Wonky Merger/Realignment stuff

[Reaser]

Might add Paul Brown to the mix as he is the only one to be a Head Coach in the AAFC, NFL, and AFL

And he was also a head coach on the high school and college levels.

Service football, too.

[JohnR]

Recently read about a proposal that was on the table in '68 to remedy the depressingly lopsided results of SBs 1 & 2. The semi-finals would be AFL vs NFL. In '68 Oakland would have played Baltimore and Cleveland would take on the Jets, thereby setting up a truly competitive Super Bowl (like 34-0?). Don't know how serious this was considered, but in a matter of months those fears were put to rest.

[Ronfitch]

That is pretty amazing to have played in all three leagues -- one must have had a long career to do that.

And, typically, ten toes. Ben did it missing four toes on his kicking foot.

[Bryan]

Recently read about a proposal that was on the table in '68 to remedy the depressingly lopsided results of SBs 1 & 2. The semi-finals would be AFL vs NFL. In '68 Oakland would have played Baltimore and Cleveland would take on the Jets, thereby setting up a truly competitive Super Bowl (like 34-0?). Don't know how serious this was considered, but in a matter of months those fears were put to rest.

Only tangentially related, when the NHL absorbed the WHA in the late 70's, the postseason format for a few years was that one side of the playoff bracket was the NHL teams and the other side was the merged WHA teams. So the early round NHL games were the big ones; the typical result was that the Canadiens would make the Finals, go up against a WHA team, and sweep them 4-0.

[Reaser]

Only tangentially related, when the NHL absorbed the WHA in the late 70's, the postseason format for a few years was that one side of the playoff bracket was the NHL teams and the other side was the merged WHA teams. So the early round NHL games were the big ones; the typical result was that the Canadiens would make the Finals, go up against a WHA team, and sweep them 4-0.

That didn't happen. I believe you're confusing the WHA teams joining with the late 60's expansion. The "second six" which had the two divisions, the "original six" in one and the six expansion teams in the other. Which meant that an expansion team made it to the Stanley Cup by default. League structure existed for 3 years and the St. Louis Blues were the team that went all three years and were swept 4-0 all three times, twice by the Habs and once by the Bruins. Then the divisions changed, sort of, with more expansion. Chicago went to the "west" (expansion division) and promptly made the Stanley Cup Final that season, and lost.

[Bryan]

That didn't happen. I believe you're confusing the WHA teams joining with the late 60's expansion. The "second six" which had the two divisions, the "original six" in one and the six expansion teams in the other. Which meant that an expansion team made it to the Stanley Cup by default. League structure existed for 3 years and the St. Louis Blues were the team that went all three years and were swept 4-0 all three times, twice by the Habs and once by the Bruins. Then the divisions changed, sort of, with more expansion. Chicago went to the "west" (expansion division) and promptly made the Stanley Cup Final that season, and lost.

You are correct. My NHL history is even more hazy than my NFL history.