Candlestick -The Last Time?

I remember well that you could feel the electricity in the air and view the legendary ABC crew of Frank Gifford, 'Dandy' Don Meredith and Howard Cosell standing in their brightly lighted TV booth ready to describe the John Brodie led 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs in the first Candlestick Park Monday Night Football Game on a very cold early December 1971 night. The fans were prepared and dressed for the elements but many still must have wondered why did they schedule a night game in San Francisco in December.

Forty years later they are still scheduling night games at Candlestick Park in December. The tail gate parties started early and the excitement was so great for the new image 49ers that most of the fans were not even concerned with the weather or the fact that two major power failures helped Candlestick to retain its national status as San Francisco darkened the Pittsburgh Steelers chances to win the AFC North and earn a bye in the first week of playoffs.

Candlestick was the television focal point of the nation when the devastating 1989 earthquake hit just before the start of game 3 of the World Series terrifying almost everyone at the park. The stadium's reputation began to build as early as 1961 when Stu Miller the Giants pitcher was blown off the mound during the national televised Major League All Star Game. In the following year the 1962 Giants-Yankees World Series was delayed for days and almost moved from San Francisco to Modesto due to a deluge of rain storms. The stadium noted for its wind, rain and tremors in 2011 added a blackout on national television to append it's stature.

The NFL officials held their breathe when the power was restored for the second time that it would last long enough to complete the game. If the power kept going off then the options provided were to play through out the night, continue the game the next day or move it to Oakland. The NFL was in a quandary because unlike baseball which considers 5 innings a complete game, there is no rule in the NFL that says 35 minutes of play makes it official.

The television networks will want the 49ers featured in prime time in 2012 because of their success this year. They will play road games at night but will the NFL take a gamble on Candlestick or have the faithful experienced their last Monday Night Game?

Homer Sweeney

NFL Christmas Cards

All the NFL Christmas Cards make fun of Christmas except the Oakland Raiders who have a very appropriate dignified card in memory of Al Davis. The season of advent reminds us to be prepared. Let us hope that Al was ready.

Homer Sweeney

Remembering 'Joe the Jet' Perry

The Forty Niners wore a number '34' sticker on their gold helmets the day that hard working running back Frank Gore broke Joe Perry's 49er NFL rushing record of 7,323 yards. Perry out of Compton College and the Alameda Naval Air Station spent 1948 and 1949 seasons with the Niners in the All-America Football Conference gaining an additional 1,345 which are not part of his record. The new league never gained any respect from the old NFL even though the Cleveland Browns won the NFL Championship in their first year after merging along with the 49ers and the Colts.

The NFL is different today. Frank Gore is the one running back and the NFL schedule is 16 games while in Joe Perry's day they played 12 games and Perry a fullback was one of three backs such as Hall of Famers John Henry Johnson and Hugh McElhenny who could be called upon to carry the ball on a given play.

The 1948 picture of 'Joe the Jet' at the left shows that there have been many changes over the years.

Joe is wearing number '74' his original number with the team until the NFL standardized numbers by position in 1951 and then Joe became number '34'.

In the picture to the right you will notice that the Niners wore Cardinal red jerseys and silver pants in the early years. For most of the last fifty years they have worn a variety of gold colored pants with different shades of red jerseys.

Joe is wearing a 'Heisman' type of leather helmet with no face guard which was designed to protect the player rather than being used as a weapon like the helmets worn today.

Homer Sweeney

The Giants 2012

What you see is what you get and all the money is gone according to the Giants brass. What we see is certainly not what the SF Chronicle wrote the other day.

The pitching staff is close to be being complete although I don't know who is going to replace Ramirez. He is a big loss and I don't see Runzler filling that role. They will be looking hard for a diamond in the rough fifth starter and relief pitcher.

The infield will be Belt, Sanchez (if he is ready a big question) Sandoval and Crawford with two reserves. The outfield will be Pagan, Carbrera, Schierholtz, Huff and a fifth to be named later. Posey and Sanchez will be the catchers. Sanchez lacks experience behind the plate but they need his bat if Crawford is going to play ss and Posey some 1st base.

The Giants know that Gillaspie is ready with the bat but can he play 2nd base as well as 3rd base and can first baseman Brett Pill also play the outfield? Players should play at least two positions in the minors and if they did the Giants might have the answers to these two questions. If these two players can adjust to these new positions it would leave one infield spot open probably for Fontenot who showed he could fill in at ss last year.

Homer Sweeney

How Many Margaritas?

Arte, how many margaritas did you have at that hotel bar in Dallas? The bar bill was about $335 million that would give anyone a massive hangover. Lets review what the Angels got on your spending spree

1. They got LaTroy Hawkins who is 39 going on 50 years of age since I believe he pitched against Willie Mays. He will be an excellent relief pitcher for the Angels when they are trailing 10-2 in the eighth inning but I would not have confidence to use him to protect an 8 run lead.

