New Orleans Saints Debut In NFL

On August 2, 1967, that the New Orleans Saints played their first ever pre-season game.  The Saints lost to the Los Angeles Rams 16-7 in the first professional football game ever held at Anaheim Stadium.

The Saints first season in the NFL started off with a bang as John Gilliam took the opening kick-off of the year and returned it 94 yards for a touchdown.  However, the Saints would go on to lose the game and finished the season with a 3-11 record, which surprisingly was the most ever wins by a team in their expansion year.  New Orleans had been one of the worst franchises in the league for quite awhile, but all that changed a few seasons ago.

The New Orleans Saints had a magical 2009 season, in which they started the year 13-0, on their way to the no. 1 seed in the NFC.  They smashed the Cardinals 45-14 in the divisional round and beat the Vikings 31-28 to reach the Super Bowl.  The Colts entered the Superbowl as the favorite, but that didn’t stop the Saints from winning it all for the franchise’s first ever Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Since their spectacular win in 2009, the Saints organization has been in ‘hotwater’ regarding bounties and coaching issues with over the last two seasons, and as recently as the 2011 NFC Divisional Playoff game against the 49ers here in San Francisco.

NFL Announces Usage of Instant Replay

On March 11, 1986, the National Football League announces that it will begin using instant replay for the upcoming 1986-1987 season.

 

One of the original 'on-field instant replay booths' the NFL put up during the 1990s at the Metrodome in Minnesota, the former home of the Vikings.

In 1986 the technology was nowhere near what it is today, which made instant replay unpopular with players, coaches and the fans.

A few years later in 1992, the NFL decided to abandon its instant replay system but after years of complaining from several coaches, instant replay made a comeback during the 1999 season.

The newer, high definition 'on-field NFL replay booth' as seen at a San Francisco 49ers game in 2013.

Although there were still many aspects that were flawed, the ability for a coach to challenge a disputed call definitely improved the game. The current rules allow a coach to challenge two plays throughout the course of the game. If both challenges are successful a third is awarded.

Tom Clancy Buys Minnesota Vikings

On Feb. 5, 1998, Author Tom Clancy confirms he signed agreement to purchase Minnesota Vikings for slightly more than $200 million, an NFL franchise record.

The 1998 season was a good one for Clancy and the Vikings.

With a spectacular offense led by quarterback Randall Cunningham (who replaced an injured Brad Johnson), running back Robert Smith, veteran wide receiver Cris Carter, and explosive rookie Randy Moss, the Vikings set a then-NFL record by scoring a total of 556 points, never scoring fewer than 24 in a game.

The Vikings finished the season 15–1, their only loss was to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27–24 in Week 9.

In the playoffs, the Vikings rolled past the Arizona Cardinals 41–21,and came into the Metrodome heavily favored for their NFC title showdown with the Atlanta Falcons, who had gone 14–2 in the regular season.

After kicker Gary Anderson, who had just completed the first perfect regular season in NFL history (not missing a single extra point or field goal attempt the entire year), missed a 38-yard field goal attempt with less than 2 minutes remaining, the Falcon's ensuing drive tied the game. T

his led to a controversial decision by head coach Dennis Green to run out the clock and let the game go onto overtime. Though the Vikings won the coin toss, Atlanta went on to win it 30–27 in overtime on Morten Andersen's 38-yard field goal.

The Vikings became the first 15–1 team to fail to reach the Super Bowl. The Falcons lost Super Bowl XXXIII to John Elway and the Denver Broncos.

Since the team's first season in 1961, the Vikings have had one of the highest winning percentages in the NFL.

They are also one of only six NFL teams to win at least 15 games during the regular season. The Vikings have won one NFL Championship, in 1969, prior to the league's merger with the American Football League (AFL). Since the merger, they have made the playoffs 25 times, third-most in the league.

The team has played in four Super Bowls (IV, VIII, IX and XI), losing in each one. In addition, they have lost in their last five NFC Championship Game appearances since 1978.

The team currently has 12 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Vikings who currently play at the Metrodome in Minnesota, just broke ground on what will be the franchises fourth stadium, The New Vikings Stadium, which is stated to be opened for the 2016 season. However, in the 2014 and 2015 seasons the Vikings will play at the University of Minnesota, home of the Golden Gophers, at The TCF Bank Stadium.

Weather Impacting Sports

On Jan. 5, 1986, a game between the Seattle SuperSonics and Phoenix Suns was suspended early in the second quarter as a result of rain. The heavy rain outside began to leak through the roof of the arena in Seattle, leading to the first time an NBA game would be delayed because of rain.

This would also become the first time an NBA game would be suspended and resume on another day. The following day, the two teams returned and the Suns completed a win.

In Dec. 2010 the Metrodome then home of the Minnesota Vikings and Twins inflatable Teflon roof collapsed just hours before the Vikings would host the New York football Giants. The game was moved to Ford Field in Detroit and played on Monday instead of Sunday.

The Metrodome’s roof had collapsed before 2010 too. In the 1980s, the first years of the Metrodome the roof was damaged and deflated.

