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For The Old Folks. Do You Remember When? Pro Football Changes

  • Footwedge
    On another thread is was brought up that completion percentages were down 40 years ago. It jogged memories of how the games used to be. They didn't call it "illegal block to the back" it was called clipping and was a 15 yard honk. Offensive holding was 15 yards...and marked off from the spot of the foul. For example, if it was first and ten and your team held, the next play was often first and 32.

    On defense, you had to just about murder someone to draw a personal foul. The goal posts were on the goal line. The term "post pattern" was truly that. receiver would go to the goal post and swing on it cutting in front of the safety.

    There was always 2 running backs in the backfield and only one tight end. Defenses were all cookie cutters. 2 cornerbacks, a strong safety ( covered the tight end) and the free safety who...was "free:" to go wherever. There were no nickel or dime packages.

    The kickers were all straight line kickers...none of this soccer style shit. LOL. The first soccer style kicker was Pete Gogalak who played for the Giants and then his brother Charlie who played for Washington.

    Field goal percentages were way down from where they are today. Lou "the toe" Groza would have been cut with his f. g. percentage. And he was considered the gold standard at that time.

    what am I missing?
  • GOONx19
    Instead of a pre-game coin toss, officials put the ball on the ground and let a player from each team scramble for it to determine who received the kickoff option.

    Those were the days.
  • WebFire
    You're old.
  • Ironman92
    Footwedge;1678526 wrote:On another thread is was brought up that completion percentages were down 40 years ago. It jogged memories of how the games used to be. They didn't call it "illegal block to the back" it was called clipping and was a 15 yard honk. Offensive holding was 15 yards...and marked off from the spot of the foul. For example, if it was first and ten and your team held, the next play was often first and 32.

    On defense, you had to just about murder someone to draw a personal foul. The goal posts were on the goal line. The term "post pattern" was truly that. receiver would go to the goal post and swing on it cutting in front of the safety.

    There was always 2 running backs in the backfield and only one tight end. Defenses were all cookie cutters. 2 cornerbacks, a strong safety ( covered the tight end) and the free safety who...was "free:" to go wherever. There were no nickel or dime packages.

    The kickers were all straight line kickers...none of this soccer style shit. LOL. The first soccer style kicker was Pete Gogalak who played for the Giants and then his brother Charlie who played for Washington.

    Field goal percentages were way down from where they are today. Lou "the toe" Groza would have been cut with his f. g. percentage. And he was considered the gold standard at that time.

    what am I missing?
    * were
  • thavoice
    Footwedge;1678526 wrote:On another thread is was brought up that completion percentages were down 40 years ago. It jogged memories of how the games used to be. They didn't call it "illegal block to the back" it was called clipping and was a 15 yard honk. Offensive holding was 15 yards...and marked off from the spot of the foul. For example, if it was first and ten and your team held, the next play was often first and 32.

    On defense, you had to just about murder someone to draw a personal foul. The goal posts were on the goal line. The term "post pattern" was truly that. receiver would go to the goal post and swing on it cutting in front of the safety.

    There was always 2 running backs in the backfield and only one tight end. Defenses were all cookie cutters. 2 cornerbacks, a strong safety ( covered the tight end) and the free safety who...was "free:" to go wherever. There were no nickel or dime packages.

    The kickers were all straight line kickers...none of this soccer style shit. LOL. The first soccer style kicker was Pete Gogalak who played for the Giants and then his brother Charlie who played for Washington.

    Field goal percentages were way down from where they are today. Lou "the toe" Groza would have been cut with his f. g. percentage. And he was considered the gold standard at that time.

    what am I missing?
    Remember most of that. They chagned that holding rule because it put offenses in too much of a bind when it was called.

    Also remember when the refs would stop play if the opposing crowds were too loud..that was a joke! Think a penalty could even by called.
    Wasnt too long ago the coin flip was called when the coin was in the air. I was at the steelers/lions game on Thanksgiving when that all went to hell. At the time I told my buddie I think something was messed up as you could see the players arguing. Wasnt until we got to grandma's for Turkey dinner and teh family asked what we thought of it.

