Football History

Jeff Payne is a collector of football memorabilia, and he loves the history behind the items he gathers. A software executive with 30 years of experience by day, Jeff has the bug for gathering and preserving vintage football items. As an avid collector and custodian of the games' history, he even takes the time to write articles for Gridiron Greats Magazine and chat pigskin history with associates.

A few years back, Jeff founded the Vintage Football Community (VFC) which is a community of football card and memorabilia collectors who enjoy each others company and want to talk about the hobby in a relaxed, stress free environment. To learn more about the VFC contact Jeff at jefferyepayne@gmail.com if interested.

Warren Rogan takes his Sports Forgotten Heroes podcast to new places to seek past athletes' memories and accomplishments. Claude "Buddy" Young (1926-2003) was a trailblazing African American athlete who left his mark on both college and professional football. Nicknamed the "Bronze Bullet" for his exceptional speed and acceleration, Young's career was a testament to talent, perseverance, and the fight for racial equality in sports.

College Standout:

A world-class sprinter, Young's athleticism translated seamlessly to football at the University of Illinois.
He earned the nickname "Bronze Bullet" for his electrifying runs, leading the Illini to a Big Ten Championship in 1946.
Young set the Big Ten single-season rushing record (later tied) and was named an All-American.
Pro Pioneer:

Despite facing racial discrimination, Young entered the NFL in 1947, playing for the New York Giants.
He established himself as a versatile threat, excelling as a running back, receiver, and kick returner.
Young racked up over 4,000 rushing yards and 2,000 receiving yards in his nine-year professional career.
He became one of the first African Americans to achieve significant success in the NFL.
Beyond the Field:

After retiring from playing, Young remained involved in football as an assistant coach and then an assistant commissioner for the NFL.
He worked to diversify the league and address racial inequities, paving the way for future generations of players.
Young was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.
Legacy:

Buddy Young's athletic prowess and unwavering spirit in the face of adversity made him a legend of the game. He not only excelled on the field, but also used his platform to advocate for equality and pave the way for future generations of African American athletes in football.

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This game is an instant classic!

The Storyline of Deion Sanders' making his FBS Coaching Debut for the Colorado Buffaloes as they played the TCU Horned Frogs, whose last game had been playing in the national Championship in January.

The 'expert" said Coach Sanders was doing it all wrong. From former Buff's stars leaving in the transfer window, to naming his son the starting QB, and some of the kids he coached since they were 4-years old to starting positions. and White helmets? C'mon Coach Prime!

Well Sander's innovations and culture change had the University of Colorado shock the college football world on September 2, 2023 by outlasting No. 17 TCU 45-42 on the Horned Frogs' home turf in the season opener for both teams.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw for a school record 510 yards and four touchdowns, freshman running back Dylan Edwards scored four times, and four different Buffs had at least 100 yards receiving (another school record) to highlight a potent Colorado offense.
It was a shootout right to the last minute!

The 1931 clash between the USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish wasn't just any college football game. It was a pivotal moment in the sport's history, etching itself in lore for its dramatic comeback and its impact on the national championship conversation.

On November 21, 1931, when the USC Trojans traveled to South Bend to face Notre Dame it was a game for the ages! In fact, it is considered one of the Greatest College Games ever.

-Dominant Irish, Underdog Trojans: The stage was set for a classic. Notre Dame, boasting a 26-game unbeaten streak and national championship aspirations, entered the contest heavily favored. USC, on the other hand, carried a strong 6-1 record but lacked the national recognition of their opponents.

-A Fourth-Quarter Hail Mary: Notre Dame lived up to expectations early, building a seemingly insurmountable 14-0 lead heading into the final quarter. However, the Trojans refused to surrender. Led by quarterback Gaius Shaver and halfback Erny Pinkert, USC mounted a furious comeback. Key plays and a never-say-die attitude chipped away at the deficit.

-Johnny Baker's Game-Winner: With just over a minute remaining, the score tied at 14-14, USC faced a crucial fourth-down situation. Kicker Johnny Baker stepped up to the challenge, nailing a game-winning 33-yard field goal. This dramatic finish sent shockwaves through college football.

-A Turning Point: The 16-14 victory for USC not only snapped Notre Dame's unbeaten streak but also catapulted the Trojans into the national championship conversation. Though there wasn't a single, official title awarded back then, USC's dominant season, culminating in this upset victory, earned them recognition by many as the national champions.

-A Legacy of Drama: The 1931 USC-Notre Dame game is remembered as a testament to perseverance and the power of a well-executed comeback. It cemented the rivalry between these two powerhouse programs and stands as a landmark moment in college football history, forever immortalized as a classic example of grit and determination overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds.

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Sports Illustrated had a nice write-up on Mac Speedie a few years back that we thought sheds some good light on the player that Speedie was.

