Trav's Thoughts

Welcome to another Manic Monday with Morgen. Don't forget to cruise by MM HQ at It's A Blog Eat Blog World. Today's theme is Date.

Yes Virginia, today I post about sports. The AFC and NFC Championship games were played yesterday. New England defeated San Diego, while the New York Giants beat Green Bay in overtime. So the Giants will face the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII on 3 February 2008.

So for those of you who are interested, I have gathered the basics from the previous XLI (that's 41) Super Bowls, going back to the first AFL-NFL Championship game in 1967. If you would like to read more about any of the games, you can click here.

The date of the first Super Bowl was 15 January 1967. At that time the game was referred to as the First World Championship Game AFL vs NFL. The game was played in Los Angeles CA at the Coliseum, between the AFL's Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL's Green Bay Packers. The Packers won 35-10, and Green Bay QB Bart Starr was the MVP.

The second championship game was the first time it was referred to as the Super Bowl and featured Green Bay in it's second straight championship game. Unfortunately, the Packers beat my Oakland Raiders 33-14 in the Orange Bowl in Miami Fl. Bart Starr repeated as the MVP. Super Bowl II was played on 14 January 1968.

Super Bowl III was played 12 January 1969, again in the Orange Bowl in Miami. This game featured NY Jets QB Joe Namath as the MVP as the Jets beat Johnny Unitas and the Baltimore Colts, 16-7 in what is widely viewed as one of the greatest upsets in NFL championship history.

Super Bowl IV was the first championship game of which I have real memories. We rooted for Joe Kapp against the despised Chiefs, but Kansas City ended up beating the Minnesota Vikings 23-7 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans LA. KC QB Len Dawson was the MPV. The game was played 11 January 1970.

Super Bowl V was back in Miami at the Orange Bowl on 17 January 1971. This time the Baltimore Colts beat the Dallas Cowboys 16-13 on a last second field goal. Dallas LB Chuck Howley was the first defensive player to be named the MVP and the first player from a losing team to earn the honor.

Dallas came back in Super Bowl VI to beat the Miami Dolphins 24-3 behind MVP QB Roger Staubach. Howley had another standout game, this time in a winning cause. The game was back in New Orleans at Tulane Stadium, on 16 January 1972. It was the last loss prior to the Dolphins' perfect run in 1972.

Super Bowl VII on 14 January 1973 capped the Miami Dolphins perfect 17-0 season. The Dolphins beat the Washington Redskins 14-7 behind MVP Jake Scott, the second defensive player to win the award. The Miami safety intercepted 2 passes, including one in the endzone to preserve the win. The game was played in Los Angeles again at the Coliseum.

The Dolphins appeared in their 3rd straight championship game, and won their 2nd in a row on 13 January 1974. MVP RB Larry Csonka rushed for a then record 145 yards and led Miami over the Minnesota Vikings 24-7 in Super Bowl VIII, played at Rice Stadium in Houston TX.

Super Bowl IX was played on 12 January 1975, which was Black Sunday squared for Raider fans. Raider Nation maintains that Pittsburgh used an illegal play to score a late TD in the AFC Championship game. The play was allowed to stand and the Steelers went on to beat Minnesota 16-6 in what should have been our Raider Super Bowl. Pittsburgh RB Franco Harris was the MVP in the game played back at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans.

Super Bowl X again featured the evil Pittsburgh Steelers. Having little choice, I rooted for Dallas to no avail. Pittsburgh won behind the acrobatic catches of MVP WR Lynn Swann on 18 January 1976. The game returned once more to the Orange Bowl in Miami.

Finally! WR Fred Biletnikoff was the MVP for my Oakland Raiders as they routed the Minnesota Vikings 32-14 in Super Bowl XI, 9 January 1977, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena CA. These were my favorite players on my favorite team...Kenny Stabler, Cliff Branch, Dave Casper, Marvin Hubbard, Mark Van Eeghen, Pete Banaszak, Willie Brown, Ray Guy, Ted Hendricks, Art Shell, Gene Upshaw...and so many more.

Super Bowl XII was played on 15 January 1978 in the Superdome in New Orleans LA. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Denver Broncos 27-10, behind co-MVPs DT Randy White and DE Harvey Martin. The Dallas defense forced 8 turnovers, 4 fumbles and 4 interceptions.

