I'm 56 yrs old and I love this "old school' footage anytime I can get it (NFL Films anyone?). I never heard of Hoyle Granger, 'sounding' like a B minus version of the great Earl Campell (if for some reason you haven't watch Campell's 'great runs' video ... best RB I ever saw...) who took too much of a beating averaging over 250 carries for 5 NFL seasons with the Oilers (Granger an Oiler too). Granger averaged about 210 carries a season for 3 years and he was , basically, done. Makes Campell's accomplishments that much more impressive. Earl played on unforgiving astroturf in Houston, too. Great video by SportsStatsNGab
Calling Granger a B- Campbell isn't too bad a description. They had some similarities including massive thighs that gave them power. Earl had better speed.
@@manny4552 ..well ..you’re probably as old as I am then ..lol ..those were some great times growing up ..and watching these legends ..remember Leslie ‘Speedy’ Duncan too? ..I remember he returned a 108 yard int pic 6 ..good times ..
Kansas City had quite a defense back then, Curly Kulp, Willie Lanier and Buck Buchanan. Also at 7:59 I noticed former NBC color commentator Paul Maguire # 55 playing linebacker for the Buffalo Bills. Maguire was also the punter on that team. I can't get enough of your old school videos and insightful commentary! Keep 'em coming
My favorite all-time linebacker, Bobby Bell #78, was on that team, too. He really nailed #40 Pete Banaszak of the Raiders in one clip. They were loaded.
@@markgardner9460 Yes, it was TEXTBOOK PERFECT FORM -- a "beautiful" and 100% "clean" tackle ... solidly "laying the wood" of the shoulder and body squarely into the RB's midsection and "wrapping him up" where the only direction Banaszak could go was DOWN. Unfortunately, such basic fundamentals have not been emphasized in the NFL (or elsewhere, as college and high school mimic the pros) for DECADES, as defenders now try to land spectacular hits on offensive players ... and in the process they almost always MISS making the tackle or instead only make glancing contact which enables the ball carrier to continue for more yards downfield. I miss the good old days -- including the sloppy fields !!
1:01 "Yeah, a running back probably isn't going to bust a long run in that slop!" And then Csonka breaks out the longest run of his career (a 54 yard touchdown) in that slop.
I'm glad you finally had a video highlighting Dickie Post. His AFL leading 873 yards rushing exemplifies the brutality of trying to run in 1969 playing for the AFL.
I do remember tough yards for backs back in the day-I became an AFL fan in 69-70. Floyd Little was the man....love that guy. Nance was a beast. The rules during that era were allot of anything goes and that meant punish qb's and backs and mug receivers. Another impediment back then was barbaric sports medicine. "Rub some dirt on it". If they did have surgery, they cut on them like a Christmas Turkey. Hence many players played injured & dealt with problems their whole lives, see Jim Otto. Brutal. Thanks brother, you're appreciated.
I think if you tore your meniscus back then you had two choices, either cortisone and play with the pain or take out the whole meniscus and go bone on bone. Brutal.
A particularly sad example was Greg Cook; first he was forced to play with a torn rotator cuff without surgery, and then his shoulder was mangled by surgeons, ending his career except for a brief bit of action in the 1973 season opener.
Little Dickie Post was a man of perpetual motion. Very shifty. At the 4:07 mark, a young shagedellic lady almost falls into a garbage can at the mere sight of Mike Garret exiting the playing field. I think you hit it with the tandem backfields utilized by a lot of teams. Spread the workload and keep guys fresh. I didn’t realize Kiick was a Dolphin all the way back to 69. I have never heard of Granger, and I mean NEVER. Always some informative stuff, Mr Gardner ! Thanks for assembling this quality video.
Great stuff as usual. Dickie Post was so fun to watch. A favorite of mine. I remember reading a comment from a defensive player at that time when asked about Post’s small stature and quickness: “If you slap him, he’ll go down. But first you gotta get close enough.”
@@markgardner9460 And then ten years later under the coaching of Don Coryell the Chargers led the NFL in implementing and emphasizing the passing game.
You didn’t get star treatment back then, you did what the coach told you to do. I think it’s a great idea giving both backs the same amount of carries. The old Houston Oilers, I remember reading Joe Namath’s book back in high school and he mentioned he hated playing the Oilers because their defense was relentless. Them and the Raiders.
I think that it's a great idea, too. One RB can be the quick, fast one while the other one is the pounder. Splitting carries somewhat evenly doesn't wear one guy out. Plus management doesn't have to pay superstar salaries.
Very few teams in either League had a "Feature RB" in those days. Gale Sayers, OJ Simpson were among the rare exceptions. For instance the Vikings in 1969, had over 1800 yards on the ground. Dave Osborn had the bulk with 643 yds while Bill Brown trucked for 430 himself. The Cowboys that same year had 2276 yards on the ground. Calvin Hill(rookie year) had 942 and FB Walt " Pinch between the cheek and gum" Garrison rumbled for 818 yds rushing. The Raiders had a stable of powerful and versatile RBs. They totaled 1765 yds as a team for rookie HC John Madden.
O.J. wasn't even "the man" until year 4. The new Head Coach, Lou Saben, in 1972 told him that he was going to be the "Feature RB" and the rest, as they say, was history. Thank you for providing the stats 'n stuff!
@@markgardner9460 True but OJ had 181 carries in 69 while the next highest was 83. The Bills as a team did not do so well in OJs time. By contrast the contender teams I mentioned distributed the load better. Balance was the key.
@@jstube36 The problem was OJ's first coach in Buffalo was John Rauch; and he was an idiot. He wanted to make OJ a decoy and make him catch passes. OJ was one of the greatest RBs in football history; but he was a subpar blocker and had hands of stone.
He had 30 catches in his rookie year of '69 and that was his highwater mark. Somehow he caught 7 td passes on only 28 catches in '75 with a tremendous 15.2 yards per catch.
THIS WAS MY ERA...LEROY KELLY...GALE SAYERS..HORNING..AFL VS NFL..I WAS A FIRST YR PLAYER IN 68 POP WARNER...I WAS A LINEBACKER TILL 79. THAT WAS MY LAST YR...MOOSE PEARSON ....DREWS YOUNGER BRO SHOWED ME HOW TO HIT...
Love the footage of Dickie Post. Small but quick and elusive. Maybe you can do a video on small players, there were a number of them that competed in the late 60's early 70's.
@@markgardner9460 Great! I was a small athlete, 5' 7" 170 pounds but held my own in football, baseball and track. But it wasn't always easy! There are some advantages. Dickie Post was probably hard to see when he was juking and slicing around. He was also deceptively fast. If I think of any small football players from the era I will send you the names. Thanks!
Just love your videos. I was trying to remember what would have caused the individual rushing yards to plummet so quickly. Then you mentioned the split backfields and the similar yardage of each. Which makes perfect sense. Thanks for your stellar work.
Great vid Mark, thanks. I guess I have a blind spot called Dickie Post!? I new nothing. Lowe, Garrison on to James Brooks. No Dickie Post in my memory. Now, Nance was a legend in my house. Thanks meng
Thank you, Hammer! I actually think that Jim Nance warrants serious Hall of Fame consideration. I am probably in the minority there, but that's what I maintain.
Pro Quarterback was the one that I have. I jumped the gun on Richard's question. Now I'll have to earmark some monies towards the purchase of some of those. Who knows, maybe some day I'll get around to reading them. I have so much material now that it's going to take years to get through it all, but I think that's a good problem to have.
