Super Bowl I

Today, people all over the world will participate in the time honored traditions surrounding the Super Bowl… watch the game (and commercials) with family and friends, and eat…. my tradition since Super Bowl I.

super bowl 1

Super Bowl I is indelibly imprinted in my brain, even though I was only 9 years old at the time.  It pitted my team, the Kansas City Chiefs, against the reigning World Champions… the big dogs… the Green Bay Packers.

Our whole family (a rather large family with 6 kids) gathered around the old black and white TV, ate s’mores (a “new” taste treat in 1967) and watched the Packers defeat the Chiefs.

That is what I remember…. family, eating, TV… and then the utter disappointment because my team lost.

It is easy, with 20/20 hindsight vision, to see with clarity how amazing this game was, and these two teams were.

There were no less than 17 future NFL Hall of Fame members on the field for that first Super Bowl!  Here is a list of players (and links to their HOF page) from each of these teams that are now enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame:

Kansas City Chiefs:

Green Bay Packers

Now for some editorial comment…

There are two glaring exceptions to this list – #64 Jerry Kramer from the Packers, and #89 Otis Taylor from the Chiefs.

Jerry Kramer was a six-time All-Pro (five first-team honors) at right guard and also went to three Pro Bowls and was on the NFL All-Decade team for the 1960s.

In addition to all that, Kramer was named as a member of the NFL’s 50th anniversary team in 1969. Kramer is the only member of that team not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Jerry Kramer was a member of 5 NFL championship teams and 2 Super Bowl championship squads.

Otis Taylor, Wide Receiver for the Chiefs from 1965-1975, was one of the best and most exciting wide receivers of his era. Taylor was part of two championship teams, numerous playoff teams, and selected to the Pro Bowl 3 times.  His TD catch in Super Bowl IV sealed the Lombardi Trophy for the Chiefs in 1970. Taylor led the AFL in receiving touchdowns in 1967, and led the NFL in receiving yards in 1971.

Great players… great coaches…. great memories…

Enjoy the game – be safe.

Remember – You Can Do More… your brain is lying to you…. Don’t Believe It!

Jeff Floyd – youcandomore1@yahoo.com

1 thought on “Super Bowl I

  1. Pingback: The Lombardi Effect | You Can Do More!

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