*thinking aloud* maybe it has to do with the fact that there are a lot more than '53' players on a D-1 college football team (esp. suiting up for a home game) and why you see some players at the same position (e.g. kickers) have the same number.
Was thinking about it....saw the pix and got that 'ugggh' feeling, A.J. Duhe, Gastineau "fall on the ball, dammit!" ..... but on top of it all, how Don "Rule Committee" Shula purposely ignored a league rule requiring a field to be tarp-covered by allowed the OB field to be exposed to a torrential downpour as well as the run off from a broken water pipe that was addressed in a tardy fashion.......you see Matt?....this is why I didn't post those pix........I'm rambling on like an idiot....
Mike Adamle, working the game for NBC, stood on the field before the game and the water on the field was over his ankles, he said this is a disgrace...and unfortunately led to Walt Michaels firing, Joe
I think when guys were smaller and wore a lot less armor the game was a good deal safer. Just one man's opinion.
^^^ Great pix Matt. DAVE JENNINGS #13 (1985-1986, P, St. Lawrence Univ.) e Since there are but two (Maynard, Jennings) who wore #13, note that come tomorrow there are only three players who wore #12. The obvious ones being QB's Joe Namath, Al Darrow and a lesser known QB named Hayseed Stephens (1962, Hardin-Simmons), a pipsqueak outta Texas who played in between Darrow and Namath. Extra bonus points for any pix of 'Hayseed' who belongs on a "Jets Best Name" list along with: - Dick Wood (QB, #19) - Lowe Wren (DB, #20) - Treg Songy (CB, #21) - Dick Felt (DB, #23). Sidebar: Ed "Wahoo" McDaniel, a Native American and Felt's former Jet teammate was asked his impressions of Felt. . McDaniel replied: "Ugh..Dick Felt, good!" (hope that didn't offend you soxxx). - Earthwind Moreland (DB, #38) - Cosmo Iacavazzi (HB, #45) - Godwin Turk (were they a band? LB, #56) - Proverb Jacobs (DT, #75)
Before 1973, players had more choices. A numbering system was implemented at that time. Players with now oddball numbers could continue to wear them (grandfather clause). Julius Adams was a defensive end sporting number 85 as late as 1987. Van Pelt was a rookie in 1973. He was able to wear #10 because he was listed as a linebacker/kicker. I actually like seeing receivers with teen numbers and I like defensive ends in the 80s. Notable players who wore numbers that would not be allowed today- QB Norm Van Brocklin wore 25 with L.A. WR Tommy McDonald wore 29, 8 and 25 during his HOF career. B Red Grange wore 77. QB Bobby Layne wore 22. Jets RB Mike Adamle wore 1. WR Michael Jackson wore 1 during the early 1990s. CB Night Train Lane wore 81. CB Emmitt Thomas wore 18 during his HOF career. FB Bronko Nagurski wore 3. Safeties Jake Scott and Richie Petitbon wore 13 and 17, respectively. (Petitbon also wore 16 when with the Redskins because Billy Kilmer had 17). Devin Hester was allowed to continue to wear 23 after he officially switched from CB to WR. K Jim Bakken wore 25 for 17 years with the Cardinals. QB Otto Graham wore 60 for a spell. FB Marion Motley wore 76 for several seasons. WR Frank Lewis wore 43 with the Steelers and later 82 with the Bills. WR Haven Moses wore 25 as did Fred Biletnikoff. RB Warren McVea (6) and WRs Frank Pitts (25) and Gloster Richardson (30) were key contributors for the Super Bowl 4 champion Chiefs. RB Ed Podolak wore 14. RB Steve Van Buren wore 15. Safety Larry Wilson wore 8. WR Mike Pritchard wore 35 for three years in the 1990s. RBs Paul Hornung and Harmon Wages wore 5. WRs John Gilliam, Paul Warfield and Charley Taylor wore 42. There are many other examples.
Well I'll be a horse's petute of a petunia, good call. And an appropriate one on this Snoopy Bowl Friday since Flowers, just like Dave Jennings, was signed by both the Jets and the Giants. Below: Little John Flowers catching a pass from Jet QB Rickey Ray, August 4, 2004 vs. Saints at the Superdome, New Orleans. Former Loy Norrix star Little John Flowers, left, is presented with a Loy Norrix athletic Hall of Fame award by his father, Marshall, during Loy Norrix's boys basketball game Saturday (John A. Lacko | Special to the Kalamazoo Gazette)
