Passing of a Detroit Lions legend- RIP Tom Dempsey
Naturally he’s a legend for something he did to beat the Lions....But still.
My favorite line was when Alex Karras said that they were laughing for the first 62 yards of Dempsey’s kick.
I was 8 years old watching this on television and this is probably my first of a lifetime of horrible Lions memories. Fortunately I also loved Michigan football, which proved to be the antidote to the pain for all these years.
Question: How the fuck can a fat man with a block for a foot kick the ball so far? God hates the Lions.
Try telling a millenial that at one time in the NFL the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions were rivals and the two best teams in the league and see the look you get.
From 1950 through 1957, the Browns appeared in 7 NFL title games (going 3-4), and the Lions appeared in 4 (going 3-1), playing the Browns each time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_National_Football_League_championship
Answer: He had a pretty strong right leg and supposedly there was a big gust of wind as he kicked. I also was watching the game, as I did every Sunday. One of many disappointing moments for Lion's fans.
I was 6. I figured the game was in the bag. Left the kitchen TV (tiny B&W) to walk downstairs. Got halfway down when I heard the broadcaster's voice change. Froze. Could. Not. Believe. It.
This led to a lifetime of Dempsey hatred. Good riddance.
Next up, Fran Tarkenton.
What a horrible thing to say about someone. This says more about you than you might imagine. Look in the mirror and repeat those same two words.
You should be ashamed.
I regret nothing.
I was 9. I remember vividly watching this game with my father. We watched every Sunday. I remember my father being utterly flabbergasted that the kick was good and that the Lions lost that game.
The Lions were pretty good that year and in several of my formative years. What I recall was that the damn Vikings were always a bit better. I also remember being so excited for the playoff game, only to be treated to the 5-0 dud against the Cowboys.
I remember the game. Back then the Lions were actually good that year and this was a game they were suppose to win.
When Dempsey came in to try the kick it was almost funny he was so far away. The Lions didn't even attempt a rush the were so sure the kick was pointless and futile.
As Alex Karras said "I laughed for 62 of the yards". Or as my late father said watching it live "only the God Damn Lions...." before he stormed off.
From wiki:
"The 1970 Detroit Lions season was the 41st season in franchise history. With a record of 10–4, the Lions finished in second place in the NFC Central and qualified for the postseason for the first time since their championship season in 1957. The Lions fell 5–0 to the Dallas Cowboys in the lowest scoring game in NFL playoff history. One unusual loss during the regular season was to the New Orleans Saints on Week 8. The Lions had a 17–16 lead with only 2 seconds left, but Saints kicker Tom Dempsey booted a then-record 63-yard field goal as time expired to give the Saints a 19–17 win."
I just checked and it's still true: that 5-0 Lions loss to the Cowboys is the lowest-scoring game in NFL postseason history.
Here's another miserable first for the Lions:
"August 5, 1967– The Denver Broncos became the first AFL team to beat an NFL team when they defeated the Detroit Lions, 13-7, in the first of 16 AFL-NFL preseason games that year."
More than a few observers at the time thought the Lions were the best team in the league. Huge missed opportunity.
My dad was the same way, which is pretty amazing considering their title drought was only 13 years at that point, yet he’d already had it with the franchise.
I can’t imagine how horrified my old man would be if he’d lived to see how it is today.
I watched this game live.
Here is the moment in all its glory:
RIP to the man with a brick attached to his leg.
I saw I video on Twitter of Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker hitting a 77 yarder on a local field. I wonder if we will see something like that in the NFL game one day.
I miss barefoot kickers.
I watched it again with Don Criqui as the play by play guy. Couple of things stand out:
1) listen to the impact Dempsey has on the ball. Sounds like a cannon going off. Heard other people say that's what happens on certain kicks.
2) this will never happen the same way again for one small reason. The ball was snapped at the offense's side of the field at the 45 yard line. Goal posts were moved back 10 yards to the end line of the end zone in 1974, so the longest field goal would be snapped on the defensive end of the field, unless it is more than 67 yards. (Unless of course the record is broken in Canadian football.)
Not to mention that Matt Prater's 64 yard kick happened at 5,000 feet, which probably added on several yards.
Karras should be in the Hall o Fame!
You apparently missed it:
https://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-legend-alex-karras-elected-to-hall-of-fame
I saw this in the news a few months ago. What immediately struck me was that I could not believe that Karras was not already in the Hall.
The positive part of being an old fart is remembering when the Lions were a great team. As a youngster, I remember watching them kicking Cleveland's ass 59-14 for the 1957 NFL Championship, on a pirated Channel 6 WJIM broadcast out of Lansing, while living in Detroit. My uncle had a 30 foot booster TV antenna on his house. He was able to get it even though it was blacked out in Detroit. The NFL did not televise home games back then, even if they were sellouts. They have won exactly one playoff game in the 63 years since that game. Thankfully, I took my dad to the Silverdome when they blew out Dallas in the early 90's. He has since passed,but I made damn sure he was there to share that win with me. People today don't realize that the Lions do have a proud history of winning big. Unfortunately it is ancient history. I'm hoping I live long enough to see the Lions win another playoff game or Michigan beat Ohio State. Both of those things are probably too much to ask.
Feel ur pain. As for 5-0 loss to Dallas, the Lions would have won that game if Schmidt had pulled Landry earlier than the last minute as Bill Munson was a finger away from winning that game.
Username checks out.
I forgot the name Bill Munson. (Sorry.)
You can relive your childhood memories here:
Receiver was out of bounds.