Week 3 kicks off on this date, and yet the only indications that I found in the entire newspaper that an NFL season is underway are mentions of today's telecasts--noon and 3 p.m. Central games on Nashville's WSM-4 (NBC/AFC) and a 12:30 kickoff on WLAC-5 (CBS/NFC)--in the TV listings. And, of course, we aren't told which games we will actually see.
The October Football Digest slates all of the following games for noon Central kickoff:
-- Browns (1-1) at Cardinals (2-0)
-- Dolphins (1-1) at Chargers
-- Chiefs (1-1) at Oilers (1-1)
-- Colts (0-2) at Eagles (1-1)
-- Jets (1-1) at Bills (1-1)
-- Bengals (1-1) at 49ers (2-0)
-- Rams (2-0) at Patriots (2-0)
-- Falcons (0-2) at Saints (0-2)
-- Bears (1-1) at Vikings (2-0)
-- Giants (0-2) at Cowboys (1-1)
-- Lions (0-2) at Packers (1-1)
It occurs to me today that I really don't know how it gets determined what games end up showing on a given network affiliate. My guess is that the local affiliate gets to decide from the list of available broadcasts. It seemed, for example, that KFVS CBS Channel 12 out of Cape Girardeau, Mo., always showed the St. Louis Cardinals whenever they were available. WPSD NBC Channel 6 out of Paducah, with no local-ish AFC team to favor, would simply go with the best available game of the time slot.
So, anyhow, I'm guessing Nashville CBS goes with the South-laden Falcons-Saints game in New Orleans. Nashville NBC wouldn't have an AFC market to favor, so that would lead us to defending Super Bowl champs at upstart Chargers. However, I think Football Digest has that time wrong; would San Diego really kick off at 10 local time? Given that doubt, my guess is we're going to be served up "Broadway Joe" vs. "The Juice."
The only 3 p.m. Central kickoff, per Football Digest, is Steelers (1-0-1) at Raiders (1-1). And even if Miami is available in that second slot, I'm going with the "Immaculate Reception" revisit if it's my call.
Finally, NFL Monday Night Football brings us Broncos (0-1-1) at Redskins (1-1). You should've heard last week's telecast when Howard Cosell was trying to gas this clunker. Regardless, of course, I'm watching. For one thing, unless it's a cloudy day across northern Tennessee and southern Kentucky today, I likely will have problems tuning in today's NBC and CBS telecasts up here in Bowling Green. And in that case, I will be especially eager to see Cosell's halftime highlights (brought to us by White Owl cigars) on local WBKO Channel 13, an ABC affiliate.
So, in summary, ...
By the way, in reading today's DN, I do know that the baseball season is winding down. Per this morning's newspaper standings, both Los Angeles and Oakland have maintained their leads in the West divisions (though the Dodgers are still having to hold off the Reds). The two East divisions are both tied. Boston has slipped to third place, leaving Baltimore percentage points ahead of New York. Philadelphia drifted from contention, and Pittsburgh has inched percentage points ahead of St. Louis.
BAL 86-71 NY 87-72 BOS 3.5GB CLE 11.5 MIL 11.5 DET 15.5
OAK 89-70 TEX 6.5GB MIN 7.5 CHI 11.5 KC 11.5 CAL 24.5
PIT 85-73 ST.L 84-74 PHI 7GB MON 8 NY 16 CHI 19
LA 99-59 CIN 2.5GB ATL 13.5 HOU 20 SF 28.5 SD 40.5
Actually, unless there was rain in "Crabcake Clemson" last night, we do have a sole leader in the A.L. East, as these DN standings don't reflect a late Milwaukee-at-Baltimore result. The Dodgers' final in San Diego also isn't factored. Several other Saturday-night games ended after press time, but the others--such as Minnesota at California--had no bearing on the playoff races.
In praise of Central time.
ReplyDelete"Pants"?!? Those aren't pants, Ronco.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, Shakey's looks like a delight.
Saints 14, Falcons 13. My guess is that Pat Sullivan's mom and dad thought Tom Brookshier wasn't such a funny guy.
