George Blanda, a Charger?

Random thoughts…

The haughtiness of Halas/the NFL (and its media cohorts like Tex Maule) not only toward the AFL but their own former kin (Blanda this case) an example a pendulum swung too far one way once upon a time.

Recall too NFL old guard member Paul Brown the eve expansion Bengals first game ever 1968, exhibition vs the Chiefs, stating “well, he’s driving a Cadillac” in reference the success Chiefs QB Len Dawson had enjoyed in the AFL (Brown had failed to give Len real opportunity at QB in CLEV when Brown had him 6 years before; pettiness, pride & pique, by any other… Alfred Hitchcock’s “cattle” terminology re: actors a sentiment seemingly shared by owners and NFL-types same: easy come/easy go throwaways, disposable commodities football sense.

How times change, least far as compen$ation for being but ‘a piece of meat.’

Contrast said how far other direction has swung today: former millionaire ownership now billionaires fighting over $ with players once in need off-season jobs now millionaires themselves. More leagues, more teams, more money… but not the same quality as before.

Back to Blanda, he was a cat with nine lives who only needed three. Banished from the NFL, released by the AFL Oilers too early 1967 & picked up by the Raiders (who had arguably the greatest off-season influx of talent annals pro football history, still to date (apologies the PITT Steelers ‘draft class’ of 1974, ditto any other team’s off-season bonanza same.)

Nigh on 50 years ago, arriving via trades, free agent signings and/or draft choices, the likes impact players such as Daryle Lamonica, Warren Wells, Willie Brown, Gene Upshaw as well Blanda put OAK over the top in ’67, quite the off-season haul for OAK. One notable loss result the Brown trade acquisition: Rich Jackson, who went from a backup LB OAK to starting and star DE for the DEN Broncos. Old Broncos fans must wonder ‘what might have been’ had they been able to sign any their 1st round draft choices pre – ’67 when Floyd Little became their first (Merlin Olsen, Bob Brown and Kermit Alexander added to Willie Brown (had they kept him), the traded Hewritt Dixon, the released Ike Lassiter & others might well have made them more competitive, even without a great QB. Even the latter QB lack was rumored to have been discussed in terms trade with KC. Believe it or not, the ‘rumor’ after the ’67 season and pre 1968 season was that the Chiefs Len Dawson (coming off for him a subpar year and KC’s failure to defend their Championship), was possibly headed to DEN in exchange for Broncos LB/DE Pete Duranko… never happened, of course. Just as OAK and KC never managed to snare Cookie Gilchrist in ’66 when both teams were rumored to be interested.

By George, got a bit sidetracked from the Blanda theme herein but so many AFL memories are intertwined, hindsight, long may the memories live.