BLOOMIN’ ONIONS
Regardless of the outcome, something was amiss in this championship game’s build-up and aftermath. Caroll Rosenbloom, successful businessman, and owner of the Colts, who would later acquire the Los Angeles Rams, was the leader. However, to those behind the scenes, it was common knowledge that he had a gambling issue. It was also well known that he and head coach Don Shula, who would later go on to a Hall of Fame career (primarily due to his leading the Miami Dolphins to the summit twice and amassing the most wins for a head coach in league history), never saw things eye-to-eye.
The odds opened at 18 in favor of the Colts but enigmatically receded to 15 before kickoff. This was, allegedly, because someone had placed a massive bet in the Baltimore camp. According to reports, that “someone” was rumored to be owner Caroll Rosenbloom, who presumably laid down $3 million on the opponent—the underdogs from New York—to emerge victorious.
For years, rumors persisted that Caroll was not above placing a wager on or against his roster. Ergo, Bubba Smith was not alone in his assessment.
“[Rosenbloom] was present in Yankee Stadium Dec. 28, 1958, the gray day his Colts beat the Giants in overtime and gave the NFL the momentum it used to overtake baseball and become the dominant American sport of the ’60s. Ironically, the game is legendary in gambling circles for John Unitas’ decision to pass for the yards that set up a short touchdown run rather than kick a near-certain field goal during sudden death. A field goal would not have beaten the point spread; whispers suggest a huge Rosenbloom bet influenced the Unitas call. Five years later, the NFL cleared Rosenbloom of charges stemming from a non-sports lawsuit, in which he participated in a $55,000 bet against his Colts in 1953.” [5]
Others have pointed out that Rosenbloom made a seven-figure bet for $1 million on the Colts’ to win. Whatever transpired, there was a buzz among the bookies in Miami—the consensus: the smart money was on the upstart Jets.
FOLLOW THE DINERO
Under most circumstances, money talks, and bulls**t runs a marathon. This posture was no different in pro basketball, where the ABA (American Basketball Association) emerged in the mid-60s to rival the NBA (National Basketball Association).
Similarly, the AFL, established in 1960, was seen as a nuisance to the NFL. However, as they began to wrest away a fair amount of blue-chip collegiate talent, particularly from HBCUs, player salaries began to mount due to bidding wars for top prospects, and the performances and moxie soon equalized.
A merger was put into place in 1966 to be sanctioned in 1970.
The league owners assembled a detailed blueprint; however, a key component was tacit on the periphery of the contractual jargon. The AFL, deemed inferior by the rival league, was mandated to show some “degree of competitiveness” in the championship games. In the first two Super Bowls (championships), Green Bay had blown out Kansas City (35-10) and Oakland (33-14), respectively. Their matchups were anything but neck and neck. With astronomical television dollars on the line, executives made it clear behind the scenes. There would be no TV contract if the Jets (AFL representative) did not show strongly in this third championship game (Super Bowl III). While most speculate that the merger still would have occurred, the number of dollars on the table by the networks was nothing to sneeze at; hence, the Jets needed to substantiate that they could tangle with the powerful Colts. The consensus was that this task was inconceivable.
ARGUMENT AGAINST MALFEASANCE
Fresh off of a 34-0 NFL Championship win over the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore was expected to rout New York. Conspicuously overconfident, the 15-1 (including postseason) Colts strode into the Orange Bowl neutral site on January 12, 1969; however, the Jets were motivated correspondingly, if not more. Baltimore head coach Don Shula voiced his concerns. “Shula told NBC lead announcer Curt Gowdy that he was having trouble focusing his ‘super confident’ Colts. Shula stated, ‘I’m really worried. Football is all mental. Any time one team’s more ready to play than the other, they can beat you.’”[6]
In his book Beyond Broadway Joe: The Super Bowl Team That Changed Football, author Bob Lederer interviewed several Super Bowl III-winning players. One of them, starting center John Schmitt, summarized the Jets’ reason for optimism in the lead-up to the contest. “Shula, after replacing Weeb Ewbank as coach [of Baltimore] in 1963, retained Ewbank’s [same] offensive and defensive systems. [Shula merely] reversed the direction of the plays. For six regular seasons, [because they were in separate leagues] Shula’s decision had no impact.” [6]
Hence, the Jets could predict what was coming, and unbeknownst to many, they had the personnel to shut it down. For all the hype surrounding the Baltimore defense, New York entered the fray as the number-one ranked defense in the AFL. A member of their coaching staff was a young, nascent genius named Buddy Ryan.
