January 26th is the Anniversary of the Republic of India

Today marks the 69th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of India on January 26, 1950. The constitution went into effect, which qualified India as the world's biggest democracy in terms of population. 

It was a struggle to come up with a solution, and unfortunately, Gandhi was not successful in keeping the peace in the region. While he was successful in using methods of nonviolent activism to gain India's independence from Great Britain, Pakistan soon broke off, and religious tensions remained very strong, even militant. 

Yet, this is a date that should be recognized, as one of the world's biggest countries (projected to become the biggest in a few decades) and already the biggest democracy celebrates 66 years since the Republic of India was established on this date.  

January 26 - Australia Day

 

January 26 - Australia Day

It was on this day in 1788 that 11 British ships commanded by Governor Arthur Phillip, and carrying convicts, arrived on the banks of Port Jackson in New South Wales. Phillip also raised the Union Jack, and the beginnings of what is now modern-day Australia came to be.

Initially, Australia was designed as a penal colony, as an agricultural working camp for British convicts.

It was rough going early on, but the colony eventually managed to survive.

In 1818, January 26th was honored as the anniversary of the founding of Australia. Once Australia gained independence, this date was recognized as "Australia Day", a national holiday honoring the arrival of Phillip and the British.

Understandably, this holiday is recognized in different ways, particularly along the color lines. While whites in Australia generally celebrate in a similar manner as Americans celebrate Independence Day and the French Celebrate Bastille Day, Aborigines generally recognize it as a day of mourning, not all that dissimilar to native Americans regarding Thanksgiving. For them, the day marks the beginning of the end of their traditional way of life, as the British began the process of spreading out across the continent.

🏈🏈 NFL 2020-21 NFC & AFC Championship Games Weekend Review 🏈🏈

  

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NFC Championship Game:             

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31, Green Bay Packers 26

Well, the Buccaneers won the "Battle of the Bays." In their first NFC Championship Game appearance in 18 years, and the fourth overall NFC Championship Game appearance in franchise history, the Bucs prevailed by riding their offensive explosiveness through the first half and early in the third quarter, and then relying on a defense that bent but did not break.

This game looked like it was going to be a blowout. The Bucs went ahead early in the game, and seemed to be outplaying the Packers consistently. They took a fairly decisive 21-10 lead into the lockers by halftime. Then, they opened the second half with a touchdown, and a commanding 28-10 lead.

Ball game?

Not exactly. After all, Green Bay had home field advantage for a reason, and it was not for simply giving up when the going got tough. They have now had two seasons in a row where they finished 13-3, and made it to the NFC Championship Game both seasons. So you kind of suspected that they would have something to say about it, some kind of response, before the game was over.

Sure enough, the Packers rallied. In fact, there were times when a comeback seemed inevitable, as they seemed to own the momentum later in the game, through most of the second half, really. But as it turns out, Tampa Bay bent, but did not really break. They allowed the game to get closer, even a lot closer. At one point, late in the fourth quarter, it was a one possession game, and the Packers were in scoring position. A touchdown, followed by a successful two-point conversion, would tie it up, and likely send the game into overtime.

That was when one of the most memorable moments in the game occurred. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur opted for a field goal instead of taking the chance on potential game-tying touchdown, if it was followed up with that two-point conversion. The decision to go for that field goal, with the obvious assumption that Green Bay would hold Tampa Bay and then manage to get the ball again for a chance to win the game, is a decision that has been questioned ever since, and likely will be talked about and debated for years. 

As it turned out, that was a fateful decision for the Packers, because they never did get the ball back. The decision to get the field goal to cut the lead to 5, instead of going for the potentially game-tying touchdown, backfired. Any realistic chance that Green Bay had to tie or win the game went out the window at the Packers defense could not stop the Bucs from getting not one but two first downs. The second one, which came very late in the game, and with the Packers no longer having any timeouts, effectively iced the game for Tampa Bay, and sent them to the Super Bowl. 

