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"Monday Night Football" Memories

J

Joseph_Gallant

Guest
Tonight (December 26th) will be ABC's last "Monday Night Football" telecast (New England Patriots at New York Jets). Beginning next year, Monday-night games will move to ESPN, while the Sunday-night games currently on ESPN will move to NBC.

Although there will still be NFL games on Monday nights, it's my understanding that the Sunday-night games on NBC will henceforth become the league's "prime" TV showcase, with the top match-ups of the season and flexibility during the final weeks of the regular-season which will allow for good match-ups to be moved from Sunday afternoons to Sunday nights for NBC broadcast.

Thus, "MNF" will not be the same in the future.

With "MNF"'s stint as the NFL's "prime" television showcase coming to an end, I'd like to start a thread and ask about memories you have about "MNF".

Unfortunately, the one "MNF" memory most people have is a sad one: The December 8th, 1980 game when Miami hosted New England. Late in the game, co-analyst Howard Cosell got a message in his headset, piped-in from a phone call placed by ABC News and Sports chief Roone Arledge, informing Cosell that John Lennon had been shot.

While a few years later, after Cosell left "MNF", such a situation would have led to an "MNF" announcer saying "We're going to break away for a moment to bring you an ABC News bulletin from 'Nightline's Ted Koppel in Washington..", Arledge believed Cosell could break the news of the Lennon shooting on-the-air, and so Cosell made the annoucement.

A few minutes later, Arledge made another call and again, was connected to Cosell's headset, announcing that Lennon had died. Again, were Cosell not there, the announcer would have been asked to hand-off to a news bulletin. But Cosell made the announcement, which I believe was also the first announcement of Lennon's death made by any network (I think CBS and NBC followed about a minute or two later, interrupting their regular programming).

On a more positive note (unless you live in or near Chicago), another great "MNF" memory was a December, 1985 game when the Miami Dolphins hosted the Chicago Bears. The Bears were unbeaten at the time, and were vying to become only the second NFL team ever (behind the 1972 Miami Dolphins) to have an unbeaten season. For some reason, several members of the 1972 team were there (I'm not 100% sure, but I think they were being honored in a ceremony and a few numbers were retired that night, and I also think a couple of players from the '72 team spoke to the '85 team before kick-off urging them to beat "Da Bears" and preserve Miami history). Anyway, the '85 Dolphins beat the Bears (the only loss Chicago would have all year; they finished the regular-season 15-1 and went on to win Super Bowl XX) in a game that still holds the record for the largest viewing audience ever to watch a regular-season NFL telecast.

Any other "MNF" memories?? Feel free to post them here.
 
1. Joe Theismann breaking his leg vs. Giants (1985)
2. Tony Dorsett's 99 yard run (Dallas only had 10 men on the field) (1983)
3. Earl Campbell's coming out party against Miami (1978)
4. Bo Jackson's big game against Seattle (1986)
5. Bored Houston Oilers fan flipping off the camera (early 70's)
 
> 1. Joe Theismann breaking his leg vs. Giants (1985)
> 2. Tony Dorsett's 99 yard run (Dallas only had 10 men on the
> field) (1983)
> 3. Earl Campbell's coming out party against Miami (1978)
> 4. Bo Jackson's big game against Seattle (1986)
> 5. Bored Houston Oilers fan flipping off the camera (early
> 70's)

I'm a 49er fan, so all of my 'MNF' memories involve them.
>
1. Jerry Rice breaking the NFL's all-time record for touchdowns, late in a 44-14 win over the Raiders in the first 'MNF' game of the 1994 season;
2. The 49ers-Giants showdown in 1990. Both teams started 10-0, but both lost in week 11, before meeting on Dec. 3 at Candlestick. The game turned into a defensive duel, with the Niners getting only a Joe Montana to John Taylor TD pass. They limited the Giants to just three points, and the game ended with Ronnie Lott sacking Phil Simms, preserving a 7-3 victory.
3. Mike Ditka throwing a wad of chewing gum and hitting a fan in the head after a 41-0 loss to the Niners in 1987 at Candlestick.
 
