Calypso music and Dan Fouts: Difference between pages

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{{Infobox Music genre
{{Infobox NFLretired
|image=Replace this image male.svg <!-- only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people - see [[WP:NONFREE]] -->
|name=Calypso
|caption=
|bgcolor=#00CC00
|width=
|color=black
|position=[[Quarterback]]
|stylistic_origins=West African [[Kaiso]], Native and European music
|number=14
|cultural_origins=Late 19th century African slaves, [[Trinidad and Tobago Carnival|Carnival]] in [[Trinidad and Tobago]]
|birthdate={{birth date and age|1951|6|10}}<br />[[San Francisco, California]]
|instruments=[[trumpet]], [[trombone]], [[saxophone]], [[electric guitar]], [[bass guitar]], [[conga]], [[drumset]]
|deathdate=
|popularity=Early to mid 20th century
|debutyear=1973
|derivatives=
|finalyear=1987
|subgenrelist=Calypso music
|draftyear=1973
|subgenres= [[Oratorical calypso]] - [[Extempo]] - [[Young Brigade]]
|draftround=3
|fusiongenres=[[Chutney music|Chutney]] - [[Chut-kai-pang]] - [[Rapso]] - [[Soca music|Soca]]
|draftpick=84
|regional_scenes=[[Anguillan calypso|Anguilla]] - [[Antiguan and Barbudan calypso|Antigua and Barbuda]] - [[Barbadan calypso|Barbados]] - [[Costa Rican calypso|Costa Rica]] - [[Grenadan calypso|Grenada]] - [[Salvadoran calypso|El Salvador]] - [[Panamanian calypso|Panama]] - [[Kittitian calypso|Saint Kitts and Nevis]] - [[Cariso|Virgin Islands]] - [[Calypso de El Callao|Venezuela]]
|college=[[University of Oregon|Oregon]]
|other_topics=[[Caribbean Carnival|Carnival]] - [[Calypsonian]] - [[List of calypso-like genres|Calypso-like genres]] - [[Calypso tent]] - [[Picong]]
|teams=<nowiki></nowiki><!--This forces MediaWiki to recognize the first bullet. Kind of a workaround to a bug.-->
* [[San Diego Chargers]] ([[1973 NFL season|1973]]-[[1987 NFL season|1987]])
|stat1label=[[Touchdown|TD]]-[[Interception (football)|INT]]
|stat1value=254-242
|stat2label=Yards
|stat2value=43,040
|stat3label=[[Passer rating|QB Rating]]
|stat3value=80.2
|nfl=FOU692150
|highlights=<nowiki></nowiki><!--This forces MediaWiki to recognize the first bullet. Kind of a workaround to a bug.-->
* 6x [[Pro Bowl]] selection ([[1980 Pro Bowl|1979]], [[1981 Pro Bowl|1980]], [[1982 Pro Bowl|1981]], [[1983 Pro Bowl|1982]], [[1984 Pro Bowl|1983]], [[1986 Pro Bowl|1985]])
* [[NFL 1980s All-Decade Team]]
* 1982 [[NFL MVP Award|NEA NFL MVP]]
* 2x [[NFL MVP Award|PFWA NFL MVP]] (1979, 1982)
* 1982 [[NFL Offensive Player of the Year]]
* 2x [[UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year]] (1979, 1982)
* 1979 [[Pro Bowl MVP]]
* [[San Diego Chargers#Retired Numbers|San Diego Chargers #14]] retired
'''NFL Records'''
* Consecutive Seasons Leading Passing Yards: 4
* Consecutive Games 400+ Yards Passing: 2 (tied)
'''San Diego Chargers Records'''
* 254 passing TD's
* 43,040 passing yards
'''NFL Season Leader'''
* Completions: 1980,1981
* Attempts: 1980,1981
* Passing Yards: 1979,1980,1981,1982
* Passing Yards/Game: 1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1985
* Passing TDs: 1981,1982
* Yards/Pass Attempt: 1982,1985
* Completion %: 1979


|HOF=71
}}
}}
'''Daniel Francis Fouts''' (born [[June 10]] [[1951]]) is a former [[American football]] [[quarterback]] in the [[National Football League]]. Fouts played for the [[San Diego Chargers]] from [[1973 NFL season|1973]] through [[1987 NFL season|1987]], and is famous for being one of the most prolific quarterbacks of the [[Super Bowl]] Era.


