston, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. In October 2006 the sale of MRC to Wireless Facilities Inc. was completed, Stallworth was announced as becoming part-owner of his former team on March 23,2009, as part of the Rooney family restructuring ownership of the team. Career statistics and player information from NFL. com • Pro-Football-Reference Madison Research Corporation biography John Stallworth player page at Pro Football Hall of Fame PROJECTXYZ, Inc
18.
Lynn Swann
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In 2006, he was the Republican nominee for Pennsylvania governor. During his football career, he was a receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. Swann played college football at USC, where he was a consensus All-American and he was drafted by the Steelers in the first round of the 1974 NFL draft. With the Steelers, Swann won four Super Bowls, was selected to three Pro Bowls, and was named MVP of Super Bowl X and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001. Swann was born in Alcoa, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains near Knoxville, the Swann family moved to San Mateo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area when Lynn was 2. As a youth, Swann was raised in neighboring Foster City and attended Junípero Serra High School, at the 1970 CIF California State championship meet, Swann won the state title, defeating future Olympic gold medalist Randy Williams. On June 10,1979, during the summer after winning Super Bowl XIII, Swann married Bernadette Robi, the pair divorced in 1983, and she is currently married to boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard. On June 23,1991, Swann married Charena, a psychologist, Swann attended the University of Southern California, where he was an All-American on the Trojans football team. He played under coach John McKay, including the 1972 undefeated, McKay said of Swann, He has speed, soft hands, and grace. He completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in public relations in 1974, in 1993, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1971, Swann had 27 catches for 305 yards and two touchdowns and he led USC in catches and finished second to WR Edesel Garrison in receiving yards. In 1972, Swann rushed for 117 yards and had 27 catches for 543 yards and this time, he led USC in receiving yards and finished second to tight end Charle Young in catches. In 1973, Swann rushed for 99 yards while catching 42 passes for 714 yards, Swann was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 21st pick of the first round in the 1974 NFL Draft. The Steelers draft class of 74 is considered one of the best in NFL history and included four eventual Hall of Famers, Swann, John Stallworth, Mike Webster, Swann spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers and wore the jersey number 88. As a rookie, he led the NFL with 577 punt-return yards, a franchise record and he went on to win a championship ring with the Steelers in Super Bowl IX but did not record any receptions in the tough defensive struggle. However, he returned three punts for 34 yards, the following season became the highlight of Swanns career. He caught 49 passes for 781 yards and a league-leading 11 touchdowns, in the AFC title game against the Oakland Raiders, George Atkinson knocked Swann out of the game with a very hard but legal hit. Swann was unique among football players in that he credited his experiences in earlier in life with contributing to his aptitude on the football field
19.
Mike Webster
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Michael Lewis Webster was an American football player who played as a center in the National Football League from 1974 to 1990 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, nicknamed Iron Mike, Webster anchored the Steelers offensive line during much of their run of four Super Bowl victories from 1974 to 1979 and is considered by some as the best center in NFL history. Webster was the first former NFL player diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, since his death, he has become a symbol for head injuries in the NFL and the ongoing debate over player safety. His doctors were of the opinion that multiple concussions during his career damaged his frontal lobe, Webster died at the age of 50 of a heart attack. Mike Webster was regarded as the best center in the Big Ten during most of his career at the University of Wisconsin, at 6-foot-1,255 pounds, he was drafted in the 5th round of the 1974 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. These years included four Super Bowl wins by the Steelers, and Webster, Webster was honored as an All-Pro seven times and played in the Pro Bowl nine times. An avid weightlifter, Webster was known for playing with bare arms to keep opponents from grabbing his sleeves, Webster is also perhaps the best-known of a long line of All-Pro centers for the Steelers. From 1964 to 2006, just four men started at position, Mansfield, Webster, Dermontti Dawson. In his last year in Pittsburgh, Webster returned the favor by mentoring the then-rookie Dawson in the same manner Mansfield mentored Webster earlier in his career, Webster was a free agent after 1988 season. