1974 Sun Bowl

She Mate Me

Heisman
Dec 7, 2008
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Btw, if you just want wanna pop in for a minute, the first play of the game (13:40 in the video) is a 55 yard run from Terry Vitrano and State ends with a TD on that drive.

State won 26-24 and ran for 455 yards (still the Sun Bowl record).
 
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TaleofTwoDogs

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The great team of '74. Also the season that Auburn's asshat coach Shug Jordan filed his complaint with the SEC office to ban the cowbell. Alabama's Bear tried to buy 1,000 cowbells from MSU's bookstore for their game with Auburn just to piss off Jordan.
 

MSUDOG24

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When Bowl Games weren’t handed out like candy and actually recognized achievement. Johnny Mathis with a beautiful rendition of the anthem.

Funny that jumped out at me as well. I don't mind some of the "stylizing" of the anthem but there is something to said for a good singer just singing it straight up. Really well done.

1785170488266.png

Pretty sure that is Smylie Gebhart by way of Meridian and GT. Likely German for some here but Smylie Kaufman started popping up on my golf coverage this year and thought, that's an unusual name I once knew and wonder if there's a connection.
Smylie Kaufman is named after Smylie Gebhart, and, of course, there is a story behind that.
Smylie Gebhart was Smylie Kaufman’s grandmother’s cousin, and Jeff Kaufman’s friend and inspiration. Jeff Kaufman is Smylie Kaufman’s father.
Says Jeff Kaufman of Smylie Gebhart: “He was the guy you’d want your daughter to marry or your son to be like — just the nicest, most modest, unassuming guy. I always said that if I had a son, I would name him Smylie.”
And he did.
A quick history lesson for Mississippians not old enough to remember the great Smylie Gebhart: He played defensive end at 185 pounds and led the world in tackles, sacks and smiles. He was more than a football player. He was a scholar and a leader, one of those few players chosen to go entertain the troops in Vietnam. Too small to play professionally, he became a coach, first at Tech and then at Mississippi State. In 1979, he suffered a freak disk injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down. He lived his last 22 years as a quadriplegic.


It must be "Sun Bowl week" as my wife sent me this last night (just a shortish recap).

 

o_Hot Rock

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Jan 2, 2010
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I know you guys hear me talking about Stan Black...That is him # 36

1785177864475.png
This was his soph year when he led the team in receiving but they didn't throw much. I did see the first play where he blocked the defender 5 yards into the endzone to open the play up for the first TD. I will watch this when I get home. I never got to see him play.
 
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josebrown

All-Conference
Aug 4, 2008
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Funny that jumped out at me as well. I don't mind some of the "stylizing" of the anthem but there is something to said for a good singer just singing it straight up. Really well done.

View attachment 1374549

Pretty sure that is Smylie Gebhart by way of Meridian and GT. Likely German for some here but Smylie Kaufman started popping up on my golf coverage this year and thought, that's an unusual name I once knew and wonder if there's a connection.
Smylie Kaufman is named after Smylie Gebhart, and, of course, there is a story behind that.
Smylie Gebhart was Smylie Kaufman’s grandmother’s cousin, and Jeff Kaufman’s friend and inspiration. Jeff Kaufman is Smylie Kaufman’s father.
Says Jeff Kaufman of Smylie Gebhart: “He was the guy you’d want your daughter to marry or your son to be like — just the nicest, most modest, unassuming guy. I always said that if I had a son, I would name him Smylie.”
And he did.
A quick history lesson for Mississippians not old enough to remember the great Smylie Gebhart: He played defensive end at 185 pounds and led the world in tackles, sacks and smiles. He was more than a football player. He was a scholar and a leader, one of those few players chosen to go entertain the troops in Vietnam. Too small to play professionally, he became a coach, first at Tech and then at Mississippi State. In 1979, he suffered a freak disk injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down. He lived his last 22 years as a quadriplegic.


It must be "Sun Bowl week" as my wife sent me this last night (just a shortish recap).

Yep. That’s Smylie. Was my aunts brother. Always thought of him as larger than life growing up hearing all the stories and accomplishments.
 