Statistically, this game was quite close. Tampa Bay hung onto the football for over 34 minutes, and enjoyed a fairly slight advantage in first downs earned, 23 to 19 for Green Bay. The Packers, however, actually outgained the Buccaneers, 381 to 351. Brady threw three picks, all in the second half, that accounted for all of the turnovers for his team. The Packers had two turnovers during the game.

On the day for the victorious Tampa Bay Bucs, Tom Brady completed 20- of 36 passes for 280 yards, with three touchdowns, and those three INT's. His favorite target was Chris Godwin, who picked up 110 yards with five receptions. Running back Leonard Fournette added 55 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries, but his power running hurt the Packers defense at some key times. 

On the losing side for Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers completed 33 of 48 passes for 346 yards, with three touchdowns and one INT. Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling led the team with four receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown. On the ground, Aaron Jones was limited to 27 yards on six carries. The Packers rushing game was simply not much of a factor in this game.

Now, however, Tampa Bay is heading to the Super Bowl for only the second time in franchise history. They won their only previous appearance, back in the 2002-03 season, when head coach Jon Gruden defeated his former team, the Oakland Raiders, 48-21. They had not won a playoff game since until this postseason run, which sees them reach the Super Bowl once again, making history as the only team in NFL history to reach the big game on a season when the Super Bowl is being played in their home stadium. Also, Tom Brady makes history, or rather adds to his already considerable legacy, by qualifying for his 10th Super Bowl, which is just stunning. He has played in one of ever 5 1/2 Super Bowls ever played, which is quite a feat, considering that he was not born yet until the game was more than 10 years old. He will be going for a seventh Super Bowl championship ring, which would extend his already existing record of six Super Bowl rings, more than any other player in any other position in NFL history. He will also make history as the oldest player ever to play in this biggest game in the NFL. 

My pick: Accurate

            

   

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2020-21 NFC Champions 

AFC Championship Game:  

Kansas City Chiefs 38, Buffalo Bills 24       

      

The defending champion Kansas City Chiefs managed to outplay Buffalo, even though the Bills jumped out to early 9-0 lead, also ended with 9-0 run. In between, however, was all KC. Yes, that offense had an avalanche of points, and buried Buffalo's chances of reaching the fifth Super Bowl in franchise history this season. 

Still, the Bills enjoyed a successful season, finishing with a 13-3 record, tied for the best franchise record ever, when the team managed to finish 13-3 in both the 1990 and 1991 seasons. Those were the first two seasons of a four-year stretch when the Bills famously qualified for the Super Bowl every year, but unfortunately, lost each of those appearances.

The Bills played well in this one, and even had a bit of a chance late in the game. Yes, they were able to get a touchdown midway through fourth, when they were down 38-15, and could just have gone for regular extra point to close it to 38-22 Frankly, I was perplexed as to why they would immediately go for a two-point conversion, when a simple, standard extra point would have made it a two possession game. Nor was I the only one, as commentator (and former Cowboys quarterback) Tony Romo repeatedly stated the same thing, questioning their decision to go for two. With the recovery of an onside kick, which they in fact would get against seemingly impossible odds, they would have had an actual chance to score and make it one possession game if they managed to earn another touchdown, and they actually got quite close to their own end zone, to boot. In other words, they would have given themselves a shot.  

One problem that the Bills had a couple of times in this game, and in other important games that they played, was when quarterback Josh Allen was about to get sacked, and yet, he refused to go down. There were times when he admittedly impressively was able to get out of what seemed like sure sacks. Yet, there were other times when his refusal to go down, and backing up even farther downfield, away from their own end zone, often makes losses in yards by sacks much worse. That was what happened, and a real possibility of a touchdown late in the game had to be sacrificed in favor of a field goal, to actually make it a two-possession game, since their failed two-point conversion on the previous scoring drive had kept it a three possession game. 

It was a long field goal attempted, but Buffalo placekicker Tyler Bass was solid. on the day, he kicked four field goals, including not one but two 51-yarders, one early to give the Bills the first lead of the game at 3-0, then that one late to keep the Bills somewhat in the game.

