Leonard Nimoy in a familiar pose at Mr. Spock on "Star Trek".
More than anyone else, Leonard Nimoy and his character Mr. Spock
symbolized everything that is right with the “Star Trek” philosophy. He
transcended all generations and was a giant. With his recent passing, he will
be sorely missed but never forgotten. The mark he has left will last for
centuries.
In the beginning
It is hard to believe in this world of maximum access, it was
difficult in the 1980s for me to see “Star Trek” on TV. Now, we can access DVD
box sets of the series, and prowl the Internet to watch episodes online. Back
then, in the three-channel universe of the rural cable network, it was left up
to CBC, CTV, or what is now Global, to air re-runs. That did not happen for a
long time.
Instead, my exposure to “Star Trek” was left to books
– novelizations of episodes written by James Blish and numbered
sequentially, or novelizations of the animated series written by Alan Dean
Foster. Later came photo-novels, which used nothing but pictures and a minimum
of text to tell the story. The novels provided the story, the photo-novel
provided the visuals.
This was my introduction to “Star Trek” and the triumvirate that was
at the heart of the show: Captain James T. Kirk; Dr. Leonard McCoy, medical
officer; and Mr. Spock, first officer and science officer.
The familiar triumvirate of "Star Trek". Dr. Leonard McCoy (played by DeForest Kelley), medical officer of the United Star Ship Enterprise; Captain James T. Kirk (played by William Shatner); and Mr. Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy), first officer and science officer.
Three heads are better than one
Eventually CBC began airing re-runs on Saturdays. One summer, one of the
cable networks ran them weeknights, so I watched a bunch when I was visiting my
cousins in Brooks in the summer.
This was where I discovered the essence of the show. Kirk was the
avowed leader, without question. Unlike his successor Jean Luc Picard in “The
Next Generation” who was an explorer and a scientist, Kirk was captain while
the Federation was at war with the Klingon Empire. That made Kirk very much a
military leader, in addition to his mission to “to seek out new life and new
civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before”.
This reality posed no end
of dilemmas for Kirk. He was a leader who was at times emotional and at other
times clinical and rational. Whenever he was faced with any tough decision,
providing council were McCoy, who wore his heart on his sleeve and was very
emotional, and Spock, who was the epitome of logic. These two men represented
the two halves of Kirk’s personality, and their external conflict represented
the one raging inside Kirk.
Spock in particular was a character like none we had seen before.
There were the very alien aspects, such as the pointed ears, raised eye brows,
and green blood. But, what really made him different was the fact he came from
a race and culture that banned emotion, and made logic the centre of existence.
The Vulcans were a people perfectly suited for diplomacy and exploration,
because they viewed everything objectively, rationally, and with zero emotion.
On first view, Spock seemed like the typical Vulcan. He lacked all
emotion and constantly evoked logic, much to the chagrine of Dr. McCoy who
accused him of being robotic, callous, and cold. However, underneath, Spock
waged a battle few other Vulcans did. His father Sarek, had taken Amanda, a
wife from Earth. That made Spock half human – whether he liked it or not – and
that added another dimension to every situation.
We will never know this for sure, but had any actors other than
DeForest Kelley and Leonard Nimoy played McCoy and Spock, it is likely they
would not have become the phenomenon they have.
Evolution of a relationship
Over the years, the relationship between these three characters
deepened. It reached its climax, for me, when “Star Trek” graduated to movies.
After the limited success of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”, Paramount
re-tooled the franchise and released “The Wrath of Khan”, which many say is still
the best of the movies.
Spock dies at the end, saving the ship because, “the needs of the many
outweigh the needs of the few and the one”. Logical until the end. It is the
depth of sorrow Kirk feels that likely Spock can or would not feel, that makes
the ending so poignant, when he says of all the people he has encountered in
his travels, Spock was the most human.
Yet, we are left with the faintest of hope at the end of “Wrath of
Khan” that Spock may in fact live again. It becomes the focus of the next movie
“Search for Spock”. McCoy quickly discovers that, in the most delicious of
ironies, “that Klingon bastard left me his marbles.” Before he entered the
chamber that would lead to his death, Spock had transferred his essence to
McCoy. Concurrently, an experiment designed to generate life where none existed
before is running, and we are left to wonder if it can re-generate the corpse
of Mr. Spock.
The entire movie is spent with Kirk, McCoy, and the rest of the
original senior crew, risking their careers, their reputations, and their lives
to help Spock. It again symbolizes how much the relationship had deepened. The
needs of the few and the one outweigh the needs of the many.
I’ve been dead before
Ultimately they are successful. Spock’s body has re-generated and,
after a near death experience, the body is reunited with the mind back on
Vulcan.
There would be more adventures, culminating in “The Undiscovered
Country” where Spock and Kirk grapple with their age amidst an overture to
finally achieve peace with the Klingons. At one point, when the Enterprise is
being stalked by a cloaked Klingon battle cruiser, they lament that if what
they are attempting does not work they are dead.
“I’ve been dead before,” Spock says. It is the perfect mix of humour
and determination.
Of course, they triumph once more as Kirk, the warrior, beats his
Klingon adversary.
Transcending time
The other aspect of Vulcan physiology is that Vulcans live much longer
than humans. That allows Spock, now an ambassador, to make an appearance in
“Star Trek: The Next Generation”. After successfully negotiating peace with the
Klingons years earlier, he is now attempting the same feat with the Romulans.
His efforts are unsuccessful, but we are left with the impression he will keep
on trying.