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs, who made him an offensive line coach before allowing him to return as the starting center. His career ended after the 1990 season, with a total of 245 games played at center, at the time of his retirement, he was the last active player in the NFL to have played on all four Super Bowl winning teams of the 1970s Steelers. He played more seasons as a Steeler than anyone else in franchise history, while, at the time of his retirement, the Steelers were no longer officially retiring jerseys, Websters No.52 has not been reissued by the team since he retired. In 1999, he was ranked number 75 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, the football stadium at Rhinelander High School, his alma mater, is named Mike Webster Stadium in his honor. Webster was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, Webster was proven to have been disabled before retiring from the NFL. After retirement, Webster suffered from amnesia, dementia, depression and he lived out of his pickup truck or in train stations between Wisconsin and Pittsburgh, even though his friends and former teammates offered to rent apartments for him. In his last years Webster lived with his youngest son, Garrett, Websters wife Pamela divorced him six months before his death in 2002 of a heart attack at age 50. Websters body was cremated and the ashes were divided among his wife, after death, Mike Webster was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative disease. Webster was the first former NFL player diagnosed with CTE, omalus findings were largely ignored by the NFL until Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was diagnosed with CTE shortly after his death at age 26 in 2009
20.
Cheryl Ladd
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Cheryl Ladd is an American actress, singer, and author. Ladd remained with the show until its cancellation in 1981, Ladd was born Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor in Huron, South Dakota, the second daughter of Dolores, a waitress, and Marion Stoppelmoor, a railroad engineer. She married fellow actor David Ladd, with whom she had a daughter and she took his surname as her own, which she kept after their divorce. She has been married to music producer Brian Russell since 1981, Ladd is a celebrity ambassador for the child abuse prevention and treatment non-profit Childhelp. Ladd initially came to Hollywood in 1970 to begin a career in music and she soon began to land non-singing roles in commercials and episodic television—including guest appearances on shows such as The Rookies, The Partridge Family and Happy Days. In September 2000, Ladd starred on Broadway, taking over the role from Bernadette Peters in a revival of Irving Berlins Annie Get Your Gun. She played the role until January 2001, when Reba McEntire took over and she also starred in feature films such as Purple Hearts, Millennium, Poison Ivy and Permanent Midnight. Ladd had the role in the television series One West Waikiki. From 2003 until the cancellation in 2008, Ladd played Jillian Deline. In 1996, Ladd published a book, The Adventures of Little Nettie Windship. In 2005, she published Token Chick, A Woman’s Guide to Golfing With the Boys, for several years, Ladd hosted a golf tournament sponsored by Buick. On April 17,2010, Ladd, along with her co-angel, Jaclyn Smith, in 2010, Ladd filmed a TV movie titled Loves Everlasting Courage for the Hallmark Channel, which aired on October 1,2011. That same month, she guest starred on NCIS in the ninth season episode Thirst as the love interest of medical examiner Dr. Donald Ducky Mallard. In December 2011, she guest starred in an episode of Chuck, josie and the Pussycats Capitol Records. The single Think It Over peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart in the United States, the album reached number 129 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album reached number 179 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States and you Make It Beautiful Capitol Records
21.
