Best Year of the 1960s

[SixtiesFan]

Another point about 1960 is how close it came to pitting lombardi against Paul Brown. In the second Eagles-Browns meeting that year, Philadelphia won on a 38-yard field goal by Bobby Walston with 10 seconds left. 38 yards was really beyond Walston's range by that point and he claimed it was his biggest thrill in football. If everything else played out the same after that game, Cleveland wins the East at 9-2-1 with Phila. At 9-3.

Yes, It's forgotten how close the 1960 Browns came to winning the Eastern Division title and meeting the Packers in Cleveland for the NFL Championship that year.

I saw the Eagle-Packer game on TV. What sticks with me is the Packers moving the ball well, but settling for two FGs and a 6-0 lead. The Eagles seemed destined to win.

[John Maxymuk]

Another point about 1960 is how close it came to pitting lombardi against Paul Brown. In the second Eagles-Browns meeting that year, Philadelphia won on a 38-yard field goal by Bobby Walston with 10 seconds left. 38 yards was really beyond Walston's range by that point and he claimed it was his biggest thrill in football. If everything else played out the same after that game, Cleveland wins the East at 9-2-1 with Phila. At 9-3.

Yeah, my knowledge of 1960 is about an inch deep. I did a quick search on Amazon not one book devoted to the 1960 Eagles, which is surprising since its such a compelling story (is it mostly forgotten?). Also did not see any bio of Van Brocklin. Guess tonight I will get out the NFL films history of the Eagles- but that is never in depth like a book, when done right, can be.

A local guy named Robert Gordon wrote The 1960 Philadelphia Eagles: The Team That They Said Had Nothing but a Championship [Paperback] in 2001.
It's on Amazon. Lots of stories. He interviewed everyone he could find.

[Retro Rider]

For me it's 1969, though I didn't start watching the NFL until 1970. With the era of afros & astroturf right around the corner, the '69 season bridged us into the "Super '70's" and provided some memorable events, games and personalities:

- 50th Anniversary year for the NFl/10th and final year for the AFL
- The emergence of the Minnesota Vikings as an NFL power (two classic battles with the L.A. Rams that year)
- Rookie QB sensation Greg Cook leads the Bengals to impressive wins over Oakland and Kansas City
- Paul Brown is named AFL Coach of the Year
- John Madden leads the Raiders to a 12-1-1 record in his first year as Raiders head coach
- Vince Lombardi coaches the Redskins to their first winning season since 1955
- Chuck Knoll is 1-13 in his first year with the Steelers
- The Philadelphia Eagles, with a variety of uniform combinations (including home & away helmets), become the first NFL club to roll out astro-turf (at Franklin Field)
- O.J. Simpson's rooke year in Buffalo and Jack Kemp's final season in pro football
- The Kansas City Chiefs secure a second Super Bowl title for the AFL, proving they're pro football's best in 1969 (and possibly the AFL's best team of all-time)
- Some fine quarterbacking seasons by Roman Gabriel, Joe Kapp, Bill Nelsen, Craig Morton, Billy Kilmer, Sonny Jurgensen, Fran Tarkenton, Daryle Lamonica, Joe Namath and Greg Cook (MVP of the College All-Star game in August)
- Gale Sayers returns from a serious knee injury and leads the NFL in rushing (also earns Comeback Player of the Year honors from UPI)
- The emergence of Rookies Calvin Hill, Joe Greene and Tom Dempsey - all Pro Bowlers & AP 1st Team All-NFL
- Paul Warfield's last year with the Browns before heading to Miami (returned to Cleveland in 1976)
- Joe Kapp becomes the first QB to play in a Rose Bowl, Grey Cup and Super Bowl
- Some memorable bad weather/snow games including Minnesota @ Detroit, San Francisco @ Minnesota and Cincinnati @ Buffalo and Minnesota @ Atlanta to name a few
- The Patriots play home games at Boston College's Alumni Stadium / The Bengals call Univ. of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium home / Franklin Field, Wrigley Field, Tiger Stadium, Tulane Stadium, Kezar Stadium, Pitt Stadium, Yankee Stadium, the Cotton Bowl, War Memorial Stadium and Municipal Stadium in Kansas City were all on borrowed time as NFL stadiums
- The Dolphins play a "home game" at Tampa (vs. Boston)
- Super Bowl 3 MVP Joe Namath "retires" briefly after the Bachelors III controversy, then returns to the Jets and leads them to an impressive 37-14 pre-season victory over the NY Giants for the football supremacy of New York. In the fall of '69 Namath gets his own tv talk show
- Lance Alworth breaks Don Hutson's mark by catching a pass in his 96th consecutive game
- My favorite tv show of all time, This Week in Pro Football makes it's debut in 1969. Weekly recaps of all NFL & AFL games were provided in a 60 minute format (R.I.P. Ed and Steve Sabol)

[BernardB]

A local guy named Robert Gordon wrote The 1960 Philadelphia Eagles: The Team That They Said Had Nothing but a Championship [Paperback] in 2001.
It's on Amazon. Lots of stories. He interviewed everyone he could find.

Gordon's book looks promising, thanks for the heads up.

[coachtj]

....robert gordon's book for me was insightful due to the interviews he did with players, and knowledge of the inner workings of the eagle organization in the 50's. no doubt he loves his team, and he captures all the ingredients needed to contend for a division title. his game by game recollection of the season kept my attention(probably since that is also my style). having the perspective of jimmy gallagher & ray didinger also was a key element.....since it begged the question; "ok, what does robert gordon have to say about this magical season".