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Nov 25, 2019
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I know you guys hear me talking about Stan Black...That is him # 36

View attachment 1374690
This was his soph year when he led the team in receiving but they didn't throw much. I did see the first play where he blocked the defender 5 yards into the endzone to open the play up for the first TD. I will watch this when I get home. I never got to see him play.
I'm from Columbus and he was a great athlete and person.
 
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was21

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May 29, 2007
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Btw, if you just want wanna pop in for a minute, the first play of the game (13:40 in the video) is a 55 yard run from Terry Vitrano and State ends with a TD on that drive.

State won 26-24 and ran for 455 yards (still the Sun Bowl record).
Terrey Vitrano from Norco LA. I remember it well
 

Willow Grove Dawg

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Nov 3, 2016
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Wasn't Webb a 1st rounder to San Francisco. Haven't googled it.
Yes Webb was a 1st rounder. We had some real DUDES on that team
Offense - Felker (SEC player of the year), Walter Packer, Dennis Johnson, Terry Vetrano, Richard Keys, & Stan Black
Defense - Webb, Harvey Hull, Ray Costict, Larry Gillard, & Steve Freeman - I think all of them played in the NFL

I really enjoyed both teams having straight ahead kickers.
I noticed the game was on CBS & they advertised the Fiesta Bowl being on CBS before I realized 1974 was before ESPN.
We completed two passes in the 1st half. One of them was a halfback pass by Johnson. Felker's only completion was a WR screen behind the line of scrimmage. The forward pass was an adventure for both teams.
I kept looking for the box on the screen with the score & game clock and never saw it plus no play clock on the screen.
The sideline interviews with Lee Trevino & Don Maynard were nice also.
Damned I am old. I remember 8 year old me watching that game on television. Harsh reality for me was thinking Steve Freeman's sons played baseball at MSU 30ish years ago.
 
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She Mate Me

Heisman
Dec 7, 2008
14,611
13,683
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The fog coming of the field is wild.

“A freak winter storm the night before the game left frost on the field. The morning warmth of the sun created a rising steam from the field during the first half, thus inspiring the game to be one of three football games to be nicknamed the "Fog Bowl"
 

Olegreyboy

Freshman
Oct 13, 2022
94
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A story about Jimmy Webb. My sister knew some boys who decided to make a name for themselves and beat up Jimmy Webb. About a week later she saw one of them and asked if they encountered him. He said yes at a fraternity party. He said we weren’t able to hit him because his arms were so long. He backed up against a wall and kept knocking us back.
 

was21

Senior
May 29, 2007
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Yes, I do believe so.
Googled it. Wow....he was the 10th player picked in the '75 draft and played seven seasons for the '49's. and then the Chargers. He got his veterinary medicine degree from State in the off seasons and after football he practice vet medicine. He had two sons who both played football for UCLA. I would post it on here but don't know how to do it. Wonder why we never hear about him. Maybe he contributes to the UCLA NIL.
 

was21

Senior
May 29, 2007
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Yes Webb was a 1st rounder. We had some real DUDES on that team
Offense - Felker (SEC player of the year), Walter Packer, Dennis Johnson, Terry Vetrano, Richard Keys, & Stan Black
Defense - Webb, Harvey Hull, Ray Costict, Larry Gillard, & Steve Freeman - I think all of them played in the NFL

I really enjoyed both teams having straight ahead kickers.
I noticed the game was on CBS & they advertised the Fiesta Bowl being on CBS before I realized 1974 was before ESPN.
We completed two passes in the 1st half. One of them was a halfback pass by Johnson. Felker's only completion was a WR screen behind the line of scrimmage. The forward pass was an adventure for both teams.
I kept looking for the box on the screen with the score & game clock and never saw it plus no play clock on the screen.
The sideline interviews with Lee Trevino & Don Maynard were nice also.
Damned I am old. I remember 8 year old me watching that game on television. Harsh reality for me was thinking Steve Freeman's sons played baseball at MSU 30ish years ago.
Bob Tyler still controversial. He brought some great players in. I remember the OM folk regretted that the good ole boys in charge at OM had to have a Kinard and Tyler got passed over. Story for another day.
 

karlchilders.sixpack

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Jun 5, 2008
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Googled it. Wow....he was the 10th player picked in the '75 draft and played seven seasons for the '49's. and then the Chargers. He got his veterinary medicine degree from State in the off seasons and after football he practice vet medicine. He had two sons who both played football for UCLA. I would post it on here but don't know how to do it. Wonder why we never hear about him. Maybe he contributes to the UCLA NIL.
Jimmy was a really good guy. He was about 6ft 5 or 6, and weighed about 270lb. Linemen were a bit smaller, than today.
 

