Talking Sports: Day dreaming

There was a line in an old sitcom--I think it was M*A*S*H*--that went something like this:

“Do you have anything to add, General?”

“No, although I would like to add that I have nothing to add.”

That’s kind of how I feel now. I have nothing to say. I thought I might find something interesting this morning by looking at web sights that say things about today in history. I thought that might loosen some sports memory that I might find interesting to share.

It so happens today is one of the most boring days in human history. Certainly it seems to be so in sports history. You know what Wikapedia says about Nov. 21? It says, and I quote, “Today is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 40 days until the end of the year.”

There was a long list of events and birthdays, but nothing really significant. Ken Griffey, Jr. was born on this day in 1969. A good year for baseball as far as I am concerned. But even Griffey, Jr. was a about a month too late for the Miracle Mets.

There were some other birthdays. An Estonian footballer was born on this day as was an English hockey player. An English hockey player? Do they play hockey in England? Maybe it’s field hockey.

Oh, here’s something. Stan Musial was born on this day. Well, I know he was a great baseball player, but a little before my time. Ralph KIner, a Hall of Fame slugger and one of the Mets announcers when I was growing up, used to talk about Musial all the time. They were great friends. Ummmm. Urrr. Ahhh. What else?

Look at this. Here are some more sports birthdays today. Michael Strahan, Troy Aikman and Earl “The Pearl” Monroe. These were on a list of the 50 “most” famous people born today: Goldie Hawn, Marlo Thomas, Voltaire, Harold Ramis and Dr. John. They’re about the only ones of the 50 I’ve even heard of.

The only one on that list that evokes any great memories for me is MIchael Strahan. Not that I was or am a New Jersey Giants fan. But he was involved in one of the most exciting Super Bowls of all time--at least to my way of thinking.

As a Miami Dolphins fan I haven’t had much to cheer about these days - or years. All I have is the quiet satisfaction of seeing that every year, every NFL team loses at least one game. Don Shula and myself take special joy in the day the final NFL team loses its first. As a matter of fact, Shula and the players of the undefeated 1972 Dolphins have a tradition of celebrating the demise of the final undefeated team with a glass of Champagne.

Last week Shula, Mercury Morris, Jim Mandich, Jim Kiick, Larry Czonka, Dick Anderson, Bob Griese, Garo Yepremian, Larry Seiple, Paul Warfield, Lloyd Mumford, Earl Morrall, Larry Little, Carl Noonan, etc., etc. were all able to pop the cork after the Kansas City Chiefs lost their first game of the season.

OK, maybe you don’t remember Carl Noonan. He wasn’t the kid in “Caddyshack.” I remember him because he was the holder for Yepremian’s field goal in double overtime on Christmas Day, 1971 to beat the Chiefs.

Unlike many recent years, this was a pretty sweat-free year for us ‘72 Dolphins rooters. I never thought the Chiefs had a chance to get very far with an undefeated record - especially with the Denver Broncos in their division. But there were years when the New England Patriots or the Baltimore - er, sorry - the Indianapolis Colts looked like a serious threat to go all the way. It was often very stressful.

What was that year not long ago when the Colts sat out Peyton Manning rather than go for perfection? Thank goodness they did. Phew. That was a close one.

How about the the year the Chicago Bears looked unbeatable. Was it 1985. Walter Payton, The Fridge, Jim McMahon. They were 12-0 as I recall when they visited the Orange Bowl. But with Shula still at the helm and several of the ‘72ers in attendance, a so-so Dolphins team blew out the mighty Bears on Monday Night Football.

Afterwards Shula and the other ‘72ers in attendance drank a toast as another would-be challenger bit the dust. The Bears won the Super Bowl that year and finished 15-1.

But never did it get any closer than the 2007 Patriots. And why the Patriots of all teams? Any Dolphins fan hates the Patriots. And the Jets and the Bills. I think I could stomach the Colts, but the Patriots. I don’t think I could ever get over that.

Because I successfully picked the winners of five horse races in a row at Arlington Park near Chicago in 2007, I won a free trip to Las Vegas for Jan. 2008. The trip was scheduled for the off week between the NFL Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl.

Naturally, I made a small wager on the Giants at the MGM Grand. Just a token bet mind you. It was a bet from my heart, not my head. I really didn’t think the Giants had a chance against the undefeated Patriots. That the Giants even made the Super Bowl seemed like a fluke to me.

But I didn’t take any points. There would be no victory for me without absolute victory. It wasn’t 20 bucks at stake here. It was the ‘72 Dolphins I was rooting for not the 2007 New Jersey Giants.

Well, thanks to David Tyree, Eli Manning, Victor Cruz - and of course Michael Strahan - the 1972 Dolphins won that day in 2008. As far as I’m concerned all the ‘07 Giants should be made honorary members of the ‘72 Fish.

OK Let’s not go that far. Not on a day like today.