If You Were Born After 1975 - You Should Check This Out

[DandyDon1722]

NFL Network Presents

On Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24 at 8 p.m. ET, NFL Network will televise, for the first time since the original airing, one of the most historic playoff games in league history, as NFL Classic Games encores the 1981 NFC Championship Game between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.

For those too young who never experienced it, this game will give you a sense of how much the 90's meant to those who did. A brutal and devastating loss but a great game.

Be sure to watch when the Cowboys get the ball back after The Catch. With about a minute left, Drew Pearson runs a slant and is gone 80 yards for an historic touchdown except for a finger tip grab on the back of his jersey.
THAT would forever have been "The Catch"

Also, I've seen footage of this game where Jack Buck, (Joe's father) broadcast the game and I remember him throughout the telecast saying "Look Out Joe" whenever Montana dropped back to pass and was being chased. Not sure if it was radio or he did the national broadcast.

Yes they hated us back then too.

 

[alohawg]

I began following the Cowboys in '71 and in Jan. '72 they beat Miami to become SB Champions, I was forever hooked. For those too young let me say this, despite the SB losses to Pittsburgh, the Cowboys were the better team in the 70's (really,you had to be there to know) and still were the best in the league consistently leading up to that 1981 NFC Championship game.

 

[TwoDeep3]

I don't carry a picture of my ex-wife. I see no need in watching this again.

First the Ice Bowl and then this game. The only two times I cried after the a Cowboy loss.

 

[Randy White]

needs to record this game because I have a special request.

I want a a gif of Ronnie Lott tackling Tony Hill with 2 fingers in what it's today an illegal tackle ( horse collar ) that actually saved the the game for the 49ers ( even though " the catch " hogs all the credit ) and thus a dynasty was born.

Ironically 12 years later, with the same play, on the same part of the field, and the same uniform number ( #80 ), the oucome was different as Alvin Harper clinches the game for the Cowboys, and another dynasty was born.

I have the gif of Alvin Harper's play, but I'd like to have the Tony Hill/Ronnie Lott play.

 

[ZeroClub]

Something that the newer fans may not realize:

Staubach was the NFL's single biggest star during the 1970's. .. sort of like Jordan in the NBA during the 1990's.

Too bad Staubach was no longer playing in 1981.

 

[Nav22]

That game was before my time so I've never seen it... I'll definitely check it out tomorrow. Thanks for posting this.

 

[Avenging Hayseed]

Remember it like yesterday. Everyone remembers the catch, but few remember that we were within a last second grab of the jersey of retaking the lead!!!

 

[Everson24]

needs to record this game because I have a special request.

I want a a gif of Ronnie Lott tackling Tony Hill with 2 fingers in what it's today an illegal tackle ( horse collar ) that actually saved the the game for the 49ers ( even though " the catch " hogs all the credit ) and thus a dynasty was born.

Ironically 12 years later, with the same play, on the same part of the field, and the same uniform number ( #80 ), the oucome was different as Alvin Harper clinches the game for the Cowboys, and another dynasty was born.

I have the gif of Alvin Harper's play, but I'd like to have the Tony Hill/Ronnie Lott play.

It wasn't Ronnie Lott and Tony Hill it was Eric Wright tackling Drew Pearson. Almost cried after Danny White fumbled on the next play. Terrible play by right guard Kurt Petersen. He got run over on the most important play of his career (shades of Cory Proctor).

 

[Randy White]

It wasn't Ronnie Lott and Tony Hill it was Eric Wright tackling Drew Pearson. Almost cried after Danny White fumbled on the next play. Terrible play by right guard Kurt Petersen. He got run over on the most important play of his career (shades of Cory Proctor).

I stand corrected. My memory is faulty, but unfortunately I do remember that fumble by DW. I thought that one more 15 yarder down the middle to Doug Cosbie and we would have had the game.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

ah.....we lost that game.

Why would I want to watch it?

Give me just one good reason? ;-)

 

[Doomsay]

One of the most traumatic losses I can remember. History would have been so different - Danny might have gone on to be a great one.

 

[TwoDeep3]

ah.....we lost that game.

Why would I want to watch it?

Give me just one good reason? ;-)

You work for ESPN. You just got hired. You are going to be tested on all aspects of this game right before the mandatory tattoo that states emphatically how much you loathe Dallas.

You will be required to mention the Catch at every possible opportunity and especially when you are kissing Boomer's ring right before you get the Christmas bonus envelope.

Failure to do so will relegate you to Yahoo Sports writing a blog under the name "The Ball Is Pointy On Both Ends," and never owning your own home.

 

[Established1971]

I began following the Cowboys in '71 and in Jan. '72 they beat Miami to become SB Champions, I was forever hooked. For those too young let me say this, despite the SB losses to Pittsburgh, the Cowboys were the better team in the 70's (really,you had to be there to know) and still were the best in the league consistently leading up to that 1981 NFC Championship game.

me too! started thanksgiving 71 before their first SB, before Americas team, even before their famous cheerleaders. They lead the 70's in everything except SB wins:

winning percentages
wins
playoff appearances
division titles
playoff game
playoff wins
conference titles

each of the 2 SB losses could have been different with a change in a single play. What am I saying, each of the three losses. They lost SB V by one play too. We hadnt started watching yet but it counts too. And the NFL championship games of 66 and 67 were, for all intents and puroses, SB's which they also lost by a hair.

 

[robb01]

Ill be checking this out, thanks for the heads up

 

[Hostile]

I don't carry a picture of my ex-wife. I see no need in watching this again.

First the Ice Bowl and then this game. The only two times I cried after the a Cowboy loss.

:laugh2:

That hit me right in the funny bone this morning.

 

[sonnyboy]

That game was before my time so I've never seen it... I'll definitely check it out tomorrow. Thanks for posting this.

Good man. This is required viewing or any Cowboy fan. I myself will be recording it.

I think every Cowboy fan has that one most painful loss. This is mine. It's the one sporting event I truely wish had gone the other way.

 

[LucaBrasi]

I stand corrected. My memory is faulty, but unfortunately I do remember that fumble by DW. I thought that one more 15 yarder down the middle to Doug Cosbie and we would have had the game.

If you watch the game tonight watch the fumble by White it is very similar to Tom Brady's fumble in the "tuck rule" game. I believe the tuck rule was in the rule book in 1981 but of course there was no instant replay.

Screwed again. The 1981 team was one of my favorites. Tony Dorsett's greatest season. The secondary was leaky but forced alot of turnovers that year. Would have destroyed Cincy in the Super Bowl imo. Alas, they were one point short in Candlestick.

 

[Kevinicus]

I don't know that I believe that this has never been re-aired. Perhaps not in it's entirety. I do know that several years ago I saw pretty much the entire 4th quarter on some channel (ESPN Classics maybe?). It was the first I had seen of it outside of the one play.

 

[lwehlers]

i also remember the danny white fumble. we could have had a chance to maybe kick a field goal. my dad said that was the end of the team of the 70's when the cowboys lost that game. when your 12 years old you really do not think about that. my dad was a chiefs and cowboys fan thoughout the eighties needless to say we did not have much to cheer about after the 49ers game for the next ten years.

 

[ReturnToGlory]

And that makes Alvin Harper's slant the sweetest play in NFL history if you count the historic significance of it all. It was 12 years in the making.

All I can say is "Thank you Jimmy!"

:starspin :starspin :starspin :starspin :starspin