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Frank Doyle
Super Bowl I-IX: The Legend Begins
The Super Bowl began as a challenge game between the NFL and the AFL, named after a toy that belonged to the NFL Commissioner’s daughter. The toy was called the “super ball,” and so the game became the Super Bowl.
What started as a challenge that couldn’t fill the LA Coliseum became legitimate in Super Bowl III, when the NFL gambling underdog Jets delivered on Joe Namath’s famous guarantee. The Jets shocked the Baltimore Colts and proved that the upstart AFL could live with the established NFL teams. The Leagues merged in 1970, saw a Perfect Season in 1972 and the birth of the modern era when Pittsburgh beat Minnesota in Super Bowl IX.
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| Super Bowl I-IX |
|---|
| Super Bowl I |
| Green Bay 35-10 Kansas City |
| January 15, 1967. Los Angeles, CA |
| Green Bay covered as a -14 sports betting point favorite. |
| Green Bay's Max McGee wasn't named MVP but he should have been. McGee made seven receptions for two touchdowns and 138 yards despite having broken curfew and partying the night away the night before the Super Bowl. |
| Super Bowl II |
| Green Bay 33-14 Raiders |
| January 14, 1968. Miami, FL |
| Green Bay covered as a -13.5 point favorite. |
| The concept of the Super Bowl was beginning to look pointless as the NFL Champions continued to look a clear step above their AFL counterpart. |
| Super Bowl III |
| NY Jets 16-7 Baltimore Colts |
| January 12, 1969. Miami, FL |
| NY Jets covered as a 18 point underdog |
| The single greatest sports events in the world came into its own when the Jets' win over the 18 point sports betting favorites proved forever that the AFL could live with the NFL. |
| Super Bowl IV |
| Kansas City 23-7 Minnesota |
| January 11, 1970. New Orleans, LA |
| Kansas City covered as a 12 point underdog |
| The old AFL's ability to compete was further underlined when Kansas City won another underdog victory. |
| Super Bowl V |
| Baltimore Colts 16-13 Dallas |
| January 17, 1971. Miami, FL |
| Baltimore Colts covered as a -2.5 point favorite. |
| The only Super Bowl with an MVP from the losing team - Dallas linebacker Chuck Howley |
| Super Bowl VI |
| Dallas 24-3 Miami |
| January 16, 1972. New Orleans, LA |
| Dallas covered as a -6 point favorite. |
| The 1971 Cowboys are the only only team to stop their opponents scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl. |
| Super Bowl VII |
| Miami 14-7 Washington |
| January 14, 1973. Los Angeles, CA |
| Miami covered as a 2 point NFL betting underdog |
| Maybe the Dolphins are right to be annoyed about not getting any respect for the only perfect season in NFL history. They were two point football betting underdogs when they faced Washington in Super Bowl VII. |
| Super Bowl VIII |
| Miami 24-7 Minnesota |
| January 13, 1974. Houston, TX |
| Miami covered as a -6.5 point favorite. |
| Word has got out about the Dolphins by now as they easily covered the sports betting line. |
| Super Bowl IX |
| Pittsburgh 16-6 Minnesota |
| January 12, 1975. New Orleans, LA |
| Pittsburgh covered as a -3 point favorite. |
| The birth of a dynasty, as the Vikings slumped to 0-3 in Super Bowls. |
