Speedy & Herb Duncan Highlights!

Great clip on a truly exceptional defender and return man. Seeing it is a vivid reminder of how wide-open and exciting those AFL games were.

In 1969 LA Rams head coach George Allen hired Dick Vermeil and made him the NFL’s first ever Special Teams coach. At the time Vermeil was quoted as saying “The Rams aquiring Alvin Haymond from Baltimore was huge ” Alvin is the greatest return man in football” maybe the greatest ever”. As good as Alvin was I’m not certain he was better than Speedy, although both had some things in common, They were born in August of 1942 and played for SWAC schools in college Speedy at Jackson State and Alvin at Southern. both later would play in DC for George Allen.
There is a very famous Life Magazine cover photo of Alvin Haymond from December 3 1971, the cover article is titled “Suicide Squad.” Alvin then with the rams is number 23 and is pictured helmetless after loosing his helmet colliding with the Colts return man Charlie Pittman.

As the film clip reveals Speedy Duncan was one player, worth the price of admission

RC “Alley Oop” Owens was the second best reciever on his Sant Monica High School football team AD Williams was considered superior, AD would attend COP and was drafted by the LA Rams, and got a cup of coffee. RC gained fame with YA in SF for his jumping ability as a former basketball star and the alley oop play where YA would throw it high and RC would go up high over the db and complete the Alley Oop play.

Mention and comparison was made of Speedy to Bobby Howard, Bobby was used to being compared, he had two older brothers, both were out of this world athletes as good as the country ever prouced, Junior Howard and John Howard. As good as Bobby was and even after 14 years in the pros Bobby was never considered to be quite be as good as his older brothers, even though Junior and John never played a day as pros.