However, the Chiefs offense was able to do what they had to do, and with such little time left, they were able to kill the clock and ice the game, earning their second straight trip to the big game. 

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes was able to play the full game after clearing concussion protocol after sustaining an injury in last week's game against Cleveland. On the day, he was quite effective, completing 29 of 38 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns. He was obviously instrumental in helping lift the Chiefs over the Bills and back to the Super Bowl. He was able to spread the ball around in particular because of two receivers, both of whom earned over 100 yards. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill had nine catches for a whipping 172 yards, as his speed clearly hurt the Buffalo defense, which struggled and scrambled to keep up with him numerous times. Also, star tight end Travis Kelce had thirteen catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, Darrel Williams added 52 yards on 13 carries.

On the losing side, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen completed 28 of 48 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns, as well as one INT. He also led the team in rushing, with 88 yards picked up in seven carries. The Chiefs defense had some hard times with trying to contain his legs, as his mobility proved a formidable weapon for Buffalo at times. Cole Beasley was strong on the receiving end, grabbing seven receptions and picking up 88 yards.  

The Chiefs enjoyed only a very slight advantage in time of possession, hanging onto the ball for just over 31 minutes. However, the advantage for them was much more noticable in terms of yards gained, with 439 yards to 363 for the Bills. KC also got 29 first downs, to 24 for Buffalo. Both teams had one turnover apiece. 

With the win, the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl for the second year in a row, and a fourth time in franchise history. They will try to become the eighth franchise in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls. No team has managed the feat since the New England Patriots managed to win consecutive Super Bowl titles in the 2003 and 2004 seasons. The Chiefs have been established as three-point favorites early on, as the odds just came in. 

My pick: Accurate            

Kansas City Chiefs

2020-21 AFC Champions

Scanned Pic of My Brother & Christian During the Family Summer Vacation of 1987

In recent months, I have been doing a lot of cleaning of the old family house, where my parents largely raised my brother and I from the point when I was a third grader on through college, in the case of both my brother and myself.

During this stretch of time, there have been some pictures unearthed, and it has been both a surprise and a pleasure to kind of relive some old memories with pictures long assumed to either have been thrown out, or in some cases, to have long before ceased to effectively exist, even. I remember seeing pictures, for example, of a side trip to Belgium and even a few hours in a Dutch town that my brother and I went to in the summer of 1985, when we were both still kids. There were also pictures of the towns of Taverny and Leffond, the two towns where we would spend the most time during our trips to France in the eighties, as our aunt and her husband had homes in both. 

There was one summer - the summer of 1987 - that stands out as particularly memorable. For me, it was memorable for several reasons, actually. First of all, looking back, I now feel that, in a very real sense, it was the last actual summer of my childhood. And not only did we spend it in France, but my parents joined us there. Together, we traveled to the Alps for a couple of weeks, to the home of Christian, who I believe is my cousin (my father's half brother's son). He was a really cool guy, and figures rather prominently for us in that trip. He played the guitar rather well, and I remember one evening in particular where our family, my aunt's family, and Christian and his girlfriend (and possibly more people) were all assembled in Taverny, the main home, which is in the banlieue (suburbs) of the greater Paris region known as the Île-de-France (Island of France). That unforgettable evening, what I remember most is Christian playing the guitar. He may only have played for a few minutes, and surely that evening lasted only a few hours. Yet somehow, in that funny way that memories have, it has figured much longer than that in my own mind. Like a fine wine, memories of that evening have only grown better over time. 

Recently, I found another picture from that night, separate from the ones I had already published. This one was of my brother on that evening, sitting in between my cousin Christian, and his girlfriend, Veronique. Christian is the one with the guitar, and this picture is perhaps the one that captures the evening best, on some level with it's relaxed feel. The first version has more vivid colors, and was taken by my parents, with their scanner. The other version of the same picture looks more dated, and was simply a copy taken from my cell phone camera.

This picture was from that summer of 1987, either in later July or early August of that year, in Taverny. 

