The Play
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Douglas Mercer
- Posts: 10963
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2023 7:29 pm
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Douglas Mercer
- Posts: 10963
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2023 7:29 pm
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Douglas Mercer
- Posts: 10963
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2023 7:29 pm
-
Douglas Mercer
- Posts: 10963
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2023 7:29 pm
-
Douglas Mercer
- Posts: 10963
- Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2023 7:29 pm
Re: The Play
It was a Monday night in 1980. New England Patriots fans were glued to their televisions. With three seconds left in a 13-13 game, Patriots kicker John Smith (born in England) headed out to attempt a game-winning field goal. The game had significant playoff implications for the 8-5 Patriots, who hadn't beaten the Miami Dolphins on the road since 1969. John Smith is on the line, Frank Gifford said before asking broadcast partner Howard Cosell to break the news. And I don't care what's on the line, Howard, you've got to say what we know in the booth. Twenty-seven seconds later, no one was thinking about the kick as Cosell announced to the world that former Beatle John Lennon had been killed outside his New York apartment. Cosell finished perhaps his most notable call with a perspective shared by his audience: Hard to go back to the game after that news flash, which in duty bound we have to take. Few remember that Smith's field goal attempt was blocked and the Dolphins won in overtime.