More than just statistics, Speedie's story resonates with his resilience and pioneering spirit. He defied expectations, proving that size and past challenges could not hold him back. In a league dominated by hulking running backs and bruising linemen, Speedie carved his niche as a smaller, faster player who excelled with his skill and intelligence.

Despite his achievements, Speedie's name doesn't hold the same recognition as other icons of the era. Perhaps it's the fleeting nature of the AAFC, or the shadow cast by his more glamorous teammates. But for those who remember his dazzling plays and relentless spirit, Mac Speedie remains a reminder that greatness can often be found in the most unexpected corners of the gridiron.

So, the next time you watch a wide receiver weave through defenders or snag a seemingly impossible pass, remember Mac Speedie. Remember the "Flea" who defied the odds and danced across the field, leaving behind a legacy of brilliance that deserves to be retold.

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The 2001 Big 12 Championship Game was a thrilling encounter between the #7 Colorado Buffaloes and the #3 Texas Longhorns. In a game marked by offensive fireworks and late-game drama, Colorado emerged victorious, securing their first Big 12 title.

-Date: December 1, 2001

Location: Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
Final Score: Colorado 39, Texas 37

Key Moments:

Colorado jumped out to an early lead, taking advantage of a Texas fumble to score a quick touchdown.
The Longhorns responded with a dominant second quarter, scoring three unanswered touchdowns to take a 24-14 halftime lead.


The second half saw a back-and-forth battle, with each team trading touchdowns.


With just over a minute remaining and the score tied at 37, Colorado quarterback Bobby Pesavento orchestrated a crucial drive.


Pesavento capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run to give Colorado the lead with 28 seconds left.
Texas' desperate attempt to tie the game fell short, sealing Colorado's victory.


Impact:


Colorado's win over Texas was a major upset, solidifying their place as a top team in the nation.
The game marked the culmination of a remarkable turnaround for Colorado, who had finished the previous season with a 3-8 record.


The victory cemented the legacy of Colorado head coach Gary Barnett and quarterback Bobby Pesavento.
The 2001 Colorado-Texas game remains a classic encounter, remembered for its high-scoring action and dramatic finish.


Additional Notes:


The game featured outstanding individual performances, including Colorado wide receiver Jeremy Bloom's 168 receiving yards and Texas quarterback Chris Simms' 393 passing yards.


The attendance at Reliant Stadium was over 72,000, setting a new record for a Big 12 Championship Game.

The 1969 Ohio State at Michigan game is one of my all-time favorites, and here it is preserved on video by video Dailymotion.

-The Upset for the Ages: The 1969 Ohio State vs. Michigan Football Game

The crisp air of a November afternoon in Ann Arbor hung heavy with anticipation. On one side stood the #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, a seemingly unstoppable force led by the legendary coach Woody Hayes. On the other, the #12 ranked Michigan Wolverines, a team hungry for an upset and a chance to derail the Buckeyes' national championship dreams. This wasn't just a game; it was the 1969 Ohio State vs. Michigan clash, a contest destined to be remembered as the "Upset for the Ages."

The Buckeyes entered the game boasting a 22-game winning streak and an aura of invincibility. Quarterback Rex Kern led a powerful offense, while Jim Stillwagon anchored a ferocious defense. Michigan, under the leadership of first-year coach Bo Schembechler, was a team in transition. Yet, fueled by a desire to end Ohio State's dominance and fueled by Schembechler's pre-game challenge to "take it to them," the Wolverines entered the field with a fire in their eyes.

The game unfolded in a whirlwind of emotion. Early turnovers plagued both sides, but the tension was palpable. The Buckeyes struck first with a touchdown, but the Wolverines responded with a vengeance. Quarterback Don Moorhead orchestrated a scoring drive, culminating in a touchdown catch by Garvie Craw. This set the tone for a back-and-forth battle.

Michigan's defense, led by the opportunistic Barry Pierson who snagged three interceptions, stymied the Buckeye offense. Meanwhile, the Wolverines capitalized on their chances. A punt return touchdown by Pierson and another touchdown by Craw gave them a surprising 14-12 lead at halftime. The Big House erupted in a cacophony of cheers, the momentum shifting decisively towards the underdog.

The second half mirrored the first, a tense struggle for control. Ohio State clawed their way back with a safety, but Michigan refused to relent. Their defense continued to disrupt the Buckeyes, forcing crucial turnovers and stifling their offensive rhythm. The final score remained 24-12, a testament to the Wolverines' grit and resilience.

The 1969 Ohio State vs. Michigan game wasn't just a defeat for the Buckeyes; it marked the beginning of a legendary coaching rivalry between Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler, a rivalry that would define the Big Ten conference for years to come. More importantly, it became a symbol of the underdog's spirit, a reminder that with passion, determination, and a well-executed game plan, even the most formidable giants can be toppled.

