Comments on: And the woodwinds were the weakest part of the Stanford defense...

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

jonp72 — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 21:19:05 -0800

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).

By: xmutex

xmutex — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 21:23:34 -0800

great links! love it.

By: ukamikanasi

ukamikanasi — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 21:33:15 -0800

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!

By: wendell

wendell — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 21:38:35 -0800

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...)

By: quonsar

quonsar — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 21:55:50 -0800

wendell, are you really me?

By: eddydamascene

eddydamascene — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 22:07:13 -0800

The Play [real video]

By: donnagirl

donnagirl — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 22:12:01 -0800

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.

By: Samsonov14

Samsonov14 — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 22:12:01 -0800

Pah. Take it to sportsfilter. No, seriously, though. You should.

By: xmutex

xmutex — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 22:18:11 -0800

Anyone have a video that doesn't require software written by baby-eating devil worshipping whores? And Samsonov14: Take your mamma to sportsfilter.

By: quonsar

quonsar — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 22:20:56 -0800

right here, xmutex! um, never mind. i thought you said video OF baby-eating devil worshipping whores. my bad.

By: Voivod

Voivod — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 23:46:28 -0800

I just want to say that I hate sports, and love this post. Well done.

By: Samsonov14

Samsonov14 — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 00:01:08 -0800

My mother was a saint.

By: pemulis

pemulis — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 00:08:59 -0800

Take her to SaintFilter.

By: johnny7

johnny7 — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 00:33:13 -0800

That nearly knocked a couple of touring Aussies off their LA bar stools all those years ago.

By: salmacis

salmacis — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 01:01:20 -0800

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...

By: nthdegx

nthdegx — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 05:38:22 -0800

I had no idea James Stewart had been involved with sports commentary.

By: mecran01

mecran01 — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 06:42:53 -0800

I've seen that before, but that was beautiful. I love the sheer amazement of the announcers. Nothing like a little unscripted drama.

By: jalexei

jalexei — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 06:46:03 -0800

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.

By: ewagoner

ewagoner — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 07:15:48 -0800

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.

By: languagehat

languagehat — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 07:45:30 -0800

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

By: synapse

synapse — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 11:27:19 -0800

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.

By: scody

scody — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 13:51:53 -0800

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.

By: caseymcg

caseymcg — Fri, 21 Nov 2003 14:35:59 -0800

You still don't. "The Play" was illegal from start to finish. Color me bitter to this day, but there it is.