"They Chose Not To Run" -- A Sandbox In Alternate History :)

Welcome to a dimension beyond advance people, handlers and soundbites. At the signpost up ahead...you've just entered....They Chose Not To Run.

The rules:

1. Pick any elected official in the OTL, and create an Alternative Timeline where they never ran for any public office or engaged in the political process at a level above of voting, putting signs on people's lawns or driving old ladies to the polls on election day.

2. The person took up something different, either in line with something they did or enjoyed in the OTL or something that they strongly opposed in the OTL.

3. They have to gain at least a little notice in their alternate reality be it local, national or global. That can't just "fade to Bolivia" to quote Mike Tyson.

To get things going...I'm going to take a sketch I wrote in a long-buried thread...

Its a story of what a well rather well-known American President could have been.


June 14, 2004 Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum Yorba Linda, California

The main garden of the Nixon Presidential Library was in full bloom on a sunny late spring day. It was the perfect backdrop to say goodbye to a man who gave millions of sports fans a lot of sunshine.

Sitting in the front row, was his wife, children and many of his colleagues and friends in the business. It was fitting that his funeral would be here. Richard Nixon was one of the deceased best friends. the former President's family insisted that the funeral would be held here.

"In our business, you met many people who want to be stars. Many people who would do anything to be stars, and some who make it...but they leave so many bad memories and so much sniping behind that when you come to pay respect to them at the end..It is stinted. It is false because of the type of person they were.
You can't say that about today. Genuine tears. Genuine fondness. Genuine laughter. Nobody didn't like Ol' Dutch.

The beauty of Ronnie Reagan was that he never meant to be a star in this disicipline. This was a man who was in the movies and on TV. He was a man that came into this wild life I've enjoyed for 4 decades or more as just a way to put dinner on the table until the next TV or movie gig.

But he treated every broadcast, like he was on that movie set. Dutch was a craftsman, and in being a craftsman, he found a new life. He found a new stage. And many of us here are richer for him having found that stage and sharing a piece of himself with all of us.

Those of us who've had the honor of chronicling sports are admirers of each other even in competition. We marvel at what each of us brought on air. We all had our different artistry and style. But regardless of our individual style, everybody took a little something from Dutch Reagan. He was just that good as a broadcaster and he was even better as a man

Outside of his wife Nancy, and his children...especially Ron Jr. oh, if ever a father and a son loved each other more, I have yet to see it...Dutch loved being behind the microphone. Dutch loved the viewers. Dutch loved the listeners...and as we see...They loved him back.

Well, There You Go Again....(laughter rings out through the crowd). That was Dutch's signature....I'll miss that..and I will miss you, Dutch."

Dick Enberg, delivering the eulogy at Ronald Reagan's funeral, June 14, 2004.

Where did the legend of Dutch Reagan began? Well one could say it was way back in Davenport, Iowa has a sportscaster at WOC Radio. He left that radio gig in 1937 and the young man went west to Hollywood seeking stardom. Little did he know that the stardom he sought would come in what he left behind.

In 1964, GE Playhouse was cancelled. Ronald Reagan was left without job. With the rumors that he was seeking elective office in '66, the studios and television companies didn't offer the actor any roles.
Yet, Ronald Reagan was never sold on running for office. Conversations with his good friend Richard Nixon, and problems that Nixon went through after the losing in 1960 to Kennedy and embarassing loss to Pat Brown in 1962. Nixon was thinking about getting out of the politics game, and he advised Reagan to never enter it.


"I was having lunch with Ronnie at a racetrack in '65 and I told him to be really careful about what you wish for in politics. You may never get it. Its a hard life, its a rough life, and i wouldn't wish it on anybody. Ronnie must have listened, because look where he is now. He's one of the most loved people in America, and its no accident" -- Richard Nixon, Sports Illustrated, 1976

What changed Reagan's life was an idea in Spring 1966. The National Football League and the American Football League were in the final phases of the merger that would end the brutal bidding war between the two sides. One of the people most worried about that merger was Los Angeles Rams owner Dan Reeves. Attendance for the Rams was slumping while, just down the freeways, the wide open style of Sid Gillman's San Diego Chargers had people from L.A. driving down to San Diego to see them play and filling up their stadium. The Rams needed a spark somewhere. What Reeves felt they needed, was a voice, an identity for this team.
Rams head coach George Allen had the idea. The Rams needed a new announcer, and Allen had a friend with a good voice who knew football and knew the Rams.

