NFL Films: The 1979 Los Angeles Rams: ‘A Tale of Two Seasons’

Source:NFL Films- Los Angeles Rams head coach Ray Malavasi.

Source:The Daily Press 

“It was the Rams’ weakest divisional winner (an aging 1979 team that only achieved a 9–7 record) that achieved the team’s greatest success in that period. Led by third-year quarterback Vince Ferragamo, the Rams shocked the heavily favored and two-time defending NFC champion Dallas Cowboys 21–19 in the divisional playoffs, then shut out the upstart Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9–0 in the conference championship game to win the NFC and reach their first Super Bowl. Along with Ferragamo, key players for the Rams were halfback Wendell Tyler, offensive lineman Jackie Slater, and Pro Bowl defenders Jack Youngblood and Jack “Hacksaw” Reynolds.

The Rams’ opponent in their first Super Bowl was the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers. The game was a virtual home game for the Rams as it was played in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl. Although some oddsmakers set the Rams as a 10½-point underdog, the Rams played Pittsburgh very tough, leading at halftime 13–10 and at the end of the third quarter 19–17. In the end, however, the Steelers asserted themselves, scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and shutting down the Rams offense to win their fourth Super Bowl, 31–19.” 

From Wikipedia 

“This video is a telecast, broadcast, and production of NFL Films. I claim no ownership of this material, and do not profit from it in anyway. This video is intended for historical and educational viewing purposes.” 

From Grey Beard 

“NFL Films: 79 Rams” 

Source:NFL Films- the Los Angeles Rams playing their divisional rival Atlanta Falcons, in 1979.

From Lafayette Catfey 

This photo is also from the 1980 NFL Films about the 1979 Los Angeles Rams called: A Tale of Two Seasons. But the video that this photo is from is not currently available online right now. 

Source:NFL Films- hopefully not the best looking Los Angeles Rams cheerleader.

NFL Films likes to dramatize (if not overdramatize their films) and when their doing a team’s season highlights and year and review, they tend to make their shots look more important than they actually are, like the team is going into battle or something, instead of playing a football game.

Source:NFL Films documentary about the 1979 Los Angeles Rams.

A Tale of Two Seasons is the perfect way to describe the 1979 Los Angeles Rams because they were essentially a 500 team or worst in the first half of 1979. The traditionally lowly and last place New Orleans Saints were poised to not only record their first winning season in 1979, make their first playoff appearance and win their first divisional title, in 1979.

The Saints had a pretty solid team and with a better coaching staff and avoiding key injuries, maybe the Saints make the NFC Playoffs in 79. But all of these things happening weren’t because they were real good, but the Rams weren’t in the first half of 79. Because they were real beat up in 1979 with all sorts of key injuries in the backfield, offensive line, receivers, and on defense as well.

The second half of the 79 Rams season were the real Los Angeles Rams that year. Because they got their players back and found their starting quarterback in Vince Feragamo. Who not only got healthy, but took over the starting QB position. They figured out who they were offensively with Feragamo: a running, ball control team, with both short, middle and vertical threats in the passing game.

With the Rams becoming balanced on offense, it meant defenses including the great Pittsburg Steelers in Super Bowl 14, had to adjust, because the Rams could run the ball with either Wendell Tyler or Cullen Bryant, but could also beat you deep with Vince Feragamo in the passing game. And had a defense that only the great Steel Curtain Steelers were better than in 79.

The 79 Rams were a 12-4 or 13-3 team on paper that were even better than the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC. But with all of their injuries, we didn’t see the great Rams team until the second half of 79 and in the playoffs.

The Intelligent Channel: Michael Lind- 'The Global Roots of The 2008 Economic Crash'

Source:The Intelligent Channel- economist Michael Lind talking about the social contract.

"Michael Lind, Policy Director of the New America Foundation's Economic Growth Program and author of Land of Promise: An Economic History of the United States (2012), on recent U.S. trade and foreign economic policy... 

From The Intelligent Channel

Reading this report from the New America Foundation goes to highlight the two competing ideological factions in the Democratic Party today. And how we view what the role of government especially the Federal Government should play in the economy. 

The so-called Progressive or as I tend to call them the Social Democratic faction, people like U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, the only self-identified Socialist in Congress. And the New Democratic or real Progressive faction of the party that I come from with people like Barack Obama, John Kerry and Bill Clinton, and many others.

Today’s so-called Progressives not only want to protect current social programs in the country, but to expand them and create new ones. And tax more and basically view the Federal Government as underfunded and too decentralized to take care of the entire country. And would like to create new programs and take more power way from the private sector to give to government to take care of us. Like nationalizing the retirement system, to use as an example as we see in this report.

Today’s so-called Progressives would go much further than Franklin Roosevelt or Lyndon Johnson perhaps ever even imagined. And would like to see a big centralized government that’s common in let’s say Europe especially in Scandinavia. That would be there to protect us and take care of everyone to prevent us from making mistakes with our own lives especially financially. 

