Unitas Record Reveals Much (Peter King)

Breese is a stat whore

Don't even need to use the word "stat".

quote:

Originally posted by titmfatied:
...
Any older folks have memories of Unitas?

Yes.

Damn.

I remember Namath, Jurgsonson, Kilmer, Tarkenton, Brodie, Gabriel. Kapp.

I'm old.

Only saw him at the very end of his career. Two things I remember was that he was as tough as the old, black high-tops he wore, and the respect he commanded just by walking onto the field.

Another thing to remember about Johnny U's record is that it came before receivers were treated as glass. Receivers then had guys draped all over them as the ball was coming, they were bumped off routes all the way down the field, etc. Today they can run free and the QB just has to find them. Unitas had to wedge the ball in or find a wide open guy. He also had to take a beating compared to QBs today. If you watch the first video, you'll see him get cracked upside the head -- the old head slap that was legal back then. Unitas took shot after shot long after he let the ball go. Today those plays would result in penalties and lots of fines.

We all know the players today are faster and quicker, but I think in Unitas' day they were bare-knuckle tougher. When you look at the rules, the fewer number of games, and just the very style of football back then... well, Unitas' record remains an incredible feat. There was only one Johnny U., and he deserved all the accolades he got then and still gets today.

I bet Brees' record -- no matter how long it goes -- is broken a whole lot sooner. It's just the nature of today's game is so different when compared to the '50s and '60s.

I remember Unitas always wore high top shoes, black in color.

BK, I share your memories and feel your pain!

Its ironic that the record breaking TD will come vs the Chargers - since both Brees and Unitas are former Charger QBs

Unitas also had to deal with a much more violent game in those days
head-slapping DL and DBs who could mug the WRs all day long

Truly an amazing accomplishment

quote:

Originally posted by Blair Kiel:
Don't even need to use the word "stat".

Get off your high horse....STAT.

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How's that?

quote:

Originally posted by Blair Kiel:
Damn.

I remember Namath, Jurgsonson, Kilmer, Tarkenton, Brodie, Gabriel. Kapp.

I'm old.

LOL, my first Packer QB hero was Tobin Rote.

Man bvan, you must be older than Hauser!! And he's older than dirt.

As a kid in the 60's the big QB debate was Johnny U. versus Bart Starr. It was sort of like the Peyton Manning versus Tom Brady debates of the 2000's. Manning rolled up the big numbers, while all Brady did was win.

Pundits of the time were in awe of Unitas. Starr didn't really get his due until the 4th and 5th titles in 1966 and 1967. Unitas deserves the plaudits he gets, no question, but I still think Starr is underrated. Best big game QB ever.

Something not mentioned yet, those were the days when QB's called their own plays. If you watch the Colts-Giants world championship game from the late 1950's, "the greatest game ever played" that put the NFL on the map, you can see Unitas' control over the game. It was masterful. Only superceded by Bart's playcalling on the drive that won the Ice Bowl.

quote:

Originally posted by cuqui:
As a kid in the 60's the big QB debate was Johnny U. versus Bart Starr. It was sort of like the Peyton Manning versus Tom Brady debates of the 2000's. Manning rolled up the big numbers, while all Brady did was win.

Pundits of the time were in awe of Unitas. Starr didn't really get his due until the 4th and 5th titles in 1966 and 1967. Unitas deserves the plaudits he gets, no question, but I still think Starr is underrated. Best big game QB ever.

Something not mentioned yet, those were the days when QB's called their own plays. If you watch the Colts-Giants world championship game from the late 1950's, "the greatest game ever played" that put the NFL on the map, you can see Unitas' control over the game. It was masterful. Only superceded by Bart's playcalling on the drive that won the Ice Bowl.

This.

The Starr/Unitas duels of the 1960's were sights to behold.

...especially since Bart won most of them (major exception the 13-10 loss in the last seconds in 1967. However, Bart's consolation prize that season was a Super Bowl trophy and a Super Bowl MVP award).

Bart Starr and Joe Namath remember Unitas:

QB stats of that era make Starr's low interception rate even more impressive

I always remember that Johnny always seemed slightly hunched forward and his delivery, while accurate, was not very smooth.

One factor few seem aware of is that the NFL used a fatter ball back then, and the AFL adopted a slightly skinnier one; I think until the merger each played with its own ball, but the AFL ball became standard after that. The AFL ball was easier to throw.

quote:

Originally posted by ammo:
Man bvan, you must be older than Hauser!! And he's older than dirt.

LOL, when I was young dirt was still a rock!
I'm 68 and grew up three blocks from old City Stadium. It was very easy to sneak into and the beer bellied off duty cops didn't expend very much effort in trying to catch us.
In 1954 I started sneaking in as a 10 yr. old.

bvan you're incredible

quote:

Originally posted by bvan:
In 1954 I started sneaking in as a 10 yr. old.

Draft dodger! Why weren't you in Korea?

He didn't like cabbage!!

My friend in high school, Tom Mueller, was a Colts fan just because of Unitas. Johnny was tough as nails, destroyed his body with his career, to the point he couldn't even straighten his arm after retiring. I saw a documentary on him a couple years ago. He was a bit bitter in his later years about the way the NFL treated the legends who built the game into what it was, but I'm certain he was in demand at autograph shows. Like Jim Brown, Butkus, Starr and Nitschke, he was a larger than life character.

Ray Scott announcing: Unitas......Berry....complete.
That was it. I saw him in person in Milwaukee. Early in the game he was picked off on a sideline throw for a TD. I think Adderly.

Looked it up. Week #2 1965. Packers win 20-17

quote:

Originally posted by YATittle:
Johnny was tough as nails, destroyed his body with his career, to the point he couldn't even straighten his arm after retiring.

He was a wreck. He could hardly walk, and his hands were in a permanent clench from all the damage they absorbed.

The guy couldn't even get a break when he died -- it was on the first anniversary of 9/11, so Unitas's death was barely noticed.

Didn't the Colts find him playing semi-pro or something making like $5 per game?

I think it was $6 a game playing semi-pro ball on weekends after he was cut by the Steelers. Apparently the coach said he wasn't smart enough to play pro ball and never let him throw a pass in training camp (this from the team that had Terry Bradshaw with his famous "good ol' dumb southern boy" image). Yup, that was a smart decision by the coach. Unitas became famous, I think the coach became unemployed.

quote:

Originally posted by FLPACKER:
QB stats of that era make Starr's low interception rate even more impressive

I'm a huge Starr fan... but he had 152 TDs with 138 INTs for his career. Unitas had similar %...

quote:

Originally posted by Hungry5:

quote:

Originally posted by FLPACKER:
QB stats of that era make Starr's low interception rate even more impressive

I'm a huge Starr fan... but he had 152 TDs with 138 INTs for his career. Unitas had similar %...

It was a way different era.
Defense had all the rules in their favor.

If a QB of that period could maintain a better than 50% completion average, he was a happy QB!

quote:

Originally posted by Hungry5:

quote:

Originally posted by FLPACKER:
QB stats of that era make Starr's low interception rate even more impressive

I'm a huge Starr fan... but he had 152 TDs with 138 INTs for his career. Unitas had similar %...

....Starr had a 4.4 INT % , Unitas 4.9% fairly similar. Not comparing Starr to Unitas, but rather to the norm of the era. They were both well below the average in this category