kaufman@uiuccsb.UUCP (01/24/84)
#N:uiuccsb:18400006:000:2239
uiuccsb!kaufman Jan 23 21:11:00 1984
Super Bowl XVIII had to be the most exciting 38-9 game I've ever seen.
Never mind the score; for the most part, the game was fairly evenly played, and
on the high level of play you'd expect from the Skins and the Raiders. The
big difference, accounting for the lopsided score, was the fact that on a small
number of plays the Raiders made the big play while the Redskins made the big
mistake. Each team's defense was usually in command as both teams could manage
but one sustained touchdown drive. The difference was:
[1] L.A. blocks Wash. punt into end zone 7 pts.
[2] After fumbled punt, Moseley misses field goal 3 pts.
[3] Theismann inexplicably tries screen right before half 7 pts.
[4] Pass interference on bomb to Branch 7 pts.
[5] Allen's broken play run 7 pts.
[6] Allen's second big gainer 3 pts.
That's 6 plays which accounted for a swing of 34 points, more than the Raiders'
margin of victory (and I'm not even bothering to count the missed extra point).
I couldn't believe it when certain sportscasters claimed the Raiders completely
dominated; aside from those 6 plays, it was fairly even. Granted, the L.A.
defense was king, but again, Washington didn't give the Raider offense that
much either. Which brings me to Point Number Two:
Marcus Allen for MVP???? Yeah, I know it was a forgone conclusion, but
I say his statistics are misleading and that a better choice would be to
divide the award among several defensive players (a la Super Bowl XII), say
Jenkins, Squirek and the two cornerbacks, Hayes and Haynes, who took Monk and
Brown out of the game. Allen's two long runs (accounting for about 120 of
his 191 yards) both came when the game was well out of reach. In my opinion,
the true Raider heroes were on the defensive unit and special teams.
By the way, in case anyone thinks my loyalties are influencing these
comments, let me say that I like both of these teams a lot (tops in their
respective divisions) but was rooting yesterday for the Boys in Black and
Silver.
Ken (...!uiucdcs!uiuccsb!kaufman) Kaufmantischler@ihuxv.UUCP (Mark D. Tischler) (01/26/84)
In reply to Ken's letter, it seems a little ridiculous to list 6 or 7 plays that would turn around a game and then claim the rest of the game was even. Those plays set the tone for the entire game, which was ABSOLUTELY DOMINATED by the Raiders. (Yes, the broadcasters were accurate in my opinion.) Every play, the Raider defense either held Riggins in check or took the Washington receivers' pass patterns away. Time after time, the replay showed how lackadaisacal the Redskin receivers were in running their patterns and how tenacious the Raider secondary was. The plays that Ken listed only showed where the Raiders defense stuck out the most, but on every play they were controlling the line of scrimmage and the secondary. Face it Ken, the game was only mildly interesting at the beginning of both the game and the second half when the Redskins managed to score their only touchdown (I really thought Washington was going to make a comeback at that point). Mark
mark@elsie.UUCP (01/27/84)
The fact of the matter was that the Redskins collapsed in the 4th quarter of the 49er's game (yes, they were robbed) and stayed collapsed throughout the Super Bowl. They simply peaked too early, against the Rams, and the slide downhill was fast and steep after that. Very much like what happened to the Cowboys in the 2nd half of the Skin's game: they fell apart and were not able to recover for the rest of the season. Will they (the Skins) be back next year? I hope so, but they are Old, and DC is not a good town for football support -- too much else to do here. One other note: maybe there were only six plays that made the difference; but these are PROFESSIONAL players and they play PRESSURE football. Six fowled up plays is nothing in high school, it's the Humiliation Bowl in the pros. -- UUCP: decvax!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!elsie!mark Phone: (301) 496-5688
jsg@rlgvax.UUCP (01/27/84)
Did my eyes decieve me, or did cvl!elsie!mark say there was no support for the Redskins in DC? I am not a Skins fan, which is very hard down here, but I am not blind either. For the last three weeks all they've had on the news is stories about the skins. Every TV station in town was reporting from pool side in Tampa (which was stupid considering it was cold in Tampa). Last Wednesday for two hours the news covered only two stories; the "big snow storm" (it was only 4 inches for goodness sake), and the skins in Tampa. Boy was it boring. No support, how would you explain the parade and rally held in dowtown DC the other day where 175,000 people showed up (remember the Raiders had 11,000 the day before). As for old, what is the average age of the skins offensive line (I refuse to call them by their nick-name, I'm tired of hearing it)? I kynow they have at least 3 players on the line with 5 or less years experience (I went to school, and graduated with two of them). Let's get the facts straight next time. Is I is, or is I aint Jeff Grunewald [seismo, mcnc, allegra]!rlgvax!jsg
kaufman@uiucdcs.UUCP (kaufman ) (01/29/84)
#R:uiuccsb:18400006:uiucdcs:13000001:000:417
uiucdcs!kaufman Jan 28 16:07:00 1984
/***** uiucdcs:net.sport.football / elsie!mark / 6:09 pm Jan 27, 1984 */
One other note: maybe there were only six plays that made the difference;
but these are PROFESSIONAL players and they play PRESSURE football. Six
fowled up plays is nothing in high school, it's the Humiliation Bowl in the
pros.
