Former NFL QB Earl Morrall dies

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[dfwgator]

Morrall was owner of the Arrowhead Country Club in Davie, Florida.

Notable because that’s where the movie “Caddyshack” was filmed. I even played a few rounds there back in the day.

[vetvetdoug]

An excellent and honorable run, Mr. Morrall. RIP.

[x1stcav]

Yeah, it was a great time.

I remember the cover photo of ‘Mean’ Joe Green. Was it Time?

The sport was exciting and had caught on.

I started watching the LA Rams back in the 50’s when my father, aka ‘The Chief’ would take us to the para-style end of the LA Coliseum (because, as I recall, it was free in the 4th quarter in those days).

It was great fun back then to grow up in slightly impoverished circumstances.

[IronJack]

I remember the “upstart” Earl Morral daring to challenge the great Johnny Unitas when they both played for the Colts.

That’s about the last time I watched pro football.

Len Dawson, Roger Staubach, Bob Griese, Darryl Lamonica, Lance Rentzel, Dick Butkus, Gail Sayers ... That’s how old I am!

[Moonman62]

Caddyshack was filmed across the street at Rolling Hills, which is now private (owned by NSU) and called Grande Oaks. The Evil One played there last year.

Morrall also did a stint as the mayor of Davie. When he lived there he had a round house shaped like a flying saucer with a pool in the center.

[skinndogNN]

72 Dolphins

The most overated football team in NFL history. They didn’t have to play the Cowboys, Raiders, or Packers that season. All three teams would have whooped up on them.

During the regular season, they played only two teams with winning records and those teams were 8-6.

Their win-loss record of their regular seasonopponents

66-113.

Good team, but NOT great.

[dfwgator]

They didn’t have to play the Cowboys, Raiders, or Packers that season.

All they did was beat the teams (Washington, Pittsburgh) that beat the Cowboys and Raiders.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[wally_bert]

I haven’t heard the name Ferragamo in a long time. About the same time I quit watching sports on TV.

[Hatteras]

"The most overated football team in NFL history."

Do you enjoy pissing on the departed? Sheesh...

[Moonman62]

For three straight years the Dolphins went to the Superbowl. They won two of them. Their combined record for those years including playoffs was 44-6-1. They were 8-1 in the playoffs.

The team was built by Joe Robbie, the owner and hated cheapskate. Five of six future hall of famers were already on the team by the time Shula got there. Shula was also recruited by Robbie. He broke league rules to get him and gave him part ownership.

[Defiant]

I even played a few rounds there back in the day.

Any trouble with gophers?

[Defiant]

First Super Bowl I watched was No. 3, with Earl Morrall vs. Joe Namath. I had just finished my first season of pee wee football, and now I understood what it was about. I rooted for the Jets because they were from the “American” Football League, and I wanted the Americans to win. I remember it well. Johnny Unitas coming in off the bench, and leading a comeback, but falling short. 16-7, as I recall. Funny how you remember all the details of stuff like that, but forget what happened last Tuesday.

[Nifster]

with you on that

[stirrinthepuddin]

Thought that was Jake Scott’s house?

[Dr. Sivana]

I haven’t heard the name Ferragamo in a long time. About the same time I quit watching sports on TV.

He replaced Haden mid-season when Haden was piloting the Rams to the perhaps the most one sided game in NFL history, at least in terms of control if not points. The Rams won 24-0, with the Seahawks offense garnering -8 yards total.

From there, Ferragamo led the Rams past the Cowboys and the Buccaneers and was leading the Rams to victory in Super Bowl XIV for three quarters after which the Steelers ultimately scored a couple of unanswered touchdowns for the championship (How could you drop that ball, Nolan?!).

A backup QB leading a team that had never been to a Super Bowl ever, or to an NFL Championshipo game in almost thirty years deserves praise and special recognition. The Rams cheaped out, and wouldn't give him a big enough raise, so he went off to the CFL (pre-easy-free agency). He came back later, but it was too late. The magic was gone.

[Dr. Sivana]

The most overated football team in NFL history. They didn’t have to play the Cowboys, Raiders, or Packers that season. All three teams would have whooped up on them.

And yet, season after season, every one of those teams gets beaten by someone it should have beaten. The Patriots made it dramatic, but when the dust settled, they weren't only not the greatest team of all time, they weren't even the greatest team that season.

[Moonman62]

There were a few built so he may have had one too. I know for sure that Morrall had one.

Here’s the coordinates if you want to take a look on Google.

26.067558,-80.29217

[foreverfree]

The Colts started Morrall in a SB, finished it with Unitas, and lost. Their next SB (in the same stadium but coached by a different Don), they started Unitas, finished up with Morrall (who held for Jim O'Brien's winning FG), and won. Go figure.

RIP Earl.

ff

P.S. Jim O'Brien was also the on air name of a DJ at WFIL in Philadelphia in the first half of the seventies (James Oldham, his real name IIRC). He was also the weather guy later on at Channel 6 in Philly, and died in a skydiving accident near Pottstown around 1983. RIP too, Jimbo.

[wally_bert]

I vaguely remember some of the history now that you mention it. The Rams were the only NFL team I ever liked as a kid of the 70s and 80s.

The super bowl loss disappointed me even then. It seemed like the Rams could win anything but the big stuff.

I bet Nolan probably still has bouts of feeling awful if he is still alive. I would.