==Family==
'''Calypso''' is a style of [[Afro-Caribbean]] [[music]] which originated in [[Trinidad and Tobago]] at about the start of the 20th century. The island had a core of African slaves and workers and the remnants of the indigenous population while colonial masters changed rapidly, bringing settlers from [[France|French]], [[Spain|Spanish]] and [[United Kingdom|British]] and their music styles to the island of [[Trinidad]]. The French brought [[Trinidad and Tobago Carnival|Carnival]] to Trinidad, and calypso competitions at Carnival grew in popularity, especially after the abolition of slavery in 1834. While most authorities stress the African roots of calypso, in his 1986 book ''Calypso from France to Trinidad, 800 Years of History'' veteran calypsonian [[Roaring Lion|The Roaring Lion]] (Rafael de Leon) asserted that calypso also descends from the music of the medieval French [[troubadour]]s.
Fouts' father Robert Fouts was a long-time announcer for the [[San Francisco 49ers]] and was entered into the [[Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame]]. Dan was a ball boy for the 49ers while growing up. He is the second youngest in his family. He currently resides in [[Sisters, Oregon]].


==Pro football career==
Over 100 years ago, calypso further evolved into a way of spreading news around [[Trinidad]]. Politicians, [[journalists]], and public figures often debated the content of each song, and many islanders considered these songs the most reliable news source. [[Calypsonian]]s pushed the boundaries of free speech as their lyrics spread news of any topic relevant to island life, including speaking out against political corruption. Eventually British rule enforced [[censorship]] and police began to scan these songs for damaging content. Even with this censorship, calypsos continued to push boundaries.
Drafted in the third round out of the [[University of Oregon]], Fouts helped lead the Chargers to the playoffs from [[1979 NFL season|1979]] to [[1982 NFL season|1982]] and twice to the AFC title game (1980 and 1981). He led the league four times in passing yards; ending his career with over 40,000, the third player to surpass that landmark. Fouts was elected to the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] in [[1993 NFL season|1993]].


Fouts was a 6-time Pro Bowl selection (1979-1983 & 1985) and compiled passer ratings over 90.0 for a 3-year stretch (1981-83). Fouts threw for over 4,000 yards for 3 consecutive seasons (1979-81), led the NFL in passing yards in 4 consecutive seasons(1979-1982) and 6 times eclipsed the 20-touchdown mark with a career high 33 in 1981. His career high of 4,802 passing yards during the 1981 season was an NFL record at the time.
The first calypso [[gramophone record|recordings]], made by [[Lovey's String Band]], came in 1912, and inaugurated the "Golden Age of Calypso". By the 1920s, [[calypso tent]]s were set up at Carnival for calypsonians to practice before competitions; these have now become showcases for new music.


In 1982, a season shortened to 9 games because of a strike, Fouts averaged what is still a record of 320 yards passing per game <ref> http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_per_g_single_season.htm </ref>. Highlights that season included back-to-back victories against the 1981 Super Bowl teams San Francisco (41-37) and Cincinnati (50-34) in which Fouts threw for over 400 yards in each game to lead the Chargers to shootout victories <ref> http://www.nfl.com/players/danfouts/gamelogs?id=FOU692150&season=1982 </ref>.
The first major stars of calypso started crossing over to new audiences worldwide in the late 1930s. [[Attila the Hun (calypsonian)|Attila the Hun]], [[Roaring Lion]] and [[Lord Invader]] were first, followed by [[Lord Kitchener (calypsonian)|Lord Kitchener]], one of the longest-lasting calypso stars in history—he continued to release hit records until his death in 2000. 1944's ''[[Rum and Coca-Cola]]'' by the [[Andrews Sisters]], a [[cover version|cover]] of a Lord Invader song, became an American hit despite the song being a very critical commentary on the explosion of prostitution, inflation and other negative influences accompanying the American military bases in Trinidad at the time.[http://books.google.com/books?id=tlBS-NQhLEYC&pg=PA163&lpg=PA163&dq=%22rum+and+coca+cola%22+trinidad+prostitution&source=web&ots=Qe482n7Qeh&sig=fVpVGt72r620chVZ7V51Xr_fHBA&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result] {{Trinidadianmusic}}


Fouts garnered All-Pro selections in both 1979 and 1982, while also being named 2nd Team All-Pro in 1980 and 1985. In addition Fouts was also named 2nd Team All-AFC in 1981 and 1983. However, Fouts and the Chargers lost both AFC Championship Games in which they played.
Calypso, especially a toned down, commercial variant, became a worldwide craze with the release of the "[[Banana Boat Song]]", a traditional [[Jamaica]]n folk song, whose best-known rendition was done by [[Harry Belafonte]] on his 1956 album ''[[Calypso (album)|Calypso]]''; ''Calypso'' was the first full-length record to sell more than a million copies. 1956 also saw the massive international hit ''[[Jean and Dinah]]'' by [[Mighty Sparrow]]. This song too was a sly commentary as a "plan of action" for the calypsonian on the widespread prostitution and the prostitutes' desperation after the closing of the [[United States]] [[naval base]] on Trinidad at [[Chagaramas]].


