The week before The BIG Game and this year is bigger and better than ever in American Rules Football.  Not only do we have an undefeated team in the game, we have a tremendous team with a storied history.  Add in the  two coaches involved both served under Bill Parcells, the man who took both franchises to The Suoer Bowl before, and the fans of two cities who absolutely hate each other, this has the makings to be one special game!

The Patriots are undefeated and are being compared with many of the best teams ever in National Football League history.  There was a poll in our local newspaper this week for the fans to vote for who they think was the all time NFL team.  This was the list:

 1948 Cleveland Browns (15-0)
 1949 Philadelphia Eagles (12-1)
 1962 Green Bay Packers (14-1)
 1972 Miami Dolphins (17-0)
 1977 Dallas Cowboys (15-2)
 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers (17-2)
 1984 San Francisco 49ers (18-1)
 1985 Chicago Bears (18-1)
 1991 Washington Redskins (17-2)
 1992 Dallas Cowboys (16-3)
  2007 New England Patriots (18-0)

Although we are partial to the Eagles, Packers, Dolphins, and Steelers, the team that gets our vote is not even on the list.  That team is...

The 1925 Pottsville Maroons!

They played their games in a small city in Schuykill County, Pennsylvania, better known as the home of Yuengling Beer and anthracite coal.  But what they acomplished in 1925 was just short of remarkable.  They were a member of the fledgling National Football League, just a few years old at the time, and struggling to prove its brand of football against the more popular college version of football.  And here is the list of games they played that year as compiled by David Fleming in his book, "Breaker Boys":

 Sept 20 Colwyn-Darby W 48-0
 Sept 27 Buffalo Bisons W 28-0
 Oct 4 Providence Steam Roller L 0-6
 Oct 11 Canton Bulldogs W 28-0
 Oct 18 at Providence Steam Roller W 34-0
 Nov 1 Columbus Tigers W 20-0
 Nov 8 Akron Pros W 21-0
 Nov 14 at Frankford Yellow Jackets L 0-20
 Nov 15 Rochester Jeffersons W 14-6
 Nov 22 Cleveland Bulldogs W 24-6
 Nov 26 Green Bay Packers W 31-0
 Nov 29 Frankford Yellow Jackets W 49-0
 Dec 6 at Chicago Cardinals W 21-7 (NFL Title Game)
 Dec 12 Notre Dame All-Stars W 9-7 (At Philadlephia)

Their last game did them in.  When they played the Notre Dame All-Stars in Philadelphia, the Yellow Jackets complained to The NFL that they had rights to all game receipts within their city and demanded that the Maroons be punished. Pottsville was fined and stripped of the 1925 NFL Title.  It would be awarded years later to the Chicago Cardinals.

The Pottsville Maroons should be an inspiration to anyone in business. They were tough, focused, and played together as a team to achieve their goals. Just looking at their schedule tells us that.  Theydefeated the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Cardinals, and the Notre Dame Alumini All-Stars.  They helped set the table to the notion that the game of Professional Football would be superior to the college version.  They played five of their games within a two week span in November.  Yes, they were tough! 

Strive to match your business to this model of the Pottsville Maroons.  Not perfect, but good.  Not unbeatable, but focused. Not infallable, but tough. Winners and unrecognized champions, they are still revered and remembered after more than eighty years.

And as always, we welcome your comments.

The Plain Page Prophets