An Oral History of Big Game - Printable Version
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An Oral History of Big Game - Hank 91 - 11-21-2019
Well, not all 100+ years, so I guess it's a partial history. I don't often link here to things that I've written, but I'm pretty happy with this particular piece. I reached out to people and asked for their favorite Big Game memories, then used those memories to wander through recent Big Game history. I think you'll like it. Also, it would be cool if you could post a comment on the article sharing your own favorite memory. Anyway, here's the link. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
https://www.gomightycard.com/2019/11/an-oral-history-of-big-game.html
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - winflop - 11-21-2019
There should be an "Other than 1990" category for Big Game memories. Mine is Tuan Van Le
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - BostonCard - 11-21-2019
Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of Casey Moore’s run for the roses, and the ninth anniversary of Andrew Luck making “to Catouse” a verb meaning “to destroy a defender on a long run”.
https://youtu.be/S4_w-puInqY
BC
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - baymeadows3408 - 11-21-2019
The first Big Game I attended was 1997, the 100th Big Game. We arrived late because the train we were taking was delayed. My dad bought tickets off scalpers who were desperate to unload tickets because the game had already started. Cheap tickets, all right! We followed the signs to our section, only to find out the tickets were in the north end zone. We were two red dots in a sea of blue and gold. We got some dirty looks from the Cal fans around us. Corey Hill intercepted a tipped pass and returned it for a touchdown only a few minutes after we sat down. The Bookman scored a touchdown to put Stanford up 13-0 (PAT blocked) and we decided to leave the stadium (back when in-and-out privileges were allowed) and think of a different strategy for the second half. We went to a coin shop at Town & Country village and returned for the second half.
We ended up spending the second half pacing the walkway at the bottom of the stadium, avoiding the redcoats. We couldn't see much, but I do remember Stanford clinching the victory when Vedder was sacked in the waning seconds. We went on the field with the students after the game, retreating when the Cal students rushed the field. When recalling this event, my dad would use the expression, "A good retreat beats a bad stand."
We ended up spending the second half pacing the walkway at the bottom of the stadium, avoiding the redcoats. We couldn't see much, but I do remember Stanford clinching the victory when Vedder was sacked in the waning seconds. We went on the field with the students after the game, retreating when the Cal students rushed the field. When recalling this event, my dad would use the expression, "A good retreat beats a bad stand.
Highlights from a sloppy but memorable 100th edition of the Big Game.
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - JJJ - 11-21-2019
Thanks for sharing (and for calling it “Big Game” without “the” in front of it, the way I remember it)!
:)
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - Hank 91 - 11-21-2019
(11-21-2019, 11:45 AM)JJJ Wrote: Thanks for sharing (and for calling it “Big Game” without “the” in front of it, the way I remember it)!
:)
Yeah, using an article always bothers me, I think just because back when I was a student it was always Big Game, never the Big Game.
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - baymeadows3408 - 11-21-2019
(11-21-2019, 12:14 PM)Hank 91 Wrote:(11-21-2019, 11:45 AM)JJJ Wrote: Thanks for sharing (and for calling it “Big Game” without “the” in front of it, the way I remember it)!
:)
Yeah, using an article always bothers me, I think just because back when I was a student it was always Big Game, never the Big Game.
Wasn't there a thread about use of articles and Big Game/the Big Game at some point? Were there any noticeable differences based on age and/or status as an alum or non-alum? I didn't go to Stanford, so when I heard references to the game, they came from reporters and broadcasters, and they used the article. For me, it's the Big Game. Dropping the article would feel weird to be, a little too familiar or cute. Perhaps proximity to student/alum culture plays a role?
This issue reminds me of the name of the famous horse race that happens on the first Saturday in May. To general sports fans, it's the Kentucky Derby. To racing fans in the United States, it's the Derby. To Kentuckians, it's just Derby ("Did you have good Derby?"). I'm in the middle group, unless I need to distinguish the Kentucky Derby from another race like the Florida Derby or Santa Anita Derby.
