1968 Orange Bowl - Oklahoma vs. Tennessee

Why would I post a link to a game 54 years old?

good question, glad you asked. Let me first state for the record this game was played before I was born.


First of all the introduction to the game is priceless in its classiness. Secondly a look at the lineups makes one realize how much these two programs have changed. Thirdly the game play is tough, and there is very little trash talk or celebration.


Lastly though, if you aren’t saddened enough by all that has been lost in the last half century, it might be somewhat of a comfort to read the comments to the game. Normal boomers seem to look at this and realize something is lost even if they won’t say exactly what the something is.

the frog of white Christian America has been slowly boiled for 60 years or so now and unfortunately it hasn’t realized an jumped out of the pot.

hopefully it will before it’s fully cooked!

Very enjoyable. Thanks for posting.

I love the introductions!
Did you notice that almost all the players on both teams are local, or very nearby, to their state.
I like that.

Richmond Flowers of Tennessee was a tremendous high hurdler and athlete.
He was looking like a gold medal contender in the hurdles for the 1968 Olympics, but tore his hamstring before the Trails.
You can read more about him here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond_Flowers_Jr.

Richmond Flowers Jr.
". . . the younger Flowers exploded onto the track and field scene. In the Spring of 1963, he set state high school records in the 120-yard high hurdles, the 180-yard high hurdles, and the long jump.[1] In 1964, he broke five state records at the state high school championships.[5] As a senior in 1965, he set regional records in the 120-yard high hurdles, the 180-yard low hurdles and the long jump. He tied the state record in the 100-yard dash and anchored the winning 4 × 100 metres relay team. At the Gulf Coast Relays in Mobile, he set a national high school record with 13.5 seconds in the 120-yard high hurdles. At an open meet in Modesto, California, in May 1965, he beat 1964 Olympic silver medalist Blaine Lindgren in the 42-inch hurdles.[1]"

Steve Owens, running back for Oklahoma, would win the Heisman Trophy the next year, 1969.

jacknyc said:

Steve Owens, running back for Oklahoma, would win the Heisman Trophy the next year, 1969.

Click to expand...

Technically it was two years later as this game was played on January 1, 1968, the final day of the 1967 season and the first day of the most tumultuous year in U.S. history. Owens won his Heisman for the '69 season. O. J. Simpson won the Heisman for the '68 college football season.

Great stuff. Kyle Rote was the analyst…I remember Kyle Rote, Jr. as a soccer player in the NASL in the 70’s. Steve Zabel was a TE at OU, played LB for the Eagles. It’s funny how the NFL used to convert Whites offensive players to defense.

Richmond Flowers was also converted to a defensive back as a pro.

A search shows that we posted a fair amount about Richmond Flowers Sr., Jr. and even III in the early days of the forum. I remember Richmond III trying to make the Cowboys and getting cut. Here's a post I made about Richmond III from the thread "Richmond Flowers on ESPN Classic" back in '05:

I wasn't familiar with Richmond Sr. or Jr. but had read a little about Richmond III and knew he was a talented receiver trying to make the NFL.

The NFL Network has had a show the past three years following the training camp of a different team each season. It's picked three of the blackest teams starting with Baltimore followed by Dallas then Jacksonville last year. One of the shows about the Cowboys featured Richmond Flowers III trying to make the team. He's big and fast, a good looking kid, a prototype of what NFL receivers looked like back in his father's era.

Of course he was cut. At the end of the show, right after being waived, he was filmed in his training camp dorm room, talking to his father on the telephone. His father said, "It's all politics, it's all decided before camp who's gonna make it and who isn't," or something close to that. To me it sounded like his father was trying to state the racial realities of the present day NFL in so many words. ESPN Classic portrayed Richmond Jr. as a bleeding heart liberal, same as Richmond Sr., but he didn't come across like that talking to his son. Maybe time has opened his eyes, if he ever felt that way to begin with.

http://www.castefootball.us/index.php?threads/richmond-flowers-on-espn-classic.629/#post-4832

I was alive but too young to remember these days, however, my dad introduced me to football before I have any memories. This is pure gold. A bit sad, but gold nonetheless. Classy, with athletes just competing. No show, all sweat and guts.

Watching this game is a breath of fresh air in a country of stale & polluted air not to mention everything else.

Even the Savings and Loan Commercial was actually honest. Warning consumers about not saving money and using credit too much. Shocking and true. They would never do that anymore as they are all crooks.

Glad everyone enjoyed it!!
They say you can’t live in the past, but it’s nice to visit every once in a while (thanks to the magic of of u-tube).