NFL on CBS
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The NFL on CBS is the branding used for broadcasts of National Football League games that are produced by CBS Sports, the sports division of the CBS television network in the United States. The network has aired NFL game telecasts since 1956, since 2014, CBS has also broadcast Thursday Night Football games during the first half of the NFL season, through a production partnership with the NFL Network. CBS coverage began on September 30,1956, before the 1970 AFL–NFL merger, prior to 1968, CBS had an assigned crew for each NFL team. As an result, CBS became the first network to broadcast some NFL regular season games to selected markets across the country. From 1970 until the end of the 1993 season, when Fox won the broadcast television contract to that particular conference, since 1975, game coverage has been preceded by pre-game show The NFL Today, which features game previews, extensive analysis and interviews. CBSs first attempts to broadcast the NFL on television were notable for there being no broadcasting contract with the league as a whole. Instead, CBS had to strike deals with individual teams to broadcast games into the teams own markets, often the games would be broadcast with split audio – that is, a game between two franchises would have the same picture in both teams networks. Each teams network had different announcers, chris Schenkel was their play-by-play announcer in that early era when each team was assigned its own network voice on its regional telecasts. At the time, there were few if any true national telecasts until the NFL championship game, Schenkel was joined by Jim McKay, later Johnny Lujack through the 1950s and the early 1960s. As Giants players retired to the broadcast booth in the early and 1960s, first Pat Summerall, as the 1970 merger of the NFL and AFL approached, CBS moved to a more generic announcer approach while Schenkel left to join ABC Sports. From 1956 to 1959, the Baltimore Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, when these three played at home, there was no need for the usage of split audio. Instead, the teams telecasts were produced in a simple singular audio-video feed. In 1959,1960 and 1961, NBC had the rights to televise Colts, while the game broadcasts were blacked out in those cities, they were available to other NBC-affiliated stations. The Chicago Bears and Chicago Cardinals only produced home telecasts for their vast network. Because of this, if the Bears played the Colts in Baltimore or the Cardinals visited Forbes Field to play the Steelers during this period, meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns had their own network, part of Sports Network Incorporated and Carling Beer. In 1961, then-CBS affiliate WISN-TV in Milwaukee opted not to carry that years annual telecast of The Wizard of Oz, running a Green Bay Packers football game instead. In contrast to the infamous Heidi telecast in 1968, the popularity of The Wizard of Oz as a television event at that time was such that the station ran the movie locally at a later date. In 1962, the NFL followed the American Football Leagues suit with its own revenue sharing plan after CBS agreed to telecast all regular season games for a fee of US$4.65 million
22.
Pat Summerall
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George Allen Pat Summerall was an American football player and television sportscaster, having worked at CBS, Fox, and ESPN. In addition to football, he announced major golf and tennis events. In total, he announced 16 Super Bowls on network television,26 Masters Tournaments and he also contributed to 10 Super Bowl broadcasts on CBS Radio as a pregame host or analyst. Summerall played football for the Arkansas Razorbacks and then in the National Football League from 1952 through 1961 and he was drafted by the Detroit Lions and played with Bobby Layne. The best playing time in his career was with the New York Giants as a kicker, after retiring as a player, he joined CBS as a color commentator the next year. He worked with Tom Brookshier and then John Madden on NFL telecasts for CBS, although retired since 2002, he continued to announce games on occasion, especially those near his Texas home. He was named the National Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association in 1977 and that year, he also received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 1999, at Columbia High School, Lake City, Florida, Summerall played football, tennis, baseball, and basketball. Although basketball was his favorite sport, he was recognized as an All-State selection in basketball and football and he was inducted into the FHSAA Hall of Fame and was later named to the FHSAAs All-Century Team. Summerall played college football from 1949 to 1951 at the University of Arkansas, where he played end, tight end. He graduated in 1953 majoring in Russian history, according to CBS News, Summerall spent ten years as a professional football player in the National Football League, primarily as a placekicker. The Detroit Lions drafted Summerall as a draft choice in the 1952 NFL Draft. Summerall played the pre-season with the Lions before breaking his arm and his best professional year statistically was 1959, when Summerall scored 90 points on 30-for-30 extra-point kicking and 20-for-29 field goal kicking. Summeralls most memorable moment may well have been at the very end of the December 14,1958 regular season finale between his Giants and the Cleveland Browns at Yankee Stadium. Going into the game, the Browns were in first place in the Eastern Conference, in that era, there was no overtime during regular season games, standings ties were broken by a playoff, and there were no wild-card teams. The Browns, on the hand, needed only a tie to clinch the Eastern championship. As time was running out, the Giants and Browns were tied, 10–10, the Giants got barely into Cleveland territory, then sent out Summerall to try for a tiebreaking 49-yard field goal. To add to the drama, there were swirling winds and snow, Summerall, a straight-ahead kicker, made the field goal with just two minutes to play, keeping the Giants alive for another week
23.
