The Game Before the Money: Oral History of Pro and College Football

Hall of Fame offensive lineman Orlando Pace talks about playing for Coach Vermeil and winning Super Bowl 34 with the Rams. Coach Vermeil shared his stories on Episode 49 of The Game Before the Money Podcast.

Orlando Pace was the first-overall pick of the 1997 NFL Draft. This episode gives listeners a great perspective of what it was like to play for Coach Vermeil and provides a firsthand account of Super Bowl 34.

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#Rams #SuperBowl

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and groundskeeper George Toma share memories of getting Candlestick Park ready to host the 1981 NFC Championship Game between the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys, a game made famous by “The Catch.” Candlestick Park’s playing surface needed many renovations to be in shape for the big game and the city rose to meet the challenge.

Senator Feinstein was San Francisco’s mayor in 1981. She shared quotes via email through a staff member.

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Kicker Mark Moseley discusses kicking under pressure and some of his legendary field goals with the Washington Redskins. He also shares about his incredible NFL journey, going from a man calling teams for a tryout to becoming the only full-time placekicker to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award.

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Lionel Taylor shares about his time in the AFL with the Denver Broncos and becoming the first WR to grab 100 catches in a single season. He also talks about his time as an assistant coach on the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s.

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Chicago Bears QB Vince Evans recalls his game-tying TD and the Bears returning the overtime kickoff for a TD in the unforgettable game against the Lions on Thanksgiving Day of 1980. The Bears won 23-17 after Evans engineered a 94-yard drive and scored the game-tying TD with no time left on the clock to send the game into OT. Chicago's Dave Williams returned the overtime kickoff for a touchdown to win a game that Chicago trailed 17-3 in the fourth quarter.

The Game Before the Money is hosted and produced by author and oral historian Jackson Michael. Learn more about the project at https://TheGameBeforeTheMoney.com.

#NFL #ThanksgivingFootball #ChicagoBears #BearDown

Dave Wilcox, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2000 class, shares memories of his career as a linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers. He also talks about his college football career at Oregon and Boise State. 

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Bill McColl shares memories of Stanford winning the 1951 Pacific Coast Conference title and playing in the 1952 Rose Bowl. He also talks about playing for George Halas and the Chicago Bears of the 1950s while enrolled in medical school.

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George Toma has been the groundskeeper for every single Super Bowl, from Super Bowl I through Super Bowl LV. He shares stories about preparing the field for Super Bowls and the 1966 NFL Championship Game, his work with the AFL, as well as his early life in Pennsylvania’s coal country.

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Encore presentation about the best NFL Week 1 games in pro football history.

The program highlights Norm Van Brocklin's 554 passing yards, the first-ever AFL game, the first-ever Minnesota Vikings game, and Dan Marino's return after a career-threatening injury.

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Al Denson shares memories about his career with the Denver Broncos and playing for legendary Florida A&M coach Jake Gaither.

Denson led the American Football League in TD catches in 1967.

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