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Hello friends! So this is a special blog, not a movie review. But I needed to discuss something happening today that relates to my childhood and I don't think I will ever have the opportunity to talk about this in a format like this again.
Since this is still, technically, a film review blog... we're gonna discuss this in three act structure!
Act 1: California Raised
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I grew up in the Bay Area in the 80s and 90s, near San Francisco. In the late 80s and early 90s, I think it was actually illegal to be a football fan and NOT be a 49ers fan. Niners mania was everywhere. The Raiders were still in Los Angeles and San Francisco was enjoying a dynasty. We were in the transition from the Joe Montana/Bill Walsh Era into the Steve Young/George Seifert Era and it was magical. Jerry Rice, the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game, was on the field. For the 1994 season, the 75th Anniversary of the NFL, I went to the 49ers training camp in Rocklin, California, for the first of three times. And I just so happened to be one of a lucky few to bump into Steve Young at the end of the day! I feel kinda bad, because he was trying to go home, but... 11 year old me didn't care. He was my hero, I had a trading card, and he signed it. I actually still have it, it being a rare thing that survived the purge of all my childhood items a few years ago. The card got bent before I got it signed and there is a streak of sunscreen on it. I have no certificate of authenticity. I don't know if it's worth anything or not. But it's priceless to me. I got to watch the 49ers win Super Bowl XXIX that year, becoming the first team to win it five times. I don't want to say it was because of me, but it was the only time Steve Young won the big game and the only season he met me. So, you draw your own conclusions.
It's hard to describe how big of a football fan I was in this time period. Between that and NASCAR, I always had something sports related to look forward to. ESPN used to have a wonderful hour-long show on Sunday nights, that would discuss all the games played that day in short, 3-5 minute bites. You got the super highlights, brief analysis, and had the awesomely entertaining Chris Bergman hosting. I could have told you every NFL starting quarterback and most of the 49er players in that time period.
You'll have to indulge me for a moment here and let me name drop the guys I love and still remember from that legendary 1994 squad, still my favorite individual team of all time: John Taylor (WR), Brent Jones (TE), Dana Stubblefield (DT), Bryant Young (DT), Ken Norton, Jr. (LB), Deon Sanders (CB), Eric Davis (CB), Merton Hanks (S). And of course Carmen Policy (President) and Ed DeBartolo, Jr. (Owner).
The 49ers would enjoy several seasons at the top, but only winning that lone Super Bowl during my uber fandom. Injuries would plague Steve Young and Jerry Rice and, ya know... people get old. George Seifert was replaced by Steve Mariucci as head coach. Ed DeBartolo got ousted as owner. Candlestick Park became 3Com Park which became Candlestick Point which became Monster Park. Today, they play in Levi Stadium in Santa Clarita, not even in San Francisco anymore. They had good players and good seasons here and there, but nothing huge until the 2012 season when Colin Kaepernick would take them to Super Bowl XLVII, which they would lose to the Ravens. Their first Super Bowl loss.
Fun fact about Steve Mariucci, his brother Bob started as the athletic director at Cuesta College, my first semester as the Sports Editor of the school newspaper. Since it was the first semester for us both at that school, we kind of bonded. It was great working with him and I really regret not staying in touch with him and some other people from that school. But that's more for the upcoming Naughties Blog in 2030.
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Today, the 49ers play the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game. If they win, they will go on to play in Super Bowl LIV. Fun fact, this is the NFL's 100th Anniversary. They last won in the season of the 75th Anniversary...
Act 2: Tennessee Born
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My Dad was from Tennessee and I was actually born there as well. I've always been proud of parts of my Southern heritage. The non-racist parts, thank you very much. But the sports scene in my youth was lacking. There was the University of Tennessee, which has always been my college football team. But they were never outstandingly great at anything, except women's basketball, with the Lady Vol's being coached by one of the all time greats, Pat Summitt. But the football team was good enough to go to the bowl games, but only once in my lifetime did we win a National Championship. But besides the Memphis Showboats, a team in the short lived USFL in the early 80s, there were never professional sports teams in Tennessee. And none when I was growing up.
That all changed when it was announced after the 1995 NFL season that, following the 1996 season, the Houston Oilers would be moving to Tennessee. WHAT?! Oh man! I was so excited! Finally. A team in my home state! And my favorite sport too! I couldn't wait.
The Oilers played for two lackluster years, 97 and 98 seasons, as the Tennessee Oilers, while their stadium in Nashville was being built. I met quarterback Steve McNair and I think running back Eddie George in 97, while I was visiting in Tennessee that year. They had a meet-and-greet with several Oilers in my hometown. Those first two seasons, 97 in Memphis and 98 in Vanderbuilt, were lackluster and featured low attendance numbers. All that changed starting in the 1999 season. The Tennessee Oilers changed their name to the Tennessee Titans and relocated to their new stadium. And holy crap.
