He was the voice, the posture, the attitude and the toupee that we loved to hate on Monday Night Football. He would one-up the play-by-play of Frank Gifford and the experienced analysis of Don Meredith with soliloquies about his friendships with Cassius Clay, aka Mohammed Ali and other non-football entities. He would gratuitously drop comments that were tip-toeing the ragged edge of racist in their tones. He was classic New York and classic Damon Runyon pseudo-sports-writer. His autobiography was proudly titled "I Never Played the Game."
Howard on a black quarterback:
But, it was Howard Cosell who first bemoaned the death of dynasties in football. The pay cap, the draft, the creative divisions that called themselves north and central and regional but really crossed those lines with impunity, they all contributed to what Howard recognized as parity. All teams would henceforth be equal. If one became too good, the rules would be rewritten to penalize their power and redistribute it to less fortunate teams.
Damn, it almost looks like the current administration doesn't it? If one individual becomes too successful, we'll dismantle them. If one company can't win on Sunday, we'll support them. Is it politics imitating sport?
Are we seeing parity rearing its head in the NFL this year? I'm not sure. I can't tell what is going to happen "on any given Sunday" anymore except to be confident in predicting that Detroit will lose.
Last night the New Orleans Saints (nee "Ain'ts"), that team of bagged fans, continued their undefeated season. They aren't edging by, they are winning pretty! Their quarterback, Drew Brees, displays the sort of precision, accuracy and heady field generalship that causes flash-backs of five or ten years to Peyton Manning and Tom brady. It makes older fans recall Joe Montana and Roger Staubach. He's simply good--but he's playing for New Orleans! Who'da thunk it?
Some things are consistent. There is an element of stability as we see Indianapolis having yet another great season, also undefeated. The Patriots with Brady looking more healthy than the last couple of years look good as well.
There are also some disasters that we can rely upon. Detroit, of course. Oakland has been sad for a decade--one wonders what Al Davis is thinking or if he's even aware of the decline. There's Cleveland as well. One wonders if it is fair to have divisions in which a handful of teams get to play two games every year against those tackling dummies.
Halfway through the season, I'm confused. Despite my Texas residence, I've never been a Cowboy fan--I lost too much money on late-season collapses against Green Bay when all of my in-laws from my first marriage were from Sister Bay WI. I cried in 1966 during the final minutes of the Ice Bowl! I'm almost liking the Cowboys this year. With Terrell Owens gone, they've finally gotten down to playing football.
I don't like Denver and that's despite 20 years in Colorado. Sorry, but they are playing over their head. I'm disappointed in Chicago. I'd like to be a Bears booster having been born and raised there, but they simply don't have it and a hand-me-down quarterback like Jay Cutler.
It is going to be an interesting couple of months. Meanwhile let's hear it for the Longhorns and Colt McCoy! I've got my Heisman ballot ready.
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