Scanned picture of that evening.

Scan

Pictures from the Summer of 1987 (July - August, 1987):

My parents sent my brother and me to France, where my aunt (my father's sister) took us in, during the summers of 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1989. Each one was special in it's own right. In 1982, I was very young (seven years old) and had little memory of having actually lived in France. So everything felt new. I remember how excited I was to see the Eiffel Tower for the first time, even though it was tinged with disappointment because of the nets hanging out of each level (they were painting it). In 1985, other family members took us in, and we stayed in different towns, including Taverny and Leffond (with the aunt I already mentioned), Marly-le-Roi (our family town in France, with our other aunt), Villepreux (our other aunt), and Saint-Pathus (with yet another aunt). We also took a few days trip into Belgium, with a few hours excursion just into the borders of some small town in Netherlands. In 1989, it was the bicentennial of the French Revolution, and we went to Paris during the celebrations. It was very memorable, with some great fireworks, and a very festive atmosphere.

But the trip that I seem to come back to the most and which seemingly I remember most fondly, was the summer of 1987. That was the only one of those summers where my parents met us there, maybe two or three weeks in. We visited the Alps, which was the most amount of time that I would spend in any major mountain range until at least the 2010's, when my son and I took trips out west. We visited some beautiful cities and villages, and even took day trips into Italy (Suza and Turin), as well as an afternoon in Geneva, Switzerland. I was happy to be in Europe, generally, and France specifically. As I recall, it felt like the perfect age, being 12. It was the last summer where I seriously was into collecting toys, and Europe had a virtual treasure trove of toys, many of which would have been virtually impossible to obtain in the States. Yet, despite this fixation on toys, I was also starting to finally be old enough to appreciate some of the beauty and grandeur that Europe offered. That, plus the mixture of the abundance of natural beauty in the Alps, made that summer particularly memorable, and it seems that I remember this trip not just more fondly, but also more often than the other summer trips to France of the eighties. 

In any case, here are some recently unearthed pictures of that summer of 1987:

This was a picture taken somewhere in France, although I am not sure where. Perhaps my parents, or maybe even my brother, might have a better memory of this place?

Le Pont de la Caille connecting Allonzier-la-Caille to Cruseilles in Haute-SavoieCruseilles, France

Another picture of some city in France, but which I could not identify at the time that I published this. However, the most recognizable cars in this picture are the iconic Citroën 2CV's. My very favorite model is the Charleston, and you can get more or less a glimpse of the maroon and black color scheme. Love those cars! If money were no object, I would have one of those as a weekend/leisure car.

Embrun:

The summer before this one, I earned the nickname "Spider-Man" from the kids that I shared a cabin with at summer camp in Frost Valley, New York. That was because I used to climb up and around the beams near the ceiling of the place, with remarkable confidence, and apparently with a sense of invulnerability.  I still had quite a bit of that during the next summer of 1987. Here I am, engaging in one of my favorite activities during that summer, climbing the side of one of the stone supports on the side of the house that we were staying at in Embrun. It almost looks like I am floating, at first glance. In fact, I am delicately balanced on the edge of some stones, with any notion that I could fall and hurt myself really not given much consideration. It almost makes me nervous today, in retrospect, just seeing this image. Yet, I never did get hurt. Obviously, I used to walk around barefoot quite often in those days. Strange kid, eh? This very well may be one of my favorite pictures from my childhood, as it reminds me of that easy frame of mind, and the instinctive, almost unthinking athleticism which seems to be the exclusive domain of childhood.

Annecy

Obviously, this is a picture of a postcard of Annecy. Below are the pictures that my father took, presumably:

Other pictures from the Alps:

I do not know what church this is, with the beautiful stained glass.

I think this might be Lac Annecy, although this might be confirmed by either my parents and/or my brother. 

My brother and I in front of that lake, with me climbing the tree. Loved to climb back in those days!