The new stadium, then called The Adelphia Coliseum (now Nissan Stadium) became known as having one of the loudest crowds in the NFL, pretty much overnight. The Titans responded by winning, over and over again. The team had an amazing offense consisting of McNair, George, Kevin Dyson (WR), Derrick Mason (WR), Frank Wycheck (TE), and one of the greatest offensive linemen of all time, Bruce Matthews. Jeff Fisher was the head coach and Jevon Kearse (DE) was a star on defense.
The Titans made the playoffs at the end of the 1999 season, which was amazing for me. They were playing the Buffalo Bills in the first round. In front of their home crowd in Nashville, the Titans were winning, 15-13. The Bills kicked a field goal, giving them a 16-15 lead, with 16 seconds left. "Oh well," I thought as I was watching. I was disappointed. But at least we made the playoffs this year. Maybe next year would be different. However, the game wasn't over yet.
Bills kicked the ball to the Titans, after the field goal. Lorenzo Neal fielded it. Wycheck came up behind him and Neal handed him the ball. Wycheck ran up the right side of the field, drawing Buffalo defenders to chase him. Suddenly, he then turns and throws the ball laterally across the field to Dyson. Dyson catches the football and takes off. And he has all the room in the field to run. He said later that he was going to run it out of bounds to bring their own field goal unit on. But the only Bill in his way was the kicker. And he had two other Titans to block for him. Dyson takes the ball 75 yards and scores the game winning touchdown. No flags. The officials reviewed the play. No penalties. The next day, the newspapers in Tennessee were calling it The Music City Miracle. Holy crap! If any one else ever tells you there was a more memorable play in the history of this franchise, they're lying. And I saw it, on TV, when it happened. Speechless.
Following this, the Titans beat the Indianapolis Colts (with second year player, and former University of Tennessee quarterback, Peyton Manning) in the next round and then the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship. They would go on to face the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV.
The Rams were god-like in 1999. Kurt Warner was bagging groceries just a couple of years prior to this, and somehow ended up with a shot as the quarterback of the Rams. He took advantage of it, becoming the MVP for the 1999 season, leading an offense that included Issac Bruce (WR) and Marshall Faulk (RB) and was called "The Greatest Show on Turf." How could the Titans compete? Actually, they were one of only a couple of teams to have the Rams number and beat them in the regular season. They had tons of momentum. They had a shot. The Music City Miracle wasn't for nothing.
The Super Bowl was pretty evenly matched, but the Rams were leading 23-16 with two minutes left. The Titans start on their own ten-yard line. Could they go all the way? Plenty of time on the clock, it had been done before. Montana did it in Super Bowl XXIII with my beloved 49ers. Tennessee could do it too. The Titans have a spectacular drive, going down the field. With :06 seconds left, at the Rams 10-yard line, do they have one more miracle they can pull off this season? McNair takes the snap. He passes to Dyson. He's going. He has it! He! ...... gets tackled by a Rams defender, Mike Jones, at the 1 yard line. Less than that. He was a foot away from the endzone and a touchdown and a Super Bowl victory. They called it "The Tackle" later in the press (sports have lots of nicknames for things). Jones was a hero in St. Louis. The game was over. The Titans lost. No Super Bowl. The Miracle was for nothing.
The Titans would have good players and teams over the years. McNair would win the league MVP in 2003. But nothing like the 1999 season. Only player from that team in the NFL Hall of Fame today is Matthews.
Image by Titans Online via Source
Today, the Titans play the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. If they win, they will go on to play in Super Bowl LIV.
Act 3: Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny?
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So. Today features the possibility of an unprecedented event in the history of my sports fandom. Both the San Francisco 49ers and Tennessee Titans could win their championship games and face each other in the Super Bowl. Of course, there could just be one of the two teams advancing. Or neither! But what if... what if both teams make it?
I don't honestly know how I'll feel about that. One of my two beloved teams will win. But one will lose. These aren't just my two favorite NFL teams, they're my two favorite teams of any sport. I want the 49ers to get their 6th Super Bowl but I don't want the Titans to go 0-2. And I want the Titans to win the big game, finally, but don't want the 49ers to lose again.
If neither the 49ers or Titans win, I'll be pulling for Kansas City, to support some friends from Oklahoma. Either way, there is no scenario where I pull for Green Bay. Sorry cheese heads.
I don't know. Either way, I have Feb. 2 requested off from work, because if one (or both) of these two teams makes it, I wouldn't miss it for anything!
You can catch the Titans and Chiefs at 3:05 pm EST today on CBS. 49ers and Packers will be on FOX at 6:40 pm EST. And Super Bowl LIV will be at 6:30 pm EST on FOX on Sunday, Feb. 2nd.
Image by Music City Miracles via Source
Anyway. I had to share this, because I don't know if I'll honestly ever have this conflict come up again in my life. Thanks for indulging me. Did you like this more personal piece? Who are you pulling for to go to and win the Super Bowl? Have you ever had a conflict like this? Let me know in the comments! See you next time with more film reviews!
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