Americas Game 69 Chiefs

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Aww man I miss the sports news with Len Dawson! ❤️💛

👍︎︎ 1 👤︎︎ u/Tannehill4 📅︎︎ Jan 18 2020 🗫︎ replies
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Sheen: NFL NETWORK PROUDLY PRESENTS "AMERICA'S GAME," A COUNTDOWN OF THE 20 GREATEST SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS. AND NOW NUMBER 18. SOUVENIR PENNANTS. SOUVENIR PENNANTS -- HALF-PRICE. BY 1969, A GRANDSTAND SEAT IN MUNICIPAL STADIUM WAS THE HOT TICKET IN KANSAS CITY. THE CHIEFS WERE ARGUABLY THE MOST TALENTED TEAM IN THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN THE MOST ACCESSIBLE. Dawson: WE HAD GUYS ON THE TEAM WOULD GO OVER AND CHAT WITH THE PEOPLE. THEY WEREN'T MORE THAN 5, 10 YARDS AWAY FROM US. AND I COULD DEFINITELY HEAR WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ONCE I GOT TO THE SIDELINES. BUT IT WAS AN INTIMATE GROUP. Lanier: WHEN YOU'RE IN KANSAS CITY, YOU SEE THE FACT THIS IS A MIDWESTERN CITY, A MIDWESTERN CULTURE, AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE THOSE KIND OF VALUES ENJOYING PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL. GO! GO! GO! GO! GO! GO! GO! GO! GO! DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE JUST A COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE, BUT IT HAD THAT SAME KIND OF EXCITEMENT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE HAD IN COLLEGE AS WELL AS HIGH SCHOOL. THE BANNERS WERE A PART OF IT. THE CHIEFETTES WERE A PART OF IT. Dawson: WELL, THE CHIEFETTES -- MY DAUGHTER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST CHIEFETTES. SO, YEAH, I WATCHED IT TO SEE HOW SHE WAS DOING. Announcer: DAWSON AT QUARTERBACK. GETS THE SNAP. HE FAKES THE RUN TO MIKE GARRETT. LENNY BACK, THROWS THE BALL IN AN OUT PATTERN. Hunt: OUR TEAM IN KANSAS CITY -- WE'RE NOT REALLY JUST KANSAS CITY'S TEAM. WE CALL OUR TEAM "MID-AMERICA'S TEAM." WE REPRESENT KANSAS, MISSOURI, THE WESTERN HALF OF MISSOURI, OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS, IOWA, AND NEBRASKA. THIS IS A PRETTY BROAD AREA, AND WE HAVE AN AREA OF INTEREST THERE. Dawson: AND THIS ALWAYS AMAZED ME ABOUT FANS -- BUSINESSMEN WOULD GO OUT AND SELL SEASON TICKETS. AND IF YOU SOLD, I THINK, 100 SEASON TICKETS, THEN YOU WOULD RECEIVE A RED JACKET. YOU WOULD BE IN THE RED COAT CLUB. AND YOU WOULD LINE UP ON THE FIELD AS THE PLAYERS WERE INTRODUCED. Sheen: THE GAME-DAY ATMOSPHERE OFFERED THE FLAVOR OF SMALL-TOWN AMERICA. BUT KANSAS CITY'S FOOTBALL TEAM WAS BIG-LEAGUE IN EVERY WAY. IN HIS 13th SEASON, VETERAN QUARTERBACK LEN DAWSON GUIDED A BALANCED ATTACK THAT WAS AS IMAGINATIVE AS IT WAS OVERPOWERING. THE OFFENSE FEATURED HUGE PASS TARGETS, INCLUDING NUMBER 89, OTIS TAYLOR, THE TALLEST AND STRONGEST WIDE RECEIVER IN THE LEAGUE. SIZE WAS ALSO A HALLMARK ON DEFENSE. THE PRO GAME HAD NEVER SEEN A BIGGER OR FASTER DEFENSIVE UNIT THAN THE CHIEFS. THE TALENT WAS THERE. SUPER BOWL RINGS WERE NOT. IN SEASONS PAST, THE CHIEFS HAD COME CLOSE BUT COULD NOT WIN A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. IN 1966, A PAINFUL SECOND-HALF COLLAPSE DOOMED KANSAS CITY AGAINST THE NFL's GREEN BAY PACKERS. VINCE LOMBARDI'S POSTGAME COMMENTS MAY HAVE STUNG EVEN WORSE. Lombardi: I THINK THE KANSAS CITY TEAM IS A REAL TOP FOOTBALL TEAM, BUT IT DOESN'T COMPARE WITH THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE TEAMS. THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT ME TO SAY. I SAID IT. [ LAUGHTER ] WELL, THAT IRRITATED US. AND THAT STUCK WITH US UNTIL WE HAD ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK TO A SUPER BOWL. WE KNOW THAT THAT WAS A MOTIVATING FACTOR FOR US TO GET A LITTLE BETTER SO THAT WE CAN COMPETE AGAINST THE BEST. Sheen: A RETURN VISIT TO THE SUPER BOWL REQUIRED KNOCKING OFF THE OAKLAND RAIDERS FIRST. BUT OVER THE NEXT TWO SEASONS, THE CHIEFS WERE BRUSHED ASIDE BY THEIR RIVALS. Lynch: OAKLAND WAS THE ARCHENEMY. WE WERE IN THE SAME DIVISION, AND WE WERE THE TWO BEST TEAMS, WE FELT, IN THE LEAGUE. IT WAS A RIVALRY THAT I WAS INTRODUCED TO WHEN I FIRST CAME WITH THE CHIEFS. YOU GET INDOCTRINATED RIGHT AWAY. YOU GET BRAINWASHED RIGHT AWAY. AND I CAN'T ROOT FOR THE RAIDERS TODAY, SO... THERE WAS A STRETCH WHERE THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS PLAYED THE OAKLAND RAIDERS AND LOST SEVEN OUT OF EIGHT GAMES, WHICH WAS BITTER, BITTER FRUSTRATION. Sheen: THE WORST OF THOSE DEFEATS CAME DURING THE 1968 PLAYOFFS, THE MOST LOPSIDED LOSS IN FRANCHISE HISTORY. Lanier: IN '68, TO LOSE THAT GAME AS WE DID, IT REALLY INSPIRED US THAT WE HAD TO REALLY IMPROVE OUR GAME OVERALL, THAT WHEN WE GOT BACK AGAIN TO THAT KIND OF SITUATION AGAINST OAKLAND, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THAT SAME OCCURRENCE. SO IT WAS ONE OF REALLY GIVING IMPETUS TO THE 1969 SEASON. [ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ] Dawson: HANK STRAM WAS NOT FEARFUL OF TRYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT, AND HE WAS THE GUY IN CHARGE. NEVER ANY DOUBT ABOUT WHO WAS RUNNING THE FOOTBALL TEAM. THAT'S HANK STRAM. ALL RIGHT, LET ME HAVE YOUR ATTENTION. THIS IS OUR PLAYBOOK, AND IT'S DIVIDED INTO THREE CHAPTERS. YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND, BACK IN THE '50s AND '60s, EVERYBODY WAS A COPYCAT. WELL, HANK SAYS, "WAIT A MINUTE. "WHY DO WE HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING ALL THE TIME? NO. I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT." Sheen: FROM THE UNIQUE SEMICIRCULAR HUDDLE TO DIZZYING PRESNAP CHOREOGRAPHY, HANK STRAM'S INNOVATIVE SCHEMES WERE DESIGNED TO CONFUSE AND FRUSTRATE HIS OPPONENTS. STRAM'S BASIC STRATEGY WAS, IF YOU CAN GET A FOOTBALL PLAYER ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD AND HAVE HIM NOT KNOW FOR SURE WHAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, THEN YOU HAVE A VERY BIG ADVANTAGE. I THINK THAT WAS THE BASIS OF HIS COACHING. Dawson: HANK HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GUY THAT WANTED TO LOOK AT NEW IDEAS. THE RESTAURATEURS IN THE KANSAS CITY AREA, SOON AS HE WOULD COME IN, WOULD RUN OVER WITH PAPER NAPKINS TO PUT DOWN INSTEAD OF THE CLOTH ONES THAT HE WOULD USE, BECAUSE THEY WERE MORE EXPENSIVE. 