Super Bowl XIII again featured the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Dallas Cowboys 35-31, behind MVP QB Terry Bradshaw's 4 touchdown passes. The game was played 21 January 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami.

On 20 January 1980, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Los Angeles Rams 31-19 in Super Bowl XIV to win its second consecutive championship. The game was played in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and Terry Bradshaw won his 2nd MVP.

My Oakland Raiders became the first wild card team to win the Super Bowl, behind MVP QB Jim Plunkett. My Raiders beat the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10 on 25 January 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans in Super Bowl XV. One of the things I remember about this game was the small yellow stripe on the back of the players' helmets to honor the 52 US diplomats held in Iran for 444 days. The hostages had been released on 20 January 1981. This was my senior year in high school and I was becoming politically aware.

I had two pretty good years in a row. Super Bowl XVI featured Joe Montana running Bill Walsh's new "west coast" offense and leading the San Francisco 49ers to a 26-21 win over the Cincinnati Bengals at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac Michigan. The game was played on 24 January 1982 and was the first of 5 championships for the San Francisco franchise.

Super Bowl XVII was played 30 January 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena CA. The Washington Redskins beat the Miami Dolphins 27-17 behind QB Joe Theisman and MVP RB John Riggins, who rushed for 166 yards on 38 carries. It was the 4th 100 yard rushing game in the playoffs that year for Riggins, one of the best post season performances ever by a running back.

Raider Nation shifted from northern California to southern California in 1982. On 22 January 1984, the Los Angeles Raiders whupped the Washington Redskins 38-9 to win Super Bowl XVIII played at Tampa Stadium in Tampa FL. Marcus Allen set a new Super Bowl rushing record with 191 yards on 20 carries, including an electric 74 yard TD run during which he completely reversed his field and cut back to outrun the Redskins defense. Allen was named the MVP.

Super Bowl XIX came for the first and last time to the Bay Area on 20 January 1985. The game was played at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto CA, and was essentially a home game for the San Francisco 49ers, who beat the Miami Dolphis 38-16 behind QB Joe Montana. It was his 2nd MVP honor. This game featured rookie QB Dan Marino, making his only Super Bowl appearance in a Hall of Fame career.

Super Bowl XX was played 26 January 1986 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The Chicago Bears destroyed the New England Patriots 46-10. The game featured Walter Payton, one of the greatest running backs ever to play the game, winning his first and only championship. The Bears dominating defense held the Patriots without a first down until the second quarter. The MVP of the game was Chicaco DE Richard Dent.

Super Bowl XXI was played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on 25 January 1987. The New York Giants beat the Denver Broncos 39-20 behind one of the best performances ever in a Super Bowl by a quarterback. MVP Phil Simms completed 22 of 25 passes for 268 yards and 3 touchdowns. This was the first of multiple Super Bowl appearances for Denver QB John Elway.

Super Bowl XXII featured the first African American quarterback to win a Super Bowl. MVP Doug Williams led the Washington Redskins to a 42-10 win over the Denver Broncos. After falling behind 10-0 to Denver, the Redskins exploded for 35 points in the 2nd quarter. The game was played 31 January 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego CA.

Super Bowl XXIII was played at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami FL on 22 January 1989. MVP WR Jerry Rice led the San Francisco 49ers over the Cincinnati Bengals 20-16 in one of the most exciting games in Super Bowl history. The game had become an annual QB Joe Montana and Rice led the 49ers on an epic 11 play, 92 yard drive that culminated in a 10 yard TD pass from Montana to John Taylor with 34 seconds on the clock. SF was the first NFC team to win 3 Super Bowl titles.

The San Francisco 49ers made it two straight and became the first NFC team to win 4 Super Bowls after trashing the Denver Broncos 55-10 in Super Bowl XXIV at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans on 28 January 1990. Joe Montana won his 3rd MVP award. I remember this game in particular because it seemed like the 49ers were setting new Super Bowl records with every play, specifically Montana's record 5 TD passes.

