Monday Night Football Gives New Meaning To The Phrase "Faux Pas"

[Wolverine1975]

Does anybody remember watching the Monday Night Football game with the Giants and the Redskins on September 17, 1979?  Apparently, former Giant offensive lineman Gordon Gravelle wasn't too happy with how he was treated on television by a certain member of the play-by-play team.  Don't remember?  Read on...

COSELL, ABC HIT FOR GIANT MISTAKE
by Vinny DiTrani

this article appeared in The (Bergen) Record, September 20, 1979.

     EAST RUTHERFORD---The Giants offense didn't fool too many people Monday night, as the 27-0 final score indicated.  But at least three in attendance at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., were befuddled by one segment of the offensive unit: the left tackle position.
     And Gordon Gravelle is considering a suit against Howard Cosell, one of the three who jam the ABC booths for the Monday night games, for blaming him for sins committed by Gus Coppens.
     The mix-up occurred in the second half when Redskins end Coy Bacon rolled past Coppens, who was identified as Gravelle by play-by-play man Frank Gifford.
     "Frank knew Gravelle wasn't on the roster and asked the Redskins' PR department to find out the number he'd be wearing," said an ABC spokesman.  "They told him he was wearing No. 78."
     The broadcasting team took it for gospel even though No. 78 already was assigned to Coppens.  "And besides, what do they put the names on the back of the uniforms for?" asked Gravelle.
     So as the nation watched a player with "Coppens 78" on his back have trouble with Bacon, Cosell said, "I tell you the Giant linemen look like statues."
     "There they go around Gravelle again," said Gifford.
     "He may take another fine and go home now," added Cosell, referring to the $15,300 Gravelle was docked for missing training camp and the first week of the season.
     "I called my wife after the game and she was in hysterics," said Gravelle.  "It was slanderous.  I'm talking to my attorney about it and we're considering filing a suit against Cosell.
     "He is a disgrace to the broadcasting profession, the epitome of an arrogant egotist.  He is degrading to football."
     The ABC spokesman declined any comment on the proposed suit, but said, "As far as any blasting of Gravelle by Cosell, it wasn't there."
     "I understand he was referring to my staying out of camp," said Gravelle, who ended his retirement two weeks ago.  "A man of his caliber shouldn't be allowed to broadcast.  He takes away from the integrity of the football and allowed himself to be swayed into a false sense of importance with the American public.  The man doesn't know what he's talking about."
     This isn't the first case of mistaken identity that has shown up on Monday night telecasts.  The ABC broadcasting crew is notorius for mixing up names and numbers. 
     But neither Gravelle nor Coppens nor any of the other Giants' offensive linemen have grounds for any action against the announcers' critique of their performance.  Joe Pisarcik's battered body and the club's No. 14 rank in NFC rushing and total offense attest to that.

[kartanoman]

It's one of the few games from 1977-present that I don't have a complete game of in my Giants video archive.

Pisarcik was beaten up so badly in this game that he had to sit out the following week's contest at home against Philly; a game in which Randy Dean played in and los 17-13.

Gordon Gravele was largely responsible for an inordinate number of  Giants' quarterbacks took from the blind side from 1977 until they shipped him off to the Rams midway during the 1979 season when Tom Nevelle came in and steadied the ship when Phil Simms eventually took over at QB.

Peace!

[Wolverine1975]

I totally forgot that Gravelle was sent to the Rams midway through the season.  What's interesting about this is that Gravelle had retired prior to the start of the 1979 season and then decided to come back, at least that's what I think happened.  Guess the MNF incident only made his return even more futile.  And to think Gravelle has two Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers (he played for them from 1972-76, I think).