Dolphins-Redskins Superbowl XVII - 30 years ago today.

[dolfanerie]

Thanks for making me feel old today. LOL! I was 10 years old and remember that game quite well. It sure makes me realize my twin 8 year old boys (fin fans) will have memories of these Dolphin teams they are seeing now. Hopefully for them things will be different! Go Fins!

[Ed Norton]

Wasnt this the one where Kim Bokamper was too much of a ***** to keep Joe ThEISman from recovering a fumble?

The incomplete pass? Theisman made a great play on the ball to break up the INT. It would have required a lot of luck to make that INT. It wasn't a typical Sean Smith dropped INT.

If Woodley had completed a pass in the second half we probably would have won. In fact, any drive or production in the second half by our offense and the defense does not tire out. Unfortunately, Strock came in 1 series too late. One other pet peeve from this game... I never have been convinced of Washington's last TD. Out of bounds reception, ruled the defender pushed him out, TD... but I never thought he had a prayer of coming down in bounds, and they never really commented or replayed it in any way (still have not see a decent replay; I could be wrong, but it always bothered me). It was 3rd and goal, an incomplete and Washington kicks a FG to go up 23-17. Two minutes left down six, with Strock and at least a chance. SB losses are tough to swallow.

I was 8 when it happened and all I remember is going from concerned into full tantrum mode after the last Skins TD! At some point in my teens I was watching it on a VCR tape collection of Super Bowl Memories (or something like that, the half hour highlights of each game) one day and was like hey he's out of bounds, replaying the catch again and again like SOB that focker was out of bounds.

[Fins1971]

If Woodley had completed a pass in the second half we probably would have won. In fact, any drive or production in the second half by our offense and the defense does not tire out. Unfortunately, Strock came in 1 series too late. One other pet peeve from this game... I never have been convinced of Washington's last TD. Out of bounds reception, ruled the defender pushed him out, TD... but I never thought he had a prayer of coming down in bounds, and they never really commented or replayed it in any way (still have not see a decent replay; I could be wrong, but it always bothered me). It was 3rd and goal, an incomplete and Washington kicks a FG to go up 23-17. Two minutes left down six, with Strock and at least a chance. SB losses are tough to swallow.

I too beleived we got screwed on the last TD. He was out of bounds.

[nyjunc]

I was very young, these were my early years watching the NFL. '81 is the first full season I could remember and while I didn't like Miami I did root for you guys in the SB b/c I always rooted for AFC teams in SBs. I remember falling asleep and waking up in the 2nd half. I was disappointed you lost at the time, I feel better about it now
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

[bird33]

roman529 you remember a play with like under 2 mins left where washington was inside our 20, riggins DEFINITELY fumbled the ball and i think larry gordon recovered. they were up 3 at that point. we wouldve gotten the ball back and still had a chance. refs sucked back then too.

[nyjunc]

roman529 you remember a play with like under 2 mins left where washington was inside our 20, riggins DEFINITELY fumbled the ball and i think larry gordon recovered. they were up 3 at that point. we wouldve gotten the ball back and still had a chance. refs sucked back then too.

I don't want this to turn but in the AFC Championship game you guys fumbled, we recoevered but they gave it back to you and that was w/ the game tied at 0 on your lone offensive TD drive so sometimes the calls go for you and sometimes they go against you.

[WVUBOB]

FW ko return ..............link below

[royalshank]

It is hard to believe how time flies....30 years ago today, the Washington Redskins defeated the Dolphins 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII at the Rose Bowl.

I was a junior in high school. Everyone has probably seen the video of John Riggins breaking the tackle of Don McNeal along the sidelines and running for a TD. We had so many chances to win this game. Fulton Walker returned the opening kickoff for a Touchdown to give us a quick 7-0 lead. Bokamper had a sure INT and TD slapped out of his hands by Joe Theisman. This game hurt me as much as any game I have ever watched.

Anyone else remember this game or how you were feeling?

