1981 the Kids Came Home!

The wistful sentimental mind of a Master waxes poetic when remembering one very emotional homecoming of sorts on a Super Bowl Sunday this day in 1981.

Two teams who had met earlier in the year at Philadelphia (won by the Eagles over the Raiders 10-7) would meet again in the Superdome. Jim Plunkett would take over for an injured Dan Pastorini in Week 5 and the rest as they say was history.

Fueled by strong running in the name of Kenny King, a strong receiver set of Bob Chandler, Raymond Chester, and Cliff Branch, this Raider team would be no match for the likes of 'Jaws' Jaworski, Harold Carmichael, Wilbert Montgomery, ex-Falcon Claude Humphreys and Carl Hairston.

I remember right before kickoff NBC's Dick Enberg announcing the hostages in Iran would be coming home after 444 days. All it took was for Ronald Reagan to take office and 8 billion dollars...I even remember a yellow ribbon neatly tied around the Superdome!

*******This whole standoff began Sunday November 4th 1979 when radicals stormed the American embassy and took some of our people hostage...It seemed like an eternity... I even recall an arrogant jerk that we had to deal with for months with the last name of Ghotbzadeh. He would die mysteriously years later. Quite a few run-ins with Mike Wallace on '60 Minutes' and that bearded freak the Ayatollah Khomeini...Radio stations even did parody songs about the bearded guy to the Knacks' 'My Sharona'. WLUP's FM 98's Steve Dahl (Chicago) had one that was funniest.*******

Rod Martin was the story of this game with three picks. An 80 yard bomb from Plunkett to Branch sealed the deal 27-10 for Oakland. The score was weird in that the last time a Super Bowl was played in Nawlins (1/15/78) another AFC West team played an NFC East team and the final score was also 27-10! Dallas your winner...

This day in 1987 the Giants would meet Denver in Pasadena. The Broncos would lead 10-9 at the half. Second half Phil Simms went 20 for 22 passing, finding Phil McConkey for one TD in a 39-20 shellacking.

As for today, for the first time in a week I am breathing a little easier. Just in time for tomorrow's Texas Rangers Fanfest! Players signings, autographs, chalk talks, memorabilia, and the like. Looking forward to seeing my ticket reps again. They rock! Warmer weather also to return...Finally!

Over and out in Big D

Mr Will