real football fans

[Avante]

Who out there does any historical research on the game? I'm not talking the last few years, I'm talking about going back in time to find out about the league and the great players. Who buys the magazines? Who knows who is in the Hall of Fame? Who can talk about Marion Mottley?

I get the feeling from reading this board that there isn't a whole hell of a lot of depth here. Nobody is into the origins or those back in the day-ites.

I get into anything I want it all. So I go back to the beginning and work my way up to the present. A very cool journey.

When you do that you find out about things. Things like that Jim Brown/Bobby Mitchell backfield. Bobby Mitchell was a Big10 110hh/100 yard champ, he had blazing speed and elusiveness. As we know Brown was "da man" in that era. Talk about thunder and lightnin' there it was. Yet who out there knew about that awesome combo? Who can tell me why the Browns traded Mitchell to Washington?

The history of the NFL/AFL is very interesting/entertaining, trust me!

Most fans today go with the local team as their team. They will argue about how good they are/will be and that's about as far as it goes. I find that boring.

[johnsmith]

Cool story bro'.

:toast

[Goran Dragic]

sup johnsmith

[johnsmith]

sup johnsmith

beenieweenie?

sup?

[Avante]

Cool story bro'.

:toast

The real cool story is how the AFL made it work.

They went after all those black players from the SWAC/MEAC and small schools. Which gave the league speed. What an idea.

Their first "star" was a running back out of North Texas State...Abner Haynes. Their first 1000 yard rusher was big Cookie Gilchrist out of the CFL, he didn't play college ball.

[JoeTait75]

Who can tell me why the Browns traded Mitchell to Washington?

a.) Paul Brown got down on Bobby Mitchell because Mitchell had fumbling problems early in his career.

b.) Brown was enamored of the idea of teaming Jim Brown with another big, powerful back- which Ernie Davis was. He wasn't big on having a scatback in the backfield w/JB.

[Goran Dragic]

beenieweenie?

sup?
:lol guessed it, it's stretch

lol Tebow

[Blake]

:lol

[Avante]

a.) Paul Brown got down on Bobby Mitchell because Mitchell had fumbling problems early in his career.

b.) Brown was enamored of the idea of teaming Jim Brown with another big, powerful back- which Ernie Davis was. He wasn't big on having a scatback in the backfield w/JB.

Yep!

As we know Mitchell went on to become a HOF receiver as a Redskin.

What gets lost in the Ernie Davis story is that if he hadn't won the Heisman, Ohio State's Bob Ferguson would have since he took second. He was another black running back. Not as gifted a runner but more powerful.

I do think Paul Brown was totally wrong in trading Mitchell, he was exactly what the Browns needed to complement the power running of Brown. Mitchell was far faster/more elusive than Ernie Davis. A great receiver out of the backfield, not that the Browns played that,.

[johnsmith]

:lol guessed it, it's stretch

lol Tebow

:lol I linger on here just enough to make educated guesses at who is who.

How's everything going?

[J.T.]

Football overall has a pretty rich history in the United States, not just the NFL. There was even a time when NCAA football was more popular than the NFL. College is still really popular because it's basically the NFL's development league at this point. But I agree with the OP for the most part. Once you fall in love with football it's basically natural to go back and study the past. So many great moments to learn about and watch for the first time, even if they happened a long time ago.

[Avante]

Football overall has a pretty rich history in the United States, not just the NFL. There was even a time when NCAA football was more popular than the NFL. College is still really popular because it's basically the NFL's development league at this point. But I agree with the OP for the most part. Once you fall in love with football it's basically natural to go back and study the past. So many great moments to learn about and watch for the first time, even if they happened a long time ago.

Would you believe college teams beating NFL? Yes it has happened.

I need it all, that's why anything I'm into I go back to it's origins.