I got an electric football game for Christmas one year. It looked so fun in the commercial, I asked Santa for one. But when I first tried to play it, I was so disappointed. I was like: "what a joke this is". Maybe if I had you around back then to help me figure it out, I would've gotten some enjoyment out of it. 😊
I was born in 1971 and didn't start watching football until Super Bowl XV but I love the AFL. I wish there had never been a merger. The NFL is a monopoly now. Anyway, thanks for all you do to help us see what the pro game once was.
Sir I am so glad I found your channel. Keep up the great work. Do you have any footage of the white running back for Detroit in the early 60’s? I think he went to Michigan I can’t remember his name
Marv Hubbard was a seldom-used rookie in 1969 but went on to be a great power back. Never averaged less than 4.6 ypc during his time with the Raiders, and averaged 4.8 ypc for his entire career.
The ‘69 Kansas City Chiefs led the AFL in rushing with a trio of RBs with Mike Garrett (21), Robert Holmes (45), and little Warren McVea (6), the speedster. The Dolphins went to the RB trio format a few years later with great success. But, as you said, most teams had that HB/ FB combo sharing carries.
One of the clips had WR Frank Pitts lined upon so close to Dawson that he could have almost blew into his ear hole. They were in a stacked backfield formation with 3 players lined up directly behind Dawson. Pretty cool, I thought.
@@markgardner9460 Yes, Coach Stram was very creative with his alignments and schemes. I always liked their “huddles” back then. He wasn’t averse to experimenting.
Jim Nance was a pile driver! Intimidating! 657 more rushing yards than second place!Mind boggling! Syracuse was quite the running back factory for quite a while! Brown,Davis Little, Csonka!and Nance!
I worked out in 76 in San Diego at the old Maylan's Gym in La Jolla with Mike Garrett. The guys thighs were huge, like two blocks of cement sitting on his knees. I used to wonder what it would be like trying to tackle him around the waist and get hit by those churning thighs.
One reason for the low rushing totals may have been the fact that the AFL was more pass oriented than the NFL. The stars of the AFL were quarterbacks like Daryle Lamonica, Joe Namath, John Hadl, Jack Kemp and Len Dawson or receivers like Don Maynard, Lance Rentzel and Fred Biletnikoff. The NFL which was more run oriented had the star running backs: Leroy Kelly, Jim Brown, Hornung and Taylor, etc.
Yes, he was big enough to play for the Broncos as a Tight End for the two years prior to becoming a Raider. He made the Pro Bowl in 1970, his final season, but retired when he couldn't overcome an injury, I believe.
The next year (1970), Dickie Post made a cut back on a run against Cincinnati, and backup defensive lineman Marty Baccaglio made him pay dearly for it. Nearly snapped Post in half. Post, in fact, played only one more season, splitting it with the Broncos and Oilers, and was pretty much a shell of his former self.
RB's didn't have much longevity back then, especially for a smaller-sized RB like Post. I don't recall the Bengals defender in the video who drove his helmet into Post's knee, but that was a dirty play.
Jim Nance is kinda the forgotten man in that long line of great Syracuse back from Brown, Davis, Nance, Csonka and Little. I know from the 70's to the 90's Penn State was known as "Linebacker U " but from the late 50's to the 70's Syracuse was "Running Back U" !
@4:03, the lady falls over the trash can as the 3 kids and the cop glued on Garrett ignore her. I miss how people used to dress up a little to go to games instead of wearing the same team merch everybody else is dressed in.
Making Floyd Little’s accomplishment, even more impressive was the no threat Dan horn Steve Ramsey, lack of passing talent combination at quarterback, so I’m sure the line was stacked against number 44
Ah, you know it! He didn't have the greatest career stars, but he ran with a lot of heart and was an important part of the city of Denver. He gave a lot back to the community.
"...the line was stacked against number 44" Yeah, Little was the only threat on the Bronco offense in 1969, so teams stacked the line of scrimmage to stop him. Little made the five-yard run exciting because he typically had to make five or six tacklers miss him. Little was old for a rookie in 1967 (age 25), so his career got started later than most players.
Can you do a story on Dwayne Thomas 44 of Dallas, Tom Landry said he'd turn backward while drawing up plays , never missed a play , he might have been touched. curious 🤔
I had the pleasure to see DICKIE POST play while he was at the UNIV. of HOUSTON. He was in the same backfield rotation as WARREN MC VEA. There were usually breakaway runs in each game by both during those ‘66 and ‘67 seasons. U. Of H. under former ARMY assistant to the CADETS head coach RED BLAIK, COOGS HEAD COACH BILL YEOMAN, was an independent back then, playing teams such as OKLAHOMA STATE, TEXAS(U OF H was the last team not to lose to TEXAS [20-20 tie in AUSTIN]before the HORNS went on a 30 game winning streak that ended with a loss in the ‘71 COTTON BOWL NEW YEAR’s Day.), CHATTANOOGA(*major college footballing back then), IDAHO*, TULSA, CINCINNATI, MISSISSIPPI STATE, and oh yeah, an on the road 37-7 WIN OVER THEN #2 MICHIGAN STATE.. All of that success was via YEOMAN’s invention- THE VEER OFFENSE. Guys such as RILEY ODOMS at tight end, ELMO WRIGHT at split end, TOM BEER at wideout and tight end, and JOHNNY PEACOCK in the secondary, with ROYCE BERRY on the d-line, all of those mentioned all played in the AFL and/or NFL. Celebs such as singer=LARRY GATLIN, and d-coordinator extraordinaire WADE PHILLIPS also played on those late ‘60’s teams. Heck, WADE’s dad=BUM PHILLIPS was briefly assisting on the sideline, while the opposition featured DR. PHIL Mc Graw on the TULSA squad the night they were beaten 100-6.. Ahhhh, the ASTRODOME was electric…ELECTRIC back then!!!
@@markgardner9460, love your TH-cam postings, MARK.. I got to see U OF H a lot on AUTUMN SATURDAY NITES IN THE DOME. My now late UNCLE MIKE DYER was an assistant trainer at RICE U., and he was constantly getting free tickets, they were SKYBOXERS, although at my young age, I thought the audio speakers were the SKYBOXES, lol. Yep, we were sitting in SKY BLUE SEATS elevated in altitude for the best views in the house, with food and drink at our beck and call, and an open bar for adults such as my AUNT BETTY who took me to the Dome and watched the most exciting team in college ball back then. Uncle Mike was usually on the road with the RICE OWLS. By the way, I discovered that I needed eyeglasses back then because I could not clearly see the lettering messages on the Dome scoreboard. One final note, if I am not mistaken, DICKIE POST is of “native” Indian stock, hailing from OKLAHOMA. I am not sure of the MAIN TRIBE, likely Cherokee. Boy, he and MCVEA were fun to watch at U OF H!!
Post actually made the Chargers roster as a Flanker behind Lance Alworth, but was pressed into duty as a Running Back when Paul Lowe had an injury and his replacement was injured, too. Thank you for sharing those great memories! I'm glad that you enjoy the videos, too.
@@markgardner9460 , plan for the switch to flanker was likely born out of a fear that POST was too small to be a running back. Obviously, outside of his injury bug in the pros, he was not an ineffective runner, when healthy. In fact, he was just the opposite.. when healthy and could actually suit up.
Tremendous one here Mark! History is important in all phases of life, including sports. So much can get overlooked, including many of the players covered here.