'CAUSE HE WOULD JUST GET TO DOODLING, THINKING UP THINGS. FOOTBALL WAS HIS LIFE. THE STACK DEFENSE AND HOW WE WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE DIFFERENT FORMATIONS KEEPING THE SAME 11 PLAYERS ON THE FIELD WERE ALL INNOVATIONS FROM HANK. BUT HANK ALSO HAD THE APPROACH TO THE WAY HE DRESSED ON THE SIDELINE. WHEN HE WALKED OUT OF HIS HOME, HE WAS GOING TO BE VIEWED SARTORIALLY PROPER. HE MADE SURE THAT HE WAS ALWAYS EXQUISITELY DRESSED. THEY ALWAYS USED TO LAUGH, GUYS THAT WOULD HAVE SEEN HIS CLOSET AT HIS HOME. IT WAS LIKE YOU WERE IN A DRY CLEANER'S BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE COATS WITH CERTAIN SHIRTS WITH CERTAIN PANTS AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING. HE HAD A CUSTOM TAILOR IN KANSAS CITY. I REMEMBER THE NAME WAS VERL'S TAILORS. AND VERL WOULD CUSTOM-TAILOR THE JACKETS AND SLACKS FOR EVERYBODY ON THE TEAM, INCLUDING COACHES, EACH SEASON. HE HAD A DRESS CODE. AND YOU HAD TO HAVE SHIRT AND TIE AND YOU HAD TO WEAR THE BLACK JACKET THAT WAS A PART OF THE WARDROBE, AS WELL AS HOUNDSTOOTH SLACKS. Sheen: STRAM COULD ALSO TAILOR HIS REMARKS WITH A NEEDLE WHEN THE TEAM DID NOT LOOK ITS BEST. HE DROPPED THE BALL. JESUS, HE DROPPED THE BALL. UGH! LOOKED LIKE HE TRIED TO CATCH THAT BALL WITH HIS ELBOWS. YOU GOT CLEATS ON YOUR SHOES? NO. WHAT? JEEZ, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU GOT BEDROOM SLIPPERS ON. THEY'RE MAKING THAT TURN LIKE THEY GOT ICE SKATES ON. BUT HE KNEW HOW TO HANDLE EACH AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL ON THE TEAM. YOU KNOW, HE HANDLED ME DIFFERENTLY THAN HE WOULD HANDLE, SAY, A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OR A LINEBACKER. HOW ABOUT A 41 SCREEN? WHEN HE SAID "LEN," THEN HE WAS IN A PRETTY GOOD MOOD, AND THINGS PROBABLY WERE GOING PRETTY WELL. AND SO IT WAS "LEN" OR "LENNY." THIS GUY IS SO LOOSE, LENNY, YOU CAN THROW THERE ANYTIME. YOU THREW ONE. BUT WHEN HE SAID "LEONARD," NOW, THAT'S SERIOUS. THAT'S LIKE MY PARENTS USED TO DO. THEY USED TO GO, "LEONARD..." WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE HUDDLE, LEONARD? MY GOD, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THAT HUDDLE ALL THAT TIME? WE'RE JUST MISSING IT THAT MUCH EVERY TIME. EVERY SINGLE TIME, WE'RE THAT CLOSE. WE GOT TO SPEED IT UP. CONVERSATIONS. WELL, TELL THEM TO SHUT THEIR BIG MOUTH AND CALL THEM. Sheen: DAWSON STARTED THE 1969 SEASON WITH A PAIR OF TOUCHDOWN PASSES ON OPENING DAY, DESPITE PLAYING WITH A BRUISED HAND. BUT LEN SUFFERED A FAR MORE SERIOUS INJURY A WEEK LATER IN A 31-0 WIN AT BOSTON. Dawson: SOMEBODY ROLLED UP INTO MY LEG. AND I KNEW AT THE TIME THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED. AND I WENT TO THE BENCH, TO THE DOCTOR, TO HAVE HIM EXAMINE MY KNEE. THEY DIDN'T HAVE MRIs IN THOSE DAYS, SO THEY COULDN'T REALLY TELL WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. AND SO HE TOOK SOME X-RAYS OF IT. AND HE COME BACK, AND HE SAID, "OH, MY GOODNESS." I SAID, "WHAT IS IT?" HE SAID, "WELL, I THINK THAT YOU GOT SOME DAMAGE "TO YOUR LIGAMENTS, AND THERE COULD BE A TEAR IN THERE." Lynch: WE FOUND OUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF LENNY'S INJURY A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THE GAME. THERE WAS, AT LEAST IN MY MIND, NO DOUBT THAT HE WAS GONNA BE OPERATED ON. Dawson: HENRY WAS LOOKING FOR A PHYSICIAN THAT MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION. AND SO HE HAD FOUND A DOCTOR IN ST. LOUIS, DR. REYNOLDS, WHO WAS THE ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON FOR THE THEN ST. LOUIS FOOTBALL CARDINALS. HE HAD A DIFFERENT THEORY ABOUT THESE TYPE OF INJURIES. HE SAID, "MY THEORY IS THIS -- "DO NOT PUT ANY WEIGHT ON IT FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS. "AND EVERY DAY, DO SOME LEG LIFTS SO YOUR LEG DOES NOT ATROPHY. "THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS, BECAUSE IT MAY BE JUST A STRAIN AND NOT A TEAR." AND SO HENRY SAYS, "WELL, THERE YOU ARE, LEONARD. "GAVE YOU THAT OPTION, DIDN'T I? IT'S UP TO YOU NOW. THE TEAM DOES NEED YOU, BUT IT'S UP TO YOU NOW." I SAID, "WELL..." Lynch: I REMEMBER LENNY SAYING THAT ALL HE NEEDED WAS ONE GUY TO TELL HIM THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE IT DONE. AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID. BECAUSE I THINK THERE WAS A REAL EXPECTATION OF THIS TEAM DOING REALLY GOOD THINGS. I THINK LENNY -- I DON'T KNOW HOW OLD HE WAS AT THE TIME, BUT HE WASN'T A YOUNG MAN AS FAR AS BEING AN NFL PLAYER WAS CONCERNED. I JUST DON'T THINK HE WANTED TO MISS THE RIDE ON THE CAROUSEL. Dawson: THE CINCINNATI GAME AFTER I GOT HURT WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT I HAD MISSED IN MY