Lavoir, somewhere in France. Everyone knows that Europe has charming villages and old churches, castles, and cathedrals, as well as some other grandiose sights. Sometimes, however, pictures of smaller things like this (a lavoir, which is kind of an outdoors communal waterhole, where people would get their water and/or wash their clothing) also have considerable charm. Again, though, not entirely sure where this one was located. Maybe Leffond?

Leffond:

The Gaulois were brothers who were friends of the family, and who owned a local restaurant either in or very near Leffond.

My uncle would host these large parties, which were more or less outdoor barbecues, often with fireworks at night. They would roast a pig or lamb, I think. There would be a large campfire. These are some pictures of the one from 1987, which I think was held on or around la fête nationale (often referred to in English as Bastille Day) on July 14th. 

My brother with my cousin, Jean-Louis. He and my uncle both were pilots at a nearby airport in Gray. The triangular structure on the table, I believe, was part of one of those planes, which were known as ULM's. 

Taverny:

A picture of my parents relaxing in my aunt's house in Taverny. 

This is an evening that I remember fairly well. My cousin, Christian, played the guitar well, which made this evening particularly memorable. That is me, presumably looking at Christian. In the background are my father (with the mustache) and my aunt (his sister). 

My brother and I from the summer of 1987. Not sure where this is, but it appears we were riding some kind of touristy train, possibly through some gardens somewhere in France. My brother was already growing out his hair, as it looks long, although it would get a lot longer than that before too long. 

🏈🏈 NFL 2020-21 Championship Games Weekend Preview 🏈🏈

 

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NFC Championship Game:             

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13-5) at Green Bay Packers (14-3)  

Like the Bills and Chiefs, the Bucs and Packers met earlier this season. That meeting was early this season in Tampa Bay, with the Packers sporting an impressive, undefeated 4-0 record. Not surprisingly, the Packers were the favorites, despite being the road team. However, the Buccaneers won that one decisively, pounding the Packers, 38-10, handing them their first loss of the season. It was also the worst loss that the Packers suffered this season, by far.              

However, also like with the Bills and the Chiefs, that game likely will have little bearing for this game. First of all, this one is the NFC Championship Game. It will be played in the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, where it will be below freezing, and with a distinct possibility of snow, which could have an impact on the approach by both teams.              

Of course, we know that a little snow or cold weather will not bother some members of the Buccaneers, particularly Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, both of whom enjoyed championship seasons together up in New England, which is not exactly known to be a tropical paradise during this time of the year. As for the rest of the team, I actually suspect that it should not be the deciding factor in this game.              

Both teams have explosive offenses. Green Bay had literally the most explosive offense in the league, while Tampa’s was not far behind. The Packers averaged almost 32 points per game. The Buccaneers averaged just under 31 points per game. So, like with the Chiefs and the Bills, we likely will see a ton of points scored here.              

As far as defenses are concerned, I am actually more impressed with Tampa Bay’s defense, at least entering this game. True, they will have their hands full against Aaron Rodgers and that dangerous Packer offense, and they sure cannot expect to shut them down almost completely, as they did in the first meeting. How good was that defensive effort by Tampa Bay in that first meeting? Consider this: other than that game, only the Vikings managed to hold the Packers to under 24 points, and they allowed 22 points in a game that they managed to beat Green Bay in. But the Buccaneers made the Packers offense look pedestrian, limiting them to a measly 10 points. It is safe to say that if Tampa Bay somehow manages to shut down that Packer offense as completely this time around, they will win.              

However, it seems unlikely that the Bucs defense will be so good as to limit Green Bay to just one touchdown and one field goal. No, I suspect that the Pack will score more points. That said, I do not expect the Packers to have an offensive explosion, or to constantly light up the boards. Tampa Bay will play them tough, and will give themselves a chance.              

And here is my surprise for the weekend: I suspect that Tom Brady is highly motivated and will remain cool, calm, and collected, and lead his offense effectively throughout this game. He is a very driven individual, and can, has, and will again handle the enormous pressure that he will face. With him leading the Bucs offense, and with a defense that should play very tough to make Tampa’s offensive production stand, I will go on record here and predict an upset. Yes, the Bucs will become the road warriors of these NFC playoffs, as they will win their third straight road game in this postseason to reach the Super Bowl, and give Tom Brady a crack at what would be truly amazing history: a shot at yet another Super Bowl ring two weeks from now.              

