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In late 2022, after my Dad had passed from this place, I was reflecting on some of our early trips. Pro football was an important part of my growing up. Frankly, it was a religion. We started visiting the Philadelphia Eagles training camp in Reading PA and the Washington Redskins training camp in Carlisle, PA. I personally met most of these "players." I witnessed the Redskins training camp with George Allen.
George Allen had just taken over as coach for the Redskins and was interested in trading draft choices for veteran players. His motto and title of his book was "The Future is Now." How prescient that title would be as a credo to live life by. Coach Allen was always extremely gracious, always obliging us to take photos and sign autographs. He was out there alone doing laps before and after practice in Carlisle.
So in December of 2022, I started watching some videos of the Allen years with the Redskins from 1971-73. It was like reliving my youth and my family's history. Their team was called the "Over the Hill Gang" due to all the veteran players.
So that same night, I punched the "Over the Hill Gang" into ebay. It comes up with a book written by Brig Owens called "Over the Hill To the Super Bowl". I find one that was autographed. Now the interesting part, it is inscribed to me.
For example
To dirtybenny,
best wishes,
Brig Owens 12/5/73
On the cover was a photo of the Redskins playing the Eagles, the 2 teams that we visited their training camp each year.
I bought it, of course, as a gift from the reality. It arrived at my house on 12/5/2022.
49 years to the day from the date that it was signed.
As a kicker, my parents took us to Canton, OH for the Hall of Fame game in 1973. Want to guess who played in the Hall of Fame game that year? New England Patriots and
the San Francisco FORTY NINERS.
and I end up living in NEW ENGLAND for the rest of my life.