Category Archives: sports

Great Moments In Television History #35: The 33rd NFL Championship Game Is Broadcast In Color

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

60 years ago today, the Cleveland Browns and the Green Bay Packers met in the 33rd Championship Game of the National Football League.  The Packers were led by Vince Lombardi while the returning champions, the Browns, were coached by Blanton Collier and had all-star fullback Jim Brown on its offensive roster.  The game was played at Lambeau Field in Wisconsin, in the middle of a snowstorm that soon turned the field into a mud pit.  50,777 fans showed up for the game, braving freezing weather and paying ten dollars per ticket.  The Packers defeated the Browns, 23-12.

This game was significant for many reasons.  It was the last NFL Championship Game to be played before the Super Bowl era.  With the exception of that year’s Probowl, it was Jim Brown’s final game before he retired to concentrate on his acting career.  It was Lombardi’s 3rd NFL Championship.  (The next year, he would catch the Packers to victory at the first Super Bowl.)

It was also the first NFL title game to be broadcast in color.  Airing on CBS and announced by Ray Scott, Ken Coleman, and Frank Gifford, the game was broadcast into American household in full, glorious color.  It was both a worthy send-off to the Championship Game era and a welcome to the future of the NFL.

Previous Moments In Television History:

  1. Planet of the Apes The TV Series
  2. Lonely Water
  3. Ghostwatch Traumatizes The UK
  4. Frasier Meets The Candidate
  5. The Autons Terrify The UK
  6. Freedom’s Last Stand
  7. Bing Crosby and David Bowie Share A Duet
  8. Apaches Traumatizes the UK
  9. Doctor Who Begins Its 100th Serial
  10. First Night 2013 With Jamie Kennedy
  11. Elvis Sings With Sinatra
  12. NBC Airs Their First Football Game
  13. The A-Team Premieres
  14. The Birth of Dr. Johnny Fever
  15. The Second NFL Pro Bowl Is Broadcast
  16. Maude Flanders Gets Hit By A T-Shirt Cannon
  17. Charles Rocket Nearly Ends SNL
  18. Frank Sinatra Wins An Oscar
  19. CHiPs Skates With The Stars
  20. Eisenhower In Color
  21. The Origin of Spider-Man
  22. Steve Martin’s Saturday Night Live Holiday Wish List
  23. Barnabas Collins Is Freed From His Coffin
  24. Siskel and Ebert Recommend Horror Films
  25. Vincent Price Meets The Muppets
  26. Siskel and Ebert Discuss Horror
  27. The Final Scene of Dark Shadows
  28. The WKRP Turkey Drop
  29. Barney Pops On National TV
  30. The Greatest American Hero Premieres
  31. Rodney Dangerfield On The Tonight Show
  32. The Doors Are Open
  33. The Thighmaster Commercial Premieres
  34. The Hosts of Real People Say “Get High On Yourself”

Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul: The Aftermath

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

You can’t always get what you want.

Last night, almost every true fight fan wanted to see Mike Tyson knock out Jake Paul.  It didn’t happen, because Tyson is 58 years old and Jake Paul is 31 years younger.  Tyson started out strong but, after the third round, it was obvious that he was exhausted and it even looked like Jake Paul was going easy on him as things reached their conclusion.  Mike made it 8 rounds without collapsing, which was a personal victory considering how tired he looked by the end of the fight.  Jake and Mike both got paid and I imagine that was their main concern.

Last night was hardly the worst thing that I’ve ever seen as far as boxing is concerned.  I lived through the 90s and the era when Don King would shove any fighter, regardless of how mentally unstable or drug-addicted, into the ring.  I am old enough that I can remember Oliver McCall having a nervous breakdown in the ring and refusing to defend himself against Lennox Lewis.  I can remember Andrew Golota throwing away two certain victories because he just couldn’t stop hitting Riddick Bowe below the belt.  I can remember Mike Tyson biting off a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear.  I can even remember Montell “Ice” Griffin.  Trust me, I’ve seen a lot worse that Paul vs. Tyson.  But watching Iron Mike lose to a YouTube star, that’s definitely the type of thing that will hurt the soul of any 90s kid.  The new generation has arrived and the man who was once the greatest boxer in the world lost to a former Disney star.

The biggest loser last night was not Netflix, despite all of the technical difficulties that they had trying to broadcast a live event.  The biggest losers were the people who purchased a Netflix subscription just to watch the fight and instead spent most of the night staring at error messages and a buffering image.  Did the Netflix engineer not consider that Mike Tyson coming out retirement to fight a YouTube star would put added stress on their servers?  Netflix still made their money, though.  They got what they wanted, even if fight fans didn’t.

I have no problem acknowledging that, even past his prime and two years away from sixty, Mike Tyson could easily beat me up.  But now I have to live with the knowledge that Jake Paul could beat me up too.  That’s the real tragedy of Paul vs. Tyson.

Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul: A Preview

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

I’ve managed to avoid most of the hype surrounding tonight’s boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul.  That was intentional on my part because I found the whole idea to be incredibly depressing.

When I was growing up, there was no athlete more fearsome than Mike Tyson.  At the peak of his career, he was the best boxer of all time.  You can count me in as one of the people who believes that Tyson, at his best, could have easily defeated Mohammed Ali.  What Tyson lacked in finesse, he made up for in pure power.  As Tyson got older, he got slower and was no longer as impressive as he used to be but that happens to almost every boxer.  Even after he retired, Tyson remained a boxing icon.  I don’t care how old he is or how slowly he might now move, I would not want to get on Mike Tyson’s bad side.

