I just saw a piece with Bubba Smith on TBDSSP. He said he was absolutely convinced that the quarterback for Baltimore (Bill Morrall) threw the game. I've never heard this before and was wondering if anyone had any info on this.
Wow. Never heard THAT before. In fact, I thought Earl Morrall (sp)was considered to be a consumate professional. Although Baltimore did come back late with Unitas, their defense could NOT stop the J-E-T-S, JETS JETS JETS.
Was it Earle instead of Bill? Bubba didn't say his name to clearly, sorry. He was very clear that it he(Morrall) threw the game however. By the way, he also said a cabbie told him after the game to not feel bad about it, that everyone connected was told to put it all on the Jets. I've never heard this either.
Super Bowl III was not fixed, but the 1981 and 1986 NBA Playoffs, the 1980 and 1986 National League Championship series in Baseball, and the 1978 and 1979 AFC Title games in football most definitely were!!
Look to Ehlo. Here's a guy who can't avoid losing in the spotlight. You have to wonder what's going on with that....
Htown, That has always been a popular "rumour". I say "rumour" because it has never been proven. I remember one classic case of why it was supposedly fixed was when Earl Morrall completely ignored a wide open Jimmy Orr down the sidelines and threw down the middle to fullback Jerry Hill which wound up getting intercepted by Johnny Sample. It seems like that Orr even said something to the fact to Morrall of "How in the hell did you not see me waving my hands; you can't be that blind?"
Following the 1971 NFL season, the Miami Dolphins made their first appearance in a Super Bowl (VI). The young Dolphins had posted a 10-3-1 record in the franchise's sixth year of existence, and Don Shula's second year with the team. Following a humiliating 24-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl, many wondered how the players and coaches would bounce back in 1972. No one expected what the young team accomplished in 1972. A promising campaign seemingly was lost when starting quarterback Bob Griese went down with a broken leg during just the fifth game of the season. However, the Dolphins rallied behind journeyman Earl Morrall and posted an unprecedented 17-0 record, culminated by a 14-7 victory, Griese's first full game back, over the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII. How the Dolphins accomplished perfection is no secret. Shula relied on a smash-mouth power running game, featuring an amazing trio of Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Mercury Morris, and the aptly tabbed "No-Name" defense to acheive what no NFL team had ever done (or has accomplished since), an unbeaten, untied season resulting in the world championship. Bubba Smith's memory is fading with all the slaps to the head he took from offensive lineman. Why anybody watches that crappy show, I'll never figure out.
Hey that's funny. I almost posted that same quote. I guess we all did a little google search at the same time. Hey!!! Didn't Bubba guess star on the show with Alex Karras a couple of times! Personally I always thought Art Donovan was a much better Colts interview.
Did you see the game? Don't assume a game can't be thrown, remember all of the point shaving scandals in college basketball. And Black Sox series in baseball.
Just because someone throws one game doesn't mean they'll throw EVERY game. Not saying he threw the game, but why would they throw every big game they're involved in, that would be suspicious. That's the reason it's hard to catch people involved in point shaving because some of them were also on successful programs.
Man, NO WAY! Someone with a nick of NJ Rocket doesn't think Jersey's super bowl victory was fixed? Stop the presses!! Look, I don't know if it was fixed or not, hell this is the first I've heard of the possibilty. None of us however, know with certainty one way or the other.
That's the beauty of the conspiracy theory. No matter how much evidence is stacked up against the conspiracy, defenders can always say "Well, there's no way for us to know one way or another with any certainty. It still could have happened." (I'm not making any judgements on this particular conspiracy theory as I don't care. I'm just saying that, in general, this is what happens)
I watched that game. It was the most amazing game I have ever seen. I have never heard that it may have been fixed before. I don't know how you would ever know unless the guilty party confessed. Qb's miss open receivers all the time. I don't know if there is any game footage that would show Morrall looking in Orr's direction, then throwing to Hill. I was afraid Johnny U would somehow win the game at the end, but he couldn't pull it off. Before the game, the hype was that the Colts were possibly the best team ever, and the Jets had no chance. Maybe Bubba believed the hype and just can't accept the fact his team lost, giving the AFL "instant parity".
I've seen a tape of the game about 30 times. It wasn't fixed. Also, my very close friend's father played for that Jets team (thats how ive seen the tape) and I have spoken to him probably a zillion times about the game. Based on the stories I've been told in regards to the game, it would be my opinion that the game was definitely not fixed. I know that games can be and have been fixed....but I truly believe that this wasn't one of them.
wow, i just stumbled onto this thread, i'm rather shocked I missed it! now, I wasn't alive yet when SBIII was played, but I'm big on sports history, especially the NFL and I've never heard anything about a possible fix... I'm pretty shocked about this and will have to find a tape to watch the game from start to finish (i've only seen bits and pieces) i can't imagine the game being fixed though, it doesn't make too much sense to me.