ReplyDeleteNFC West
Rams 2-0
49ers 2-0
Saints 1-2
Falcons 0-3
In the Sept. 21, 1974, Bob Newhart Show, Dr. Hartley is trying to line up accommodations for a retreat for his therapy group. A "Wigwam City" rejects the business. This makes me happily think of Cave City's Wigwam Village #2.
ReplyDeleteLater in the same episode, Carol relays someone else's exclamation of "tough darts!" Which, of course, brings up another happy memory ...
ReplyDeleteBill Sandeman, the Falcon pictured in this post, "works as an abalone diver," says his 1974 card. I've never eaten abalone.
ReplyDeleteI really should've learned more about the history of Bowling Green's Daily News when I worked there. Here's the equivalent of the "about us" tab from the Sept. 30, 1974, edition:
ReplyDeleteFounded by the late John B. Gaines
C.M. Gaines, Publisher from 1922 to 1947
John B. Gaines, Publisher
J. Ray Gaines, Editor
Daily News founded in 1882. Democrat founded in 1854. Messenger founded in 1908. Consolidated January 1, 1917.
MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all the local news printed in this newspaper as well as all AP news dispatches.
Daily News Platform
1. Industry sufficient to employ this section's working age population.
2. Intelligent planning for handling of city traffic and strict enforcement of traffic laws.
3. Furtherance of education in Southern Kentucky.
4. Improved highways and farm-to-market roads for Southern Kentucky.
The Bowling Green Mall is kicking off a seventh-anniversary celebration, per what appears to be a contributed story in this edition of The Park City Daily News:
ReplyDelete"The Bowling Green Mall, 31-W South at Campbell Lane, is composed of 32 outstanding business firms. 31 of these are members of the BG Mall Association ... Members of the Bowling Green Mall Association are Adams Shoes, Adams Specialty Stores, A&P Foods, Behr's, Canine Coiffures, Castner Knott, Citizens National Bank, Dean's Wig Shop, The Flower Mart, The Frame Shop, General Nutrition, Golden-Farmley, Jones Barber Salon, Lee's Book Store, Mall Soap & Suds, Martin Theater, Merle Norman Cosmetics, Music Mart, Nobil's Shoes, Nugget Shoppe, Parklane Hosiery, Prissy Hen, Pushin's On-the-Mall, Radio Shack, Rowdy Rooster, Singer, So-Fro Fabrics, TG&Y Store, Wm. Talley House, Woolco and Zale's. They're all distinctive, individual and competitive, but harmoniously together in working to make the Mall a better, more exciting place to shop.
"The Mall provides easy entrances and exits, 2,000 free parking spaces and ideal 72-degree temperature and balanced humidity throughout the interior. This makes shopping comfort complete and is popular with those in need of walking exercise with pleasant sights, without traffic noises and exhaust fumes."
Flash forward to 2011 ... my wife is in my office, using the printer when "Billy, Don't Be a Hero" comes on my Yahoo! Music Chevron Radio 1974 station.
ReplyDelete"1974? I wasn't even born then. You're glorifying a year in which your wife didn't even exist."
1976 should be proud of my wife. She's the best. After sitting through "Billy, Don't Be a Hero," she stuck around long enough to humor me through an extemporaneous, half-baked American Graffiti/Happy Days/Sons and Daughters essay.
ReplyDelete"Turn it up."
ReplyDeleteA good time to be from Philadelphia ... the Eagles came back to beat the Cowboys last week, and the Stylistics' "You Make Me Feel Brand New" (by Linda Creed) is climbing the charts.
ReplyDeleteOct. 3, 1974, and baseball's regular season is finito.
ReplyDelete-- The A's and Dodgers won the Wests. Los Angeles finished 102-60; Cincinnati was the regular season's second-best team (98-64), but the Reds are done. Oakland's top challenger was Texas (84-76 this season, 5.5 games off the A's lead), and there's a lot of reason to think the Rangers are headed for big things. Mike Hargrove is going to be rookie of the year; young Jeff Burroughs, American League Most Valuable Player.