Thank you! I think it's important for us to not forget how far the league has come from far more simpler times. Sometimes I wonder if the league will go back to the two Running Back set, but I doubt that it will due to the love affair with passing.
Well my friend, the league is lost and a disgrace to the game for a number of reasons, starting with enforcing the rules of the game and the lack of fundamentals, as your footage reminds us on a regular basis! These videos should be used a t football camps.
That's a great idea! Show them that textbook Bobby Bell tackle on Pete Banaszak. There's nothing wrong with leading with your helmet when you're smart enough to know to place it to the side of the ballcarrier's body. They don't want those kind of tackles, in the name of player safety, but what's not stated is the side benefit of the sloppiest attempts at tackling imaginable that allow a ton of cheap yards being gained. By the way, does anyone know what the league does with the monetary fines? Somehow I don't think they're holding a big party at the end of the year.
We could write a book and make a movie on what's wrong with the present NFL. Like I said, so much of your footage , into and analysis exposes today's flaws. But this IS the game, and the one I've always subscribed to. Your videos are just great and this one is explo ding with views.
My Dad used to play number boards for the NFL games in the early to mid 1970's. He always said that 0 & 0 was the best number since that was the score at the end of the first quarter so often. My point is that teams punched and prodded eachother's defenses in order to detect a weakness; they were feeling eachother out because rules to grossly benefit the passing game had not yet been instituted. We loved it! We didn't need or even want to watch something like a 45 to 42 game. I liken scoring to eating ice cream. A bowl is great, but eating four bowls is far too much. It's called The Law of Diminishing Utility. Maybe today's NFL will figure that out some day.
JEEEEEEZ ?! Ain't no running back today could understand this, or how Jim Brown was The Greatest Running back of ALL time. Go back to REAL GRASS FIELDS ! No gloves, no anything to gat isn't about Real American FOOTBALL.
I'd forgotten how good Jim Nance was. Looks like a charging Hippo, just swatting down tacklers - lot like Marv Hubbard, or Riggins - just tough to bring down. And Chargers last winning season was 1969. I think the Oilers went 6-6-2, or something, but outclassed by Oakland in the playoffs in 1969.
I LOVE how the referees used to EMPHATICALLY signal for a touchdown.. NO standing around in a group > discussing it/doing whatever in their power to DENY it [like erroneously marking the ball at the one(1) yard line].. Throwing their hands in the air, sometimes JUMPING, as well.. TOUCHDOWN!.. Damn straight!.. EXCITING!..
Great stuff. There probably would have been a lot more 1000-yard rushers if teams had given 80% of their carries to one feature back. I'm glad they didn't, though. The two-back, and even three-back systems are more fun and interesting.
That's certainly one of the primary reasons, although in San Diego league leader Dickie Post had 182 carries, which was the lion's share. Brad Hubbert had 94 carries which was the second most on the team. Great poi t!
5:50--too many carries per game (due to over reliance on him for the team's offense) plus playing on that thin, raggedy Astrodome Astroturf--gee, sounds like what would happen to an even greater Oiler power back a decade or so later.
Yes, indeed. The same thing happened to Earl Campbell. I saw that thin Astrodome backyard patio turf during a tour of the stadium in '79 and my eyes bugged out of my head when it was pulled up to reveal concrete underneath.
One notable omission from this list was number one draft pick OJ Simpson. Buffalo was awful in 1969 and they came to San Diego in the last AFL game for the Bills and Chargers before the merger. OJ didn't do much in that game, but Post had a long touchdown and secured the rushing title. Post had two all-pros blocking for him: Guard Walt Sweeney and tackle Ron Mix, who is now has a bust in Canton. Floyd Little would become the new American Football Conference's first rushing champion in 1970. It's still hard to believe that no one if the AFL's last year would even gain 900, let alone 1,000 yards.
Too bad this list couldn't include Cookie Gilchrist. He had to be one of the greatest all-time running backs in the history of the AFL for sure and I believe in pro football overall. He was a dominant running back for the 1st half of the AFL's history, primarily playing with the Buffalo Bills. Others were Clem Daniels & Hewritt Dixon of the Raiders; Billy Cannon of the Oilers and Raiders; Keith Lincoln and Paul Lowe of the Chargers; Mack Lee Hill & Abner Haynes of the Chiefs; Emerson Boozer & Matt Snell of the Jets; Billy Joe of the Broncos and Gino Cappelletti of the Boston Patriots. They made games fun for me to watch and enjoy. Long Live the AFL!
Cookie's last year was 1967, so I could not include him in this video. I published a top 5 AFL Running Back video recently, so I hope you'll check it out. Thanks!
Dickie Post was a bad "Hombre"we called him "The Scooter" be cause he would take 3 steps and he was full speed! Dickie was quicker than a "Waterbug" he could put move on you and then break it for 50 yards or more. He had break away speed! He was a legit 9.7 in the 100 yd.dash! He was great!
That's right. It's too bad that those type of RB's didn't last too long back then due to the rough 'n tumble style of play. A smaller RB just didn't excel for too long if he was the focal point of an offense.
Csonka said he liked being a running back because they gave him a weapon, the football! See if you can find the play he nailed some guy in the throat with it.
two things i notice that don't happen anymore. refs did not hesitate to raise the touchdown signal.in fact they were pretty enthused. and players that scored did not feel the need to act like idiot's, they just shook hands with teammates and got off the field.
Yes, the refs were emphatic about their touchdown signaling! Players were wise to limit their touchdown celebrations because they needed the energy later. Why players run up and down the field to celebrate makes no sense to me, in that regard.
In honor of this video I’ll wear my #55 EJ Holub 69 chiefs jersey for this one….btw Hoyle Granger played RB with Jim Nance for the 74 Houston Texans of WFL
Awesome! I have an 8 X 10 color photo of Holub that shows his beaten and battered helmet. It looks like it was attached to the back of a pick-up truck and dragged down a gravel road for 10 miles. I did not know that about Granger and Nance - thanks for the info!!
"In my "humble opinion".." offences and "defenses"....were just so much better...." play-calling in other words..and of course....the "game" was a "different beast"!!
That's a good point. Most of the teams' Quarterbacks called their own plays, so they had to be "in tune" with the down, distance, field position, score, time outs, and time remaining. That's a lot of responsibility that today's Quarterbacks really don't have to be concerned with because someone is telling them that inside their helmet.
@Michaelleroy About Carl Garrett Running Back For NewEngland He Came To Our Chicago Bears " In 74&75" And We Played The Dallas Cowboys Defense That Trash Talked Garrett " 2 Times In The Red Zone 5 Yard Line & Carl Scored Both Times Then Trash Talked Dallas Back While In The End Zone ! They Forget He Was A 1500 Yards Running Leader At New England It Was Fun To See Him Tell Dallas Defense Off 😂😅 Lol "Cool Lou "
I wonder afl defensives were preparing for nfl offensives as teams fell out of contention? The oilers and bengals had to be thinking about the Steelers and browns afl east had the colts. I wonder at least if it was in back of their minds
In the 1969 season, they might not have known who their opponents in the first merger season; as the divisional alignments might not have been settled.
