The NFL and Me

 

I’ve been following the NFL all my life, since the Falcons came to town in the 1960’s. My dad bought season tickets in the upper level, 50 yard line. He’s pick up cheaper field level seats for me and my brother. My mom would make sandwiches and we’d tailgate in the parking lot, seemingly years before the practice took off. We’d always park in the last row of the parking lot, backed up to what is now Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. We enter early and go down to the field level near the baseball dugouts to watch the players come out to warm up.   

 

Each week head coach Norm Van Brocklin would come out and stop to pat my blond-haired little brother on the head. “How’s my little buddy?” he’s quip. The first summer we traveled up to training camp Van Brocklin spotted my brother, and took him out on the field. I was the quiet, introspective, analytical kid. During warmups I’d watch the center-holder-kicker trio practice field goals: Bobby Etter, Bill Bell, Nick Mike-Mayer. Punter Billy Lothridge booming missles high into the crisp autumn air. The face masks: single-bar, double-bar, the cool cages, guard Andy Mauer’s different Dunguard model, like Alan Page’s. The way players taped their shoes.

 

Training camp. My family made the trek up to Furman University in Greenville SC several times, watching practices, posing for fan day. Bob Berry. Tommy Nobis. Claude Humphrey. Harmon Wages. Ken Burrow. Wes Chesson. Brezina. Ray Brown. Loved it. They’re hand out press booklets and I’d read every page.

My brother and I would watch the first quarter from the field level, then eventually we’s make our way up the ramps to sit near our parents in the upper deck. I was not yet ten, and my brother wasn’t six. We’d make the trek unsupervised, stopping by souvaneer stands to marvel at the wares. We rarely bought the game program, so after the game I’d scour the bleachers for used one, hopefully in good shape. On the drive home I’d soak up every page: the thumbnail photos of players, the rosters, the Chap-Stick ad with Ray Nitschki, the Beaudry Ford ad with Harmon Wages, and hopefully recent action game photos and updated league stats. I’d search for Falcons in the leaders, perhaps punter Lothridge or quarterback Bob Berry among the leaders in completion percentage.

I knew all the Falcons and also their opponents, particularly division rival Rams, 49ers, and Saints. Gabriel, Snow, Olsen, Jones, Brodie, Krueger, Hardeman, Kilmer. Other teams: Vikings, Packers, Cowboys, Bears, Giants, Redskins. Tarkenton, the Purple People Eaters, two Gene Washingtons, Butkus, Sayers, Bobby Douglass, Jurgenson, Staubach, Gokalak. Early on I read Jerry Kramer’s Instant Replay. Got the coffee table book “The First 50 Years” and scanned it over and over, Unitas, Lenny “Spats” Moore, Jim Brown, Gale Sayers, Emlen Tunnell, Mackey, Groza. The tome still rests on my bookcase. 

Signed up for Punt, Pass, & Kick. After placing third in the kicking part, I took to practicing my placements after school. This led to a kicking career in high school, college intramurals, and recently a chance to Kick for a Kia in front of a sold-out crowd in the Georgia Dome (I lost). PP&K also stocked my jones to follow kickers: Baaken, Mike Clark, Fred Cox, Hornung, Kramer, Lou Michaels, Moseley, and then the sidewinders. I still pay special attention to kickers. Morten (below). Elam, Vinatieri, Matt Bryant. And many more.

As a kid I loved jerseys (still do), but never had many. Obtained a dark blue #42 that I considered a Giants jersey. Had a Giants helmet as well. As a teen I ordered a red mesh Falcons jersey from the back of a magazine. Later I started snapping up jerseys I’d find at thrift stores or the sale rack, for me or my son. Had a bunch. Finally sold most of them on eBay. Now I have a nice Matt Ryan home jersey, and a black Falcons #4 Brett Farve throwback. Also a Bengals Carson Palmer jersey no one wants to buy.

I became a student of the Super Bowl. For years I could remember every matchup and MVP, where each was played. As the list grew longer I had to rely on lists. Years later I added a Super Bowl tab on my blog, which I backtracked to include NFL Championships. As I grew older I’d stick by my usually-mediocre Falcons, but appreciated some of the better teams, picking out favorite players: Packers (Starr, Horning), Vikings (Cox, Kapp, Marshall), Cowboys (Garrison, Howley), Colts (Curry, O’Brien, Mackey), Dolphins (Kiick), Raiders (Biletnikoff, Stabler), Steelers (Bradshaw, Franco, Walden, Lambert), Bears (McMahon, Perry), 49ers (Montana, Young, Rice), and eventually the Patriots (Brady, Gronk).

 

I never followed college football until I matriculated to Georgia Tech (as opposed to matriculating the ball down the field. Hey Whitey! Where’s Abe Gibron?). When the Falcons drafted Heisman Trophy winner Pat Sullivan, that was the first I’d heard of him. Since college I’ve become a good Southerner and dutifully followed the SEC and ACC, which means the Big Ten and everyone else. Now I know about players leading into the draft. 

 

So I have attended Falcon games at old Atlanta Stadium (before the name was changed to Atlanta-Fulton County), the Georgia Dome, and new Mercedes Benz Stadium. Also a preseason game against Joe Namath’s Jets at Tech’s Grant Field (before it was renamed Bobby Dodd Stadium). Saw the Birds beat the 12-1 Vikings in the last game of the season. Saw Charmin’ Harmon Wages run for a TD, catch a pass for a TD, and pass for a TD in the same game against the Saints. Saw the Giants score late to win twice, by Tarkenton and Eli. The Chiefs, Raiders, Rams, 49ers, Bears, Saints, Jaguars.     

 

When the Super Bowls came to Atlanta I attended the FanFests. This year I went twice. Didn’t make me more of an expert, but it was fun to soak up the environment. Learned some history, and details on current teams and players. Years ago I won a helmet for knowing the most QB’s from a classic old photo from the sixties.

As a fan I know my limitations. I could never be an elite play-caller, though many are only average at that job. I know a good play-caller when I see one. I need slow motion to see blocking schemes and most stunts. What I do know: QB’s, RB’s, WR’s. Kickers and punters. NFL history, from the Canton Bulldogs and Pottsville Maroons to George Halas to the AAFC to the AFL merger and one to the present day. My favorite uniforms are from the 60’s. I’ve read plenty of books, by Kramer, Brees, Coughlin, Madden, Bo Jackson, Herschel, Sayers, Piccolo, Plimpton, Bill Curry, Belechik, Dungey, Jenkins, Cosell, Halberstam, and others.

 

I know football. Not saying I know more than anyone else. But I not some yahoo who just signed up for Twitter and started throwing foolish untruths out there. I’m not going to argue with you. Right or wrong, I’m sure you think you’re right. I don’t care enough to change your opinion.

 

I try to go into seasons with reasonable expectations, and not express devastation when my injury-riddled Falcons lose a close one to a superior team. I try not to make ridiculous comments on social media. I respect the experts in the field, the Peter Kings, Tony Dungeys, and the like. Even with over 50 years of experience closely following the NFL, in no way do I purport to be an expert, acting like my opinion is gospel. And I try to treat others as they would like to be treated. Even on social media.