Tell me what it was like- 1972/73 | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Tell me what it was like- 1972/73

BC Phins4Life

BC Phins4Life

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I was born in 1974 so of course did not get to see that great team play. I like to hear stories of where you were, what it was like, what did you do/ buy in the aftermath of the Super Bowl wins.

I was 10 when they last played in the Super Bowl and I was a kid just out playing with friends when I went into a friend's house and his dad had the game on. I of course was not a big football or Dolphins fan yet, but I can remember cheering for them with his dad for a few minutes at least before rejoining my friends outside.

I hope to hear better stories than that!
 
I personally was too young, and though I was not really officially a Dolphins fan, I did like them, and rooted for them in the SB, but honestly I did not enjoy 1972 and 1973 as much as I could have. At least I saw both those games, so I do have some memories of them.

My best friend was a Steelers fan, and I actually enjoyed that win more then the SB.

The game against the Redskins and the 49ers, I was far more, well...Fanatical.

The lose against the Redskins hurt far more then the loss against the 49ers, because we could have, should have won that game, while the 49ers game was not as big a deal, because with Dan, we would be back many more times, and win most of them...If I only knew.
 
tay0365 said:
The lose against the Redskins hurt far more then the loss against the 49ers, because we could have, should have won that game, while the 49ers game was not as big a deal, because with Dan, we would be back many more times, and win most of them...If I only knew.
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So true!

I became a fan in 1970 when I was 10 years old. But, I didn't see many Dolphins games on TV up here in Pennsylvania. Being a kid, I'd go out and toss a football around with my friends, and we'd all take turns pretending to be Griese, Csonka, and Morris. Honestly, I never even saw those Dolphins Super Bowls back then. I was more into football as an adult and did watch those losses against Washington and San Francisco though. :frown
 
Think of the best teams you've every seen and then imagine a team better than that.

Hard to describe exactly, but it was so much fun. Miami dominated on the ground like no team I've ever seen. In 1972, both Csonka and Morris averaged more than 5 yards a carry when every team was trying to stop the run.

Warfield didn't have big numbers, but his ability to get deep made it so hard on defenses. Cheat in and Griese found Warfield deep.

Losing was almost a shock.
 
It was glorious with parades in downtown Miami with thousands of on lookers

After being in 3 in a row we thought it would never end then Csonka , Kiick and Warfield left for the other league and that was the end of it
 
gofins60 said:
So true!

I became a fan in 1970 when I was 10 years old. But, I didn't see many Dolphins games on TV up here in Pennsylvania. Being a kid, I'd go out and toss a football around with my friends, and we'd all take turns pretending to be Griese, Csonka, and Morris. Honestly, I never even saw those Dolphins Super Bowls back then. I was more into football as an adult and did watch those losses against Washington and San Francisco though. :frown
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Yes, that's another thing, I've always live in New Jersey, and watching Dolphins games was brutal. I guess I had it a little better then you, considering when Miami played.the Jets, I got to watch...Thank goodness during that time we were among the teams that played on Minday Night most.

That was me too, we played a lot of Football, and I guess because we did not see as many games of our favorite teams (Dolphins, Steelers, Raiders. Cowboys...) we did not get as crazy about teams yet. Crazy time.
 
BC Phins4Life said:
I was born in 1974 so of course did not get to see that great team play. I like to hear stories of where you were, what it was like, what did you do/ buy in the aftermath of the Super Bowl wins.

I was 10 when they last played in the Super Bowl and I was a kid just out playing with friends when I went into a friend's house and his dad had the game on. I of course was not a big football or Dolphins fan yet, but I can remember cheering for them with his dad for a few minutes at least before rejoining my friends outside.

I hope to hear better stories than that!
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I was a lot younger and I lived and died based on whether the Dolphins won or lost. So with them winning every game that season, it was obviously the best year I ever had as a Miami Dolphin fan.
The Dolphins had three games during the season which could have ended up as losses but they eventually won those games against the Bills, Jets, and Vikings.

I attended all their home games during that season after getting out of the military one month before that season started. I remember the old Orange Bowl being filled with Dolphin fans every week and there were few fans of the opposing teams in the stadium back then. The excitement in the stands during Dolphin games back then was electrified each week.

To this day I still don’t understand the Redskins being favored to beat the undefeated Dolphins going into the Super Bowl but the Dolphins clearly showed they were the superior team during the game.

Being a fan of the Dolphins since 1966, I was extremely fortunate to be able to sit in the stands and see the Dolphins become the dominant team in the league in the early 1970’s. I believe that having had that experience has made it easier for me to deal with the past two decades of mediocrity than it has been for the younger fans who have never experienced the thrill of seeing the Dolphins play in the Super Bowl. Much less win two Super Bowls, which I was able to experience as a fan.

I only hope that the younger fans on here will not have to wait much longer to have the joy I had years ago while watching the Dolphins win the Super Bowl.
 
