Greek's Grapvine, NFL Today, 12/17/77

[74_75_78_79_]

In my mourning over Phyllis George, watching old 'NFL Today' stuff, I stumble across the final week of '77. Brandt discussing possibly offering a trade for TB's 1st-round draft pick so they can get Earl Campbell (he AND Dorsett in same backfield)???? Rams at Redskins game getting most attention. "Namath is being saved just in case anything happens to Haden for the playoffs. I mean he's GOT to be for that reason." Jimmy's own piece with Brent asking him questions with that big ol'e brick-and-mortar head-to-head checklist above them. Jimmy suggests that Bill Walsh may actually go to Buffalo the following year ('78) but then is quick to point out not likely in that Walsh is happy at Stanford. Then he correctly, FWIW, predicts George Allen going back to the Rams. "FWIW" in that, well you all know...Jimmy then says that Knox will go to...Detroit! As for that Minny at Detroit finale, Jimmy (in addition to pointing out that Grant is thus far 17-2 vs Lions) said Vikes would win with play-action and by a...blocked kick.

Thoughts?

"Is there any chance Ringo can save his job at Buffalo if he upsets Miami?" "The odds are 100-to-1 against him and I'll tell ya...he's a good man."

"Tuborg Gold, the Golden Beer of Danish Kings."

[Retro Rider]

In my mourning over Phyllis George, watching old 'NFL Today' stuff, I stumble across the final week of '77. Brandt discussing possibly offering a trade for TB's 1st-round draft pick so they can get Earl Campbell (he AND Dorsett in same backfield)???? Rams at Redskins game getting most attention. "Namath is being saved just in case anything happens to Haden for the playoffs. I mean he's GOT to be for that reason." Jimmy's own piece with Brent asking him questions with that big ol'e brick-and-mortar head-to-head checklist above them. Jimmy suggests that Bill Walsh may actually go to Buffalo the following year ('78) but then is quick to point out not likely in that Walsh is happy at Stanford. Then he correctly, FWIW, predicts George Allen going back to the Rams. "FWIW" in that, well you all know...Jimmy then says that Knox will go to...Detroit! As for that Minny at Detroit finale, Jimmy (in addition to pointing out that Grant is thus far 17-2 vs Lions) said Vikes would win with play-action and by a...blocked kick.

Thoughts?

"Is there any chance Ringo can save his job at Buffalo if he upsets Miami?" "The odds are 100-to-1 against him and I'll tell ya...he's a good man."

"Tuborg Gold, the Golden Beer of Danish Kings."

I remember watching that program when it originally aired. I grew up primarily being an AFC fan but I did like the Vikings and Redskins. The 12/17/77 Rams at Redskins game was played on a Saturday, the first of 3 NFL games that day. I don't recall watching alot of the NFL Today on CBS but I did on that Saturday. I must say Phyllis George never looked better. I thought she was an excellent studio member and interviewer. I went back and looked at that episode and saw that The Greek picked the Rams to win even though they had nothing to play for. The Greek's "Allen to the Rams" prediction was a good one but he missed with Knox going to Detroit. He stayed with the Knox rumor well into 1978. His game predictions were becoming less reliable though. His percentage of picking winners was nothing to write home about in those days. The Rams at Redskins turned out to be a great game. Washington squeaked out a 17-14 win and they remained alive for a playoff spot. George Allen was carried off the field after the gun sounded. The next morning Chicago beat the New York Giants in overtime and the George Allen era in Washington was over.

For me it was the golden era of pro football. The whole decade of the '70's really. Looking back, the NFL Today was a fine production, though I watched NBC's pregame show more often. Our local team the Seahawks moved to the AFC in 1977 so that probably had something to do with it.

Phyllis, Brent and Irv were a great team. Jack Whitaker and Jimmy the Greek gave the groundbreaking NFL Today an added dimension as well.

[Bryan]

His game predictions were becoming less reliable though. His percentage of picking winners was nothing to write home about in those days.

Its funny in retrospect how CBS took somewhat of a risk by including a gambling aspect in their broadcasts, and the one guy in the country that they choose to represent gamblers is Jimmy Snyder. Were his picks ever good? I guess he was good on TV, but I'm not sure if his predictions were ever better than 50/50. Prior to SB IV, Jimmy proclaimed the Vikings as 13-point favorites...2 points for having the better ground game, 1 point for having the better QB, 3 points for the better defense, 4 points for coaching, and 3 points for the Vikings "having the greatest offensive line I've ever seen". Other than the defense, all of it is complete nonsense.

Does anyone remember when Katy Perry was the celebrity guest on ESPN Gameday college football show, and she went something like 8-for-8 in game predictions?

[Retro Rider]

His game predictions were becoming less reliable though. His percentage of picking winners was nothing to write home about in those days.

Its funny in retrospect how CBS took somewhat of a risk by including a gambling aspect in their broadcasts, and the one guy in the country that they choose to represent gamblers is Jimmy Snyder. Were his picks ever good? I guess he was good on TV, but I'm not sure if his predictions were ever better than 50/50. Prior to SB IV, Jimmy proclaimed the Vikings as 13-point favorites...2 points for having the better ground game, 1 point for having the better QB, 3 points for the better defense, 4 points for coaching, and 3 points for the Vikings "having the greatest offensive line I've ever seen". Other than the defense, all of it is complete nonsense.

From about 1976-1978, a few friends of mine who rode the school bus with me would make our own picks for fun. I kept track of those picks each week. As I recall, our percentage of winners was usually better than those of Jimmy the Greek (games The Greek picked on the NFL Today). His picks were pretty hit and miss back in those days (under 60%) and if I recall correctly that carried well into the 1980's. I've often wondered how long CBS would have kept him on the NFL Today panel if he hadn't self-destructed in that January 1988 interview from Duke Ziebert's.

[Throwin_Samoan]

The Greek, quoted in the El Paso Times on 12/2/77:

"Every week on our CBS show, we study, research, analyze and project what the outcome of the game will be. Last Sunday I was 12-0, but some guy came up to me today and asked my why I missed the Miami-St. Louis game on Thanksgiving. That was the one game he remembered."

It doesn't appear the NFL Today (pregame anyway) from Nov. 27, 1977 is on YouTube that I can see, but his syndicated column from the day before had the following picks (while also noting he was 98-42, .700 for the season):

San Francisco by 4 over New Orleans (SF won by 3)
Denver over Baltimore by 1 (DEN won by 14)
Cincinnati over NY Giants by 13 (CIN won by 17)
Atlanta over Tampa Bay by 10 (ATL won by 17)
New England over Philadelphia by 10 (NE won by 8)
Pittsburgh by 14 over NY Jets (PIT won by 3)
Los Angeles over Cleveland by 2 (LA won by 9)
Minnesota over Green Bay by 10 (MIN won by 7)
Houston over Kansas City by 10 (HOU won by 14)
Dallas by 7 over Washington (DAL won by 7)
San Diego by 7 over Seattle (SD won by 2)
Oakland by 17 over Buffalo (OAK won by 21)

So if those were the same picks on Sunday as were published on Saturday, he DID go 12-0 that Sunday, at least in picking winners. But only five of his picks won by more than predicted (Dallas won exactly by the predicted margin, which would be a push under point spread gambling).