Cool Article about years from 1963-6

by NYERinSF on May 17, 2008 3:17 PM EDT

While looking up more info on Tucker Fredrickson, I came across this article in Football Outsiders , and I thought it was fascinating

The article is mostly about Bob Timberlake, arguably "the worst field goal kicker in NFL history.

Timberlake was the third round pick in 1965, and was told that he would compete with Gary Wood for the starting job. Problem was, the Giants brought in Earl Morrall and Timberlake became 3rd string. At the same time, the other players with kicking experience were traded, left, or got injured, leaving Timberlake as the primary fieldgoal and kickoff man. The Giants did not have kicking specialists in those days. Ernie Koy, who was the halfback, also punted.

The article goes on to describe how Timberlake's lack of success at kicking almost scuttled the NFA-AFL merger, and almost sparked a bidding war

It is, in all a fascinating read

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Comments

great read

That’s really a phenomenal website that I don’t read nearly as much as I should. They had a great piece last year about how our four DE package isn’t just a gimmick.

by queler on May 17, 2008 4:58 PM EDT reply actions

That was a very good article

They go more in depth than anywhere else.

by potroast on May 18, 2008 8:33 AM EDT up reply actions

I love people learning about the machinations leading to the merger.

Whatever else you might say about Al Davis (either what he was or what he has become), without him the merger wouldn’t have happened, at least not as early as it did. The merger was better for all concerned, owners, players, fans. It’s also fascinating to consider how important the Giants have been to the development of pro football as we know it today.

by george cronin on May 17, 2008 5:45 PM EDT reply actions

along with the important contributions

I believe we invented the the TD spike and the Gatorade bath.

by queler on May 17, 2008 7:01 PM EDT reply actions

I don't remember the spike

but I sure do remember Tuna getting the bath. I also think a Giant, maybe Mark Ingram, was the first to dunk the ball over the crossbar. I remember he got penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct and Parcells was really pissed. The next season, everybody was doing it.

by TerraByte on May 19, 2008 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Great find

This points out just one of the ways in which the game has changed so dramatically in recent years. Really, I think it would be beneficial for all fans to study the game’s history—I know I have a lot to learn about it.

by Ed Valentine on May 17, 2008 7:20 PM EDT reply actions

The old AFL....

I used to love to watch the old AFL George Blanda in addition to throwing passes to the likes of Billy Cannon, kicked field goals and I think he even punted some.

The games were incredibly wide open and high scoring. Frank Terpuca(spelling?) was the quarterback for the Denver Broncos and I swear I think I watched a wild game in the rain where he passed about 90 times, most of them Darryl Lamonica style long bombs.

There was a huge amount of disrespect for the league from the NFL and when they finally played the first inter league games and the Packers won pretty easily the AFL lost face. I can still remember like it was yesterday watching Namath guarantee victory. At that time the AFL had lost a couple of times and nobody gave much credence to what he said but I decided to watch the game anyway. Glad I did because a surprising number of people didn’t bother to watch and missed a truly great game.

Speaking of great games if I had to vote for the most excitng game ever (except for our Super Bowl wins, of course) the 71 playoff game between the Chiefs and the Dolphins rates right up there with the best. I also loved the game between the Oilers and the Dolphins where Earl Campbell ran like a freight train and the crowd waved their “luv ya Blue” towels.

by giant fan since 57 on May 18, 2008 6:42 AM EDT reply actions