YEARS OF FOOTBALL. AND SO JACKY LEE WAS GETTING THE START. AND JACKY LEE HAD PLAYED BEFORE. HE WAS A VETERAN. CINCINNATI WAS A YOUNG TEAM. IT WAS AN EXPANSION TEAM. AND JACKY GOT HURT. HE BROKE HIS ANKLE IN THAT BALLGAME. SO JACKY LEE IS OUT FOR THE YEAR, AND WE HAPPEN TO LOSE THAT GAME, AS WELL. Lynch: IT WAS A GAME THAT WAS KIND OF A SHOCKER FOR US. YOUR STARTING QUARTERBACK DIDN'T EVEN SUIT UP. YOUR BACKUP QUARTERBACK GOT HURT. AND THAT'S WHEN MIKE LIVINGSTON CAME IN. NOW YOU'VE GOT A ROOKIE QUARTERBACK. BUT THE REALITY WAS THAT WE HAD TO GO WEEK TO WEEK AND CONTINUE TO WIN, BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T LOSE A FEW GAMES AND MAYBE FIND YOURSELF OUT OF CONTENTION. SO WE HAD TO DO A LOT MORE TO GIVE THE WHOLE TEAM A CHANCE TO SUCCEED. Sheen: OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, THE CHIEFS WOULD FIND OTHER WAYS TO WIN DURING DAWSON'S ABSENCE. Announcer: BOBBY BELL WITH A TOUCHDOWN! Sheen: INJURIES HAD FORCED THE CHIEFS TO TURN TO THIRD-STRING QUARTERBACK MIKE LIVINGSTON. MIKE, IS IT PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT FOR YOU, MENTALLY, TO GET READY FOR THIS BALLGAME IN YOUR SITUATION? WELL, IT'S NOT TOO DIFFICULT MENTALLY. IT'S A TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME, AND I JUST HOPE I CAN MAKE THE BEST OF IT. I REMEMBER HANK STRAM AT THAT TIME SAYING, "IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHO THE QUARTERBACK IS. "IT'S LIKE DRIVING A CADILLAC. IT'S STILL A CADILLAC. "YOU HAVE SOMEBODY DRIVE IT, AND EVERYTHING'S GONNA WORK OUT ALL RIGHT." AND YOU KNOW WHAT? WE BELIEVED THAT. MIKE LIVINGSTON WAS A ROOKIE FROM SMU. HE WASN'T THE GREATEST PICTURE PASSER IN THE WORLD. HE WASN'T THE GREATEST RUNNER IN THE WORLD. HE HAD AN AWFUL LOT ON HIS PLATE TO ASSIMILATE. BUT HE WAS GOOD ENOUGH. WHATEVER THE SITUATION TOOK, HE WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO GET THE JOB DONE. AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. WHEN YOU START MEASURING HOW WELL A QUARTERBACK HAS DONE -- IS HE A WINNER OR IS HE NOT A WINNER? AND WITH MIKE LIVINGSTON BEING THE STARTING QUARTERBACK -- THE THIRD-STRING STARTING QUARTERBACK AND A ROOKIE -- HE WON FIVE STRAIGHT FOOTBALL GAMES. AND THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT SUCCESS STORY. Sheen: LIVINGSTON DIDN'T HAVE TO DO IT ALL BY HIMSELF. THE BACKS AND RECEIVERS WERE THERE TO LEND A HELPING HAND. Announcer: AND HE'S STILL RUNNING. NOW HE FLIPS IT BACK TO BOBBY HOLMES. HOLMES IS GONNA SCORE! RAZZLE-DAZZLE. Sheen: THE CHIEFS WON EVERY GAME DURING DAWSON'S RECUPERATION, THANKS TO THEIR PUNISHING DEFENSE. AND I'M TELLING YOU -- THAT TEAM, AND PARTICULARLY THE DEFENSE, THEY TOOK OVER. THE OTHER TEAM SCORED VERY FEW POINTS. THE DEFENSE SCORED, I THINK, ABOUT AS MANY POINTS AS THE OFFENSE SCORED. Announcer: BACK TO THROW. RUSH IS PUT ON. HE THROWS ONE. IT'S INTERCEPTED BY KEARNEY. HE'S TO THE 40. TO MIDFIELD. AT THE 40. AT THE 30. TOUCHDOWN FOR JIM KEARNEY! A 60-YARDER. ISN'T THAT BEAUTIFUL? I WAS HURT, BUT THE STARTING DEFENSIVE UNIT STARTED EVERY GAME THAT YEAR. AND HOW OFTEN DOES THAT HAPPEN? Sheen: BUT THERE WAS MORE THAN GOOD HEALTH THAT MADE THE CHIEFS DEFENSE UNIQUE. WHEN WE FIELDED OUR STARTING TEAM MY SECOND YEAR WITH THE CHIEFS AND I STARTED AT OUTSIDE LINEBACKER, I WAS ONE OF THREE WHITE GUYS THAT PLAYED, AND WE STARTED WITH EIGHT BLACKS. YOU GOT TO REMEMBER THE TIMES. THAT WAS NOT THE NORM BY ANY STRETCH. BUT I THINK HANK STRAM, TO HIS UNDYING CREDIT, LOOKED AT THE GREAT MINES OF GREAT FOOTBALL TALENT IN A LOT OF THESE BLACK SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH. Stram: WE DON'T PARTICULARLY CARE WHAT COLOR HE IS, WHAT NATIONALITY, WHAT ANYTHING. THE ONLY CONCERN WE HAVE IS BRINGING THEM IN WITH THE IDEA OF COMPETING FOR OUR SQUAD. IF THEY EARN THE RIGHT TO BE A MEMBER OF OUR 40-MAN SQUAD, THEN THEY'RE GONNA BE HERE. HARD, BABY! Sheen: KANSAS CITY'S UNSUNG SCOUTING HERO WAS LLOYD WELLS, A FORMER NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER WITH A PIPELINE TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN COLLEGES. Lanier: LLOYD WELLS WAS A SCOUT FOR THE CHIEFS WHO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MINE THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES OF AMERICA AND TO LET THE TEAMS KNOW WHERE THERE WAS TALENT, WHERE IN THE PAST, THAT TALENT HAD BEEN SOMEWHAT OVERLOOKED OR HAD NOT BEEN DESIRED TO BE AS STRONGLY RECRUITED. I MUST DO ONE THING -- THIS GUY IS A SCOUT FOR US, AND HE DOES A GREAT JOB. LLOYD WELLS, YOU'VE SCOUTED AND BROUGHT IN SO MANY OF THESE OUTSTANDING STARS ON THE CHIEFS. LLOYD, YOU MUST BE AWFUL HAPPY. VERY HAPPY -- IT'S A GREAT DAY FOR ALL OF US. Sheen: WELLS' BEST FIND MAY HAVE BEEN MORGAN STATE'S WILLIE LANIER, TAKEN IN THE '67 DRAFT WITH JIM LYNCH OF NOTRE DAME. WE WERE BOTH DRAFTED IN THE SECOND ROUND. WE WERE BOTH DRAFTED AS MIDDLE LINEBACKERS. Lanier: I THINK ANYTIME YOU HAVE COMPETITION LIKE THE KIND THAT JIM CAN PROVIDE, EITHER ONE OF US WHO WINS THE MIDDLE LINEBACKER JOB WILL REPRESENT THE TEAM AS THE CHIEFS WOULD LIKE TO BE REPRESENTED. IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A BLACK MIDDLE LINEBACKER BEFORE. OBVIOUSLY, WILLIE LANIER WANTED TO BE THE FIRST BLACK MIDDLE LINEBACKER IN THE NFL. QUITE FRANKLY, HE DESERVED THE POSITION, NO QUESTION. HE WAS VERY, VERY GOOD FOOTBALL PLAYER, WHICH OBVIOUSLY HAS PROVEN OUT IN THAT HE'S IN THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME. WE WERE ABSOLUTELY COMPETING FOR THE SAME JOB, BUT IT NEVER GOT TO BE A PERSONAL THING BETWEEN US. ON THE DOUBLE ZONE, HOW DO YOU WANT US TO HANDLE IT? YOU CAN MOVE OVER. I'LL MOVE OVER. YOU TAKE FIRST MAN. I GOT THAT WINGBACK. