1969 Interview with Ralph Wilson

Agree, Howard. For all the, “players are bigger, stronger and faster today” etc., the game today & football players same cannot hold a candle to yesteryear’s, my opine. They call the premise ‘evolution’, ‘progress’ even football; I refer to it as ‘self-flagellation’.

Pull up a chair and grab a sandwich & soda, rant begins in 3, 2, 1…

Funny how the bigger, stronger, faster teams/players LOST the first three Superbowls to the smaller, weaker, slower team(s), GB & NYJ. Wasn’t until Superbowl IV an generally acknowledged bigger, stronger, faster Chiefs team whupped the (in comparison) smaller, weaker, slower Vikings, just sayin’.

‘Best’ teams (players) beat ‘inferior’ ones, most usually, regardless hype (size, weight & speed) – otherwise, could would just throw rosters on the field/would be no need to play the games.

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Back to football today and yesterday…

It is less entertaining & watered down. In fact, I predict not too distant future, pro football will price itself out of popularity as we now know it, dollars and cents (if not sense, common) the downfall. Litigation too, though that’s another matter.

Yesteryear, the creme de la creme was 33 or even as many 40 players comprised a roster. Compare this with 53 today & 32 teams when there were only 23, in ’67. That is 9 more teams now with 53 man rosters compared 23/40 then, which means be nigh on 600 guys today who wouldn’t even be on a team now. This I differentiate from the AFL, which filled an need by providing ‘capable’ players a venue, besides the NFL.

What passes for legit NFL (as MLB, etc.) talent today is a joke; just look out on the diamond/field. ‘Half teams’ not whole…ne’er the twain offense & defense to meet, as well pitching so paper-thin MLB that you need magnifying glass, tweezers & a compass to find said.

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How much the population has increased or has not is a moot point. If only 23 teams existed today, ‘creme de la creme’ those 33 or 40 who qualify to earn a roster spot is still be better than the 53 on 32 teams – a principle will never change; everything is relative… eye of the beholder too.

I find it amusing that despite hype re: super-dooper modern players, many of the greatest/most revered records in sport still stand today, yesteryear’s players. The modern players were so great, should have not only passed but obliterated the old marks (Chamberlain’s 100 point game, DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak among them. Even MLB’s Bonds – whether you believe he partook of steroids or not, I do – needed a total of 837 extra at bats even ‘tie’ Babe Ruth’s 714 home runs. Imagine Ruth on steroids, modern cheating advantage – maybe 1500 home runs, his still the all-time mark. I revere a Hank Aaron, but even he had only 493 home runs a similar # of at bats as Ruth had, 8398, just sayin’ again.

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More proof: look how pathetic depth is today pro football. The almighty buck reign$ supreme to the point they have to compromise the game to protect QB’s from injury/damage fan intere$t/revenue (Jack Lambert, long ago – “they should be wearing a dress”.) The NFL should be ashamed but they have none, just unadulterated greed in everything they do.

Ditto MLB and the rest, sports. I miss the way it was 1969, when but one team qualified to go to an World Series, each league. Contrast that with today everybody & their brother making post season, figuratively speaking, NFL, MLB & NBA – no team (child) left behind, everyone a ‘winner’ Today, the parity-emasculated teams take great pride (appears) even in winning a ‘division’, as if it’s on par somehow with league pennant, for example. Ditto the NFL its ” Division Champs!” It leaves me bemused.

Honestly due economics, can see the day coming when ‘every’ team in ‘every’ sport will make post season, purely out of nece$$ity.

Soapbox now relinquished, rant (and eggnog) fini too.

🙂