My pick: Tampa Bay    

            

   

AFC Championship Game:  

Buffalo Bills (15-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)              

      

These were the two best teams in the AFC, although that was not necessarily obvious for much of the season. After all, when the Steelers started the season off on a tear, winning their first 11 games and getting off to the best start in franchise history, I had assumed that they would quite possibly be the top seed, and maybe even the team to beat in the AFC. But they seemed to inexplicably collapse after that hot start, losing five of their final six games, including their one and only playoff game. Only one other time can I remember seeing a team look so good for a huge stretch of the earlier regular season, and then collapse towards the end: the 1986 New York Jets. They raced off to a 10-1 start, and some people were beginning to talk about the possibility of a New York – New York Super Bowl, as the Giants were doing very well at the time, and would in fact wind up winning their first ever Super Bowl title that season. But as for the Jets, they lost their final five regular season games, backing into the playoffs. There, they managed to beat the Kansas City Chiefs, but then lost in overtime to the Browns the following week in the divisional round, as they entered a period of long decline.              

But I digress. This weekend is about the two best teams in the AFC. Technically, and rather surprisingly, the Bills had a higher rated offense than the Chiefs did. Buffalo averaged over 30 points per game, while the Chiefs averaged just under 29. So, you have to figure that this will be a pretty high scoring game.   

Yes, the Chiefs feel like they are where everyone expected them to be, as the top seed, and with the status as the team to beat in the AFC. They are the defending champions, and enjoy more playoff experience than any other team in the NFL at this point in time.              

Yet, there are questions marks, and many of them revolve around star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. How is he, in terms of his health? As of right now, he is in concussion protocol. Yet, Brett Favre pointed out that this will be a big test for the NFL, as the Chiefs will obviously be tempted to play him for the entirety of the game. Whether or not he plays extensively (or at all, but it seems that he will) is a huge question, and may go a long way in determining how this game plays out. Obviously, the Bills chances would seem to improve dramatically if a healthy Mahomes is not playing at 100 percent.

This weekend is about the two best teams in the AFC. Technically, and rather surprisingly, the Bills had a higher rated offense than the Chiefs did. Buffalo averaged over 30 points per game, while the Chiefs averaged just under 29. So, you have to figure that this will be a pretty high scoring game.              

That said, the Chiefs have a fairly solid defense. This season, KC’s defense has held their opponents to 20 points or less 10 times, including last week’s playoff contest against the Browns. That is pretty impressive, and it includes the first meeting between these two teams earlier this season, which the Chiefs won in Buffalo, 26-17. However, I think that it is safe to say that the outcome of that particular game should have no bearing on this game, since both teams are likely different teams than they were at that stage in the season. Also, the stakes are much, much higher, so you can probably expect both teams to take some chances. After all, they are playing for a shot to reach the Super Bowl with this game.              

Home field advantage could be key, although ironically, the two losses that the Chiefs suffered this season were both at home. The last one was a game that was meaningless to the Chiefs, as they had already clinched home field advantage, and rested their starters. The first loss was at home to the Raiders, but the Raiders had to score a ton of points in order to pull it off.              

Mahomes is slated to play, having cleared concussion protocol. But can he stay healthy? Will he be 100 percent? How much will the pressure from Buffalo’s defense bother him?              

Those are questions that will be answered. In the end, I think that the Bills will play impressively, and have a serious shot at pulling off this upset.              

Yet, my gut keeps telling me that this is KC’s year, and that they will emerge, once again, as the AFC’s representatives to the Super Bowl for a second year in a row. Right now, I still feel that they are the best team in the league, frankly.              

