Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

ABC didn't base its programming decisions on who deserved to be there based on almost making the playoffs, or on rewarding anyone. They based them on who they thought would draw eyeballs. (And, of course, ABC didn't do this in a vacuum, the league had the ability to help shape things as well.)

And even then, network executives have proven themselves to be less than infallible, unless you're getting ready to binge the current season of Cop Rock about now.

Here’s quite a double-factoid I just became aware of…in ’76 both the back-to-back defending-Champs and “America’s Team” who played against them beneath the Goodyear Blimp the previous January, each played in just ONE Monday Night game! That’s it!