@@tygrkhat4087 I think they before 69. When Paul brown bought the bengals in 66/67 he bought it in understanding that they would be playing against his former team model’s browns. And model didn’t want to move over to the afl/afc without rooneys steelers. When merger was in danger Paul brown argued he didn’t purchase an AFL club but an NFL club. Understanding that they would merge under the shield of the NFL. I believe Michael macCambridge’s Americas Game: the epic story how pro football captured a nation; tells the story in great detail
@@jjw56 I've read McCambridge's book. The last part of the merger to be worked out was the realignment of the new league. There were several scenarios that were put forward. One plan, that was eventually adopted, was for 3 teams to join the AFC from the old NFL. Which three teams it would be was the sticking point. The merger was never in doubt by the time Brown created the Bengals. What Brown objected to was a MLB-like set-up with the AFL and NFL as separate leagues. Brown never knew until the Browns, Colts and Steelers agreed to join the AFC that he would get the Browns twice a year. I believe that those decisions weren't made until after the 1969 season.
@@tygrkhat4087 oh, that’s makes more sense. Brown knew he buying an nfl and it was the Cleveland and Pittsburgh that wanted to be together but yeah that particular item would have happened after 69. Thanks for clarifying
I think the leagues should separate and play each other less. maybe the two leagues would create more distinctive styles of play which would lead to a more exciting super bowl like the first four. At least that’s how I see it Then fans would become league fans as well as team fans. Wow, could I be murdered for this theory kind of like the movie Pelican Brief!! LoReallyL. 😆😆😆
Nice hustle by Raiders DE Ike Lassiter (I think) in tackling Dickie Post way down the field. Great job again Mark.
Thank you! I really appreciate that!
I'm 56 yrs old and I love this "old school' footage anytime I can get it (NFL Films anyone?).
I never heard of Hoyle Granger, 'sounding' like a B minus version of the great Earl Campell (if for some reason you haven't watch Campell's 'great runs' video ... best RB I ever saw...) who took too much of a beating averaging over 250 carries for 5 NFL seasons with the Oilers (Granger an Oiler too). Granger averaged about 210 carries a season for 3 years and he was , basically, done. Makes Campell's accomplishments that much more impressive. Earl played on unforgiving astroturf in Houston, too.
Great video by SportsStatsNGab
I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. Thank you for your comments!
Calling Granger a B- Campbell isn't too bad a description. They had some similarities including massive thighs that gave them power. Earl had better speed.
Wow ..didn’t know this much footage of Dickie Post even existed ..what a treat!
I was kind of surprised at how much footage from '69 I had.
I had some Dickie post football cards
@@manny4552 ..well ..you’re probably as old as I am then ..lol ..those were some great times growing up ..and watching these legends ..remember Leslie ‘Speedy’ Duncan too? ..I remember he returned a 108 yard int pic 6 ..good times ..
He was a terrific punt returner! He returned kickoffs, too, I believe, in addition to his defensive back duties.
@@freedomtrucker2332 I sure do remember him.. I started watching all the games in 1969 and collecting the cards
Kansas City had quite a defense back then, Curly Kulp, Willie Lanier and Buck Buchanan. Also at 7:59 I noticed former NBC color commentator Paul Maguire # 55 playing linebacker for the Buffalo Bills. Maguire was also the punter on that team.
I can't get enough of your old school videos and insightful commentary! Keep 'em coming
My favorite all-time linebacker, Bobby Bell #78, was on that team, too. He really nailed #40 Pete Banaszak of the Raiders in one clip. They were loaded.
Curly Culp whom went on to Houston Oilers and I would watch him and Steeler center Mike Webster have great battles against each other in the late 70s.
Curley Culp was like a monument in the middle of the defense; he wasn't going to be moved very easily. Both he and Webster were extremely strong.
@@markgardner9460 Yes, it was TEXTBOOK PERFECT FORM -- a "beautiful" and 100% "clean" tackle ... solidly "laying the wood" of the shoulder and body squarely into the RB's midsection and "wrapping him up" where the only direction Banaszak could go was DOWN. Unfortunately, such basic fundamentals have not been emphasized in the NFL (or elsewhere, as college and high school mimic the pros) for DECADES, as defenders now try to land spectacular hits on offensive players ... and in the process they almost always MISS making the tackle or instead only make glancing contact which enables the ball carrier to continue for more yards downfield. I miss the good old days -- including the sloppy fields !!
@@wingedbuffalo4670 You nailed it on all accounts. Thank you for watching and commenting!
1:01 "Yeah, a running back probably isn't going to bust a long run in that slop!"
And then Csonka breaks out the longest run of his career (a 54 yard touchdown) in that slop.
"probably"
I'm glad you finally had a video highlighting Dickie Post. His AFL leading 873 yards rushing exemplifies the brutality of trying to run in 1969 playing for the AFL.
He didn't start in 3 games, otherwise his rushing yardage would have pushed 1,000.
@@markgardner9460 After 1969 he was pretty much done.
His wheels fell off.
@@markgardner9460 Fell off? I think knocked off. There is video I've seen of him smelling ammonia on the sideline after a hit.
Yeah, they used to make those guys use that stuff all of the time. I've seen Lance Alworth do the same thing, too.
I do remember tough yards for backs back in the day-I became an AFL fan in 69-70. Floyd Little was the man....love that guy. Nance was a beast. The rules during that era were allot of anything goes and that meant punish qb's and backs and mug receivers. Another impediment back then was barbaric sports medicine. "Rub some dirt on it". If they did have surgery, they cut on them like a Christmas Turkey. Hence many players played injured & dealt with problems their whole lives, see Jim Otto. Brutal. Thanks brother, you're appreciated.
Surgery back then was barbaric. Thank you for bringing up that point!
Meatball surgery to borrow a phrase from MASH.
I think if you tore your meniscus back then you had two choices, either cortisone and play with the pain or take out the whole meniscus and go bone on bone. Brutal.
A particularly sad example was Greg Cook; first he was forced to play with a torn rotator cuff without surgery, and then his shoulder was mangled by surgeons, ending his career except for a brief bit of action in the 1973 season opener.
Dickie Post had five knee operations in five years, which is why 1969 was his last productive season, and 1971 was his last season at the age of 26.
1967-1969 Dickie Post was damn inpressive!
For a man of small physical stature, he really got a lot out of it in terms of solid production.
Little Dickie Post was a man of perpetual motion. Very shifty. At the 4:07 mark, a young shagedellic lady almost falls into a garbage can at the mere sight of Mike Garret exiting the playing field. I think you hit it with the tandem backfields utilized by a lot of teams. Spread the workload and keep guys fresh. I didn’t realize Kiick was a Dolphin all the way back to 69. I have never heard of Granger, and I mean NEVER. Always some informative stuff, Mr Gardner ! Thanks for assembling this quality video.
Thanks, Evan! Unless you've got a guy like O.J., Payton, Jim Brown, etc, it's best to go with a split backfield.
@@markgardner9460 A lot of running backs wouldn't be crazy about the split of carries, especially if their contract was performance related.
...which, I think, a lot of them are, right? At least to some degree.
Love seeing Hoyle Granger and Dickie Post!
Mr. Csonka would be proud of you with that beautiful jersey you are wearing!
Thank you! It's one of my favorite jerseys.
The historical context sheds a whole new light on why the rushing totals were so low .. Good video !
Thanks, Steve - I appreciate it!
Classic..... The old webbed padded helmets and the original facemask are priceless... Good Stuff Brother !!!
Thank you! I'm really glad that liked it.
Best highlights music since NFL Films of the late 60s/early 70s.
Subscribed.
Thank you. I'm glad that you enjoyed the video!
Great stuff as usual. Dickie Post was so fun to watch. A favorite of mine. I remember reading a comment from a defensive player at that time when asked about Post’s small stature and quickness: “If you slap him, he’ll go down. But first you gotta get close enough.”