On November 19, 1981, a rapid accumulation of over a foot of snow caused the roof to collapse, requiring it to be re-inflated.

It deflated the following winter on December 30, 1982, again because of a tear caused by heavy snow. This was four days before the Vikings played the Dallas Cowboys in the last regular-season game of the 1982 NFL season.

 In the spring following that same winter, on April 14, 1983, the Metrodome roof deflated because of a tear caused by a late-season heavy snow, and the scheduled Twins' game with the California Angels was postponed.

On April 26, 1986, the Metrodome roof suffered a slight tear because of high winds, causing a nine-minute delay in the bottom of the seventh inning versus the Angels; however the roof did not deflate.

Other events to be cancelled or delayed because of weather related issues were the 1976 Daytona 500, it was called after 102 laps, making it the shortest official Indianapolis 500 in history.

The Daytona 500 would be hit again with rain in 2012, but this time postponing the race for the first time ever, 30 hours from Sunday afternoon to Monday night.

At the Formula One's 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix, a rainstorm was predicted to hit the half of the race, of 56 laps; however, at the start of the race the weather was sunny with large black clouds in the distance.

By lap 19 it began to rain as some drivers entered pit road for wet tires as the rain was falling hard. By lap 28, the rain was torrential to the point officials called a caution, deploying the Safety Car, but still several cars were out due to spins or crash.

The rain became worse and the race was red-flagged on lap 33. Once the rain had ceased, it was deemed too late and dark to continue and the race was stopped. Some drivers and spectators protested the race organizer's decision but no action was taken.

The 2009 season was the first year that the FIA started the Asia and Australia races as late-afternoon starts where the sun would be setting during the race finish in order to maximize European television broadcasts.

The 2009 Petit Le Mans in Braselton, Georgia, was an example of a rainout under the FIA Code, where only three completed laps are needed for an official race and less than half the race (184 of 394 laps).

The red flag waved after 184 laps at the 4:52 point of the race. In endurance racing, the clock does not stop for red flags. IMSA waited until 8 PM to declare the race official.

While the race was 13 laps from official (500 miles), the clock had passed the five-hour mark when the race was called at 8 PM.

In the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix of Formula One, rain before the race wet the circuit. 30 minutes into the race, a heavy rainstorm hit the circuit and the race was red-flagged, the rain didn't stop and the event was delayed for more than 2 hours, the race was finished for its 70 laps and was the longest race in Formula One history.

To prevent a repeat, FIA rules were changed so that a four-hour race clock starts when the cars start their warm-up lap. The clock will not be stopped for any situation, effectively ending a race four hours after cars roll off—regardless of how far the race has finished.

Simpson Breaks NFL Record

On Dec. 16, 1973, that Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson became the first man to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season. Simpson accomplished the feat in just 14 games as that was the length of the schedule at the time.

Simpson entered the final game of the season against the New York Jets needing 197 yards to reach 2,000 for the season. The Bills were intent on getting Simpson to the milestone as they gave him the ball 34 times. In the end, he would finish the game with an even 200 yards and an amazing 2,003 rushing yards for the season. O.J. was the only running back to reach the 2,000 yard mark while playing just a 14 game schedule.

Since the NFL changed to a 16 game schedule in 1978, six men have joined Simpson in the 2,000 yard club.

In 1984 Los Angeles Rams' Eric Dickerson ran for 2,105 yards which still stands as the NFL record. Detroit Lions' Barry Sanders joined the club in 1997 and the very next year Denver Broncos' Terrell Davis became the fourth member. Baltimore Ravens' Jamal Lewis had the second highest total in NFL history in 2003 with 2,066 yards, and in 2009 Tennessee Titans' Chris Johnson totaled 2,006 rushing yards. Last year Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards, putting himself above Lewis and into sole possession for second most rushing yards in a single season, only behind Dickerson.

Though OJ Simpson is just one of six men to rush for 2,000 yards he is more known for his involvement in the 1994 murder of Nicole Brown Simpson, his wife. In 1995 O.J. was acquitted after a lengthy, internationally publicized criminal trial, the People v. Simpson. In 1997, a civil court awarded a judgment against Simpson for their wrongful deaths; to date he has paid little of the $33.5 million penalty.

Than in the late 2000’s O.J. was back in the headlines, again for something other than football. Simpson was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, and charged with numerous felonies, including armed robbery and kidnapping, that surrounded his memrobilia. In 2008, he was found guilty and sentenced to thirty three-years’ imprisonment, with a minimum of nine years without parole.

Marshall Runs The Wrong Way

On Oct. 25, 1964, Jim Marshall runs the wrong way against 49ers.

On this day in 1964, Jim Marshall of the Minnesota Vikings had one of the most famous gaffes in sports history. 

Marshall was a great player that once appeared in 282 straight games, then a record. But Marshall is most remembered for his poor play in this game against the San Francisco 49ers. 

Marshall picked up a fumble and returned it 66 yards in the wrong direction. The play resulted in a safety and has become one of the most famous highlights ever.