> > 1. Joe Theismann breaking his leg vs. Giants (1985)
> > 2. Tony Dorsett's 99 yard run (Dallas only had 10 men on
> the
> > field) (1983)
> > 3. Earl Campbell's coming out party against Miami (1978)
> > 4. Bo Jackson's big game against Seattle (1986)
> > 5. Bored Houston Oilers fan flipping off the camera (early
>
> > 70's)
>
> I'm a 49er fan, so all of my 'MNF' memories involve them.
> >
> 1. Jerry Rice breaking the NFL's all-time record for
> touchdowns, late in a 44-14 win over the Raiders in the
> first 'MNF' game of the 1994 season;
> 2. The 49ers-Giants showdown in 1990. Both teams started
> 10-0, but both lost in week 11, before meeting on Dec. 3 at
> Candlestick. The game turned into a defensive duel, with the
> Niners getting only a Joe Montana to John Taylor TD pass.
> They limited the Giants to just three points, and the game
> ended with Ronnie Lott sacking Phil Simms, preserving a 7-3
> victory.
> 3. Mike Ditka throwing a wad of chewing gum and hitting a
> fan in the head after a 41-0 loss to the Niners in 1987 at
> Candlestick.
>
The very first game in the series, Jets-Browns from Cleveland,
September 21, 1970. With about a minute and a half left, and
the Jets deep in their own territory needing to score a touchdown,
Joe Namath began unleashing a series of short passes, only to
be intercepted, and Cleveland took it in for the decisive points.
What viewers saw next was Namath on the bench, head down, shuddering,
and absolute silence from Keith Jackson, Don Meredith, and Howard
Cosell.

Alex Karras, replacing Don Meredith when Dandy Don went to
NBC in the mid-'70s, after a shot of shaven-headed Otis
Sistrunk: "There's Otis Sistrunk from the University of Mars."

Cosell, fighting the flu, throwing up all over Meredith's
cowboy boots.
 
B. Patrick had his own memory of "Monday Night Football":

> (Howard) Cosell, fighting the flu, throwing up all over (Don) Meredith's
> cowboy boots.

If this was the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants in November, 1970 at Philadelphia, that was ABC's "cover story"---Humble Howard came down with a virus or flu bug of some kind which slurred his voice and caused him to v-word all over Meredith's boots.

Many others claim that Cosell actually had too much to drink before and even during that game (the booze, in one-shot bottles, was allegdely supplied by then-Eagles' owner Leonard Tose), and the fact he became so ill may have been more due to drinking than a virus.

It should be noted that the weather in Philadelphia that night was unseasonably cold, and the game was at the old Franklin Field. The booth used by Cosell, Meredith, and original play-by-play man Keith Jackson was exposed to the elements. Those who claim that Cosell got ill due to a virus point out that the exposed broadcast booth had much to do with Cosell's condition getting worse and that had the announcers been in a heated broadcast booth, Cosell might have made it through the entire game okay.

But it is not in dispute that Cosell was told at halftime to leave the broadcast booth, rest, and not return for the rest of the evening. He first hailed a cab to the airport and once there, was told there would be no more flights to New York until the next morning. He then hailed another cab, and paid the cabbie $92 (which was a lot in 1970) to drive him back to New York.

Three of the major principals, Cosell, telecast director Chet Forte, and ABC Sports chief Roone Arledge are now deceased. The two most important surviving persons who witnessed the incident (Meredith and Jackson) have, to my knowledge, never said whether Cosell was ill or drunk that night. And maybe, they never will.
 
My favorite memories of MNF are of the Seattle Seahawks first two appearances in 1979. They first went to Atlanta on Oct. 29, and played the wide open, stunt heavy style of ball that head coach Jack Patera was famous for. Highlights of this winning effort, though only by a field goal (31-28), for Seattle was the completed pass thrown by punter Herman "Thunderfoot" Weaver and place kicker Effren Herrera reporting as an eligible receiver ans making a 20 yard pass reception. Howar Cosell was beside himself, like a kid in a candy store waiting to see what Patera would pull out of his back pocket next.

Cosell looked forward to Seattle's next spot on MNF, when they hosted the New York Jets on week 13 (Nov. 26). He was sure they'd pull out the bag of tricks again for their second MNF apparance. Every time the Seahawks lined up for a punt or a kick, "Humble" Howard would make a comment like "it appears the Seahawks are going to punt, but let's see what they come up with..." What they came up with was a textbook display of pure football, with nary a stunt, that embarassed the Jets with a 30-7 drubbing. These two games showcased the two sides of the Patera-led Seahawks, and are still my two favorie MNF games ever.<P ID="signature">______________
"Radio is like musical chairs. When the music stops, I sit down and say something."</P>
 
Cosell on 8 December 1980

> Unfortunately, the one "MNF" memory most people have is a
> sad one: The December 8th, 1980 game when Miami hosted New
> England. Late in the game, co-analyst Howard Cosell got a
> message in his headset, piped-in from a phone call placed by
> ABC News and Sports chief Roone Arledge, informing Cosell
> that John Lennon had been shot.
>
> While a few years later, after Cosell left "MNF", such a
> situation would have led to an "MNF" announcer saying "We're
> going to break away for a moment to bring you an ABC News
> bulletin from 'Nightline's Ted Koppel in Washington..",
> Arledge believed Cosell could break the news of the Lennon
> shooting on-the-air, and so Cosell made the annoucement.