Super Bowl XIII
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The Steelers defeated the Cowboys by the score of 35–31. The game was played on January 21,1979, at the Orange Bowl in Miami and this was the first Super Bowl that featured a rematch of a previous one, and both teams were attempting to be the first club to ever win a third Super Bowl. Dallas was also the defending Super Bowl XII champion, and finished the 1978 regular season with a 12–4 record, and posted victories over the Atlanta Falcons. Pittsburgh entered the game after posting a 14–2 regular season record and playoff wins over the Denver Broncos, Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who was named Super Bowl MVP, completed 17 out of 30 passes for Super Bowl records of 318 passing yards and 4 touchdown passes. Bradshaw eclipsed Bart Starrs Super Bowl record for passing yards in the first half with 253 yards in the air as the Steelers led 21–14 at intermission. His 75-yard touchdown pass in the quarter also tied Johnny Unitas in Super Bowl V for the longest pass in a Super Bowl. The Cowboys were able to close, only trailing 21–17 at the end of the third quarter. Dallas also could not overcome turnovers, drops, and a penalty during the second half. The game came to be known as Black Sunday in Las Vegas, the point spread opened at Pittsburgh -3.5 points. As the Steelers backers placed bets on them the sportsbooks adjusted the line and it eventually hit Pittsburgh -4.5 and then the Dallas money poured in on the Cowboys. It eventually settled at Pittsburgh at -4, the Steelers four-point margin of victory meant the Las Vegas sportsbooks lost the vast majority of wagers on the game. The NFL awarded Super Bowl XIII to Miami on June 14,1977 at the meetings held in New York. For the 1978–79 season, the NFL extended its schedule from 14 regular season games to 16 and he ranked as the second highest rated passer in the league, his 28 touchdown passes led the league, and he won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Wide receivers Lynn Swann and John Stallworth provided the team with a deep threat. Swann recorded 61 receptions for 880 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Stallworth had 41 receptions for 798 yards and 9 touchdowns. Tight end Randy Grossman, who replaced injured starter Bennie Cunningham for most of the season, also was a big factor, recording 37 receptions for 448 yards, halfback Rocky Bleier had 633 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, while also catching 17 passes for 168 yards. The Steelers success on offense was due in large measure to their offensive line. Once again, defensive tackles Joe Greene and L. C. Greenwood anchored the line, while Pro Bowl linebackers Jack Ham and Jack Lambert combined for 7 interceptions
24.
Super Bowl
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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
25.
Super Bowl XV
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The Raiders defeated the Eagles by the score of 27–10, becoming the first wild card playoff team to win a Super Bowl. The game was played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 25,1981, the game was thus held under patriotic fervor, as the pregame ceremonies honored the end of the crisis. The Raiders were making their third Super Bowl appearance after posting an 11–5 regular season record, Oakland then advanced to the Super Bowl with playoff victories over the Houston Oilers, Cleveland Browns, and San Diego. The Eagles were making their first Super Bowl appearance after posting a 12–4 regular season record and postseason victories over the Minnesota Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys. Aided by two passes from quarterback Jim Plunkett, the Raiders jumped out to a 14–0 lead in the first quarter of Super Bowl XV. Oakland linebacker Rod Martin also intercepted Philadelphia quarterback Ron Jaworski three times for a Super Bowl record, Plunkett was named the Super Bowl MVP after completing 13 of 21 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 9 yards. Plunkett was also the second Heisman Trophy winner to be named Super Bowl MVP after Roger Staubach in Super Bowl VI, the NFL awarded Super Bowl XV to New Orleans on March 13,1979 at the owners meetings in Honolulu. Super Bowl XV was the climax of Plunketts revival as an NFL starting quarterback, the 1970 Heisman Trophy winner was drafted by the New England Patriots and was later named the 1971 NFL Rookie of the Year. But Plunkett suffered through five losing seasons with the Patriots and two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before being released as a free agent before the 1978 season. Plunkett was signed by Oakland to be their quarterback, and thus he did not see much playing time, throwing no passes in 1978. But after the Raiders started the 1980 season with a 2–3 record, starter Dan Pastorini broke his leg, the 33-year-old Plunkett got off to a bad start, throwing 5 interceptions