NFL Films did a feature or two on him years ago - very good! You can't hit what you can't touch, right?
Floyd Little is a blast from the past. Great RB.
As always great footage I love it continue with great work my memories
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for watching and commenting!
I didn’t see Dickie Post play but those long gainers and TD runs you showed were nothing short of spectacular!
He was what I would classify as a "jitterbug". He would hunt 'n peck around the defense, all the time making his way downfield.
@@markgardner9460 And then ten years later under the coaching of Don Coryell the Chargers led the NFL in implementing and emphasizing the passing game.
Dude cool channel. I'm now subscribing
Right on! I'm sure that you'll enjoy my videos. So far I have 165 videos in my playlist. Thanks!
You didn’t get star treatment back then, you did what the coach told you to do. I think it’s a great idea giving both backs the same amount of carries.
The old Houston Oilers, I remember reading Joe Namath’s book back in high school and he mentioned he hated playing the Oilers because their defense was relentless. Them and the Raiders.
I think that it's a great idea, too. One RB can be the quick, fast one while the other one is the pounder. Splitting carries somewhat evenly doesn't wear one guy out. Plus management doesn't have to pay superstar salaries.
Very few teams in either League had a "Feature RB" in those days. Gale Sayers, OJ Simpson were among the rare exceptions. For instance the Vikings in 1969, had over 1800 yards on the ground. Dave Osborn had the bulk with 643 yds while Bill Brown trucked for 430 himself. The Cowboys that same year had 2276 yards on the ground. Calvin Hill(rookie year) had 942 and FB Walt " Pinch between the cheek and gum" Garrison rumbled for 818 yds rushing. The Raiders had a stable of powerful and versatile RBs. They totaled 1765 yds as a team for rookie HC John Madden.
O.J. wasn't even "the man" until year 4. The new Head Coach, Lou Saben, in 1972 told him that he was going to be the "Feature RB" and the rest, as they say, was history.
Thank you for providing the stats 'n stuff!
@@markgardner9460 True but OJ had 181 carries in 69 while the next highest was 83. The Bills as a team did not do so well in OJs time. By contrast the contender teams I mentioned distributed the load better. Balance was the key.
O.J. put the fannies in the seats. Despite the Bills' won-loss records, they lead the NFL in attendance for three consecutive years during his heyday.
@@jstube36 The problem was OJ's first coach in Buffalo was John Rauch; and he was an idiot. He wanted to make OJ a decoy and make him catch passes. OJ was one of the greatest RBs in football history; but he was a subpar blocker and had hands of stone.
He had 30 catches in his rookie year of '69 and that was his highwater mark. Somehow he caught 7 td passes on only 28 catches in '75 with a tremendous 15.2 yards per catch.
RIP Golden Richards he passed away last Friday 😢
He was a very athletic receiver - could dive and jump with the best of 'em.
Really?
@@FerrellKatz Sadly,yes
Another former Cowboy, Walt Garrison passed away
@@michaelleroy9281 Sad indeed he was a very tough player.
Keith Lincoln- one of those guys you just assumed would be in on every play, and available the next week
That guy nance looked like no one wanted a piece of him. Awesome memories. Thanks.
Yeah, would-be tacklers eithers bounced off him or tried to jump on.
@@markgardner9460Something I wasn't aware of: Nance was also a 2 time NCAA champion in wrestling!
The guy in the "Gilligan's" hat trying to dance with the cheerleaders at 9:50 is comical.
Curley Culp was also a NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion.
@@stevenzimmerman4057 , and sloshed?
THIS WAS MY ERA...LEROY KELLY...GALE SAYERS..HORNING..AFL VS NFL..I WAS A FIRST YR PLAYER IN 68 POP WARNER...I WAS A LINEBACKER TILL 79. THAT WAS MY LAST YR...MOOSE PEARSON ....DREWS YOUNGER BRO SHOWED ME HOW TO HIT...
That's cool, Carlo. Thank you for sharing!
These guys were banging! I love this video!
Right on! I'm glad you liked it - it was fun putting together.
10:06 = Keith Lincoln. 1967 All Stars wore all white (no blue neck/ shoulder trim) jerseys.
Love the footage of Dickie Post. Small but quick and elusive. Maybe you can do a video on small players, there were a number of them that competed in the late 60's early 70's.
I have thought about that topic and even broached some preliminary research on the matter. In due time, I think it will be done. Thanks!
@@markgardner9460 Great! I was a small athlete, 5' 7" 170 pounds but held my own in football, baseball and track. But it wasn't always easy! There are some advantages. Dickie Post was probably hard to see when he was juking and slicing around. He was also deceptively fast. If I think of any small football players from the era I will send you the names. Thanks!
Jim Nance drafted by the bears in 65. Imagine him & Sayers in the same backfield
As Keith Jackson was fond of saying, "Whoa, Nelly!"
Just love your videos. I was trying to remember what would have caused the individual rushing yards to plummet so quickly. Then you mentioned the split backfields and the similar yardage of each. Which makes perfect sense. Thanks for your stellar work.
Thank you very much- I really appreciate that!
And the weather & field conditions were terrible.Then they'd screw those big cleats onto their shoes & injuries happened.
Bring back those old Bengals helmets, reminds me of my childhood.
I hear ya. I like the originals!
They can keep wearing their current orange helmets, but just bring back the old jerseys, pants, and socks.
Another great video! Thank you!
Thank you - I appreciate it!
Great vid Mark, thanks. I guess I have a blind spot called Dickie Post!? I new nothing. Lowe, Garrison on to James Brooks. No Dickie Post in my memory.
Now, Nance was a legend in my house. Thanks meng
Thank you, Hammer! I actually think that Jim Nance warrants serious Hall of Fame consideration. I am probably in the minority there, but that's what I maintain.
Post was a good little back along w/ Dick Bass up in LA.
Wow. Yes, Dick Bass was terrific, too! He doesn't get nearly enough notoriety.
Love watching the older days!
Me too!
Does anyone remember the magazine from 69 called "Quarterback "? It was 1$ & that was expensive but i loved it.
Yes! I have about 10 issues and it was a very good magazine. The two page pull-out color posters are worth between $10 and $20 in excellent condition.
Yes, that and Pro Quarterback magazine , both created by Lou Sahadi.
Pro Quarterback was the one that I have. I jumped the gun on Richard's question. Now I'll have to earmark some monies towards the purchase of some of those. Who knows, maybe some day I'll get around to reading them. I have so much material now that it's going to take years to get through it all, but I think that's a good problem to have.
Nice video hun totally enjoyed it most interesting era AFL included
It was a bit before my time - which makes it intriguing to me. Thanks, Barbie!
Reminds me of Tudor Electric Football
That came out in '68 or '69, I think. Did you play that game?
@markgardner9460 played In a professional league 15 years ago
I got an electric football game for Christmas one year. It looked so fun in the commercial, I asked Santa for one. But when I first tried to play it, I was so disappointed. I was like: "what a joke this is". Maybe if I had you around back then to help me figure it out, I would've gotten some enjoyment out of it. 😊
I was born in 1971 and didn't start watching football until Super Bowl XV but I love the AFL. I wish there had never been a merger. The NFL is a monopoly now. Anyway, thanks for all you do to help us see what the pro game once was.
Thank you; I really appreciate that! Thanks for watching and commenting.
I mention it almost every time, but the Oilers uniforms from that era were awesome.
Love the old unis
Thanks for another great video
You're welcome! I'm glad that you enjoyed it!
