Hey, Commanders fans, do you want to learn some Washington Redskins history?
Mike Richman is your man. I talked with Mike recently so Mike could convey to me why he is excited about his newest book, set to be released and in stores on Nov. 1.
George Allen: A Football Life portrays the NFL coaching career of Allen, who never had a losing NFL season. Allen won an NFC Championship with the Washington Redskins in 1972 before falling 14-7 in Super VII to the last undefeated Super Bowl Champions, the Miami Dolphins.
The foreword is written by a former Allen assistant coach with the Rams, Dick Vermeil. Vermeil, as a head coach, would later win a Pac-8 title and Rose Bowl with UCLA, an NFC Championship with the Philadelphia Eagles and a Super Bowl with the St Louis Rams.
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“I went to a 1970 game,” said Richman. The Redskins hosted the Cincinnati Bengals at RFK Stadium. The Redskins won that game 20-0. I think that is my most vivid first memory of the Redskins. My father took me to that game, and I remember Larry Brown had a really good game rushing.”
Richman was hooked. He was, from that moment forward, a life-long, committed fan of the Washington Redskins.
A journalism major, Richman had written three books previously regarding the Redskins franchise. Richman had authored The Redskins Encyclopedia, Washington Redskins Football Vault and Joe Gibbs, An Enduring Legacy.
“With that in mind, my writing the George Allen biography was sort of the final piece of the puzzle for me to continue learning about the Redskins organization and those teams in particular,” expressed Richman.
In 1972, George Allen became the first coach to lead the Redskins to the Super Bowl and cemented the rivalry between Redskins and Cowboys by defeating Dallas in the NFC Championship game.#HTTR #TheOverTheHillGang pic.twitter.com/Cnovmi3Q62
— David Menassé (@Frekiwolf) April 29, 2020
“I grew up with those teams that Allen coached (1971-77). I was emotionally attached. I knew who all of the players were, George Allen, and that team was mine, the one I grew up with.”
How good were those teams? Well, they finished 9-4-1 (1971), 11-3 going to the Super Bowl (1972), 10-4 (1973), 10-4 (1974), 8-6 (1975), 10-4 (1976) and 9-5 (1977). Indeed, Allen produced winning seasons each of his seven years in Washington.
Can you imagine Commanders fans experiencing seven consecutive winning records like this?
When I talked with Mike, we enjoyed recalling the old George Allen memories that Richman expresses in his book. For instance, did you know George Allen was the first coach to introduce the nickelback in the NFL? Did you know he was the first to hire a coach specifically for special teams? Did you know George Allen, not once, but twice, traded away a draft pick he had already dealt away in a previous trade?
Allen was a true NFL innovator and a daring coach who sold the DMV fan base upon his arrival in 1971 on “The Future is Now.” Richman tells of how Allen traded away so many draft choices for experienced NFL veterans. How Allen’s Redskins quickly became known as “The Ramskins” and the “The Over the Hill Gang”.
Commanders fans, this book will be a great Christmas present for Redskins or NFL fans who would love to journey back in time and recall through the pages of the biography of how George Allen put together those winning teams in his seven years in Washington.