The life and career of Coach Buck Shaw which covers him as a player and a coach. He was the head coach at NC State Wolfpack, Nevada, Santa Clara, California Golden Bears, Air Force Academy in the college ranks. Then he jumped to the NFL with San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles.

April 4, 1947, in La Mesa, California, marked the birth of Ed White, a dominant defensive tackle who left an indelible mark on the University of California Golden Bears football program. White was a three-year letterman for the Golden Bears, consistently demonstrating his prowess on the defensive line. His exceptional talent and dedication earned him All-Pac-10 Conference honors three times, showcasing his consistent high level of play within a competitive conference. In his senior season of 1968, White's impact was undeniable as he anchored a formidable California defense that allowed a mere five rushing touchdowns in eleven games, a testament to their collective strength and White's individual dominance at the line of scrimmage. His impact was so profound that his legacy continues to be celebrated in his hometown of San Diego, where a local high school has named its football field in his honor.  

While the provided information does not explicitly detail Ed White's journey to the professional leagues, his exceptional collegiate career likely garnered attention from NFL scouts. Players of his caliber, consistently earning All-Conference and All-America recognition while anchoring a stout defense, are typically prime candidates for the NFL Draft. Further research would be needed to specify the teams he played for and the duration of his professional career.

Ed White's football legacy is primarily defined by his outstanding contributions to the University of California football program. His three All-Pac-10 selections and his All-America honor in 1968 underscore his status as one of the premier defensive players of his era. His leadership on a defense that excelled against the run further solidified his impact. The enduring recognition in his hometown, with a high school field named after him, speaks volumes about the respect and admiration he earned within his community. His return to the Cal program as an assistant coach in 1997 further demonstrates his lasting connection to and influence on the Golden Bears. His exceptional college career was deservedly recognized with his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999, ensuring his place among the legends of the sport.  

His accolades include:

Three-time All-Pac-10 Conference selection.
All-America selection in 1968.  
Anchored a California defense that allowed only five rushing touchdowns in 1968.  
Induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.  
A high school football field named in his honor in San Diego.

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The video covers an interview with Ken Crippen, the founder of the Football Learning Academy, an online school teaching pro football history. The academy aims to provide historical context to today's game by educating about the origins, players, and early days of football. It also serves as a platform to raise funds and support retired players in need, especially older players struggling with medical bills.

Crippen discusses the academy's classes, featuring interviews with legendary figures like coaches, broadcasters, executives, and players from different eras. He highlights a recent class on historical scouting reports, where he and a colleague analyze film and grade players, focusing on older candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The class includes biographies, honors, statistics, and interviews with players discussing position-specific skills across different eras. Crippen emphasizes the importance of preserving firsthand accounts and providing information to aid the Hall of Fame's senior selection committee.

Ken and his team just launched a new class at the Football Learning Academy: Historical Scouting Reports. This class has:

-Video interviews with players talking about how to play their positions during their eras

-Historical scouting reports of players going back to the 1920s

-Profiles of potential contributors for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

-Transcript of Chat with KenCrippen FLA Historical Data

Darin Hayes
Hello, my football friends. This is Darren Hayes at pigskin -dispatch .com. Welcome once again to The Pig Pen, your report of our positive football history. And welcome to another great edition where we get to visit with one of our friends, a football historian, the leader and founder of the Football Learning Academy, Ken Crippen. Ken, welcome back to The Pig Pen.

Ken Crippen
Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

Darin Hayes
Ken, you have a lot of things going on at the Football Learning Academy. We really haven't touched base with you in probably probably almost a year now. And I know you have so many exciting things going on. And you have one thing in particular you want to talk about today. But won't you give us a general overview of what the Football Learning Academy is and some of the happenings you got going?

Ken Crippen
All right. The Football Learning Academy is an online school teaching pro football history. And what we're trying to do is to put today's game into historical context by teaching about where the game came from, the people who played the game, especially in the earlier days. And then second to that is that we have a platform to be able to help retired players in need. So, you know, we know that players are struggling to pay their medical bills, especially the older players. They're not making the millions of dollars like a lot of players are today. So I want to be able to use this platform to raise money to be able to help those players. So portion of all the proceeds generated at the football learning academy go to help those retired players that need it the most.

Darin Hayes
Uh, that is definitely a worthy cause. And, uh, we were so great, glad grateful that you were doing that. And I'm sure the players themselves that are receiving the benefits of it are as well, and it seems like you have some great participation because you have so many former players and former, uh, people that were involved in pro football, uh, aiding you and coming in and doing classes and, uh, being guests, uh, on both the, your, your lessons and on your podcast that, uh, it seems very beneficial all the way around.

