Twenty years ago Joe Montana made history in Super Bowl XXIII at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami...Montana and teammate Jerry Rice put together one of the greatest Super Bowl final drives in history as San Francisco beat Cincinnati 20-16 in what was Bill Walsh's last game as head coach of 49ers...
ke the tension by pointing out the late comedian John Candy in the stands to his teammates...
The Pittsburgh Steelers were involved in Super Bowl XIII which took place 30 years ago at the Orange Bowl in Miami...it marked the first ever rematch of a previous Super Bowl as the Steelers took on the Dallas Cowboys...the two teams met three years earlier in Super Bowl X...and just like the first time, the Steelers won again, but it was a game in which the Cowboys probably should have taken if not for three plays...
d a sure game tying touchdown (photo)...Dallas had to settle for a Rafael Septien field goal to make it 21-17...
andle the ball because of a cast on his arm...Pittsburgh's Tony Dungy separated the ball from White and Dennis "Dirt" Winston recovered on the Dallas 18-yard line...on the very next play, Bradshaw hit Swann in the back of the endzone to make it 35-17...
This week Stiles Points is going to look back at the anniversaries of some of the past Super Bowls...today's spotlight occurred 40 years ago in Super Bowl III when Joe Namath (photo - right) guaranteed his New York Jets would beat the mighty Baltimore Colts even though they were an 18-point underdog...
Bowl in Miami...this was a game in which the AFL needed to win because the NFL may have pulled out of the merger...in the previous two championship games, the Green Bay Packers smashed their AFL competition...a third straight win by the NFL would have been disastrous for the AFL...the Colts entered the game with a 13-1 mark and a thrashing of the Cleveland Browns in the NFL title game by the score of 34-0....
"From childhood until her final days, Yow engaged in the game she loved, but eventually she transcended it. In a hotly competitive sport, her gentle manner taught mutual respect. And in recent years, her energy drained and her features drawn by cancer, her presence courtside reminded all in the arena that no matter how urgent the contest, it was only a game. What mattered most, Yow said, was winning in life." ... 
y is in on his first ballot - LOCK
t is all...he has 11,271 yards rushing and 70 overall TDs...the early part of his carer was marred by injuries...his best season came in 2003 when he ran for 1,572 yards...Taylor was always underappreciated...he has had a good career, but he never has done anything to stand out...he was never a true difference maker...sorry - NO WAY
On January 13th, Rivals.com updated their Top 100 high school players...the following is the list of the top 30 and where they have verbally committed to..
If I were fortunate enough to be a part of the selection process, here are the people who would have my support to be part of the 2009 Hall of Fame Class...
peer of the Geico gecko (do they ever hang out, compare rates?) and the Verizon guy. She follows in a heady tradition of corporate mascots, from Palmolive's Madge to Tony the Tiger.
Rich Rodriguez hopes freshman quarterback Tate Forcier is the real deal...if not, Rich Rod's days in Ann Arbor may be numbered...
ar to that of Jeff Garcia, another riverboat gambler who finds ways to get the job done. Has good mobility within the pocket, and pulls the occasional rabbit out of his hat when a play breaks down. Can sidestep the rush and has a very quick release. He isn't afraid to take off on the run. Can create second chances with his feet and pick up a first down. Often breaks containment, and can throw on the run to either side with very good accuracy. He's a timing passer who likes to get the ball out of his hand quickly.
LSU head coach Les Miles got a stud at quarterback when dual-threat Russell Shepard of Houston, Texas committed to the Tigers...
k--a scary thought. Shepard is lean, flexible and plays with a lot of wiggle. He might seem like just a great athlete playing quarterback at first, but he's the real deal as a complete player. Still, he makes most of his plays with his legs, either on called runs or on scrambles after the initial play unravels. Causes headaches for defenses because he can break down a defender in the open field as well as anyone. Stays low to the ground and doesn't take a lot of big hits. Has excellent vision and the lateral mobility to bounce runs outside after starting inside.
According to Rivals.com, Jelani Jenkins is the top rated high school defensive player...
Earlier this week Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith was voted the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year...the AP has been presenting this award since 1957...when looking over the list of other coaches who have won this award, there were some interesting facts that I wanted to share with my readers...
len of the Rams shared it with Don Shula of the Colts...
Today's feature is high school running back Bryce Brown...
other Arthur displayed as a top linebacker prospect in 2008. He has a solid, thickly built frame and the compact body structure necessary to be a workhorse type at the next level. Presses the hole, but also has a great blend of vision, balance and decisiveness to hit the cutback lane sharply and burst through the line of scrimmage. Squares his shoulder pads quickly out of his cuts and instantly generates excellent north-south speed. He's a bit straight-lined, but he has the smooth hips, body control and suddenness to avoid defenders through initial traffic. Makes subtle cuts to sidestep trash without losing much in transition. His low center of gravity and ability to reach top speed in an instant gives him the power to break initial arm tackles consistently. Needs to watch body tilt as he can run high but demonstrates a strong lower body, good determination and relentless leg drive on contact. Picks up extra yards and finishes runs. Flashes the speed to bounce outside, turn the corner and go the distance. Has the explosive extra gear in space to separate. Shows adequate hands and receiving skills, and the strength to chip and pick up the blitz. Brown's somewhat questionable open-field elusiveness and level of competition are the only real concerns at this point, but he definitely has the physical gifts to make an early impact at the next level.
With signing day fast approaching, Stiles Points will be featuring various players who may be the next stud in college...today's feature is Rueben Randle who is listed as the top high school player in the country by Rivals.com...
athletic for his size. Plays fast and has explosive playmaking skills. His size and speed make him a legitimate deep threat. He's versatile and able to play multiple spots in a formation to create mismatches. Struggles to get off press coverage against talented, savvy cornerbacks--like most young receivers. He's tough and fearless over the middle. Makes tough catches in traffic and secures the ball even when absorbing a big hit. He's a bit high-cut, but shows little stiffness in his hips. Has more explosiveness running vertical routes than he has after the catch, but his initial burst and second gear still make him a threat to go the distance. Shows surprisingly fluid athleticism with the ball in his hands and isn't strictly straight-lined in his movements. He isn't exactly shifty in space, but he has natural cutting ability. Catches the ball in stride and has enough elusiveness to make multiple defenders miss. Can turn a short catch into a big play. Has very long arms and can high-point the ball in traffic. His size gives him natural red-zone tools, and he can make the acrobatic catch. Has a wide catch radius and very impressive focus. Has very good return skills and vision in the open field. Needs to polish his route-running skills, but that should come with time and experience. Randle has the blend of size, speed and playmaking ability to create mismatch problems on the perimeter or in the slot at the college level.
John Branch of The New York Times wrote a fascinating article about the inexact science about how football officials determine a first down... "Since 1906, football teams have needed to gain 10 yards for a first down. From the sideline, far from the action, two sticks connected by a chain have measured the required distance, their placement estimated by eyesight." ... 