Fouts's first few years in the league were inauspicious, but with the arrival of [[Don Coryell|Don "Air" Coryell]] in [[1978 NFL season|1978]] the Chargers' fortunes turned. Yet it was actually two years earlier, with the arrival of Joe Gibbs as the Charger's offensive coordinator, that the seeds of success were planted. Under Coryell, the Chargers were known for the deep passing game and the involvement of the tight end as a key receiver. This required a tough, intelligent quarterback with a strong arm. Fouts filled the bill.
In the 1957, [[Broadway theater|Broadway]] [[Musical theatre|musical]] ''[[Jamaica (musical)|Jamaica]]'' [[Harold Arlen]] and [[Yip Harburg]] cleverly [[parody music|parodied]] "commercial", [[Harry Belafonte]] style Calypso.


Fouts was not a mobile quarterback and the deep passing game led to many hits. Fouts's ability to take punishment and still play at a very high level is unique. Rarely using the [[Shotgun formation|shotgun]], Fouts would drop back from center and look for one of a bevy of great receivers. Wide receiver [[Charlie Joiner]] and tight end [[Kellen Winslow]] were the most famous, both now in the Hall of Fame, but [[John Jefferson]] and [[Wes Chandler]], among others, were also key. Fouts' passing enabled Winslow to lead the NFL in receptions twice (1980,1981), while Winslow (1982) and [[Lionel James]] (1985) led the AFC in receptions on another 2 combined occasions <ref>http://www.nfl.com/history/leaders/individual/receptions</ref>. James, in fact, set the NFL record (since broken) in 1985 for receiving yards by a running back at 1,027. Jefferson became the first receiver to have 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first three seasons in the NFL. Both Jefferson (1980) and Chandler (1982) led the NFL in receiving yards <ref>http://www.nfl.com/history/leaders/individual/receivingyards</ref>. Chandler's 129 yards receiving per game average in 1982 is still a league record<ref> http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rec_yds_per_g_single_season.htm</ref>. Both Jefferson (1978, 1980) and Chandler (1982) led the NFL in receiving TDs. In 1980, Winslow, Jefferson and Joiner became the first trio on the same team to have 1,000 yards receiving in a season. When he retired after 1986, Joiner was the NFL's all-time leader in receptions with 750<ref>http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=107</ref>.
Early forms of calypso were also influenced by jazz such as Sans Humanitae. In this extempo melody calypsonians lyricise impromptu, commenting socially or insulting each other, "sans humanitae" or "without humanity" (which is again a reference to French influence).


Pass protection was also critical for such an offense. The Chargers had an excellent offensive line which protected Fouts well, and included 4 time Pro Bowler [[Ed White (football)|Ed White]], 5 time Pro Bowler [[Russ Washington]], 3 time Pro Bowler [[Doug Wilkerson]], [[Billy Shields]] and [[Don Macek]]. The Chargers led the league in passing yards an NFL record 6 consecutive years from 1978-1983 and again in 1985 under Fouts <ref>http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/team/passing</ref>. They also led the league in total yards in offense 1980-1983 and 1985.
Elements of calypso have been incorporated in [[jazz]] to form [[calypso jazz]].


Despite going to the playoffs from 1979 through 1982 and playing in 2 AFC Championship Games, the Chargers never went to the [[Super Bowl]] under Fouts (although they went 7 years after his retirement). Usually this is attributed to poor defense and their unwillingness to run the ball. In Fouts' prime the defense was not as stellar, but the running game became far better with the addition of [[Chuck Muncie]], traded from New Orleans in 1980, and the drafting of [[James Brooks (American football player)|James Brooks]] from Auburn in 1981. It is believed the defense had little opportunity to improve as the offense often scored quickly, leaving the defense to spend far too much time on the field. It also hurt that [[Fred Dean]], an All-Pro sack specialist, was traded away to the [[San Francisco 49ers]] in 1981 in a contact dispute <ref> http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/news/2001/02/28/sayitaintso_chargers/#49ers </ref>, and Dean would win [[UPI NFC Player of the Year|UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year]] (while playing in only 11 games) that year en route to a Super Bowl victory and help the 49ers to another Super Bowl title two years later. Dean would later be inducted into the Hall of Fame <ref> http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=261 </ref>.