That friend was Ronald Reagan.


Dutch took the mic as play-by-play man for the Los Angeles Rams starting with the 1966 season. His smooth style was to football what Dick Enberg was to UCLA basketball. For the next 7 years, fans in L.A. enjoyed Ol' Dutch. He was seen as one of the top radio voices in a time in the post merger-NFL where radio men such as Dallas' Verne Lundquist , Philadelphia's Merrill Reese, Oakland's Bill King, Pittsburgh's Myron Cope were becoming local and national stars for what they did and did well.

In 1974, Reagan's style and fan following caught the attention of the television networks. With the popularity of ABC's Monday Night Football rising, both CBS and NBC were pushing for new voices to bring in.

George Allen, now the head coach of the Washington Redskins, lobbied his friends at CBS to look at Dutch Reagan. And Allen in turn nudged his friend toward CBS, who held the television package involving teams in the National Football Conference.

Reagan was paired with Pete Retzlaff as the #6 announcing team early in the 1974 season, but by mid-season, Reagan was moving up the order fast. By the end of '74, Reagan was the #3 man on the NFL on CBS, right behind Jack Buck and Pat Summerall.

In 1975, big changes were coming at CBS as far as pro football was concerned. The network decided to roll the dice on an experiment that would change the way football was covered. CBS Sports President Bob Wussler decided to meet the stiff challenge ABC's Roone Arledge laid down with Monday Night Football.


"We needed to rethink the pre-game show. ABC had that three-man booth with Frank Gifford, who used to work for us...Don Meredith and that Howard Cosell. But I figured, they have one game...We have Sunday afternoon! We needed a host and I had a young play-by-play guy former newspaper guy from Chicago...Brent Musberger..He's a good play-by-play guy...But he'd be a better front man. Then I had to have a former player as smooth as a Gifford, but knew more than a Gifford. I had a color commentator, Irv Cross, former all-pro defensive back with the Eagles and Rams. Still looks like he could play ball. Smooth, smart, knows football and HE'S A BLACK GUY. In 1975, that was a big deal. The sitcoms and drama shows didn't have too much color back in '75..let alone news and sports.
After that we really took some risks. Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder giving us the Vegas perspective. Pete Rozelle was livid about it, until he saw the rating we got from it.
And then I figured, lets meet the challenge of Cosell, with the anti-Cosell and she's easier on the eyes. Phyllis George...Miss America.
Once we had the studio team in place...We need an announcing team that could match the smarts, fun and personality. Nothing against Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshier. They are legends, but I took a leap of faith. I had just signed Hank Stram, just retired after that mess he was in down in New Orleans. He should have never left the Chiefs and then go to a team like the lousy Saints.
Stram had the stuff to be a color commentator. People talk about John Madden and Jon Gruden? Stram was their daddy! He had the personality I was looking for and he knew football better than both of them.
He needed a good experienced straight man with the personality I was looking for. Dutch Reagan was the just the man for the job." -- Bob Wussler quoted in Brett, Irv, Greek, Phyllis and Dutch: The Wild Ride of the Original NFL Today by Brent Musberger and John Feinstein (Simon & Schuster, 2010)

"Reagan and Stram? Who'd have thought that would work?..But you know, it did. Reagan was so smooth, easy going, but he was also an authoritative game call, and Stram was a Cosell with actual knowledge. Listening to those two do a game was a joy, and hearing them argue on the NFL Today was a joy, too." -- Brett Musberger with John Feinstein, Brett, Irv, Greek, Phyllis and Dutch: The Wild Ride of the Original NFL Today (Simon & Schuster, 2010)


The stylish well-spoken actor-broadcaster in Ronald Reagan, paired with the excitable, knowledgable former coach in Super Bowl-winner Hank Stram. They were perfect together.
Reagan-Stram was a hot ticket on Sundays. They were a ratings hit as CBS outdid NBC on Sundays, and "The NFL Today" became a competitive counterpoint to ABC's Monday Night Gifford-Meredith-Cosell juggernaut.