My pick: Kansas City              

Super Bowl Memories of Jeff Hostetler

 

It was exactly 30 years ago that the Giants, fresh off an invigorating, energizing win over the dynasty 49ers, were preparing for a meeting with the red hot, high-flying Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV. The Bills seemed to have it all: a tough defense, great special teams, and a seemingly unstoppable offense that had scored 95 points combined in their two playoff games. Buffalo, not surprisingly, were the favorites during the Super Bowl week.

The Giants would need a different approach, and would find one. They would rely on power football, on hanging onto the ball for as long as possible, and keep that Buffalo offense off the field as much as possible, too. For that, the offense needed to produce, and for that to happen, they needed solid production from backup quarterback (a career backup) Jeff Hostetler. 

He would produce.

So, here is another blog entry on the subject, this one focusing on Jeff Hostetler. You remember him, right? He was the career backup quarterback who got his chance to start after Phil Simms went down with a broken leg during the 1990 season. Simms had been enjoying an MVP-caliber season, and led all quarterbacks in ranking to the point where he got injured against the Buffalo Bills during a regular season meeting (which Buffalo won).

Hostetler, who had memorably filled in after an earlier injury to Simms against the Cardinals and led the Giants to an incredible fourth quarter comeback after trailing by nine, had to step up again. The Giants lost the game against Buffalo, but Hostetler had a solid game against the Cardinals in Arizona the next week, to clinch a playoff bye as the second seed. Then, a narrow victory against the then lowly New England Patriots.

But Hostetler really shined in the playoffs, performing in a dazzling manner against the Chicago Bears, when some were suggesting that, without Simms, the Giants were finished. He did very well again the following week at San Francisco, in what still remains as likely the most intense NFL football game that I ever saw. He bested his rival across the field, Joe Montana (who himself went out with a serious injury during the game, from which he would never really be the same again), and the Giants earned a trip to the Super Bowl.

Once there, Hostetler capably led his team to victory. Some of his most memorable plays included a brilliant, picture perfect touchdown pass to Stephen Baker just before halftime, cutting the Bills lead from 12-3 to 12-10, putting the Giants back in the game. He played well on that day, but perhaps the most valuable play that he should be remembered for was, in fact, a misfortune. He tripped over the feet of O.J. Anderson, the Giants running back, and was falling in the end zone when Bruce Smith of the Bills grabbed for him. It could easily have been a touchdown, but Hostetler pulled the ball to him, providing the Bills with a safety, but preventing what surely would have been a disastrous touchdown that likely would have won the game for Buffalo. Considering that the Giants barely scraped by with the narrowest of margins - a one-point victory that still ranks as the closest Super Bowl in history, the Giants really needed that kind of a break, even if it looked like a bad bit of luck. I was satisfied at the time that he had not given up the touchdown, although the way that the game was going to that point, it looked like it was all falling apart for the Giants.

Still, they won, and that gave Hostetler a chance to join the elite ranks of Super Bowl winning quarterbacks. He would be named the starter for the Giants in 1991 and again in 1992, before moving on to become the starting quarterback for the Los Angeles Raiders. Eventually, he ended his career in Washington.

But I always wondered what had become of him. Not long after the Super Bowl win, he created his own charity, the Hoss Foundation. This charity has continued to be active in giving gifts to underprivileged families during the Christmas season.

Tellingly, Hostetler suggested that he is more proud of what he has accomplished off the field than anything that he did on it.

Here is a link to the article,if interested:

Hostetler Shares Super Bowl Memories Posted by Scott Grayson,  Feb 02, 2013:

http://www.wvillustrated.com/story/20944174/hostetler-shares-super-bowl-memories

First Full Day of Biden Presidency: Let’s End the Honeymoon & Put Pressure on Biden To Fulfill Promises

Today is the first day of the new Joe Biden presidency. Most Americans seem to feel relieved that Trump is now gone. He left the White House yesterday at eight in the morning, well before the inaugural festivities got underway. He becomes the first president in well over a century to make a point of not attending the inauguration of the one who replaces him. Yes, it was immature and petty, and just like everything that this man has done, it was meant to delegitimize Biden’s presidency. By now, of course, relatively few people care what Trump has to say or do anymore. Oh, he has his supporters, but his four years in office proved to be too much even for most Americans, far too many of whom are addicted to what passes for entertainment.  

