@@tommitchell8425 He can be Facenda's color guy...lol...of course I've heard of Bill King..."The Raaaaiiiiderzzzzzz"...and "Madden's grin is split open like a watermelon from ear to ear!!!..." ( January, 1977, Super Bowl XI, win over Minn.) and "There's nothing real in the world anymore!!! Madden wants to know if it's a touchdown, the ref says yes, get your big butt outta here!!! This play will live on...forever!!! (The Holy Roller, vs. San Diego,1978). He was also the voice of the Warriors and the A's!!💘💘😄😄
Why can't we just bring this back. This has so much heart and soul. The narration is so on point with John you can follow this like he is reading a book out loud.
I loved the look, feel, and atmosphere of old Memorial Stadium on those grey football Sundays. The dust...you could even see the suburban homes beyond the open end of the stadium
GREAT game, and thank you Comrade. This was truly a great AFC Championship Game. And although the Raiders lost, they were winners in terms of UNIFORMS. That 1970 Raiders road uniform was probably my favorite of all time. Pure silver and white.
Im watching these films trying not to find beforehand the exact results of some games. AND they aré geniune film masterpieces . They display action, suspense, thrill, drama And unexpected endings. All under crafty use of cameras, photographic angles and sound. The best kind of films you could ever get.
The very best of times for the NFL and the working class who were unlike today true football fans who built the NFL into a success and now can't afford to afford to attend games cause of today's greedy corporate culture and won't want to anymore
It was the worst stadium in sports. We were a national laughingstock. The mayor played hardball on a new stadium even though memorial stadium was an absolute dump and we lost the Colts. The Orioles threatened to move to D C and we finally got Camden Yards.
18+ years before i was born, that was fun to watch. Number of hall of famers in this game. Unitas, Upshaw, Blanda, Biletnikoff, Mackey, Hendricks, Otto, Shell and Brown. Neat to finally watch this game
I can't believe The Coliseum sold naming rights...saw it the other day..United Airlines?..i think...i was gobsmacked..didn't even say Eastern Airlines' The Coliseum..just Eastern Airlines Stadium...smh.
The drunk known as Robert Irsay traded Hendricks to GB for a bag of balls. Irsay was a drunken fool who only wanted to make money not win championships.
An overlooked game, and one of the best NFL Films productions. The biggest moments, mainly the last two Colts' TD's, are backed by my two favorite NFL Films pieces of music. Funny how Unitas was so clutch here and looked like such an old man in the Super Bowl. Steve Sabol was a Colts fan and it's not surprising he spent so much time on the reaction to the win. Knowing he's a Colts fan, go back and look at the SB III movie and see how it sneaks through several times. He later admitted as much.
I want to thank you for putting this video up. I am one of those Baltimore Colts fans not dead yet. I want to say this game was a blow out. Johns passes where dropped and the score should have been much higher. He did not have his old standout Ray Berry who had retired. I want the world to know that this organization was a great one until the gangster owner Carrol Rosenbloom swapped the team for the LA Rams with a drunk for an owner who had no intentions of ever winning a championship. Instead of keeping some key vets and bringing in some rookies he cleaned house and then when the team got better again he refused to pay anyone and traded all them away. Robert Irsay was a drunken sob who would sell his own mother for a buck. He is the epitomy of what the NFL is now a cartel. A criminal cartel. Long live the past and real contact football. RIP to all who have left us.
No, this game was not a blowout. It was in the balance deep into the fourth quarter. Passes were dropped? Well, with all the comparisons between football then and now, one thing hasn't changed: you don't get credit for a completion unless you catch the ball. It's part of the game.
This game, the NFC title game film with Facenda and the Super Bowl that year, were perhaps the best championship film trilogy NFL Films ever did. Everything was just incredible with these films.
I agree, best blend of music and narration this year. I always told people that SB was the best NFL films SB recap ever, even though the game was nothing to write home about.
This was the culmination of a magical Raider season in which George Blanda performed miraculous feats to lift the Raiders to victory in the regular season. It was truly superhuman what that man was able to do that year. The gods were looking down on him that season.
Every mid-December since RU-vid was born or on NFL Network, I've loved watching these old NFL Films w/ John Facenda narrating, the jolly roger music, the mic'd up players...the whole damn thing...gets me juiced and primed for college bowl games, National Championships, and of course, NFL PLAYOFFS!!!!!! God I love American football.
Great game between two great teams. Johnny U. came through once again with a beautiful pass to Ray Perkins (27), the Colts former #1 pick out of Alabama. George Blanda finally out of miracles. The Raiders had an amazing season in 1970, one for the ages, but it ended in the dust in Baltimore.