Hank Stram: "Dallas will have to go deep against this Minnesota pass defense and I don't think they can matriculate that ball down the field in short a time."

Ronald Reagan: "Well, there you go again. They won't need to matriculate the ball downfield. They just need a good Navy man like Roger Staubach to throw a good pass." -- Reagan and Stram in the booth. NFC Divisional Playoff December 28, 1975

On January 18, 1976, Ronald Reagan and Hank Stram were the team in the booth for Super Bowl X. The stars converged for the former B-movie actor. Reagan's call of that game is still studied by many broadcasters today.

"Pittsburgh facing a third down, leading 15-10...Bradshaw looking downfield...he may have what he wants.....Deep for a Graceful Swann.....ON THE BUTTON!!!!! TOUCHDOWN PITTSBURGH!!! --Bradshaw took a smuush on the end Ronnie, but he stepped in and fired a strike....It was a beautiful pass to the most artistic man on the field today, Henry..." --Ronald Reagan and Hank Stram in the booth. Super Bowl X


It also helped that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys put on the first truly great Super Bowl. The Steelers won 21-17, Lynn Swann was MVP.

The game also was most watched show in American television history at the time. A 44.7 rating and a whopping 79 share. Over 40 million American television homes tuned in. Ronald Reagan won 2 of 13 Emmy Awards that the NFL Today received for their efforts in 1975. Ol' Dutch Reagan, spurned by the studios, cancelled on TV, finally got his due.

Reagan did play-by-play for Super Bowls XII, XIV, XVI, XXI, and XXIV. The Super Bowl XXI clash between the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos was even more special for Dutch..

"And now the starting lineup for the NFC Champions...The New York Giants.....At Wide Receiver from Yale number 80 Ron Reagan."

(About Ron Jr.: Ronald Reagan Jr was a graceful,but tough, possession receiver who took ballet lessons in the offseason. Reagan was three-time all Ivy League at Yale, and then latched on in the NFL, first as a Los Angeles Ram in 1981, then traded to the Green Bay Packers in 1985. He was traded to the Giants in 1986, and immediately made an impression on head coach Bill Parcells with his ability and courage over the middle. Reagan Jr. retired as a Giant in 1992. Today he is a sports announcer for NBC-Universal and will be a studio host for NBC's coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.)

Reagan's style also was a signature of CBS Sports' Award winning golf coverage. People still talk about Reagan's call of the 1986 Masters and Jack Nicholas' incredible comeback win.


"Reagan painted a picture that entire weekend. All the ebbs and flows of what was a great tournament, and his last call when Nicholas hit that last put...'It's morning at Augusta..The old sun rises again, Nicholas wins the Masters'. People talk about Jim McKay painting a picture with words. Reagan was in McKay's class." -- Jim Nance, CBS Sports, 2011

Reagan retired from broadcasting in 1990. He said he wanted to slow down and enjoy life with Nancy. In 1992, Reagan disclosed that he suffered from Alzheimer's disease. In a special letter to his fans printed in Sports Illustrated. Reagan gave appreciation to a sporting public who loved him.


At the moment I feel just fine. I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have always done. I will continue to share life's journey with my beloved Nancy and my family. I plan to enjoy the great outdoors and stay in touch with my friends and supporters.
I want to thanks all those who love sports and listened and watched me. I thought that when I left the movies I would leave the stage. Thanks to all of you who let me in their living rooms every weekend, you gave an old ham actor a whole new stage. I love you all for that." -- "Ronald Reagan's Goodbye" (Sports Illustrated July 27, 1992)

He came back on the mic one last time for CBS's coverage of the Tournament Players Championship in 1992. After that he wrote a book on his time in broadcasting. But mostly spent time with the love of his life, his wife Nancy.

Ronald "Dutch" Reagan died of pneumonia at his home in Bel Air California, June 5, 2004. For the next week leading up to his funeral, every televised sporting event had some tribute to Ronald Reagan. Luminary broadcasters working events all over the globe went from signing off to rushing onto planes bound for southern California.

