Edgy MD wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 9:49 am
Am I correct in remembering that the TV cameras missed the catch and it wasn't until the NFL films reels were developed the next day that anybody actually saw it?
I don't remember although it's quite possible; fewer cameras then, slower to be able to check all angles, etc. The angle that finally caught him was a ground level
end-zone angle so certainly not the one the network would have been showing live.
The main controversy on that play wasn't whether FH caught it before it hit turf (although that was one point of contention) but the even harder to discern question
as to whether the carom that caused the huge rebound in the first place came off the offensive or defensive player, a distinction which made a difference since rules
at the time (since changed) made an offense-to-offense rebound, whether intentional or not, a non-legal catch.
So not only is this weekend the 50th anniversary of the 'immaculate reception' game (with Pitt playing the Raiders in an obvious marketing move by the NFL) but
Franco was due to have his number retired by the Steelers that day as well (I'm less gung-ho about number retirement than most but here even I've got to say
WHATTOOKEMSOLONG?!?! ... dude retired as the 3rd leading rusher in NFL history!).
Harris, btw, apparently sounded and claimed to feel fine Tuesday afternoon during an interview with Chris Russo about that game and upcoming number retirement.
I know that a lot of folks have listened to Russo and thought to themselves 'You're killing me Chris', but in this case it may actually have happened. No cause of
death made public yet but Harris was dead only hours later.
Also no cause of death listed so far for Reds pitcher Tom Browning at just 62, but one article mentioned that his wife died just earlier this year. And while I figure
that all (Five) of their kids are grown, that's still rough.