1972forever said:
I was a lot younger and I lived and died based on whether the Dolphins won or lost. So with them winning every game that season, it was obviously the best year I ever had as a Miami Dolphin fan.
The Dolphins had three games during the season which could have ended up as losses but they eventually won those games against the Bills, Jets, and Vikings.

I attended all their home games during that season after getting out of the military one month before that season started. I remember the old Orange Bowl being filled with Dolphin fans every week and there were few fans of the opposing teams in the stadium back then. The excitement in the stands during Dolphin games back then was electrified each week.

To this day I still don’t understand the Redskins being favored to beat the undefeated Dolphins going into the Super Bowl but the Dolphins clearly showed they were the superior team during the game.

Being a fan of the Dolphins since 1966, I was extremely fortunate to be able to sit in the stands and see the Dolphins become the dominant team in the league in the early 1970’s. I believe that having had that experience has made it easier for me to deal with the past two decades of mediocrity than it has been for the younger fans who have never experienced the thrill of seeing the Dolphins play in the Super Bowl. Much less win two Super Bowls, which I was able to experience as a fan.

I only hope that the younger fans on here will not have to wait much longer to have the joy I had years ago while watching the Dolphins win the Super Bowl.
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That stadium rocked, you want to talk about the 12 man...Brutal if the fans decided you were not going to have it so easy.

For those that did not experience the Orange bowl advantage, check late in the 4th quarter against the Bears in 85, that still is a pure example of what can happen when fans decides you are not getting that play off cleanly.
 
fishfanmiami said:
It was glorious with parades in downtown Miami with thousands of on lookers

After being in 3 in a row we thought it would never end then Csonka , Kiick and Warfield left for the other league and that was the end of it
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Wish I had lived in Miami during that run. Must have made in even more special.

Must say there were Miami Dolphins hats and jerseys everywhere and I lived in Southern California back then.
 
I lived about 45 minutes north of the Orange Bowl back then. I was 9 and 10. Watched every minute with my dad and family. When they won, everyone in the neighborhood was out in the streets banging pots and pans and cheering. Hoping my kids can enjoy a moment like that soon!
 
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Dad got season tickets (We lived in Fort Lauderdale) in 1970, four on the North Side Upper Deck, a few rows up from the tunnel. I was 9/10 when the winning ways started (1970 season) and I’ve been hooked my entire life.

1971…magical year, Christmas Day/night game versus the Chiefs, the first AFC title, but Super Bowl VI versus the Cowboys was a bummer.

1972 rolled along and as you can imagine, every home game was magic….except when 12 went down versus SD, it looked bleak at that time…looking back, I thought Earl Morral was ancient…little did I know. A great run through the playoffs in spite of that idiotic rule that put the AFC title game in Pittsburgh. Garo made us sweat Super Bowl VII but perfection was attained.

1973 started off strange with an early loss, we actually forgot what it was like to lose a game, but in my humble, that 1973 team was better than the 1972 team. The playoffs were handled fairly easily and then a complete domination of the Vikings in Super Bowl VIII. We were discussed amongst the greatest of all times (deservedly so), but then the ill timed WFL raid of our three stars changed things altogether.

1974 was a good year, only to end up losing in the most improbable manner, the Sea of Hands game in Oakland. Things changed from that point on, but the ship was righted in 1982 with yet another AFC title.

Absolutely amazing times, I’ll never forget the old Orange Bowl…lousy PA, Zum Zum downstairs, awful facilities, but amazing sight lines, and that crowd….deafening. Thanks for letting me reminisce.
 
What I remember most from '72 (I was 12) is all the heart rending emotional moments leading up to the Super Bowl.
  • Down most of the game all the way to the 4th quarter against Minnesota
  • Griese breaks his ankle in week 5, Earl Morrell forever my hero!
  • Jets almost killed our season but Morris ran for paydirt late in the 4th
  • Down against Cleveland who had our number most of the day we had to drive 80 yards with just a little time left to eek out a win.
  • Griese comes back against the Steelers but will he be rusty and/or fully healed up? He wasn't perfect but our Defense was perfect and they picked off Bradshaw on the Steeler's last two possessions.
  • The Super Bowl itself was nothing like the regular season, we beat down Washington handily.

I remember asking my Dad after the Super Bowl if football was always this much fun, he said no one will ever do what Miami did that year. Each year I am reminded my Dad was a prophet :chuckle:
 
I had just concluded my military obligation with the US Marine Corps as a reservist.
I was going into the 4th year of my marriage.
I had just purchased my first house
My first child was born - a daughter.
I was working for the Baldwin Piano & Organ Co. in the Church Organ division - go figure, a nice Jewish boy like me in a place like that - LOL
(VAARK would have loved it, we were always talking about out organs) - LOL
That's about it.
Nothing else come to mind - LOL
 
The first NFL game I ever watched was the Dolphins - Cowboys Super Bowl game which we lost. I loved our uniforms. I was about 6-7 years old. The next two seasons were our Super Bowl wins and undefeated season. Needless to say I was hooked!
 
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