The social democratic theory is that once power is given to the states and individuals and things become decentralized, there’s less security in the system. And they are right about that, but you can have so much security to the point that individualism and creativity get’s stifled.

Social Democrats would like us to be dependent on the same source in this case the Federal Government to take care of us for us. And I do not want to see all the power in the hands of a central government or any government. Or all the power in the hands of organizations corporate or otherwise. But most if not all the power in the hands of an educated workforce and individuals. To be able to control and manage their own lives for themselves after getting the tools to be able to do that for themselves.

In this report from the New America Foundation, you see proposals to nationalize the retirement system and make Social Security the lone provider of pensions in this country. A proposal to nationalize the Unemployment Insurance system, to give the Federal Government complete control over it. Right now the states play a role helping their own unemployed workers and help them get back to work. A proposal to nationalize the Medicaid system so the Federal Government has complete control over the health insurance program for the poor.

We are a huge country with fifty states, we do not need a top-down approach when it comes to health insurance. And there are developed countries that are much smaller than us like Germany, that have a decentralized health insurance system including health insurance for their poor as well. And have universal health insurance for their entire country. 

And today’s so-called Progressives (Social Democrats, really) would also like to go back to the old Welfare system pre-Welfare to Work of 1996. Where people on Welfare Insurance weren’t expected to go back to work.

Middle class Americans are not under-taxed especially if they are struggling right now. And if anything thanks to the expiring payroll tax cut they are probably overtaxed right now. We do not have an underfunded government with too little authority over our lives. We have underfunded workers with too little authority over their own lives. 

And I separate the social contract from the safety net and to have real economic security in this country. Not that it would ever be perfectly secure, no system could provide that, all developed countries have a certain level of low-income and struggling middle-class workers. But to have a real social contract that provides as much economic security as possible.

We need a social contract that empowers more Americans to be able to take care of themselves. And that get’s to things like a modern infrastructure system and actually rebuild this country. So we can all get around and move products around better, efficiently and affordably. And real universal access to quality education in America that’s life-long. That would also be there for the unemployed and low-income workers so they can get themselves better jobs.

The difference between a social contract and a safety-net, the safety net is a foundation that empowers Americans to be able to do for themselves what they need to take care of themselves. And live in freedom in America. 

The safety net is a social-insurance system that people collect from when they need it and have nowhere else to go. So they can take care of themselves in the short run as they are working themselves to becoming independent.

There are Americans who for the first time in their lives became economically free, because of assistance that they received from the safety net. And what New Democrats (or Progressives) want to do is build a real social contract in America. So we can all live in freedom. And what today’s so-called Progressives are really talking about is creating a centralized welfare state run by the Federal Government. That would be there to take care of everyone. And this is main difference between the two factions in the Democratic Party on economic policy and where we want to take the country.

The Economist: Americas View- ‘Affirmative Action in Brazil: Slavery’s Legacy’

Source:The Economist- looks like freedom in Brazil.

Source:FRS FreeState

“TO SUM up recent research predicting a mixed-race future for humanity, biologist Stephen Stearns of Yale University turns to an already intermingled nation. In a few centuries, he says, we will all “look like Brazilians”. Brazil shares with the United States a population built from European immigrants, their African slaves and the remnants of the Amerindian population they displaced. But with many more free blacks during the era of slavery, no “Jim Crow” laws or segregation after it ended in 1888 and no taboo on interracial romance, colour in Brazil became not a binary variable but a spectrum…

From The Economist 

As a Liberal, I take Dr. Martin L. King’s I have a dream speech that one day his children would be judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin, seriously. But I apply it to all Americans not saying that Dr. King didn’t but.

Dr. King all the time spoke about and in favor of the U.S. Constitution and how all of those rights applied to all Americans equally. Not just European-Americans, and not just Anglo-Saxons, or Anglo-Saxon males, but every American, including African-Americans. He even spoke favorably of our Founding Fathers (our Founding Liberals) and vision they created for America where every man (meaning every American) would have the same individual and constitutional rights as everyone else.

Dr. King didn’t speak of an America where some Americans would have better or more rights and be treated better or worst then other Americans, simply because of their race, color, or gender. The whole point of the civil rights movement in the first place was the African-Americans weren’t getting the same treatment and equality under law and in society, simply because of their race and color.

There seems to be this attitude on the Left (to be generous) that racism and bigotry shouldn’t be tolerated when it’s applied to certain groups of people. But that it’s okay when it’s applied to others because minorities have suffered in this country because of their race and ethnicity. As well as Caucasian women and that Caucasians as a whole have benefited. But that when racism is applied to majorities, even majority women, it’s okay because it benefits people who’ve been left behind and it’s a small price to pay.

My attitude as a Liberal who wants to live in a colorblind as well as racial blind and ethnic blind society is that we only get there if we create that for ourselves and practice these things and individuals are treated as individuals and not members of groups. That if you want to eliminate racism and other forms of bigotry in this country, the first step is to stop practicing it no matter who it’s supposed to benefit or deny.

