polamalubeast
12-22-2012, 03:49 PM
Ex-Steelers tackle Jon Kolb claimed he was the guy who set up the Immaculate Reception, the miracle play that turned around his team's -- and Pittsburgh's -- sports fortunes.
Kolb was one of a half-dozen ex-Steelers and one former Oakland Raider who recalled their "Immaculate Reception Memories" at the Sen. John Heinz History Center today.
In his tongue-in-cheek version of what happened at Three Rivers Stadium on Dec. 23, 1972, Kolb said that then-Steelers Coach Chuck Noll had developed a "ricochet" pass play that had never worked in practice.
Kolb, however, saw his chance to try it, when the Steelers were trailing the Raiders 7-6 with just seconds left in the game. He let Raiders linemen pressure Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw into making what looked like a pass to running back John "Frenchy" Fuqua but was designed to bounce backward off defender Jack Tatum.
Steelers running back Franco Harris then scooped up the ball and ran for a touchdown.
Speaking in a more serious vein, former Steelers tackle Joe Greene credited Harris and his improbable play with changing the team's attitude. The Steelers had drafted Harris, a star at Penn State, in 1972.
"We didn't win anything before Franco," Greene said, recalling his 1969 first season with the Steelers. The team that year went 1-13. From 1972 to 1979, however, the Steelers made the playoffs every year and won four Super Bowls.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/former-nfl-players-share-immaculate-reception-memories-667438/#ixzz2FotVzYFN
Kolb was one of a half-dozen ex-Steelers and one former Oakland Raider who recalled their "Immaculate Reception Memories" at the Sen. John Heinz History Center today.
In his tongue-in-cheek version of what happened at Three Rivers Stadium on Dec. 23, 1972, Kolb said that then-Steelers Coach Chuck Noll had developed a "ricochet" pass play that had never worked in practice.
Kolb, however, saw his chance to try it, when the Steelers were trailing the Raiders 7-6 with just seconds left in the game. He let Raiders linemen pressure Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw into making what looked like a pass to running back John "Frenchy" Fuqua but was designed to bounce backward off defender Jack Tatum.
Steelers running back Franco Harris then scooped up the ball and ran for a touchdown.
Speaking in a more serious vein, former Steelers tackle Joe Greene credited Harris and his improbable play with changing the team's attitude. The Steelers had drafted Harris, a star at Penn State, in 1972.
"We didn't win anything before Franco," Greene said, recalling his 1969 first season with the Steelers. The team that year went 1-13. From 1972 to 1979, however, the Steelers made the playoffs every year and won four Super Bowls.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/former-nfl-players-share-immaculate-reception-memories-667438/#ixzz2FotVzYFN