Star Trek’s various series franchises wound down, and the movies
shifted from original series characters to the next generation characters before
they too wound down.
But wait, along came J.J. Abrams to re-boot the franchise, with much
younger crew members. Abrams, a long-time “Star Trek” fan, found a way to have
the original Spock in the new “Star Trek”. Sure enough, there he was, and you
could hear the cheering in the theatre too. When Abrams followed up “Star Trek”
with a sequel called “Into Darkness”, there was Spock again, offering his
insight into battling the adversary known as Khan.
There was something poignant and cool to see the new Spock, played by
Zachary Quinto, on the screen with Leonard Nimoy one last time.
Parting thoughts
Leonard Nimoy would go on to do so many other things: philanthropy;
write books; record poetry and music; directing; photography and continue acting. He did the “In
Search Of” series, and guest-starred in many TV shows. One of the spots I
remember best was playing a crooked cop in an episode of “T.J. Hooker”
opposite his old “Star Trek” castmate and friend William Shatner. I often
wondered when Shatner hit it big a few years ago in “Boston Legal”, if we would
see Nimoy make a guest appearance. He did appear in the Fox sci fi thriller "Fringe" and his voice made an appearance on “The
Big Bang Theory”, a show populated by characters who are “Star Trek” fans.
Nimoy even visited the Town of Vulcan in Southern Alberta, which has become a
hub in this part of the world for “Star Trek”.
Through all his achievements, Leonard Nimoy will always be best
remembered as Mr. Spock. It wasn’t just that he embodied a character, but it
was a philosophy, and a way of living for many people. There was a message of
hope, that a positive future lay ahead, and we would meet races, like Spock and
the Vulcans, who would become friends and allies. Together, we would explore
the universe, seeking out new life and new civilizations, boldly going where no
one had gone before.
Nimoy’s influence, as Spock, is immeasurable, and we will see it for
years to come.
It was a sad to hear Leonard Nimoy died, but it provided an
opportunity to look back, reflect, and see what he has accomplished and the legacy he has left behind.
The regular cast of "Masquerade". From left are Rod Taylor, Kirstie Alley, and Greg Evigan.
Imagine sitting at home and getting a phone call out of the blue.
“Your country needs you. Come work for the government. Let’s do a
little espionage.’’
The first thought that would go through my mind is, “Why me?” Followed
quickly by the doubt that I had the necessary skills involved.
But the government obviously saw something. Otherwise they wouldn’t
have called. And of course, it is a
matter of national security. Oh, and don’t tell anyone.
Recruiting ordinary citizens to play a part in covert, often deadly,
international missions of intrigue was the premise of “Masquerade”, a show that
only lasted a handful of episodes in 1983, but made a lasting impression on me.
I was reminded of “Masquerade” a few weeks ago when its star, Rod Taylor
passed away at the age of 84.
Familiar faces
Once more, I read about “Masquerade” long before it finally aired on
peasant vision, Channel 2&7 to be exact. It featured a star-studded guest
cast each week playing ordinary people recruited to take part in international
missions. They were led by Lavender, played by Rod Taylor, who introduces each
new agent to their assignment at the outset of each episode. They are then chaperoned through the mission by two young, trained agents. Their cover is a tour bus, with Alley and Evigan acting as tour guides. It gave them the perfect way to travel to international locales to complete their missions.
I had never heard of Rod Taylor, but I had heard of the other two
regular cast members: Greg Evigan and Kirstie Alley. Evigan had played the
title role in “B.J. and the Bear” for three seasons, while Kirstie Alley was
fresh off a breakout performance as Lietuenant Saavik in “Star Trek II: The
Wrath of Khan”. In fact, it was her first role since the Star Trek movie. She
would go on to success when she joined the cast of “Cheers” as Rebecca Howe when Shelley Long left in 1987. Greg Evigan would also go on to greater success, in the show “My Two Dads”.
The theme song was sung by Crystal Gayle, and it was a catchy tune.
Unfortunately, the show itself did not catch on, and was cancelled
after 13 episodes.
Parting thoughts
“Masquerade” was another show that caught my attention because it was
about spies and espionage. This one had a different twist, which made it more
like “The Love Boat”, “Hotel”, and “Fantasy Island” than “Man from U*N*C*L*E*”
or James Bond moves. It featured a different ensemble cast of guest stars each
week, just like “The Love Boat”, “Hotel”, and “Fantasy Island”.
There was a lot of potential with that premise, especially the idea of
ordinary citizens working as spies. Some of that same material was mined later
in the decade with “Scarecrow and Mrs. King”, although in that situation a
recurring character was an ordinary citizen drawn into spying.
“Maquerade” never did catch on and was relegated to the dust bin of
television, but it did offer an interesting question: “Wouldn’t you just love
to be a spy for just a few minutes?”
Napoleon Solo, in front, with Ilya Kuryakin, his colleague in U*N*C*L*E* behind him.
Imagine travelling the globe, chasing after bad guys, and saving the
world. Wouldn’t that be great?
Ever since I was a little kid, I have been fascinated by spies and
espionage. It may have been due to all the James Bond movies on TV, but there
was another source.
One of the byproducts of having two siblings so much older than I, was
all the stuff they left behind, from toys to books and comics.
Something that caught my attention early on, and likely spurred my
love of the cloak-and-dagger of spy shows, was something called “The Man from
U*N*C*L*E”. My brother and sister had left behind these things called digests,
which were a pulpy, collection of stories. They also had actual drawings as
well, and a few glossy pictures all located in the centre.
One of the books I read as a child.