If we are going to have an equal protection clause and civil-rights in this country which we do, then they should apply to everyone and that no one should be denied to benefit simply because of their race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality. And no one should benefit from those things even it is only one consideration.

What we need in America instead of affirmative action, is to have strong civil-rights and anti-discrimination enforcement in this country. So people who practice bigotry in this country would pay a steep price for it and it would be doing themselves a financial as well as professional disservice by practicing bigotry and could even cost them their jobs of business and so-forth.

We also need a real public education system in this country so all Americans have access to a quality education who attend public schools and all have the opportunity to get themselves the skills that they need to be successful in life. To the point that schools and employers would be doing themselves a disservice by denying people access to these things because of their race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality.

The cure for racism in America is not more racism but to eliminate racism and bigotry outright (to paraphrase Black Panther leader Fred Hampton) so it’s no longer practiced. And you do that by cracking down on bigots who practice it and by giving everyone the opportunity to be successful in life so bigotry wouldn’t be a good idea to practice because of the legal and financial consequences that would come from it. But also because of the access to quality talent that schools and employers would lose access to. You don’t defeat racism with different racism, but with civil rights enforcement, education, and equality of opportunity.

Focus On The Family: Dr. James Dobson- Ted Bundy’s Last Interview (1989)

Source:Focus On The Family- convicted serial murderer & rapist Theodore R. Bundy, being interviewed by Dr. James Dobson, in January, in 1989. This was just days, if not hours before Ted Bundy was executed at the Florida State Prison in Railford. 

Source:The Daily Press

“I have found this video on the website “Veoh”, yet I was unable to find it on YouTube, so I have decided to download it from Veoh and upload it here, for a wider audience.

This video includes the full and uncut final interview of serial killer Theodore “Ted” Robert Bundy, made on 23rd January 1989, with Dr. James Dobson, right inside the Florida State Prison, situated in the city of Raiford, less than a day before his execution on the electric chair, which happened in the morning on 7:15 AM on the following day, with Ted Bundy being declared dead just one minute later, on 7:16 AM.

This video also includes an interview with Dr. James Dobson, at the beginning of the video and also at the end of the video, while the interview with Ted Bundy is to be found between these two sections. Again, I have searched a lot for the full interview with Ted Bundy on YouTube, yet I was unable to find any video on here, that includes the full, uncut interview and which also does not include any subtitles or any kind of audio delay. The video quality is the same video quality from the original video found on Veoh. I did also not cut or edit anything on it. The video is 55 minutes and 40 seconds long, yet after 55 minutes and 9 seconds, the last 31 seconds of the video only include an old-fashioned test screen, so there will be nothing more to see.” 

From Q'nquira  

When Dr. James Dobson who was literally one of the leaders of the Christian-Right in America with his social group Focus On The Family, when he interviewed Ted Bundy just before Bundy was executed at Florida State Prison in 1989, Bundy was tying to save his life at this point and explain why he committed all of those murders and rapes and perhaps hoped he could get his sentenced commuted to life in prison.

Source:Focus On The Family- Focus On The Family, Dr. James Dobson, interviewing serial murderer Ted Bundy, days before he was executed in 1989. 

Some background is needed for this interview: Dr. James Dobson is one of the leaders of the religious-right or the so-called Moral Majority in America, that looks down on alcohol, tobacco, pornography, homosexuality, pre-marital sex, the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s, to be more specific. And Ted Bundy is one of the most successful serial murderers we’ve ever seen in the United States. Ted Bundy is trying to simply save his life. And Dr. Dobson wants to show Americans the dangers of pornography.

And late in his life I guess after Ted Bundy finally admitted that he was guilty of the murders he was convicted of he started explaining why they happened and how they came about. And as he says in the interview he’s not blaming alcohol and pornography for what he did. And takes responsibility for these murders at least in this interview. But saying that he was under the influence of alcohol and pornography during these crimes. Which gave Dr. Dobson an opportunity to push his message of why alcohol and pornography are bad for society.

This was about Ted Bundy trying to save his life and show people who he’s not as evil as he was portrayed because of all the horrible murders and rapes that he committed. That was Bundy’s motivation here and why he also admitted to other murders that he wasn’t convicted of. Because he wanted a stay of execution and not be executed. Even if that meant living the rest of his life in prison.

Dr. Dobson at the very least was smart enough to see that. But I believe used this interview anyway to try to showcase what he sees as the dangers of pornography in America.

HTN Sports: MISL 1979- Philadelphia Fever @ New York Arrows: Highlights

Source:HTN Sports- Philadelphia-New York has always been a great rivalry in football, baseball, hockey, and basketball. But it has never materialized in soccer.

Source:The Daily Press 

“Thanks to seven goals by Steve Zungul, the New York Arrows took game one of the inaugural Major Indoor Soccer League championship series, 14-7 over the Philadelphia Fever at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island on March 23, 1979. Leading just 6-5 in the third, the Arrows turned it on with a huge fourth quarter to win going away. Two days later, they would cap off the series with a 9-5 win in game two, giving New York their first of four consecutive MISL titles.”