His funeral was full of famous faces, but just outside, the everyday sports fans was is attendance,especially Los Angeles Rams fans, forever grateful to Ronnie for his efforts which stopped Georgia Frontiere from moving the team to St. Louis in 1994. Because of Reagan's popularity leading the way, people so long indifferent of the Rams became fans again, and today the Los Angeles Rams have one of most vocal fanbases rocking the rebuilt-ultramodern New Coliseum of Los Angeles.

So many fans showed up that jumbotrons were set up throughout the grounds of the Nixon library. Some asked why the funeral was left open to the public?
Nancy Reagan answered proudly. "My husband adored the fans who adored him. This is the way my Ronnie wanted to be remembered."
 
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The Kooch 2.0

"Welcome back to NFL All-Access on the NFL Network. Semifinalists for the 2012 induction class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame were annouced this afternoon...Among the names included, three-time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Parcells, AND 15-year veteran running back Jerome "The Bus" Bettis


But the Veteran's Committee, which is allowed two nominations, put forth a very controversial one. And a group here in our studio and via sattellite are joining us about that now.

" Joining us from Cleveland, are hall-of-famers Thom Darden, Ted Washington, and Cliff Branch. All three played on those great Cleveland Browns teams of the 1970s that won three Super Bowls."

"Also joining us in Studio are NFL insiders Peter King, Paul Zimmerman and Deion Sanders

"First going to Cleveland, Cliff Branch, you've been vocal about your former quarterback and friend for years.How do you feel that he is a semifinalist."

"He's need to be in the Hall Alex, and that's all there is to it," Cliff said emphatically. "People say I was one of the greatest money pass-catchers ever. Well, WHO GOT ME THE FOOTBALL IN MY BEST YEARS, EH? It was one guy! Who led us to an undefeated season? The only Undefeated season. WHO? IT'S TIME! DO THE RIGHT THING BY THE KOOCH! PUT HIM IN THE HALL!

"I disagree," Peter King said. "There were better quarterbacks."

Paul Zimmerman looked at King like he was crazy, "Name One...Better yet name every quarterback who played in that Decade who is in the Hall of Fame right now."

King, self-assured and pompous listed players, "Dan Fouts, James Harris, Doug Williams, Roger Staubach, Fran Tarkenton. I'd take Marty Domres over that runt."

"Further proof that Peter King doesn't know anything about football," Thom Darden shot back. "Dan Fouts...no rings. James Harris at least has rings, He's got two of them..But stat for stat my man Dennis is better. And who TAUGHT DOUG WILLIAMS WHAT HE KNEW? Don't forget who taught Doug the ropes, pal. and ROGER STAUBACH? PLEASE!!!! WE BEAT HIS BUTT IN A SUPER BOWL! 37-13??? REMEMBER...Of course you don't..because you like everybody else wanted Dallas to be 'America's Team'. They only won the Super Bowl once!!!!"

"This is all about Commissioner Rice," Ted Washington said, "She has ALWAYS demonized the 1970s NFL. How we were the 'counterculture'. That counterculture BUILT THE NFL that now shares what? 15 billion in revenues? And who made sure we even had a season this year...It was the Kooch. If the Kooch didn't step in during the lockout, you'd have no football this year."

"C'mon now, you can't play the lawyer card on this," Deion Sanders said. "He caused a lot of problems as a labor rep as a player and after his career, that doesn't look good in the press."

"It looked a helluva lot better than you trying to tackle somebody, Deion!" Cliff Branch chuckled. "Look, its real simple. The man has numbers. The man has rings. Dennis Kucinich is one the best to ever get behind center...The Kooch deserves his place in Canton!"

Dennis John Kucinich (1946-present)

He stood just 5'8" and weigh 160 pounds, but few quarterbacks in the history of the National Football League stood taller than the signal caller fans affectionately call "The Kooch".

Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1946, Kucinich grew up poor, small and sickly. In his first 18 years of his life, he said "I lived in 19 houses and a more than a few cars."


His life changed in his sophomore year at St. Ignatius high school. He was the team's fourth string quarterback its smallest player. During a game against a hated rival, the other three quarterbacks were injured. Little Dennis came off the bench and threw for three touchdowns and ran for a fourth. St. Ignatius lost the game, but found a quarterback.

