Harvey Frommer’s Notes on Super Bowl I

Crank up Mr. Peabody & Sherman’s ‘Way Back Machine’: if one were able be magically transported back a simpler time sports, ‘When It Was Just A Game: Remembering The First Superbowl’ is the narrative equivalent, next best thing to having been there in 1967. Quite the flashback, definitely not a bad trip down memory lane Kansas City Chiefs the AFL & Green Bay Packers NFL, lead-up to the game, game itself and post script what is now (but wasn’t then) called ‘Superbowl’ or ‘America’s Game’, least in terms a consensus; that approaching 50 years later it is ‘both’, indisputable. Minor quibbles aside (a few typos and some players, fans/others memories that differ/erroneous some cases, likely due the passage of time), the book is a keeper if you want a one-stop source for quotes and flavor of the time.

There’s not much in the way yesteryear I have not experienced or read re: that era’s Chiefs, who were my childhood heroes. This book remembers it all, and (I state with much satisfaction) affirms what has long been known but not trumpeted – despite post game comments the contrary, the Packers – Vince Lombardi, in particular – indeed did believe the Chiefs were legitimate, in fact, capable of beating the Packers. 7-0, 7-7, 14-10 and 21-10 until but :51 seconds remained before start the 4th quarter a ‘rout’ does not make. Other than a video effort courtesy one enterprising individual’s compilation about 98% the game’s plays via highlights & coaching film (readily available for viewing online), until such time an actual network broadcast ‘Superbowl 1’ is made available the general public, ‘When It Was Just A Game’ will ably suffice. Subjective opinion mine, the NFL is currently exercising its usual $elf-$erving tack, unable to agree on a fair price with an individual who has in fact provided most of the CBS network broadcast of that day (via primitive technology of the time ‘tapes’) to the Radio and TV Museum. These tapes reportedly contain ‘most’ of the game and have already been restored; now we wait, perhaps until the 12th of never. That a replay of the game was shown later that same evening of January 15, 1967, yet neither local affiliates of NBC & CBS or the networks kept a copy (so they claim), unbelievable and sad.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/02/01/media/super-bowl-i-missing-tape/

One game does not determine supremacy… that the Packers won 5 Championships in 9 years (and fell 4-points shy another) ‘is’ indicative said however; latter day Patriots/other modern day teams accomplishments not of the same echelon. On that day 1967 however, Green Bay won, yet, it was a game which, save a missed KC field goal, the Chiefs led 10-7, 2nd quarter. While the aforementioned was not alluded to in the book (and hardly ever conversations otherwise), becomes more than just another case ‘what if’; wishful thinking or no, had the Chiefs gotten the lead even once, ‘momentum’ might have changed the course that game. Make no mistake, the Packers remain the greatest ‘team’ ever, despite not necessarily having had the best players, terms athletic prowess. Individually, the young Chiefs matched & according many surpassed Green Bay in that aspect, certainly in size, speed & strength – which is why I’ve never subscribed the opinion some today’s players/teams would dominate those teams yesteryear via same ‘advantage’, could they play one another. Veteran GB’s experience/execution was the difference in how the game played out. Part & parcel, that 9-months earlier the Packers had escaped with but a 7-point win over the Bears, and 7-months aft Superbowl 1 the no longer NFL-virgin Chiefs beat those same Bears by 38 points, intriguing at minimum.

Yes, nod the lyrics a popular song of that time, ‘those were the days my friend, we thought they’d never end’… picture a true rivalry at its height : AFL vs NFL; today’s NFL pales in comparison.