From The Celebrated Misterk 

The MISL got of to a good start in the 1979 season with the Philadelphia Fever selling out the Philadelphia Spectrum. Drawing crowds at the Spectrum that the Flyers and 76ers drew. The New York Arrows who won the MISL Finals in 1979 also drew good crowds at the Nassau Coliseum.

Arena soccer is an American sport designed for American sports fans with all the fast paced action, with teams being able to score a lot if they are that good offensively. But for goalies able to be successful as well, especially if they have a good defense in front of them. Because unlike with outdoor soccer, the rules indoors do not favor ether the defense or offense. And because of all of these factors I’ve never understood why the MISL has never been more successful in America. And even become the fifth major sport in this country.

A&E Biography: The Manson Women

Source:A&E- 3 of the Manson Family women.

Source:The Daily Press

“The women who latched on to Charles Manson in California’s hippie climate of the late 1960s tended to be young, damaged and sexually willing. But that’s not all. They were also impressionable enough to readily comply when the charismatic commune leader ordered them to commit brutal acts of murder. During a two-night rampage in August 1969, several members of Manson’s ragtag “family”—most of them female—slayed pregnant actress Sharon Tate, 26, and four others at her Benedict Canyon rental home in Los Angeles. The next night, they murdered Leno LaBianca, a successful supermarket executive, and his wife Rosemary, in their Los Feliz home.

Manson, who died in prison in 2017, commanded his followers to commit these acts of savagery to incite a race war he called “Helter Skelter,” named after the Beatles’ song. The lives of his female followers are explored in the Lifetime movie “Manson’s Lost Girls.” Here’s a glimpse into the stories of five Manson girls—and what became of them after they were separated from the man who had so thoroughly dominated their psyches.” 

From A&E 

“The Manson Women – The Family That Kills Together – Biography Documentary Films.

Welcome to BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENTARY FILMS – home of the best documentary films and documentary movies on life, biography and people.

The Manson Family was a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s, led by Charles Manson. They gained national notoriety after the infamous murder of actress Sharon Tate and four others on August 8, 1969 by Tex Watson and three other members of the Family, acting under the instructions of Manson. Group members were also responsible for a number of other murders and assaults, and the attempted assassination of President Gerald Ford.”

Source:Biography Documentary Films- left to right: Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Leslie Van Houten.

From Biography Documentary Films 

“Part 1 of Biography’s Manson Women – Diane Sawyer can be heard interviewing the monsters.” 

Source:Helter Skelter Forum- the Manson Family women.

From Helter Skelter Forum 

“The Manson Family (known among its members as the Family) was a commune, gang, and cult led by Charles Manson that was active in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s.[1][2] The group consisted of approximately 100 followers, who lived an unconventional lifestyle with habitual use of hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD.[3] Most were young women from middle-class backgrounds, many of whom were radicalized by Manson’s teachings and drawn by hippie culture and communal living.[4]

Soon after release from prison in 1967, Manson, who had been institutionalized or incarcerated for more than half of his life, began attracting acolytes in the San Francisco-area. They gradually moved to a run-down ranch, called the Spahn Ranch in Los Angeles County.[5] The ranch burned down during a Southern California wildfire in September of 1970. According to group member Susan Atkins, the members of the Family were convinced that Manson was a manifestation of Jesus Christ and believed in his prophecies concerning an imminent, apocalyptic race war.[6][7]

In 1969, Family members Susan Atkins, Tex Watson, and Patricia Krenwinkel entered the home of Hollywood actress Sharon Tate and murdered her and four others. Linda Kasabian was also present, but did not take part. Members of the Manson Family were also responsible for a number of other murders, assaults, petty crimes, and thefts.” 

Source:George Vreeland Hill- with a simplistic take on the Manson Family.

From Wikipedia

The Manson girls were the female members of the Charles Manson’s family what was known as the Manson Family which was basically a cult. But it wasn’t a religious cult, but a crime cult, a crime family, a gang. They were basically a criminal gang that included murder but also robbery and even torture to get things they wanted because they didn’t have the character to work for it or earn it. And these somewhat smaller crimes eventually led up to murder, but not random murders.

Even though the Manson Family didn’t know who they were murdering, because the people they murdered to them represented what they wanted to eliminate, which was the establishment or the power-structure in America that the Manson Family especially Charles Manson believed were holding the Manson Family down and why they needed to come together to move away from mainstream society. Where they were failing to make it, especially Charlie who already at this point in his early and mid thirties, had already spent more than half of his life in prison in one form or the other.

Charlie Manson just getting out of prison in the late 1960s and ending up in the San Francisco area and not knowing what to do with the rest of his life, sort of catches onto the Hippie movement that was going on then. And saw these people or some of them as his chance to get back at society for all the things he believed were done to him. That cost him half of his life in prison and sees these young women and men late teens and early twenties who were somewhat lost and not knowing how they fit into society.