Later on, I added to the collection by buying my own “Man from
U*N*C*L*E” stuff, namely a small comic book of one story, and a large eight-and-a-half by 11 sized book.
All of it was based on a TV show that had gone off the air long before
I was born, so my entire impression of the show was from what I read, and the
few pictures I saw, mostly on the covers of books.
An affair to remember
The Man from U*N*C*L*E was actually two men – Napoleon Solo and Ilya
Kuryakin (my sister had to teach me how to pronounce “Kuryakin”). They are
spies for a supranational organization called the United Network Command for
Law Enforcement. Each week they are given an assignment by Alexander Waverly, the head of U*N*C*L*E*,
and most often it involved U*N*C*L*E’s rival, the evil organization know as
T*H*R*U*S*H. They were outfitted with all sorts of gadgets. The one I recall
best and, which was diagrammed in one of the “Man from U*N*C*L*E” digests I read, was
Napoleon Solo’s needle gun. And, each story was an “affair”, that is the title
ended with that word.
I so longed to actually see “The Man from U*N*C*L*E” but, in the 1980s, if one of three TV stations did not air re-runs, it just would never happen.
There were no DVD box sets or Netflix, so I was out of luck until one day.
One more time
Suddenly terrorists stole a nuclear device and demanded a huge ransom
– but only one man could deliver it – Napoleon Solo.
This was the premise for “The Return of the Man from U*N*C*L*E*: The Fifteen
Years Later Affair”, which aired in 1983.
Again, I think I discovered it was coming by reading “TV Guide” or
maybe from “Entertainment Tonight”. Robert Vaughn returned as Napoleon Solo and
David McCallum reprised his role as Ilya Kuryakin. I still recall how they
contacted Solo – by using the radio in his pen.
“My pen hasn't talked to me in some time,” he said.
Waverly is no longer Solo's contact with U*N*C*L*E*, because Leo G. Carroll, the actor who played him, had died. He has been replaced by Patrick MacNee, another tongue-in-cheek spy type actor from his time as John Steed in "The Avengers".
Of course, he convinces Solo to take on one last assignment because,
after all, the fate of the world was at stake – again.
But he needs Ilya Kuryakin.
Ilya has left U*N*C*L*E* and become a fashion designer, at a place called “Vanya’s”, after a mission went wrong and a woman died.
When Solo shows up, Ilya’s response is predictable.
“How many times have we saved the world?”
The whole show was exactly as I hoped, a bit tongue in cheek but also
action-packed and adventurous.
Parting thoughts
“The Man from U*N*C*L*E” was passing through the ‘80s from another
decade, just like “The Beverly Hilbillies”. Both had run their course long before the 1980s even began. I had heard a lot
about both but never saw them – until their reunion movies.
“The Man from U*N*C*L*E” was exactly what I
expected. A few years later, in the summer of 1996, I bought some old episodes
of the show on tape, and they proved it. Then, later that same
year, YTV started airing the show in its late-night line-up Monday to Friday. Finally, I had the chance to see a show I wanted to see since childhood.
Now, I understand Guy Ritchie is planning a re-boot of “The Man from
U*N*C*L*E”.
I sure hope he can capture the same campy, yet suave and sophisticated
feel. You could tell Ian Fleming had his hand in “The Man from U*N*C*L*E”,
because Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin had the same feel as James Bond.
It’s something we really don’t seem to have now – a spy show that can
have a little fun and not take itself too seriously, give a little
wink to the audience but still deliver a solid action adventure story. You'll have to excuse me – I think my pen is ringing.
It is really hard to react to milestones like the number of hits. It
seems like 20,000 is a lot, at least to me, but then again I don’t spend a lot
of time in the blogosphere. Besides, all the times I visit my own blog are
counted.
If nothing else, it does offer another opportunity to reflect on
RobVogt80s in general.
As always there are lessons and observations
Not easy
This year I made a New Year’s resolution to try and blog regularly.
The previous goal I had from another list was 300 blog posts in a year. I found
that not only to be daunting, but completely unrealistic.
The ideal situation would be to blog every day, connecting something
from today with something from the 1980s. However, it is not easy to blog
regularly.
In fact, from the time I started this entry, I have posted four times in the year 2015. It really isn't easy.
Caught up in the research
It seems I have fallen into a trap, which doubles really as a form of
procrastination, albeit unintentional. I get caught up in the research. I want
to read up on a subject before I start blogging about it. Or, in the case of my most recent entry, I actually watched the 1982 Orange Bowl in its entirety, making notes all the while. That entry took 16 months from start to publication.
That runs contrary to the most productive period in the history of
this blog. That was in August and September of 2013. It was right after
National Novel Writing Month of 2012 that I wanted to keep up the momentum of
writing every day. There is no Internet hook up in my apartment, so I basically
just started writing. Every day, I crafted a new entry. When I finally had time
in the summer, it was time to post entries, so I copied the text from a
Microsoft Word document then did the research and filled in the blanks. I
likened it to having a lot of grist in the mill. Right now, I have no grist, but that is beginning to change.
In order to be most productive, I have to get back to that approach.
Otherwise, posting regularly is not easy, made harder by getting caught up in
the research.
Time to reflect
I have also discovered I need time to reflect before publishing. I
really want to make a point more than just recount memories – although
there is also value in that.
That is the other reason I do take time to research and read things
over. It loads the subconscious and allows me to reflect before writing
something that is worth posting.
These things take time to season and gestate.
In a bubble
There are times I really wish I had a lot more comments on the blog,
because it would indicate people are reading it. At other times, I am glad for
the anonymity. Most often I feel like I’m in a bubble, my own little world –
and I think I’m okay with that.