Sir I am so glad I found your channel. Keep up the great work. Do you have any footage of the white running back for Detroit in the early 60’s? I think he went to Michigan I can’t remember his name
Nick Pietrosante? He went to Notre Dame. Tom Nowatzke? He went to Indiana. Thank you for your kind comments; I appreciate it.
Marv Hubbard was a seldom-used rookie in 1969 but went on to be a great power back. Never averaged less than 4.6 ypc during his time with the Raiders, and averaged 4.8 ypc for his entire career.
He was a bulldozer, for sure. Hubbard was a terrific RB.
I remember watching Hubbard and the play would seem dead…then you would see him bust out of this pile of humanity.
LOVE that Larry Csonka jersey!!!
Thank you! It's one of my favorites.
Not sure if most of todays players would last a half with these guy. IMO this was footbal at its greatest..
I agree! It's my favorite era.
The ‘69 Kansas City Chiefs led the AFL in rushing with a trio of RBs with Mike Garrett (21), Robert Holmes (45), and little Warren McVea (6), the speedster. The Dolphins went to the RB trio format a few years later with great success. But, as you said, most teams had that HB/ FB combo sharing carries.
One of the clips had WR Frank Pitts lined upon so close to Dawson that he could have almost blew into his ear hole. They were in a stacked backfield formation with 3 players lined up directly behind Dawson. Pretty cool, I thought.
@@markgardner9460 Yes, Coach Stram was very creative with his alignments and schemes. I always liked their “huddles” back then. He wasn’t averse to experimenting.
Great points. The huddle made so much sense that I can't believe every team didn't adopt it.
The Chiefs also had Wendell Hayes in their backfield that year, and future running star Ed Podolak on special teams.
Ed lead the Chiefs in rushing for many years. He was a QB at Iowa in '66 and '67
Jim Nance was a pile driver! Intimidating! 657 more rushing yards than second place!Mind boggling! Syracuse was quite the running back factory for quite a while! Brown,Davis Little, Csonka!and Nance!
Yes, let us not forget Ernie Davis, the first black Heisman Trophy winner, who sadly didn't get to play in the NFL due to his tragic passing.
@@markgardner9460I would have been remiss to not mention Ernie Davis! Sad story.
What is the background music in the second half of this video? I really like it!
I think it's James River.
Do you happen to know the song or album name?
DJ Williams is the name of the band.
@@markgardner9460 Found it, thanks!
I worked out in 76 in San Diego at the old Maylan's Gym in La Jolla with Mike Garrett. The guys thighs were huge, like two blocks of cement sitting on his knees. I used to wonder what it would be like trying to tackle him around the waist and get hit by those churning thighs.
That's where his power was, for sure. Cool story - thanks for sharing!!
One reason for the low rushing totals may have been the fact that the AFL was more pass oriented than the NFL. The stars of the AFL were quarterbacks like Daryle Lamonica, Joe Namath, John Hadl, Jack Kemp and Len Dawson or receivers like Don Maynard, Lance Rentzel and Fred Biletnikoff. The NFL which was more run oriented had the star running backs: Leroy Kelly, Jim Brown, Hornung and Taylor, etc.
Great point! Thanks for commenting.
Nice compilation!!! Forgot all about Jim Nance, was a tank!!
The guy was a steamroller!
👏👏👏👏🔥 & the choice of jersey was the cherry on top, for me 😁☀️
Thank you - I'm glad that you enjoyed it.
Csonka Sonny, Joe Namath that's 3 jerseys you can't go wrong with!
Carl Garrett didn't seem to have any trouble, he was the AFL rookie of the year in 1969
Yeah, NOT OJ Simpson!
The Oakland Raiders had a great fullback named Hewritt Dixon. He had speed, size 6'2 and weighed 235. He was great!
Yes, he was big enough to play for the Broncos as a Tight End for the two years prior to becoming a Raider. He made the Pro Bowl in 1970, his final season, but retired when he couldn't overcome an injury, I believe.
What's the name of that last music selection in this film?
James River
Mike Garrett Was An "ATHLETE" NFL & MLB👌🏿!
The tackle on Hewitt Dixon is iconic!
Yes!
The next year (1970), Dickie Post made a cut back on a run against Cincinnati, and backup defensive lineman Marty Baccaglio made him pay dearly for it. Nearly snapped Post in half. Post, in fact, played only one more season, splitting it with the Broncos and Oilers, and was pretty much a shell of his former self.
RB's didn't have much longevity back then, especially for a smaller-sized RB like Post. I don't recall the Bengals defender in the video who drove his helmet into Post's knee, but that was a dirty play.
Jim Nance is kinda the forgotten man in that long line of great Syracuse back from Brown, Davis, Nance, Csonka and Little. I know from the 70's to the 90's Penn State was known as "Linebacker U " but from the late 50's to the 70's Syracuse was "Running Back U" !
I think Syracuse had a better stretch of quality rb's than even USC in the '60's and '70's
@@markgardner9460 Agreed, USC just had the RB "rep"...Syracuse had the horses.
@4:03, the lady falls over the trash can as the 3 kids and the cop glued on Garrett ignore her. I miss how people used to dress up a little to go to games instead of wearing the same team merch everybody else is dressed in.
Back then, team merchandise wasn't really a thing.
Making Floyd Little’s accomplishment, even more impressive was the no threat Dan horn Steve Ramsey, lack of passing talent combination at quarterback, so I’m sure the line was stacked against number 44
Ah, you know it! He didn't have the greatest career stars, but he ran with a lot of heart and was an important part of the city of Denver. He gave a lot back to the community.
Garrett seemed like he could "Jump cut" a bit better than Little, but both of them had a lot of heart!
...and I think that Little had a little bit more speed (no pun intended)
@@markgardner9460 something I didn't really consider but both were fast enough.
"...the line was stacked against number 44" Yeah, Little was the only threat on the Bronco offense in 1969, so teams stacked the line of scrimmage to stop him. Little made the five-yard run exciting because he typically had to make five or six tacklers miss him. Little was old for a rookie in 1967 (age 25), so his career got started later than most players.
I miss the NFL, I really do! My God it use to be so Beautiful!!!
Games used to be played in 2 hours 45 minutes most of the time. Now it's another 45 minutes or more.
I never knew this, back when 1000 yd meant something. I can still name most players on most teams in 69,i cant name my hometown Buccaneers these days!
There is much higher turnover, I think, on teams so it's harder to keep track of now.
Was that Sid Gillman on the Chargers sidelines???
Yes, that was the Hall of Famer Sid Gillman.
@markgardner9460 he mentored Don "Air" Coryell.
@@aarondigby5054 Thank you, I did not know that.
man what memories
Can you do a story on Dwayne Thomas 44 of Dallas, Tom Landry said he'd turn backward while drawing up plays , never missed a play , he might have been touched. curious 🤔
I will add him to my ever-growing list of subjects for future videos. Thank you!
I had the pleasure to see DICKIE POST play while he was at the UNIV. of HOUSTON. He was in the same backfield rotation as WARREN MC VEA. There were usually breakaway runs in each game by both during those ‘66 and ‘67 seasons.
