Only 72, ouch.
When it was still a game.
RIP
This is spooky - cleaning out old stuff this past weekend (moving) this magazine was in the stack I took to the dump:
“1977 Sports Illustrated cover story, Dobler was dubbed “Pro Football’s Dirtiest Player.”
Haven’t seen or thought of it for 40+ years until Saturday..
Suddenly? Yes...only took 72 years.
A name that struck hearts with fear on the Gridiron.
“That’s not what he says...”
I always thought that honor belonged to Erich Barnes, fearsome cornerback. He was known for clothesline tackles, and admitted “I like to get a personal foul early so they know I mean business.”
You nailed it. Football from when back in the day when it was worth watching. Not a bunch of showboats. Just ass kickers.
Exactly, which is why the game is not fun for me to watch anymore. I literally see a QB run the ball out of bound, and the defender does not touch him at all. Back when I played, someone would “take one for the team” and late hit the guy in the manner of “he is not going to be the same reckless player today”. A WR catches the ball over the middle, take his knees out. QB runs a sneak, “ear hole” the guy with your helmet.
The NFL is high scoring because, receivers have NO FEAR. It is a sad excuse of a game well past its peak.
I remember him losing in a Thanksgiving Game, and firing his helmet into the crowd. Pretty sure the game was being played in Detroit. Guy played with a passion you don’t see much these days.
And in the NFL, Dobler was just the man for the job.