--
UUCP: decvax!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!elsie!mark
Phone: (301) 496-5688
/* ---------- */
Agreed!
-Kenpetec@umcp-cs.UUCP (01/29/84)
>>> From cvl!elsie!mark Fri Jan 27 09:10:26 1984 >>> Organization: NIH-LCM, Bethesda, MD >>> Will they (the Skins) be back >>> next year? I hope so, but they are Old, and DC is not a good town for >>> football support -- too much else to do here. This is a pretty ridiculous statement. The Skins have had 131 consecutive sellouts dating back to the early-to-mid 60s, with a waiting list for season tickets of about 10,000. This town loves their team, and a thorough drubbing in the Super Bowl isn't going to change that. As to the team being old, I dispute that too. Tony McGee is the oldest, and he won't be counted on for too long; Riggins is 34 and close to the end of his career, although it's pretty hard to tell that by his play over the last couple of years. Other than that I believe that only Starke, Butz, and Theismann are over 30; their positions, quarterback and lineman, are positions that can be played for a long time. Your words are even more suprising since they are coming from a local (not to imply that you like should the Skins because they are the local team, but that I think that you would be aware of the love affair this city has with their team. The media blitz is incredible.). -- Call-Me: Pete Cottrell, Univ. of Md. Comp. Sci. Dept. UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!petec CSNet: petec@umcp-cs ARPA: petec.umcp-cs@CSNet-Relay
tims@shark.UUCP (Tim Stoehr) (01/30/84)
I do believe that the Raiders did "completely dominate" the Redskins. Granted, the Raider offense wasn't extremely impressive or nearly unstoppable, but they did more than they had to. The Raiders had a comfortable lead most of the time and the Redskin offense was doing nothing. Under those circumstances, almost any offense is going to be more conservative and less productive. Allen's 74 yard run was not a "broken play." It was just a matter of running the ball away from the tacklers, which is what any ball carrier does. I've watched Allen do more radical turnarounds at least this year for 20+ yard touchdown runs. I didn't see J. Riggins breaking away. Sure, if you nullify the Raiders' seven biggest plays, there may not be much left, but they still would have won without them, they just would have done something else. Also, if you similarly take only TWO plays away from Washington, one being the punt recovery turnover, you could argue that the Redskins wouldn't have scored at all. Questions: Why did Sports Illustrated put the Redskins on their cover two weeks in a row, the second being after the Redskins looked mediocre in barely beating the 49'ers, while the Raiders had just finished pounding the Seahawks. What also made me wonder is why on that same cover they printed "Bring On The Raiders,", when it was apparent that the Raiders were on such a high, ready to serve up the Redskins. They also predicted a Redskin victory at that point, despite all logic. Explanations or comments requested, please.
mark@elsie.UUCP (02/01/84)
Excuse me if my letter style seems cramped, it's tough writing while sitting
under my desk.
A little while ago I responded to "Some Thoughts About the Super Bowl" with
some thought of my own. Some people have taken offense.
Pardon me a minute while I close the window, the mortar shells are getting a
little close.
I said two things which seem to have raised hackles:
1.) "..they are Old," -- A bad choice of words here, I stand corrected.
They aren't that old; they just looked old coming off the line against
the Raiders. Or maybe the Raiders were just fast.
Good Lord! somebody just let snakes and spiders loose under my door.
2.) "... and DC is not a good town for football support -- too much else
to do here." -- I had meant this as a complement to the DC area, not as
an insult to Redskin Fans. Washington D.C. is a BEAUTIFUL city, there's
is as much to do around here as in Southern California, even more since
so few people seem to take advantage of it (I am talking here of outdoor
activates; I lived 12 years in SoCa, I know). The Redskins do have a
large number of very loyal fans, as I have found out.
[Is that smoke I smell, or tear gas?]
The sun will and did rise after Less-Than-Super-Sunday, as opposed to
some places I've been in (WHOS NAMES I WILL NOT MENTION) when *the team*
lost the *big* one.
Now, to all of you who have threatened me with bodily harm, sent letter
bombs to me, my wife and child, tried to get me fired, called me at 3am,
stuck pins in dolls that bore my likeness (ouch), or otherwise dumped abuse
upon me: Peace.
Otherwise, well, my family is living in another state under assumed names,
I'm barricaded in the office with my desk facing my booby-trapped door,
machine gun in hand, and my computer programmed to cause every cpu in the
world to panic trap -- head crash if my heart stops beating.
Good Grief! That cobra has rabies!!!
--
Mark J. Miller
NIH/NCI/DCE/LEC
UUCP: decvax!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!elsie!mark
Phone: (301) 496-5688