And the woodwinds were the weakest part of the Stanford defense...

November 20, 2003 9:19 PM

John Elway gets the ball to the 18-yard line. Mark Harmon (not that Mark Harmon...) kicks the field goal to bring his team one point ahead with 4 seconds left on the clock. Kevin Moen catches the ball on the return kick, laterals to Richard Rodgers, who laterals to Dwight Garner. Garner laterals back to Rogers who then shovels the ball to Mariet Ford. Ford then passes back to Moen, who finishes what he started by tackling trombonist Gary Tyrrell in the end zone. So ends the 1982 "Big Game" between UC Berkeley and Stanford. So begins the legend of the weirdest play in the history of college football, complete with audio (wav file).
posted by jonp72 (22 comments total)

great links!

love it.
posted by xmutex at 9:23 PM on November 20, 2003

Ah, I've seen a video clip of the trombonist getting tackled, but this is the first time I've heard the whole story. Thanks!
posted by ukamikanasi at 9:33 PM on November 20, 2003

Classic story. I remember it well. As a former High School Band Geek, it resonated for me (like getting your instrument shoved into your face by a linebacker).

If this had happened while I was in High School, our Band Director would've had the woodwinds line up on the opponants' goal line with a minute to play in every game. (We had a Band Ddirector who was just as competitive as the Coaches...)
posted by wendell at 9:38 PM on November 20, 2003

wendell, are you really me?
posted by quonsar at 9:55 PM on November 20, 2003

The Play [real video]
posted by eddydamascene at 10:07 PM on November 20, 2003

Here's some video, in case the excitement in Joe Starkey's voice drove you wild to see the play.

There's a 23MB long version that starts with Stanford's final possession, and a 2MB short version of just the last play, both RealVideo.
posted by donnagirl at 10:12 PM on November 20, 2003

Pah. Take it to sportsfilter.

No, seriously, though. You should.
posted by Samsonov14 at 10:12 PM on November 20, 2003

Anyone have a video that doesn't require software written by baby-eating devil worshipping whores?

And Samsonov14: Take your mamma to sportsfilter.
posted by xmutex at 10:18 PM on November 20, 2003

right here, xmutex!

um, never mind. i thought you said video OF baby-eating devil worshipping whores. my bad.
posted by quonsar at 10:20 PM on November 20, 2003

I just want to say that I hate sports, and love this post. Well done.
posted by Voivod at 11:46 PM on November 20, 2003

My mother was a saint.
posted by Samsonov14 at 12:01 AM on November 21, 2003

Take her to SaintFilter.
posted by pemulis at 12:08 AM on November 21, 2003

That nearly knocked a couple of touring Aussies off their LA bar stools all those years ago.
posted by johnny7 at 12:33 AM on November 21, 2003

Thank you for including the video link. Otherwise I wouldn't have had a clue what the hell you were all talking about.

You like that play? Try rugby...
posted by salmacis at 1:01 AM on November 21, 2003

I had no idea James Stewart had been involved with sports commentary.
posted by nthdegx at 5:38 AM on November 21, 2003

I've seen that before, but that was beautiful. I love the sheer amazement of the announcers. Nothing like a little unscripted drama.
posted by mecran01 at 6:42 AM on November 21, 2003

You like that play? Try rugby...

Just had a mental image of a band on the pitch at a rugby match - Keep in mind if at any point one of the players were tackled with the ball, or the ball touched the field, the game is over, so I'd have to give a nod to this sequence being more exciting.
posted by jalexei at 6:46 AM on November 21, 2003

There's no need to use the work of baby-eating devil worshipping whores to view RealVideo. There is an alternative, and it's free, and it works.
posted by ewagoner at 7:15 AM on November 21, 2003

I'm not a big football fan, but this is a great post with a classic comment exchange. This should go down in the MeFi Hall of Fame:

Pah. Take it to sportsfilter.

No, seriously, though. You should.
posted by Samsonov14 at 1:12 AM EST on November 21

Samsonov14: Take your mamma to sportsfilter.

posted by xmutex at 1:18 AM EST on November 21

My mother was a saint.

posted by Samsonov14 at 3:01 AM EST on November 21

Take her to SaintFilter.

posted by pemulis at 3:08 AM EST on November 21
posted by languagehat at 7:45 AM on November 21, 2003

AAAAAAAAAUGH.

As an Old Fart (graduated Stanford band member) this comes into my inbox every goddamn year around this time. Gary Tyrell's got a good sense of humor about it, he actually hosted a cocktail hour on the 20th anniversary in 2002. The saddest part is that a similar scenario actually happened with Berkeley in the 90's, but there was no press. < / bitterness>

And just to be nit-picky, a trombone is in the brass section. Not woodwinds.
posted by synapse at 11:27 AM on November 21, 2003

Ooh, thanks, jonp! My ever-Broncos-loving heart still swells with pride at the mere mention of 2 little Elway-related words (The! Drive!) and I still get choked up at 4 others ("This one's for John"), so this is a real treat -- I've never heard the whole story either.
posted by scody at 1:51 PM on November 21, 2003

You still don't. "The Play" was illegal from start to finish. Color me bitter to this day, but there it is.
posted by caseymcg at 2:35 PM on November 21, 2003