Ken Crippen
Yeah, I mean, if you take a look at some of the classes, I mean, we've got an interview with coach Don Shula that I did, uh, obviously prior to his passing, um, Ken Riley, same thing. Uh, we have an interview with him, uh, legendary broadcaster, Leslie Visser. Uh, we've got classes with exclusive interviews with Marlon Brisco and Dan Rooney. Uh, you move over to the podcast, several hall of famers, John Hannah, you've got Brian Erlocker, Ron mix was released this week. Uh, you've got other well -known people, Michael Lombardi, former NFL scout and executive, um, Amy Trask, former NFL CEO, head coach Mark Trestman, uh, offensive lineman, Richard, uh, Richmond web. Uh, and then coming up, we've got an episode with ESPN's Chris Berman. So there's a lot of, uh, a lot of fascinating stuff there.

Darin Hayes
Yeah. You got the whole gambit there. You've got the, the TV talking head celebrities like Berman and, and Visser and you're going to, you know, coach Shula and John Hannah and Dan Rooney, you know, some of the executives and Michael Lombardi, that is really a well -rounded thing with all the players and coaches and a broadcaster. So very well done. And if you can't get some great insight from those folks, I don't know who you can. So great job. A lot of knowledge there. Yeah. Most definitely. But you approached me here not too long ago and you have something really exciting going on, some new classes that you have going on that you wanted to talk about today. So why don't you fill us in on that.

Ken Crippen
All right. The most recent class that we released is on historical pro football, scattering reports. So a colleague of mine, Matt Rieser and I, we went back and we studied film. This is something we started years ago. And what we would do is grade some of these players in each game and then all, you know, giving them an overall grade. So what we wanted to do is focus on some of the older players, especially ones where their names were coming up for the pro football hall of fame and the seniors. Pool. We had Mick Tinglehoff, Dick Barwegan, um, a bunch of other people. So there was a lot there that, um, we really wanted to be able to let people know about these players. A lot of people have never seen them play. Um, so anything that we can do to try to help people. And again, you know, back to our mission of educating people, we wanted to be able to do that, but then also have a resource for the senior selection committee to be able to see this information. I mean, a lot of them don't have the time to go through and, and study the film and things like that. So we're doing that work for them. So, uh, since, you know, we had some of those original scouting reports come out. I've gone through, I've added biographies, uh, the honors that they've had testimonial statistics. Um, but another thing that's interesting that I've adding, uh, been adding to this class is that I am interviewing a lot of these players and talking about the skills necessary to play their position within their particular era. So for example, Ron mix, as I'd mentioned before, Hall of Famer, he's talking about offensive line play, I've got another guy on there, Greg Thomas. He was the first African American starting quarterback for the university of Arkansas, he's talking about quarterback play. And I'm going to continue to add more scattering reports, add more videos, things like that on these particular players and how to play these positions, especially talking to players in different eras. So if you got somebody playing into fifties, somebody in the sixties, somebody in the seventies, et cetera. Now you can see how things evolved for that particular position by talking to the players that actually played that position. So it's a pretty interesting class. And, uh, I think a lot of people will be able to get something out of it.

Darin Hayes
Yeah, that's brilliant going to the different areas because it's almost, uh, if you look at games, like in the forties and fifties, they're a much different game. You know, the basics are there for football, but the way it's played in the strategies and blocking schemes and everything else are so much different than, uh, they are today and even, even in the seventies today. So that's great to get the perspective of the guys that were actually in the trenches and, and taking the hits to give that perspective. So you're very interesting.

Ken Crippen
Yeah, I mean, I definitely think that, you know, there's a lot that can be learned from that, especially when you're getting the firsthand accounts, because not only are you talking about the schemes, but we also go into players, you know, when I was talking with Ron mix, I was talking about playing against Deacon Jones, I mean, one of the greatest of all time. So you talk about, you know, the different techniques, the people that they struggled against, the people that they were successful against, why they were successful against them, why they struggled against them. There's a lot that you can pull out of that. And so being able to record these firsthand accounts, I think is definitely going to be beneficial, especially as we continue to progress in time.

Darin Hayes
Yeah, especially, you know, unfortunately, we're losing so many of these legends of the game seems like on a daily basis, you know, seems like every day you pick up the paper, you look on the Internet, you lose another star. So preserving the legacy of these folks and getting them recorded, even them talking about some other players that they played against or played with, like you said, is a very valuable resource. So very well done on that. Appreciate it. Yeah. Now, you can you said a little bit the you're providing information with the information that you're putting on this new project you got going on for the Senior Selection Committee. Now, on on average, what's the Hall of Fame? How many of the seniors are they trying to get in each year? Is there a certain numbers that sort of hit or miss?