U. Of H. under former ARMY assistant to the CADETS head coach RED BLAIK, COOGS HEAD COACH BILL YEOMAN, was an independent back then, playing teams such as OKLAHOMA STATE, TEXAS(U OF H was the last team not to lose to TEXAS [20-20 tie in AUSTIN]before the HORNS went on a 30 game winning streak that ended with a loss in the ‘71 COTTON BOWL NEW YEAR’s Day.), CHATTANOOGA(*major college footballing back then), IDAHO*, TULSA, CINCINNATI, MISSISSIPPI STATE, and oh yeah, an on the road 37-7 WIN OVER THEN #2 MICHIGAN STATE..
All of that success was via YEOMAN’s invention- THE VEER OFFENSE.
Guys such as RILEY ODOMS at tight end, ELMO WRIGHT at split end, TOM BEER at wideout and tight end, and JOHNNY PEACOCK in the secondary, with ROYCE BERRY on the d-line, all of those mentioned all played in the AFL and/or NFL.
Celebs such as singer=LARRY GATLIN, and d-coordinator extraordinaire WADE PHILLIPS also played on those late ‘60’s teams.
Heck, WADE’s dad=BUM PHILLIPS was briefly assisting on the sideline, while the opposition featured DR. PHIL Mc Graw on the TULSA squad the night they were beaten 100-6..
Ahhhh, the ASTRODOME was electric…ELECTRIC back then!!!
Wow! Now That was some GREAT info! Thank you very much for sharing.
@@markgardner9460, love your TH-cam postings, MARK..
I got to see U OF H a lot on AUTUMN SATURDAY NITES IN THE DOME. My now late UNCLE MIKE DYER was an assistant trainer at RICE U., and he was constantly getting free tickets, they were SKYBOXERS, although at my young age, I thought the audio speakers were the SKYBOXES, lol.
Yep, we were sitting in SKY BLUE SEATS elevated in altitude for the best views in the house, with food and drink at our beck and call, and an open bar for adults such as my AUNT BETTY who took me to the Dome and watched the most exciting team in college ball back then. Uncle Mike was usually on the road with the RICE OWLS.
By the way, I discovered that I needed eyeglasses back then because I could not clearly see the lettering messages on the Dome scoreboard.
One final note, if I am not mistaken, DICKIE POST is of “native” Indian stock, hailing from OKLAHOMA.
I am not sure of the MAIN TRIBE, likely Cherokee.
Boy, he and MCVEA were fun to watch at U OF H!!
Post actually made the Chargers roster as a Flanker behind Lance Alworth, but was pressed into duty as a Running Back when Paul Lowe had an injury and his replacement was injured, too.
Thank you for sharing those great memories! I'm glad that you enjoy the videos, too.
@@markgardner9460 , plan for the switch to flanker was likely born out of a fear that POST was too small to be a running back.
Obviously, outside of his injury bug in the pros, he was not an ineffective runner, when healthy.
In fact, he was just the opposite.. when healthy and could actually suit up.
Tremendous one here Mark! History is important in all phases of life, including sports. So much can get overlooked, including many of the players covered here.
Thank you! I think it's important for us to not forget how far the league has come from far more simpler times. Sometimes I wonder if the league will go back to the two Running Back set, but I doubt that it will due to the love affair with passing.
Well my friend, the league is lost and a disgrace to the game for a number of reasons, starting with enforcing the rules of the game and the lack of fundamentals, as your footage reminds us on a regular basis! These videos should be used a t football camps.
That's a great idea! Show them that textbook Bobby Bell tackle on Pete Banaszak. There's nothing wrong with leading with your helmet when you're smart enough to know to place it to the side of the ballcarrier's body. They don't want those kind of tackles, in the name of player safety, but what's not stated is the side benefit of the sloppiest attempts at tackling imaginable that allow a ton of cheap yards being gained. By the way, does anyone know what the league does with the monetary fines? Somehow I don't think they're holding a big party at the end of the year.
We could write a book and make a movie on what's wrong with the present NFL. Like I said, so much of your footage , into and analysis exposes today's flaws. But this IS the game, and the one I've always subscribed to. Your videos are just great and this one is explo ding with views.
My Dad used to play number boards for the NFL games in the early to mid 1970's. He always said that 0 & 0 was the best number since that was the score at the end of the first quarter so often. My point is that teams punched and prodded eachother's defenses in order to detect a weakness; they were feeling eachother out because rules to grossly benefit the passing game had not yet been instituted. We loved it! We didn't need or even want to watch something like a 45 to 42 game. I liken scoring to eating ice cream. A bowl is great, but eating four bowls is far too much. It's called The Law of Diminishing Utility. Maybe today's NFL will figure that out some day.
Who is the music during dickie post?
"James River" by DJ Williams. Great band!
JEEEEEEZ ?!
Ain't no running back today could understand this, or how Jim Brown was The Greatest Running back of ALL time.
Go back to REAL GRASS FIELDS ! No gloves, no anything to gat isn't about Real American FOOTBALL.
Brown never missed a start in NINE years! And he took loads of punishment and cheap shots.
Brown never missing a start is unbelievable!
Jim Brown was the greatest running back in the NFL
@@tombob671 I don't think that I would argue that.
I'd forgotten how good Jim Nance was. Looks like a charging Hippo, just swatting down tacklers - lot like Marv Hubbard, or Riggins - just tough to bring down. And Chargers last winning season was 1969. I think the Oilers went 6-6-2, or something, but outclassed by Oakland in the playoffs in 1969.
Yes, the Raiders totally dismanted the Oilers in that playoff game 56 to 7.
I LOVE how the referees used to EMPHATICALLY signal for a touchdown.. NO standing around in a group > discussing it/doing whatever in their power to DENY it [like erroneously marking the ball at the one(1) yard line].. Throwing their hands in the air, sometimes JUMPING, as well.. TOUCHDOWN!.. Damn straight!.. EXCITING!..
Floyd Little, Csonka, Jim Nance all came out of Syracuse in this era, along with Ernie Davis. Running back U.
I don't think any university in today's game will crank out players like that in a ten year period.
Don't forget Jim Brown although he played at Syracuse in the 50s
Mustn't forget him!!
"Gentle Ben" Davidson 😂😂
Remember him in the Conan the Barbarian movie? Classic!
@@surfshack2 yes I do!
His voice perfectly matched his personna
Not to mention the Miller Lite commercials!
Sounds like he gargled with gravel.
Great stuff. There probably would have been a lot more 1000-yard rushers if teams had given 80% of their carries to one feature back. I'm glad they didn't, though. The two-back, and even three-back systems are more fun and interesting.
I agree! Plus players tended to play a little bit longer when teams split the carries.
Dickie Post had some nice moves!
I like the way he flowed in traffic, too, and made use of downfield blocking. On sone plays he reminded me of a boxer bobbing and weaving.
what about my boyhood hero, Leroy Kelly? He rushed for 817 yds in '69. I think he's in the HOF also.
Kelly played in the NFL, so he wasn't eligible to be on this list.
@@markgardner9460 my bad! forgot about that!
7:13 Larry Zano?
Zeno? The QB from UCLA? I don't think he played in the AFL
@@markgardner9460 Your 6th segment is entitled "Larrry Zano'.
I believe Mike Garrett was the first to gain 1000 yards for two different teams.
That is correct. He is the subject of a recent video of mine and what you referenced is the primary aspect.
Teams Had FullBacks & HalfBacks splitting the Duties!
That's certainly one of the primary reasons, although in San Diego league leader Dickie Post had 182 carries, which was the lion's share. Brad Hubbert had 94 carries which was the second most on the team. Great poi t!
OJ?
Dickie Post seems to have been reborn as Christian McCaffery. Lots of hard hits, and facemasks
That's right - they had it out for those guys.