For the next two seasons. Dennis led St. Ignatius to from the back to the front of high school football in Cleveland, going 20-1 as a starter and leading his school to a city championship his senior year, while graduating in the top 10 in his class.

Despite completing over 60 percent of his passes and throwing for 26 touchdowns that championship season, no major college wanted him.



"The biggest recruiting gaffe I ever made was that Kucinich boy from Cleveland. I still can't believe that a good Catholic kid from the midwest who could throw like that I didn't recruit him. I've been going to confessional for that ever since." -- Ara Parsegian, 1974

He went to hometown Case Western Reserve University, where he started for three years and rewrote the school and NCAA College Division passing records.
College fans still recall the 1968 "Duel of the Little Generals" at Cleveland Stadium between Kucinich and Omaha University's Marlin Briscoe. Both quarterbacks stood under six feet, and both threw for over 400 yards in a wild ballgame. A Briscoe 15 yard touchdown run with :07 to play gave Omaha U a 48-44 win. Afterward Briscoe paid the opposing quarterback high praise saying, "I'm sure Dennis will get a chance to get revenge when we met again in the NFL."

After graduating from Case Western. Dennis was left undrafted by both the NFL and AFL. He enrolled to study law at Ohio State, but he didn't want to quit without giving the pro football a chance. He begged for a tryout with the Cleveland Browns, and got one.

Head Coach Blanton Collier saw something in the diminutive quarterback. The kid who Woody Hayes said was "too damn small to play for Ohio State" made an NFL team behind Frank Ryan and Bill Nelson.

Kucinich spent two seasons on the bench, and tending to his law studies. Heading into the 1970, Kucinich figured he would study law full time. Fate had a different idea.

In week 5 of the '70 season the Detroit Lions defense knocked out Nelson and Ryan. Collier had to call for his third string quarterback.
Kucinich rallied the Browns to a 38-38 tie in the final minute. They'd lose on a field goal at the final gun. But the scrambling gunslinger jumpstarted an offense that had lost scoring punch.

His scramble and throw style opened the running lanes for LeRoy Kelley, and made dangerous wide receiver Paul Warfield an even greater threat as the Browns beat up the San Diego Chargers the next week 50-7 and then shocked the Oakland Raiders 27-23. That set up a showdown with the division leading Cincinnati Bengals, who the Browns had beaten earlier in the season.

In one of the season most thrilling games, Dennis was magnificent! He threw for 5 touchdowns as he matched Greg Cook pass for pass as the Browns won 40-34 in overtime, and forced a tie in AFC Central, with the Browns holding a key tiebreaker. They won both games against the rivals Bengals.

In the final 5 weeks of the regular season, Dennis Kucinich had put himself in same class as quarterbacks like Unitas, Brodie and Jurgensen. The Browns won four of the remaining 5 games. On the final Sunday of the regular season, Kucinich got that revenge Marlin Briscoe was talking about, beating Briscoe's Denver Broncos 31-27. The win clinched the AFC Central for Cleveland and knocked the Broncos out of chance at the playoffs.

1970 AFC Divisional Playoffs
Miami Dolphins (10-4) at Cleveland Browns (11-3)
Oakland Raiders (8-5-2) at Baltimore Colts (11-2-1)

Dennis Kucinich walked on the field where Super Bowl V would be played and surgically cut up the newly strong Miami Dolphins in his first playoff start, going 21-for-31 for 385 yards and 3 touchdowns with 1 interception. Cleveland won 30-14 and earned a trip to Baltimore for the AFC Championship. The Colts destroyed the Oakland Raiders 35-7 to set up the title game.

The AFC Championship matched two quarterbacks who many doubted when their career started. The great John Unitas was cut by his first NFL team back in 1955. Dennis Kucinich was cut by everybody.
Together they staged what many cite as the first great post-merger game.

The Colts won on a 65 yard touchdown from Unitas to Ray Perkins with :56 left. Kucinich tried to drive the team one more time, and got them to the 28, but a deep ball to Paul Warfield was intercepted in the endzone by Ron Gardin with 9 seconds left. Baltimore won 30-26, but Dennis Kucinich showed the entire league that he was for real.