Ken Crippen
It's been changing right now. You could have a maximum of three, but that's only been in place for a couple of years now. I think that expires maybe next year where they evaluate and see if they're going to still try to have a maximum of three every year or whether it's going to be going backwards or maybe it goes only two or one per year. So as of right now, it's three.

Darin Hayes
Yeah. Cause it seems like there's a tremendous amount, especially the early players, the first, uh, 20, 30 years of the NFL that probably are deserving to be in there, uh, but didn't really have the opportunity because the NFL or the pro football hall of fam, sorry, didn't start until the early 1960s. So some of these guys were long forgotten. Uh, and now with the resurgence of their information because of the internet, uh, football learning academy, PFRA and, and others, you know, and all the books that are coming out now, we have a lot more information, probably a better view of these folks now, uh, some 60 years later than they did in the early 60s. So I think it's invaluable that I'm glad that they're trying to put some more in, and I know they had sort of a bigger number, a hundredth anniversary, uh, of, uh, the NFL and then 2020, uh, but I, I know it's sort of dwindled down from, so, so three is sort of the targets still.

Ken Crippen
As of right now, yeah, I mean, unfortunately, they're don't see, it doesn't seem to be much interest in the older players. It's more of the more recent players within the senior pool that they're focusing on. So we may have trouble getting in some of those deserving people from the earlier days. It really comes down to the selection committee. If they're showing no interest in doing that, then you're not going to get any of those players in. Thanks for watching!

Darin Hayes
Now the selection committee, as far as I know, the folks that are in are mostly journalists. Is that true? Or is there still some executives? I think there

Ken Crippen
There are still a few executives, there may be a few former players, but that's on the overall committee itself. The actual seniors committee, I think is pretty much made up of strictly media members. So whether they're journalists, whether they're TV, whatever, it's mainly going to be journalists. And if you look at the overall committee, the bulk of them are going to be journalists.

Darin Hayes
And probably just human nature, the people that they know the most about are the people that they saw play, just like you or I or any of the listeners or viewers would say, you know, you know, you saw, you know, players, you know, like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady play, but that was some outstanding play by this player. So very difficult journey for these guys, especially in early football.

Ken Crippen
But I think, you know, you can also look at it too is that, you know, the media members of today saying we're the most qualified to be able to determine who's in the hall of fame, who was the best because we watched them play. But yet you bring up the media members of the day who watched those players and the hall of famers that have testimonials for those players and things like that. Why aren't they listening to them? I mean, wouldn't their opinions be just as valid. So if you've got somebody that is consistently making all pros who's consistently getting honors who's consistently. You get testimonials saying that they're the best player that they played against and these are hall of famers that are saying this to me you should be listening to that and not just saying well you know I know more because I saw these most recent players play. Listen to what the media members of the day said about those players, because if the media is the one that is the best judge of who's a Hall of Famer and who isn't. How about we listen to those media members.

Darin Hayes
Great, great point, but it's hard to have a voice for those folks that aren't around anymore, but we, but we have their word in print and it's, uh, I guess it's a tough methodology for folks like us as frustrating for us historians to sit there and say, where we don't really don't have a voice into it in the media does. So I understand the frustration, uh, but I also understand the dilemma that the NFL and the hall of fame, uh, sort of have on their plate there. So hopefully we can come to some, uh, resolution to, to help them out here and doing things like you're doing with these, uh, having these, uh, guides for them to look at is definitely a great step.

Ken Crippen
Yeah, I think so. It's just any information that we can get out there about these players is only going to be beneficial. So, you know, we shouldn't be relying on, you know, whose kid puts together the best PR campaign for their, their parent. I mean, that shouldn't be what determines who goes into the Hall of Fame, which should be based on what did that person do on the field. And if we can get more and more information out there about that, then that's what we should be focusing on.

Darin Hayes
So what do you, what in your opinion would be the best way to, to get that information, uh, you know, is there, is there a particular voice that should be heard on, on these panels and the selection committees that, uh, you know, or a genre of people that, that aren't represented right now that would help the selection committee.

Ken Crippen
I mean, I would think historians, I mean, right now there are no historians on there outside of any media member that looks at the history of the game, but you know, how much of that is happening? You have historians that reach out to the selection committee, you know, there's varying degrees of responses. Some say, Hey, this is great information. Others like, yeah, don't care. So it really comes down to the people that are on the selection committee, making sure that they truly evaluate all of the qualified candidates and not just the ones that, you know, they covered or just the ones that were nice to them or something like that. They need to go in there and say, who is the best player that needs to go in? And that's what they should be basing it on. And whether you're going to historians, whether you're doing research on your own, whatever the case may be, something needs to be done because a lot of these guys, like you had said earlier, they deserve to be in there, but they're being ignored because they played too long ago. Committee members don't know anything about them. Whatever the case may be, something needs to change.

