Electric Football: The Unforgettable Buzz

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

One of the better sites about football memorabilia is The Unforgettable Buzz which covers electric football in a way that makes one wish he were still eleven and painting the figures and playing the game.

They have even published books on the subject.

Credit: The Unforgettable Buzz

What I didn't know is that this hobby is still going strong and that Tudor still sells the game, players, and materials to customize your teams.

Here is a link to look at all the teams. They look like they sell for about $12 to 15 for 11 players:

That includes modern facemasks and eyeshields.

Tough not nearly as comprehensive or well-illustrated this blog, The Vibrating Football Project is worth a look as well. He has some shots of various teams and games such as:

As a kid, I spent a lot of time painting the figures with Testors paint, and applying the numbers, in fact much more that than playing the game. If you were a kid in the 1960s and 1970s The Unforgettable Buzz will bring back lots of memories.

Yet Another Near-Miss for the Patriots Helmets

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

As we explored a few months ago the Patriots almost went with a new helmet concept that was rejected by the fans.

Now, we've run across another one that occurred in 1971 for the New England, err,  Bay State Patriots.

According to Bob Moore, the former head of PR for the Chiefs and current team historian, who wrote in Chiefs.com, "In 1971 This prototype was never adopted as the team considered a move to a look conducive to the 1970s."

Here it is:

Well, wouldn't that have beaten all? The Bay State Patriots featuring THAT helmet. 

Whew. Another close call.

1974 NFL Posters (Between Stancraft and DAMAC)

LOOKING BACK

By John Turney

The full set of Stancraft Posters and the full set of DAMAC posters had an interim where many of the 1972 series was sold though 1978. The were created from 1974 to 1977 by various artists.

Below is an AD from a magazine that year. However, 10 were new, likely to the teams that sold the most and had demand for a new poster. 

Here are the ten posters that were never part of a full set with a consistent style. We've excluded the Bucs and Seahawks as we included them in the updates of the 1972 Stancraft series, since they were done by George Bartell.

 

2014 Total Defense Champions: Seattle Seahakws

STATS
By John Turney

 As explained HERE this is the 2014 chart for total defensive rankings

1. Net points is the point allowed plus safeties minus any pick 6s or scoop and scores allowed by the offense minus any kick or punt returns by the special teams plus any pick 6s and scoop and scores tallied by the defense.
2. Net net yards per game is total yards allowed minus sack yardage minus interception return yardage minus fumble recovery yardage.
3. rush Y/A is simple, it's just rushing yards per attempt allowed.
4. Sack percentage is simple as well. It is the percentage of sacks per attempt plus sacks.
5. Pass rate is the NFL Passer rating for the defense.
6. FR is fumble recovers and ties are broken by yardage

We rank them inversely for those categories, then total them, the lowest score wins (Pts on the chart). It is not, of course, perfect. All football statistics are skewed in some way but we wanted to represent stopping the run, being efficient against the pass, allowing few years but adding a nose for loose balls and turnover yardage and also being able to get after the passer.

Here are the results for 2014 (We will go back and add years as season progresses):

2015 Total Defense Champions: Denver Broncos

STATS
By John Turney

Who is the best defensive team? Who wins the Super Bowl? Fewest total yards? Fewest points? We've looked at those and tweaked a few stats then did a reverse ranking in the categories that seem to best represent total defensive effort.
These are the categories:

1. Net points is the point allowed plus safeties minus any pick 6s or scoop and scores allowed by the offense minus any kick or punt returns by the special teams plus any pick 6s and scoop and scores tallied by the defense.
2. Net net yards per game is total yards allowed minus sack yardage minus interception return yardage minus fumble recovery yardage.
3. Rush Y/A is simple, it's just rushing yards per attempt allowed.
4. Sack percentage is simple as well. It is the percentage of sacks per attempt plus sacks.
5. Pass rate is the NFL Passer rating for the defense.
6. FR is fumble recovers and ties are broken by yardage

We rank them inversely for those categories, then total them. The lowest score wins (Pts on the chart). It is not, of course, perfect. All football statistics are skewed in some way but we wanted to represent stopping the run, being efficient against the pass, allowing few years but adding in nose for loose balls and turnover yardage and also being able to get after the passer.

Here are the results for 2015 (We will go back and add years as season progresses):

1975 All-Holding Team

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

Back in the day, every so often, a writer would poll players and write an article based on those polls. Often those polls are of the best in the business" type. This one is who the best "holders" on the offensive line were.

It was published in 1975 and listed a few Hall of Famers. These always seem to be good reads.
Enjoy.

Dallas Morning News NFL Awards 1992-2011

LOOKING BACK

By John Turney

Rick Gosselin, a member of the writer's wing of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News chose All-Pro teams from 1992 to 2011 and also awards for those years. It was an exercise similar to what Paul Zimmerman and Peter King and other columnists did at the time. 

We first became aware of Gosselin's awards when researching for the The All-Pros: The Modern Years and in doing so saw references to the awards in the Dallas Cowboys media guides, as well as others. Through microfilm we were able to get some, but not all of those All-Pro teams and awards but now we do.

Gosselin's All-Pro choices were always interesting in that he would choose a left tackle and right tackle and a strong-side defensive end and a weak end, little things that showed he knew the game and wanted fans to know the difference in those positions.

From 1994-98 Gosselin didn't choose an overall MVP, but assume it would come from either the Offensive of Defensive Player of the Year. Perhaps Mr. Gosselin can advise what he would have done at the time (hint, hint).

Gosselin stopped after 2011 due to his changing role at the DMN, as more of a sports editor. We suppose all good things must come to and end.

Here are the awards:

(Click to enlarge)

We particularly like Lake and Carter as the 1997 and 1999 DPOY choices, respectively. They were esoteric, but certainly worthy based on their performances.

In 2011, the final year Gosselin chose both an Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, rather than just the single choice.

Late 1970s—Early 1980s DAMAC NFL Posters

LOOKING BACK
By John Turney

Really, the last set of NFL posters came from a Tennessee company called DAMAC. Chuck Ren was the artist for their posters. They kind of rolled out over a several-year period, with the more popular teams getting a second and even third poster. In all, they released posters from 1977 through 1983.

Here is the initial set with some of the second versions:

Here are some of the second editions or homages by Dan Tearle to the Chuch Ren work.

Homage by Dan Tearle

Homage by Dan Tearle

Homage by Dan Tearle

Homage by Dan Tearle

Homage by Dan Tearle

Homage by Dan Tearle

Homage by Dan Tearle

Homage by Dan Tearle

Homage by Dan Tearle