1967 Blues for the Browns

[Brian wolf]

You might have been aware of this Saban1 but the NFL secretly paid off Ninowski, similar to John Brodie, due to signing with the Raiders before the merger. Once the merger happened, all signings were declared void but with Ninowski and Brodie threatening anti-trust lawsuits, they got paid quite well. How much the Browns or the Redskins paid Ninowski, I am not sure about but I think he was paid 100,000 per year for four years.

[Saban1]

I am glad that he made out so well. I think I read something about that in Bernie Parish's book, "They Call It A Game."

[rhickok1109]

You might have been aware of this Saban1 but the NFL secretly paid off Ninowski, similar to John Brodie, due to signing with the Raiders before the merger. Once the merger happened, all signings were declared void but with Ninowski and Brodie threatening anti-trust lawsuits, they got paid quite well. How much the Browns or the Redskins paid Ninowski, I am not sure about but I think he was paid 100,000 per year for four years.

He was paid an additional $50,000 a year for four years, which effectively brought his salary to $100,000 a year for those years.

[Brian wolf]

For me, despite being rejected for conspiracy theories by the NFL, They Call It A Game is the best critical book of the league I have ever read ... Alot of the stuff in that book, still goes on today. Instead of direct pay-per-view games, the league parcels out games-packages to any network that wants them, even though they just got in trouble for manipulating the satellite television package with DirectTV. Instead of restituting ripped off customers, who actually won the judgement against the NFL, the judge just dismisses the entire thing. May He Have A Merry Christmas, say the owners ... haha

[Saban1]

Speaking of football books, my favorite is, "The Best Show In Football" by Andy Piascik, which is about the Otto Graham era of the Cleveland Browns, 1946-1955. Piascik"s book is very detailed about the early and middle 50's Cleveland Browns. I loved reading it.

Another good one is Richard Bak's, "When Lions Were Kings," which is about part of the same era, but about the 50's Detroit Lions. I found it very interesting.

I liked "Blanton's Browns" by Roger Gordon, which is about the mid and late 60's Cleveland Browns of which Blanton Collier was the Head Coach. The Browns of that era was not the team of the 60's, Green Bay was, but Cleveland had a consistently good team during those years and even won the NFL Championship in 1964. I liked the book.

[Brian wolf]

I want those first two books but about to get the new TJ Troup book ... 1961: A Sensational Season

[Saban1]

Speaking of football books, my favorite is, "The Best Show In Football" by Andy Piascik, which is about the Otto Graham era of the Cleveland Browns, 1946-1955. Piascik"s book is very detailed about the early and middle 50's Cleveland Browns. I loved reading it.

Another good one is Richard Bak's, "When Lions Were Kings," which is about part of the same era, but about the 50's Detroit Lions. I found it very interesting.

I liked "Blanton's Browns" by Roger Gordon, which is about the mid and late 60's Cleveland Browns of which Blanton Collier was the Head Coach. The Browns of that era was not the team of the 60's, Green Bay was, but Cleveland had a consistently good team during those years and even won the NFL Championship in 1964. I liked the book.

A mistake I made is not mentioning in Andy Piascik's book about the late 1940's years of the Cleveland Browns in the All America Conference (1946-49) in which players like Otto Graham, Marion Motley, Lou Saban, Mac Speedie, etc. were in their prime years.

[SixtiesFan]

I am glad that he made out so well. I think I read something about that in Bernie Parish's book, "They Call It A Game."

Yes, how Jim Ninowski was paid was in Bernie Parrish's 1971 book. I read it when it came out.

[Saban1]

So, if the Eastern Conference in 1967 stayed the same as it was in 1966 (not divided into 2 divisions), then the Cleveland Browns would have certainly finished 2nd to the Dallas Cowboys, as they did in 1966. I guess the difference would have been that in 1966, the Browns were unlucky and had a tougher schedule whereas in 1967, Dallas was just better.

As it was, Cleveland was lucky in 1967. The Giants, who split wins in their 2 games with Cleveland, were unlucky to lose in their games with Washington and Minnesota. Cleveland was lucky to win both games with the Cardinals, and their games with Minnesota and with Washington.

To be fair about it, the Browns were unlucky in their first game with the New York Giants ( A blocked punt that went out of bounds on the 2 yard line that was quickly turned into 6 points by the Giants. A fumbled kickoff that was also turned into another 6 points. Both running backs Leroy Kelly and Ernie Green knocked out of the game (not an accident). A shanked punt that hit a Browns player on the leg as he was running down the field to try
to help set up a return and the Giants recovered.

So everything went right for the Giants that day and it all went wrong for Cleveland as the Giants prevailed, 38 to 34. Cleveland also gave away their last game with Philadelphia playing their reserves as their division was clinched. Cleveland had 4 turnovers as well as the blocked punt (their first in many years and the first for Gary Collins) in the Giants game.

OK, change some of those games around and the Giants might have actually won the Century Division in 1967 instead of Cleveland. Of course, the Giants were the worst team in the NFL in 1966 and maybe pro football history.

[Sonny9]

You might have been aware of this Saban1 but the NFL secretly paid off Ninowski, similar to John Brodie, due to signing with the Raiders before the merger. Once the merger happened, all signings were declared void but with Ninowski and Brodie threatening anti-trust lawsuits, they got paid quite well. How much the Browns or the Redskins paid Ninowski, I am not sure about but I think he was paid 100,000 per year for four years.

He was paid an additional $50,000 a year for four years, which effectively brought his salary to $100,000 a year for those years.

He said he finally prepared to file the suit in 1967 against both leagues and all their teams and the out of court settlement was reached. Dempsey said the agreement brought Ninowski, then playing for Washington at $50,000 a year, a $100,000 check from NFL President Art Modell, intended to boost his pay retroactively to $100,000 for previous two years. It was also greed that Ninowski would receive $100,000 a year in salary for the next two years. He said part of the agreement was that there would be no publicity. Dempsey contended that the leagues feared similar antitrust actions by other players.

He said he disclosed the agreement Friday because statute on limitations had expired on any such 1965 claims. Dempsey said he thought about 40 NFL players had been offered jobs with the AFL and had the offers wiped out. The only other player believed to have received a settlement is quarterback John Brodie. Dempsey said Brodie, who was with the San Francisco 49ers, "had a written agreement" to back up his claim. Brodie reportedly settled for $750,000. Ninowski started with Cleveland in 1958, was traded to the Detroit Lions in 1960 and returned to the Browns in another trade two years later.

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