http://espn.go.com/blog/bostonnew-england-patriots/post/_/id/4673427/bruschi-at-least-07-pats-had-guts
The Colts destroyed their tradition when their owner, Bob Irsay (may he rest in torment) snuck away like a little coward from Baltimore back in '85 or so. They are not interested in glory, they are interested in money. 50 years ago they played in "the greatest game ever played." Now they are just another franchise.
Shortly prior to the shafting of Baltimore City, while I was still stationed in Belgium, I watched what I consider to be the greatest game I ever saw. It was the Orange Bowl in 1984 with the undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers vs the Miami Hurricanes. Nebraska was a juggernaut that year, with many people calling them the greatest team in college sports history. They had actually scored upwards of 80 points in several games and averaged over 50. Miami was number 5 in the ratings; however, because of the poor showing of the other top five teams in the bowls the 'canes had a chance at stealing the national title if they could just defeat the mighty 'huskers. The game was a classic in many respects, with Bernie Kosar leading a tenacious Hurricanes passing game to get an early lead and the Cornhuskers staging a huge comeback from a 17-0 and then a 31-17 deficit. It came down to the last seconds with the score 31-24 Miami. Nebraska scored a touchdown to make it 31-30 with one chance left. It was a this point that the concept of "No guts, no glory" actually was defined for me.
Nebraska was the overwhelming choice for number one all year and a one point PAT would have led to a tie (no overtime allowed in college bowls back then) that would have given a sure National Title to Nebraska. But with a glorious sportsmanship that teams like the Indianapolis Dolts and their erstwhile and present owners would never understand (much less achieve) the 'Huskers head coach Tom Osborne decided to go for broke. They attempted a two-point conversion but it was batted away and the Hurricanes won the national championship. Two great teams played like men - not employees - and a classic was made. Some people think Osborne was a fool for not taking the relatively sure thing with a kicked PAT. But had the 'huskers "won" the championship with a bowl game tie, it would have been an implied asterisk that would relegate the team to damn-near also-ran status and the game to mediocrity on account of one play. After a few years, nobody would remember the game except when wimpiness like the Colts have shown comes up. "It's like that team back in the '80s that wimped out and won the championship, who were they again?" Instead, the Cornhuskers showed themselves not only to be a class team, but class sportsmen in a classic game.
I'd rather watch college or even High School football any day.