in a 31–17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs after relieving Pastorini. However, he recovered and led the Raiders to victory in 9 of their last 11 games in the season, Plunkett made 165 out of 320 pass completions for 2,299 yards,18 touchdown passes, and was intercepted 15 times. He also contributed 141 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground, the Raiders main offensive deep threat was wide receiver Cliff Branch, while wide receiver Bob Chandler contributed 49 receptions for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns. Running back Mark van Eeghen was the top rusher with 838 yards and 5 touchdowns. Halfback Kenny King rushed for 761 yards and catching 22 passes for 145 yards, the Raiders also had an outstanding offensive line led by two future Hall of Famers, tackle Art Shell and guard Gene Upshaw. Upshaw became the first player to play in three Super Bowls with the team in three different decades. He also played in Super Bowls II and XI, Oaklands defense, anchored by defensive end John Matuszak, was punishing. Defensive back Lester Hayes led the league in interceptions and interception return yards, the Raiders also had a trio of great linebackers, future Hall of Famer Ted Hendricks, Pro Bowler Rod Martin, and standout rookie Matt Millen
26.
American football
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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
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National Football League
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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
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Downtown Los Angeles
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Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, as well as a diverse residential neighborhood of some 58,000 people. A2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs, Downtown Los Angeles is known for its government buildings, parks, theaters and other public places. The earliest known settlements in the area of what is now Downtown Los Angeles was by the Tongva, on September 4,1781, the city was founded by a group of settlers who trekked north from present-day Mexico. Land speculation increased in the 1880s, which saw the population of the city explode from 11,000 in 1880 to nearly 100,000 by 1896. Infrastructure enhancements and the laying of a street grid eventually brought development south of the settlement into what is today the Civic Center. By 1920, the private and municipal rail lines were the most far-flung and most comprehensive in the world in mileage. By this time, an influx of residents and aggressive land developers had transformed the city into a large metropolitan area. Rail lines connected four counties with over 1,100 miles of track, during the early part of the 20th century, banking institutions clustered around South Spring Street, forming the Spring Street Financial District. The Los Angeles Stock Exchange was also located on the corridor from 1929 until 1986 before moving into a new building across the Harbor Freeway, Broadway became the nightlife, shopping and entertainment district of the city, with over a dozen theater and movie palaces built before 1932. Numerous specialty stores also flourished including those in the business which gave rise to the Downtown Jewelry District. Among these early jewelers included the Laykin Diamond Company and Harry Winston & Co. both of which found their beginnings in the Alexandria Hotel at 5th and Spring Streets. The Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal opened in May,1939, unifying passenger service among local, regional. It was built on a scale and would be one of the last of the Great Railway Stations built in the United States. Following World War II, suburbanization, the development of the Los Angeles freeway network, many corporate headquarters slowly dispersed to new suburbs or fell to mergers and acquisitions. The once-wealthy Bunker Hill neighborhood became a haven for low-income renters, the drastic reduction in the number of residents in the area further reduced the viability of streetfront businesses that would be able to attract pedestrians. For most Angelenos, downtown became a destination as they would come into the area for a particular objective. This period saw the clearing and upzoning of the neighborhood as well as the shuttering of the Angels Flight funicular railway in 1969. Angels Flight resumed operation in 1996 for a period of five years, on March 15,2010, the railway once again opened for passenger service following extensive upgrades to brake and safety systems
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Carroll Rosenbloom