-- It rained in Montreal, so the Cardinals, 1 game behind Pittsburgh, in the National League East had all evening to worry whether the Cubs could beat the Pirates and keep St. Louis's season alive. Indeed, when Pirate Bob Robertson swung and missed with two out and bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, it appeared that Pittsburgh had lost, 4-3. Chicago catcher Steve Swisher dropped the ball, however. Robertson reached safely, and a run scored to send the game to a 10th inning--when Manny Sanguillen singled home Al Oliver for a 5-4 Pittsburgh victory. With the Pirates record now improved to 88-74, the Cardinals were 1.5 back and eliminated from contention. The rained-out game with the Expos was simply canceled. ...
-- In the American League East, meanwhile, the Orioles closed the season with their ninth-straight victory. Baltimore won 16 of its last 18 and went 28-6 since Aug. 29. It entered the regular season's final day with a two-game lead in the division, so the playoff berth was already determined. Still, the New York Yankees went out and beat the Milwaukee Brewers to finish 89-73. It was New York's best A.L. East finish since 1970. The Boston Red Sox, who appeared to be the division's best team until Carlton Fisk was injured for the remainder of the season, closed 84-78, 7 games back and in third place.
ReplyDelete-- The season's most memorable moment, of course, was Hank Aaron's 715th, record-breaking home run back on April 8. Lou Brock also logged a terrific accomplishment when he broke Maury Wills's single-season record for stolen bases, with his 105th steal on Sept. 29. Nolan Ryan threw his third career no-hitter, on Sept. 28. He topped 300 strikeouts for the third straight season--but also walked 202 batters. Ryan in '74 and Bob Feller in 1938 are the only pitchers to ever allow more than 200 bases on balls in a season.
-- The Cleveland Indians are expected to name Frank Robinson their player-manager today.
-- The playoffs start Saturday, Oct. 5, with the Orioles in Oakland and the Dodgers in Pittsburgh to begin best-of-five series.
Giants 14, Cowboys 6. "Would this really be the year so long awaited by the rest of the NFC?" Note Dallas's score ... Mac Percival, a goat in last Monday night's Dallas loss, missed an extra-point try.
ReplyDeleteNFC East
Cardinals 2-0
Eagles 1-1
Redskins 1-1
Giants 1-2
Cowboys 1-2
Giants quarterback Norm Snead was part of trades that brought Sonny Jurgensen to Washington and Fran Tarkenton to Minnesota.
ReplyDelete"Norm joined Giants for 1972 and promptly led NFL in passing while setting an all-time club record with a 60.3 passing percentage," says his 1974 card. "Norm's hobby is boating."
June 22, 1974 ... Soul Train line dances are so, so much fun.
ReplyDeleteCollege-football note ... After upsetting Nebraska on Sept. 21, Wisconsin has slipped back out of the Associated Press Top 25 after losing at Colorado on Sept. 28.
ReplyDeleteMy dad turned 49 yesterday, 1974. And Traffic played in San Francisco.
ReplyDeleteLunch break.
ReplyDeleteThe weird, complicated history of The Drifters includes a UK-based chapter from the early 1970s. This song was a hit over there but failed to chart back home in the United States.
ReplyDeleteI like Donny Osmond. What of it, buddy?
ReplyDeleteEagles 30, Colts 10. Robert Irsay came into the locker room after this game and announced the firing of Coach Howard Schnellenberger, of Louisville Flaget High and the University of Kentucky. He should've done it before game and hired Bill Bergey and Harold Carmichael as Week 3 interim co-coaches.
ReplyDeleteAFC East
Patriots 2-0
Dolphins 1-1
Jets 1-1
Bills 1-1
Colts 0-3
NFC East
Cardinals 2-0
Eagles 2-1
Redskins 1-1
Giants 1-2
Cowboys 1-2
Meanwhile, homemade motocross ...
ReplyDeleteNow that UCLA has been toppled and Bill Walton and David Thompson have moved on to the pros, I'm getting excited about a wide-open college-basketball season.
ReplyDeleteLarry Csonka makes a compelling case for United Airlines.
ReplyDeleteTop 10 songs of the week ending Oct. 5, 1974.