Darin Hayes
Now, I think and maybe this is just a biased look at it from my aspect and folks like yourself because, you know, us being PFRA members in the Hall of the Very Good. But it seems recently, you know, I'm sitting here thinking of the Ken Riley seniors of the world that are getting in recently and some others that the Hall of the Very Good seems to be almost like a stepping stone for some of these senior players to get elevated to, you know, be a pro football Hall of Famer. And I think there, you know, maybe like I said, it's a biased opinion of mine to say that there's the influence of that, but there's definitely a correlation if you look at, especially the last five or six years, players that have been elected in the Hall of the Very Good of the PFRA sort of in the next couple of years seem to be elevated, at least a certain number of them.

Ken Crippen
Yeah, I mean, you know, they definitely, you know, gain more attention. When you have a group of historians like the BFRA and they put out something saying, hey, you know, these players are deserving of recognition, then maybe people will go back and take a look at their careers. And I'm doing something similar at the FLA, where I'm putting together these scouting reports so that people can get information on these players. And with everything going on, the BFRA, the FLA, any other historian that's out there, if you talk about these players and you show the cases of why they belong, you would hope that at that point, the committee is going to take a look at it and say, hey, you know, I guess they're right. Maybe this person does deserve to be considered.

Darin Hayes
Yeah, it's, I think that's a great point. That's sort of where I was going to, you know, you, you, your, your organization, the PFRA, uh, some of the multiple books that are, are coming out, you know, some great books like Chris Willis, just putting out a book on the 60 minute men of the NFL, where, like you said, there's a lot of player, uh, in his thing, he goes and views, uh, I think it's 40 some players, uh, that were pre -world war two and some, some of them are already in a hall of fame, but all of them have, um, sort of passages from players and coaches of that era that would say, Hey, this guy was outstanding as a pun or, you know, Hey, I couldn't block this guy. You get exactly what you're saying in your interviews that you've done with players recently and over the years, uh, and what you're doing in the FLA. Uh, but so these books and the PFRA and the FLA sort of, you know, bringing attention to these players is such a great thing and, uh, you know, that maybe it'll help some of these selectors to have a better opinion of them to, to get some of these guys in, it's definitely deserve it.

Ken Crippen
Yeah. And you take a look, I mean, I put together a couple of articles, reimagining some of the old decade teams, because you look at like the 1920s, 1930s, especially, but even some of the other old decade teams. And you're kind of scratching your head as far as how some of these players actually made the old decade team, but yet they're being used as reasons why they should be in the hall of fame. I mean, Cecil Isbell is a perfect example. He's on the 1930s old decade team. He played two years in the 1930s and those years were average. He was, he excelled 40, 41, 42, but in the thirties, he wasn't that great. He was an average quarterback at that time. But because the 1940s team was so stacked, there was no way he was going to be able to make it. So they toss him on the 1930s team. Why he didn't earn it. And so, you know, all of this type of information, yeah, somebody makes an old decade team, but really when you take a look at it, should they be on that old decade team, if you're going to use it as part of their case, make sure that it was actually deserving. And, you know, that's something else that I want to be able to do too, is to, to really talk about this. I know, you know, some people discount all decade teams just because, oh, it's a random time. Well, if their career doesn't naturally fit within the 1920 to 1929 timeframe, for example, if their career was 1925 to 1935, you know, they may not make either of the old decade teams, but they had an excellent career. Yeah, it's something, but it's a data point and all data points, as long as they're legitimate data, then that should all be considered. And if they didn't make it, then you can say, okay, well, why didn't they make one of those old decade teams? Because their career spanned a different time period, but still, I think you can go in there and you can take a look. If somebody had an extended career, they should have enough time within one of these old decade teams to have made a difference and to have made, you know, a spot on one of those teams. So regardless of when your career started, when your career ended, I would think that if you were Hall of Fame caliber, you would be on one of those old decade teams, at least, you know, at some point within your career.

Darin Hayes
Yeah, no, I mean, the all decade teams are definitely something that's fairly consistent and some of them are retroactive, but, uh, I mean, all pro selections and pro bowl or all star selections, you know, they're called all star before they were pro bowls, uh, and in the AFL and that, but are those some of the other data points that you think are considerations? Cause it's definitely, it's data that, uh, can drive, uh, to prove a point that, you know, players were beyond the average player. You know, in the league at their, their particular point in time.