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Carroll Rosenbloom was an American businessman. He was the owner of two National Football League franchises, he was the first owner of the Baltimore Colts, and later switched teams, Rosenbloom has been described as the NFLs first modern owner and the first players owner. Rosenbloom was born in Baltimore, Maryland on March 5,1907, to Anna and he was the eighth of nine children, raised in a Jewish family. His father, an immigrant from Russian Poland, started a successful work-clothing manufacturing company, as a youth, Sports Illustrated described Rosenbloom as an indifferent student but a good athlete. He played football and baseball and boxed, at the time, the Quakers backfield coach was Bert Bell, who later became the commissioner of the NFL. Upon graduation, Rosenbloom returned to Baltimore to work for his fathers clothing company, after being sent to liquidate the Blue Ridge Overalls Company, a small factory his father had acquired, Rosenbloom decided he wanted to run the fledgling company on his own. Based in Roanoke, Virginia, Blue Ridge had suffered during the Depression, but Rosenbloom was intent to turn it around. Civilian Conservation Corps was authorized in 1933 and officials needed denim work clothes, by 1940, after attaining distribution through large channels like Sears-Roebuck and J. C. Penney, Blue Ridge had grown into a prosperous company allowing Rosenbloom to retire at 32. During a brief retirement, Rosenbloom lived as a farmer on Marylands Eastern Shore, growing corn. As well, during time, Rosenbloom married Velma Anderson. Rosenblooms fathers death in 1942 cut his retirement short, however, when Rosenbloom was named the executor of his fathers estate, he chose to return to business life. By 1959, Blue Ridge had grown to include almost a dozen shirt and overall companies and 7,000 employees, leading some to dub Rosenbloom Americas Overalls King. In the financial interests of his family, Rosenbloom decided to sell the company to P & R, at P & R, Rosenbloom served as a Director. With the success of his first enterprise, Rosenbloom diversified his business interests, in the late 1950s, Rosenbloom and his partners bought control of Universal Products Co. He went on to buy American Totalisator and other companies, eventually lumping them all together under the name Universal Controls. After losing the original Colts team in 1951, the city of Baltimore petitioned the NFL for another franchise, around this time, NFL Commissioner Bert Bell wanted to find a new home for the Dallas Texans, an NFL expansion team that folded after one failed season in 1952. Bell sought a new owner with financial resources. From their days together at Penn, Bell thought Rosenbloom would be a great fit, though Rosenbloom was hesitant at first to own a franchise, he relented and bought the team along with a group of other investors
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Georgia Frontiere
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Georgia Frontiere was an American businesswoman and entertainer. She was the majority owner and chairperson of the Los Angeles/St, Louis Rams football team and the most prominent female owner in a league historically dominated by males. Her commitment to the team earned her the nickname Madame Ram, also a philanthropist, Frontiere created the St. Louis and elsewhere. Frontiere had early aspirations to work as a singer and eventually traveled to Milan to train with the Milan Opera. By ten years old, she performed along with her mother and brother in the group the Pamela Trio. The group traveled the state and entertained at ballrooms and state fairs, Frontiere attended Soldan High School in St. Louis. When she was fifteen, Frontieres parents divorced, and she married a young U. S. Marine who was heading to Europe during World War II. A few years later, the moved to Fresno, California, where Frontiere performed at dinner theatres alongside her mother in a duo. During this time, she married her husband, who was killed in a car accident near San Francisco shortly after the couple had wed. In the early 1950s, Frontiere worked as a secretary while acting in Fresnos Garrick Little Theatre. The couple divorced a short time later and she later married her fourth husband, a stage manager at the Sacramento Music Circus, but the couple split after five years. In the late 1950s, Frontiere moved to Miami and had her own TV interview show, during this time, Frontiere met her fifth husband, a Miami television producer. They were married for a short time, later, she made appearances as part of NBCs Today show cast. She also performed as a singer in Miami. While living in Miami, Frontiere was introduced to the then Baltimore Colts owner Carroll Rosenbloom at a party hosted by Joseph Kennedy at his Palm Beach estate in 1957, Kennedy was a fan of Georgia after seeing her on her morning show. Rosenbloom and Georgia were engaged in 1960, but it took Rosenbloom ten years to divorce his first wife, Rosenbloom and Frontiere married in 1966, though they had been together for eight years and had two children by this point. In 1972, Rosenbloom traded ownership of the Baltimore Colts for ownership of the Los Angeles Rams, during this time, the couple resided in Bel Air, California, and Frontiere became a part of the Los Angeles social scene, hosting numerous parties and philanthropic events. Frontiere was also known to entertain guests in a section near the box at the Los Angeles Coliseum dubbed Georgias Grandstand