Too legit
The most recent thing I discovered is that one of my posts has ended up in the bibliography of a Wikipedia entry. It was the post on "Canada's greatest basketball moment", in particular what I wrote about guard Karl Tilleman from the University of Calgary. Does that make this whole venture more legit?
Parting thoughts
Too often in life most of us, me included, look at what we do not
have, when we really should look at what we do have. No, I do not post every
day, or even every second day. No, I am not even a regular poster.
But, and this is what I plan to focus on, is that I have actually set
out to start a blog and actually followed through. And, best of all, I have 181 posts, and 182 when this one goes live, out there in the big wide world, for anyone to read.
Homer Jordan (#3) was the quarterback and leader of the 1981 Clemson Tigers.
They were one of the best college football teams of the 1980s. At the
dawn of the decade, a new team emerged to turn in one of the best seasons in
college football, capping it off with a win in the Orange Bowl, and capturing
the national championship. Every step of the way they were led by quarterback
Homer Jordan, who had been on his own odyssey all season.
That 1981 Clemson Tigers team was one for the ages, especially because
it would be another 32 years before the Tigers would make their next appearance
in the Orange Bowl.
Dream season
The Tigers played in the Atlantic Coast Conference, which was much
different, and smaller than it is today. They swept through the ACC, winning
every conference game. They also won every non-conference game, Taking over the number one spot in the country in the 13th week of the season, then cementing the
number one position in the polls and a chance at a national championship.
Winning the Orange Bowl would almost guarantee that national championship.
Standing in their way, awaiting them in Miami on New Year’s Day, was
the number-four ranked and Big Eight Champion Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Distraction
Hanging over the Orange Bowl was a lawsuit against Clemson for
recruiting violations. To their credit, NBC raised the issue early in their
broadcast, but head coach Danny Ford dodged the issue, instead saying he wanted
to focus on the game at hand.
Bowl dreams
This would be the first meeting ever between the two teams, and the
first game for either team in six weeks. Although Clemson was unbeaten and champions
of the ACC, they were the under dogs coming into the game. The Tigers had never finished higher
than fourth in the national polls in their history, and were not even in the
top 20 to start the season.
The fact they had not had much national television
exposure led observers to believe they had a weak schedule and their undefeated record was not that impressive. In fact, the announcers kept stressing this point. They even explained the history of Clemson. John Green Clemson gave land for a land-grant
agricultural college in South Carolina, not too far from Athens, Georgia, the
town Homer Jordan called home. Moreover, no ACC team had won a national
championship since Maryland in 1953.
However, Clemson was the only team in the top 10 to defeat two other teams
in the top 10, namely Georgia, who was ranked second, and North Carolina, who
won the Gator Bowl.
Nebraska had started the season 1-2 but reeled off eight straight wins
coming into the Orange Bowl, including a victory over defending Orange Bowl
champion Oklahoma in their last game.
What would make it more interesting was the number two Georgia
Bulldogs lost in the Sugar Bowl to Pittsburgh by a score of 24-20 and the
number three Alabama Crimson Tide lost 14-12 to the Texas Longhorns in the
Cotton Bowl. That meant if Nebraska could beat the number one Clemson Tigers,
they could lay claim to the national championship too.
The coaches
Clemson was coached by Danny Ford who, at 33, was the youngest coach
in Division 1 in the NCAA and college coach of the year. He had posted a 26-9 record in
three years at Clemson. On the other sideline was Tom Osborne, coach of the
Cornhuskers for the previous five years. He held a .778 career winning
percentage, making him the fifth winningest active coach. In his nine years at
Nebraska total, the ‘huskers were 5-3 in bowl games.
The teams – Clemson
I just re-watched the game a few days ago, and it was as entertaining
as it was the first time, maybe even more because of what some of the players
would go on to do.
The Tigers were led on offence by quarterback Homer Jordan and All-American
receiver Perry Tuttle, a senior from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Jordan
finished the 1981 regular season completing 96 of 174 passes for a 55.2 percent
average, 1,496 yards, eight touchdowns, and eight interceptions, to lead the
ACC in passing. He was also just 1,500 yards shy of tying Steve Fuller as the
all-time leader at Clemson. Ford said that as Jordan plays, so go the Tigers.
And they moved the ball, averaging more than 400 yards offence per game that
season, and 454 yards per game over their last six games.
Defensively the Tigers were led by All-American linebacker Jeff Davis
who could bench press 515 pounds. He was the ACC player of the year, just beating
out Jordan in balloting for the honour. The defence also had freshman lineman
William Perry, who was six feet three inches tall and 305 pounds. Announcer Don
Criqui said, “He eats like he’s going to the chair.” The defence held their
opponents all season to 251 yards per game total offence.
The teams – Nebraska
Nebraska’s offence relied on their rushing game. The main ball
carriers were Roger Craig and Mike Rozier, while the offensive line was
anchored by All-American centre Dave Rimington, who some said was the best
player in the nation. He had won the Outland and Lombardi Trophies as the
nation’s top lineman, tipping the scales at 285 pounds. He was the second
centre and third junior to win the Outland Trophy. He would have his hands
full, because lining up across from him was William Perry. Playing quarterback
was Mark Mauer, who had come in relief of Turner Gill, a talented player who
was dealing with a season-ending injury. If Mauer had to put the ball in the
air, he had receivers Todd Brown and Irving Fryar to catch the ball.
