A Pigskin Conundrum

        Two teams are preparing for the Super Bowl.  One is led by an old-school traditional quarterback with a proven record.  He has always done things the right way.  He’s not cocky or braggadocios. When he scores a touchdown he politely hands the football to the referee and jogs off the field, not placing himself in the limelight.  The other team is led by a young, brash quarterback who rubs a lot of people the wrong way.  While the older, proven quarterback is methodically going about preparing for the game with his systematic work-ethic, the young guy is parading around, bragging about his team and even guaranteeing that he will win the game!

        What you didn’t hear that he has guaranteed his team will win?  He sure did, while he was lying on the beach surrounded by beautiful girls.   You didn’t know he was at the beach?  Who are you talking about? 

        I’m talking about the young, brash, upstart quarterback of the New York Jets, Joe Willie Namath, who famously guaranteed that the New York Jets would beat the Baltimore Colts and Johnny Unitas in Super Bowl III—and they did!

        No one thought the New York Jets, the American Football League Champion, would have a chance against the National Football League Champion, the Baltimore Colts.  The Colts were led by an old-school traditional quarterback who was past his prime, Johnny Unitas.  The Jets were led by Broadway Joe, who was the perfect representative of the upstart American Football League.  Most people viewed the AFL the way most of us look at the Arena Football League today.  Sure it was new, fun, and entertaining, but it wasn’t on the same level as the storied, traditional NFL.  Most traditionalists were upset that they were even having to play the game.  Hadn’t Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers proven in the first two Super Bowls that the NFL was far superior?  Surely the mighty Colts would crush the upstart Jets and expose the league and the cocky young quarterback for who they really were---a second rate team and league. 

        Johnny Unitas was definitely past his prime.  In fact, he didn’t even start the game.  Johnny Unitas was the winning quarterback in the “Greatest Game Ever Played:” the 1958 NFL Championship Game between the Colts and the New York Giants.  Johnny Unitas led the Colts down the field to a sudden-death overtime win to claim the title.  Even though that was ten years before, old-school traditionalists knew that an old Johnny Unitas was still head and shoulders above a young Joe Namath. 

        I watched Joe Namath play football for Bear Bryant and Alabama.  He led the Tide to the 1964 National Championship.  So I was pulling for Joe and the Jets, right?  Wrong!  I was a traditionalist, I was old school (even when I was a kid) I didn’t think the Jets belonged on the same field as the Colts.  I was pulling for the NFL all the way! 

        Even though I pulled for Joe Namath in college, I didn’t like his antics.  I was fond of quoting Bear Bryant who said, “When you get in the end zone, act like you’ve been there before.” 

        Here we are 47 years later getting ready for the Super Bowl.  You have a proven, old-school traditional quarterback in Payton Manning who doesn’t showboat or brag and a young, upstart, braggadocios kid who loves to dance and prance around on the field like he’s in a Broadway Show.  And don’t forget the fact that this kid is from Auburn!  Alabama’s archenemy!  So there’s no question who I’m pulling for, Payton Manning, right?  Wrong!  

        I love Cam Newton!  He’s the best thing that has happened to the NFL (Can you say “No Fun League!”)  He is just having fun!  And he is reminding all of us that football is “just a game.” 

        Come Super Bowl night I hope to be dabbing and smiling as Cam dances his way to a great victory.  And if you don’t understand, just say I am a “Pigskin Conundrum.”  Hey, I lost that game 47 years ago.  I’m not about to lose this one!