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. Sheen: LYNCH, NUMBER 51, FOUND A HOME ON THE OUTSIDE -- A SWITCH THAT MADE THE CHIEFS LINEBACKING CORPS THE BEST IN PRO FOOTBALL. Lynch: I THINK WILLIE WAS VERY BENEFICIAL TO ME AND VERY HELPFUL TO ME. AND WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE GOT TO BE VERY GOOD FRIENDS, AND THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, WE ROOMED TOGETHER. WE'VE CHASED THAT... WE'VE CHASED HIM INTO THE END ZONE HOW MANY TIMES? I DON'T KNOW. WE'VE CHASED HIM A WHILE. BUT THE LACK OF BIAS WAS ONE THAT WAS EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE, BECAUSE THE RELATIONSHIPS WERE PURE. AND IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY PUSHED. BUT I THINK THE INDIVIDUALS UNDERSTOOD THAT IF THERE WAS GOING TO BE ACCOMPLISHMENT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, THAT EVERYONE HAD TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER'S DIFFERENCES AND EACH OTHER'S SIMILARITIES. AND THAT WAS THE WAY IT HAPPENED TO HAVE COME TOGETHER AND HAD BECOME A GREAT HISTORY OF THE SUCCESS THAT THE FRANCHISE WAS ABLE TO HAVE. Lynch: THE COMRADESHIP, THE BLACK-WHITE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE ARE, I DON'T THINK, PARALLEL IN ANY TEAM. I'M JUST ELATED WITH IT. AND THESE KIND OF THINGS BUILD CHAMPIONS AND KEEP YOU CHAMPIONS, AND I FEEL REAL GOOD ABOUT THE CHIEFS' FUTURE. Sheen: AVOIDING KNEE SURGERY HAD BEEN THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR LEN DAWSON. AFTER A MONTH'S RECOVERY, DAWSON WAS ALMOST READY TO PLAY. BUT WHILE SIDELINED, LEN KEPT BUSY WITH HIS OTHER DAY JOB. Dawson: THERE WERE ONLY THREE TELEVISION STATIONS HERE IN KANSAS CITY, AND ONE OF THEM WAS LOOKING FOR A SPORTSCASTER. I WAS WORKING FOR AN INSURANCE COMPANY AT THE TIME, SO I TOOK A LEAVE OF ABSENCE. THAT'S BEEN 40 YEARS AGO, THAT LEAVE OF ABSENCE. IT'S BEEN A LONG ONE. FRANK, YOU HAD A GREAT YEAR LAST YEAR. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THIS YEAR? I HAD A RADIO STATION, TOO. I HAD FOUR RADIO SHOWS A DAY. THEY WERE THREE MINUTES IN LENGTH, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAYS. AND I WAS ANCHORING SPORTS ON THE ABC AFFILIATE HERE IN KANSAS CITY ON THE 6 O'CLOCK AND THE 10 O'CLOCK NEWS. WE'D GET THROUGH WITH PRACTICES AT 5:30. I'D RUSH THROUGH THE SHOWER, GET DOWNTOWN, AND I WAS ON THE 6 O'CLOCK NEWS. AND DEFENSIVELY AS FAR AS THE CHIEFS ARE CONCERNED, WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT. Sheen: MOST PRO QUARTERBACKS SPENT THEIR EVENINGS WATCHING GAME FILM. LEN DAWSON WAS ON FILM, WEEKNIGHTS AT 6:00 AND 10:00. HE CERTAINLY WAS NOT A REPORTER THAT WAS GONNA GET THE DIRTY NEWS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IT WAS A PRETTY SANITIZED THING. BUT AT THAT TIME, ALL THE MEDIA WAS PRETTY SANITIZED AS FAR AS THE CHIEFS WERE CONCERNED. I'M GONNA BAD-MOUTH THE OFFENSIVE LINE? I DON'T THINK SO. BECAUSE THEY COULD SAY, "LENNY, LET'S SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH NO BLOCKING OUT THERE." IT WAS FUNNY, TOO, BECAUSE I DID ALL THE INTERVIEWS. NOLAND, YOU'RE NOT A GIANT AMONG GIANTS OUT HERE. IS THIS THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU'VE PLAYED AGAINST GUYS AS BIG AS YOU'VE SEEN HERE IN CAMP TODAY? I'D HAVE TO TELL THEM WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK THEM. I ALREADY KNEW THE ANSWER. OFTENTIMES I HAD TO GIVE THEM THE ANSWER. YOU'RE OUT THERE AT A FLANKER. HOW MUCH OPPORTUNITY DID YOU GET IN COLLEGE AS A FLANKER? NONE UNTIL MY SENIOR YEAR. AND AFTER A FLANKER GRADUATED, WELL, I HAD TO MOVE INTO FLANKER. AND I WAS MY TEAM'S LEADING SCORER FROM THE FLANKER POSITION. Sheen: ON NOVEMBER 9th, DAWSON WAS IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS AGAIN, THIS TIME AT STARTING QUARTERBACK. LEN SETTLED FOR A SUPPORTING ROLE AS HIS BACKFIELD MATES PUSHED THE TEAM'S RECORD TO 8-1. NEXT UP WAS A SHOWDOWN WITH THE WORLD-CHAMPION JETS. BUT THAT GAME WOULD BE OVERSHADOWED BY TRAGEDY. WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO TO NEW YORK ON SATURDAY, AND FRIDAY EVENING I GOT A CALL FROM MY BROTHER IN ALLIANCE, OHIO, THAT MY FATHER HAD PASSED AWAY FROM A SUDDEN HEART ATTACK. YOU KNOW, YOU LOSE YOUR FATHER, YOU'RE LOSING SOMEBODY VERY SPECIAL. AND THE GUYS WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE, AND THEY KIND OF LEFT ME ALONE. IT REALLY WAS NOT EXPECTED. AND LENNY WOUND UP PLAYING THE GAME. Lanier: THE QUESTION MARK THAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE IS WHETHER SOMETHING SUCH AS THAT WILL TAKE AWAY FROM PERFORMANCE. BUT WHEN YOU SEE PERFORMANCE THAT IS AT ITS SAME LEVEL OR EVEN HIGHER, YOU JUST APPRECIATE IT. BECAUSE I THINK THE HUMAN PART IS THAT YOU WONDER HOW WELL YOU WOULD HAVE DONE IN THAT SAME KIND OF CIRCUMSTANCE. Announcer: BACK TO THROW, LEN DAWSON. WIDE OPEN, TAYLOR IS THERE. TOUCHDOWN! NOBODY'S EVEN CLOSE TO TAYLOR. YOU REALLY DO REALIZE WHAT AN EFFORT IT TOOK FOR LENNY DAWSON TO DO THAT. LENNY DAWSON IS AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSON, AND I'VE WATCHED HIM DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS. WE WOUND UP WINNING THE FOOTBALL GAME, AND HE TOOK CARE OF HIS BUSINESS, NO QUESTION, AND LEFT RIGHT FROM NEW YORK AND WENT