What a game!!! To beat those Raiders in such fashion will forever be remembered by Colt supporters everywhere. Loved this video! Johnny U and the Baltimore Colts! Dual in the Dust!!!
@@davidcobb2693 I hadn’t heard that Otto, like Hwy 63, never missed a snap in his career. My recollection, as an ardent Raider fan in the 70s, is that his eventual successor, Dave Dalby, spelled him occasionally in his final season, as Otto’s injury-ravaged knees began to undermine his performance. You’re absolutely right, tho, he set the standard for one of the best offensive lines in NFL history. I’d rate him with Pittsburgh’s Mike Webster as the best centers ever.
@@davidcobb2693 Correctamundo & a strong closing argument. Interestingly, Webster rated 75th-two or three spots ahead of OO-in the NFL’s all-time top 100 players rankings 20 years back. Probably the four Steeler championship teams Webster played on, along with the usual anti-Raider bias, explains that. 🤟
@@brainscott8198, I'd use that epithet to describe him, in general. Pretty full of himself. In the America's Game feature on this season for the Colts, he stupidly described the AFL of 1968, as a "schlep league", when in fact, its defense had caught up with the innovative offense the AFL has been regaling their fans with ftom the beginning. The disparity between the top teams in each league had been virtually extinguished, though the poor to mediocre teams took awhile to become consistently competitive, once they started to face old NFL teams during every regular season. Except for Miami, of course.
Mike Curtis crossing the picket line in 70 caused a lot of angst for himself and teammates aa anti union asshole who didn't deserve his football pension but a hall of famer
I always remember him popping that dude that came running on to the field and grabbed the football. His best play ever. If I remember correctly, the dude had a Jets stocking cap on.
You will notice that unlike these days, the passes are not caught using just the hands (05:05, 14:35) unless there is no choice. That is because back in those days the receivers did not have tacky gloves. The ball was caught against the torso.
@@jackjax532 I dunno...Colts have been around longer, same uni's for like, 68 years. I'm a Raiders fan, don't get me wrong...plus I haven't seen the Raiders in that all silver and white with black trim, with the silver numbers in...a long time.
@@michaelleroy9281, They've had those again, various times in recent years, as throwbacks, including earlier this season. I find them far preferable to the standard white jerseys with black numbers.
Best QB of all time. He invented the position as it’s known today. Tom Brady? You are what your record says you are. Which is obviously great as well. But for my money, #19 is the best.
The Field Judge, #84, is Bob Wortman. Not only was he my insurance agent, but I attended grade school, St Michael in Findlay, OH, with his son, John. Mr Wortman officiated in many post season games. There is a famous picture of Mel Renfro (#20) of the Cowboys leaping to block a field goal. Mr Wortman is also pictured in the frame.
@@brianwolf6166 Deep trivia, there was a scene in the 1970's show Happy Days where Ron Howard's character is talking about pro football. The show was meant to be about a 1950's family. They were talking about quarterbacks and someone, maybe Fonz, asked about George Blanda. Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard) said "He's pretty old."
@@Stacie45 The scene was they were watching the Chicago Bears against the Packers game where the Bears were struggling. So, Richie says to Ralph Mouth that the Bears should put in their other quarterback, which Ralph scoffs at saying he is washed up. Richie then responds "I think George Blanda has 1 or 2 good years left.".
@@jonburrows8602 Thanks for the correction. I haven't seen the episode but it is interesting that it was a 1970's sitcom about the 1950's...and Blanda's career spanned the entire time frame. I would buy the script writer a beer. And now comes Tom Brady, who just became the oldest player in pro football history to rush for a touchdown in a playoff game.
The Raiders on this day were one game away from getting to play the 70's Cowboys in the Superbowl. The Raiders would miss playing the Cowboys by one game in the Superbowl two more times. Again in 75, and one more time in 77.
@@chuckwest7045 I was wrong though. I forgot that the Cowboys and the Raiders missed each other in the Superbowl again by only one game in 1980. The Cowboys lost to the Eagles in the 1980 championship game, and the Raiders went on to beat the Eagles in Superbowl XV. Although not too many players remained on either team from a Decade earlier.
One of the things I love about this highlight reel is the use of natural sound. Facenda's voice is legendary but the sound of the vendor selling programs and the Colts marching band and Upshaw trying to psyche out Jim O'Brien really make this one.
Classic game, classic presentation - John Facenda. Brutal, physical game. Raiders did a lot of gang tackling. Both fullbacks were outstanding - Bulaich and some great runs by Hewritt Dixon. Raiders always had big fullbacks - Dixon, Hubbard, Van Eeghen. Only year the Raiders used the visitors' jerseys with the great silver numbers. I think the return to black numerals in '71 was borne out of a visibility issue.
