Blanton Collier was famous for his ground breaking work in video analysis. Here is a window into the thoughts and work of a genius. Head Coach, Paul Brown assigned developing a film analysis to Coach Collier when they both coached the Cleveland Browns. 

Now with Hudl and the extensive video work at all levels of football, we take for granted that someone blazed the trail. In the modern era of football, when coaches evaluate video, the roots of that process and what they are seeking to understand and evaluate, go back to Blanton Collier.  

Kay Collier McLaughlin (Blanton Collier's daughter) was kind enough to share this with me a few weeks ago. Considering his NFL winning percentage (76 - 34 - 2; .691), World Championship with the Browns in 1964, innovative contributions to the game of football, and his legacy of how he treated everyone, Coach Collier is most certainly deserving of induction into The Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

 

Truly appreciate this post. It's a real shame more folks... especially younger fans in KY have no idea what a great coach and innovator he was. Has the coach's association ever considered naming an award after him? My neighbor in SC is a huge Penn State fan as he grew up in State College and graduated from there ( license plate Joe Pa 492). We talk football all the time and he was really intrigued as I shared your info on Coach Collier.

As a lifetime Browns' fan, I love Coach Collier.  He hit it off with Jim Brown in the wake of the Paul Brown firing.  The fact the players liked him, helped him lead the team to an NFL championship in 1964.  

 

Intro to first ever Monday Night Football Game,  9/21/1970. Blanton Collier's Cleveland Browns defeated the NY Jets, lead by QB Joe Namath.

1 hour ago, ChiefSmoke said:

 

Intro to first ever Monday Night Football Game,  9/21/1970. Blanton Collier's Cleveland Browns defeated the NY Jets, lead by QB Joe Namath.

Chief you were just a papoose when that aired lol. Keith Jackson....."Whoa Nellie". Remember those early MNF broadcasts with Howard Cosell on color commentary.

6 minutes ago, 9068 said:

Chief you were just a papoose when that aired lol. Keith Jackson....."Whoa Nellie". Remember those early MNF broadcasts with Howard Cosell on color commentary.

I was 5 years old. 

Sadly, I will never forget that week. Thursday, 9/24, Robert Allen Yankey played his last game for my Dad’s Boyle County team. That Friday, 9/25, he drowned on his family farm in Perryville.  Doesn’t matter how young you are, never forget something like that. 

1 hour ago, ChiefSmoke said:

I was 5 years old. 

Sadly, I will never forget that week. Thursday, 9/24, Robert Allen Yankey played his last game for my Dad’s Boyle County team. That Friday, 9/25, he drowned on his family farm in Perryville.  Doesn’t matter how young you are, never forget something like that. 

Amen. As coaches, school personnel,and officials, we have dealt with those tragedies. As a 5 year old that was around him and your dad's team that most certainly will always be with you as it was with your dad. Fans don't understand that those tragedies stay in our memories more vividly than great wins and difficult losses.

Monday Night football was one of Cleveland owner, Art Modell's, most innovative moments, actually helping to grow the popularity of the league through television.  With a background in television advertising, Modell stepped up to host the game when almost every other owner was afraid that there wouldn't be an audience on Monday night.  It didn't hurt that Roone Arledge had twice the number of TV cameras placed around the field and used instant replay for the first time in that game.   

@ChiefSmokeHere's a link to the article by longtime Brown's reporter, Tony Grossi, that gave some of the info on Modell and MNF.  It has a surprising angle to the story which I think you'll find interesting.  It is about the defensive hero of the night who intercepted a Namath pass and returned it for a TD at the end of the game... but there is more to the story.  Pro Football Was Changed by the First MNF Game.  

Btw, I don't know why, but the opening to the game makes me want to put on a cowboy hat and smoke a cigarette.  

 

29 minutes ago, oldgrappler said:

Monday Night football was one of Cleveland owner, Art Modell's, most innovative moments, actually helping to grow the popularity of the league through television.  With a background in television advertising, Modell stepped up to host the game when almost every other owner was afraid that there wouldn't be an audience on Monday night.  It didn't hurt that Roone Arledge had twice the number of TV cameras placed around the field and used instant replay for the first time in that game.   

@ChiefSmokeHere's a link to the article by longtime Brown's reporter, Tony Grossi, that gave some of the info on Modell and MNF.  It has a surprising angle to the story which I think you'll find interesting.  It is about the defensive hero of the night who intercepted a Namath pass and returned it for a TD at the end of the game... but there is more to the story.  Pro Football Was Changed by the First MNF Game.  

Btw, I don't know why, but the opening to the game makes me want to put on a cowboy hat and smoke a cigarette.  

 

That article was good. Thanks for sharing that! 

This is a great topic. Being a Beechwood fan, I know some of the things they do in relation to film study and breakdowns is not only extensive -- but also next level.

This came out a few years ago https://www.hudl.com/blog/the-accountant