Football Stories

[redbuck]

I thought this might be an interesting thread to start.

Here's one of mine:

Wasn't sure where to put this but it crossed my mind today.

Anybody who followed the AFC in the 1980s should know about James Brooks. Brooks was (I think he has been surpassed but not sure) the Bengals' all time leading rusher. He led the '88 team along with Ickey Woods (Ickey shuffle) and was certainly a very talented runner.

After Brooks retired, though, he entered some strange financial situations, I think he was part of Ickey Woods' door to door meat selling business for a while. Anyway, Brooks got into some legal trouble. At one of his employments he was accused of a breach of contract and had to go to court.

To avoid jail time, Brooks argued in his defense that he could not follow his contract because...he could not read. Brooks is a graduate of Auburn. Either Auburn's education is terrible, Brooks got special privileges or his defense was bogus, but I think he was able to prove he could not read.

Have always enjoyed that story. Care to post any others you know?

[Snake]

One of my favorites is the beginning of the Notre Dame- Navy rivalry.

It really begins in 1913, when Army gets a hole in their schedule and agree to play Notre Dame. At the time, Army was a powerhouse football program. Notre Dame put themselves on the map by utilizing their passing game of Gus Dorais to Knute Rockne and upending Army. During the 1920's, Notre Dame - Army become one of the bigest football games of the year, and was quite a rivalry. Early in the year in 1926, Notre Dame beat Army, and were on their way to an undefeated season and probably the National Championship. That year the Army - Navy game was held in Chicago, to open up Soldier Field. Navy tied Army in a classic 21-21. Heres where things get interesting. Head Coach Knute Rockne did not make the trip with Notre Dame to play Carnegie Tech, and the Irish get beat in one of the biggest upsets of all time. Due to that improbable loss, Navy is awarded the National Championship in 1926. Where was Rockne that day? Why, in Soldier Field watching the Army - Navy game!!

The very next year marked the start of the Notre Dame - Navy rivalry. The Army - Navy - Notre Dame triangle proved to be a very good rivalry for college football over the next few decades, and elevated each team to elite status.