...it's also possible that Arledge still felt a debt owed to Cosell for his coverage of the massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. At the time, Cosell desperately wanted to take over anchor duties from Jim McKay, but he'd been at a late-night party and drank far too much to be able to handle the position. Cosell, pride in being a Jew suddenly piqued to life after a spell of dormancy, never completely forgave Arledge for that. Instead, Cosell did some brilliant field reportage, and he was on the anchor set along with Peter Jennings and Chris Schenkel when McKay delivered his own inimitably eloquent announcement that the rest of the Israeli athletes had been lost at the Munich airport. (Curiously, the Dutch international radio service, Radio Nederland, announced in its English shortwave transmissions to North America that evening that the athletes had been rescued; I had a tape of that erroneous bulletin for many years.) I suspect Cosell being given the Lennon story may have been, in a sense, payback for letting McKay continue at Munich eight years before...

> A few minutes later, Arledge made another call and again,
> was connected to Cosell's headset, announcing that Lennon
> had died. Again, were Cosell not there, the announcer would
> have been asked to hand-off to a news bulletin. But Cosell
> made the announcement, which I believe was also the first
> announcement of Lennon's death made by any network (I think
> CBS and NBC followed about a minute or two later,
> interrupting their regular programming).

...I don't know about CBS, but indeed NBC interrupted one of Johnny Carson's comedy bits to deliver their bulletin -- and, once the bulletin was read, returned to Carson. I incorporated that aircheck into a documentary about the Lennon assassination, which can be heard at http://tinyurl.com/aq4mf -- it's certainly surreal to hear that news and then be switched back to the sounds of laughter. I'm positive that the first national bulletin about the assassination was on CNN, delivered by Kathleen Sullivan before Lennon's death was confirmed, but so few people outside of Turner Broadcasting employees were even watching CNN at that point that nobody probably recalls that now from first-hand experience except Sullivan herself...<P ID="signature">______________
King Daevid MacKenzie
WLSU Wisconsin Public Radio, La Crosse
heard weekly on http://www.radio4all.net/
"Kill Ugly Radio." FRANK ZAPPA</P>
 
> My favorite memories of MNF are of the Seattle Seahawks
> first two appearances in 1979. They first went to Atlanta
> on Oct. 29, and played the wide open, stunt heavy style of
> ball that head coach Jack Patera was famous for. Highlights
> of this winning effort, though only by a field goal (31-28),
> for Seattle was the completed pass thrown by punter Herman
> "Thunderfoot" Weaver and place kicker Effren Herrera
> reporting as an eligible receiver ans making a 20 yard pass
> reception. Howar Cosell was beside himself, like a kid in a
> candy store waiting to see what Patera would pull out of his
> back pocket next.
>
> Cosell looked forward to Seattle's next spot on MNF, when
> they hosted the New York Jets on week 13 (Nov. 26). He was
> sure they'd pull out the bag of tricks again for their
> second MNF apparance. Every time the Seahawks lined up for
> a punt or a kick, "Humble" Howard would make a comment like
> "it appears the Seahawks are going to punt, but let's see
> what they come up with..." What they came up with was a
> textbook display of pure football, with nary a stunt, that
> embarassed the Jets with a 30-7 drubbing. These two games
> showcased the two sides of the Patera-led Seahawks, and are
> still my two favorie MNF games ever.
>
Then you have the Seahawks' recent MNF appearence. That was a good game. There's my very recent memory. Of course, there's the December 8, 1980 game, which has already been discussed in this thread.<P ID="signature">______________
"I look out for me and mine."-Capt. Malcom "Mal" Reynolds in Serenity</P>
 
Re: Cosell on 8 December 1980

My college dorm roommate and I were listening to Cosell's Lennon bulletin on 87.9 fm on his stereo, pulling in the audio from WPVI-6 in Philly. I hadn't heard the first report that John had been shot so this report that John was dead was the first I knew that he'd even been shot. And as an aside I got Double Fantasy for Christmas that year.