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Angel Stadium
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Angel Stadium of Anaheim, originally known as Anaheim Stadium and later Edison International Field of Anaheim, is a modern-style ballpark located in Anaheim, California. The stadium is referred to by its unofficial nickname The Big A. It is the fourth-oldest active Major League Baseball stadium, behind Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and it hosted the 1967,1989, and 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Games. Located near the boundary of the parking lot is the landmark Big A sign and electronic marquee. The halo located near the top of the 230 tall, 210-ton sign is illuminated following games in which the Angels win, which gives rise to the fan expression, Light up the Halo. The station provides convenient access to the stadium, the nearby Honda Center, and Disneyland from various communities along the route, which links San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The Anaheim Resort Transit stops at the center along with Orange County Transportation Authority buses. and 2 to 3 AMA Supercross Championship races a year, the stadium also houses the studios and offices of the Angels owned and operated flagship radio station, KLAA. Angel Stadium has been the home of the Angels since their move from Los Angeles, on August 31,1964, ground was broken for Anaheim Stadium and in 1966, the then-California Angels moved into their new home after having spent four seasons renting Dodger Stadium from the Dodgers. The stadium was built on a parcel of about 160 acres of land originally used for agricultural purposes by the Allec, Russell. Consistent with many sports stadiums built in the 1960s, it is located in a suburban area. The field dimensions were derived from a study conducted by the Angels. Based on the air density at normal times, the Angels tried to formulate dimensions that were fairly balanced between pitcher, hitter and average weather conditions. The Angels tinkered with those dimensions several times, expanding or contracting parts of the outfield by a few here and there. One of the no-hitters, on June 1,1975, was his fourth, the Coliseum seated almost 100,000 people, and the Rams had trouble filling it even in their best years. Rosenbloom brokered a deal by which the Rams would move from Los Angeles to an expanded Anaheim Stadium, to add more seats for football games, the mezzanine and upper decks were extended completely around the playing field, resulting in a roughly trapezoidal, completely enclosed stadium. An elevated bank of bleachers was built in right field, and temporary seats were placed underneath, another bank of bleachers was built in left field. As a result, the view of the mountains and State Highway 57 was lost. A black and white scoreboard/instant replay video board was installed above the newly constructed upper deck seats in left field, a triangular metal spire was added to the top of the Jumbotron to evoke the original emplacement of the Big A
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Orange County, California
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Orange County is a county in the U. S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 3,010,232 making it the third-most populous county in California, the sixth-most populous in the United States and its county seat is Santa Ana. It is the second most densely populated county in the state, the countys four largest cities, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, and Huntington Beach each have populations exceeding 200,000. Several of Orange Countys cities are on the Pacific coast, including Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Orange County is included in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thirty-four incorporated cities are located in the county, the newest is Aliso Viejo, Anaheim was the first city, incorporated in 1870, when the region was still part of neighboring Los Angeles County. Whereas most population centers in the United States tend to be identified by a major city and it is mostly suburban except for some traditionally urban areas at the centers of the older cities of Anaheim, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, Orange, and Santa Ana. There are several edge city-style developments such as Irvine Business Center, Newport Center, the county is famous for its tourism as the home of attractions like Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, and several beaches along its more than 40 miles of coastline. It is part of the Tech Coast, members of the Tongva, Juaneño, and Luiseño Native American