the Pittsburgh Steelers

Wolfeman

Wolfeman

Enjoys Full Moons
Had a little free time this evening…. mind boggling to me. Great write up from a best bud if you’re into historical numbers and fun, I’ll keep seeking these. Cheers boys



Back in 1972, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted RB/FB Franco Harris with the 13th pick in the 1st round.
At the tail-end of the season, during the first round of the playoffs, something unbelievable would happen that would begin a story of legends and lore that continues to be told to this day…….
The Steelers were facing 4th-and-10 on their own 40-yard line with just 22 seconds remaining and the team down 7-6 to the Oakland Raiders. It was at that point when their Pro Bowl rookie, Franco the “Italian Stallion” Harris, would take part in what could arguably be called the most famous play in NFL history — the Immaculate Reception.
After a Bradshaw pass into heavy coverage ricocheted up into the air off an Oakland player’s helmet, Franco found himself close enough to the ball to swoop in and catch it just inches from the ground, then continue to rumble that bearded, white, 230-lb ass the remainder of the field and into the endzone for a touchdown, winning the game for the Steelers 13-7 and giving them a date with the undefeated Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship game.

Pittsburgh would end up losing that game to the only undefeated team in NFL history… and yet, what would miraculously be born from that infamous moment — the Immaculate Reception — was not only the grit, determination, and magic of a decade-long Steel Curtain dynasty, but also the heart and soul of what would become a half-century of intensity, consistency, and crazy success unrivaled by any other franchise in the Super Bowl era.


****Over the course of 54 NFL seasons since the Immaculate Reception in 1972, the Pittsburgh Steelers have recorded an absolutely MIND-BLOWING total of just SEVEN seasons where the team ended up with a record below .500
S E V E N !!!🤯!!!🤯!!!
Friggin S E V E N !!!🤯!!!🤯!!!

In 54 SEASONS !!!🤯!!!🤯!!!


To put just how outrageously insane this Steelers run is into perspective, here is a full list of what every other NFL franchise has done in that same span of time…

# OF TIMES TEAM FINISHED BELOW .500 SINCE 1972 (54 SEASONS)

Pittsburgh Steelers — 7 (1 since 2000)


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Arizona/St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals — 35 (7 since 2016)


Atlanta Falcons — 34 (7 since 2019)


Cleveland Browns — 34 (7 since 2017)


Detroit Lions — 33 (7 since 2012)


*Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 32 since their inception in 1976 (7 since 2014)


New York Jets — 29 (7 since 2019)


New York Giants — 29 (7 since 2018)


Chicago Bears — 29 (7 since 2015)


New Orleans Saints — 29 (7 since 2012)


Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams — 26 (7 since 2011)


Cincinnati Bengals — 26 (7 since 2010)


Buffalo Bills — 25 (7 since 2009)


Las Vegas/LA/Oakland Raiders — 24 (7 since 2017)


Indianapolis/Baltimore Colts — 24 (7 since 2001)


Tennessee Titans/Houston Oilers — 23 (7 since 2013)


San Francisco 49ers — 23 (7 since 2010)


Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers — 23 (7 since 2003)


Washington Football Team — 22 (7 since 2017)


*Carolina Panthers — 21 since their inception in 1995 (7 since 2019)


Kansas City Chiefs — 21 (7 since 2004)


Philadelphia Eagles — 20 (7 since 1998)


*Jacksonville Jaguars — 18 since their inception in 1995 (7 since 2015)


*Seattle Seahawks — 18 since their inception in 1976 (7 since 2000)


Green Bay Packers — 17 (7 since 1990)


Denver Broncos — 15 (7 since 2017)


Miami Dolphins — 15 (7 since 2012)


Minnesota Vikings — 15 (7 since 2010)


Dallas Cowboys — 15 (7 since 2002)


New England Patriots — 15 (7 since 1993)


*Houston Texans — 11 since their inception in 2002 (7 since 2006)


*Baltimore Ravens — 9 since their inception in 1996 (7 since 1998)

—Wolfeman
 
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The Steelers sure dominated the Cleveland Browns during that era; Cleveland won only 1 game during that time when playing at Three Rivers Stadium and it was in the final season of the stadium's existence.

Good offensive lines
Good defensive lines
 
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From their inception in 1946 to 1972, a span of 27 years, the Browns had one losing season. One.

Since then, only 12 winning records in 53 seasons. Despite that record of futility, the Browns still have an all-time record above .500.
 
When LIFE magazine did a 1970 retrospective of the decade of the 1960s, the Browns' offensive line picture occupied both the left page and neighboring right page with one huge, gigantic photographic picture interrupted only by the staples?/glue? used to keep the centerline/median of the magazine together and it spoke of how that early O-line had been the reason for their dominance.

The O-line was all covered in mud and getting ready to crouch down for the next offensive play..


I remember Fran Ryan (barely), Bill Nelson, Mike Phipps(browns traded Paul Warfield to move up in the draft to select Phipps) as quarterbacks

Paul Warfield held the State of Ohio High School record in the 100-yard dash for quite a few years; somebody has had to break that record eventually
 
kahlmyishmael said:
When LIFE magazine did a 1970 retrospective of the decade of the 1960s, the Browns' offensive line picture occupied both the left page and neighboring right page with one huge, gigantic photographic picture interrupted only by the staples?/glue? used to keep the centerline/median of the magazine together and it spoke of how that early O-line had been the reason for their dominance.

