- Joined
- Sep 30, 2009
- Messages
- 22,525
- Reaction score
- -5,311
Since we're talking about bad experiences with running backs.
http://www.lostlettermen.com/feature-did-iowas-ronnie-harmon-throw-the-86-rose-bowl/
This Saturday marks the 25th anniversary of arguably the biggest individual meltdown in Rose Bowl history. Iowa All-American running back Ronnie Harmon, a sure-handed player who had fumbled the ball just once all season, fumbled the ball four times in the first half and also dropped an easy touchdown pass. To this day, despite countless denials, some fans still believe Harmon threw the ’86 Rose Bowl. We look back on the infamous day and examine the cheating allegations that have persisted since then.
In the immediate aftermath of Harmon’s four-fumble performance in a 45-28 loss to UCLA, there was no hint by anyone publicly that something was amiss. Like Iowa fans, most people were just in shock that a player as talented as Harmon would have such a major breakdown during such a big game.
Said Harmon in the post game press conference: “That was the most I ever fumbled in one game. They did a good job of stripping the ball. I’ve gotta give them all the credit.”
It wasn’t until the summer of 1987 that the idea of Harmon possibly throwing the ’86 Rose Bowl was floated out. That was because in June of 1987, the NCAA publicly finished an investigation where it determined he had not thrown the ’86 Rose Bowl in which Iowa was favored by 2.5 points.
The reason the NCAA even started an investigation was because it was an offshoot of a Chicago federal grand jury probe into alleged dealings between sports agents Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom and college athletes. Harmon was among several Iowa players implicated for allegedly accepting improper benefits from the agents.
Harmon eventually admitted taking $50,000 from Walters and Michael Franzese, the man who helped bankroll Walters and Bloom. That association with the two further fueled the suspicion that Harmon threw the ’86 Rose Bowl.
Franzese added more fuel to the fire during a 2002 taping of HBO’s “Real Sports” when he came out and said he believed that Harmon threw the game. Franzese made the statement fully admitting he was in prison at the time and that he had no actual proof of this other than the game tapes.
Harmon himself has denied throwing the game for the past quarter century and has given credit to the UCLA defense for making the plays. His coach at the time, Hayden Fry, has been saying the same thing for the past 25 years as well.
When reached at his home in Mesquite, NV, Fry said: “Well we had a formal investigation, I won’t tell you which branch of government, but we spent three days with me at my office and we reviewed the films over and over. And one of the gentlemen was an ex-NFL football player and we all agreed that the fumbles were the result of UCLA doing a heckuva job tackling.”
Curious to see it for yourself? All four fumbles are available online to be viewed by any suspicious party. Let’s examine:
• Harmon’s first fumble is the most dubious, as the Hawkeyes were near the goal line when the ball appears to just fly out of the arms of Harmon. Of all the botched plays, this is the most damning one for anyone convinced Harmon threw the Rose Bowl.
http://www.lostlettermen.com/feature-did-iowas-ronnie-harmon-throw-the-86-rose-bowl/
This Saturday marks the 25th anniversary of arguably the biggest individual meltdown in Rose Bowl history. Iowa All-American running back Ronnie Harmon, a sure-handed player who had fumbled the ball just once all season, fumbled the ball four times in the first half and also dropped an easy touchdown pass. To this day, despite countless denials, some fans still believe Harmon threw the ’86 Rose Bowl. We look back on the infamous day and examine the cheating allegations that have persisted since then.
In the immediate aftermath of Harmon’s four-fumble performance in a 45-28 loss to UCLA, there was no hint by anyone publicly that something was amiss. Like Iowa fans, most people were just in shock that a player as talented as Harmon would have such a major breakdown during such a big game.
Said Harmon in the post game press conference: “That was the most I ever fumbled in one game. They did a good job of stripping the ball. I’ve gotta give them all the credit.”
It wasn’t until the summer of 1987 that the idea of Harmon possibly throwing the ’86 Rose Bowl was floated out. That was because in June of 1987, the NCAA publicly finished an investigation where it determined he had not thrown the ’86 Rose Bowl in which Iowa was favored by 2.5 points.
The reason the NCAA even started an investigation was because it was an offshoot of a Chicago federal grand jury probe into alleged dealings between sports agents Norby Walters and Lloyd Bloom and college athletes. Harmon was among several Iowa players implicated for allegedly accepting improper benefits from the agents.
Harmon eventually admitted taking $50,000 from Walters and Michael Franzese, the man who helped bankroll Walters and Bloom. That association with the two further fueled the suspicion that Harmon threw the ’86 Rose Bowl.
Franzese added more fuel to the fire during a 2002 taping of HBO’s “Real Sports” when he came out and said he believed that Harmon threw the game. Franzese made the statement fully admitting he was in prison at the time and that he had no actual proof of this other than the game tapes.
Harmon himself has denied throwing the game for the past quarter century and has given credit to the UCLA defense for making the plays. His coach at the time, Hayden Fry, has been saying the same thing for the past 25 years as well.
When reached at his home in Mesquite, NV, Fry said: “Well we had a formal investigation, I won’t tell you which branch of government, but we spent three days with me at my office and we reviewed the films over and over. And one of the gentlemen was an ex-NFL football player and we all agreed that the fumbles were the result of UCLA doing a heckuva job tackling.”
Curious to see it for yourself? All four fumbles are available online to be viewed by any suspicious party. Let’s examine:
• Harmon’s first fumble is the most dubious, as the Hawkeyes were near the goal line when the ball appears to just fly out of the arms of Harmon. Of all the botched plays, this is the most damning one for anyone convinced Harmon threw the Rose Bowl.
Last edited:
