Game 17: Andrew Johnson vs. Super Bowl XVII
You gotta figure the Super Bowls were licking their chops when they saw Andrew Johnson coming up on the America Bowl schedule. Especially coming off their butt-kicking by Abraham Lincoln. Johnson? The first president to be impeached? Bring him on.
One thing to understand is that Johnson's impeachment was political, not a result of a crime or scandal. It's not like A.J. wouldn't have messed up at any period in history. But he was unfortunate to be stepping into the hot seat immediately after Lincoln, and right after the Civil War. That's like going on stage after Susan Boyle. The country was a mess. The Southern states needed to be reincorporated. Johnson apparently was way too eager to make peace. He put up with Southern policies that didn't respect the rights of freed slaves. Radical Republicans in Congress were mad, and they impeached him in 1868, charging him with violating some bogus law they just passed. He was acquitted by one vote in the Senate. Johnson, as they say, got waxed.
Super Bowl XVII didn't need to be an ESPN Classic to beat that. After a weird, strike shortened, nine-game season, the Redskins took their first NFL title, beating the Dolphins 27-17 (the Fins had beaten the Skins in SB VII). The game was tight. Miami led at the half, scoring early on two super-long plays including Fulton Walker's 98-yard kick-return TD, the first in Super Bowl history. Then Washington's Hogs took over. They blew Miami off the line of scrimmage and brought forth a pounding old-school running attack. RB John Riggins sealed the deal on a fourth-and-one in the fourth quarter, bouncing off a tacker to the left and breaking free for a 43-yard TD run, en route to breaking the Super Bowl game rushing record with 166 yards.
There's only one song to sing after this one: Hail to theChief Redskins!
SCORE AFTER THIS MATCH: Presidents 10, Super Bowls 7
Go to next match.
One thing to understand is that Johnson's impeachment was political, not a result of a crime or scandal. It's not like A.J. wouldn't have messed up at any period in history. But he was unfortunate to be stepping into the hot seat immediately after Lincoln, and right after the Civil War. That's like going on stage after Susan Boyle. The country was a mess. The Southern states needed to be reincorporated. Johnson apparently was way too eager to make peace. He put up with Southern policies that didn't respect the rights of freed slaves. Radical Republicans in Congress were mad, and they impeached him in 1868, charging him with violating some bogus law they just passed. He was acquitted by one vote in the Senate. Johnson, as they say, got waxed.
Super Bowl XVII didn't need to be an ESPN Classic to beat that. After a weird, strike shortened, nine-game season, the Redskins took their first NFL title, beating the Dolphins 27-17 (the Fins had beaten the Skins in SB VII). The game was tight. Miami led at the half, scoring early on two super-long plays including Fulton Walker's 98-yard kick-return TD, the first in Super Bowl history. Then Washington's Hogs took over. They blew Miami off the line of scrimmage and brought forth a pounding old-school running attack. RB John Riggins sealed the deal on a fourth-and-one in the fourth quarter, bouncing off a tacker to the left and breaking free for a 43-yard TD run, en route to breaking the Super Bowl game rushing record with 166 yards.
There's only one song to sing after this one: Hail to the
SCORE AFTER THIS MATCH: Presidents 10, Super Bowls 7
Go to next match.
click for full scorecard
3 Comments:
Should read: "...bouncing off a tackler..."
XIII was the first Super Bowl rematch, Steelers vs Cowboys
Ricky, thanks for the reminder! I have adjusted the text.
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