RB Jim Nance was the Bus.
That's the first guy that I thought of! Both were very light on their feet for such big guys.
5:50--too many carries per game (due to over reliance on him for the team's offense) plus playing on that thin, raggedy Astrodome Astroturf--gee, sounds like what would happen to an even greater Oiler power back a decade or so later.
Yes, indeed. The same thing happened to Earl Campbell. I saw that thin Astrodome backyard patio turf during a tour of the stadium in '79 and my eyes bugged out of my head when it was pulled up to reveal concrete underneath.
Dickie Post complained that Sid Gillman held him back. He didn’t play in five of the games from that season.
I wonder why Gillman held him back?
One notable omission from this list was number one draft pick OJ Simpson. Buffalo was awful in 1969 and they came to San Diego in the last AFL game for the Bills and Chargers before the merger. OJ didn't do much in that game, but Post had a long touchdown and secured the rushing title. Post had two all-pros blocking for him: Guard Walt Sweeney and tackle Ron Mix, who is now has a bust in Canton. Floyd Little would become the new American Football Conference's first rushing champion in 1970. It's still hard to believe that no one if the AFL's last year would even gain 900, let alone 1,000 yards.
Yes, O.J. finished in 6th place with 697 yards while Floyd Little in 5th place had 729 yards.
OJ?
@@gibby100 Orenthal James Simpson, number 32.
Too bad this list couldn't include Cookie Gilchrist. He had to be one of the greatest all-time running backs in the history of the AFL for sure and I believe in pro football overall. He was a dominant running back for the 1st half of the AFL's history, primarily playing with the Buffalo Bills. Others were Clem Daniels & Hewritt Dixon of the Raiders; Billy Cannon of the Oilers and Raiders; Keith Lincoln and Paul Lowe of the Chargers; Mack Lee Hill & Abner Haynes of the Chiefs; Emerson Boozer & Matt Snell of the Jets; Billy Joe of the Broncos and Gino Cappelletti of the Boston Patriots. They made games fun for me to watch and enjoy. Long Live the AFL!
Cookie's last year was 1967, so I could not include him in this video. I published a top 5 AFL Running Back video recently, so I hope you'll check it out. Thanks!
How did those running backs dodge the draft and avoid being in Vietnam in 1969, where it actually was "brutal"?
These RB's were around 26 years old.
They all claimed to have bonespurs.😅
Dickie Post was a bad "Hombre"we called him "The Scooter" be cause he would take 3 steps and he was full speed! Dickie was quicker than a "Waterbug" he could put move on you and then break it for 50 yards or more. He had break away speed! He was a legit 9.7 in the 100 yd.dash! He was great!
That's right. It's too bad that those type of RB's didn't last too long back then due to the rough 'n tumble style of play. A smaller RB just didn't excel for too long if he was the focal point of an offense.
Csonka said he liked being a running back because they gave him a weapon, the football! See if you can find the play he nailed some guy in the throat with it.
two things i notice that don't happen anymore. refs did not hesitate to raise the touchdown signal.in fact they were pretty enthused. and players that scored did not feel the need to act like idiot's, they just shook hands with teammates and got off the field.
Yes, the refs were emphatic about their touchdown signaling! Players were wise to limit their touchdown celebrations because they needed the energy later. Why players run up and down the field to celebrate makes no sense to me, in that regard.
Mike garrets music was dope
Yeah, I really like it too!
In honor of this video I’ll wear my #55 EJ Holub 69 chiefs jersey for this one….btw Hoyle Granger played RB with Jim Nance for the 74 Houston Texans of WFL
Awesome! I have an 8 X 10 color photo of Holub that shows his beaten and battered helmet. It looks like it was attached to the back of a pick-up truck and dragged down a gravel road for 10 miles.
I did not know that about Granger and Nance - thanks for the info!!
Great visual there mark - I have a 74 Houston Texans media guide and both are listed - Maynard played for Texans too - last year of Career
It's sad that Maynard played briefly for the Cardinals in 1973. He only had one reception.
Wow! That was brutal!
I had that Granger football card.
He only had the '70 and '71 Topps cards. I wish they'd make cards for every year that a major player played - retroactive
And was that Chiefs-Patriots game a great uniform matchup, or what?
I like it! Contrasting opponents' uniforms is always fun. Sometimes it doesn't "mesh", but a lot of the times it does.
"In my "humble opinion".." offences and "defenses"....were just so much better...." play-calling in other words..and of course....the "game" was a "different beast"!!
That's a good point. Most of the teams' Quarterbacks called their own plays, so they had to be "in tune" with the down, distance, field position, score, time outs, and time remaining. That's a lot of responsibility that today's Quarterbacks really don't have to be concerned with because someone is telling them that inside their helmet.
@@markgardner9460
"Great Point"....as well "SportsStatsNGab"!!!
It was brutal for one of the same reasons it was for NFL backs. Artificial turfs were having their affect.
Extra padding only helped so much. The joints were particular areas of anguish.
Jim Nance reminds me of Derrick Henry.
I think that's a very good comparison! Nance has a squattier body type, but their running styles are similar.
@Michaelleroy About Carl Garrett Running Back For NewEngland He Came To Our Chicago Bears " In 74&75" And We Played The Dallas Cowboys Defense That Trash Talked Garrett " 2 Times In The Red Zone 5 Yard Line & Carl Scored Both Times Then Trash Talked Dallas Back While In The End Zone ! They Forget He Was A 1500 Yards Running Leader At New England It Was Fun To See Him Tell Dallas Defense Off 😂😅 Lol "Cool Lou "
Carl had a great rookie year. He made the Pro Bol and was 2nd in the AFL Rookie of the Year vote.
I wonder afl defensives were preparing for nfl offensives as teams fell out of contention? The oilers and bengals had to be thinking about the Steelers and browns afl east had the colts. I wonder at least if it was in back of their minds
In the 1969 season, they might not have known who their opponents in the first merger season; as the divisional alignments might not have been settled.
@@tygrkhat4087 I think they before 69. When Paul brown bought the bengals in 66/67 he bought it in understanding that they would be playing against his former team model’s browns. And model didn’t want to move over to the afl/afc without rooneys steelers. When merger was in danger Paul brown argued he didn’t purchase an AFL club but an NFL club. Understanding that they would merge under the shield of the NFL. I believe Michael macCambridge’s Americas Game: the epic story how pro football captured a nation; tells the story in great detail
@@jjw56 I've read McCambridge's book. The last part of the merger to be worked out was the realignment of the new league. There were several scenarios that were put forward. One plan, that was eventually adopted, was for 3 teams to join the AFC from the old NFL. Which three teams it would be was the sticking point.
The merger was never in doubt by the time Brown created the Bengals. What Brown objected to was a MLB-like set-up with the AFL and NFL as separate leagues. Brown never knew until the Browns, Colts and Steelers agreed to join the AFC that he would get the Browns twice a year. I believe that those decisions weren't made until after the 1969 season.
@@tygrkhat4087 oh, that’s makes more sense. Brown knew he buying an nfl and it was the Cleveland and Pittsburgh that wanted to be together but yeah that particular item would have happened after 69. Thanks for clarifying
I think the leagues should separate and play each other less. maybe the two leagues would create more distinctive styles of play which would lead to a more exciting super bowl like the first four. At least that’s how I see it Then fans would become league fans as well as team fans. Wow, could I be murdered for this theory kind of like the movie Pelican Brief!! LoReallyL. 😆😆😆