I actually learned a lot there. I also thought Paul Brown had coached at Miami University but I see he actually played there. I do know that he, in later years, became the President of the Board for Miami University and your grandfather had to work with him frequently and spoke very highly of him.
I never retained that Cleveland had just joined the league when they won the championship in 1950 or that Otto Graham was so prolific.
Thanks for reading! Just to be clear, I am not related to Arch Ward, Paul Brown or anyone else in this story. s/o to my grandfathers though :)
The Browns dynasty has gotten short-changed historically because the first four years were in the AAFC, but to me, them coming to the NFL and immediately winning again tells me all I need to know. Maybe they would not have gone undefeated in '48 if they were in the NFL, but Paul Brown was clearly the head of the pack in coaching at the time, Otto Graham was clearly the head of the pack at QB, and Motley was clearly the head of the pack at FB, and that's all she wrote.
Add to that Willis, Groza, Speedie, Ford, Gatski and others and they were a true powerhouse.
For those quick to dismiss the great Otto Graham his athleticism would probably endure in other eras. During his streak of pro football success he also played on a pro basketball championship team that was a precursor to NBA. He was a college running back who Brown converted to qb . As such his playing style might draw comparisons to Patrick Mahomes if you allow for the football being akin to a watermelon which made things far less graceful than with today’s streamlined football……
While we are in this discussion I am compelled to ask that if Graham and Brady, each retaining his innate ability, switched eras and teams—which would be more successful
Of courses it is a question impossible to answer. So just ponder it
Thanks Frank! I think that along with people not knowing Otto Graham, there are also plenty of people who know him but don't know his game. I feel like it's only in the past few years that I realized what kind of a runner he was, and that's obviously a huge aspect of his game. The benefit of incorporating AAFC records officially into the NFL is now Graham's name is forever tied to Brady's, and more football fans will hear his story.
Jack is the most knowledgeable sports historian out there. He has been quoted in several sports history books. His groundbreaking investigation and story that revealed for the first time NFL owners ban of talented Black footballers from the 1920s - 1940s made national news, covered by major U.S. media (including CBS Sports, ESPN etc.). Hooray for Jack setting the record straight.
I actually learned a lot there. I also thought Paul Brown had coached at Miami University but I see he actually played there. I do know that he, in later years, became the President of the Board for Miami University and your grandfather had to work with him frequently and spoke very highly of him.
I never retained that Cleveland had just joined the league when they won the championship in 1950 or that Otto Graham was so prolific.
Thanks for reading! Just to be clear, I am not related to Arch Ward, Paul Brown or anyone else in this story. s/o to my grandfathers though :)
The Browns dynasty has gotten short-changed historically because the first four years were in the AAFC, but to me, them coming to the NFL and immediately winning again tells me all I need to know. Maybe they would not have gone undefeated in '48 if they were in the NFL, but Paul Brown was clearly the head of the pack in coaching at the time, Otto Graham was clearly the head of the pack at QB, and Motley was clearly the head of the pack at FB, and that's all she wrote.
Add to that Willis, Groza, Speedie, Ford, Gatski and others and they were a true powerhouse.
For those quick to dismiss the great Otto Graham his athleticism would probably endure in other eras. During his streak of pro football success he also played on a pro basketball championship team that was a precursor to NBA. He was a college running back who Brown converted to qb . As such his playing style might draw comparisons to Patrick Mahomes if you allow for the football being akin to a watermelon which made things far less graceful than with today’s streamlined football……
While we are in this discussion I am compelled to ask that if Graham and Brady, each retaining his innate ability, switched eras and teams—which would be more successful
Of courses it is a question impossible to answer. So just ponder it
Thanks Frank! I think that along with people not knowing Otto Graham, there are also plenty of people who know him but don't know his game. I feel like it's only in the past few years that I realized what kind of a runner he was, and that's obviously a huge aspect of his game. The benefit of incorporating AAFC records officially into the NFL is now Graham's name is forever tied to Brady's, and more football fans will hear his story.
Yes, sorry, Andrew's Grandfather worked with Paul Brown in that capacity.
Oh wow! I did not know that!
Jack is the most knowledgeable sports historian out there. He has been quoted in several sports history books. His groundbreaking investigation and story that revealed for the first time NFL owners ban of talented Black footballers from the 1920s - 1940s made national news, covered by major U.S. media (including CBS Sports, ESPN etc.). Hooray for Jack setting the record straight.