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Charles White scored the winning touchdown for the USC Trojans in the 1980 Rose Bowl. Source: Facebook (May be subject to copyright) |
The answer is that I did pretty much exactly then what I did today – watch college while recovering from a New Year’s gathering, although back then no alcohol was involved.
Bowl game bonanza
Back in the 1980s, bowl games meant something, unlike today where they have proliferated to the point that pretty much a big chunk of teams make a bowl game.
Back in the 1980s, bowl games meant something, unlike today where they have proliferated to the point that pretty much a big chunk of teams make a bowl game.
There were a few bowl games such as the Holiday Bowl, Astro-Blue Bonnet Bowl, Gator Bowl, Sun Bowl, Independence Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Peach Bowl, and a few others that were held in the days and weeks leading up to January 1, but I never saw a single one of those. They were only broadcast on cable television, and the best I could do was read about them in “TV Guide”.
However, the best bowl games were reserved for New Year’s Day, and those were carried on peasant vision. The CBC Channel 9 carried the Cotton Bowl, which kicked off New Year’s Day football, while CTV Channel 13 carried the Rose Bowl in the afternoon and the Orange Bowl in primetime. Later on, Channel 13 would add the Fiesta Bowl to make their coverage a triple header. Sadly, no one picked up the Sugar Bowl, so I had to rely on TV Guide for a preview, then the news and talk at school afterwards for any details.
New Year’s Eve
Growing up, we celebrated New Year’s with our family. My Mom’s older brother farmed up the road from us while her sister lived in Lethbridge. We would rotate New Year’s Eve celebrations between our three houses. I have fond memories of playing games such as Rummoli and Monopoly with my cousins, watching movies on cable TV in Lethbridge, and listening to music.
Growing up, we celebrated New Year’s with our family. My Mom’s older brother farmed up the road from us while her sister lived in Lethbridge. We would rotate New Year’s Eve celebrations between our three houses. I have fond memories of playing games such as Rummoli and Monopoly with my cousins, watching movies on cable TV in Lethbridge, and listening to music.
One year, we went to see a movie, “Going in Style”, starring George Burns, Art Carney and Lee Strasberg as three seniors who hold up a bank. We joked all the way there that the movie wouldn’t get out until “next year”.
Most times though, we were having fun when the time came for the New year’s countdown. We would have it on peasant vision on one of the farms, or tuned in to Dick Clark on cable in Lethbridge, to lead the way.
What always stands out is that when the clock struck midnight, we all hugged and kissed each other, shook hands, and expressed warm affection for the occasion. I even distinctly remember kissing my grandfather on the cheek. Then we would have some sort of midnight luncheon.
It was pretty cool.
Waking up is hard to do
Invariably, we would get to bed pretty late, and I ended up sleeping in on New Year’s Day. Usually, I was up by around 10 a.m. and would usually re-visit my Christmas presents, talk to my Mom, and have something to eat.
Invariably, we would get to bed pretty late, and I ended up sleeping in on New Year’s Day. Usually, I was up by around 10 a.m. and would usually re-visit my Christmas presents, talk to my Mom, and have something to eat.
On Jan. 1, 1980, I saw my first college bowl games. It would begin a long tradition that continues to this day.
The Rose Bowl featured the Ohio State Buckeyes taking on the USC Trojans. Unknown to me at the time, as everything was brand new, was that this was the first Rose Bowl called by announcer Dick Enberg for NBC. He would become synonymous with the game for me. He told me the Trojans were led by runningback Charles White, who had won the Heisman Trophy that year, narrowly beating out Billy Sims of Oklahoma who had won it the year before. The Trojans also had quarterback Paul McDonald, who was the first left-handed quarterback I had seen, and would play well in the game.
Interestingly, I already knew a little bit about Ohio State. On a couple different Saturdays, we were shopping in Lethbridge and stopped by afterwards to visit my Uncle Ed and Aunt Joanne. They had cable TV, so I tuned in to some college football, and both times the Buckeyes were playing. What I remember most was their quarterback Art Schlichter. He would go on to the NFL, drafted by the Baltimore Colts, only to get suspended for gambling. Ultimately, he ended his career with Ottawa in the CFL, and a stint in the Arena Football League where he was a league most valuable player.
