Word: simpson
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1970-1979
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...start with, Simpson was a victim of the N.F.L. rule that the worst pro team gets the first pick of the college players. Thus he was unable to play in his native California, as he had hoped...
...Simpson, who had seen snow only twice before, agreed to shiver through four seasons for $350,000-the highest salary any rookie had received since the N.F.L. and A.F.L. merged...
Veteran Buffalo players, feeling underpaid and a little jealous of Simpson's knack for getting publicity, took special joy in such hazing rites as shaving O.J.'s head, making him stand on a table while singing the U.S.C. fight song, and popping him extra hard in practice to let him know that he was playing with the big boys. Trouble was, the Bills were far less accomplished at jolting opponents. Simpson, fresh from two starring appearances in the Rose Bowl, had to painfully adapt to playing with a loser...
Buffalo had a knack for falling behind in a game so quickly, in fact, that their quarterback usually had to forgo giving Simpson the ball in favor of a desperation pass game. When O.J. did carry the football, blocking was so negligible that he was often gang-tackled before he hit the line of scrimmage. Averaging a so-so 642 yds. in his first three seasons, Simpson seemed destined to become one of the many college stars who fail to make it big in the pros...
Then Coach Lou Saban took over the Bills last season and began building a new high-powered attack around Simpson. Toting the ball an average of 21 times a game, O.J. rushed for 1,251 yds. in 1972 to become the N.F.L.'s leading ground gainer. This year he is doing even better. Against the New England Patriots, Simpson led the Bills to a 31-13 win with touchdown runs of 22 and 80 yds. He ended the afternoon with a remarkable 250 yds. gained-a new N.F.L. record for a single game...