It was hard non to intend of a storey a friend of mine i time told me piece reading "Mavericks, Money too Men." I'll tell the storey inwards a moment, but a description of the majority needs to endure told to gear upwardly the story.
The history of the American Football League has been told many times over the years. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 grouping of men self-nicknamed "The Foolish Club" started a contender league designed to challenge, or at to the lowest degree co-exist, amongst the established National Football League. Such actions had taken identify inwards the past, but they were rarely also successful. The All-American Football Conference did all correct inwards the post-war 1940s, too a few of its teams merged into the NFL. But inwards general, the convention wisdom was that the participants inwards the novel league at an ownership degree were throwing their coin away.
It turned out the AFL did quite well, give cheers you. There were growing pains, of course, but the league tardily improved too merged amongst the NFL inwards 1966. That led to 4 interleague entitle games (Super Bowls I through IV) that took identify earlier the leagues' lineup was reshuffled. The AFL teams famously won 2 of them, the Jets inwards 1969 too the Chiefs inwards 1970.
Author Charles K. Ross spends a non bad bargain of fourth dimension reviewing the contributions of African American players to the success of the AFL. That's specially truthful inwards the instance of historically dark colleges, which had been to a greater extent than or less ignored past times the NFL through the 1950s. And this is where the storey comes up.
I was friends amongst Larry Felser, the tardily sportswriter of The Buffalo News. The dependent area came upwardly virtually the release of players who came out of Grambling University, coached past times the legendary Eddie Robinson, who found success inwards the AFL. Felser said the argue behind those signings was simple: AFL teams made payments to Robinson inwards companionship to brand sure that he steered top talent toward the NFL.
I can't nation I've always seen that storey reported anywhere. However, Felser covered the AFL throughout its 10 years of existence. He knew everyone inwards the league, too was on a first-name footing amongst owners. I get got niggling dubiety that if such payments were beingness made, Felser would get got known virtually it.
Certainly I wouldn't blame Robinson for taking the coin if it were offered. The athletic programs of schools similar Grambling weren't precisely overfunded, too I'd bet somebody similar Robinson would create what he could to ameliorate the football game program.
I'm non trying to nation that the NFL wasn't every bit proficient or every bit quick every bit it should get got been when it came to the expanse of integration. The Washington Redskins didn't get got a dark thespian until the early on 1960s. But Ross carries a sure approach into the storey that tin brand the reader halt too wonder whether he's forcing the events of the fourth dimension to tally into his version of the story.
For example, Buck Buchanan came out of Grambling for the 1963 football game drafts. He was the release i pick overall inwards the AFL alternative process, taken past times the Kansas City Chiefs. The Green Bay Packers took him inwards the 19th round. Ross evidently believes that this was due to the NFL having its caput inwards the sand. It's far to a greater extent than probable that Buchanan, for whatever reason, had agreed to an AFL contract already. By the way, since Buchanan - the get-go dark to endure taken No. 1 overall - injure upwardly inwards the Hall of Fame, the NFL should get got tried much harder to sign him. Such organisation were to a greater extent than mutual than people realize, depending on the year.
Ross also has an odd persuasion on the career of Marlin Briscoe, who is inwards the history books every bit the get-go dark quarterback to start a game inwards the AFL or NFL. He got that project when injuries too a lack of talent wiped out the Denver Broncos at a position. Briscoe moved into the lineup too played xi games for the residuum for the 1968 season. Ross wonders how proficient the Broncos mightiness get got been had they stayed amongst Briscoe inwards the years to come, too only about believe racism prevented that chance. I'm non discounting that possibility. However, Briscoe's 41.5 per centum completion charge per unit of measurement every bit a passer inwards 1968 too 5-foot-11 peak mightiness non get got helped his instance either. Briscoe surely deserved a direct chances to compete for a project inwards 1969, but the residuum of the storey shouldn't larn much beyond a "what if?"
Otherwise, this is a rather basic storey of the history of the AFL. It covers the teams too their seasons, climaxed amongst stories of championships. There are a few tales that may endure relatively novel to football game readers, showing that Ross did enough of homework. On the other hand, an early on edition of the majority designed for reviewers had a few errors, such every bit the spelling of the cite of Broncos' executive Bob Howsam.
Ross' top dog shout for virtually how the contribution of African Americans helped the AFL locomote successful is a proficient one. I wishing "Mavericks, Money too Men" had concentrated on that business office of the story. Extensive interviews amongst those pioneers would get got been interesting. The majority that was written isn't quite every bit compelling, but it volition serve every bit a quick review of a commutation fourth dimension inwards football game history.
Three stars
Learn to a greater extent than virtually this book.
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