These young people struggling to make it on their own and showed them the respect and love they weren’t getting in life and formed this family or gang. And now had the soldiers he needed to get back at society. The people he believed were holding him down as well as his cult members. And ended up brining in people who otherwise would’ve been in college at that point and all had the skills and knowledge to of done very well in college and been successful in life.

In Leslie Van Houten’s case, she was beautiful and intelligent, probably could’ve made it in Hollywood or in college and had a very successful career in entertainment or business or something had she never of met Charlie Manson and never fallen into his cult. But she made a really bad decision early on in life which led to even worse decisions later on in the Manson Family. Which can sum up the rest of the Manson Family and all the waste that they represent. And what could’ve been had they just made better decisions in life.

Joey Teefizz: MISL 1982-3/26-St. Louis Steamers @ New York Arrows: Highlights

Source:Joey Teefizz- the St. Louis Steamers & New York Arrows.

Source:The Daily Press 

“MISL Soccer, St. Louis at Arrows in the 2nd half…Zungul game winner”

From Joey Teefizz 

The St. Louis Steamers were one of the better franchises in the MISL. I believe they’ve been in the league since day one of the 1978-79 season. And are still there and are sort of like the Boston Celtics or Los Angeles Lakers of that league as far as the amount of success that they’ve had. 

St. Louis is a great arena soccer market, but for whatever reasons they still do not have an MLS soccer franchise. New York on the other hand, a great soccer market at least as far as the old North American Soccer League and now Major League Soccer. But never caught on as a very good arena soccer market.

The MISL alone tried three clubs in New York and went to Long Island with the Arrows and Express. And East Rutherford, New Jersey with the Cosmos. The MISL could succeed in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and add Washington and Boston to that list, this league could take off. Because they would be successful in the biggest markets in America.

The Tomorrow Show: Tom Snyder Interview: of Charles Manson (1981)

Source:Fat Hawaiian Man- serial murderer and cult leader Charles Manson, being interviewed by Tom Snyder in 1981, for NBC News.

Source:The Daily Press

“The infamous Snyder interview from 1981 uploaded in full for the first time- Snyder spends most of the time chain smoking and goading Manson on in any way possible, while a somewhat sedated Manson rues having to talk.” 

From the Fat Hawaiian Man

I’m glad that Tom Snyder would be wiling and even wanting to interview Charlie Manson. And that Charlie would be willing to do an interview like this and probably wanting to do this interview in the first place. Perhaps looking for the limelight and the chance to show Americans what he was about and what he’s been up to and so-forth, so the country could see what this guy was about and how people can end up like this if they aren’t given a good opportunity to be successful in life.

The Manson Family felt that society was against them and so-forth, with all that anger building up and once he gets the opportunity to strike back at the people he believes have done him harm and so-forth and his chance to get those people back which is a lot of what the Manson Crime Family was about: taking on the establishment and bringing them down. And that there are people like this in society and this not how you want to end up.

No good reason for Charlie ending up the way he did and how his cult ended up. But when kids aren’t raised right like in Charlie’s case and always moved around from home to home with no one seeming able or willing to love them and raise them right, it is really hard to come from an environment like that and not be angry. To not get involved with people with similar backgrounds growing up. And feel now it’s their turn to strike back or get back at the people they believe did them harm.

As far as this interview: Tom Snyder was about as good as anyone when it came to doing the difficult interview. Which are interviews where the person being interviewed is not there to talk about them self. Even though that is why the interviewer is talking to them in the first place. And Snyder got Manson to talk about things he probably didn’t want to talk about. Like his cult and how he came up and why he’s been in prison for so much of his life. Which makes for an interesting interview because the interviewer keeps coming. And is so tough and gets the person to say things about themselves that they normally wouldn’t.

Joey Teefizz: MISL 1987-12/19/86-New York Express @ Chicago Sting: Highlights

Source:Joey Teefizz- the New York Express trying not to get stung, by the Chicago Sting, at Rosemont, Illinois. (Pun intended)

Source:The Daily Press

“MISL Soccer at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago. Frank Klopas with a good game…Shep Messing Halftime Interview” 

From Joey Teefizz 

I guess the Chicago Sting struggling to draw fans to their games and moved from the Chicago Stadium, which was one of the better downtown sports arenas for both hockey and basketball, as well as concerts and other events in America, out to Rosemont, Illinois one of the suburbs of Chicago.

Chicago was never a great market for the MISL. The Sting and other clubs that they tried in that huge market which is one of the better soccer markets in America, was never great for arena soccer. Not that arena soccer can’t work there, but the sport needs to be better marketed in that market. Same thing with New York, Los Angles, Washington (to use as other examples) where there are several other sports franchises in those markets. But also where there’s also a lot for people to do there outside of sports.

The Intelligent Channel: Michael Lind: ‘On The Need For Economic Reform – In The Social Contract’

Source:The Intelligent Channel- talking to economist Michael Lind about his version of the social contract.

