So many games, so many memories. Yes his birthday was yesterday. I’m sure we all have stories about seeing Joe play. I’ll tell you the first time I saw him in action. It was late in the 1980 season, and the Niners were using both Steve (he plays just well enough to lose the game) DeBerg and Joe Montana. Walsh was giving Joe spots in the game to succeed, and pretty much letting DeBerg play through the rest of the game. A quick 3-0 start was followed by a brutal 8 game losing streak (one that Bill Walsh said almost led him to quit coaching). Through this, Montana was getting more and more playing time, and putting up decent numbers, although he was 2-5 in his starts.
Turns out December 7th , 1980 was the date that should be forever etched in 49er history, not in infamy, but as the beginning of the Joe Montana era in San Francisco. Back then, tickets were cheap, and attendance was spotty at best. So, as usual, we bought our end zone seats, and proceeded to move up to the upper reserved seats right behind the upper boxes. This was the battle of the bottom-dwellers. New Orleans came into the game 0-13. The Niners were on a little roll, winning their 2 previous games, and were 5-8.
Archie Manning came out hot, and the notoriously bad 49er defensive backfield was giving little resistance to NOs passing game as they got up quickly, 21-0. The Niners got on the board in the 2nd quarter with a Freddie Solomon punt return, but the offense was ineffective all the first half. 2 more TDs by NO put the score at 35-7. Manning had already thrown fior over 300 yards nad had led 5 touchdown drives. Now, up to this point in the season, DeBerg and Montana had split time at QB in just about every game (except the first 2). THIS game however, Walsh decided to stick with Montana. I assume he wanted to see how Joe would deal with adversity.
It was at this point that Lon Simmons, right before the 2nd half kickoff, said this will either be the worst loss in 49er history, or the greatest comeback in NFL history. Me myself having been on the losing end of so many close calls, playoff frustrations, and the crumbling Morabito ownership that defined the wretched 1970s, I held out little hope that this would be nothing more than a slow trudge to defeat, and once again saying “wait til next year.”
The 2nd half started with the Niners getting the ball, and Montana leading a long drive for a TD. In the drive, Montana hit Clark on a 50 yard pass. After a quick 3 and out by the Saints, Montana hits Clark on a short crossing route that he takes all the way to the house for a 70 yard TD. Just like that, the Niners are back in the game at 35-21 to close the 3rd quarter. NO then drives the ball downfield, but their RB (Jimmy Rogers?) fumbles deep in Niner territory. Another lengthy drive ensues, capped by a TD to Freddie Solomon to cut the score to 35-28. Again, NO drives deep into Niner territory. Again, NO fumbles the ball away (no idea who). And again, the Niners drive down the field, this time running the ball effectively (in a precursor to the NFC Championship game the next year) with Lenvil Elliott. He scores the tying TD with less than 2 minutes left. 35-35 at the end of regulation.
OT starts with NO winning the coin toss, and promptly turning the ball over on a deep pick by Dwight Hicks. After trading 2 or 3 punts each, Montana leads the Niners to the 20 yard line where and Fat Ray kicks the game-winning 36 yard field goal. I don’t remember the exact stats, but I know the 49ers gained more than 400 yards in the 2nd half alone while controlling the ball most of the 2nd half. As flat as the team was in the 1st half, they were even more brilliant in the 2nd half, and it was the first inkling that Joe Montana was maybe something other than a 3rd round flier pick in the 1979 draft.
At the time, I really thought the team was going to be decent soon, if they could only play defense and stop teams from passing at will on us. It was also then that I thought they had something in Joe Montana. I had seen and heard a little about his comebacks in college, but I didn’t know that much about him. After than game, I paid much more attention to him. One of the best quotes about the game came from Bill Walsh himself:
“There were only two games that produced absolute euphoria—this one and the 1987 game at Cincinnati, when we scored on the very last play.”
Not the Super Bowls, or even the NFC Championship game the next year. The New Orleans game.
You guys have any Joe Montana stories?
San Francisco 49ers Forever 
My favorite Joe Montana moment was anytime in the 4th qtr of a close game, but most especially against a respected or unusually tenacious opponent.
Just watching Montana walk to the line of scrimmage, wiping his hands on the towel at his waist whilst surveying the defense, not a sign of hesitation or fear apparent in his body language, everyone watching him knew he was thinking two steps ahead of everybody on the play to come.
I literally did not want to breathe for fear I’d miss something.
Those were the days of a GREAT quarterback, which have long since passed us by, but the memories will never fail.