Ken Crippen
Yeah. And again, you know, it goes into context. Somebody can make a Pro Bowl, but were they selected first for the Pro Bowl? Or is it that the five guys ahead of them bowed out of it because of injuries or whatever else they couldn't make it? And so now they made the Pro Bowl. Well, that should be part of the data that goes along with it. Were they the first person selected, second person selected or the sixth or seventh person selected that needs to go into it? And, you know, it also can't be that you use all pros and Pro Bowls for one player saying that, OK, this is the reason why they belong in there and then completely ignore it for another player because they don't have all of those honors. If it's something that's important, then it should be consistent across the board. I mean, you know, you brought up Ken Riley earlier. He wasn't making the Pro Bowls. He wasn't making all pros, things like that. It honors didn't matter. They strictly went off of the number of interceptions that he accumulated over his career. And that's how he got inducted. But yet you have somebody else and, you know, they'll say, well, I'm going to pick player X over player Y because they have more Pro Bowls. Well, now, if you've got somebody else that doesn't have any Pro Bowls, then why are you now suddenly saying, well, this person is a Hall of Famer, even though nobody else picked him for any of these these teams? I just want to see more consistency in those types of things. Don't say this is important for one player, but it's irrelevant for another player. Be consistent.

Darin Hayes
Okay, great points. So let's get into maybe if you could tell us what's some of the data that you're putting into your player profiles that you're, to represent these players to give the selection clemity some some information to use.

Ken Crippen
Well, each position has different skills associated with that particular position. Like, you know, say you're looking at a quarterback, you're going to, obviously leadership is something that's hard to quantify. That's something that, you know, you're talking to teammates, you're talking to coaches, you're talking to opposition, things like that, but there's still quantifiable things that you can look at. You know, you look at, you know, well, how quick was their release? What's their arm speed? You know, how tight is the spiral on the ball? How much ball spin that they have? What's the footwork look like? Same with other positions. So you go to a wide receiver position. You want to see how well do they run their routes? How well, well, are they able to break away from defenders and get separation? What kind of speed are they showing? You know, is it straight ahead speed or are they able to, to make those cuts? How well do they make those cuts? You know, planning that foot and moving in a different direction. There's a lot of those things that you can quantify. And as you're going through and watching this film, you can see exactly how well they're performing and be able to grade it accordingly. But then also you have to take into account what error they're in different errors, things were done differently. So you have to make sure that you're taking that into account when you're going through and evaluating these players, you want to make sure that you're grading them according to the way the game was played at that particular time. And that adds another wrinkle to obviously how you put together these reports, but it's something that is important that when you're giving somebody a grade for their particular position, for their particular era, you got to make sure that you're going to be able to consistently be able to look at that grade versus the grade of somebody else at that same position that may have played in a different era. So those are the types of things that we look at. Like I said, each one has different sets of criteria. All of that is spelled out within the reports that we have. You have grades, overall grades for each of those skill sets and then overall performance grades that they have for each game, as well as for their entire career. And then when we're looking at it to the score that we come up with the overall grade, that's going to get stronger the more games we watch. So say, for example, you've got somebody where you watch 30 games, another one where you watch 40 games. If they both have the same score, I'm always going to skew toward the person where we watched more game film, because that means they kept it at that level for a longer period of time. And so when you're looking at our rankings by scores, anything that's tied as far as the score is concerned, we always skew it toward the one where we've watched more game film than the other players.

Darin Hayes
outstanding. I like that the volume of work sort of skews the score to their favor. So that's, it's a great, great thing. Now, if I would, let's say we have some folks watching right now that are on the selection committee, and we could, and who would if they came to you and said, Hey, Ken, you know, we want to come and look at some of these scores, we're trying to look for some seniors to be selected for the next round of ballots here. Who would you recommend that they look at some maybe some folks that aren't getting the attention in the media? That do you think that have some great scores that these folks ought to be looking at considering?

Ken Crippen
I mean, to me, you know, I'm going to sound like a broken record, but I picked Lavvie Dilweg and Al Wister is my top two players, especially of the older players. We've got more game film of Wister than we do of Dilweg, but we're still able to go through and see how Dilweg played. But then, as I was mentioning before, we're talking about, okay, what are the testimonials? What are the other media members saying about them? What are historians saying about them? People that watch them play. People were there at the time. And you look at someone like a Laverne Dilweg and it's just inexplicable to me how he can't become a finalist, you know, he, you'll see them in the, in the, um, centennial class where he was part of the top 20, but then never made it beyond that. And then, you know, it was never really been touched since then Al Wister, he's getting close, but he's not making it. These are guys who dominated their position. I mean, Dilweg was the second-best end in the pre-modern era. If you're number two behind one of the greatest of all time in Don Hudson, how can you not be considered? You have somebody that, you know, Ken Riley, you know, we brought his name up earlier, so I don't want to keep picking on him, but doesn't have the all pros, doesn't have the Pro Bowls or anything like that. They used interceptions while he had 64 interceptions in his career. He never led the league in interceptions. He was top five once in interceptions. If you're a Hall of Famer, you only make top five and interceptions once in a 16 year career. There are times he didn't even lead his own team in interceptions, but yet that was the criteria for him getting in. Laverne Dilweg had 27 interceptions from a defensive end position. You look at the other pre -modern era ends that are in the Hall of Fame. They all have single digits in interceptions. Dilweg had 27. The only other end that had more was Hutson, but he played safety. So you're going to have more opportunities. You're going to be able to have more interceptions, and it's only three more than Dilweg had. He led, you know, Dilweg led the league in yards, touchdowns. That's what an end does, but you look at it and you know, eight -time All -Pro, six -time consecutive consensus All -Pro, four -time consecutive unanimous All -Pro, all -decade team. The media members of the day said he was by far the best end of his time, but yet you look at the media members today and they're like, yeah, it doesn't matter.