2. They added left handed starter C.J. Wilson who has won 31 games over the last two years so I figure the Angels will be paying about $1 million for every win he gets. After seeing him pitch this past fall I was surprised he got any offers.

3. Albert 'the traitor' Pujols who most will say is the best hitter in baseball but others will argue facts such as he is closer to 35 years of age then 32.

Who is going to pay the bill? The Orange County Register believe a big future TV contract will help and others say the fans will be so happy that they will gladly pay more to attend the games.

Perhaps they didn't look at recent history. The New York Yankees are paying Alex Rodriguez even more money then the Angels are paying Pujlos. Are the fans happy? He is booed all the time. Didn't Joe Torre when managing the Yanks have to save Rodriguez from being lynched? Rodriguez looks just as cool as other players striking out in October. Even with a new billion dollar state of the art Yankees Stadium attendance went down some 8,000 per game as prices rose.

Remember when the Florida Marlins won the World Series in 1990's. Very little credit is given because it is known that they bought the championship. Will they say the same about the Angels if they win in 2012?

Homer Sweeney

The New Warrior Owners

If there was ever a group of phonies it is the new owners of the Warriors. Lots of new consultants and hires in the front office including Jerry West who I guess they thought could still play. They haven't won a game yet and looks like they will have the same mediocre team they have had for years. Now they are telling the fans that have supported the franchise to 'go shove it' and plan to move to San Francisco who failed to support the Warriors even before tattoos degraded the NBA. If they want to play in SF just set up a court at AT&T and borrow a few out door heaters from MoMo's. No problem and the Giants could use the rent.

Homer Sweeney

Baseball Notes

I am a critic of baseball commissioner Bud Selig but he has kept peace with the players union with no lock outs, strikes, or a shortened season that would harm the game. This Bud is for you!

The Giants - Not very many are asking it but with Barry Zito getting married are the Giants pitching woes solved?

It looks as if Beltran and Ross are now former Giants. Huff would also be included but he has an $11 million contract they can't absorb. They are already eating Rowand's $12 million.

The Yankees - Bobby Valentine is the new manager of the Red Sox; Yankees win Yankees win! Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN will never be the same --- Thank goodness! Bring back M & M.

The Dodgers - Is it just a Coincidence? Matt Kemp signs with the bankrupt Dodgers for $160 million and you wondered where the stimulus money went.

The Marlins - They sign three established major league stars Bell, Reyes and Buerle for about $200 million. Not bad spending for a team that drew more ants than fans last year and are currently being investigated by the SEC. But don't worry in the USA today is not the crime you commit but it's who you know. Bud has plenty of friends so the Marlins don't seemed too concerned.

Comments on College Football

Pac 12 Scheduling Does Matter

Oregon is a big 30+ point favorite to beat UCLA in the first Pac 12 Championship game. One has to wonder was it all worth it to have one more Friday night game on national TV that hundreds are going to watch. This is the first year of the Pac 12 unbalanced schedule similar to major league baseball. Each year teams in the south plays four of the six universities in the north. This season USC who was ineligible played the toughest conference schedule with their opponents having an overall record of 25-11 followed closely by Arizona 24-12 and Colorado 23-13. The three teams in contention to represent the south in the championship game until the last week of the season UCLA (17-19), Utah (14-22) and ASU (17-19) had the weakest conference schedules.

The Year of the Uniform Changes

If you would take a vote of the nation Maryland would probably be voted the worst college uniforms of the year mixing the colors of their state with the school colors. My vote however goes to Michigan State who wore the most horrible green colors to go with ugly gold helmets in their traditional game against Michigan. Even though my wife is an MSU grad we had a tough time cheering for the Spartans. The Wolverines wore white uniforms that day with maze and blue shoulder colors which got my vote for the best alternate uniform of the year. Harvey Hyde former head coach at UNLV and football commentator in the LA area thought that the uniforms Stanford wore against Notre Dame looked like Halloween costumes.

You never know what combination of colors Oregon is going to wear each week. The number style on their uniforms look like they belong on European soccer jerseys not on college football players who should wear large block numbers that are easy to read.

Most of the new style uniforms were designed by Nike which makes one think that I had better buy New Balance shoes the next time.

BCS

Garbage in garbage out. . .

Quote of the Year

Lou Holtz commenting on the fact that many players commit stupid unnecessary roughing penalties that hurt their team said, "Don't you understand, today is about me, not the team!"

The Solution

Football helmets were designed as a protection not a weapon which is so common today with head to head contact being a major concern in both professional and college football. This headache can be solved very easily by returning to leather helmets such as the one worn by 'The Heisman'.

Homer Sweeney