Kudos for posting this. I remember this game all too well. In fact, I often tell people it was one of the most underrated SBs of all time. The game was a great match-up of mis-matches if you follow. For one, we made a couple of big plays - opening driven Jimmy Cefalo takes a mid range pass and goes 76 yds to paydirt. Fulton Walker breaks SB records for KO return yardage and brings one to the house right after the Skins tie the game at 10 in the first half. There were so many interesting things about this game and all you ever really see/hear about was how Riggins dominated this one and his 44 yd TD run on 4th-1 in the 4th quarter was the play of the game. True Riggins was the MVP. But what's left out are the following:

1. Other than Riggins big run and a trick play reverse by Alvin Garrett, the Skins running game was the only offense they had that day - and it moved the chains - but painfully and slowly. 3 yards, 2 yards, 5 yards, first down; rinse, repeat. The Killer B's were a great D that year - but the Skins O'Line was just too big and physical for us. This game marked the beginning of an era of dominance by the NFC where they would win 13 of the next 14 SBs using the same formula - big O'Lines, ground and pound and physical D.

2. The best play Theisman made all day was on defense. His passing was modest at best - under 150 yards. You would think with the running game going, it would have opened up the air for the skins but Miami repeatedly stymied the passing attack for most of the game which is what kept the game close. In fact we picked him twice. AJ Duhe got a pick in the 2nd half around the Skins 40 yd line but we failed to move the ball any closer. Still, the play of the game was not Riggins' run on 4th-1. It was Theisman tracking his own deflection and jarring it from Bokampers arms as Kim hauled in the would-be interception and ballgame (he would have caught it on the goal line stepping into the EZ). The significance of that play was it that it essentially decided the game. Bokamper hands on, Miami goes up 24-13 and there is not enough time left in that game for the skins to keep running 3.3 yards per clip. They couldn't move it through the air. We win. But it wasn't meant to be. So close...

3. David Woodley's performance and the backstory - may DW rest in peace. Years later the story broke from his at-the-time wife - who claimed Woodley suffered from terrible anxiety and depression / social phobia that he turned to drinking - so much so it eventually killed him - after 1 liver transplant to boot. She claims Woodley drank a case of beer the night before the game - apparently so nervous about playing on the big stage - players say that he reeked of alcohol in the huddle. Whatever the deal was, he should have been pulled at halftime. He was woefully ineffective and in the 2nd half failed to complete a single pass. In fact, he only completed 3 or 4 balls all game! In both '81 and '82 it was the "Woodstrock" combo that led the Dolphins to winning seasons and the playoffs. I'll never understand while Shula didn't yank Woodley (heck, he did it quite a bit in that era) that game which leads to number 4.


4. I truly believe '82 was Don's best coaching season ever. We had no passing attack, lousy QB play, a great D and a terrific FB named Andra Franklin - how we got to the SB (and nearly won) against a superior Washington team is pretty impressive. Still, not making the move earlier to Strock (he got in down by 10 and just had 1 series) is arguably the only blemish on what was a "genius" of a season in terms of coaching.

5. The Special Teams were special that day - we all know about Fulton Walker breaking the yardage record on KOs but I believe Mike Nelms did the same on punt returns for the skins.

I was so upset after this game that I kicked a whole through my bedroom "cheapo" luan fiber door. So I got punished to boot. It was only after many, many years can I objectively look at it and say, "wow - this was a great game" - especially in an era where most of the SBs were / would be blowouts. This one was tense and kept you on edge pretty much all game.

[royalshank]

I don't want this to turn but in the AFC Championship game you guys fumbled, we recoevered but they gave it back to you and that was w/ the game tied at 0 on your lone offensive TD drive so sometimes the calls go for you and sometimes they go against you.

actually, you lost that game because Mark Gastineau was so busy dancing after sacking Woodley - on our 2 yard line - that he didn't realize he had forced Woodley to fumble. As Gasti-douche was doing his stupid dance, an alert Miami lineman fell on the ball - which was lying between Gasti-douche's feet. Had he not been so preoccupied with himself, he recovers that ball on our 2 yd line at a minimum - heck he probably picks it up and scores and you guys win. Blame him not the refs.

---------- Post added at 08:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:10 PM ----------

I too beleived we got screwed on the last TD. He was out of bounds.

agreed - but that's how they called those back then. If you shoved the guy while in the air it was usually ruled a force-out.

[Bagga-Viagra]

I was 8 years old when this game was played. My Mom's cousin Steve was a HUGE Dolphins fan, and he got me into watching throughout the playoffs that year. After we shut out the Jerts in the AFC Championship, I was hooked. I can still remember watching the Super Bowl with him, both of us agonizing after that Riggins run. I've been a fan ever since.