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - Hank 91 - 11-21-2019
(11-21-2019, 01:32 PM)baymeadows3408 Wrote:(11-21-2019, 12:14 PM)Hank 91 Wrote:There was definitely a discussion here at some point, and I think you're right about the student vs. media aspect. I vividly remember getting from the 1991 game and watching the recorded telecast. Brent Musberger introduced it as "the Big Game," and it bothered me. But if I remember right from our prior discussion here, people were pretty evenly split in terms of with or without the article.(11-21-2019, 11:45 AM)JJJ Wrote: Thanks for sharing (and for calling it “Big Game” without “the” in front of it, the way I remember it)!
:)
Yeah, using an article always bothers me, I think just because back when I was a student it was always Big Game, never the Big Game.
Wasn't there a thread about use of articles and Big Game/the Big Game at some point? Were there any noticeable differences based on age and/or status as an alum or non-alum? I didn't go to Stanford, so when I heard references to the game, they came from reporters and broadcasters, and they used the article. For me, it's the Big Game. Dropping the article would feel weird to be, a little too familiar or cute. Perhaps proximity to student/alum culture plays a role?
This issue reminds me of the name of the famous horse race that happens on the first Saturday in May. To general sports fans, it's the Kentucky Derby. To racing fans in the United States, it's the Derby. To Kentuckians, it's just Derby ("Did you have good Derby?"). I'm in the middle group, unless I need to distinguish the Kentucky Derby from another race like the Florida Derby or Santa Anita Derby.
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - Spiny_Norman - 11-22-2019
Hank, I loved everything about this feature. Was there anyone you contacted who did not respond?
If you wanted to add more stories, JJ Lasley is someone I would like to hear from. He has his own memories about the 1990 game, including a heroic effort on the on side kick.
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - Hank 91 - 11-23-2019
I'm glad you liked it, Spiny. It was an idea that only came to me last weekend; I wish I had thought of it sooner, just because maybe I could've reached more people, but I'm pretty happy with the range of responses that I got. In general, the players are incredibly nice and more than happy to rehash these memories. When I first got the idea and started reaching out to people, I was kind of worried that it might not work, that I might not get enough responses, but I was thrilled by how quickly the responses came back. The answer was almost always, "Sure! When do you need it?" The other positive is that it reminded how much I loved doing the player interviews that I used to do, so hopefully I'll try to get back to that. Anyway, thanks for reading. I truly appreciate it.
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - Hank 91 - 11-25-2019
Sorry to bother everyone about this again, but I need you to help me feel less guilty about something. As I was putting together my Big Game piece and gathering responses from Twitter and through email, somehow I neglected to include a fairly important one from one of the biggest names in Stanford football history, Glyn Milburn. He responded quickly and his memory of the 1990 game was beautiful. When I read it, I couldn't wait to share it... and then it got lost in the chaos. It wasn't until this morning that I remembered, and my heart sunk. Anyway, I need to know that at least some people other than me have read it. I've tweeted about it and inserted it into my original piece so it's always there, but I'm dropping it here also to save you a click...