BACK TO ALLIANCE, OHIO, FOR THE FUNERAL. Sheen: A WEEK LATER, THE 9-1 CHIEFS HOSTED THE RAIDERS IN A WESTERN DIVISION SHOWDOWN. BUT A STILL-GRIEVING DAWSON WAS NOT AT HIS BEST, AND THE RAIDERS WON. I THINK I HAD A BAD GAME. I THREW SEVERAL INTERCEPTIONS. THAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE. AND IT WASN'T BECAUSE THEY OVERPOWERED US OR DID SOMETHING. IT WAS BECAUSE OF MY MENTAL MISTAKES. Sheen: MATTERS WORSENED THE FOLLOWING WEEK WHEN DAWSON REINJURED HIS KNEE IN A WIN OVER DENVER. Dawson: FROM A PRECAUTIONARY STANDPOINT, IT WAS BEST FOR ME TO COME OUT OF THAT GAME. MY WHOLE THOUGHT WAS TO BE READY FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP RUN, FOR THE PLAYOFF RUN. AND I THINK THAT WAS HANK STRAM'S FEELING AS WELL, THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE ANY CHANCES AT THAT POINT. SO I CAME OUT OF THAT BALLGAME AND DID NOT PLAY THE FOLLOWING GAME. THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON WAS AGAINST THE RAIDERS. AND BOTH OF US WERE IN THE PLAYOFFS. WHOEVER WON WOULD HAVE HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE. Sheen: SURPRISINGLY, HANK STRAM PUT HIS NORMALLY INNOVATIVE OFFENSE INTO HIBERNATION, AS THE CHIEFS RAN ON VIRTUALLY EVERY PLAY. I ONLY THREW THE BALL SIX OR EIGHT TIMES. SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BASICALLY A RUNNING GAME. JUST GRINDING IT. Lynch: AND THAT WAS ABOUT AS CLOSE AS YOU CAME TO CRITICIZING STRAM'S STRATEGY THAT I CAN RECALL THAT YEAR. WE JUST HAD TO HAVE MORE PRODUCTION, POINTWISE, AND NOT THROWING THE FOOTBALL WAS PRETTY HARD TO SWALLOW. Dawson: WE DIDN'T WIN THAT BALLGAME. WE LOST IT AND HAD TO GO TO NEW YORK AND TAKE ON THE JETS. HANK DECIDED HE WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEALTH OF HIS FOOTBALL TEAM AND IN PARTICULAR, I THINK, ME, THE QUARTERBACK. Lynch: THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS HAD BEEN TO THE SUPER BOWL. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GET TO THE SUPER BOWL. THEY WANTED TO WIN THE SUPER BOWL. SO NOW WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE GOT TO TAKE THE HARDEST ROAD WE CAN POSSIBLY GET TO WINNING THE SUPER BOWL. WE HAD TO GO TO SHEA STADIUM, AND WE HAD TO BEAT THE OAKLAND RAIDERS. IT WAS NOT A BUNCH OF HAPPY FOOTBALL PLAYERS COMING BACK FROM THAT GAME. Dawson: WHAT A DAY THAT WAS IN NEW YORK, PLAYING A NEW YORK JETS TEAM THAT WON THE SUPER BOWL THE YEAR BEFORE. THEY WERE A GOOD FOOTBALL TEAM. THE WEATHER WAS AWFUL BECAUSE THE WIND WAS REALLY BLOWING. THE WIND WOULD COME THROUGH. IT WOULDN'T BE BLOWING ONE WAY. IT WOULD BE SWIRLING. I USED TO WARM UP WITH FRED ARBANAS, OUR TIGHT END. AND FREDDY HAD LOST THE SIGHT IN ONE EYE, AND WE USED TO LOOSEN UP. I'M PLAYING CATCH WITH FRED AND THROWING EASY. THAT WIND WOULD GET IT, AND IT WAS BANGING ALL OVER. HE SAID, "I ONLY GOT ONE EYE. "GET ONE OF THESE DEFENSIVE LINEMEN TO PLAY CATCH WITH YOU. I CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE THE OTHER ONE." Sheen: PLAYING CATCH WITH ARBANAS CAME MUCH EASIER AFTER KICKOFF. A CRITICAL GAME BY THE KANSAS CITY TIGHT END SET UP A FIELD GOAL THAT GAVE THE CHIEFS A 6-3 FOURTH-QUARTER LEAD. Dawson: IT WAS LATE IN THE BALLGAME. JOE NAMATH HAD THROWN THE PASS INTO THE END ZONE. IT WAS INCOMPLETE, BUT THE FLAG GOES DOWN. "INTERFERENCE, KANSAS CITY." FIRST AND GOAL ON THE 1-YARD LINE. Lanier: THAT 36 INCHES WAS GOING TO BE OUR SEASON, OUR FUTURE. SO AS I'M HEADING DOWN THE FIELD TO CALL THE DEFENSE, I'M NOTICING HEADS ARE STARTING TO BE BOWED. CONCESSIONS ARE STARTING TO BE ACCEPTED THAT THEY FELT WE WERE GOING TO LOSE. AND MY REALITY WAS THAT THAT WAS NOT A CONCESSION WE COULD MAKE. Announcer: AND THE RUNNING PLAY TO MATT SNELL BEHIND RIGHT GUARD. HIT AT THE GOAL LINE BY LANIER AND JERRY MAYS. SO ON SECOND DOWN, THEY TRIED TO RUN A PLAY ALSO INTO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. Announcer: RUNNING PLAY COMING OFF TO MATHIS. STOPPED AT THE GOAL LINE. LANIER HITS HIM. AND AGAIN, THE JETS DO NOT MAKE IT. IT'S THIRD DOWN AND 1. Lanier: SO THEN ON THIRD DOWN, WHAT NAMATH DID WAS TO TRY TO RUN A PLAY-ACTION. BUT BOBBY BELL DIDN'T TAKE THE FAKE INTO THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. WAS ABLE TO GET POSITION TO TAKE AWAY THE PASS ON THE OUTSIDE. Announcer: WHAT PRESSURE PUT ON BY BOBBY BELL. BOBBY BELL MADE THE JETS QUARTERBACK COMMIT HIMSELF. Dawson: AND SO THEY KICKED THE FIELD GOAL AND TIED THE SCORE. NOW A FIELD GOAL WINS IT. I HAD A GUY ON THE SIDELINES NAMED OTIS TAYLOR. WHILE THAT DEFENSE WAS HOLDING THE JETS ON THE 1-YARD LINE, OTIS TAYLOR IS TALKING TO ME ON THE SIDELINES, DRAWING IN THE DIRT A PLAY THAT HE THOUGHT COULD WORK. WE'RE GOING ON THE FIELD, AND OTIS SAYS TO ME, "YOU GONNA CALL THAT PLAY?" I SAID, "NO. NOT NOW. "I'LL WAIT TILL I GET IN THE HUDDLE SO I CAN TELL THE GUYS. HELL, YES, I'M GONNA CALL THAT PLAY." HE'S RUNNING ON THE FREE SAFETY, SO I THREW IT, AND I REALLY GOT A GREAT RELEASE. SO GOOD, I THOUGHT, "OH, DAMN, I OVERTHREW HIM." BUT I FORGOT ABOUT THE OTHER SPEED THAT OTIS TAYLOR HAD. HE PUT IT INTO ANOTHER GEAR. FOUGHT HIS WAY DOWN INSIDE THE 10-YARD LINE. AND ON THE NEXT PLAY, I HIT GLOSTER RICHARDSON. Announcer: LENNY TAKES THE SNAP. HE FAKES THE RUN, BUT HE'LL BE BACK TO THROW. HE THROWS ONE DEEP FOR RICHARDSON. TOUCHDOWN! NICE INSIDE BOMB. Dawson: WE KNEW THIS WAS JUST THE ONE GAME WE HAD TO WIN TO GET TO WHERE WE WANTED TO GO. THAT IS TO OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, AND