I watched a show on the NFL Network about the AFL league (1960-1969). It talked about chronological years about teams, coaches, and players. Likewise, innovations, rules, and players salaries. Of course, Joe Namath making that guarantee. Most of the player interviews tended to be toward the latter years when NFL films starting to cover them in 1968. However, they did talk about the New York Titans but more than the Houston Oilers who won those championships in the early days. Charlie Hennigan? Yet, they discussed the Sid Gillman and his 1963 Chargers, Buffalo Bills (Lou Saban was too damn weird) '64 and '65 championship, Hank Stram, "keep matriculating the ball, boys. LOL. Finally, they discussed the "RRRaiders" and Al Davis concerning the rules of play and how they get players.
There was the players revolt of the 1964 AFL All-Star game due to the racism of the host city, New Orleans. The players voted not to play and moved the game to Houston. Also, players getting higher salaries from both leagues by threatening to jump to the other league if they didn't get the money they wanted. Pete Gogolak, Alex Karras, John Brodie, and Fred Billetnikoff were examples. My personal like is getting players from smaller colleges particularly black colleges. Eventually, a merger came through with some agreements of using the stadium clock, names on jerseys from former NFL teams (AFL had theirs since inception), and playing in a 50,000 capacity seated stadium (Goodbye Wrigley Field and Fenway Park).
One of the things that they didn't talk about was discussion of each individuals' salaries, players' rights, and players' injuries when the merger occurred. I was suspicious because I was wondering why Joe Namath was able to play in all those games with the AFL Jets but was constantly injured during the NFL time. Through research, Joe was injured in his AFL days but didn't have to take a physical as it was required by the NFL for any player new or old. Further, the AFL didn't have to report who was injured on a game to game basis till the merger. Finally, other players didn't know how much each team was making or what Joe Namath was making.
What really blew my mind was the testimony of Ernie Barnes, a former player and well-renowned artist. My take here is how come I never heard of him? I watched NFL films since 1982, no mention. The "Remember the AFL" website, made a mention of him as an obit. Of course, he wasn't a great player but dude, this guy made that painting still was was used at the end credits of the show "Good Times" and he was the official artist for the Los Angeles Olympiad. My goodness something. Journeyman players who went on to being great in something has always been welcomed in media such as NFL films. Dick Post comes to mind. In reading his bio where he talks, he mentions about a player named Howard Glenn. Ah-Ha!
Howard Glenn was Barnes' teammate when they played for the then New York Titans (now Jets). Howard died in a game against Houston suffering a broken neck on October 9, 1960. But Barnes and a doctor it says it was due to heat exhaustion. However, the coaching staff insisted that it was a broken neck and that he broke it the game before. But he asks, how could he have practiced it the whole week leading up to the Oct. 9, game? I have heard the story of Monte Johnson of the Raiders broke his vertebra against the Colts in the 1977 game and playing the next week against the Broncos. But according to Don Maynard, Glenn complained of not feeling well during the game,slumped to the floor in the dressing room after the game and. the team trainer even said it was too much heat and football but he'll be fine."
Which brings me more questions of the AFL. NFL had some casualties but not like the AFL. You had Stone Johnson dying in a exhibition game, Mack Lee Hill dying in a operation table for a knee injury, and Frank Buncom dying before a game in his sleep at 29. Barnes complained of bad coaches, poor equipment, and while others complained of bad field conditions. What I looked at is how these players like a Sherrill Headrick playing with broken thumb that protruded from his skin, a broken vertebra, and shattered ribs. You hear other stories of Jim Otto, Emil Karras, Houston Antwine, and Walt Sweeney just to name a few from that time and their debilitating injuries that they carry post football that seem worse than the NFL guys.
Which leads to me to the next question, when you are guys going to start telling the truth and who is going to cover it?
There was the players revolt of the 1964 AFL All-Star game due to the racism of the host city, New Orleans. The players voted not to play and moved the game to Houston. Also, players getting higher salaries from both leagues by threatening to jump to the other league if they didn't get the money they wanted. Pete Gogolak, Alex Karras, John Brodie, and Fred Billetnikoff were examples. My personal like is getting players from smaller colleges particularly black colleges. Eventually, a merger came through with some agreements of using the stadium clock, names on jerseys from former NFL teams (AFL had theirs since inception), and playing in a 50,000 capacity seated stadium (Goodbye Wrigley Field and Fenway Park).
One of the things that they didn't talk about was discussion of each individuals' salaries, players' rights, and players' injuries when the merger occurred. I was suspicious because I was wondering why Joe Namath was able to play in all those games with the AFL Jets but was constantly injured during the NFL time. Through research, Joe was injured in his AFL days but didn't have to take a physical as it was required by the NFL for any player new or old. Further, the AFL didn't have to report who was injured on a game to game basis till the merger. Finally, other players didn't know how much each team was making or what Joe Namath was making.
What really blew my mind was the testimony of Ernie Barnes, a former player and well-renowned artist. My take here is how come I never heard of him? I watched NFL films since 1982, no mention. The "Remember the AFL" website, made a mention of him as an obit. Of course, he wasn't a great player but dude, this guy made that painting still was was used at the end credits of the show "Good Times" and he was the official artist for the Los Angeles Olympiad. My goodness something. Journeyman players who went on to being great in something has always been welcomed in media such as NFL films. Dick Post comes to mind. In reading his bio where he talks, he mentions about a player named Howard Glenn. Ah-Ha!
Howard Glenn was Barnes' teammate when they played for the then New York Titans (now Jets). Howard died in a game against Houston suffering a broken neck on October 9, 1960. But Barnes and a doctor it says it was due to heat exhaustion. However, the coaching staff insisted that it was a broken neck and that he broke it the game before. But he asks, how could he have practiced it the whole week leading up to the Oct. 9, game? I have heard the story of Monte Johnson of the Raiders broke his vertebra against the Colts in the 1977 game and playing the next week against the Broncos. But according to Don Maynard, Glenn complained of not feeling well during the game,slumped to the floor in the dressing room after the game and. the team trainer even said it was too much heat and football but he'll be fine."
Which brings me more questions of the AFL. NFL had some casualties but not like the AFL. You had Stone Johnson dying in a exhibition game, Mack Lee Hill dying in a operation table for a knee injury, and Frank Buncom dying before a game in his sleep at 29. Barnes complained of bad coaches, poor equipment, and while others complained of bad field conditions. What I looked at is how these players like a Sherrill Headrick playing with broken thumb that protruded from his skin, a broken vertebra, and shattered ribs. You hear other stories of Jim Otto, Emil Karras, Houston Antwine, and Walt Sweeney just to name a few from that time and their debilitating injuries that they carry post football that seem worse than the NFL guys.
Which leads to me to the next question, when you are guys going to start telling the truth and who is going to cover it?