At the end of the season head coach Blanton Collier retired, citing his constant hearing problems as the reason to step away from the sideline. Owner Art Modell hired a 31-year-old offensive assistant from the Cincinnati Bengals to the take the head coaching job.

Together, Bill Walsh and Dennis Kucinich would turn Cleveland into Titletown.

After a tough 1971, that saw the Browns lose in the AFC playoff to the eventual AFC Champion Miami Dolphins. Walsh retooled the Browns through a strong 1972 draft that brought in three future Hall of Famers, including the great wide receiver Cliff Branch (Walsh traded WR Fair Hooker to the Oakland Raiders for their 4th round pick). The Browns became one of the highest scoring teams in football in Bill Walsh's rhythm passing offense, today known as the "Cuyahoga River Offense".

Kucinich was top-rated passer in the AFC. He threw for 3,754 yards and 32 touchdowns. Paul Warfield led the AFC with 11 touchdowns and 19 yards per catch. The Browns beat the Pittsburgh Steelers by a single game to win the AFC Central Division

1972 AFC Divisional Playoffs
Oakland Raiders (10-4) at Cleveland Browns (11-3)
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) at Miami Dolphins (14-0)

The Kucinich to Warfield combo set an NFL playoff record. 230 yard receiving as the Browns tore into the Raiders 32-14. But even Kucinich's record got trumped by a wild finish in Miami.

The Dolphins lead the Steelers 17-16 with :22 left in the Orange Bowl. Facing 4th and 8th, Terry Bradshaw threw down the middle for John "Frenchy" Fuqua, safety Jake Scott nailed Fuqua and the ball fluttered away...right into the hand of Franco Harris trailing the play...the rookie running back caught the ball and raced 50 yards to the end zone. In what is known in football lore as the "Immaculate Reception". Pittsburgh ended Miami's perfect season 23-16, and set up a AFC Championship game between rust belt rivals at Municipal Stadium.

The next Sunday, there was no miracle for the upstart Steelers. The Kooch was on fire again. 3 touchdown tosses. 1 each to Branch, Warfield and Milt Morin gave the Browns a 27-17 win, and a trip to Southern California for Super Bowl VII.

Bill Walsh's space-age offense versus the Washington Redskins and George Allen's Over The Hill Gang. It wasn't even close.

Walsh's coups in the offseason set the tone. On draft day, Walsh traded three picks to Baltimore for veteran defensive tackle Billy Ray Smith and young linebacker Ted Hendricks. He made another trade with Green Bay and got aggressive young defense end Aldon Roche. All three took turns beating up on Billy Kilmer, with 6 quarterback sacks.
Offensively, Dennis Kucinich put up the greatest day a quarterback has ever had in a Super Bowl. 22-for-36 406 yards 4 touchdown passes. He was a runaway Super Bowl MVP in a runaway victory. Cleveland Browns 35, Washington Redskins 7.

The headline of the Cleveland Plain Dealer the next morning said it all. "CHAMPS!"

1973 was even better. The Browns season opened with rookie Greg Pruitt taking the first kickoff of the year 100 yards. It continued with Dennis Kucinich throwing an NFL record tying 7 touchdown passes in a 55-20 win over the Baltimore Colts.
It was huge year for The Kooch. 4,155 yard passing, an NFL record. 44 touchdown passes. Most points scored in a season. All-Pro honors.

It continued with playoff victories over Miami and Oakland.
It ended with a sparkling performance at Rice Stadium in Houston Texas. Dennis Kucinich with 2 touchdown passes spearheaded and total team effort as the Cleveland Browns completed a perfect 17-0 season beating the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VIII 37-13.

1974 was a year of turmoil. The NFL players strike of '74 started in training camp. It would last 29 days, but Dennis Kucinich as the Browns player rep and Art Modell as one of the hardline owners caused a rift that hurt the chance of a threepeat. The Browns season ended with a 27-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship game. Despite another Pro Bowl year with 27 touchdown passes, Modell was at odds with his quarterback.

It came to a head in 1975. Kucinich, battling injuries shared time with young Brian Sipe. For the Browns it was another year that saw them lose the AFC Central to the Steelers for the second straight year and then loss to them in the AFC Championship.

