Tag: National Football League

Mar12013 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Football Friday: Baltimore Colts at Green Bay Packers, 10/8/61

Football Friday: Baltimore Colts at Green Bay Packers, 10/8/61

Football Friday, Sports
Another trip to the Life photo archives has yielded another great set of classic NFL photographs. These were snapped by Robert W. Kelley at a game played between the Green Bay Packers and the visiting Baltimore Colts at Lambeau Field -- then known as New City Stadium -- on October 8, 1961. Tracking down the date for this game was a little tricky, as the Life photo pages provide no details. How I figured it out was by using the visual clues. Weeb Ewbank is pictured on the Baltimore sideline. He coached the Colts from 1954-1962. One of the Baltimore players pictured is wearing jersey #34, and he appears to be a back of some kind. Only one player from this era was a back and wore #34 -- Joe "The Jet" Perry. Perry was a fullback in Baltimore for the '61 and '62 seasons only. One
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Feb222013 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Football Friday: Vintage 1969 AFL/NFL Team Mascot Decals

Football Friday: Vintage 1969 AFL/NFL Team Mascot Decals

Ephemera, Football Friday, Sports
I've got a special off-season edition of Football Friday for you today! I get daily email alerts from eBay for just about anything tagged as being from the AFL, which I use to find many of the excellent AFL game programs I share. But on occasion I find other neat things too. Take, for example, this set of vintage NFL/AFL team mascot decals from 1969. These are some fantastic stickers.  
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Feb52013 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Here’s the New Jacksonville Jaguars Logo

Here’s the New Jacksonville Jaguars Logo

Sports
Well, I guess I'll have to do some updating of my AFC South NFL logo ranking before the 2013 season gets underway. That's because the Jacksonville Jaguars today unveiled their first new primary logo since the team joined the league in 1995. Here it is: For comparison, here's the previous version: On the whole, this is a step in the right direction. Obviously this new jaguar is more realistic, and looks like an actual cat rather than a conglomeration of geometric shapes assembled to resemble one. The color scheme of the fur is improved, but then again, there's that green tongue. It's like the big cat had a watermelon lollipop before the modeling session. As overall logos go, this is pretty good. As Jaguars logos go, it's a step up for certain. Even better is the team's new ...
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Jan42013 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
The 10 Longest Active Super Bowl/Championship Droughts in NFL History

The 10 Longest Active Super Bowl/Championship Droughts in NFL History

Football Friday, Sports
(Note: Totals are accurate through the end of the 2014 NFL regular season.) It seems like training camp just opened, and we've already put another NFL regular season in the books. But now I want to turn my attention to the unfortunates -- the teams that haven't won a National Football League title since I've even been alive. While there are some pretty good franchises on this list, it's mostly a collection of clubs that have come to represent football futility for most. Unlike the other major American sports leagues, the NFL has seen fit to establish a clear distinction between the pre- and post-Super Bowl eras. I have never bought into that line of thinking, and so I count Super Bowls, NFL championships, and AFL championships equally. If you think that's bunk, I'm not going to try t
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Nov162012 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Football Friday — Week 11 Highlights, Chargers vs. Broncos 1975

Football Friday — Week 11 Highlights, Chargers vs. Broncos 1975

Football Friday, Sports
Sorry, not a ton of time this week to put together something too involved. So it's back to the YouTube vaults for some more vintage game highlight films. Specifically, the San Diego Chargers/Denver Broncos contest from week 11 of the 1975 regular season. On November 30, 1975, winless San Diego traveled to Denver to play the Broncos on a brisk, 19-degree afternoon. Despite racking up a meager three first downs and 123 yards on offense, the Bolts managed to bring the game to overtime. Of course, it stands that the Chargers' only TD was a 42-yard punt return by rookie Mike Fuller. But all was for naught as Jim Turner booted a 25-yard field goal in the extra period.
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Nov92012 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Retro Football Cards — Andrew Luck, Pro Set 1989

Retro Football Cards — Andrew Luck, Pro Set 1989

Football Friday, Sports
After a lengthy break, it's time for another retro football card designed by yours truly. I didn't intend for this series to be so quarterback-heavy, but I can't overlook the great performance turned in by rookie Colts QB Andrew Luck last weekend. Against the Miami Dolphins in Week 9, Luck passed for an NFL rookie record 433 yards. It was his fourth 300-yard-plus passing performance this season, only the second time a rookie QB has done that. The first? Peyton Manning. So yeah, I think #12 deserves this. This card is based on a 1989 Pro Set card for former Colts quarterback Chris Chandler.  I picked '89 since Luck was born that year. I had some trouble finding the right typeface for the name, and ended up using Haettenschweiler. If anyone reading this can think of a better choice, le
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Nov22012 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Football Friday — Vintage NFL Team Media Guides and Yearbooks, Part 1

Football Friday — Vintage NFL Team Media Guides and Yearbooks, Part 1

Football Friday, Sports
Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, there almost wasn't a Football Friday post this week. But I couldn't let that happen to you, my faithful fans and readers. But I will compromise and just give you a gallery of some classic NFL team media guide/yearbook covers. Consider this a preview of the next permanent section of the main site; a sister gallery to my AFL game program exhibit if you will. (more…)
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Oct262012 by Chris HolmesNo Comments

Football Friday — Vintage NFL Products from the Sears Catalog, Part 1

Football Friday, Sports
And it's back to the Sears catalog I go, this time to bring you a host of vintage NFL merchandise from the past. Let's take a look! I don't know if I had this bedding set (from 1973) exactly, but I had one very much like it. I had matching curtains too. Man do I miss them. Dig that funky New York Jets wordmark! Both of these images are from the Fall 1975 catalog. My eye is immediately drawn to the old Los Angeles Rams and Houston Oilers logos. (more…)
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Oct122012 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Football Friday: A Gallery of Alex Karras Detroit Lions Football Cards

Football Friday: A Gallery of Alex Karras Detroit Lions Football Cards

Football Friday, Sports
Former NFL great and all-around media star Alex Karras died earlier this week from complications due to kidney failure. He had been in extremely poor health the last few years of his life. While most of my generation knows him best as Mongo in Blazing Saddles or George Papadapolis from Webster, Karras was first and foremost an outstanding defensive lineman for the Detroit Lions. Karras racked up four Pro Bowl selections in his Detroit career (1958 - 1970) -- which was interrupted by a season-long suspension for gambling in 1963 -- and was later named to the NFL's 1960s All-Decade Team at defensive tackle. As a small tribute to Karras, here is a gallery of football cards representing nearly each of his 12 NFL seasons. (more…)
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