Yesterday's Sports

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS HOME PAGEEPISODE SUMMARYThe final episode of the Hall of Fame series is recorded during Super Bowl week and opens with Dave describing his Super Bowl jackets, patches, and pins, including favorites from Super Bowls VI, X, XIII, and a rare press pin from Super Bowl XXX. The conversation reflects on collecting, nostalgia, and how memorabilia represents personal memories more than monetary value, while also reinforcing that Hall of Fame induction is limited and that not getting in doesn’t erase a player’s greatness.The discussion then shifts to football nostalgia and how the game has changed, touching on extreme cold-weather games like the Bengals–Chargers “freezer” game, Kenny Anderson’s performance, and concerns about moving future playoff games indoors. They contrast today’s Super Bowl—dominated by commercials, halftime shows, and nonstop media—with earlier eras when the focus was strictly on the game, before closing with lighthearted talk about old episodes, short-form clips, and plans for future shows.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS HOME PAGEEPISODE SUMMARYThe episode continues a discussion between Mark and Dave about how difficult and subjective the Pro Football Hall of Fame process is, highlighting several players who waited many years to get in (including Tom Mack, Jack Youngblood, Carl Eller, Harry Carson, and Randy Gradishar).Mark and Dave argue that modern fans—used to instant takes—often don’t relate to how long the process can take, and they blame nonstop media coverage for turning every “snub” into a major controversy.They then review current finalists and first-year candidates like Drew Brees, Frank Gore, Larry Fitzgerald, Kevin Williams, and Jason Witten, while also mentioning longer-waiting names such as Willie Anderson, Jahri Evans, Darren Woodson, and Torry Holt.They debate the eight-player limit, stressing that letting in too many hurts the Hall’s prestige, and they point out how roles like blocking tight ends, interior linemen, and kickers can be overlooked (with discussion of Vinatieri, Otis Taylor, and L.C. Greenwood).This and much more....YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS HOME PAGEEPISODE SUMMARYIn this episode of Yesterday’s Sports on the Sports History Network, Mark and fellow sports historian Dave DePaolo take on the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the growing gap between how modern players are inducted versus legends from earlier eras. They discuss how today’s nonstop media coverage has changed the conversation, creating pressure for instant, first-ballot inductions, while many past greats waited years to receive the same honor.Dave explains the Hall of Fame voting process, including modern-era and senior candidates, the role of the 50-member committee, and how personal biases and media influence can affect outcomes. Mark and Dave also reflect on numerous historical players who waited far longer than today’s stars, reinforcing their shared belief that Hall of Fame discussions should focus less on hype and more on true impact, longevity, and what a player meant to the game.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS HOME PAGEEPISODE SUMMARYMark invites author Jack Bethel to join Yesterday's Sports to talk about many topics in in sports history, but focusing heavily on the California and Los Angeles areas. Jack is author of many books, but the one of particular interest to Mark for this conversation "Decades Across Redondo," where "cheers meets sports history....."YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS HOME PAGEEPISODE SUMMARYMark invites author Jack Bethel to join Yesterday's Sports to talk about many topics in in sports history, but focusing heavily on the California and Los Angeles areas. Jack is author of many books, but the one of particular interest to Mark for this conversation "Decades Across Redondo," where "cheers meets sports history....."YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS HOME PAGEEPISODE SUMMARYDave and Mark talk about a bunch of 1970s NFL Playoff games, including:1 - 1971 Playoff - Dolphins vs Chiefs2 - 1972 Playoff - Steelers vs Raiders3 - 1974 Playoff - Raiders vs Dolphins4 - 1976 Playoff - Raiders vs Patriots5 - 1977 AFC Championship - Broncos vs RaidersAnd much more.....YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS HOME PAGEEPISODE SUMMARYThe San Francisco 49ers franchise began in 1946 in the All-American Football Conference. The team posted a winning record in all four seasons of the league's existence and had an impressive 12–2 mark in 1948. But they were in the same division as the Cleveland Browns, the league's best team. With the league struggling to survive, down to one division and only seven teams remaining, the 49ers finally got their chance to face the Browns in the 1949 Championship game, but lost 21–7.The league folded, and the 49ers joined the NFL in 1950. From 1950 to 1959, their record was 63-54–3. Their only postseason appearance came in 1957, when they blew a 27–7 lead to the Lions.From 1960 to 1969, the 49ers' record was 57–74–7, and they never made the postseason. After a 4–8–2 record in 1969, there was no reason to expect the 1970s to be any different. But the 49ers surprised everyone by going 10–3–1 in 1970 and then upsetting the heavily favored Vikings in the playoffs. They lost to the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game, but returned to the title game the following season, where they lost to the Cowboys again. In 1972, they lost to the Cowboys again, this time blowing a 21–3 lead in the divisional playoff game. They never recovered, and from 1973 to 1980, the 49ers' record was a dismal 39–79. But the 49ers were about to shock the football world in 1981.You can read the full blog post here.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS HOME PAGEEPISODE SUMMARYThe San Francisco 49ers franchise began in 1946 in the All-American Football Conference. The team posted a winning record in all four seasons of the league's existence and had an impressive 12–2 mark in 1948. But they were in the same division as the Cleveland Browns, the league's best team. With the league struggling to survive, down to one division and only seven teams remaining, the 49ers finally got their chance to face the Browns in the 1949 Championship game, but lost 21–7.The league folded, and the 49ers joined the NFL in 1950. From 1950 to 1959, their record was 63-54–3. Their only postseason appearance came in 1957, when they blew a 27–7 lead to the Lions.From 1960 to 1969, the 49ers' record was 57–74–7, and they never made the postseason. After a 4–8–2 record in 1969, there was no reason to expect the 1970s to be any different. But the 49ers surprised everyone by going 10–3–1 in 1970 and then upsetting the heavily favored Vikings in the playoffs. They lost to the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game, but returned to the title game the following season, where they lost to the Cowboys again. In 1972, they lost to the Cowboys again, this time blowing a 21–3 lead in the divisional playoff game. They never recovered, and from 1973 to 1980, the 49ers' record was a dismal 39–79. But the 49ers were about to shock the football world in 1981.You can read the full blog post here.