    Not so much football, the game, related, but as a kid I remember at the 2 minute warning of MNF games they had a segment called Alcoa Fantastic Finishes where they highlighted a past comeback late in the game. ALways tried like hell to stay up for it. Also on MNF when it was third down they gave the % the league was making that down and distance.
  • Al Bundy
    Footwedge;1678526 wrote:On another thread is was brought up that completion percentages were down 40 years ago. It jogged memories of how the games used to be. They didn't call it "illegal block to the back" it was called clipping and was a 15 yard honk. Offensive holding was 15 yards...and marked off from the spot of the foul. For example, if it was first and ten and your team held, the next play was often first and 32.

    On defense, you had to just about murder someone to draw a personal foul. The goal posts were on the goal line. The term "post pattern" was truly that. receiver would go to the goal post and swing on it cutting in front of the safety.

    There was always 2 running backs in the backfield and only one tight end. Defenses were all cookie cutters. 2 cornerbacks, a strong safety ( covered the tight end) and the free safety who...was "free:" to go wherever. There were no nickel or dime packages.

    The kickers were all straight line kickers...none of this soccer style shit. LOL. The first soccer style kicker was Pete Gogalak who played for the Giants and then his brother Charlie who played for Washington.

    Field goal percentages were way down from where they are today. Lou "the toe" Groza would have been cut with his f. g. percentage. And he was considered the gold standard at that time.

    what am I missing?
    defensive backs were allowed to bump receivers downfield until the ball was thrown (no 5 yard rule like today)
    the qb could be hit until the play was over
    headslaps were legal and commonly used by def. linemen
    offensive linemen were not allow to use their hands when blocking, had to use shoulder (most blocking today would have been holding back then)
    the hashmarks were wider
    leather helmets
    barefoot kickers
    white defensive backs
  • thavoice
    Al Bundy;1678541 wrote:defensive backs were allowed to bump receivers downfield until the ball was thrown (no 5 yard rule like today)
    the qb could be hit until the play was over
    headslaps were legal and commonly used by def. linemen
    offensive linemen were not allow to use their hands when blocking, had to use shoulder (most blocking today would have been holding back then)
    the hashmarks were wider
    leather helmets
    barefoot kickers
    white defensive backs
    Def recall the barefoot kickers. Think I even tried it!
  • WebFire
    The defense could actually hit the offense without a ridiculous targeting penalty.
  • Classyposter58
    Haha if you want to watch throwback football so badly go watch a D6 playoff game. This Spread No Huddle stuff is awesome
  • thavoice
    Classyposter58;1678555 wrote:Haha if you want to watch throwback football so badly go watch a D6 playoff game. This Spread No Huddle stuff is awesome
    Kirtland grinds it out. Minster likes to toss it around. Not sure of the other DVI teams remaining. DVII has a team that is run heavy but can also throw it and is good enough to throttle great DV teams who run the spread...
    Just saying...
  • BRF
    Wow! Nice thread. The Gogolaks. Pretty much changed it all.

    Don't forget that with Groza, in those days they were looking for double duty.

    Tom Dempsey and his club footed record FG. :-). (AND... The circumstances that allowed that to happen!)

    thevoice: didn't realize you were one of the old folks!

    Al Bundy with his last remark.... !

    BTW....the FG that "won" the "drive" was barefooted. (Rich Karlis from North Canton). From my view in the lower left of the Dog Pound, the kick was wide.
  • Ironman92
    thavoice;1678557 wrote:Kirtland grinds it out. Minster likes to toss it around. Not sure of the other DVI teams remaining. DVII has a team that is run heavy but can also throw it and is good enough to throttle great DV teams who run the spread...
    Just saying...
    Valley will spread vs Kirtland.....guessing Kirtland will win big.
  • BR1986FB
    BRF;1678579 wrote: BTW....the FG that "won" the "drive" was barefooted. (Rich Karlis from North Canton). From my view in the lower left of the Dog Pound, the kick was wide.
    If the goal posts extended higher, I think it would've been more obvious.
  • Gardens35
    Flanker.
  • Gardens35
    The drop-kick.
  • Gardens35
    Think about how drastic the changes in the intentional grounding rule.....
  • Gardens35
    QB 's wearing the single - bar mask.
  • Gardens35
    Cross the goal line........touch the ball down. Touchdown.
  • Gardens35
    Clobber the long snapper in the head as hard as you could.
  • Gardens35
    The New York Titans.
  • Gardens35
    Billy Johnson wore white shoes.
  • Gardens35
    The jump pass.
  • Gardens35
    Jarvis Redwine.
  • Gardens35
    I. M. Hipp.
  • Gardens35
    Massillon was State Champ.