groups long inhabited the area. After the 1769 expedition of Gaspar de Portolà, a Spanish expedition led by Junipero Serra named the area Valle de Santa Ana, on November 1,1776, Mission San Juan Capistrano became the areas first permanent European settlement. Among those who came with Portolá were José Manuel Nieto and José Antonio Yorba, both these men were given land grants—Rancho Los Nietos and Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana, respectively. The Nieto heirs were granted land in 1834, the Nieto ranches were known as Rancho Los Alamitos, Rancho Las Bolsas, and Rancho Los Coyotes. Yorba heirs Bernardo Yorba and Teodosio Yorba were also granted Rancho Cañón de Santa Ana and Rancho Lomas de Santiago, other ranchos in Orange County were granted by the Mexican government during the Mexican period in Alta California. A severe drought in the 1860s devastated the industry, cattle ranching. In 1887, silver was discovered in the Santa Ana Mountains, attracting settlers via the Santa Fe and this growth led the California legislature to divide Los Angeles County and create Orange County as a separate political entity on March 11,1889. The county is said to have named for the citrus fruit in an attempt to promote immigration by suggesting a semi-tropical paradise–a place where anything could grow. Other citrus crops, avocados, and oil extraction were important to the early economy. Orange County benefited from the July 4,1904 completion of the Pacific Electric Railway, the link made Orange County an accessible weekend retreat for celebrities of early Hollywood. It was deemed so significant that Pacific City changed its name to Huntington Beach in honor of Henry E. Huntington, president of the Pacific Electric, Transportation further improved with the completion of the State Route and U. S. Route 101 in the 1920s
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2008 Arizona Cardinals season
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The 2008 Arizona Cardinals season was the 89th season for the team in the National Football League and their 21st season in Arizona. The season marked the Cardinals first-ever Super Bowl appearance, coming as a result of their victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship, the Cardinals slogan for the season was Shock The World. In that wild card game, the Cardinals defeated the Atlanta Falcons, the next week, for the Divisional round of the playoffs, the Cardinals traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they upset the number 2 seeded Carolina Panthers. In Super Bowl XLIII, the Cardinals winning streak ended, though they led the Pittsburgh Steelers with less than a minute left to play in the game, they lost, 27–23. Three years later in Super Bowl XLVI, the New York Giants would become the first 9–7 team to win, the Cardinals began their 2008 campaign on the road against their NFC West rival, the San Francisco 49ers. In the first quarter, Arizona took flight as kicker Neil Rackers got a 25-yard field goal, the 49ers responded with RB Frank Gores 41-yard TD run. In the third quarter, the Cardinals began to soar as Rackers got a 31-yard field goal, in the fourth quarter, the 49ers tried to respond with Nedney getting a 30-yard field goal. Afterwards, Rackers 30-yard field goal sealed the victory for Arizona, with the win, the Cardinals began their season at 1–0. Coming off their road win over the 49ers, the Cardinals played their Week 2 home opener against the Miami Dolphins. In the first quarter, the Cardinals scored first as QB Kurt Warner threw 2 touchdown passes to WR Anquan Boldin, in the second quarter, Arizona increased their lead with a 45-yard field goal by Neil Rackers. In the third quarter, the Cardinals increased its lead to 24–0 with rookie running back Tim Hightower getting a touchdown run. In the process, he became the first Cardinals rookie running back to score in each of his first two games. The Dolphins finally got on the board when kicker Dan Carpenter nailed a 32-yard field goal, the Cardinals replied with Warner and Boldin hooking up with each other for a third time on an eight-yard touchdown pass. In the fourth quarter, Miami tried to rally as running backRonnie Brown got a one-yard TD run, with the win, the Cardinals improved to its first 2–0 start since 1991. This game was one of three times that Kurt Warner finished a game with a perfect passer rating. Coming off their win over the Dolphins, the Cardinals flew to FedEx Field for a Week 3 duel with the Washington Redskins. In the first quarter, Arizona trailed early as Redskins RB Clinton Portis got a three-yard TD run, in the second quarter, the Cardinals continued to trail as kicker Shaun Suisham got a 48-yard field goal. The Cardinals would end the half with QB Kurt Warner completing a four-yard TD pass to WR Anquan Boldin, afterwards, Arizona answered with Warner completing a 62-yard TD pass to WR Larry Fitzgerald
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