As for actual game memories of MNF, my favorite, being an Eagles fan, is, natch, an Eagles memory, from 1979, when Wilbert Montgomery ran for the insurance TD in a 31-21 Birds win at Texas Stadium, the Eagles' first win in Big D since 1965. I watched it in the TV room in the dorm and as soon as Montgomery scored... we had a fire drill.

ixnay
 
Since we seem to be doing this by teams...I'll throw Green Bay into the mix. Top 5:

5. First Monday Night game at Lambeau, 11-1-79. Packers beat Patriots in the 1000th game in Packers history. (MNF never made it to Green Bay before that for two reasons: the lights at Lambeau Field before then and the Packers were equally lousy). I was at the game exactly one year after breaking both legs in an auto accident.
4..Packers beat Bucs 12-10 on four field goals in 1983. Jan Stenerud hits four clutch kicks - one to tie the NFL record, the second to break it, the third to tie the game and the fourth to win in overtime. And by the way, it was Cosell's last MNF game.
3. Packers edge Washington 48-47 in 1983 when Mark Moseley misses a field goal at game's end. Highest scoring MNF game ever.
2.. Antonio Freeman's "He did WHAT?" catch to beat Minnesota in overtime.
1. Brett Favre, the day after his father's death, leads the Packers to an easy win over Oakland.

But my favorite of all time was in the first-ever Browns-Jets game. Cleveland had a wide receiver named Fair Hooker. Dandy Don couldn't resist: "Fair Hooker ... I ain't never met one yet."
 
> Although there will still be NFL games on Monday nights,
> it's my understanding that the Sunday-night games on NBC
> will henceforth become the league's "prime" TV showcase,
> with the top match-ups of the season and flexibility during
> the final weeks of the regular-season which will allow for
> good match-ups to be moved from Sunday afternoons to Sunday
> nights for NBC broadcast.
>
> Thus, "MNF" will not be the same in the future.

It can only get better, what with the putrid MNF games at the end of the last few seasons (including this one). But they still won't get the flexibility that NBC will have on Sunday night, and even that is limited since teams still will be allowed only 3 or 4 prime-time games every year.

> On a more positive note (unless you live in or near
> Chicago), another great "MNF" memory was a December, 1985
> game when the Miami Dolphins hosted the Chicago Bears. The
> Bears were unbeaten at the time, and were vying to become
> only the second NFL team ever (behind the 1972 Miami
> Dolphins) to have an unbeaten season. For some reason,
> several members of the 1972 team were there (I'm not 100%
> sure, but I think they were being honored in a ceremony and
> a few numbers were retired that night, and I also think a
> couple of players from the '72 team spoke to the '85 team
> before kick-off urging them to beat "Da Bears" and preserve
> Miami history). Anyway, the '85 Dolphins beat the Bears (the
> only loss Chicago would have all year; they finished the
> regular-season 15-1 and went on to win Super Bowl XX) in a
> game that still holds the record for the largest viewing
> audience ever to watch a regular-season NFL telecast.

December 2, 1985: A date which shall live in infamy. :-( The Miami Dolphins have been dead to me ever since (not that I was a big fan of theirs to begin with).
 
> 4..Packers beat Bucs 12-10 on four field goals in 1983. Jan
> Stenerud hits four clutch kicks - one to tie the NFL record,
> the second to break it, the third to tie the game and the
> fourth to win in overtime. And by the way, it was Cosell's
> last MNF game.

Did they play that game in Green Bay or Tampa? I recall at least a couple MNF games involving the Bucs being blacked out in the 1980s, as the games weren't sold out in time. Both WTSP (then with ABC) and WXLT /WWSB filled the time with movies, with alternate programming between the late news and Nightline.
 
> December 2, 1985: A date which shall live in infamy. :-(
> The Miami Dolphins have been dead to me ever since (not that
> I was a big fan of theirs to begin with).
>

Maybe to you, but not to me! I've been a Dolphins fan since 1983 and continue to be so to this day. Wow! That night is unforgettable! Don't get me wrong. I was VERY happy to see Chicago stuff New England in Super Bowl XX! The Patriots beat my Dolphins to get into Super Bowl XX to begin with and that was my form of revenge. CHI 46-NE 10.