It's rare for a Super Bowl to end on the final play of the game. Super Bowl XXV did when Buffalo's Scott Norwood missed the winning field goal attempt. Matt Bahr's field goal ended up being the game winner as the New York Giants beat the Bills 20-19. RB Ottis Anderson was the MVP for New York. This was the first of four straight Super Bowl losses for Buffalo. The game was played at Tampa Stadium in Tampa FL on 27 January 1991.

Super Bowl XXVI was played on 26 January 1992 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis MN. MVP QB Mark Rypien led the Washington Redskins to a 37-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

Super Bowl XXVII was played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena CA on 31 January 1993. The Dallas Cowboys routed the Buffalo Bills 52-17. QB Troy Aikman was the MVP. This is notable because in 1989 the Cowboys went 1-15 and were the worst team in the NFL.

Super Bowl XXVIII was played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta GA on 30 January 1994. As in Super Bowl XXVII, the Dallas Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills 30-13. RB Emmit Smith was the MVP for Dallas. This was the 4th straight appearance and 4th straight loss for Buffalo. It was the last time the Bills have been to the Super Bowl.

The 49ers returned to the Super Bowl behind one of the most potent offenses in the history of the NFL. San Francisco beat the San Diego Chargers 49-26 behind a record 6 touchdown passes from MVP QB Steve Young. The 49ers became the first team to win 5 Super Bowls. The game was played on 29 January 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami FL.

Super Bowl XXX was played on 28 January 1996 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe AZ. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17. It was a bit of franchise revenge as the Cowboys of the 1990's exorcised the Steeler demons of the 1970's. The MVP was Dallas CB Larry Brown, who intercepted 2 passes in the second half to help preserve the win. Dallas joined San Francisco as the only two franchises to win 5 Super Bowls.

Super Bowl XXXI was played on 26 January 1997 at the Lousiana Superdome in New Orleans. The Green Bay Packers beat the New England Patriots 35-21. The MVP was Desmond Howard, who had 244 total return yards, including a kick off that went 99 yards for a touchdown. This is also Brett Favre's only Super Bowl championship.

Denver QB John Elway finally returned to the Super Bowl on 25 January 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego CA. The Broncos beat the Green Bay Packers 31-24 to win Super Bowl XXXII. RB Terrell Davis was the MVP, rushing for 157 yards and 3 touchdowns.

John Elway capped a Hall of Fame career as the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII. The Denver Broncos beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-19 on 31 January 1999 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami FL. Elway threw for 336 yards in the game, which ended up being his last as he retired shortly after the game.

Super Bowl XXXIV was played on 30 January 2000 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta GA. The St Louis Rams beat the Tennessee Titans 23-16. St Louis QB Kurt Warner was the MVP.

Super Bowl XXXV was played 28 January 2001 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa FL. The Baltimore Ravens beat the New York Giants 34-7. Baltimore LB Ray Lewis was the MVP.

Super Bowl XXXVI was played on 3 February 2002 at the Lousiana Superdome in New Orleans. This was the first Super Bowl to be played in a month other than January. The New England Patriots beat the St Louis Rams 20-17 on Adam Vinatieri's 48-yard field goal as time expired, in one of the most improbably upsets in Super Bowl history. The MVP was New England QB Tom Brady, who had taken over the offense early in the season when Drew Bledsoe was injured.

My Raiders returned to the Super Bowl on 26 January 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. Unfortunately, they ran into a team that had their number and lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48-21. The MVP was Tampa FS Dexter Jackson, who intercepted 2 passes in the first half.

Super Bowl XXXVIII was played on 1 February 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston TX. The New England Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers 32-29 on another last second Adam Vinatieri field goal. New England QB Tom Brady won his second MVP.

Super Bowl XXXIX was played on 6 February 2005 at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville FL. The New England Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 to win a second consecutive Super Bowl and their 3rd title in 4 years. The MVP was WR Deion Branch, who caught 11 passes for 133 yards.

Super Bowl XL was played on 5 February 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit MI. The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Seattle Seahaks 21-10. The MVP was Pittsburgh WR Hines Ward. who caught 5 passes for 123 yards and a TD. The Steelers joined San Francisco and Dallas as the only franchises to win 5 Super Bowls.

Super Bowl XLI was played on 4 February 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami FL. The Indianapolis Colts beat the Chicago Bears 29-17. The MVP was Indy QB Peyton Manning.