We’re all agog over this week’s NFL Conference title games, and the Super Bowl after that. Which makes this a great time to get a jump on the basketball betting market. We kick off this weekend’s list of 10 stats and factoids with this hoops curiosity: The inventor of basketball, James Naismith, was also the only losing head coach in Kansas Jayhawks history. Naismith finished in 1907 with a record of 55-60.
It’s the holiday edition of stat check, so in keeping with the spirit of the season, here’s an extra goodie to go along with our usual Top 10 football stats and factoids for the weekend: The longest NFL game in history took place on Christmas Day. Miami beat Kansas City 24-21 in double overtime in the 1971 AFC Divisional playoffs. Garo Yepremian booted the winning figgie at 82:40.
Today’s list of football stats and factoids for the weekend is dedicated to legendary QB Sammy Baugh, who passed away Wednesday at the age of 94. Baugh led TCU to victory at the 1936 Sugar Bowl and the 1937 Cotton Bowl, and won two NFL titles with the Redskins in 1937 and 1942 – playing both ways and punting. His No. 33 is the only uniform Washington has ever retired. Without Baugh’s contributions, the NFL might not exist today.
Who said there was no college football this weekend? Our Top 10 gridiron stats and factoids will visit the two FCS semifinal games and the Division II championship, all three of which are being shown on the Worldwide Leader with betting lines attached.
You’ve probably heard by now that last week’s 11-10 win by the Steelers over the Jaguars was one for the history books – the first ever NFL game to end in that score. But according to the folks at Football Reference, there have been seven other “first-ever” scores this season, most recently the Jets beating the Rams 47-3 in Week 10.
If you’re ever feeling like you’ve been hit with the dumb stick, remember: The numbers don’t lie. Tom Landry, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh and Jimmy Johnson were a combined 4-53-1 as first-year NFL coaches. We can’t promise you’ll become a Hall of Famer, but we can give you 10 of the weekend’s most interesting football stats and factoids.