Guarantees and subterfuge theories aside, there was no question that the Jets tyrannized the front seven of the formidable Baltimore defense in the trenches. Brawny and burly New York running back Matt Snell bulldozed his way to 121 yards on 30 carries, along with a touchdown. Snell, known for laughing and sneering at the best opponents who attempted to intimidate him, recurrently blasted Colts hard-hitting All-Pro linebacker Mike “Mad Dog” Curtis and sent another All-Pro—safety Rick Volk—to the showers early with a concussion. The Jets also had a dangerous AFL All-Pro receiver named Don Maynard (playing despite a hamstring injury), who was well-respected by the Colts. However, zeroing in on him facilitated an outstanding game for his fellow flanker (and All-Pro), George Sauer. Sauer scorched the Colts’ defensive backs often enough to attain 133 yards on eight receptions. Namath did not set the world on fire that day but was highly efficient (17/26 for 206 yards passing). Long before gameday, the Jets had figured out that the short passing game–via quick slants, with underneath throws to the backs and tight ends–was paramount.
While queries may invariably linger, the sum and substance is that the Jets physically decimated the Baltimore defense. Ironically, the great Bubba Smith was effectively neutralized by the New York offensive line, in particular: guard Dave Herman (former Michigan State teammate of Smith) and (Texas Southern University and future Hall of Famer) massive offensive left tackle Winston “Baby Huey” Hill. The former–Herman–was an All-Star shifted to right tackle by Coach Ewbank to combat Bubba head-to-head in the finale. How talented was the relatively undersized Herman? In 1973, the iconic Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle “Mean Joe” Greene once quipped, “[There’s] only one guy I can’t beat in either league, and that’s Dave Herman.” [[6]
The design worked. New York simply kicked Baltimore’s a**!
The Jets won 16-7, stunning not only those in attendance but the entire nation. “Broadway Joe” took home game MVP honors.
In the ensuing season, the AFL left little doubt in the minds of any castigators. The Kansas City Chiefs, stacked with HBCU alums (Buck Buchanan, Willie Lanier, Emmitt Thomas, Otis Taylor, et al.) and executing a superb strategy choreographed by coach Hank Stram, manhandled the Minnesota Vikings and the “Purple People Eaters.” The 23- 7 final score belied the game’s tenor and the Chiefs’ predominance.
Of note, many in the media scoffed at the idea of any “loopholes” in the AFL-NFL merger agreement.
“The merger would have been implemented in 1970, as signed by the club owners in 1966 and as approved by Congress, even if AFL teams did not win any of the first four Super Bowl games before the 1970 season. All the Jets’ victory did was influence the 1970 realignment, in which the 10 AFL teams were kept together in the American Conference, which was joined by three teams from the NFL establishment – the Colts, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Cleveland Browns.” [1]
Super Bowl LVIII is over. Still, this year’s NFL offseason feeding frenzy—free agency—may overshadow the forthcoming draft, the NBA playoffs, and the MLB All-Star game.
Savagery and neurologic peril aside, what are the participants playing for? Is it for the love of the game? Is it for the glory, the money or both? Is it for the ever-elusive Lombardi and the gargantuan accompanying ring?
WINS & WONDERS
In Super Bowl III, Morrall threw no rockets that anyone would love. He was sweaty at the fingertips and certainly wasn’t competing for the city of Baltimore that day. Perhaps the pressure made him too uptight. Seemingly, the moment subdued him, cementing Earl to his Innervisions, leaving him boogieing on to the beat of his drum. There wasn’t a d**n thing lovely about it. As the leader at the helm of an overwhelming favorite, he faltered on the front line.
Regarding Poor Earl’s psyche, don’t you worry about a thing. Eventually, the veteran reached much higher ground. Two seasons later, lightning struck twice as the Colts reached Super Bowl V, again held in Miami’s Orange Bowl. Unitas suffered a rib injury during the contest and was done for the afternoon. This time, Morrall, in reserve, led his squad to a come-from-behind victory and was overjoyed as Baltimore defeated the Dallas Cowboys (on a short field goal as time expired).
Decades later, many of the Colts who participated in the Super Bowl III loss and the victory in V never got over the sting of the former. Linebacker Mike Curtis recalls, “Our team was twice as good as the Jets.” [7]
The victory over Dallas brought those players a sense of relief. In that game, safety Rick Volk, who had been knocked unconscious in Super Bowl III after taking a knee to the head against the Jets, made a crucial interception. Mike Curtis also picked off a pass to set up a score. Mr. Roy was a significant factor in minimizing the talents of Cowboy quarterback Craig Morton all day long.
