Tag Archives: College Football

Game of the Century.

Appalachian State fans are quick with the tshirt production.Appalachian State’s Goal Post.

Appalachian State’s upset of Michigan is The Game of the Century. By far there hasn’t been a bigger upset in the last 7 years (hence the Century term). Put strictly in historical terms:

Appalachian State has a winning record against the University of Michigan.

This is just another reason why College Football is the greatest sport ever. Meanwhile, ESPN is attempting to break into my football watching for the second consecutive night to show me a potential no hitter. Who cares. Wins & Loses. That’s all that matters. Ask formerly #5 Michigan.

Michigan Head Coach Lloyd Carr after the game:

“I’ve never been part of a loss that wasn’t miserable, and I don’t think I ever will be.”

You’ve also never beaten Appalachian State.

Football is Upon Us.

All American: Jim Thorpe

The 138th Football Season begins tomorrow and kicks off in full force this weekend. As many will agree, it’s been way too long since the end of last year. My top five signs that Football is upon us (in no particular order):

  1. School supplies are on sale.
  2. Baseball is halfway through the season.
  3. Browns fans have come back to the annual realization that they have no chance of competing in the NFC North.
  4. I have read 5 different ‘Preseason’ College Football periodicals.
  5. Pork Loin is about to become a staple of my diet.

If for some unamerican reason you didn’t recognize the man above, he is Jim Thorpe. The greatest American athlete of all time. Any man who jukes the future Supreme Allied Commander and scores a touchdown will forever be known by me as the Greatest American Athlete of All Time.

Heisman: Fumblerooski and Quarters

John Heisman

Tommorrow the Downtown Atheltic Club will award 72nd Heisman Trophy, named for John Heisman. Today’s New York Times had an article about John Heisman, the forgoten man behind the trophy. For those who don’t know Heisman was one of the inovators that made the game what it is today. After scouting a game between North Carolina and Georgia in 1895:

Heisman said he saw the first forward pass in history when a bungled punt attempt led a desperate punter to illegally fling the football over the line to a teammate who ran for a touchdown. Heisman walked away convinced it was the play that would save football from itself. As Heisman wrote, violent scrums based around bruising running plays were “killing the game as well as the players.”

In 1904-5, 44 players had been reported killed in football games, with hundreds sustaining serious injuries. Heisman said the forward pass “would scatter the mob.”

Among other advancements made by Heisman was the fumblerooski, creation of Quarters, and the scoreboard. Needless to say the game wouldn’t be the same without him.