After all, that was the excuse that I heard repeatedly among Trump supporters who, at least at first, did not want to admit to being part of Cult 45. When asked why they voted for him, some of them whom I spoke to four years ago said that at least he would be entertaining. Frankly, I never found the man to be entertaining at all. He has no sense of humor, and takes himself far too seriously, with his absurdly inflated, ridiculous, obviously fragile ego. But I guess some people found him entertaining, and my suspicion is that, on some level, many Americans voted for and supported him precisely because he was apparently entertaining. The fact that he was ruining the country and it’s democracy either never seemed to enter into their thinking or, what would be infinitely worse, never seemed to matter much to them in the first place.  

Truth be told, I believe that Trump not being there was probably a good thing. He has never been a team player. How could he be, when he is and always has been all about himself? My own suspicion is that, in typical fashion, he would not be able to resist some kind of slight or something to undermine the legitimacy of the proceedings. To me, he was truly a Fake President, and the graceless way that he exited was predictable and, frankly, symbolic. He never was worthy of the office that he held, and now that he is gone, he should stay away, beginning with the inauguration yesterday, and most likely, all future inaugurations. Hopefully, he left the White House for good, literally and figuratively, when he physically left yesterday. Let Florida have him, let him stay down there.  

According to Biden, Trump left him a letter in the Oval Office. However, he refuses to release the details of that letter before he has a chance to speak to Trump about it. Your guess is as good as mine about what is said in that letter. With Trump, you just never know.  

Allegedly, he wants to start his own political party. It would be called the Patriot Party. That is a bit of a surprise, because I had seriously assumed that he would call it the Trump Party. A man who puts his name up high on illuminated signs atop skyscrapers dominating our cities, and who also puts his name in front of every possible business venture (scams) that he can think of would have a hard time not trying to credit himself with a new party that is his own creation. Like everything else with this scam artist, my guess is that this new party will be promising to supporters, but will turn out to be a mere money making scheme. It will not grow beyond his immediate base, because they have no intention of trying to reach out and welcome others. He will likely ask for money, claim that it is urgent to fight what he claims will be the good fight, but that he will then use those funds to try and pay off his personal debts. He will tell his supporters that he did nothing wrong, of course, and that he is being persecuted unfairly because the “Fake News” and the powers that be are just trying to get him. And they will believe him. If they still do not have doubts now, after four years of all the bullshit that we have seen with this pathetic, needy man, then they will never have any doubts.  

Good riddance to bad rubbish.  

Joe Biden is now the one who is in charge.  

Yes, there is a honeymoon period. He is receiving a lot of love on social media websites. Everyone is raving about the performers yesterday. Lady Gaga singing, and the young Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, all had people raving. Then last night, there were dramatic fireworks over Washington.  

All very nice.  

But let us not just get lulled back to figurative sleep. Tis country has serious problems, and quite frankly, Joe Biden has been on the wrong side of a lot of them. Biden was instrumental in to creating the absurd, for profit prison system, which has led to the United States have the dubious distinction of having more people behind bars - here in the self-proclaimed “land of the free” – than any other country. Not unrelated, Biden still opposes marijuana legalization. Biden has stated outright that he would veto any kind of Medicare for All bill that came to his desk in the Oval Office. Biden supported the Iraq invasion. And he sure did not speak out against some of the abuses of the Obama administration that he was obviously a huge part of, such as drone strikes, or the indefinite detention bill that effectively gets rid of habeas corpus, which is supposed to be protected by the Constitution.  

True, Biden is getting the United States back into the Paris Accord. For that, I applaud him. He signed a lot of executive orders yesterday, and they felt like a good start. Many of them repudiated some of the worst excesses of the Trump years. And let’s face it: it is not only a solid statement, but it gets this stuff out of the way immediately, while he is still brad new, and while there is this honeymoon period.