PLAY THE OAKLAND RAIDERS. WE KNEW IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE EASY. THEY'D BEATEN US TWICE ALREADY THAT SEASON. Lynch: THERE WAS A CERTAIN CONFIDENCE. WE FELT THAT THIS WAS THE TIME WE WERE GOING TO BEAT THEM. WE WERE IN THEIR BACKYARD, AND WE WERE GOING TO SMACK THEM IN THE FACE AND WIN. Announcer: BACK TO THROW, LAMONICA. HE IS SACKED. DID HE GET CREAMED BY AARON BROWN. Sheen: THE DEFENSE SACKED OAKLAND FOUR TIMES AND GRABBED JUST AS MANY INTERCEPTIONS. Announcer: HE IS THROWING ONE DEEP FOR WARREN WELLS. IT'S INTERCEPTED AT THE 20 BY EMMITT THOMAS. BACK TO THE 30, TO THE 40. HE MAY BREAK IT. HE'S AT MIDFIELD. HE'S AT THE 40. Sheen: AFTER THREE YEARS OF GREATER DOMINANCE, THIS DAY BELONGED TO THE CHIEFS' SWARMING DEFENSE AND PLAYMAKING RECEIVER OTIS TAYLOR. Dawson: WE WERE BACKED UP ON OUR GOAL LINE. IT WAS THIRD AND LONG. IF WE HAVE TO PUNT THE BALL OUT OF OUR END ZONE, THEY'RE GONNA GET GREAT FIELD POSITION. AND I CALLED A PLAY WHERE OTIS TAYLOR WAS JUST RUNNING A FLY PATTERN UP THE SIDELINES, TOWARD OUR SIDELINE. Announcer: HE'S BACK IN THE END ZONE 8 YARDS. DAWSON THROWS A WOBBLER INTENDED FOR TAYLOR. AND OTIS MAKES A REMARKABLE CATCH. GREAT GRAB BY TAYLOR. Lanier: AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE LENNY THROW A BALL ALONG THE SIDELINE AS FAR AS IT HAD TO BE THROWN. AND FOR TAYLOR -- I BELIEVE HIS POSITION OF WHERE HE WAS, HE HAD TO CATCH IT WITH HIS LEFT HAND -- TO BE ABLE TO POSITION THAT BALL TO COME IN AND GET BOTH FEET INBOUNDS, WHICH SOME OF THEM WANT TO ARGUE WHETHER HE WAS INBOUNDS OR NOT, BUT OF COURSE HE WAS. Lynch: AND THERE'S SOME DOUBT WHETHER HIS FEET WERE INBOUNDS OR NOT. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT, BUT WE'LL GO BY THE OFFICIAL RECORD. HE CAUGHT A PASS RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR BENCH. AND AFTER THAT PLAY, THINGS STARTED REALLY GOING OUR WAY. Announcer: BACK TO THROW, LENNY DAWSON. HE HAS TIME TO THROW. HE'S FIRING ONE DEEP. WIDE OPEN, FRANK PITTS. HE MAKES THE CATCH. HE IS RUN OUT OF BOUNDS AT THE 1-YARD LINE. LENNY DAWSON GIVES ON A RUNNING PLAY TO BOBBY HOLMES. HE TURNS THE CORNER. HE SCORES. Dawson: WHEN WE PLAYED THE OAKLAND RAIDERS IN THE FINAL GAME BETWEEN TWO AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE TEAMS AND WON THAT GAME TO GET US TO THE SUPER BOWL, IT WAS A MILESTONE. HOW MANY PEOPLE, I WONDER, REALLY THOUGHT THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE WOULD SUCCEED? Sheen: IN JUST ONE WEEK, THE AFL CHAMPIONS WOULD BE GRANTED A FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE THEIR LEAGUE WAS THE EQUAL OF THE ESTABLISHED NFL. WE'RE THE CHAMPIONS, BABY! NUMBER ONE! Sheen: AFTER ARRIVING IN NEW ORLEANS JUST FIVE DAYS BEFORE SUPER BOWL IV, LEN DAWSON'S WORLD WAS ONCE AGAIN TURNED UPSIDE DOWN. A NUMBER OF FAMOUS NAMES IN PRO FOOTBALL WILL BE ASKED TO TALK TO A FEDERAL GRAND JURY IN DETROIT AND TO TELL WHATEVER THEY KNOW ABOUT GAMBLING ON SPORTS. THE PRO FOOTBALL PLAYERS ASKED TO TESTIFY TO THE GRAND JURY INCLUDE LEN DAWSON OF THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS. A FEDERAL GRAND JURY WILL BEGIN HEARING TESTIMONY IN TWO WEEKS, JANUARY 20th, ABOUT THE OPERATIONS OF PERHAPS THE LARGEST BETTING AND GAMBLING OPERATION IN SPORTS HISTORY. FEDERAL OFFICIALS HERE... Dawson: THAT HITS THE NATIONAL NEWS. YOU'RE GETTING READY FOR A SUPER BOWL. "MY GOD, WHAT THE HECK'S GOING ON HERE?" HANK STRAM AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE ARE GETTING TOGETHER, TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW TO DEAL WITH THE MEDIA. FINALLY, I SAID, "WHY DON'T WE TELL THEM THE TRUTH?" YEAH, IT WAS KIND OF WEIRD. I MEAN, THE GAMBLER'S NAME WAS DAWSON. THERE WAS A PERSON IN DETROIT BY THE NAME OF DONALD DAWSON WHO HAD ATTEMPTED TO EITHER CALL LENNY OR CALL OTHER PLAYERS IN THE LEAGUE. Sheen: THOUGH NOT RELATED TO DONALD DAWSON, LEN HAD MET HIM A DECADE EARLIER WHILE PLAYING IN PITTSBURGH. Dawson: I SAID, "I DO KNOW THIS PERSON. "HE DID CALL ME WHEN I INJURED MY KNEE "AND WHEN MY DAD PASSED AWAY TO OFFER HIS CONDOLENCES. "THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I'VE HEARD FROM THIS GUY IN YEARS. I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW HIM THAT WELL BEFORE." WE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE MEDIA AT AN EVENING PRESS CONFERENCE. THAT WAS BASICALLY GONNA BE IT. HANK STRAM SAID, "THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS THING. WE'RE HERE TO GET READY FOR A FOOTBALL GAME." LENNY IS VERY QUIET. HE DOESN'T EXPRESS A GREAT DEAL OF ANIMATION OUTWARDLY. IT'S VERY HARD TO TELL HOW MUCH IT AFFECTED HIM. I KNOW HE WAS DEEPLY HURT INSIDE BECAUSE HE'S A GREAT YOUNG MAN. THE THING THAT'S SO DIFFICULT IS THAT I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. IT NOT ONLY AFFECTED ME. IT REALLY AFFECTED MY FAMILY TO THE POINT WHERE MY SON, WHO WAS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE GAME, TELLS HIS MOTHER HE DOESN'T WANT TO GO. SHE HAS TO TALK HIM INTO COMING BECAUSE I WANTED HIM TO BE THERE. Lanier: YOU COME TO KNOW YOUR TEAMMATES -- WHAT THEIR CHARACTER IS, HOW THEY CONDUCT THEMSELVES, AND ALL OF THAT. SO WITH THAT BEING THE CASE, YOU FELT VERY GOOD ABOUT THE FACT THAT THAT DIDN'T FIT LENNY'S STYLE. THAT DID NOT FIT HOW HE APPROACHED HIS LIFE. BUT YOU ALSO WONDERED ABOUT THE COINCIDENCES OF TIME -- THAT HERE IT IS A WEEK BEFORE THE SUPER BOWL. IF THERE'S SOMEONE WHO HAS AN INVESTIGATION