This Day in History February 7, 2010

There are some discrepancies, but I think I think I have accurate information for what I will post.  On this date in 2010, there was a record number of people watching a certain show.  It was Super Bowl XLIV in which the Saints defeated the Colts.  An average of 106 million (153.4 million total) or possibly 111 million viewers.  It depends on what report you believe.  But it surpassed the previous record of M.A.S.H. series finale (just under 106 million viewers).  According to most reports, the following year's Super Bowl broke this record with 111.3 million viewers.  This year's Super Bowl did not break any records.  But it is clear that  2010's Super Bowl was truly a game worth watching.  Seeing the Saints win only five short years after Hurricane Katrina truly made this a feel good story.

For more information:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/07/super-bowl-2011-ratings-s_n_819559.html
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-superbowl-ratings
http://famousdaily.com/history/saints-defeat-colts-most-watched-tv-program.html

This Day in History November 6, 1976

By DoD (US Army website images collection) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Today we salute one of America's own.  On this date in 1976, Pat Tillman was born.  He excelled in football in high school, and went on to play for Arizona State University--where he also graduated with a degree in marketing in less than four years and a high GPA.  In 1998, the Arizona Cardinals drafted him.

He gave up high-paying contracts and more to enlist in the army with his brother May 2002.  On April 22, 2003, he was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan.  There are still many unanswered questions concerning his death in spite of inquiries.  He paid the ultimate price for this country that he loved.

For more information, please check out:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4815441/ns/world_news/t/ex-nfl-star-tillman-makes-ultimate-sacrifice/#.UJkPsm_A-So
http://www.biography.com/people/pat-tillman-197041
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Tillman
http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/pat-tillman.html

This Day in History September 21, 1970

Are there any football fans out there? This date in 1970, Monday Night football officially began. It was aired on ABC with sportscaster Howard Cosell. In 2005, it ended on ABC as one of the longest-running prime time television programs ever. The contract for Monday Night football is now owned by ESPN until 2021. I apologize to all the football fans out there--I don't like Monday night fooball, although I grew up with it. My mom is the big football fan in the family.

For more information, please check out:
http://famousdaily.com/history/monday-night-footbal-begins.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monday_Night_Football http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1009/nfl.rare.photos.1970/content.9.html

This Day in History January 3, 1983

I am the first to tell you that sports means virtually nothing to me.  I will tolerate football, but I can very happily live without it.

But on this date in 1983, Tony Dorsett of the Dallas Cowboys made the NFL record books with his 99-yard touchdown run!  But true to the lovely Cowboy spirit, they still lost!  I know that at one time the Cowboys were a good team, but although I lived there for many years, I am still not a fan.  The closest thing to a fan I ever was was when I lived near Tampa, Florida, and Tony Dungy was the Buccaneer's coach.

This is still on the record books--it has been tied, but it has not been broken, and it is believed it never will be.

For more information, please check out these sites:
http://www.profootballhof.com/history/story.aspx?F_y=2009&F_m=12&F_d=21&CustomURL=tony-dorsetts-shoes&print=y
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/35233/brees-latest-monday-night-record-breaker