The Cornhuskers came into the Orange Bowl with the number one defence
in the country. They were led by All-American defensive end Jimmy Williams, the
fastest player on the ‘huskers. They were bigger, but Clemson was
extraordinarily strong, one of the pioneers in weight training.
National television
The game was called by Don Criqui and John Brodie. An innovation this
year on NBC was having Bob Trumpy in the press box with the coaches from
Clemson and Nebraska. Periodically, they would flash to Trumpy and his observations.
The game – The first quarter
Nebraska received the ball to start. I recall trying to pronounce the
name of Clemson’s kicker, Donald Igwebuike from Nigeria, but was unable to.
Again, it was up to Criqui to pronounce it as Clemson kicked off.
As the game progressed Criqui and co-host John Brodie, would make more
and more of Clemson’s defence, led by that All-American Jeff Davis. It was not
long before they made their presence felt, as William Devane knocked the ball
loose and recovered the fumble, setting up the Tigers in good field position.
Jordan came out and took them into field-goal range, where Igwebuike,
whose kicks were extremely high, made it 3-0 with a 41-yard field goal.
Nebraska would respond with a little mis-direction. Mauer handed to
Rozier who, utilizing the halfback option, threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to
Anthony Steels. Kevin Seibel’s conversion gave the ‘huskers the 7-3 lead.
The teams hunkered down defensively, as Clemson sent out punter Dale
Hatcher, the top punter in the ACC, for his first kick of the game. The Tiger
defence then in turn stymied the Nebraska offence.
Before the opening quarter ended, Igwebuike hit another field goal,
this one from 37 yards out, to make the score 7-6 as the first quarter expired.
The game – The second quarter
The Tigers got moving again in the second quarter as Jordan threw a
pass in the direction of Frank Magwood. The ball was tipped, but Magwood caught
it on the carom for a 44-yard reception deep in Nebraska territory. Then
controversy struck. Jordan threw a pass into the end zone. Nebraska defensive back
Ric Lindquist dove for the ball. His back obscured the referee’s view, so when
he rolled over he had the ball. It was inconclusive, but the official ruled it
an interception in the end zone, resulting in a touchback and ending Clemson’s
drive. Replays from all angles proved inconclusive as well.
It was Nebraska’s turn to move the ball. Rozier took a screen pass and
made some good yards. However, Davis asserted his presence, recovering a
fumble and ending another Nebraska drive.
Clemson turned to the run, first handing to Kevin Mack. The big back
had churned out 283 yards in 71 carries for a 3.8-yard average and two
touchdowns during the regular season. He rotated with Cliff Austin, who led the
Tigers in 1981 with eight touchdowns. He took a hand-off two yards for a
touchdown and a 12-7 lead. Coach Ford decided to go for a two-point conversion
to make the spread a converted touchdown, but it failed.
The teams went into the intermission with Clemson leading 12-7. Jordan
had completed five of 12 passes for 62 yards and that disputed interception. Nebraska
had two turnovers and Clemson had turned the ball over once. Tuttle had four
receptions for 43 yards. Perhaps of greater note: All-American centre Dave
Rimington had taken two holding penalties. The Clemson defence was taking its
toll.
The game – The third quarter
Nebraska had owned the third quarter all season in their games, outscoring their
opponents by a combined margin of 111-23. However, Clemson continued to carry
the edge in play. Halfway through the third quarter, they had 12 first downs to
just five for the Cornhuskers. They put together another drive that looked to
stall when Chuck McSwain was dropped for a seven-yard loss on a second-down
play. On the very next play, Jordan intentionally under threw a pass in the end zone. Tuttle
adjusted to it and hauled in the ball for a 13-yard touchdown reception and an 18-7 lead.
Enter Igwebuike for the convert and a 19-7 lead. The drive went 12 plays for 75
yards, using up 4:47 on the clock.
Tuttle now had five receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown. It was
his 16th career touchdown, and seventh of the season.
Nebraska was not out of this game by any means. Criqui and Brodie
referred to the previous Orange Bowl where Oklahoma quarterback J.C. Watts
rallied his Sooners in the last minute to defeat Florida State.
However, it was Clemson who struck again before the close of the third
quarter. After the Tiger defence stopped Nebraska on their ensuing possession,
Clemson punt returner Billy Davis took a kick 48 yards, all the way down to the
Nebraska 22-yard line. The drive stalled so Igwebuike came out and booted a
36-yard field goal to up Clemson’s lead to 22-7, with 2:36 left in the quarter.
On the first play of Nebraska’s next drive, Clemson defender Johnny Rembert
dropped a sure interception that likely could have put the game away.
The game – The fourth quarter
After three quarters, Clemson had 100 yards rushing and 134 yards
passing for 234 total yards, with 24:13 in time of possession. Nebraska had 108
yards rushing and 135 yards passing for 243 total yards, with 20:47 in time of
possession.
Clemson’s success so far, was due in part to the legs of Homer Jordan,
who had rushed 12 times for 20 yards. More importantly, he had extended many
plays with his scrambling.
Just as Nebraska had owned the third quarter all season, they also
owned the fourth quarter, outscoring their opponents by a combined margin of
101-20. They had no success in the third quarter, and now had just 15 minutes
to make a game of it.
They began to give the ball more to Rozier who picked up some key
yards in the second half. However, it would be Roger Craig who finally broke
through, scoring a 26-yard touchdown with 9:15 to play. The score was 22-13 and
Osborne decided to go for two. Craig ran that ball into the end zone as well,
cutting Clemson’s lead to 22-15. Craig now had 11 rushes for 88 yards and a
touchdown. That drive covered 69 yards in eight plays, and only took 2:50 off
the clock.