At the end of the season, Modell told Walsh that Kucinich would be exposed to the coming expansion draft. The hometown boy was leaving Cleveland and heading south to be a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.

The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers would be the worst team in football on paper. But nobody told "The Kooch" that.

Dennis Kucinich went out on September 12, 1976 and won the Tampa Bay Buccaneers first game as a franchise with 3 touchdown passes. They beat the Houston Oilers 28-20.

Kucinich still threw for 3,041 yards as the Buccaneers shocked everybody by going 3-11. The next year the Buccaneers brought in their future in Doug Williams, but the future star quarterback had a great teacher to learn from.

"The Kooch taught me what it took to win this league. The main reason why I'm in Canton today is because of Dennis Kucinich." -- Doug Williams at his Hall of Fame Induction speech. August, 1998.

In 1978 splitting time with Williams, the Buccaneers narrowly missed the playoffs. In 1979, the Buccaneers made it to the NFC Championship game against the Los Angeles Rams. An injury to Williams in the third quarter brought in Kucinich to try and rally the troops. He promptly drove the Bucs to a touchdown to cut a Rams lead to 9-7, and late in the game drove the Bucs into a chance to win. He set up Neil O'Donaghue for a 37 yard field goal to send the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl. But the NFL all-time leader in game winning field goal misses, missed again.

Kucinich started the 1980 season in Tampa Bay. He had said '80 would be his last year. But oh, what a last year.

At week 4 of the season, in the third quarter of the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Cleveland Browns, Lee Roy Selmon sacks Brian Sipe on a blitz..and the young quarterback ended up with a broken leg. In the fourth quarter, Richard Wood separated backup Paul McDonald's shoulder. The Buccaneers won the game 42-27, and Bill Walsh was reduced to a wide receiver taking snaps.

The next day, the Browns traded Elvis Franks, Judson Flint, Greg Pruitt and their 2nd round pick in the 1981 draft to Tampa Bay, for their 4th and 5th round and 6th picks in 1981 draft -- and quarterback Dennis Kucinich.

It was the year of The Kooch and the Cardiac Kids.
The Browns won 9 games in the final minute, including a do-or-die playoff game against the Oakland Raiders in the cold... Dennis won the game 10 seconds left on a pass to Ozzie Newsome between two Oakland defenders on a gutsy play called "Red Right 88". The 18-14 victory set up another passers duel with the San Diego Chargers and their aerial ace Dan Fouts.

The 35-year-old pocket rocket was his equal. The lead changed hands 9 times before Kucinich hooked up with his old friend Cliff Branch for a 40 yard screamer with 38 seconds left to give Cleveland a 45-41 win in San Diego, a trip to New Orleans, and a date with irony.

Earlier in the day the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shocked the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20 in the NFC Championship. Dennis Kucinich would meet the quarterback he helped build in Super Bowl XV.

Super Bowl XV -- January 25, 1981 -- Superdome/New Orleans, Louisiana.

It was a special Super Bowl. The Superdome was adorned with a big yellow ribbon as a welcome home to U.S. peacekeeping forces from Iran. The security was heavy as President Jimmy Carter would be in attendance.

And it ended up being one of the great Super Bowls. Young strong armed Doug Williams would be the third black quarterback to start a Super Bowl. He hoped to be the second Grambling College quarterback to win one (Super Bowl IX saw two black starting quarterbacks. Joe Gilliam for the Pittsburgh Steelers. James Harris for the Los Angeles Rams. Shack outdid Jefferson Street Joe as the Rams gave Chuck Knox his first Super Bowl win 27-20)

On the Cleveland side, Bill Walsh has been here before, but since Art Modell put Dennis in exile the Browns last trip to the Super Bowl was a 31-17 beating at the hands of the L.A. Rams in Super Bowl XI. Some said Walsh was losing a step.

With his old quarterback under center, Walsh could envision his third Vince Lombardi Trophy.

In the true fashion of the '80 Browns, it came down to the final minute. Facing 3rd and 6 with :47 left at the Browns 48. Dennis rolled out left to avoid a hard rush by Dewey Selmon and floating a soft toss to Dave Logan. Logan outjumped Curtis Jordan for the ball and galloped the rest of the way to complete a 53-yard touchdown pass to give the Browns a 35-33 lead with :34 left.
Doug Williams marched the Buccaneers back down the field, but Thom Darden stepped in front of a pass that could have set up the winning field goal.

