Talented actor and college football legend Ed Marinaro joins the proceedings to talk about #49 (and #44 at Cornell), plus playing basketball with Jim Brown at the Playboy Mansion, screen testing for the Six Million Dollar Man, Hill Street Blues, playing for Lou Holtz, the famous Hail Mary game in 1975, living with Joe Namath and his role in the forthcoming Soprano\u2019s prequel, The Many Saints of Newark. Also catch the Hall of Shame, Hall of Fame and a discussion of the three worst days in Tom Niedenfuer\u2019s life.
Our Guest
Ed Marinaro is a talented actor and one of the greatest players in college football history. As a running back at Cornell, he set 16 NCAA records on his way to becoming a three-time All-American and the first player in history to rush for more than 4,000 yards. In 1971 he won the Maxwell Award and the AP and UPI Player of the Year Awards and finished 2nd to Pat Sullivan in the race for the Heisman Trophy. In a 6-year pro career with the Vikings, Jets and Seahawks, he played in 2 Super Bowls before turning his attention to acting \u2013 where he appeared on hit shows like Laverne & Shirley, Sisters and Hill Street Blues. And next year you can see him in The Soprano\u2019s prequel, The Many Saints of Newark. He\u2019s our first guest with an Ivy League education and our first College Football Hall of Famer.
\xa02:14 \u2013 \u201cOh, thank you! It\u2019s great to be here.\u201d
Ed Marinaro comes loaded with stories!
18:11 \u2013 \u201cNumber one on the contender list for me is Bobby Mitchell.\u201d
Tom and Rudy discuss great football #49s including Bobby Mitchell, Dennis Smith, Tom Landry (and his connection to Erich Barnes), Tony Richardson, the hated Mike Siani, Dwayne Woodruff and Michgan QB Bob Chappius.
22:00 \u2013 \u201cThey get a history lesson with this, too.\u201d
Rudy shifts to baseball with \u201cLouisiana Lightning\u201d, Ron Guidry and the time-honored tradition of knuckleballers wearing #49. Yovani Gallardo, Teddy Higuera, Warren Cromartie, Larry Dierker, Armando Benitez and Rob Dibble.
27:10\u2013 \u201cForty-nine is wide open.\u201d
In discussing the dearth of #49\u2019s in basketball and hockey, Tom issues a challenge to the youth, to consider the number.
27:20 \u2013 \u201cThere\u2019s only two.\u201d
Screen Stars returns with the shortest list ever. Jonathan Silverman in Little Big League and Kenny Rogers in Six Pack. That\u2019s it.\xa0 That\u2019s the list!
28:19 \u2013 \u201cYou know exactly where we\u2019re going.\u201d
The #49 Hall of Shame:
1.\xa0 \xa0 \xa0 Tom Niedenfuer blowing up twice in the 1985 NLCS.
2.\xa0 \xa0 \xa0The legendary Jose Mesa/Omar Vuzquel beef.
3.\xa0 \xa0 Chris Sale\u2019s hatred of sweet White Sox throwbacks
4.\xa0 \xa0 Byung-Hyun Kim blowing saves in Game 4 & 5 vs. Yankees in 2001 World Series.
35:54 \u2013 \u201cThese are #49\u2019s of current import.\u201d
The official Heat Check for #49
1. Shaquem Griffin
2. Jordan Hicks (even though he's not pitching in 2020)
3. Jake Arrieta
4. Julio Teheran
5. Chris Sale
38:24 \u2013 \u201cThat only leaves us with the Hall of Fame.\u201d
Here\u2019s your all-time greatest #49\u2019s:
1. Bobby Mitchell
2. Ron Guidry \xa0 \xa0\xa0
3. Tim Wakefield
4. Charlie Hough
5. Dennis Smith
Our thanks to Friend of PUN Scott Malaga for helping us secure Ed Marinaro. Check out Scott\u2019s business interests HERE.
You can also get more details on Ed Marinaro\u2019s upcoming film, The Many Saints of Newark HERE.
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