Nebraska would later get the ball back in time to try and tie the
game. But, on a critical third down, Clemson tossed Nebraska for a 13-yard loss
on a botched pitch.
Clemson would get the ball back and, with time ticking, Jordan ran for
23 yards on a key third and long to give Clemson a first down. That run gave
him 44 yards on 14 carries. More importantly, the Tigers had a first and 10
with 1:58 left.
Nebraska burned their last time out to stop the clock with 1:43 left. After that, Clemson ran all but six seconds off the clock, giving the ball back
to the Cornhuskers with a chance at a hail mary pass. It didn’t work. The
Tigers knocked down Mauer’s bomb as time ran out.
Clemson had won 22-15. A few days later they were voted national
champions in the coaches’ and AP polls.
It remains their only national championship to date.
Coming north
Two of the best players on that Clemson team, Jordan and Tuttle, ended
up playing professionally, but had their greatest success when they came north
of the border.
Jordan was another of those black quarterbacks caught in the web of
prejudice in the NFL back in the 1980s. Considered a good athlete, he was
welcome to try out at another skill position, but he just wasn’t quarterback
material.
That was really funny, considering the Saskatchewan Roughriders
thought he was. So did the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. They proved the CFL was
colour blind when it came to the quarterback position long before the NFL ever
was. Jordan played four seasons in the CFL, from 1983 to 1985 with the Riders and 1986 with the Bombers.
Perry Tuttle (#22) was an All-American receiver with the 1981 Clemson Tigers. He would go on to play in the NFL, but really make his mark in the Canadian Football League with Winnipeg.
Tuttle played in the NFL with Buffalo in 1982 and 1983, but found himself in an
untenable position. He was essentially deemed a third-down receiver, which
brings with it a lot of pressure. His job was to get first downs. That can be
difficult when he wasn’t at all in the rhythm of the series or the game. He was
released, and looking for work. He caught on with Atlanta and then Tampa Bay in 1984, but was unemployed by season's end.
It was Winnipeg who welcomed him with open arms in 1986. In turn, he became
one of their best receivers and helped them win two Grey Cups, in 1988 and
1990. He was later inducted into the Winnipeg Blue Bomber hall of fame.
Donald Igwebuike would also take a more circuitous path to the CFL.
After a successful NFL career with Tampa Bay and one year with Minnesota, he
joined the fledgling Baltimore franchise of the CFL in 1994, playing there a
season before moving on to the Memphis Mad Dogs, also of the CFL.
Todd Brown also found his way to Canada, playing for Montreal.
Coincidentally, he would be joined by Nebraska teammate Turner Gill, who sat
out that 1982 Orange Bowl with an injury. Brown played for Saskatchewan
and Winnipeg as well.
Parting thoughts
It is always fascinating to watch an old football game from beginning
to end. It offers a window to another time and another place. We also benefit
from the perspective of knowing how everything else turns out.
Several great football players, with distinguished service in the NFL,
played in the 1982 Orange Bowl.
Roger Craig would join
the San Francisco 49ers and become the first player in history to have 1,000
rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season. He would win three Super
Bowls. Mike Rozier would go on to win the Heisman Trophy two years later, in
1983, then become the first player taken in the 1983 United States Football
League draft by the Pittsburgh Maulers. He would eventually find his way to the
Houston Oilers and a serviceable career. Dave Rimington, after winning another
Outland Trophy in 1982, proved to be as good a centre as experts thought.
Joining the Cincinnati Bengals, he would anchor an offensive line for five years before two more with Philadelphia. His impact on college football is felt to this day, as the Dave Rimington
Trophy is awarded to college football’s top centre. Irving Fryar would be the
first player taken in the 1984 NFL draft by the New England Patriots, and help
lead them to the Super Bowl in the 1985 season. He would have a 14-year career that
also included stops with the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins.
William Perry would join the Chicago Bears, picking up the nickname
“The Refrigerator”, and providing one of the unique characters on the 1985
Bears Super Bowl team. He even scored a touchdown in their route of Fryar’s
Patriots. Kevin Mack would join the Cleveland Browns and have several 1,000
yard seasons, helping lead the Browns to the AFC championship game in 1986,
1987 and 1989, losing all three times to the Denver Broncos. Jeff Davis would
play six seasons in the NFL with Tampa Bay.
The game represented what was wrong with the system of the time.
Clemson was unbeaten and ranked number one. They should have played at least the number
two team for the national championship. Nebraska, at number four, should have
had no chance at the title. Yet, because the champion was decided by a vote, Nebraska could have won the national championship by beating the number one
team, since the second and third ranked teams both lost that same New Year’s
Day. It is a good reason an actual playoff system, which has finally arrived,
was so desperately needed.
The game also illustrated how different college conferences were. In
1981, the Atlantic Coast Conference was smaller, with very few nationally
recognized powerhouses. That was one of the reasons Clemson did not get the
credit or respect it deserved. Since then, it has ballooned in size to include
solid football programs such as Miami, Florida State, Syracuse, and Boston
College. The same goes for the Big Eight. Back then, there was no Big 12.
Instead the South West Conference existed with eight teams from Texas and
Arkansas. Eventually it would implode and Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor, and Texas
A&M would join the Big Eight to create the Big 12. Since then Nebraska has
itself re-located to the Big 10.