ReplyDeleteVikings 11, Bears 7. With promising offensive skill-position prospects such as Ken Grandberry, Gary Huff and Charley Wade, Chicago appears to have a bright, explosive future. But it's "not quite time yet for Jim Finks's new team to beat out his team of the previous 10 years." And, so, this clip is mostly a celebration of "the man who someday probably will hold almost every passing record in the NFL record books."
ReplyDeleteNFC Central
Vikings 3-0
Packers 1-1
Bears 1-2
Lions 0-2
Bills 16, Jets 12. On a soggy, blustery autumn day in western New York neither team completed a single pass until there was less than two minutes to play and Jet Joe Namath connected with David Knight to start a possession deep in their own territory. The problem for the Jets was that, until that point, the Bills had wasted only two offensive downs on attempted passes. New York squandered 15 plays on failed Namath passes to that juncture--including two interceptions. And, in fact, two passes later, Namath would be intercepted again, and Buffalo had barreled its way to victory behind the running of O.J. Simpson (31 for 117) and Jim Braxton (17 for 84 and a touchdown). Joe Ferguson's passing day: two attempts, zero completions, zero interceptions. Namath: 18 attempts, two completions, 33 yards, three interceptions.
ReplyDeleteAFC East
Patriots 2-0
Bills 2-1
Dolphins 1-1
Jets 1-2
Colts 0-2
Patriots 20, Rams 14. Well, this one shocked me. I was starting to think Los Angeles might be my Super Bowl favorite, and they still might be. But New England obviously has something going. Jim Plunkett looks fantastic; Mack Herron is a special talent, and Darryl Stingley and Randy Vataha might be the best young combination of receivers in the league.
ReplyDeleteAFC East
Patriots 3-0
Bills 2-1
Dolphins 1-1
Jets 1-2
Colts 0-2
NFC West
49ers 2-0
Rams 2-1
Saints 1-2
Falcons 0-3
One of the stories of the New England success, apparently, is that the Patriots have so many non-union players. While the league missed training camp with the offseason strike, Chuck Fairbanks and Hank Bullough were able to work with several free-agent defensive players in installing a 3-4 modification of Bud Wilkinson's University of Oklahoma defense. (Fairbanks was head coach at Oklahoma before joining the Patriots in 1973.)
ReplyDeleteYeah, this just makes me sick to read. I hated those Chuck Fairbanks Patriots. I hated the "Orange Crush" Broncos. I hated the Bill Parcells Giants. And, of course, I hate the Bill Belichick Patriots. I guess I would've hated the Wilkinson Sooners, too.
ReplyDeleteRomeo Crennel is an old WKU guy. Maybe I'll have the chance to talk with him about all of this stuff some day.
Not long after that Soul Train appearance, James Brown performs at Zaire 74, a Sept. 22-24 music festival planned to precede the Muhammad Ali-George Foreman fight in Kinshasa. (The fight is postponed, but the show goes on.)
ReplyDeletePackers 21, Lions 19. Green Bay is another team led by a coach who came straight out of the NCAA. Dan Devine was previously at the University of Missouri, where he got to see plenty of Nebraska quarterback Jerry Tagge. On their new coach's recommendation, the Packers chose Tagge with their second first-round pick of the 1972 draft, and now he has outlasted Scott Hunter and Jim Del Gaizo to earn the starting-quarterback job. The Packers, playoff participants with Hunter at the helm in '72, slid to 5-7-2 last season--but they went 3-3 in the six games that Tagge started. Now Hunter's gone to Buffalo and Del Gaizo to the Giants, and Devine is rolling with Tagge. He has completed 37 of 74 passes for 411 yards, a touchdown and five interceptions this season. Those aren't All-Pro numbers, but Green Bay is 2-1.
ReplyDeleteNFC Central
Vikings 3-0
Packers 2-1
Bears 1-2
Lions 0-3
My dad, by the way, always thought Scott Hunter got a raw deal in Green Bay, and he expected that Hunter would excel in Atlanta. Dad also was a big fan of David Whitehurst and John Huarte.
ReplyDeleteBut I should also point out that Dad in the 1980s--after Dan Marino had arrived in Miami--correctly predicted that the Pittsburgh Steelers would win another Super Bowl before the Dolphins did. He didn't think Don Shula and the Dolphins were a good fit for Marino.
