Wednesday, December 6, 2006

This odd couple walks with kings... Seven U.S. presidents have shared the award with a host of generals, admirals, a Supreme Court Justice and true American royalty in John Wayne and Jackie Robinson. Prior to last night, no football coaches were ever selected to receive a National Football Foundation award. Between them, the two football coaches chosen for the award, have won 727 games. Florida State's Bobby ("dad gum") Bowden and Penn State's Joe Paterno are national treasures who will probably die on the sidelines in their cleats. Joe Pa suffered a broken leg during a game but came right back, never missing a game the rest of the season but did opt out last night because he didn't want his wheelchair to get in the way of other honorees... Bobby Bowden thinks Paterno was talking about him: "He's afraid he'll bump into my walker". "I feel it's kinda been a Bobby and Joe show" said Bowden. "Something's missing without him". Other award winners at last night's dinner in New York were the late Pat Tillman, former Arizona State and Cardinal star, who was killed in Afghanistan and 3 players representing Rutgers, Penn State and Florida who were recognized as National Scholar Athletes... Now this is an awards show worthy of your attention... Timeline Memories... [1774] The little red school house is born as Austria becomes the 1st nation to introduce a a state education system... [1865] The 13th amendment is ratified, abolishing slavery... [1884] Army engineers complete construction of the Washington Monument... [1923] Calvin Coolidge becomes the 1st president to give a radio address (to a joint session of Congress)... [1957] America's 1st attempt at launching a satellite blows up on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral (FL)... [1969] The Rolling Stones highlight an all-star lineup that includes Santana, the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young at Altamont Speedway, near San Francisco that results in the death of a man stabbed by one of Hell's Angels [1973] House minority leader Gerald R. Ford is sworn in as vice president, succeeding Spiro T. Agnew... [2003] Army becomes the 1st team to finish 0-13 in major college football history after a 34-6 beating at the hands of the midshipmen of Navy... Moving Day: 1790] Congress moves from New York (our nation's 1st capital) to Philadelphia... #1 on this date: 1983] "Say, Say, Say" - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson... "Happy Trails": 1988] Roy Orbison dies of a heart attack while visiting his mother near Nashville. Orbison was 52. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987... Debuted on this date: 1883] The Ladies Home Journal...1948] "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" which will discover Rosemary Clooney, Paul Boone, Steve Lawrence, Connie Francis and Patsy Cline. Elvis flunked his audition for the show in 1955. The show runs for a decade, ending in July, 1958... "D-I-V-O-R-C-E": 1982] Senator Teddy Kennedy and wife Joan... "Guilty as charged": 2002] Winona Ryder is sentenced to community service for stealing more than $5,500 worth of merchandise from Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills... [To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]... "Happy Birthday...happy birthday": Janine Turner (44), Steven Wright (51), JoBeth Williams [58], James Naughton (61), Jonathan King (62) and Dave Brubeck (86)... Timeline Countdown: 9 days until Chanukah, 19 days until Christmas, 25 days until 2007,, 33 days until BCS championship game, 31 days until the NFL playoff games and 60 days until Super Bowl XLI... ...