[Jay Z]

Another point about 1960 is how close it came to pitting lombardi against Paul Brown. In the second Eagles-Browns meeting that year, Philadelphia won on a 38-yard field goal by Bobby Walston with 10 seconds left. 38 yards was really beyond Walston's range by that point and he claimed it was his biggest thrill in football. If everything else played out the same after that game, Cleveland wins the East at 9-2-1 with Phila. At 9-3.

Yes, It's forgotten how close the 1960 Browns came to winning the Eastern Division title and meeting the Packers in Cleveland for the NFL Championship that year.

I saw the Eagle-Packer game on TV. What sticks with me is the Packers moving the ball well, but settling for two FGs and a 6-0 lead. The Eagles seemed destined to win.

I would guess the chances of winning a game where you are outgained by 100 yards and -2 in turnover differential are less than 5%, maybe less than 2%.

Packers running game was at its height, Eagles had a lousy run defense. Packers did run the ball well, but still got stopped twice on fourth down plays. Starr went 21 for 34 as well, mostly short stuff, but wasn't sacked once. Packers basically had 7 scoring chances, wound up with 13 points. The two fourth down misses, a missed chip shot by Hornung, and the final drive which fell short. Eagles had four chances and got 17 points, only missing on one drive where Van Brocklin threw a pick in the end zone. Otherwise, the Eagles barely moved the ball. Van Brocklin only completed 9 passes, but did hit some big plays, something that would be harder and harder to do against the Packers' pass defense as the years went on.

To their credit, the Eagles did follow up with a 10-4 season in 1961, despite losing Van Brocklin and their coach.

It would be between 1960 and 1969 for me. 1969 had a lot of strong teams (Cowboys, Vikings, Rams, Chiefs, Raiders, Jets), although they all had worse years in 1970. 1960 had the Eagles and a great four team race in the west when the Colts fell apart down the stretch.

[Veeshik_ya]

Random but just noticed this. Same thread for the 70's is 4 pages and 40 posts. 60's is one page and 7 posts.

Kind of shows just how popular the 70's NFL is. I like it too, though if I picked a favorite decade, it'd be the 50's. League structure plays a big part in that, but also all the classic teams, all-time players, great blend of old and modern football, and a million other reasons.

Could also be due to the 70s hitting the "sweet spot" relative to forum members' ages.

[Jay Z]

Random but just noticed this. Same thread for the 70's is 4 pages and 40 posts. 60's is one page and 7 posts.

Kind of shows just how popular the 70's NFL is. I like it too, though if I picked a favorite decade, it'd be the 50's. League structure plays a big part in that, but also all the classic teams, all-time players, great blend of old and modern football, and a million other reasons.

Could also be due to the 70s hitting the "sweet spot" relative to forum members' ages.

I'm in the age range where I should love it, but '70s football had its share of problems, which others have mentioned. Too much distance between the good and bad teams. Not enough passing as compared to what came before OR after. I grew up watching the Packers, and watching their games from 1977 is rough. Granted, they only scored 134 points the whole year, but still. The NFC had one offense that was actually fun to watch, Dallas. The other three playoff teams were all plodding and heavily run-based.

THE NFL WAS RIGHT TO MAKE EVERY RULE CHANGE IT MADE IN THE 1970s TO KEEP THE GAME FROM BECOMING TERMINALLY BORING. I will say that a thousand times if I need to. Whatever you thought of it, by 1977 1970s football deserved to die.

[Veeshik_ya]

THE NFL WAS RIGHT TO MAKE EVERY RULE CHANGE IT MADE IN THE 1970s TO KEEP THE GAME FROM BECOMING TERMINALLY BORING. I will say that a thousand times if I need to. Whatever you thought of it, by 1977 1970s football deserved to die.

Well, I probably agree, with slightly less enthusiasm. It's gone a bit too far the other way, with people alive who've never witnessed the beauty of a defensive struggle. If I want to watch a basketball game I know where to find one, and we're getting there.

[74_75_78_79_]

THE NFL WAS RIGHT TO MAKE EVERY RULE CHANGE IT MADE IN THE 1970s TO KEEP THE GAME FROM BECOMING TERMINALLY BORING. I will say that a thousand times if I need to. Whatever you thought of it, by 1977 1970s football deserved to die.

Well, I probably agree, with slightly less enthusiasm. It's gone a bit too far the other way, with people alive who've never witnessed the beauty of a defensive struggle. If I want to watch a basketball game I know where to find one, and we're getting there.

I am, pretty much, right there in agreement. While I am one who considers '78 not only the best season of the '70s but best ever, I am still a defense guy at heart. And that's just it. '78 didn't stop great defenses. Heck, look at the two who made the SB that year barring the 73-point-combined final score. There are numerous great defensive outputs you can name in the '80s and beyond. What '78 simply did, for me, was just add some jelly to the PB sand, that's all. The league would not have...'died' if '77 stayed on as is (I'd actually still be as big a fan) but you need to have some O and '78 was what the doc ordered IMO. But yes, as you say, "we're getting there" is so spot-on as for how things very recently have been going. But even now, we still got some great Ds be it Legion of Boom, SF's up thru last year at least (have faith my Steelers will be back), and what not. When it starts getting like college football when even a D like 'Bama gives up 40+ points (even in a win), then I will really, really worry. Perhaps we need just a slight, a slight, anti-'78 rules-adjustment to bring it back in the other direction.