Thoughts nine hours before kickoff….
I am 14 years old and lying on the floor of my freshman dorm room in Ashley House. Given that the room is 6x10 and has a bed, desk and dresser, it is pretty remarkable that there is room for me to lie on the floor. But I am 5’1”, 93 pounds, so maybe not that remarkable.
It is late October, 1971 and even though I am going to love Deerfield Academy, I am not quite done being homesick. So I spend Sundays on the floor alone, listening to the Patriots on my clock radio. This is their first season with Heisman Trophy winner Jim Plunkett at quarterback, and I am letting myself be as hopeful as a 14-year-old gets. Plunkett had won his first game as a pro against the mighty Raiders. Now the Pats are 2-3 and playing the Cowboys in the Cotton Bowl.
This is before Texas Stadium, and before whatever that enclosed Jerry Jones built. It is also before offensive holding was switched from a 15-yard penalty to a 10-yard penalty. I cannot tell you the actual sequence, but the Patriots took over at something like the Dallas 38 and it went three-yard run, hold, incomplete pass, hold, hold, hold, run for no gain. And I heard Gil Santos (who still does the games on radio) say, “The Patriots are at there own five-yard-line, fourth and 67. I’m gonna guess punt.”
Fourth and 67. And here we are, only 40 years later. If I am lying on the floor today, it’s because my back is bothering me….