And Clemson was sanctioned for recruiting violations. Players, such as offensive lineman Lee Nanney, distanced and even disassociated themselves from the Clemson football program and coach Danny Ford. The NCAA came down harshly on Clemson. The Tigers received a two-year postseason ban (1982-83), had the number of scholarships reduced from 30 to 20 for the 1983 and 1984 seasons and were banned from live television for 1983 and 1984. Yet, unlike teams that committed similar violations in subsequent years, they had neither their national championship nor any victories vacated.
It also shows how hard it is to win a national championship in college
football. Clemson had not won before 1981, and has not won one since. The more I read, the more I wonder if they only won because they were cheating, yet Homer Jordan, Perry Tuttle, and Jeff Davis seemed to be above the controversy and they were the cogs in that championship wheel.
Still, watching that 1982 Orange Bowl was entertaining. It’s always
fun to watch two evenly matched teams do battle for 60 minutes. In this case,
Clemson entered the game undefeated but under appreciated, and showed the
entire nation they were for real – and so was their quarterback Homer
Jordan.
From his neighbourhood in Athens, Georgia to the Orange Bowl in Miami,
Florida, Homer’s odyssey was now complete.
The recent passing of Donna Douglas, brought back several memories of
her seminal role, Miss Elly in “The Beverly Hillbillies”. It was perhaps the
most successful “fish out water” story ever, where a group of people from the
hills moved to hills of another – Beverly Hills – after striking it rich.
Word of mouth
“The Beverly Hillbillies” had been off the air for years, long before
I started watching television. Yet my mother always pointed to “The Beverly
Hillbillies” when she talked about how there used to be good, clean comedies on
TV. She tried to explain the show to me, how a hillbilly discovered oil on his
property and became a millionaire, precipitating a move to Beverly Hills.
It was hard for me to imagine the show, especially because she said
the head of the family, Jed Clampett, was played by Buddy Ebsen. My only image
of Buddy Ebsen was as the straight-laced professional private investigator
Barnaby Jones. I had difficulty seeing him as either a hillbilly or a comedian.
Mom also talked about Jethro, Jed’s dim-witted nephew, and Elly May,
his daughter. Mom got a good laugh out of the time Elly May did the cooking. It
was so bad, Jed did not want to say anything to her, but buried it in the
backyard. Her cooking became an on-going joke.
Reunion
One day, I’m not sure if I heard it first on “Entertainment Tonight”
or read it in “TV Guide”, but a Beverly Hillbillies reunion movie was coming to
TV. Over the years, my mom had told me a couple other things about the show.
One thing, was that Donna Douglas, who played Miss Ellie, had gone on to sell
real estate after the show ended. The other thing, was that Irene Ryan, who
played Granny, had died. So I wondered how they would account for all that in
the reunion.
It aired on a school night in 1981, so I had to stay up late, but I
was so excited. It turned out Jed Clampett had returned to Bug Tussle where he
had lived, and where he found oil. Granny was dead, but her mother, Jed’s
actual grandma, was living there. Oddly, he called her “Ma”, which was even
stranger because he called his mother “Granny”. “Ma” was played by Imogene
Coca, and she fit the bill perfectly.
The federal government was looking to deal with the energy crisis by
harnessing Granny’s moonshine. The representative they sent out from the
department of energy was none other than Jane Hathaway, the lady from the bank,
played by Nancy Kulp, who was part of the original cast. Meanwhile, Jethro had
become a movie producer.
Donna Douglas had returned too, but I don’t think Max Baer played
Jethro. Instead, he was played by Ray Young who really just was not the same.
Back on TV
Channel 2&7 was celebrating some sort of anniversary, and aired a
bunch of old shows. One of them, which they took to airing every day after
school, was “The Beverly Hillbillies”. I finally had my chance to see what my
mother was talking about.
Donna Douglas in the role she is best known for, Elly May Clampett in "The Beverly Hillbillies"
Parting thoughts
I did not find the show as funny as my mother did, but that’s natural.
It was odd seeing Buddy Ebsen dressed up as a hillbilly, when I was used to
seeing him in a suit. The show was a bit too slapstick and cornball for me, so
I lost interest after awhile.
One thing that did fascinate me was the hillbilly lifestyle and
culture. Beyond “The Beverly Hillbillies”, I was interested in the Hatfields
and McCoys and their family feud, moonshine, and the other trappings of life in
the hills. I even thought about making a short film, with my cousin Fred, about
the Hatfields and McCoys. We would animate it, with Fred doing the art and me
writing the script.
Still, what “The Beverly Hillbillies” did if not first, at least more
successfully than its predecessors, was make the “fish out of water” story into
a hit. “Pettitcoat Junction” and “Green Acres”, which were actual spin-offs, would
follow, as would many others, but nothing else was as successful.
And a big part of that was the pretty, charming, and innocent daughter
of the hills, Elly May Clampett.
Michigan State linebacker Percy Snow was the best player on the field in the 1988 Rose Bowl.
When Michigan State beat Stanford in the 2014 Rose Bowl, it marked the
Spartans’ first appearance in the game since the 1980s – 1988 to be exact.
In 1988 it
had been 22 years since Michigan State last appeared in the festival of roses, way back in 1966. The Spartans made the most of their experience too, led by a
young, talented linebacker named Percy Snow.
The bowl game, 80s style
The 1987 season was highlighted by a battle between Oklahoma and Miami
for college football supremacy. Beyond national championship aspirations, some
teams also had the opportunity to participate in bowl games
The climate of college bowls was much different in 1987. Back then it
meant something to qualify for a bowl game. Unlike today, where there are
dozens and dozens of games named after the sponsoring companies, back then
there was a handful of meaningful games, all played on New Year’s Day. It is
funny though, that even back then we made fun of the fact there were all these
other bowls, like the Holiday, Independence, Florida Citrus, Liberty, and Gator
Bowls. Even the Fiesta Bowl, which wormed its way into the spotlight, was considered
a bit of an outsider.
