Event Date: March 28th, 1983
Event Description: Mile High Matchup
Source: United Press International
Tonight in Mile High Stadium, two former coaches of the Denver Broncos will meet for the first time as coaches of opposition teams in the USFL.
The home team is the Denver Gold, coached by Red Miller, who was fired by the Broncos in 1980. The opposition is the Oakland Invaders, led by John Ralston -- the man Miller replaced as Bronco coach in 1976. “I've been thinking how it will be,” Ralston said. “I'm thinking that when I walk out there and look around I'll get a tremendous chill up and down my spine.”
Local observers have been saying that Red Miller went to the Super Bowl in 1977 with John Ralston's players, and indeed, Miller's teams never did quite as well as they did his first year. Ralston, however, responds that the key decisions leading to the AFL Championship were Miller's. For example, it was Miller who saw a resurrected quarterback in the aging Craig Morton.
“I was their biggest fan,” Ralston said with a straight face. “I'd jump up and down in front of my TV set every game. I would've liked to have been there but ...”
Since then, Ralston has held assistant coaching jobs in several other towns. First he went to Philadelphia. The Eagles went to the Super Bowl the year after he left. Then San Francisco. The 49ers went to the Super Bowl the season after he left. Then Toronto, with the CFL. Toronto won the Grey Cup the season -- you guessed it -- after he left. “This time,” he said, “I plan on sticking around.”
Over the weekend; Boston battered New Jersey 38-14, Washington downed Michigan 38-20 with ex-Steeler Joe Gilliam leading the way, Philadelphia trounced Tampa 34-7 and Chicago defeated Los Angeles 7-0.
Boston Breakers 38
New Jersey Generals 14
A pair of first-half touchdown passes from Johnny Walton combined with a one-yard touchdown plunge by Richard Crump helped the Breakers out to a 21-0 lead at the intermission. In the second-half a Tony Davis score and a 42-yard Tim Mazzetti field goal helped the Breakers down the winless Generals.
Washington Federals 38
Michigan Panthers 20
Joe Gilliam fired an 83-yard touchdown strike to Mike Holmes midway through the final frame to give the Federals their third straight USFL victory. Washington, 3-1, was led by Gilliam who passed for 327 yards with three touchdowns while Craig James carried the ground game with 94 yards and one touchdown run.
Philadelphia Stars 34
Tampa Bay Bandits 7
Chuck Fusina ran for a pair of touchdowns and Kelvin Bryant added a third as Philadelphia handed Tampa their third defeat in four games. Jeff Gabrielson scored via a blocked punt and David Trout added a pair of late field goals as the Stars’ continue to roll. The Bandits continue to battle bad luck as new starter Mike Kelley was knocked out of the game in the third quarter. The Bandits have now lost three quarterbacks to injury.
Chicago Blitz 7
Los Angeles Express 0
Kevin Long scored on a two-yard run to lead the Blitz to the shut-out victory. The victory leaves Chicago sitting atop the Central division at 4-0, while Los Angeles drops to 2-2.
Birmingham Stallions 41
Arizona Wranglers 3
Cornelius Quarles scored on a 17-yard run, en route to 131 rushing yards, and the Birmingham defense forced six turnovers to give the Stallions a victory over hapless Arizona on Saturday night.
Story-(Modified from original)-UPI
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