That day, the Trojans and Buckeyes were evenly matched, and I found myself cheering for the Trojans. Trailing late, USC just kept having McDonald hand the ball off to White until he took it into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
The Orange Bowl was on next and, wouldn’t you know it, that’s when I met Billy Sims. His Oklahoma Sooners were playing the Florida State Seminoles. I clearly remember the pre-game show going into the locker room where Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer was giving a pep talk that mentioned how special their star runningback was. They also went behind the scenes with Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden and how he was using the names of cars in his play calling.
Once the game started, I only watched a bit, before falling asleep. I watched enough to see Oklahoma’s quarterback was J.C. Watts, J.C. being short for Julius Caesar, and how he got the ball to Sims. Together they ran roughshod over the Seminoles, leading the Sooners to victory. I also recall Oklahoma’s kicker was named Michael Keeling.
That was another hallmark of watching those early bowl games – I would sometimes fall asleep before they were over.
But not for the next year’s Orange Bowl.
Cotton in my ears
A year later, in 1981, I was awake in time to tune to Channel 9 and see my very first Cotton Bowl. The Alabama Crimson Tide were playing the Baylor Bears. A lot was made about the Tide’s coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, who was a legend. Baylor was led on defence by linebacker Mike Singletary, who would become a star in the NFL, and on offence by runningback Walter Abercrombie.
A year later, in 1981, I was awake in time to tune to Channel 9 and see my very first Cotton Bowl. The Alabama Crimson Tide were playing the Baylor Bears. A lot was made about the Tide’s coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, who was a legend. Baylor was led on defence by linebacker Mike Singletary, who would become a star in the NFL, and on offence by runningback Walter Abercrombie.
Oddly, that year I cheered for Alabama, which is something I have not done for a very long time. The Tide’s offence, which was predicated on running the ball and using the option, was led by runningback Major Ogilvie and quarterback Walter Lewis, who ended up leading them to victory. This was the first time I read about the Cotton Bowl in “TV Guide” as well.
A few months later, we were in Lethbridge and I saw these nylon mesh shirts of college football teams that were pretty cheap. I think they were at the SAAN store. One was Baylor, and another one was Alabama, and I was able to convince my Mom to buy me a red Alabama shirt. When I put it on, I pretended to be Walter Lewis when I was out throwing around the football. He would be another player who came up to the CFL, playing for Montreal.
The Rose Bowl that year featured the Michigan Wolverines playing the Washington Huskies. All the hype was around Michigan coach Bo Schembechler who had never won a bowl game, losing his six previous appearances. That made me cheer for the Wolverines, another rarity since then. They had a great receiver named Anthony Carter, who wore number one. The announcers noted he was prone to having his jersey torn and he went through multiple ones each game. Sure enough, when he dove to make a catch part way through the Rose Bowl, he tore off his jersey when the turf grabbed it. Michigan also had a place kicker with the cool name of Ali Haji-Sheikh, who wore glasses, and looked more like an accountant. He would have a solid pro career too, with the New York Giants.
The other odd thing about this game was the way they compared the starting quarterbacks – John Wangler for Michigan and Tom Flick for Washington. They had very similar stats and said they even looked the same. Curious.
The Wolverines would break the curse and give Schembechler his Rose Bowl championship.
The Orange Bowl was a re-match of the previous year. This time J.C. Watts led the Sooners on a last-minute, game-winning touchdown drive and a successful two-point convert to give Oklahoma a one-point win over Florida State. I have written extensively about this game elsewhere on this blog.
Parting thoughts
As the 1980s got under way, I was beginning to get more and more into college football, just in time to see some players on their way to amazing careers as the decade progressed.
As the 1980s got under way, I was beginning to get more and more into college football, just in time to see some players on their way to amazing careers as the decade progressed.
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