GOING, WHAT CAUSES IT TO SURFACE AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME VERSUS SOME OTHER MOMENT IN TIME? Sen. Symington: WE OF MISSOURI HAVE ADMIRATION FOR LEN DAWSON, THE ABLE AND COURAGEOUS QUARTERBACK OF THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS. IT IS MOST UNFORTUNATE THAT ANY SUCH STORY ABOUT ONE OF THE NATION'S GREAT ATHLETES SHOULD BE LEAKED TO THE NEWS MEDIA JUST PRIOR TO THE MOST IMPORTANT PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL GAME OF THE SEASON. Robinson: PEOPLE ARE OFFERING THEIR PRAYERS AND BACKING HIM 100%. BY FRIDAY, HE PEPPED UP A LITTLE. BUT I'LL BE FRANK WITH YOU, FOR A COUPLE DAYS, HE LOOKED LIKE HE AGED ABOUT 5 YEARS TO ME. FOR A WHILE, I KEPT TRYING TO GET HIM UP. HE STAYED IN THE ROOM 90% OF THE TIME AND ONLY LEFT FOR INTERVIEWS. IT MUST HAVE BEEN A NERVE-SHATTERING EXPERIENCE AFTER THE GAMBLING STORY BROKE. THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. Dawson: I FIGURED IF I HANDLE THAT JUNK THAT I COULD HANDLE ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE THAT WAS REALLY UNFAIR. NOT ONLY DID I HAVE TO FACE THE MEDIA AND SAY THAT I'M INNOCENT, I HAD TO ADDRESS MY TEAMMATES AS WELL BECAUSE THEY'RE SITTING THERE, CONCERNED ABOUT IT. I TOLD THEM IT'S A BUNCH OF B.S. THERE'S NO TRUTH TO THE DAMN STUFF. HANK CAME IN, THEN, AND SAID, "WELL, DOES ANYBODY GOT ANY QUESTIONS WHATSOEVER?" AND THEN E.J. HOLUB -- AND ONLY E.J. COULD SAY IT, PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE. Lynch: WELL, E.J. WAS ALWAYS PULLING SOMETHING. HE WAS A REAL HOLLER GUY -- ALWAYS VERY ENTHUSIASTIC. HOLUB JUST SAYS, "WELL, WHEN DO WE EAT? AND WHEN DO I GET MY TICKETS?" AND THAT BROKE THE TENSION. ALL OF THE SUDDEN, WE'RE BACK TO FOCUSING ON WHAT WE'RE THERE FOR. Sheen: THE FIRST-EVER SUPER BOWL HELD IN NEW ORLEANS FEATURED PAGEANTRY AND SPECTACLE THAT LITERALLY WENT OVER THE TOP. Lynch: I'D SEE THIS VIKING GOING ALONG, AND HE WAS JUMPING IN AND OUT OF THIS HOT-AIR BALLOON. AND THEN I UNDERSTOOD THAT THE HOT-AIR BALLOON WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GOING UP. IT WAS KIND OF A MASS-CONFUSION ON THE FIELD. THE HOT-AIR BALLOON DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH HOT AIR IN IT OR LOST ITS HOT AIR OR SOMETHING. Lanier: THE VIKINGS' GONDOLA STARTED TO BOUNCE ALONG IN TOWARDS SOME OF THE SEATING AT THE PART OF THE END ZONE. IT WAS JUST KIND OF INTERESTING TO SEE A PLANNED ACTIVITY WHERE THE PEOPLE DIDN'T QUITE KNOW HOW TO CONTROL THAT GONDOLA AS WELL AS THE HOT-AIR BALLOON. MAYBE THAT WAS A COINCIDENCE THAT THINGS WERE NOT GOING TO GO WELL FOR THE VIKINGS THAT DAY. Sheen: THE FOOTBALL EXPERTS DISAGREED, TABBING THE AFL's CHIEFS AS 13-POINT UNDERDOGS. Dawson: I THINK IT'S "THAT'S THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE. "LAST YEAR, WHEN THE JETS WON, BEAT BALTIMORE, THAT WAS A FLUKE." WE WERE THE STUPID STEPCHILD OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL -- THE NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME PLAYERS. WE RESENTED THAT. THAT WAS A MOTIVATING FACTOR TO US BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS. AND, FORTUNATELY, THEY DIDN'T KNOW TOO MUCH ABOUT US. WE'VE GOT A MYRIAD OF FORMATIONS. WE'VE GOT FORMATIONS THAT, YOU START OUT IN ONE THING, YOU'RE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BEFORE THE BALL'S SNAPPED. YOU'LL GO THROUGH THREE SEPARATE FORMATIONS IN ONE SERIES. IF YOU'RE NOT WATCHING THAT EVERY DAY, IT GETS EXTREMELY CONFUSING. AND THEY'VE GOT ONE WEEK TO FIGURE OUT THE TENDENCIES OF THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS, WHICH IS A VIRTUAL IMPOSSIBILITY. THE RUNNING BACKS, IF WE PUT THINGS TOGETHER, WILL KILL THESE GUYS. Dawson: WHEN THERE WAS A TIME-OUT, I'D GO TO THE SIDELINES. AND I'D GO TO HANK. HANK WAS THE QUARTERBACK COACH, THE OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR. INSTEAD OF HENRY ASKING ME WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT, HE SAID, "LENNY, YOU GOT TO DO THIS. "YOU GOT TO THROW THAT HITCH PASS OUT HERE MORE. YOU GOT TO DO THIS. YOU GOT TO DO THAT." THROW THAT THING ON THE OUTSIDE, LEONARD. DO IT MORE OFTEN. HE CAN'T COVER THAT THING, LENNY. THROW IT ANYTIME, THAT HITCH ON THE OUTSIDE. THAT'S A GOOD TIME TO THROW IT RIGHT THERE. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT HENRY HAD BEEN MICROPHONED IN THE SUPER BOWL BECAUSE HE HADN'T MENTIONED IT TO ANY OF US. I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF IT WAS HANK'S IDEA. BUT VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING THAT HE SAID, HE'S SAID MANY, MANY TIMES BEFORE. IT'S CERTAINLY ENTERTAINMENT. HOW IN THE WORLD CAN ALL SIX OF YOU MISS A PLAY LIKE THAT? ALL SIX OF YOU MISS A PLAY. COME ON, LENNY. PUMP IT IN THERE, BABY. JUST KEEP MATRICULATING THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD, BOYS. "GOT TO MATRICULATE THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD." WHERE HE COMES UP WITH THESE THINGS, I DON'T KNOW. BUT HE'S A CLASSIC. HE'S A SHOWMAN. IT WAS THERE, WASN'T IT, BOYS? IT WAS THERE, WASN'T IT? IN KNOWING HANK, WHO ENJOYED WORDSMITHING, THAT SOMEONE IN THE MIDST OF THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME OF THEIR LIFE COULD STILL MAINTAIN THE KIND OF PRESENCE TO OFFER A VIEW OF WHAT A COACH GOES THROUGH, ALL OF THAT WAS STRAM. HE WAS ABLE TO TALK ABOUT, ELOQUENTLY, HOW THEY DID IT AND THEN HOW POORLY THE OTHER GUYS ATTEMPTED TO DO THINGS AGAINST HIS