And then there’s Jake Paul.  I had to ask Lisa who Jake Paul was.  Apparently, he’s a YouTube star who has decided that he’s a boxer and who has won a few sketchy fights.  Paul vs. Tyson is going to be his debut as a heavyweight.

Friends and fellow readers, let me just be blunt.

If “Iron Mike” Tyson loses to Jake Paul tonight, my childhood will be over.  If Mike Tyson, the most fearsome boxer of my lifetime, loses to a YouTube star, I am just going to give up on everything and start my mid-life crisis.  It would be one thing if this was an exhibition match.  Everyone knows that an exhibition doesn’t mean anything.  This is an officially sanctioned boxing match.  This fight will forever be a part of Mike Tyson’s record.  If Mike Tyson officially ends his career losing to Jake Paul, what’s the point?

And it could happen. Mike Tyson is 58 years old and Jake Paul is 27.  There’s a big difference between 58 and 27.  By his own admission, Mike Tyson also doesn’t like to train.  In Tyson’s last officially sanctioned match, he lost to Kevin McBride.  Remember that? Tyson quit the fight after the sixth round.  And after he lost, Tyson said “I’m not going to disrespect the sport anymore by losing to this caliber of fighter.”  Mike’s looking for a payday and so is Jake Paul.  If Jake beats Mike Tyson, that’ll mean that anyone could beat Mike Tyson if they pay him enough.  That would be the ultimate disrespect to the sport that Tyson says he loves.

I have faith in Iron Mike, though.  I think Tyson will let the fight go to the end but I think he’ll win on points.  I think that the universe or karma or whatever you want to call it will cut all of us fight fans a break.

At least, I hope it will.

The Dodgers Have Won The World Series

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

And just like that, the 2024 MLB post-season came to an end.

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the 2024 World Series champions.  For five innings, it looked like the Yankees were going to pull off a miracle and keep the Series going to at least a Game 6.  But, during the fifth inning, the Dodgers tied the score, the momentum shifted, and they never really looked back.  Even when the Yankees briefly reclaimed the lead, it felt like the an eventual Dodgers win was inevitable.  The final score was 7-6, Dodgers.

Watching the World Series is a lot different when your team isn’t on the field.  I hoped the Yankees would win, because I’m an American League girl but what I really wanted was to watch was my team playing for the championship.  Unfortunately, the Rangers did not make it this year.  Maybe next year.

Now, how long do we have to wait for Spring Training to begin?

Hooray For The Yankees!

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Hooray for the Yankees?

There’s something that I never thought I’d say but I also never thought I’d find myself cheering for the Yankees in the World Series, either.

Yesterday, the Yankees finally showed some life and defeated the Dodger for the first time during this World Series.  The Yankees have got a long way to go and the odds are against them.  The Yankees have won one game but the Dodgers are still just one victory away from winning the Series.  But I was still proud to see the Yankees actually playing the game as if they cared last night.

Game 5 is tonight.  The Yankees are playing to keep the series going.  The Dodgers are playing to bring it to an end.  I really hope the Yankees pull off another victory.  I’m not ready for baseball to end.

Go Yankees!

The Dodgers Are One Game Away

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Congratulations to the Dodgers, who are now one game away from winning the 2024 World Series.  I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a World Series that was won in 4 but it could happen when the Dodgers and the Yankees meet tomorrow.  Usually, the other team wins at least one game.

I’ll still be cheering for you, Yankees.  I really want to see your team make a comeback, if just because I can remember how excited I was when the Rangers proved all their doubters wrong last year.  The Dodgers have the momentum now but it only takes one victory to change things around.  And, at this point, the Yankees can’t afford to lose another game.  Not if they want to keep alive their chance of winning their first World Series since 2009.

Good luck, Yankees!  I still believe in you.

The Dodgers Win Game One Of The World Series!

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Congratulations to the Dodgers on winning Game One of the World Series!

What a game that was!  The Dodgers came from behind, tied up the game in the eighth inning and then won things in the 10th inning in the most spectacular way possible, with grand slam that brough four runs across the plate!  If you’re going to go into extra innings, that’s how you want to win the game.

Of course, I endorsed the Yankees earlier today so they better make a comeback of their own tomorrow!

For now, here’s the grand slam that won the first game of the 2024 world series.

I Endorse The Yankees For The World Series Championship

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Everyone’s talking about endorsements or the lack of them today so I guess I should make it official.  The World Series is starting tonight and I am officially endorsing the Yankees.

Why the Yankees?

They’re not my team and, as a Southern girl, I never thought I’d be endorsing a Yankee for anything.  But even if the Yankees are not my team, they are the American League’s team.  And I always cheer for the American League, the home of the Rangers.

The Dodgers just won the World Series four years ago.  The Yankees haven’t won since 2009.  It’s time for New York to have something cheer about.

Go Yankees!

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Dodgers

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who clinched the National League Championship tonight and who will be facing the Yankees in the World Series!  It’ll be the west coast vs east coast and I’m not sure who I’ll be cheering for.  It’ll probably be the Yankees, because I’m an American League girl.

This will be the Dodgers first World Series appearance since 2020.  Even though neither one of them is my team, I look forward to watching the Yankees and the Dodgers battle for the championship.

Congratulations to the Yankees, the American League champions!

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Start spreading the news, the New York Yankees are going to their first World Series since 2009!  They clinched the American League championship tonight, defeating the Guardians in Game 5 of the ALCS!

As for who the Yankees will be facing, the Dodgers have a chance to clinch the NLCS tomorrow and the Mets have a chacne to tie things up and keep the series going.  I’m hoping the Mets do just that because a World Series featuring the Yankees and the Mets just feels like a baseball dream come true!

Congratulations to the Yankees!  Good luck in the World Series!