Glyn Milburn: Running Back, 1990-92
The animosity between Cal and us goes back to the 1890s. My first experience with this rivalry was in the 93rd edition of the Big Game, where we, at a 4-6 record, would play only for pride as opposed to a bowl berth. Cal had already been assured of a bowl game and was clearly overconfident. A few of our older players whispered about attempts from Cal students to deface Stanford landmarks during the week, all in an effort to distract our focus on what would be our final game of the season. Our practice week was focused, and Coach Dennis Green assured us that we were prepared to play our best football of the season. As we walked into the visitor's locker room at the old Cal Memorial Stadium that Saturday afternoon, I remember seeing the faces of many of my teammates (most of whom would be playing their last football game in their career) and how a win would be a fitting end to their Stanford career. I remember we walked onto the field in an untraditional manner…instead of running onto the field through the tunnel, we walked through the crowd down the stairs and onto the field. In a way, this act showed our fans and supporters that we were not intimidated and were prepared to "walk through" the opposition and end our season on a high note. I don't remember much about the game except for us facing a two-score deficit at halftime and battling back to make it a one-score game with less than a minute to go. We drove the ball down deep into their territory, where Jason hits Ed for a touchdown in the right corner of the end zone to put us within one point of a tie game. However, this was the Big Game, and we would not play for the tie. We failed to complete another Jason Palumbis pass to Ed McCaffrey when all of a sudden, their fans stream onto the field believing they had won. Once the officials cleared the field, there were still 12 seconds left to perform what became the legendary "Revenge of The Play" from 1982. Onside kick, defensive penalty, and a last-second John Hopkins field goal. Game over. After that game, the locker room was euphoric...our coaches and teammates, knowing that we had the talent and mental toughness to compete well over the next few years. This game, in all of its craziness, continued our dominance over Cal for quite a while.
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - BostonCard - 11-25-2019
I read it. Thanks for posting (and consider this thread bumped so that others can also read it).
BC
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - CornFed - 11-25-2019
Loved that Big Game. Great to have it described from the players' perspective.
RE: An Oral History of Big Game - JJJ - 11-26-2019
(11-25-2019, 12:06 PM)Hank 91 Wrote: Sorry to bother everyone about this again, but I need you to help me feel less guilty about something. As I was putting together my Big Game piece and gathering responses from Twitter and through email, somehow I neglected to include a fairly important one from one of the biggest names in Stanford football history, Glyn Milburn. He responded quickly and his memory of the 1990 game was beautiful. When I read it, I couldn't wait to share it... and then it got lost in the chaos. It wasn't until this morning that I remembered, and my heart sunk. Anyway, I need to know that at least some people other than me have read it. I've tweeted about it and inserted it into my original piece so it's always there, but I'm dropping it here also to save you a click...
Glyn Milburn: Running Back, 1990-92
The animosity between Cal and us goes back to the 1890s. My first experience with this rivalry was in the 93rd edition of the Big Game, where we, at a 4-6 record, would play only for pride as opposed to a bowl berth. Cal had already been assured of a bowl game and was clearly overconfident. A few of our older players whispered about attempts from Cal students to deface Stanford landmarks during the week, all in an effort to distract our focus on what would be our final game of the season. Our practice week was focused, and Coach Dennis Green assured us that we were prepared to play our best football of the season. As we walked into the visitor's locker room at the old Cal Memorial Stadium that Saturday afternoon, I remember seeing the faces of many of my teammates (most of whom would be playing their last football game in their career) and how a win would be a fitting end to their Stanford career. I remember we walked onto the field in an untraditional manner…instead of running onto the field through the tunnel, we walked through the crowd down the stairs and onto the field. In a way, this act showed our fans and supporters that we were not intimidated and were prepared to "walk through" the opposition and end our season on a high note. I don't remember much about the game except for us facing a two-score deficit at halftime and battling back to make it a one-score game with less than a minute to go. We drove the ball down deep into their territory, where Jason hits Ed for a touchdown in the right corner of the end zone to put us within one point of a tie game. However, this was the Big Game, and we would not play for the tie. We failed to complete another Jason Palumbis pass to Ed McCaffrey when all of a sudden, their fans stream onto the field believing they had won. Once the officials cleared the field, there were still 12 seconds left to perform what became the legendary "Revenge of The Play" from 1982. Onside kick, defensive penalty, and a last-second John Hopkins field goal. Game over. After that game, the locker room was euphoric...our coaches and teammates, knowing that we had the talent and mental toughness to compete well over the next few years. This game, in all of its craziness, continued our dominance over Cal for quite a while.
Beautiful. And duly read (and re-read).