TEAM. THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE MIKE WAS -- DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HE WAS. THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO. KASSULKE WAS RUNNING AROUND LIKE IT WAS A CHINESE FIRE DRILL. THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE FLAT AS HELL. Sheen: STRAM ADDED TO MINNESOTA'S CONFUSION WITH A SURPRISE PLAY CALL THAT YIELDED MAXIMUM RESULTS. GLOSTER, TELL THEM 65 TOSS POWER TRAP. GET IN THERE -- 65 TOSS POWER TRAP. HERE COMES GLOSTER RICHARDSON INTO THE GAME WITH A PLAY. HE SAID, "HANK WANTS YOU TO RUN 65 TOSS POWER TRAP." I SAID, "WE HAVEN'T RUN THAT PLAY IN A LONG TIME. YOU SURE THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS?" "65 TOSS POWER TRAP." 65 TOSS POWER TRAP. IT MIGHT POP WIDE OPEN, RATS. Announcer: RUNNING PLAY COMING TO GARRETT ON A TRAP. TOUCHDOWN. GARRETT SCORES. WAS IT THERE, BOYS? WAS THAT THERE, RATS? NICE GOING, BABY. [ LAUGHS ] YEAH! 65 TOSS POWER TRAP! YEAH! YEAH! I TOLD YOU THAT BABY WAS THERE. YES, SIR, BOYS. WHOO! WE'RE LEADING NOW 16-0, AND THEY GOT TO OVERCOME THAT AGAINST OUR DEFENSE. NO WAY. Announcer: PUT YOUR HAND OVER YOUR HEART, AND YOU CAN FEEL IT POUND OUT. WHAT A MOMENT FOR ALL OF THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS. THEY'RE BEATING THE BEST THAT THE NFL HAS TO OFFER OUT HERE TODAY. Sheen: IN THE LAST GAME EVER PLAYED BETWEEN THE AFL AND NFL, THE EXCLAMATION POINT TO THE CHIEFS' DOMINANCE WAS ADDED BY OTIS TAYLOR. WHAT WE DID WAS, I WENT ON A QUICK COUNT. AND WE JUST HAPPENED TO GET LUCKY. THEY HAD AN ALL-OUT BLITZ COMING, WHICH THEY DIDN'T -- THEY BLITZED VERY SELDOM. I HIT OTIS TAYLOR WITH A LITTLE HITCH PASS. THAT WAS THE ONLY PASS I COULD HAVE GOTTEN RID OF. Announcer: TAYLOR, 30, 25. HE CUTS BACK, 20. HE'S GOING TO GO. THAT'S IT, BOYS. THAT'S IT, RATS. THAT'S IT, BOYS. [ SHOUTING ] Announcer: OTIS TAYLOR, GREAT MOVE. THEY'VE HAD ENOUGH. CHIEFS ARE THE WORLD CHAMPIONS OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL. Sheen: THE SCORE CLINCHED KANSAS CITY'S VICTORY IN SUPER BOWL IV AND TURNED LEN DAWSON'S NIGHTMARE OF GAMBLING RUMORS INTO A LIFELONG DREAM COME TRUE. I THOUGHT IT ENTIRELY FITTING THAT HE GOT THE SUPER BOWL MVP. WHEN LENNY WENT THROUGH THE YEAR THAT HE WENT THROUGH AND THE TRIUMPH THAT HE HAD, IT'S ONE OF THE GREAT STORIES IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD, MIKE. LENNY DAWSON. WAY TO GO, LENNY! THAT'S A WAY TO GO, LEONARD. YOU DONE GOOD, KID. Announcer: LENNY DAWSON LEAVES THE FIELD. LENNY DAWSON -- LISTEN TO THE CROWD. NICE GOING, LEONARD. NICE GOING, BABY. NICE GOING, BABY. AND LENNY THE COOL IS LENNY THE COOL, BUT HE WORKS AT IT. THERE'S A LOT OF DEMONS THAT HE FACES THAT WE ALL DO. HE'S JUST A LOT BETTER AT MASKING THEM. Dawson: LIKE A BIG, OLD WEIGHT HAD BEEN LIFTED OFF MY SHOULDERS. YOU GOT TO REMEMBER -- I AM THE SEVENTH OF THE SEVENTH SON. TO ME, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN GOOD LUCK. AND WAS NEVER MORE TRUE THAN THAT PARTICULAR SEASON, THAT PARTICULAR GAME. Lanier: ALL OF US RECOGNIZED THAT A SEASON IS ALMOST LIKE A LIFETIME OF THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN. SO TO HAVE YOUR SON THERE TO BE A PART OF YOUR SUCCESS, TO REALIZE THAT THOSE THINGS THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT FROM AN INTEGRITY STANDPOINT WERE NOT TRUE AND NOT REAL, YOU SHARE IT WITH THE PERSON WHO'S MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU. AND THAT'S YOUR FAMILY. Dawson: AMONGST EVERYBODY IN THE LOCKER ROOM WASN'T THAT BIG, AND THERE WERE PEOPLE ALL OVER THE PLACE YELLING AND SCREAMING. SOMEBODY SAID, "COME ON IN HERE. YOU GOT A CALL FROM THE PRESIDENT." I SAID, "PRESIDENT OF WHAT?" THEY SAID, "PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES." I SAID, "YOU'RE KIDDING ME." AND IT WAS PRESIDENT NIXON. HE CONGRATULATED ME ON THE VICTORY OVER THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS. HE SAID SOMETHING ELSE THAT WAS INTERESTING. HE SAID, "AND THAT STUFF IN DETROIT -- THERE'S NOTHING TO THAT." I SAID, "WELL, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SAYS THAT, "THAT'S A RELIEF, YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH." I'VE NEVER BEEN CONTACTED BY ANYBODY. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NONE OF THE OTHER PEOPLE MENTIONED WAS EVER CONTACTED BY ANYBODY. THE WHOLE THING VANISHED AFTER ABOUT A WEEK. AFTER THAT WEEK, WHAT DID YOU HEAR ABOUT IT? NOTHING. WE'RE COMING BACK TO KANSAS CITY. THEY SAY THERE'S GOING TO BE A PARADE. THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A PARADE BECAUSE NO ONE HAD EVER WON A CHAMPIONSHIP IN KANSAS CITY IN ANY SPORT. I DON'T KNOW OF ANYBODY THAT WAS WORKING THAT DAY. I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY THAT WAS... GOD FORBID YOU HAD A HEART ATTACK. WASN'T ANYBODY GOING TO TAKE CARE OF YOU. I WANT TO INTRODUCE -- I WANT TO INTRODUCE THE GREATEST QUARTERBACK IN PRO FOOTBALL, LENNY DAWSON. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] THE GREATEST DAY IN THE HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY -- THIS TEAM IS THE GREATEST IN THE UNIVERSE!
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Channel: PAL 6363
Views: 193,340
Rating: 4.7944379 out of 5
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Id: iI_WMs_9QAc
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Length: 44min 57sec (2697 seconds)
Published: Fri Mar 09 2018
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