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS HOME PAGEEPISODE SUMMARYMonday Night Football (Part 2) - Mark and Dave Relive The Early Days of Monday Night FootballYESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS HOME PAGEEPISODE SUMMARYMonday Night Football (Part 1) - Mark and Dave Relive The Early Days of Monday Night FootballYESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.EPISODE SUMMARYThe Atlanta Falcons joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1966. Like most expansion teams, they struggled during their first five seasons, winning only 16 of 70 games. They recorded their first winning season in 1971, finishing 7–6–1, and followed that with a 7–7 record in 1972.The first game of the 1973 season couldn't have gone any better for the Falcons, as they blew out the Saints 62–7. It was the third biggest blowout in NFL history up to that point, and still ranks in the top six all-time as of 2025......You can read the full blog post here.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.EPISODE SUMMARYThe Atlanta Falcons joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1966. Like most expansion teams, they struggled during their first five seasons, winning only 16 of 70 games. They recorded their first winning season in 1971, finishing 7–6–1, and followed that with a 7–7 record in 1972.The first game of the 1973 season couldn't have gone any better for the Falcons, as they blew out the Saints 62–7. It was the third biggest blowout in NFL history up to that point, and still ranks in the top six all-time as of 2025......You can read the full blog post here.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.EPISODE SUMMARYMuhammad Ali's boxing career is well documented, so instead of going over his entire career, I will focus on the four times Ali was knocked down.Sonny BanksHenry CooperJoe FrazierCheck WepnerYou can read the full blog post here.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.EPISODE SUMMARYA committee member recently asked me my opinion on inducting former Washington Redskins running back Larry Brown into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.First, I want to say it’s an honor that this committee member values my opinion enough to ask me to contribute to this discussion.I have the utmost respect for Larry Brown, his achievements, and his approach to playing the game. He played with a mindset of giving 100% effort on every play, a quality not often seen in today's game. Despite his small size, he possessed the courage and fearlessness of a giant. Larry often said that his mental toughness came from growing up in the tough Hill District of Pittsburgh.....You can read the full blog post here.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.EPISODE SUMMARYHere’s a question I often hear, especially from Minnesota Vikings fans: Would the 1970 and/or 1971 Vikings have won the Super Bowl if they had Joe Kapp or Fran Tarkenton at quarterback? Here’s my answer: First, I should point out that the Vikings lost one Super Bowl with Joe Kapp and three with Fran Tarkenton. So, maybe a better question is, would they have reached the Super Bowl with a better quarterback?You can read the full blog post here.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.EPISODE SUMMARYFrom 1957 to 1971, the Baltimore Colts never experienced a losing season. They played in four NFL Championship games, winning three of them. They also appeared in two AFC Championship games, winning one, and played in two Super Bowls, winning one. But by 1972, age had caught up with them, and combined with some questionable trades, that led to their worst season since 1954. The Colts finished 1972 with a 5–9 record, and things only worsened. In 1973, they went 4–10; in 1974, they were 2–12. The Colts went through four head coaches in three years.The head coach for 1975 was Ted Marchibroda, but there was little hope that the team would improve......You can read the full blog post here.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.EPISODE SUMMARYFrom 1957 to 1971, the Baltimore Colts never experienced a losing season. They played in four NFL Championship games, winning three of them. They also appeared in two AFC Championship games, winning one, and played in two Super Bowls, winning one. But by 1972, age had caught up with them, and combined with some questionable trades, that led to their worst season since 1954. The Colts finished 1972 with a 5–9 record, and things only worsened. In 1973, they went 4–10; in 1974, they were 2–12. The Colts went through four head coaches in three years.The head coach for 1975 was Ted Marchibroda, but there was little hope that the team would improve.....You can read the full blog post here.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.EPISODE SUMMARYThe 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers finally beat the Yankees to win their first and only World Series in Brooklyn. Relive the journey of “Dem Bums” from heartbreak to glory.You can read the full blog post here.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.EPISODE SUMMARYThe 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers finally beat the Yankees to win their first and only World Series in Brooklyn. Relive the journey of “Dem Bums” from heartbreak to glory.You can read the full blog post here.YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)

Yesterday's Sports is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.EPISODE SUMMARYIn this special 250th episode of Yesterday's Sports, Mark sits down with Arnie Chapman to reminisce over the past 5 years of podcasting. They talk about how Mark first reached out to Arnie to be one of the first members of the Sports History Network, highlights from the show, some childhood memories not previously discussed on this podcast, what his future plans for Yesterday's Sports are, and so much more. YESTERDAY'S SPORTS BACKGROUNDHost Mark Morthier grew up in New Jersey just across the river from New York City during the 1970s, a great time for sports in the area. He relives great moments from this time and beyond, focusing on football, baseball, basketball, and boxing. You may even see a little Olympic Weightlifting in the mix, as Mark competed for eight years. See Mark's book below.No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training: A Guide For People With Limited TimeRunning Wild: (Growing Up In The 1970s)