War Whoop Newsletter – Hunt Leader As Pros Unite

This n’ that

No mention at all of Otis Taylor, a then second year WR who would by the end of ’66 rank ‘the best’ in all of football according some, or no less than head and shoulders with the best/rest many opines. Ditto HB Mike Garrett, a mere mention end the newsletter along with other contenders HB, who like Taylor burst on the scene in a big way that season.

Line depth was and continued to be a problem for the Chiefs up until 1968 (’67 alone KC went through 5 centers on offense, mostly due to injury. Defensively, Ladd’s arrival in 1967 and Culp’s ’68 aided by Brown’s emergence affirms that building depth usually take time.)

That by 1965 football had passed baseball as the national pastime was an aspect reported on thence and the merger probably did nothing but strengthen said. MLB has never since topped football, though, cyclical nature of things I can see it eventually doing so, realm possibility.

There were only two AFL teams that had reservations about the merger; Oakland and New York. That was primarily because initial negotiations had those teams moving. I believe one to Memphis or Seattle. Needless to say those teams were not pleased.

Finally Wellington Mara of the Giants urged not franchise shifts. He believed (correctly) that litigation would occur. So, that area was settled. There were territory fees paid to the Giants and 49’ers by the Jets and Raiders. That was a cause of AFL concern.

There were several schemes presented as to how the new merger would align teams. Many NFL owners wanted a 16-10 arrangement. The leagues would remain as constituted. Expansion would go to the AFL until there were 16 teams each. The AFL owners were against it. Paul Brown who was about to start the Bengals did not want to be an AFL owner. Also, some other AFL owners wanted a true merger.

Cleveland offered to join the AFC. They wanted their rival Pittsburgh to join as well. the Rooney’s were against the move to the AFC. Modell of Cleveland put pressure and also pointed out their rivalry would continue in the AFC. Finally the Colts moved as well.