downfield
Starter
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2005
- Messages
- 271
- Reaction score
- 0
Okay so I have a brief story about my experience with Marino and a discussion I had with Howie Long about ten years ago. I met Marino in 1987 in an airport in Philadelphia. He was there alone and sitting in a chair away from people. I was 12 so I walked up and said you are my hero man, I love the phins. He smiled really big and stuck out his hand to shake mine. I was nervous so I hesitated for a second, but then woke out of the daze and shook hands. He signed a piece of paper for me and told me he really appreciate the kids who admired him. After a couple minutes of small talk I walked away, but he was very nice and cool.
Now, I moved to Missoula, Montana about ten years ago and I worked out regularly at the new golds gym (big deal for montana folks). Anyway, for those who don't know, Howie Long (yes the raiders d. lineman) has a big house in Polson, MT which is about an hour or so away. Him and his wife were regulars at the golds gym in MT. He is a big dude in real life, as you would expect.
I walked up to him and started talking one day. We talked about workouts since I am fairly big too. I then told him that I, of course, was a fan of the NFL and admired the way he played the game. He laughed and we talked about some of his most memorable moments in football. He mentioned the game in 85 when they played the phins and it was a shootout. I asked him who the best quarterback he played against was, and he said hands down it was Marino. I didn't ever tell him I was a phins fan. He said you could never sack Dan and that it was like he had eyes all around his helmet. You would get so close only to see the ball zip out for a TD. He said Joe Montana was good too, Elway was good but a bit overrated because many teamates didn't follow him, but that neither of those guys put the fear in him every down like Marino did. I continued to talk with Howie for the rest of the next year that I lived in MT and he had quite a few other stories, and often talked about his favortie quarterbacks, which meant I got the scoop on Marino.
He said one time a Raider sacked Marino, and asked Dan "how did you like that danny boy", dan replied "I didn't realize we were playing two hand touch." He was reall ****y Howie said.
Anyway, for naysayers who say dan ain't the best, just ask Howie!
Now, I moved to Missoula, Montana about ten years ago and I worked out regularly at the new golds gym (big deal for montana folks). Anyway, for those who don't know, Howie Long (yes the raiders d. lineman) has a big house in Polson, MT which is about an hour or so away. Him and his wife were regulars at the golds gym in MT. He is a big dude in real life, as you would expect.
I walked up to him and started talking one day. We talked about workouts since I am fairly big too. I then told him that I, of course, was a fan of the NFL and admired the way he played the game. He laughed and we talked about some of his most memorable moments in football. He mentioned the game in 85 when they played the phins and it was a shootout. I asked him who the best quarterback he played against was, and he said hands down it was Marino. I didn't ever tell him I was a phins fan. He said you could never sack Dan and that it was like he had eyes all around his helmet. You would get so close only to see the ball zip out for a TD. He said Joe Montana was good too, Elway was good but a bit overrated because many teamates didn't follow him, but that neither of those guys put the fear in him every down like Marino did. I continued to talk with Howie for the rest of the next year that I lived in MT and he had quite a few other stories, and often talked about his favortie quarterbacks, which meant I got the scoop on Marino.
He said one time a Raider sacked Marino, and asked Dan "how did you like that danny boy", dan replied "I didn't realize we were playing two hand touch." He was reall ****y Howie said.
Anyway, for naysayers who say dan ain't the best, just ask Howie!