Source:FRS FreeState

“Michael Lind, Policy Director of the New America Foundation’s Economic Growth Program and author of Land of Promise: An Economic History of the United States (2012), discusses the need for economic reform – in THE SOCIAL CONTRACT.

Watch more! Subscribe to the Intelligent Channel!”

Source:Intelligent Channel

Michael Lind’s best comment in this video is where he said: “I would like to see an America that remains a democratic republic, but that’s dominated by the middle class.” Meaning that the overwhelming population in America are middle class workers. But where no longer a country with a lot of wealthy people, but with a lot of poor people, and people who are technically middle class and who have an education, perhaps even a college degree, but work really hard and just struggle just to pay their bills. And perhaps are a few lost paychecks away from being in poverty and even losing their home.

The America that Michael Lind wants, is also the America that I want. We just have different visions in how to get there. He would like to see the economic and social benefits that most Americans get from their employers, taken over by the Federal Government, with a Scandinavian style welfare state and perhaps turn America from a liberal, democratic, federal republic, into a social democratic republic.

The America that I would like to see is one with very few in any Americans living in poverty, regardless of race or ethnicity, region, urban, suburban, or rural, with a lot of middle class workers who can not only pay their bills, but can afford to put money away and even enjoy life, and more wealthy people who never have to worry about paying their bills, or their retirements, health care, education, etc.

Leftists hate hearing this, but if you want more middle class Americans and a lot fewer lower class Americans and perhaps even get to the point where you have to look hard to find any poverty in this country, we need a better education system, including more and better job training for low-skilled adults in this country. As well as better infrastructure and more business startups, more creators, more competition in the economy.

You don’t create the America opportunity and free society simply with higher taxes on people who are already doing very well and transfer that money to people who aren’t doing very well with more welfare payments. You get there by empowering people who are struggling in America to make it in America. While you incentivize and reward wealth creation and good education, instead of punishing the things that already work well in America.

Joey Teefizz: MISL 1983-3/15-Chicago Sting @ Cleveland Force: Highlights

Source:Joey Teefizz- the Cleveland Force trying not to get stung by the Chicago Sting, in 1983. (Pun intended)

Source:The Daily Press

“First Half and Halftime highlights between the Chicago Sting and the Cleveland Force at Richfield Coliseum…3/15/1983 

From Joey Teefizz 

This is what the MISL has needed from day one and have only had from time to time which is TV coverage and especially network TV coverage. A lot if not most of their clubs had local or regional sports coverage, but only from time to time have they gotten the network TV coverage. So people around the country can watch the MISL and become fans of what could’ve been a great successful league by now, if not sooner. 

The MISL has never figured out how to market themselves and promote their league which is designed for American sports fans. Not European or Latin American soccer fans who like the slower outdoor game where scoring is not considered necessary in order to be successful. 

Arena soccer is designed for both the offense and defense to be able to play as well as their players and coaching will allow for them. With basic rules that protects the players. Which is how basketball, baseball and American football are all designed for.

NFL Films: NFL 1972- Redskins Championship Week

Source:NFL Films- the Miami Dolphins meeting the Redskins during Super Bowl 7.

Source:The Daily Press   

“Redskins Super Bowl Week 1972”  

From Redskinray Hail 

I’m sure, actually I’m positive that the Redskins wanted to beat the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl 7. But beating the Dallas Cowboys in the 1972 NFC Final was their Super Bowl victory and championship that year. That is the goal that they set out to accomplish. Not that different from the 1982 Redskins that admitted to feeling better about beating the Cowboys in the 1982 NFC Final than beating the Dolphins in Super Bowl 17. The Super Bowl was sort of icing to the Cowboys victory.  

That is how important these rivalry games are to teams. Especially the team that isn’t traditionally as successful as the other team. Which the Redskins are in the Redskins-Cowboys rivalry and perhaps hate the Cowboys more than the Cowboys hate the Redskins. And may if anything see other teams and games as more important to them.

Broadway Baby: Pepe (1960) 'Pepe Meets Kim Novak'

Source:Broadway Baby- Pepe meeting Hollywood Goddess/Babydoll Kim Novak.

Source:The Daily Press

“Kim Novak’s cameo appearance in 1960’s PEPE starring Catinflas.”

From Broadway Baby

Pepe meeting a Goddess. Not just any Goddess, but Goddess Kim Novak. Which would be like meeting Queen Noor from Jordan, or some gorgeous adorable Goddess like that, a woman who when you see her at least for the first time, your brain goes blank, because your eyes and what you’re thinking about what you’re seeing, simply overwhelms the rest of your brainwaves.

Kim Novak, the Goddess who cut her own career short because she’s a somewhat shy, perhaps even aloof woman, who never saw herself as good as the people she worked for, worked with and who wrote about her. And thought she would be happier doing other things.