The main bowl games of the time were the Cotton, Rose, Orange, and
Sugar Bowls. By 1988, the Fiesta Bowl had joined the party as well. Back then, some
of the teams for these games were determined by their conference. The Big-8
Conference champion (pre-cursor to the Big 12) qualified for the Orange Bowl, while the Pac-10 (now called
the Pac-12) and Big-10 champions met every year in the Rose Bowl.
The 1988 Rose Bowl
The Michigan State Spartans qualified for the Rose Bowl on the
strength of victories over Michigan, Ohio State, Iowa and Indiana. They were
led on defence by linebacker Percy Snow and on offence by quarterback Bobby
McAllister, runningback Lorenzo White, and receiver Andre Rison. This trip to the Rose Bowl was the
Spartans’ first since the 1965 season.
Meanwhile, the USC Trojans would start their domination of the Pac-10
conference, as this appearance was the first of three consecutive trips to the
Rose Bowl. They were led by quarterback Rodney Peete, a personal favourite of
mine, who would go on to a successful pro career with Detroit and Dallas.
The teams had actually met in the season opener, with Michigan State winning 27-13.
The game would be dominated by defence, as the Spartan defence forced four Trojan turnovers. USC tied the game 17-17 early in the fourth quarter, then Michigan State moved the ball down the field, setting up a field goal by Spartan kicker John Langeloh with four minutes left to play to make the score 20-17 for the Spartans. The key play of the drive turned out to be on third down when McAllister eluded the Trojan pressure, scrambled and hit Rison for a first down keeping the drive alive.
The Trojans had time to come back. Peete drove the Trojans to the Spartan 29-yard line with two minutes to go, but he fumbled the next snap. The Spartans recovered the ball and ran out the clock.
Runningback Lorenzo White, who would go on to play for the Houston Oilers, finished the game rushing the ball 35 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Snow had 17 unassisted tackles and was named the game’s most valuable player for his efforts.
Parting thoughts
The 1988 Rose Bowl symbolized many changes. It was the last
Rose Bowl broadcast by NBC Sports. I had grown up watching CTV’s feed of Dick
Enberg and Merlin Olsen calling the Rose Bowl. The next year ABC would start
broadcasting the game.
It seemed like a bigger deal at the time, but got quickly
lost in the other things going on in my life. That 1988 Rose Bowl was the last
one I watched on the farm I grew up on. The next year I went back to university
early, and watched all the bowl games in res. The years after that, I returned
to university before new year’s eve, then my parents retired and moved into the
city.
The game would be just a sign of things to come for Percy Snow. He played two more years of college football, winning the Butkus Award for top linebacker, and the Lombardi Award for top linebacker or lineman, both in 1989, becoming one of just four players to win both awards. He was taken in the first round of the 1990 NFL draft, 13th overall, by the Kansas City Chiefs.
However, his college success did not translate to the pro level. He had a great rookie season, but injuries cut his career short. He played a total of just 40 games, retiring in 1993.
But on New Year’s Day, 1988, Percy Snow was the best player
on the field. He made a lasting impression, which the Spartans needed because
it would be another 26 years before Michigan State returned to Pasadena. This
time there was no Snow though.
Peter O'Toole in his Emmy-nominated role as General Cornelius Flavius Silva in the 1981 mini-series "Masada"
It was just about a year ago that Peter O’Toole died (He died Monday,
December 14, 2013), and I made a note to eulogize him. He was a great actor,
best known for his role in “Lawrence of Arabia”, but in the 1980s he made his
mark on television.
Mini-series success
It all started with Masada with Peter Strauss in 1981. It was at a
time when the television mini-series was a major television event. This one
followed the journey of 900 Jews, led by Eleazar ben Yair (Peter Strauss), who are
under siege and hold out on the mountaintop of Masada, against a Roman Legion
five times their size, led by General Cornelius Flavius Silva (O’Toole). By the
time they enter Masada, the rebels had committed mass suicide knowing what
their fate otherwise would be.
O’Toole was nominated for an Emmy for his role.
TV movie madness
What followed “Masada” was a string of TV movies. O’Toole played an
old singer coaching a younger one in "Svengali" in 1983. Later that same year he
played Henry Higgins in a television adaptation of “Pygmalion”. In 1984, he
played Lama in “Kim”, where a young Indian man is trained to be a spy by the
British.
He rounded out the decade playing Silas Ruthyn in the 1989 TV
mini-series “Uncle Silas”.
Back in the theatres
A movie I watched him in during that period was the theatrical release
“Supergirl” in 1984, where Helen Slater played the super hero and cousin of
Superman. O’Toole played a forgettable role as a Kryptonian whose actions lead
to Supergirl having to come to Earth. O’Toole was panned for the role, and was
even nominated for a Rassie award for worst actor.
He was back in 1985 with “Creator”, where he plays a scientist who is
looking for a way to clone his dead wife. Then in 1986 he was in “Club
Paradise” where he starred alongside Robin Williams. He finished up the decade
playing R.J. Johnston in “The Last Emperor”, a movie about the last emperor of
China.
Parting thoughts
It just proves that good actors are good actors, no matter where they
act. Although Peter O’Toole was best known for his work in motion pictures and the
theatre, he still chose roles to showcase his talents on television.
The result was such stellar work as “Masada”. His talent will be
sorely missed.