Darin Hayes
Yeah. Amazing. Especially when you're playing at the same time as Hutson.

Ken Crippen
So basically the reason why people don't know Dilweg's name as much is because Hutson came after him.

Darin Hayes
Oh, okay, they weren't contemporaries of each other.

Ken Crippen
No, it was basically as soon as Dilweg's career ended, that's when Hutson started. So they didn't even overlap by one year.

Darin Hayes
Oh geez. Well, I'm glad that, uh, you know, but it's shining some light on, on players like Dilweg and Wistert and some of the others to maybe, you know, bring more attention to them and hopefully some, some, uh, you know, random parts like we're doing now. And, uh, some of the books that are out PFRA and some of the other organizations we talked about, uh, maybe we get, uh, things go in here, get some momentum on social media and that and, uh, get it out into public perception. And that always helps too, with, uh, helping the selectors to, to be influenced a little bit. So, so we keep up that great work on that. Now, so what are, uh, some of the other, uh, now you're, you're looking at all different eras, I assume when you're, you're putting these things together. So it's not just these, these early, you know, single platoon players, but you're looking at some of the more modern players, like from the last 60, 70 years as well.

Ken Crippen
I mean, I've done some research on that, um, essentially what it is is when Matt Rieser and I started working on this, we said, okay, we want people have had the bulk of their careers prior to 1970. And that's what our focus was now, because, you know, it's been a few years since then I'm going to extend it out beyond that. So people playing in the seventies as well. Um, but my focus is I want people to know about these older players. That's what's important to me. And that's the information I want to get out there.

Darin Hayes
Awesome. I love the, uh, the, what you're doing. I love the, the, uh, line that you're taking to do that because it's, there's a lot of information out there with, like we said, the video and everything of the more modern players, you know, since the seventies, but some of these older guys, they just didn't, there wasn't the ESPNs and the internet that, that we have in this era to look at them. So it's great to get that perception from them. So what else do you have going on at the FLA that, uh, you know, what are some of the other courses you have? I know you glanced upon a couple of them, but, uh, but if somebody wants to come in and get an education at the FLA, what can they expect?

Ken Crippen
Well, there's a bunch of different courses that we have. So you can either look at interviews that we have with individual people. But if you're looking for classes themselves, the scattering reports class that we were talking about, but, you know, we've got classes on the first pro players, excuse me, first pro players, first, uh, forward pass and pro football history, you know, try to trace down the lineage of that, um, talking about new class that I'm working on now is on the Buffalo bills of the all America football conference. So we try to have varying degrees of things that we talk about in various eras, but also got some other instructors that are there. Josie Imba, who, you know, a very noted historian and author, um, does a lot of work on old Chicago Cardinals. Uh, so he's got classes there. Jeff Miller, a Buffalo bills historian, a Buffalo football historian. So he's got a class on the Buffalo Americans of the 1920s. So there's a lot of stuff that's there. Um, so it really depends on what you're interested in. Chances are you're going to find something there that, you know, peaks your interest and makes you want to watch.

Darin Hayes
All right, and what's the best place to go if you want to if you want to give maybe the the URL of of it and we'll repeat it in the show notes of this but go ahead and call out in your in your social media.

Ken Crippen
Yeah. I mean, any of the classes, any of the podcasts that we have, we have links on our website. You've got all our social media channels. So I would say the best place to go is www .football -learning -academy .com. And you'll pretty much find everything right at that location.

Darin Hayes
Okay. And you folks that are looking at this on YouTube, you just look over Ken's shoulder there and he's got all the information spelled out right on his, uh, virtual back screen there too. So, but we'll, we, for you folks that are on the podcast, we will put it into show notes, uh, get you hooked up to Ken and, uh, get educated and learn about these great players, these great teams from the past at the FLA. Ken, we really appreciate you coming on and doing this and really appreciate you preserving these greats of football and both the players, the coaches, the, the people associated with it, the broadcasters and, uh, you know, everybody that's contributed to football and the teams and the games themselves. So thank you for doing that.

Ken Crippen
Well, thanks for having me on. I appreciate it.