[lex24]

During the Plunkett era, I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle.  Washington had a talented young QB by the name of Sonny Sixkiller (no match for Plunkett's abilities, but an excellent collegiate QB); and we were hoping for an upset victory down on the Farm.  But Plunkett out-dueled Sixkiller to lead Stanford to a 29-22 victory en route to a Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.  

Washington finished in a 4-way tie for second at 4-3. Frankly, I was happy to see Stanford win the conference title because I was so sick of seeing USC win.  It was a refreshing spectacle to see Stanford in the Rose Bowl; and since Plunkett and his story were so inspiring, you simply had to like the guy (even if he had just punked your team).

I was there for the two most exciting/emotional games of Stanford football in my lifetime (arguably of all time) in 1970. The matchless beat-down of USC, and the Rose Bowl clincher a month later against UW. I'll never forget Mike Simone with a red rose clenched in teeth post-game. Plunkett rose to both occasions like the champ he was. Bigger the game, the higher his performance. Capped off, of course, on Jan. 1, 1971. I took my dad to the USC game that year. At half-time there was a salute to Ernie Nevers in which they retired jersey #1. After the game my father commented that he had just seen the two best players in Stanford history. Something he would tell anyone who was listening for the rest of his life. I saw every one of Elway's home games. All of them. He was spectacular. Unsurpassed. Still, to me, Plunkett was indisputably best and it's really not even close.

That USC game is, and always will be, my No 1 Stanford football game.  And agree on Plunkett over Elway while at Stanford. Although I always will wonder what Elway and Stanford could have acheived at Stanford if Walsh stayed.

[lex24]

During the Plunkett era, I was a young Husky fan living in Seattle.  Washington had a talented young QB by the name of Sonny Sixkiller (no match for Plunkett's abilities, but an excellent collegiate QB); and we were hoping for an upset victory down on the Farm.  But Plunkett out-dueled Sixkiller to lead Stanford to a 29-22 victory en route to a Pac-8 title and a Rose Bowl berth.  

Washington finished in a 4-way tie for second at 4-3. Frankly, I was happy to see Stanford win the conference title because I was so sick of seeing USC win.  It was a refreshing spectacle to see Stanford in the Rose Bowl; and since Plunkett and his story were so inspiring, you simply had to like the guy (even if he had just punked your team).

I was there for the two most exciting/emotional games of Stanford football in my lifetime (arguably of all time) in 1970. The matchless beat-down of USC, and the Rose Bowl clincher a month later against UW. I'll never forget Mike Simone with a red rose clenched in teeth post-game. Plunkett rose to both occasions like the champ he was. Bigger the game, the higher his performance. Capped off, of course, on Jan. 1, 1971. I took my dad to the USC game that year. At half-time there was a salute to Ernie Nevers in which they retired jersey #1. After the game my father commented that he had just seen the two best players in Stanford history. Something he would tell anyone who was listening for the rest of his life. I saw every one of Elway's home games. All of them. He was spectacular. Unsurpassed. Still, to me, Plunkett was indisputably best and it's really not even close.

That USC game is, and always will be, my No 1 Stanford football game.  And agree on Plunkett over Elway while at Stanford. Although I always will wonder what Elway and Stanford could have acheived at Stanford if Walsh stayed.