Interesting Rarely Known Sports Facts/Tidbits Thread

[HarleyQuinn]

Stumbled upon this article about the Indianapolis Colts running the Wishbone Offense during the 1988 NFL Season. This blows my mind as I always assumed that the NFL rarely employed any type of Option, except for maybe a handful of plays during the season (See Vick during his Atlanta days).

Apparently they even averaged showing it 10+ times in their games against San Diego, Denver, and the Jets.

Anybody else have any facts or tidbits that are generally not known, if virtually unknown period?

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

One thing that stunned me when I first learned about it, was that the best defence (as determined by fewest points allowed per game) since the NFL-AFL merger belongs to the................1977 Atlanta Falcons. A team that went 7-7 and missed the playoffs.

 

[BruiserBrody]

The 1929 Packers Played EIGHT straight road games and allowed only 22 points to be scored against them over 13 games....and managed to NOT go undefeated

 

[Agent of Oblivion]

Georges Carpentier competed professionally at every weight class officially recognized during the course of his career and won significant European titles at every weight division from Welterweight upwards. He also held the world light heavyweight title for two years.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Stumbled across this 1930 Account of a game between Green Bay and the New York Giants.

What's notable about it? It mentions Green Bay utilizing a 6 man DL and 5 man Secondary in some situations. So essentially the Nickel/Dime package could have been seen as early as the 1920's.

Also interesting is that the NFL/Pro Football was founded on committees in part due to two way players and the Single Wing/Wing T playing formations. But formations like the Wildcat and RBBC's are throwbacks to the old way of playing football. One could argue that Michael Vick from 2002-2005 was the re-incarnation of the old school QB/HB who would throw and run judiciously.

 

[BruiserBrody]

Former Packer QB TJ Rubley (most famous for calling an audible on a run play and tossing a INT to cost the Packers a victory over the Vikings in 1995, then being cut in favor of Jim McMahon right after) is brothers in law with Sly Stallone

 

[alkeiper]

Watching the 1980 NLCS Game 5 program on MLB Network.

That postseason the Phillies and Astros played a three game set, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Astrodome. What makes it interesting is that the University of Houston had a football game scheduled against Texas A&M on Saturday. Change of venue? Heck no!

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4klPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IQMEAAAAIBAJ&dq=houston%20football&pg=4220%2C4863952

Of course the Phillies/Astros game went extra innings forcing a late(r) start.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bmBQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=g1gDAAAAIBAJ&dq=houston%20football&pg=4893%2C3461059

After the football game the Astrodome crew had to again quickly convert the field from football back to baseball for game 5 that evening.

 

[CanadianGuitarist]

While it's not unknown per se, it's often overlooked that Arnold Palmer was involved in every Green Jacket ceremony from 1958-1966. He won the coat in 1958/60/62/64, and gave it to Art Wall, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus twice.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

The Run & Shoot didn't debut with Warren Moon and the Houston Oilers in the NFL... it debuted with the 1986 Green Bay Packers?? thanks to HC Forrest Gregg.

That's the earliest specific mention I can find. Given that he tried to run it at SMU after the Death Penalty, it wouldn't surprise me if Gregg tried to incorporate somewhat of a "pure" version in 1986.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

The West Coast Offence started with the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968.

 

[Smartly Pretty]

No one in NFL History has more Kickoff returns for touchdowns than, of all people, Leon Washington.

 

[Master Thrasher]

I don't remember how I found this game but there was a game managed by Davey Johnson:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN198607220.shtml

It went into extras and he was running out of players. Two pitchers played as outfielders and relievers. The Mets won the game.

 

[Red Baron]

King Clancy played every position in a game in 1923. Back then when players need to take a break or was penalized, the player had to be replaced, including the goalie, which he was also served a penalty. Clancy played two minutes in goal, and didn't let a goal in.

 

[Czech]

Back then when players need to take a break or was penalized, the player had to be replaced, including the goalie, which he was also served a penalty.

Yeah, I read about that once! In fact, this exact sentence appeared in the instruction manual of the cheap DVD player I bought.