Here’s a recap of the game by NFL Films at the time:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/san-francisco-49ers/09000d5d824cd5d3/This-Day-in-Football-49ers-epic-comeback
I liked Joe and looking back one realizes how good he was and how poor our present QB is. I mean he’s serviceable and we are all grateful for that. Still looking back, it’s sobering what we all have to settle for in the present day.
Maybe so, compared to Joe, Nip – but Alex beats the living hell out of pawing through other teams’ trash trying to find a replacement for JaMarcus Purpledrank.
We can always give thanks we aren’t Raider fans.
Nice to hear that recap-history of that turning point game. I think the NO playoff game might be that for this crop of Niners
That would be the idea. That was a great win over a very good team. Certainly the 2011 season was a surprise, but winning that game the way they did certainly sets them up for future playoff success.
Interstingly enough, we get the other NFC powerhouse in game 1 of the 2012 season. The pisser is the Niners have played Green Bay in Green bay 3 out of the last 4 years.
If the Niners pull that one off, they will be the immediate faves in the NFL.
“If”
Going to be a great game at Lambeau.
I’d say the NFL is pretty opportunistic in their scheduling: Niners vs Ravens across country on 3 days. No can do
The Niners are moving up in the NFL hierarchy, so no away Thursday game. And their game before that is a home game.
Still going to GB for the 3rd time in 4 years though. Weird.
“Weird”
Way to go, Matty!!!! Perfecto . . .
Tried to post Niner related stuff several times with no luck (WordPiss) so lemme tell ya about today’s shit: (I believe wordpiss actually censors Niner related shit. Fine. Blather it is then )
Went down to da Big City shopping with the wife n da boy. While they actually shopped I found me some bargains in the liquor dept: Makers Mark ‘on sale’ for Pesos 750 ($17.80). I bought one bottle w/ credit card. Jim Beam ‘on sale’ for P 450 ($10.69). Bought one bottle with credit card, a Philippine MasterCard for all you spies out there. Things ain’t so cheap in paradise…
Now Nip I don’t want you screaming and throwing things like Del Mar but here’s my plan: See, I’m thinking I will MIX the good shit (MM) with the rotgut (JB) and have a pretty good drink. Whaddaya thunk? Am I a genius …or what?
Burp!
A long time ago I visited the Phil nation. It was hot and I got out of a bus to drink a coke. Yes it was very hot there!
We go down to the hot coastal zone to shop or whatever only couple times a month. Like yesterday, then scatter back up the hill to our cool plateau. No need for air conditioning. We were laughing up and down that hill because now it’s actually a finished paved with solid concrete 2 lane highway. Too easy. What’s missing? we were saying “I feel strange”
Is that how they came with the term, “Mixologist?” I’ve never bought into that nomenclature. If you pour drinks for a living, you’re a goddamn bartender. End of story. Can a mixologist listen to the same drunken ramblings from the same customer for 8 hrs. day after day after day? Hell no! It takes a bartender to be able to listen to that shit.
Yours would know, eh?
Am I a genius -or what? It’s gotta be “or what”. No geniuses around here except the wife. Certainly not a ‘mixologist’ that would be too complex. My plan doesn’t rise to even the bartender level as it consists of: Open two bottles, Pour over ice in large tumbler. Drink. Repeat.
Few things in this world are as reliable as Del Mar and Chuck
Yeah Chuck- his bartender and our blogmeister huh?
Here we go again. I love to see the Cows pissing and moaning:
“It seems several members of the Cowboys were either angry that minicamp was ending or angry that they had to practice on the final day when teams like the Patriots and Steelers weren’t working on the field because there was some “chippy play” going on at practice. “
Let’s Party! Moran Norris is Gone! Break out the good shit!
Moran Norris makes his way back to Houston
Dennis deserves a drink. At least on this sight he should be served.
How long til Norris is arrested with Glen Coffee?
I’m out of coffee! Pancakes without coffee not good.
Over under is 2 1/2 weeks in my book
O/U 2 1/2 weeks until those two are arrested or until Nipper gets more coffee?
What’s this I hear about team going to Youngstown again this year?
Matt Cain perfect game. That’s what got Chuck pumped up the other day
He’s still pining for Ishi!
Ain’t that the tooth
I bet Nipper could find some coffee, pancakes and a QB or two or three or four or five that knew a thing or two about winning Super Bowls at this charity breakfast. This charity event along with their flapjacks are so hot they won’t even divulge its location.
http://tinyurl.com/6ojka8n
New post. Dennis, I’m moving this tio te next post