In 1971, an aging Morrall arrived in Miami, signed, sealed, and delivered as the backup for Bob Griesie and coach Don Shula. In 1972–you guessed it–Griesie was injured during the season in which the Dolphins would go undefeated (17-0) and win Super Bowl VII against the Washington Redskins. For most of the stanza, Morrall was the starter (going 11-0). His performance led to his recognition as the AFC Player of the Year and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. “When Bob went down, Earl stepped in like nothing happened, and we just won all the games,” Shula said in a 2007 interview. He continued, “Then Griese was healthy for the AFC Championship game against Pittsburgh, and I put Bob in the second half, and he helped us come from behind and win the game. So I’ve always said Unitas, Griese, and Dan Marino are in the Hall of Fame, and Earl is in my own personal Hall of Fame.” [8]
The Dolphins would repeat as champions the following season (defeating the Minnesota Vikings), and Earl would collect his third ring. Expiation had clocked in.
As far as Mr. Roy was concerned, Hilton played the game of his life in the aforementioned Super Bowl V. Hilton came out fired-up, motivated by a perceived slight by Dallas coach Tom Landry. More preoccupied with Bubba Smith from a blitzing standpoint, Landry moved All-Pro offensive lineman Ralph Neely to cover opposite Hilton. His rationale: Neely would thrash Hilton, and the Dallas running game would flourish. The gambit backfired. Hilton made [1.5] quarterback sacks and four tackles and hurried quarterback Craig Morton into making a bad throw that led to a critical interception and the game-tying touchdown. [8] After the victory, Colts head coach Don McCafferty walked up to Hilton, embraced him, and whispered a single word, “Thanks.” [3]
“That was the highlight of my entire career,” Hilton recalled. [3]
SYNOPSIS
Controversies have occurred in a myriad of professional sports for years. Boxing has had its share of horrendous decisions (for the lucrative benefits of a return match or perhaps a trilogy), baseball (e.g., 1919 World Series), hoops at collegiate (confirmed point shaving), Olympic (Munich 1972 politics and timekeeper problems), and professional (2002 playoffs suspected referee “interference”) echelons have had scandals.
Could the league have gotten over 100 players (or even 10) together to tell them to play along with the chosen script? No. Even then, the grapevine was too established, and leaks were inevitable. Were the referees somehow involved, based on a mandate from both leagues? Highly unlikely. Would a single player who may have his hands on the ball often, or someone with the ability to call plays, shift the momentum in a game toward the opponent? Or keep the point total within a specific range. Possibly. Did any of the above likely happen in Super Bowl III? The answer is no.
Insinuations notwithstanding, the Baltimore Colts’ fiasco against the New York Jets was not predetermined. Outside the realm of perceived machinations by league administrators, a confluence of factors contributed to the result. It was simply a beatdown and a lesson for underestimating a primed professional opponent. New York teemed with youth, talent, power, tenacity, and speed. In addition, they carefully analyzed and studied their opponent in film ad nauseam. Congregate all those attributes with two weeks’ worth of insults, snubs, and bulletin board material from every conceivable angle, and by kickoff, the AFL underdogs were a certifiable problem.
Still, on that day in 1969, to the dismay of many in Maryland, Morrall was off somewhere, seemingly lost and frolicking in another dimension but not leading his squad with his usual prowess.
For one game–albeit a big one–Earl was playing by himself.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(1) Anderson, Dave. ‘Bubba’s Dud.’ The New York Times. October 2, 1983
(2) Interview (live): Bubba Smith. The Best Damn Sports Show Period. Fox Sports Network. (2002) (3) ‘Roy Hilton, Super Bowl V Star, Dies at 75.’ ProFootballTalk. NBC Sports.com. January 8, 2019 (4) “Sports Celebrities: Joe Namath.” Encyclopedia.com
(5) Denlinger, Ken. ‘Rosenbloom was Paradox: A Fan’s Heart, A Businessman’s Mind.’ The Washington Post. April 3. 1979
(6) Lederer, Bob. “Beyond Broadway Joe: The Super Bowl Team That Changed Football.” Dey-Street Books. September 11, 2018. Pp. 29, 85, 87
(7) Curtis Gilbert, Bill & Curtis, Mike. “Stay Off My Turf.” Lippincott Publishing. January 1, 1972
(8) Wine, Steven. “Former NFL Quarterback Earl Morrall Dies At 79.” The Citizen-Times. Citizen-Times.com. April 25, 2014