The O-line was all covered in mud and getting ready to crouch down for the next offensive play..


I remember Fran Ryan (barely), Bill Nelson, Mike Phipps(browns traded Paul Warfield to move up in the draft to select Phipps) as quarterbacks

Paul Warfield held the State of Ohio High School record in the 100-yard dash for quite a few years; somebody has had to break that record eventually
Click to expand...
NOW THATS KNOWLEDGE….awesome stuff my man. Keep em coming! Brian Sipe years?
 
I remember in the NFL Championship Game when the Browns of what was called, "The Century Division" played against Joe Kapp and the Vikings.

The Vikings dominated right from the start in freezing weather and the Browns' D was so overwhelmed that they called a timeout just to get some rest.
 
Brian Sipe was an interesting story to be sure.

The Browns had to give up somebody good to move up in the draft since aging QB Bill Nelsen OFTEN needed to have accumulated fluid drained from one or both knees.

The Dolphins surrendered their early first-round pick and everybody was enthused about getting QB Mike Phipps from Purdue, who was a Heisman finalist, but regretted giving up WR Paul Warfield

Phipps struggled but I don't remember what his O-line's quality was at the time.

Sipe from San Diego State came in as a backup and though he performed poorly in games initially, he slowly got better (maybe the Browns offensive line performed better or was of higher quality)

Sipe had a rough couple of years to start but he was electric in practice and he was a "chick magnet" although he avoided controversy of that nature being married to a beautiful jazzercise dancing instructor..( jazzercise later became known as "aerobic dancing"). So Sipe was sort of locked in with his good looks and improved play.

Sipe continued to improve and were 3 - 0 going into a Monday Night Game at home vs Dallas who were heavily favored. The game was a sellout and there was a rule that if a game sold out all their tickets 72 hours before kickoff time then it could not be blacked out locally

The Browns SHOCKED EVERYONE (including their fans at home watching on TV) when Sipe went vertical to his wide receiver and got a good gain... a couple more passes and maybe a run or two and the Browns were quickly in the end zone.

Dallas struggled early and on a subsequent early possession, Sipe continued slinging the rock with "Quinn Ewers"-type throws where the ball dropped into the receiver's hands over the helpless defender with good defensive coverage

There was also a deep ball thrown to Ozzie Newsome who was a WR at Alabama and moved to tight end for Cleveland

That was the year, the Browns kept coming back to win games in electric fashion

Sipe left the Browns to go to the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL and USC QB, Paul McDonald (drafted behind OSU QB, Art Schlicter) took over at QB and he played okay for awhile but was succeeded by Bernie Kosar. QB Mike Pagel of Arizona or Arizona State was drafted early along with McDonald

Sipe wasn't unapproachable to the media but he knew the Browns were overperforming so he kept his comments direct and of medium-length -- only answering what was asked of him; he therefore built up a big fan base because he knew how to give the sports writers enough material to work with and parse to their own discretion

Dallas was shocked and they had a good year, I believe... definitely good going into the Browns game.



Anyway, there was a presidential election and in a televised debate between President Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan and the world was less than 20 years removed from the Cuban Missile Crisis so arms limitation was a big topic

The extemporaneous nature of answers required led to a few "boneheaded" responses by all candidates no matter how well they were prepped so Carter was asked to name the most important foreign‑policy issue facing the United States.

Jimmy had beaten Gerald Ford a few years earlier; Ford was the only unelected president ever; he assumed the presidency when Spiro Agnew went to prison and Nixon appointed Ford . Ford assumed the presidency when Nixon resigned and appointed Nelson Rockefeller to be his VP. So neither the president or vice president were never elected; both were "appointed" instead.

Jimmy Carter had beaten Ford because he connected with enough urban voters but the rural folk loved him and his quiet, reflective homespun manner

So Carter's team tried to work the same "country home comfort" strategy i(n 1980 with the hostages being held in Iran)

Carter' tried to make the "foreign policy issue" moment homey & personal, saying he had asked his barely teenage daughter Amy the same question about the most important foreign‑policy issue facing the United States. , and that she told him, "Daddy, the biggest issue is nuclear weapons."

The line fell flat and Carter came across as a phony coupled with his other "Chicken Kiev" boneheaded reply in a different televised debate

A short time later, during a Cowboys–Cardinals broadcast, retired QB quarterback & Navy Midshipman, Roger Staubach delivered a perfect gag line for the ages.

Danny White was the Cowboys QB... & the funny moment within that era regarding the Cowboys included a retired QB Roger Staubach was turning into a color announcer for CBS Sports maybe and asked by the play-by-play guy, "Roger, what do the Cowboys need to do today to win against [St.Louis & QB,] Jim Hart?"

Staubach said he’d asked his daughter Amy that morning — and she told him, "Daddy, the Cowboys[' defensive unit] need to stop “the bomb,” to [Cardinals' deep-threat WR,] Mel Gray."

Sure enough QBJim Hart completed a deep "bomb" pass to Mel Gray in that game.

Mel Gray's response?
Well, it sure wasn't this!


You turn me out, you turn me on
You turned me loose then you turned me wrong



 
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