She Mate Me

Heisman
Dec 7, 2008
14,611
13,683
113
Googled it. Wow....he was the 10th player picked in the '75 draft and played seven seasons for the '49's. and then the Chargers. He got his veterinary medicine degree from State in the off seasons and after football he practice vet medicine. He had two sons who both played football for UCLA. I would post it on here but don't know how to do it. Wonder why we never hear about him. Maybe he contributes to the UCLA NIL.

I linked his Wikipedia in the DL thread a few weeks ago…


“After retiring from football following the 1981 NFL season, Webb has practiced veterinary medicine in California's Central Valley, specializing in embryo transfer. Webb has also developed his own herd of wagyu cattle, marketing live animals, *****, and embryos.

Webb has been married to his wife Cindy for over 40 years. Their twin sons, Josh and Micah, both attended UCLA and played on the Bruins football team.”
 

Willow Grove Dawg

All-American
Nov 3, 2016
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Bob Tyler still controversial. He brought some great players in. I remember the OM folk regretted that the good ole boys in charge at OM had to have a Kinard and Tyler got passed over. Story for another day.
Bob Tyler - great football coach & had built a talent level that would have resulted in unprecedented success in the 80's. Bellard won in 80 & 81 primarily with Tyler recruits.
Bob Tyler - destroyed our basketball program for a generation by running off Ron Greene after the 1977-1978 season. Ron Greene would have won multiple SEC Championships in the late 70's early 80's with Ray White, Rickey Brown, Wiley Peck, Al Perry, Gary Hooker. He was dominating Mississippi in recruiting & had a pipeline to NYC.
MSU should have paid enough to Bob Tyler to coach football that he did not need to be AD.
 
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leeinator

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Feb 24, 2014
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I think Jimmy Webb may have later on after MSU and the 49ers become a veterinarian. Can anyone confirm this?
 

leeinator

All-Conference
Feb 24, 2014
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This is true.
Thanks. The Sun Bowl is one of my favorite bowl locations. Carved out of the Franklin Mtns. high above El Paso was a really cool view to see. Of course, I'm a little biased as half my family is from El Paso and I spent a great deal of time there.
 

Lowdog

Junior
Jan 1, 2019
426
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Yes it snowed the day before the game. I had a picture of my dad and mom in El Paso standing in front of a snowman at their hotel. I was in high school. I was mad at my parents for not taking me. I had to watch it at home.
 

tcdog70

Junior
Sep 24, 2012
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Walter Packer--has to top 5 running back at MSU. If he turned the corner -it was goodbye
 
Nov 25, 2019
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Bob Tyler - great football coach & had built a talent level that would have resulted in unprecedented success in the 80's. Bellard won in 80 & 81 primarily with Tyler recruits.
Bob Tyler - destroyed our basketball program for a generation by running off Ron Greene after the 1977-1978 season. Ron Greene would have won multiple SEC Championships in the late 70's early 80's with Ray White, Rickey Brown, Wiley Peck, Al Perry, Gary Hooker. He was dominating Mississippi in recruiting & had a pipeline to NYC.
MSU should have paid enough to Bob Tyler to coach football that he did not need to be AD.
agree. Then the McComas wanted him out. What a mistake.
 
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dawgman.sixpack

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Aug 23, 2012
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When Bowl Games weren’t handed out like candy and actually recognized achievement. Johnny Mathis with a beautiful rendition of the anthem.

I ate breakfast with Johnnie Mathis the morning after the Sun Bowl. He was quiet and all there that morning respected his privacy
 

Bobby Ricigliano

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I linked his Wikipedia in the DL thread a few weeks ago…


“After retiring from football following the 1981 NFL season, Webb has practiced veterinary medicine in California's Central Valley, specializing in embryo transfer. Webb has also developed his own herd of wagyu cattle, marketing live animals, *****, and embryos.

Webb has been married to his wife Cindy for over 40 years. Their twin sons, Josh and Micah, both attended UCLA and played on the Bruins football team.”
Dang, even science words get censored.
 
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