And here Kim is in this scene (I imagine playing someone else) who sees a very charming, cute, little Latin fellow, whose new to America and wants to buy his girlfriend a very expensive gift that he can’t afford. He’s in luck, because he not only meets a blonde Goddess, but a very sweet and not just physically, Goddess who is also very generous and just happens to run the jewelry store that Pepe is at. And decides that he’s worth her generosity and gives him a fat discount on the ring for his girlfriend.

Pepe gets the gift of a lifetime (in multiple ways) for this man and many other men. Which goes to show you that some Goddess’s actually are sweet as they look, Kim Novak, a hot, baby-faced, Goddess, who personally is as sweet as she looks.

NFL Films: The Story of the 1988 San Francisco 49ers

Source:Alamy Stock Photo- the 49ers taking on the Washington Redskins, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California.

Source:The Daily Press

“San Francisco, California, USA. 21st Nov, 1988. San Francisco 49ers vs Washington Redskins at Candlestick Park Monday, November 21, 1988. 49ers beat Redskins 37-21…

From Alamy

“The 1988 San Francisco 49ers”

Source:NFL Films- San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator George Seifert.

From Lafayette Catfey 

The 1988 San Francisco 49ers might be the most consistent inconsistent Super Bowl team of all-time. The 2012 Ravens might be close though, but the 88 49ers were a 10-6 team that on paper looked like they could’ve easily won 12 or 13 games. But 10-6 teams tend to be somewhat inconsistent and have great stretches followed by poor stretches. Otherwise they don’t lose six games and just barely win their division. But win their division going away, unless they play in a great division.

The reason why the 88 49ers struggled and had ups and downs, was their offense sputtered and were up and down. They had two starting quarterbacks that year, because Joe Montana was hurt in the season. So young but somewhat inexperienced Steve Young who would also go on to be a great Hall of Fame quarterback, was given the chance to be the 49ers starting QB. But Young was up and down as well and committed too many turnovers. The only consistent thing about the 88 49ers, was their defense which was usual in the 1980s was one of the best in the NFL.

The 1988 49ers are the perfect example of why their soft finesse label didn’t stick and was never accurate. They were about as strong and physical on defense as any team in the NFL in that decade and 1988 and Super Bowl 23 is a perfect example of that. They shut down the Cincinnati Bengals power ball control offense that moved the ball down the field and scored against everyone else in the league. And won several blowouts, but the 49ers stuffed Icky Woods, James Brooks and their running game and held them to 16 points.

The 49ers offense got hot late in the 88 regular season and that carried through the 1988 NFC Playoffs, but only RB Roger Craig and WR Jerry Rice and perhaps their offensive line was consistent during that regular season. But their defense was very good the whole season and dominated the 1988 NFC Playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears and dominated the Super Bowl. Which is how a 10-6 inconsistent team can win the Super Bowl. You have something that carries you through the regular season, get hot late and carry it into the playoffs and win the Super Bowl.

NFL Films: Jim McCusker- '1960 Philadelphia Eagle Champions'

Source:NFL Films- Tommy McDonald: WR for the 1960 NFL Champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Source:The Daily Press

"On Feb. 3, 2008, the community showed highlights from the 1960 Philadelphia Eagles v. Green Bay Packers N.F.L. Championship game at Jim McCusker's Pub. Here he comments on the Eagles win. Jim was the starting left tackle for the Eagles and earned a championship ring. Jim is a native/resident of Jamestown N.Y. Jim is a member of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame."

From NFL Films

1960 was an interesting NFL season for several reasons. You had a different NFL champion for the first time since 1958, because the Philadelphia Eagles won the championship in 1960 dethroning the Baltimore Colts who won the championship in 58 and 59. The great Giants-Eagles rivalry went to a new level as Eagles LB Chuck Bedmarik closed line which was legal back then, but he closed line New York Giants star RB/WR Frank Gifford. Knocked him out cold which cost Gifford an entire season. The Chicago Cardinals moved to St. Louis and I’m sure people in Chicago helped the Cardinals pack. Because they were an awful team and Chicago is Bears country anyway.

But perhaps the most interesting part of the 1960 NFL season were the Eagles. A blue-collar team with a great quarterback in Norm Van Brocklin and a great head coach in Buck Shaw. And the team they played in the NFL Championship the Green Bay Packers who hadn’t been an NFL contender since the early 1950s. And 1960 was Packers head coach Vince Lombardi’s first shot at the championship. And last playoff game he would ever lose. Interesting matchup because the Eagles were a pure passing team without much of a running game. And the Packers were a power running team that could also throw the ball when they needed to. But didn’t throw the ball very often.

The Eagles in 1960 were sort of like the Miami Dolphins of the mid and late 1980s. With a much better defense, but they moved the ball through the air primarily and would run when the defense was completely focused on taking away the pass. Similar to the New England Patriots of the last ten years or so. Where the Packers were a run, run, run team that would beat you up on the ground and up the middle. And could get to outside with their power sweep. And hit big passes in running situations and when you were expecting the run. Which made for a great championship matchup especially since both team were also good on defense.

