When I began watching the NFL had 6 games in the preseason...I didn't know when one season ended and the other began, I was taking meaningless games very seriously.🤣🤣
Washington used their ‘68 uniforms here. For 69, the pants became more yellow (like in future years) and the stripes on the pants and sleeves were different. In 70 they changed the helmet to yellow with the R on it.
I was just watching the movie "Paper Lion" the other day, where Alan Alda portrays writer George Plimpton who tries out for the Detroit Lions. Several Lions playing in this game were in the movie, Alex Karras, Mike Lucci, and Lem Barney.
Jack Buck one funny man. He used to go on Radio Row for the SB's and on WFAN with Mike and the Mad Dog and was a riot. I'd be laughing out loud and it was clean one liners and quips. Jack was great!
Issac this sparked a memory can you get Colts Lions preseason 1971, it’s the game George Plimpton actually got into a an actual preseason game only having played intrasquad games with the Lions in 63’ lesser know but far more interesting to me.
WOW, epiccc stuff, this! I'm wondering if this game was at a smaller, unenclosed version of Tampa's "Big Sombrero"?! I see the end zones are open here, as of 1969.
Yes. After Tampa Bay was granted the franchise that became the Bucs by the NFL in 1974, they enclosed the Tampa Stadium end zones starting in the summer of 1975, and continuing until it was done in time for the Bucs to start playing in '76.
Actually, it was an at least questionable hit by Paul Naumoff which injured Namath's knee, putting him out of action until Week 11 against San Francisco.
@@3243_ Lucci picked off the pass and Namath attempted to tackle him and blew out his knee. Here is the NY Times account: TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 7 - Joe Namath severely damaged his left knee tonight while attempting to tackle Mike Lucci, a Detroit Lions' linebacker. Surgery will be performed tomorrow in New York on the Jets' 28‐year‐ old quarterback. It will be his fourth knee operation and the second on the left knee. I remember the play and am 100% right!
@@mikeaustin1323 Joe Namath said he only knew how to play football one way: full throttle. It was that kind of desire and approach that contributed to the end of his career-and the Lions played a big part in that. Time to turn on the wayback machine and take you to Tampa, FL for an exhibition game between the Lions and the New York Jets. It happened this week, back in 1971. It was the exhibition opener, and Namath was coming off a season in which he missed several games due to a wrist injury. At age 28, he was still in his prime. Sometime in the first half, Namath faded back and delivered a pass. It was intercepted by Lions MLB Mike Lucci. On the return, Namath, instead of staying the hell out of the way-being the franchise player and all-went for the tackle. Bad idea. Joe Willie tore up his knee trying to tackle Lucci, and was declared out for the season. After the game, Namath defended his decision to try to tackle Lucci by declaring that “I only know how to play football one way.” The Jets struggled through the season, sans their prize quarterback. Namath did return ahead of schedule, but only a handful of games remained and the Jets were out of contention. Namath didn’t miss a game during his first five years in pro football, but then missed 30 of the next 58 due to an assortment of injuries-including those to his knees, which would eventually be ravaged. The knee injury Namath suffered against the Lions in Tampa in August 1971 was one of the most severe he would encounter, and his eventual limited mobility due to that incident would contribute to more hits to his knees-which clearly shortened his career.
@@mikeaustin1323 The Jets open up their 1971 pre-season schedule with an exhibition game against the Lions in Tampa Stadium. The Lions won the game 28-24, but far more significant than the score was the knee injury suffered by Joe Namath. Reserve running back Lee White took a handoff from Joe. He was hit and fumbled the ball. Namath tried to make the tackle after Lions LB Mike Lucci recovered the fumble. He got hit by another defender and tore up his knee. Namath would return for the last 4 games of the 71 season and go 2-2. The Jets would finish with a 6-8 record. If he didn't try to tackle Lucci he would of never been injured.