The other moment which always stands out was the night John Lennon was murdered. Miami was hosting New England that night, but that was forgotten, given the tragic circumstances.<P ID="signature">______________
#13 Dan Marino...2005 Football Hall Of Fame Inductee :)</P>
 
> > 4..Packers beat Bucs 12-10 on four field goals in 1983.
> Jan
> > Stenerud hits four clutch kicks - one to tie the NFL
> record,
> > the second to break it, the third to tie the game and the
> > fourth to win in overtime. And by the way, it was Cosell's
>
> > last MNF game.
>
> Did they play that game in Green Bay or Tampa?

Yup, that was in Tampa.
>
 
> Since we seem to be doing this by teams...I'll throw Green
> Bay into the mix. Top 5:
>
> 5. First Monday Night game at Lambeau, 11-1-79. Packers beat
> Patriots in the 1000th game in Packers history. (MNF never
> made it to Green Bay before that for two reasons: the lights
> at Lambeau Field before then and the Packers were equally
> lousy). I was at the game exactly one year after breaking
> both legs in an auto accident.

Didn't MNF show a couple of Packer games from Milwaukee County Stadium prior to this, or were all prior Packer MNF games on the road?

> 4..Packers beat Bucs 12-10 on four field goals in 1983. Jan
> Stenerud hits four clutch kicks - one to tie the NFL record,
> the second to break it, the third to tie the game and the
> fourth to win in overtime. And by the way, it was Cosell's
> last MNF game.

How do you win a 12-10 game in OT without a safety? :)

I'd been wondering what Cosell's last game was though, thanks for answering that.

> 3. Packers edge Washington 48-47 in 1983 when Mark Moseley
> misses a field goal at game's end. Highest scoring MNF game
> ever.
> 2.. Antonio Freeman's "He did WHAT?" catch to beat Minnesota
> in overtime.
> 1. Brett Favre, the day after his father's death, leads the
> Packers to an easy win over Oakland.

I'd add the game in '96 against the 49ers at Lambeau where Chris Jacke tied the game with a LONG field goal as time expired, then won it with a clutch kick in OT....it showed the Packers had arrived as an NFC heavyweight and the days of SF and Dallas dominating the conference were over.

Don't forget Favre's 99-yard TD pass to Robert Brooks against Da Bears at Soldier Field in '95, either...or him slicing and dicing the Bears' vaunted defense at U of I's Memorial Stadium in 2002, winding up with a passer rating well into the triple digits.

And although the game itself was a one-sided blowout, certainly don't forget the 45-0 romp over the Redskins on the first MNF game after 9/11/01, with the team being led onto the field by flag-bearing special teams player Chris Gizzi.
 
> Didn't MNF show a couple of Packer games from Milwaukee
> County Stadium prior to this, or were all prior Packer MNF
> games on the road?

Yup - Packers played at Milwaukee in 1970 and a couple of times after that.

>
> How do you win a 12-10 game in OT without a safety? :)
>
> I'd been wondering what Cosell's last game was though,
> thanks for answering that.
>
12-9 of course...brain fart.
 
Re: Cosell on 8 December 1980

> > As for actual game memories of MNF, my favorite, being an
> Eagles fan, is, natch, an Eagles memory, from 1979, when
> Wilbert Montgomery ran for the insurance TD in a 31-21 Birds
> win at Texas Stadium, the Eagles' first win in Big D since
> 1965. I watched it in the TV room in the dorm and as soon
> as Montgomery scored... we had a fire drill.
>
> ixnay
>

Also the game of Tony Franklin's 59-yard field goal
 
Re: Cosell on 8 December 1980

> > > As for actual game memories of MNF, my favorite, being
> an
> > Eagles fan, is, natch, an Eagles memory, from 1979, when
> > Wilbert Montgomery ran for the insurance TD in a 31-21
> Birds
> > win at Texas Stadium, the Eagles' first win in Big D since
>
> > 1965. I watched it in the TV room in the dorm and as soon
>
> > as Montgomery scored... we had a fire drill.
> >
> > ixnay
> >
>
> Also the game of Tony Franklin's 59-yard field goal
>

Right. :) BTW when our dorm had the fire drill I grabbed my radio and listened to the last minute of the game on WIP with Merrill Reese.

ixnay
 
1988 Raiders at Broncos Broncos had a big lead but the Raiders came back and won in overtime and i also remember the Raiders had a touchdown called back due to a illegal block i also remember that the Raiders called timeout but referee Dick Hantak overruled it, stopping the clock for a measurement
 
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