Bring back the "Runner-Up" Bowl!

[Catzi Mars]

For a while, there was another post-season game in the National Football League.

It was officially called the Bert Bell Benefit Bowl, also known as the Playoff Bowl or "Runner-Up" Bowl. The game featured the two second-place teams in the league in what you could call a consolation game.

The game was played at Miami's Orange Bowl, and the game was played in January, following the NFL Championship Game.

Here are the final scores from each of the games, along with the date of the game:

January 7, 1961 Detroit Lions 17, Cleveland Browns 16
January 6, 1962 Detroit Lions 38, Philadelphia Eagles 10
January 6, 1963 Detroit Lions 17, Pittsburgh Steelers 10
January 9, 1964 Green Bay Packers 40, Cleveland Browns 23
January 8, 1965 St. Louis Football Cardinals 24, Green Bay Packers 17
January 9, 1966 Baltimore Colts 35, Dallas Cowboys 3
January 8, 1967 Baltimore Colts 20, Philadelphia Eagles 14
January 7, 1968 Los Angeles Rams 30, Cleveland Browns 6
January 5, 1969 Dallas Cowboys 17, Minnesota Vikings 13
January 3, 1970 Los Angeles Rams 31, Dallas Cowboys one big GOOSE EGG!

The won-loss records of the teams that played are as follows:

Detroit Lions 3-0
Baltimore Colts 2-0
Los Angeles Rams 2-0
Football Cardinals 1-0
Green Bay Packers 1-1
Dallas Cowboys 1-2
Pittsburgh Steelers 0-1
Minnesota Vikings 0-1
Philadelphia Eagles 0-2
Cleveland Browns 0-3

After the Shotgun Merger with the American Football League,the NFL brain trust thought that a consolation game would be unattractive, so it was discontinued.

Considering, lo, these many years later, how addicted we are to professional football, wouldn't it be quite the deal if we could get the next NFL commissioner, whether Condi, Yoda Largent, or the Big Dog, to reinstate this game? This way, if you aren't satisfied with who makes it to the Super Bowl, you could always catch this game.

We could get it televised on ESPN, or NFL Network.

I welcome your comments.

See you at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium!

[redskingush]

No runner up game, Who wants to play for 3rd place!!!!

[Catzi Mars]

You echo the sentiments of Vince Lombardi after his Green Bay Packers lost the January 8, 1965 edition of the game to the St. Louis Football Cardinals.

He remarked that the "Runner-Up" Bowl is "A Sh-- game, a game for losers."

The Best Ever Coach in NFL History went on to remark that the game was "a rinky-dink game, played in a rinky-dink stadium, in a rinky-dink city, by rinky-dink players." That's all the game was to him.

Rinky-dink.

All I was suggesting, and suggest still, is that as we have become very crazy for pro football in the years since the Shotgun Merger, maybe the NFL could bring this game back. That way, if you don't like who ends up playing for the Lombardi Trophy, then you could do far worse than to try this game.

Whoever the next commissioner is, whether Condi, Yoda Largent, the Big Dog Willie, or - GASP! - Mr. Robert A. Altman, the new boss should consider bringing it back.

Let's keep talking about it, seriously. All of us.

[redskingush]

You echo the sentiments of Vince Lombardi

Maybe then the NFL can name the Championship trophy that everyplayer strives to win after me.

[Sir_Monk]

All I was suggesting, and suggest still, is that as we have become very crazy for pro football in the years since the Shotgun Merger, maybe the NFL could bring this game back. That way, if you don't like who ends up playing for the Lombardi Trophy, then you could do far worse than to try this game.

I think a third place game would be downright stupid. That's why the Bronze medal game in Olympic Ice Hockey and Basketball is always a bore, and why for the life of me I can't understand why the World Cup of Soccer does it.

But what would be cool is if college football ever got on board with a playoff format. If they could prolong the college season or start it later and have their championship game played in the same stadium on the Saturday of Super Bowl Weekend.