By Paul Casey Gotham
****Remember, try this without research. That is, make like Wally and release your inner James Joyce. Show us your stream of consciousness as you try to decipher the answer.
Some of you might know me as Joe. Others might recall me as Mitch. Maybe, Coach Marty comes to mind. You pine riders probably know me as an Ivy League player that went on to the NFL. It happens more often than you think – Ivy League guys going to the NFL that is. I was one of 15 draft picks in the history of my alma mater. At least one other Ivy League school, that I know of, has more draft choices. There have actually been six draft picks from my alma mater since I was chosen. Of course, my school has had some noteworthy success in other sports of late. In parts of six seasons, I played with three teams. I got 18 starts – all with one of those clubs. Maybe you would expect more from a Heisman finalist. That’s the way it goes. Weren’t you guys recently talking about the “Hail Mary” pass from Staubach to Pearson? Yeah, I actually had 2 rushes and five receptions in that game. I got some touches in Super Bowl VIII. When my time on the gridiron was done, I moved to my next career.
Who am I?
It must be a Minnesota Viking, likely a role-playing running back. (Vikings played in both of those games mentioned, it was not Dallas in SB VIII). Ivy Leaguer who went on to “next career”. Was the next career in acting?? I’m only guessing that because I don’t recognize “Joe” and “Mitch” or “Coach Marty”, so maybe those were characters this guy played.
Running out of time and have to go to work. I will ponder this in the car, but hopefully someone will “take ‘er home” in the meantime. You have about an hour.
Ed Marino ??
Yes, I second Will’s guess that it’s Ed Marinaro. Didn’t he play a cop named Joe on one of those crime dramas back in the day? Or maybe it was a cop named Mitch? Or both? Who knows … just seems like he woulda been one of those good guy cops. And I think he was a Colgate or Cornell product.
C’mon Wally…Colgate is not Ivy League. 😉
This guess sounds as good as any to me.
So what is Colgate? What conference … Patriot? A10? ECCFSPC?
Calvin Hill of Yale is the only Ivy leaguer who comes to mind that might have been in that Dallas-Minnesota game, but I would not have thought of him as a Heisman finalist or as having the nicknames listed, so I am guessing probably not him. The Vikes had Ed Marinaro of Cornell, but was he in that game?
Marinaro did go on to an acting career, so it looks like my afterthought and everyone else’s prime guess is probably the answer. Colgate is I believe Patriot League and the alma mater of Mark VanEeghen, one of the Oakland Raider’s great running backs. They had another decent running back from there a few years later, but I can’t remember.
Interesting side note re: Marinaro. I was almost his teammate at Cornell. I was contacted/recruited by the Cornell staff because I was a decent football player who had qualified for a NYS Regents scholarship to Cornell. I would have been blocking for him, which would have eliminated “Heisman finalist” from his resume.
In case you are wondering, I chose Notre Dame, where my career ended at the end of walk-on tryouts.
But, Pete, no shame in that … that’s when ND was REALLY GOOD.
I laughed out loud about your comment regarding what would’ve been Marinaro’s lack of success if you had been his fullback. HELMET STICKER for that one 🙂
I never regretted going to ND, but once in a while I do wonder what would have been if I had gone to Cornell. But then I look around and see if any of Marinaro’s linemen are famous today, and I think the answer is “No, at least not in football!” so I guess I made the best choice. ND was good then. And thanks for the helmet sticker, even if I spoke the truth. BTW, was Marinaro in Hill Street Blues? And what are all those OTHER nicknames?
Pete —
Now … if you had failed to make one of Gerry Faust’s teams when I was at ND, then I wouldn’t have been so complimentary. jk. 😉 Actually, Faust’s teams had TONS of talent, but he and his staff had no idea how to employ it. Sounds familiar, huh?
Yes, I think Marinaro was “Joe” in HSB. The other characters … who knows? Casey knows, that’s who.
Yes, the answer is Ed Marinaro. He played Officer Joe Coffey on Hill Street Blues, Mitch on Sisters and, currently, plays Coach Marty Daniels on Blue Mountain State.
I never HEARD of Sisters and Blue Mountain State!