ReplyDeleteBengals 21, 49ers 3. My dad, meanwhile, never forgave Steve Spurrier for winning the Heisman Trophy over Bob Griese. Whenever Spurrier would come out to punt for San Francisco, he'd always say something like, "Well, here comes the 49ers' Heisman Trophy punter!" And we'd all laugh.
ReplyDeleteAFC Central
Steelers 1-0-1
Bengals 2-1
Browns 1-1
Oilers 1-1
NFC West
49ers 2-1
Rams 2-1
Saints 1-2
Falcons 0-3
Dolphins 28, Chargers 21. A terrific, road, comeback win by the Dolphins, still down 21-7 early in the fourth quarter. I need to learn more about this game. Meanwhile, check out the Super Bowl-against-Dallas-reminicient sack on Griese about 1:30 through this clip.
ReplyDeleteAFC East
Patriots 3-0
Dolphins 2-1
Bills 2-1
Jets 1-2
Colts 0-2
AFC West
Raiders 1-1
Chiefs 1-1
Chargers 1-2
Broncos 0-1-1
Chiefs 17, Oilers 7. Safe management by Mike Livingston, and 6-foot-6, fourth-year defensive end Wilbur Young is starting to look like one of NFL '74's defensive stars. I'm starting to believe in Kansas City.
ReplyDeleteAFC Central
Steelers 1-0-1
Bengals 2-1
Browns 1-1
Oilers 1-2
AFC West
Chiefs 2-1
Raiders 1-1
Chargers 1-2
Broncos 0-1-1
Cardinals 29, Browns 7. Jim Hart attempted only 11 passes and completed only four (for 107 yards and a score), but the Cardinals had six runners with at least 13 yards each. Red-panted Don Coryell has a ground-oriented winner.
ReplyDeleteAFC Central
Steelers 1-0-1
Bengals 2-1
Browns 1-2
Oilers 1-2
NFC East
Cardinals 3-0
Eagles 2-1
Redskins 1-1
Giants 1-2
Cowboys 1-2
Raiders 17, Steelers 0. "The Super Bowl's Soul Train Express" is derailed in Pittsburgh's first home shutout loss since 1964. Oakland looks like a team that remains thoroughly convinced they were jobbed by the NFL in the "Immaculate Reception" game--lots of late, high hits and attitude here. And they had that cheerleader in Playboy last month. I wonder how pivotal 1974 figures in the gathering Al Davis grudge against Pete Rozelle.
ReplyDeleteAFC Central
Bengals 2-1
Steelers 1-1-1
Browns 1-2
Oilers 1-2
AFC West
Raiders 2-1
Chiefs 2-1
Chargers 1-2
Broncos 0-1-1
Redskins 30, Broncos 3. In the Sept. 30, 1974, episode of NFL Monday Night Football, Billy Kilmer, portraying himself, appears to have done pretty much anything he wanted to do against Denver. But the big MNF news this week is that ABC has locked-in guest announcer Alex Karras as the third announcer. Roone Arledge better be right about Karras because right now he's getting beaten by Rhoda.
ReplyDeleteAFC East
ReplyDeletePatriots 3-0
Dolphins 2-1
Bills 2-1
Jets 1-2
Colts 0-3
AFC Central
Bengals 2-1
Steelers 1-1-1
Browns 1-2
Oilers 1-2
AFC West
Raiders 2-1
Chiefs 2-1
Chargers 1-2
Broncos 0-2-1
NFC East
Cardinals 3-0
Redskins 2-1
Eagles 2-1
Giants 1-2
Cowboys 1-2
NFC Central
Vikings 3-0
Packers 2-1
Bears 1-2
Lions 0-3
NFC West
49ers 2-1
Rams 2-1
Saints 1-2
Falcons 0-3
Dolphins win at Bengals
ReplyDeleteRaiders win at Patriots
Rams lose at Vikings
49ers lose at Cardinals
Dolphins win at Raiders
Cardinals lose at Vikings
Dolphins beat Vikings in Super Bowl
I'm now getting very excited about the Rhoda/Joe wedding.
ReplyDelete