NFLN: Pat Summerall- A Life Remembered

Source:NFL Films- Left to right: Pat Summerall & John Madden, when they were the lead announce team for FOX NFL Sunday.

Source:The Daily Press

“Spanning an NFL career that lasted 50 years both on the playing field and broadcast booth, Pat Summerall dies at the age of 82.

Legendary television announcer Pat Summerall died on Tuesday at the age of 82. In the days before cable and Red Zone, NFL Sundays were spent with Summerall and John Madden, first on CBS, then on Fox. His distinctive, deep voice and understated style perfectly contrasted with the bombastic Madden to make the pairing an all-time NFL favorite.”

From Pig Benis 

As Pat Summerall’s former partner at CBS Sports and FOX Sports during the NFL season John Madden said: “Pat Summerall was the voice of the NFL. The best whoever was and is when it comes to calling NFL games, because he had a great voice and also because he knew what he was talking about. He was the play by-play announcer with an analyst’s voice because he not only could see what was happening, but he knew what it meant because he use to play the game himself. So you were getting an insiders look not just from the analyst, but the guy calling the game.

Pat Summerall was just like Frank Gifford when he did play by-play for ABC’s Monday Night Football. Frank Gifford not only being a great announcer, but a Hall of Fame player for the New York Giants and a teammate with Pat Summerall.

I also feel lucky to be able to hear Pat Summerall as the lead play by-play announcer when I did. He and John Madden became partners and CBS Sports lead announcers for the NFL on CBS in 1981 or 82. Which meant they got the top game in the National Football Conference every week.

My first year watching football was in 1982 just as the Redskins my team were starting their big run in the 1980s winning two Super Bowls in that decade and three NFC Championships. So I got to see Summerall and Madden calling a lot of Redskin games that decade.

When I was growing up, it seemed like every Sunday at one point Summerall and Madden were calling the Redskins game and they were either playing the Giants or Cowboys or Eagles on Sunday afternoon at 4PM. And if they weren’t playing at 4PM they were the Monday Night or Sunday Night game.

A big reason why I fell in love with football so early in life was because I was fairly athletic early on as a kid and enjoyed playing football for fun, as well as the Redskins being so good early on. But also because I got to hear the best broadcast duo of all-time calling so many Redskins games.

When I think of Pat Summerall I think of the voice of the NFL and especially the voice of the NFL when it came to intros to games and a lot of those intros involved Redskin games. Again I feel lucky to of heard him call so many Redskin games, because he would do the intro almost as if he wrote it himself. It seemed so natural to him and his ability to deliver when it came to calling game action. Or talking about the NFL seemed so natural which is why he is the voice of the NFL. And while he be missed because there will never be someone as good and as talented calling NFL games. 

Chicago Tribune: NFL 1963- NFL Championship -New York Giants @ Chicago Bears: '63 Bears Reflect on Championship Season'

 

Source:Chicago Tribune- The 1963 Chicago Bears: the last last of the great George Halas teams.

Source:The Daily Press

“Chicago Tribune photographer Michael Tercha sat down with former Bears players to talk about the chemistry and attitude of the 1963 team. For more video, visit:Chicago Tribune."  

From the Chicago Tribune

This was an end of an era because this would be the last time that the Giants and Bears would play each other for the NFL Championship. Because even though both teams were still competitive for the rest of the 1960s, they were no longer NFL Championship contenders. And by 1970 they were now playing each other in the same conference what is today known as the National Football Conference, after the NFL/AFL merger.

So the 1963 NFL Championship wasn’t the end of one of the best NFL rivalries, but it certainly changed and was no longer very important as far as the current league. Because both teams were fairly mediocre for the rest of the 1960s. Both teams were bad in the 1970s, only making the NFL Playoffs a total of two times. The Bears both times in 1977 and 79. With both clubs not becoming contenders again until the 1980s.

NFL Films: 1966 Atlanta Falcons

Source:NFL Films- the 1966 Atlanta Falcons.

Source:The Daily Press

“1966 Atlanta Falcons First Campaign” 

From Er Big Fan 

“1967 Atlanta Falcons” 

Source:NFL Films- name this Falcon.

From Er Big Fan 

The 1966 Atlanta Falcons I guess could go down as one of the worst NFL expansion teams of all-time. Especially if you consider that they gave up over thirty-one points a game in the mid-1960s NFL where the rules still benefited the defenses. So take that up to the 1980s and we are definitely talking about one of the worst defenses of all-time. 

The Falcons offense wasn’t much help either only scoring 204 in fourteen games. The great defenses are going have a hard time being successful when their offense is only giving them less than fifteen points a game to work with. 

But a franchise’s expansion year isn’t really about having a good season. What you do with that season is use it almost as an extended preseason and look at a lot of players unless you find some very good ones early on and just go with. But generally you use that year to see where are strong early on and where you need to improve going forward. On a positive note: the Falcons did win 3-5 games in 1966 to finish at 3-11.