The greatest 3 month stretch in Baltimore history; the Colts win Super Bowl 5 right after the Orioles beat the Big Red Machine in the World Series. John Unitas and Brooks Robinson!
Perfect flip of the script from 1969 when in a 9 month span both Memorial Stadium teams lost to the teams from Shea Stadium in their respective championships.
Not the Jets and Mets. Both teams had never appeared in any title games before. Not to mention the Colts had already beaten the football Giants in the '58 and '59 title games (1958 being the "greatest game ever played as the first NFL title game to go into OT and Johnny U's 2 minute drill at the end of regulation that forced OT).
@@andrewpadaetz5549 Jets and Mets had never even made the playoffs before their miracle years and had only one prior winning season between the 2 of them.
My god, talk about 3 yards and cloud of dust. LITERALLY that day. And the GREAT bruising backs- Norm Bulach, Tom Nowatzki, Hewrit Dixon, Pete Banaszak, Marv Hubbard....truly the age of the Bruising RB.
Warren Wells definitely had possesion of the ball before Rick Volk knocked it out in the end zone. Good call by the official. The age of unreal defenses: Vikings, Raiders, Chiefs, Rams, Cowboys, Colts. Baltimore, mainly a Veteran team and just as rugged as the Raiders, though two rookies scored a lot of their points here - O' Brian and Bulaich. The Mad Stork sacks George Blanda. Later, ends up a Raider and a different set of players for these teams met on this field again, I think 1977, maybe '78 (?), and it was Oakland coming out on top
How bout Jerry Logan throwing the ball and hitting the Ref after the play? I'm sure that would get a penalty these days, looks like the Ref here didn't care.
@@kencummings953 As well as Hewitt Dixon's. Man, he was a load to bring down. He was near to All-Pro status, once he got to Oakland. I'm not definite as to what ended his career in the '71 preseason, as he was still more than a capable player. I believe he suffered a knee injury sometime, either during training camp or in a game, but he was finished, one way or the other. He was only about 30.
@@RadicalCaveman I don't think the 1977 Colts were as good as that 1970 team. Just my opinion. I do think, however, the '70 and '77 Raiders were of equal caliber to each other. The 1977 Colts were young. The 1970 Baltimore team was a grizzled old bunch and very much experienced.
I was at that game an the field was a total dirt play yard.After the game I was at the Raiders Hotel Bar having a few with Blanca a some other Raiders an had to go to the rest room an in doing so you had to walk out an cross the Lobby.In the Lobby sitting in a straight chair was Al Davis an when I returned through the Lobby I said to Al,”I know how you feel”. Al replied,” no you don’t “. That was my one an only conversation with Al Davis.
Grew up a Colts fan, and hated it that the Colts got moved to AFC-- didn't seem right-- but after all the close losses in the 60s, the Colts fianally got another Championship for Johhny U in Super Bowl V. I think to this day in Johnny U had played the whole game, they would have beat the Jets in SB III. If you watch the highlights, Earl Morrall lost that game-- he was terrible.
Well, in retrospect, the Colts weren't an original NFL team, as they had been in the AAFC, then the NFL for a year, then dissolved, then brought back 2 years later when another team folded and went to Baltimore. Moving them and the Browns, another former AAFC team, made some sense. Probably moving San Francisco (also an AAFC) over to the AFC instead of Pittsburgh, a long time NFL team, would have made more sense, but they probably needed Pittsburgh for geographic reasons, and since the Steelers had won nothing in 40 years in the NFL, and became one of, if not THE top AFC team in its history, it all worked out.
If Johnny had been in his prime, that's probably true. But he was not the same at the time. I'm not sure he could have won the game in his condition at the time. And, the fact is, the Jets moved pretty well against the Colts defense. That game killed me, but I think you have to give the Jets some credit.
Moving the Colts, Steelers and Browns to the AFC made sense. Baltimore owner Caroll Rosenbloom was paid $2 million from other owners to move. NBC was happy because they wanted the Colts away from Washington of the NFC and CBS. The Steelers and Browns joined the Bengals and Houston in the same division. The Oilers were a little out of place but the Cleveland-Cincinnati-Pittsburgh rivalry was a strong one.
I've always wondered how those three teams were chosen to move to the AFC. I was 8 years old in the 1970 season. I started getting into football the year before.
Every mid-December since RU-vid was born or on NFL Network, I've loved watching these old NFL Films w/ John Facenda narrating, the jolly roger music, the mic'd up players...the whole damn thing...gets me juiced and primed for college bowl games, National Championships, and of course, NFL PLAYOFFS!!!!!! God I love American football.
