From the Battle Plan:
"The 1964 Team ReunionIt was fun to spend time with the 1964 national championship football team last Friday night and Saturday before the game. They are a terrific group of men who were great players and have become great Americans. It is a shame we can't harness the energy in the stories when guys like this get together and reminisce about their past experiences on and off the playing fields. And the best thing about getting older is every year we get a little better ... at least in our own minds!You may remember this team won Coach Bryant's second national championship after his return to coach the Crimson Tide. In that era, two rankings systems determined the national champions – the Associated Press (AP) media poll and the United Press International (UPI) coaches rankings. In those days both polls produced their final rankings to determine the national champions before the bowl games. Bowls were considered a reward for a good season and treated like exhibition games by many coaches.That system worked in Alabama's favor as the Tide ended the regular season undefeated and were awarded the national championship by both AP and UPI before taking on a tough Texas team led by All-American linebacker Tommy Nobis in the Orange Bowl. Texas won a nip-and-tuck game, even though I watched on TV as Joe Namath crossed the goal line on a quarterback sneak at the end that should have won the game for Alabama. Unfortunately, the officials didn't see it the same way I did and the Longhorns took home the Orange Bowl trophy. But the 1964 national championship trophy still resides today in our trophy case! Arkansas finished the season undefeated, having won its bowl game, and also claims the 1964 championship."
I'm just glad someone saw this game the same way that I did! I sure wish we had had Officials' Review of plays back in 1964-65! If so, we would have had one less loss.
"The 1964 Team ReunionIt was fun to spend time with the 1964 national championship football team last Friday night and Saturday before the game. They are a terrific group of men who were great players and have become great Americans. It is a shame we can't harness the energy in the stories when guys like this get together and reminisce about their past experiences on and off the playing fields. And the best thing about getting older is every year we get a little better ... at least in our own minds!You may remember this team won Coach Bryant's second national championship after his return to coach the Crimson Tide. In that era, two rankings systems determined the national champions – the Associated Press (AP) media poll and the United Press International (UPI) coaches rankings. In those days both polls produced their final rankings to determine the national champions before the bowl games. Bowls were considered a reward for a good season and treated like exhibition games by many coaches.That system worked in Alabama's favor as the Tide ended the regular season undefeated and were awarded the national championship by both AP and UPI before taking on a tough Texas team led by All-American linebacker Tommy Nobis in the Orange Bowl. Texas won a nip-and-tuck game, even though I watched on TV as Joe Namath crossed the goal line on a quarterback sneak at the end that should have won the game for Alabama. Unfortunately, the officials didn't see it the same way I did and the Longhorns took home the Orange Bowl trophy. But the 1964 national championship trophy still resides today in our trophy case! Arkansas finished the season undefeated, having won its bowl game, and also claims the 1964 championship."
I'm just glad someone saw this game the same way that I did! I sure wish we had had Officials' Review of plays back in 1964-65! If so, we would have had one less loss.
