Professional Football Researchers Association Forum
PFRA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the history of professional football. Formed in 1979, PFRA members include many of the game's foremost historians and writers.
Is he HOF-worthy? Has he been a finalist and/or discussed in year's past? I'm finally delving into the PFRA 1958 Colts book and glanced at Rosenbloom's wikipedia page.
I think the following could make him at least worthy of discussion depending on the accuracy of all this.....
Influence on the NFL
Rosenbloom influenced the modern day NFL in many ways, namely in that he envisioned that the league could be a successful business. In 1960, the NFL owners were deadlocked about naming a successor to Commissioner Bell. After reviewing 23 ballots, Rosenbloom brought up the name of Los Angeles Rams general manager Pete Rozelle as a compromise candidate because he had successfully made the Rams profitable.[3]
At the age of 33, Rozelle was elected commissioner. Rozelle, with the help of Rosenbloom, would spearhead equal revenue sharing of all TV contracts among the 12 league franchises, which helped make the league profitable and caused football to surpass baseball as the most watched spectator sport in the US.[3]
Upon Rosenbloom's death, Rozelle said, "Carroll Rosenbloom played a major role in the growth and success of the NFL, both through the teams he produced and through his active participation in the league's decision making process."[3]
Rosenbloom was also influential in making the AFL-NFL merger possible. He helped push the merger forward in 1970 by taking $3 million and agreeing to move the Colts to the American Football Conference (along with the Browns and Steelers).[3] He was also the NFL's first visible owner and its first players' owner, and envisioned revenue-generating stadiums and luxury suites before anyone else.[3]
That's just hilarious. George Preston Marshall was many things, but he was never anything close to invisible. And I believe George Halas did show up on radar now and then.
Rosenbloom happened to be the owner of the team that won the "greatest game ever," but I have to imagine his gambling connections kept him from being considered. There's always been the one story about the 58 title game that he "ordered" the Colts to score a touchdown in OT in order to cover the spread.
BD Sullivan wrote:Rosenbloom happened to be the owner of the team that won the "greatest game ever," but I have to imagine his gambling connections kept him from being considered. There's always been the one story about the 58 title game that he "ordered" the Colts to score a touchdown in OT in order to cover the spread.
ha. I mean it's possible. Though I wonder where Rosenbloom was exactly where the TD was scored (on the sideline? Or somewhere else in the stadium) and how he would've relayed the message
And Week Ewbank was the winning coach in the two most important games in football history.
It is a peculiarity though, a head coach that's only 1 game over .500 and yet has won three world championships. In his case an average record doesn't make an average coach. He built the Colts up into a champion. He built the Jets up into a champion. Those things take time
BD Sullivan wrote:Rosenbloom happened to be the owner of the team that won the "greatest game ever," but I have to imagine his gambling connections kept him from being considered. There's always been the one story about the 58 title game that he "ordered" the Colts to score a touchdown in OT in order to cover the spread.
ha. I mean it's possible. Though I wonder where Rosenbloom was exactly where the TD was scored (on the sideline? Or somewhere else in the stadium) and how he would've relayed the message
And Week Ewbank was the winning coach in the two most important games in football history.
It is a peculiarity though, a head coach that's only 1 game over .500 and yet has won three world championships. In his case an average record doesn't make an average coach. He built the Colts up into a champion. He built the Jets up into a champion. Those things take time
My understanding is QB John Unitas called all the plays for the Colts in the 1958 Sudden Death game. A difference from today is Unitas didn't pay any more attention to the Colts coaching staff (much less the owner) on the last drive than to the guy selling beer in the stands.
Going by what has been said, Rosenbloom and Ewbank should both be in the PF HoF. So what if they aren't as decorated as some of the other coaches and executives? The 1958 Champ Game was a turning point in football history. That needs to be honored.
That Colts team was pretty darn good on both sides of the ball. I think many football fans don't even know about them... or who Weeb Ewbank is.
Steve Myhra was a terrible kicker. I've said this before, but his tying FG at the end of regulation in the 58 title game is one of the most overlooked plays in NFL history, because it was no sure bet he'd make the kick. I wonder if there had been any thought of Ewbank/Unitas going for it on 4th down instead of trying the FG. Myhra had already missed a FG earlier in the game, and had made only 4 of 10 on the season (he'd go 6 of 17 in 1959). The whole gambling angle with Rosenbloom is pure nonsense, kind of like how Jack Palance allegedly "mistakenly" award the Oscar to Marisa Tomei.
Weeb Ewbank said that Groza could kick 500 field goals in practice and you'd only see one set of cleat marks on the ground...Steve Myhra could kick 5 field goals in practice and the ground would look like chickens had been fighting each other.
sluggermatt15 wrote:Going by what has been said, Rosenbloom and Ewbank should both be in the PF HoF. So what if they aren't as decorated as some of the other coaches and executives? The 1958 Champ Game was a turning point in football history. That needs to be honored.
That Colts team was pretty darn good on both sides of the ball. I think many football fans don't even know about them... or who Weeb Ewbank is.
But anyway, it's an interesting thread.
Ewbank is in. Inducted in 1978
I remember being at the 1993 Jets/Bengals game which paid tribute to the 1968 team (25th anniversary) at the half and many people in the stands reacted with shock when Weeb Ewbank was brought out in a golf cart. They couldn't believe he was still alive
BD Sullivan wrote:Rosenbloom happened to be the owner of the team that won the "greatest game ever," but I have to imagine his gambling connections kept him from being considered. There's always been the one story about the 58 title game that he "ordered" the Colts to score a touchdown in OT in order to cover the spread.
ha. I mean it's possible. Though I wonder where Rosenbloom was exactly where the TD was scored (on the sideline? Or somewhere else in the stadium) and how he would've relayed the message
And Week Ewbank was the winning coach in the two most important games in football history.
It is a peculiarity though, a head coach that's only 1 game over .500 and yet has won three world championships. In his case an average record doesn't make an average coach. He built the Colts up into a champion. He built the Jets up into a champion. Those things take time
My understanding is QB John Unitas called all the plays for the Colts in the 1958 Sudden Death game. A difference from today is Unitas didn't pay any more attention to the Colts coaching staff (much less the owner) on the last drive than to the guy selling beer in the stands.
Precisely why I don't compare QB's across different generations of football. You can say Unitas is the best of his generation, Manning or Brady of his, Montana of his etc. But you can't go Unitas vs. Brady/Manning
