Tim Brown radio interview

[jonzr]

I heard Tim Brown interviewed over the weekend and he had some great stories from his career.  One that particularly stood out was his recounting of the Super Bowl versus Tampa Bay.  I'm sure everyone remembers how their Pro Bowl center, Barrett Robbins, went AWOL Friday through Saturday and was found in Mexico off his meds and in the depths of a coke-binge or some such, I forget all the gory details and Tim didn't get into them.  But, he did describe what a sorry SOB coach Bill Callahan was. 

Apparently, early in the week they were given the game plan for the Super Bowl.  They'd take advantage of their massive offensive line (avg over 330 lbs) going against Tampa's undersized (avg ~ 285) pass-rushing defensive line by playing smash-mouth football and running it down their throat.  The whole team was happy, they all agreed that was the way to beat Tampa.  Oakland had the #1 offense that season and could throw it around with the best of them (Remember the Steelers game that season?  I'd rather not.).  But they could also jam it down your throat.  So it was set, they'd play to Tampa's weakness and win a Super Bowl in which they were the favorites.

But that's not how it went down.  On Friday Callahan called the team together and presented the new game plan - they would forgo the running game and throw the ball early and often.  The team was aghast as the new plan played right into the teeth of Tampa's speedy defense.  It horrified their young center would have to make all the blocking calls.  Brown believes this is what sent young Robbins over the edge.  The rest is history as the new game plan resulted in a slaughter by the 'Bucs.

Tim said that Callahan wanted to go with Gruden to Tampa but Al Davis wouldn't release him from his contract.  Instead, he accepted a promotion to Head Coach.  Then, according to Tim, went about doing anything he could to tear down the team.

Quite a story.

[aj_law]

Thanks for that.

Those behind the scenes stories are always the best.