Joe Namath is enshrined in Canton, Ohio, essentially because he famously foretold the 18-point upset that legitimized the American Football League in Super Bowl III.
A year later, on Jan. 11, 1970 — 50 years ago — NFL Films immortalized Chiefs coach Hank Stram, another Hall of Famer whose Super Bowl chances were far-fetched. As cameras rolled, the 12-point long shot cackled up and down the sideline mocking the Vikings for posterity while confirming the AFL’s equal standing alongside the NFL.
The leagues merged after that game. And ever since, coaches and players have relished being overlooked, underestimated and stamped with this most prized of motivational labels:
It’s a title so coveted that favorites have been known to fabricate it.