The Kooch took a knee on the final play. Dennis Kucinich would walk away from pro football as a champion.

Before he left for Tampa Bay, he got his law degree from Ohio State and passed the bar exam.

In the years after football, he became a successful labor lawyer crossing swords with powerful adversaries including the National Football League as an NFLPA counsel during the NFL player strikes in 1987, 1995 and most recently during the 2011 lockout.

The "Kucinich Plan" settled the 2011 dispute. A plan which restructured free agency, the salary cap, and mandated financial transparency within the league. Many credit Kucinich with saving the 2011 season and say that his effort to mediate between the two sides may be the thing that finally gets Dennis Kucinich's bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Today, Dennis still lives in Cleveland where he runs his firm Kucinich and Associates in an office tower not far from the neighborhood where he grew up. He's married these days. His wife Elizabeth is a professor of International Relations and Conflic Resolution Studies at Ohio State.

On Sundays in the fall you can still find him at the stadium rooting for the Browns.
 
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Thomas E. Dewey

Born in Owosso, Michigan in the year 1902, Tom Dewey had always been drawn to music. Attending college in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he moved to New York after winning a vocal scholarship while summering in Chicago. Upon moving to New York, the young baritone made waves and, following his first concert, quickly found a place in show business. [FN1]
Although initially drawn to classical music, Dewey soon found himself auditioning for roles in Broadway musicals, as well as developing a love of Jazz, and it was in these two areas where he he would become best known.
Although a star in his own right throughout the 1930s and 1940s, many believe that his greatest accomplishment was in discovering, and helping mentor, a young Frank Sinatra. The later of which would always speak highly of elder, once commenting with sardonic wit, "He was a pretty nice guy, for a Republican."
Dewey's best selling album was released in 1966; a full LP of duets which he recorded with many up and coming singers. Dewey was also a trained lawyer, graduating from Columbia, although he never practiced, although he was well known for offering legal advice to friends.


[FN1] the POD; in OTL Dewey's first concert was ruined after he came down with larengittis. This convinced him that music was not a safe choice for a career, and he redoubled his efforts in law school.
 
John smiled and wheeled closer to the TV. President Dean's reelection was good for the country, that was sure. Of course, the Republican challenger, Rodham, had made it a close race. That reminded him. as he turned back to the great grand nephew sitting behind him “The election of 1960 was close too. I remember it all came down to Illinois. But Joe carried it over Nixon, and by god that's when we Democrats succeeded in this country. Joe was always the nice brother though. Robert was always too busy with his football, and Ted, well, he drowned. But Joe always had time for me. I remember, the press called me the 2nd FDR and said I was pulling the strings. We knew that I wasn't brainy enough to do all the presidential stuff he did. Of course, my book did make quite a splash.” The great grand nephew murmured some appeasing remarks, hoping to escape the dreaded story of John's book. “I'd gotten paralyzed in that accident in the Pacific, and I didn't see a way out of my life, so to speak. It was Joe who had suggested I write a book, actually. I drew on my time as a soldier a bit, although few people realized it. It was a break out hit , with Grassy Troll and the evil wizard Oswald. Some people said I was copying Tolkien, but he agreed that my writing style was quite different. So that was a success, and then I followed up on the series, which people liked a great deal more. Then I wrote my book on “Profiles in Disability.” I'd like to think that it paved the way, for greater recognition of the disabled. I'm glad I wrote it. Of course, there was that collaboration with Rowling which took off. But still, the book I'm proudest of is that one about the disabled.” John Kennedy smiled the smile of those at peace, and wheeled his wheelchair over to the kitchen.
 
Very interesting thread you've got here.

Let's see.

The former Secretary of State looked at Gorbachev's funeral.

"I met him several times."

"President Dole said you were one of the best diplomats he ever worked with."

George H W Bush smiled at his daughter, Dorphy.

"He was a great leader, too bad his version of the USSR didn't stay."

"We would've been strong allies."

"True."
 
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