Believe it or not, Raymond Chester played for both Oakland and Colts. Yes, I have been hard-core Raider since 1971 as a 4 year old. I watched since then.
Thanks for this video. As a Baltimore Colt fan it was great to see again. There are still some of us around. It was so cold that day. Memorial Stadium had it's own weather and it seemed like the wind was constantly blowing.
Great stuff once again, Comrade. I only wish that you might post a *complete* version of the 1972 Raiders season highlights. (The only versions currently on RU-vid have amputated the Raider’s playoff loss in the “Immaculate Reception” game.)
The epitome of old school NFL football: A rock 'em ,sock 'em, hard knockin', slugfest played on crappy field in a shoebox of a stadium...for a conference championship, the right to go to Super Bowl V.
This was part of an incredible 11 year (1967-1977) run by the Raiders when they played in either the League (AFL) or Conference (AFC) Championship game in 9 of those years. (1971 & 1972 were the only two of those years when they didn't play in the Championship game.) But there was a problem: the Raiders had trouble winning those games, as they only won 2 of the 9. The wins were in 1967 over the Houston Oilers, but then the Raiders lost to the Packers in Super Bowl II. The other was 1976 over the Steelers, after which the Raiders beat the Vikings in Super Bowl XI. The Raiders success of that period is quite a contrast to recent history. As of this writing (December 2021), the Raiders have only been to the playoffs once in the previous 18 seasons: 2016, which was also their only season in that span in which they've finished with a winning record. Even then, they lost to the Houston Texans in the first round of the playoffs. The Raiders haven't won a playoff game since January 19, 2003, when the beat the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Conference Championship game.
Mandy Mayne, They're on the cusp of getting back in the hunt, if they can finish off the Chargers, at home. I've loathed them for many years, so I hope they come up short, once again.
The Baltimore colts had dominated in super bowl championship between afl and nfl from 1950's, 1960's and 70's. One championship in 1971. While the divisions of AFL championship is 7x titles. Until the colts wear blue changed into the purple color and moving Indianapolis in 1984. Raven established in February 21, 1996 after baltimore club in 1984-96!
The Athletes may be bigger and faster today but these old guys were flat out tough. I mean the Quarterbacks were getting killed after they threw the ball. Nowadays if you even as much as touch a QB after he realeases a pass you get flagged. I often wonder what these guys think about today's game ? The game back then was way more rough.
Fun Fact: Bubba Smith , Ben Davidson and Madden would later on be in those epic Miller Lite Less Filling/Tastes Great Commercials from the 1970's and 1980's
Center for the Raiders, double zero, Jim Otto. Playing with a little bigger facemask than a quarter back. Him and Mike Webster, were two players I paid attention to. I was a center in highschool.
Those Raiders whites with the silver numbers are the best looking uniforms they ever had. Very cool. But I wasn't a fan of either of these teams. The week before this, the Colts beat my Bengals. I was only 8 years old, but already a Bengals fan. Maybe I even cried when they lost.
When content was so infrequent it made the highlite team put out maximum effort. I still prefer this approach over todays get out as much info as you can as fast as you can. It’s ruined the meaning sports and our teams had to us. Thank you for this reminder
It was kinda weird but good in '70. I remember my uncle, who was only five years older than me, was a Colts/Johnny Unitas fan. He had a hard time sticking with them when they deflected to the other league with Pittsburgh and Cleveland. I remember he had those little plastic NFL helmets that you would have to put the logo sticker on (I had a set of those myself). The Colts, Steelers, and Browns were removed from the display. I remember his Mother (my grandmother who didn't follow football) finding the Colts helmet and asking him if he wanted it and he said, "nah, that's an odd one". I dunno, I guess we kinda thought those teams were like traitors at the time. Didn't last long, though. By next season or maybe '72 all was forgotten/forgiven.
It's insane that the AFC Championship Game hasn't been played in Baltimore since. Well, it should've happened in 2006 and 2019 but I guess we'll never know.
@GIL Favor Why nah? All Stabler did was take the Raiders to 5 straight AFC Championships and one SB victory (and he was league MVP in 74') after he took over as starter in 1973. Under Lamonica Raiders missed the playoffs in 1971 and were bounced in the 1st round in 1972, even though Stabler came off the bench in that game and gave them a brief lead after Lamonica did nothing for 3 quarters. Lamonica had trouble reading 1970s zone defenses and was a relic of the pre-merger wide open AFL. Plus Lamonica was always getting hurt.
Stabler did give them a lead in the final minutes of the '72 playoff game...since the site of the championship was rotated each year Oakland would have hosted Miami if they won (and likely ended the Fins undefeated title hopes). Then....