 

[Agent of Oblivion]

LLLLLLOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

 

[Wario Lemieux]

Once he caught on to the fact that quarterbacks always tried to figure out where he was before they snapped the ball, Lawrence Taylor liked to sneak up behind them after plays and whisper in their ear, "Don't worry about where I am. When I get here, I'll let you know." This reduced Ron Jaworski to tears.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Once he caught on to the fact that quarterbacks always tried to figure out where he was before they snapped the ball, Lawrence Taylor liked to sneak up behind them after plays and whisper in their ear, "Don't worry about where I am. When I get here, I'll let you know." This reduced Ron Jaworski to tears.

Out of fear or laughter?

 

[HarleyQuinn]

The West Coast Offence started with the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968.

Interestingly, it was more balanced than what came after it coaching wise. Bill Walsh strived more for balance whereas coaches such as Andy Reid shifted it heavily more towards the passing aspect. The same thing happened with Mouse Davis striving more for a balanced attack in the R&S (taking the run game more) whereas John Jenkins, June Jones, and Jerry Glanville leaned heavily on the passing aspect.

 

[Vitamin X]

The West Coast Offence started with the Cincinnati Bengals in 1968.

Interestingly, it was more balanced than what came after it coaching wise. Bill Walsh strived more for balance whereas coaches such as Andy Reid shifted it heavily more towards the passing aspect. The same thing happened with Mouse Davis striving more for a balanced attack in the R&S (taking the run game more) whereas John Jenkins, June Jones, and Jerry Glanville leaned heavily on the passing aspect.

and you can thank my alma mater for that! Mouse's House!

 

[Smartly Pretty]

I don't remember how I found this game but there was a game managed by Davey Johnson:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN198607220.shtml

It went into extras and he was running out of players. Two pitchers played as outfielders and relievers. The Mets won the game.

You probably came across it when I posted it in TWiB two weeks ago.

 

[Master Thrasher]

I don't remember how I found this game but there was a game managed by Davey Johnson:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN198607220.shtml

It went into extras and he was running out of players. Two pitchers played as outfielders and relievers. The Mets won the game.

You probably came across it when I posted it in TWiB two weeks ago.

Did you attach a blog post about it? I read it off a blog that led me to the box score and I couldn't remember how I came across it.

 

[Smartly Pretty]

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_article/silver-anniversary-davey-johnson-runs-out-of-players/

25 years ago today Davey Johnson literally ran out of players and still won a game 6-3 in extra innings. Cool read.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

The Wishbone offense adopted by Emory Bellard was really a merging of Homer Rice's Veer option attack and Gene Stalling's Triple Option out of the slot I Formation. The initial formation of the offense came about in the 1950's at the high school level thanks to coaches such as Charles Cason and Ox Emerson.

 

[CanadianChris]

Jack Nicklaus finished out of the top 10 in a major only 5 times during the 1970s. 5 times in 40 majors.

 

[Master Thrasher]

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_article/silver-anniversary-davey-johnson-runs-out-of-players/

25 years ago today Davey Johnson literally ran out of players and still won a game 6-3 in extra innings. Cool read.

There it is.

 

[chuck415]

If the 3 point line was used, based on the number jump shots he made from that range, Pete Maravich would have averaged 57 points per game in college.

 

[Red Baron]

Jeff Reese holds the record for most points by a goalie in a single game with three.

 

[treble]

Jeff Reese was my favourite goalie when I was 8 years old. Pretty bummed when they traded him for Doug Gilmour.

 

[MFer]

According to a blog on baseball-reference.com, (Austin) Jackson became the first centerfielder to make a game-ending catch-and-throw-home in 23 years. The last time it had happened, Jim Leyland also was the winning manager. His Pittsburgh centerfielder, Andy Van Slyke, made the throw for the center-to-home double play to save a win over St. Louis in 1988.

 

[Smartly Pretty]

Pretty sure I remember Tsuyoshi Shinjo actually doing that for the Mets against the Braves a couple years ago...