Bill from NYC Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Imo, Bert Jones ranks as one of the most sad injury stories in the history of sports. As the qb of the Colts, this guy was awesome. Talent? He had touch on his passes AND a cannon for an arm. Not enough? He could run like a deer, and throw on the run. Oh, he was also (as I recall) pin-point accurate. I watched him warm up once (sitting in the first row) at Shea Stadium before a jests game. It was a freezing cold day with strong winds. He threw the football as if it were a baseball, and the receiver was grunting in pain. True story. Not that I am an expert by any means, but I am pretty sure that that he would have been in Canton if not for the career ending injury, and I am just wondering if anyone else here was lucky enough to watch him play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 wasn't bert teamed up with ernie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rico Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Just on TV, but I agree, he was great, what a gun! 2nd-best QB after Johnny U. in Colts history, Manning's not even close. That Raiders-Colts playoff game was a true classic, one of the best I've ever seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Was my first ever live Bills game - Bills riding a 4 game win streak to start 1980, and Jones & Colts rode into town to snap it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 If I recall correctly, he went to the same high school as Joe Ferguson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mary owen Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 that dude was steady. I love old time football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 If I recall correctly, he went to the same high school as Joe Ferguson. 71743[/snapback] I think Jones went to LSU, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeyemike Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 I'm old enough to remember him with the Baltimore Colts. He was/is an LSU alum. Many forget he was the NFL MVP in 1976. And yes, he had a cannon for an arm. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rico Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 If I recall correctly, he went to the same high school as Joe Ferguson. 71743[/snapback] I coudn't stand Fergy, but I gotta admit he had a gun for an arm too. Must've been something in the water down there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Imo, Bert Jones ranks as one of the most sad injury stories in the history of sports. As the qb of the Colts, this guy was awesome. Talent? He had touch on his passes AND a cannon for an arm. Not enough? He could run like a deer, and throw on the run. Oh, he was also (as I recall) pin-point accurate. I watched him warm up once (sitting in the first row) at Shea Stadium before a jests game. It was a freezing cold day with strong winds. He threw the football as if it were a baseball, and the receiver was grunting in pain. True story. Not that I am an expert by any means, but I am pretty sure that that he would have been in Canton if not for the career ending injury, and I am just wondering if anyone else here was lucky enough to watch him play. 71739[/snapback] He was great. Never the same after losing to the Steelers in the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buftex Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 I coudn't stand Fergy, but I gotta admit he had a gun for an arm too.Must've been something in the water down there. 71752[/snapback] What you got against Fergy? He and Steve Freeman are my all-time favorite Bills! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCal Aaron Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Was my first ever live Bills game - Bills riding a 4 game win streak to start 1980, and Jones & Colts rode into town to snap it. 71742[/snapback] It was the sixth game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMadCap Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Wasn't Bert the guy who was always complaining about stuff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Imo, Bert Jones ranks as one of the most sad injury stories in the history of sports. As the qb of the Colts, this guy was awesome. Talent? He had touch on his passes AND a cannon for an arm. Not enough? He could run like a deer, and throw on the run. Oh, he was also (as I recall) pin-point accurate. I watched him warm up once (sitting in the first row) at Shea Stadium before a jests game. It was a freezing cold day with strong winds. He threw the football as if it were a baseball, and the receiver was grunting in pain. True story. Not that I am an expert by any means, but I am pretty sure that that he would have been in Canton if not for the career ending injury, and I am just wondering if anyone else here was lucky enough to watch him play. 71739[/snapback] Saw him play, but I'm not OLD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rico Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 What you got against Fergy? He and Steve Freeman are my all-time favorite Bills! 71756[/snapback] Critical mistakes at the worst possible times + whenever he was about to be sacked, he'd run backwards trying to get away & lose 10 more yards. Gary Marangi not panning out & taking his place was a big disappointment to me as a young Bills fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCal Aaron Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Wasn't Bert the guy who was always complaining about stuff? 71763[/snapback] There is a great NFL films short on him - he was a cocky mother and played hurt (If I remember right he once played with a separated throwing shoulder for 3 games - the type of guy the Bills could use now. Archie Manning was another guy who had it, but was just abused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 In '73 when Fergy was a rookie, he and Jihn Scorpan lived in the same apartment building as we did. Joe came up one Saturday and aske my wife and me down for dinner. His Dad had just flowin and brought in fresh fish. To our surprise, Bert Jones was there for dinner. Here is my wife sitting between Joe & Bert and me with no camera. Have football signed by Bert. True story. KG4ZDX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubes Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Bert Jones and Lydell Mitchell made a great backfield for those Colts. I still think Lydell Mitchell is a great football name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guffalo Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 When I was a little kid (8-9) I liked the Colts (after the Bills) and I remember Jones could throw on a rope in the worst weather as well as in the good stuff. My Uncle was a preist and taught at a St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore when the Colts were holding thier training camps there. He knew I was a closet Colts fan and told me how Bert Jones was a really "Spiritual" guy. He was impressed how the guy was pretty religious even as a young QB. Jones made the time to get to mass before many of the practices and would spend time talking to my uncle who had no interest in football about anything but football. Uncle Gil was very impressed with him on how knowldgeable the guy was ("even for a football player"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Yes, I remember him. Probably the greatest Qb to ever play the game. Good arm, mobile enough, smart, quick release and could throw a long way. He regular wins the old timers QB contest every year during the Probowl. He has had coaches kid with him about coming back, because he was throwing the ball through the moving tires at 40 yards, everytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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