Overall, the Chargers achieved three wins against four losses in the playoffs under Fouts, who threw for over 300 yards in all but two of those games. One of their more notable wins was the 1982 playoff game known in [[NFL Lore]] as ''[[The Epic in Miami]]'', where Fouts led his team to a 41-38 victory by completing 33 of 53 passes for a franchise record 433 yards and 3 touchdowns on the hot and humid day. His completions, attempts, and yards in the game were all NFL postseason records at the time. The following week in the AFC championship game in Cincinnati, there was a 144°F drop in temperature compared to the previous week in Miami <ref> http://www.inhistoric.com/2008/07/1101982-freezer-bowl.html </ref>, and the Chargers lost 27-7 in what is known as the [[Freezer Bowl]].
{{refbegin}}

* Quevedo, Raymond (Atilla the Hun). 1983. ''Atilla's '''Kaiso''': a short history of Trinidad calypso''. University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad. (Includes the words to many old calypsos as well as musical scores for some of Atilla's calypsos.)
The following season, he threw for 333 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 31-28 win over the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] in the AFC divisional playoff round.
* Hill, Donald R. 1993. ''Calypso Calaloo: Early Carnival Music in Trinidad''. University Press of Florida. (Includes a CD of early calypso music, also called "Calypso Calaloo".)ISBN 0-8130-1221-X (Cloth), ISBN 0-8130-1222-8 (pbk).

* {{cite book|author=Manuel, Peter, with Kenneth Bilby and Michael Largey|title=Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae (2nd edition). Temple University Press, 2006|id=ISBN 1-59213-463-7 }}
==Honors==
*{{cite web
Fouts finished his 15 NFL seasons with 3,297 of 5,604 completions for 43,040 yards and 254 touchdowns, with 242 interceptions. He also rushed for 476 yards and 13 touchdowns
|url=http://www.numusiczone.com/genre.php?genre=Calypso

|title=Listen to Calypso Music
Dan Fouts is one of only seven quarterbacks in NFL history who have achieved two consecutive (back-to-back) 30-touchdown passing seasons. The others are [[Steve Bartkowski]], [[Brett Favre]], [[Dan Marino]], [[Jeff Garcia]], [[Peyton Manning]], and [[Y.A. Tittle]]. He was also the third quarterback in NFL history to pass for 40,000 yards, after fellow Hall of Famers [[Johnny Unitas]] and [[Fran Tarkenton]], and the first quarterback ever to throw for over 4,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
|work=Samples of Calypso Music

|accessdate=January 3
Fouts' jersey number, 14, is one of only two numbers retired by the San Diego Chargers.
|accessyear=2006}}{{Refend}}

In 1999, he was ranked number 92 on ''[[The Sporting News]]' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

In 1992, he was inducted into the University of Oregon and State of Oregon Sports Halls of Fame.

==After pro football==
In 1988 through 1993, Fouts started his career as an analyst on [[NFL on CBS]]. He worked with variety of play-by-play announcers including [[Dick Stockton]], [[James Brown]], [[Verne Lundquist]], [[Brad Nessler]], [[Jim Nantz]], [[Jack Buck]], and [[Tim Ryan]].

Fouts' post-NFL career included a well-received commentator role on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s ''[[Monday Night Football]],'' alongside famed ''MNF'' anchor [[Al Michaels]] and comedian [[Dennis Miller]]. He also served as a college football analyst alongside [[Brent Musberger]] and [[Keith Jackson]] (after Fouts' ''MNF'' departure). He was also a sports
anchor for KPIX-TV in his hometown of San Francisco from 1994-1997.

In 1998 Fouts made his big-screen debut, portraying himself in the football comedy "[[The Waterboy]]," starring [[Adam Sandler]]. Fouts and Musberger appeared late in the film as ESPN's broadcast team for the fictitious New Year's Day "Bourbon Bowl" game.

After Jackson's retirement from ABC in 2006, Fouts became a play-by-play announcer, adding his own commentary on the game at times since he was a former player and analyst. His broadcast partner for 2006 and 2007 was [[Tim Brant]]<ref>[http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/columnists/sfl-fbsarni_college_tvaug25,0,7953403.column]{{Dead link|date=March 2008}}</ref> now that Jackson has opted to permanently retire. (Jackson previously said he was going to retire after the 1998 college football season, but elected to stay on to call [[Pac-10]] games for ABC, including the annual [[Rose Bowl Game|Rose Bowl]].

On February 11, 2008, ESPN announced they weren't re-signing Fouts or his partner Tim Brant{{Fact|date=February 2008}}.

It was reported in USA Today on August 20th, 2008 that Fouts will be an analyst on some CBS NFL games with a variety of play-by-play announcers including [[Don Criqui]], [[Bill Macatee]], and [[Dick Enberg]]. He will also call some Southeastern Conference games for the network.

Fouts also did [[color commentary]] for the football video game ''[[NFL GameDay 2004]]''. He partnered with long-time announcer [[Dick Enberg]].


==See also==
==See also==
*[[Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame]]
*[[Caribbean Carnival]]

*[[Carnival Road March]]
==References==
*[[Soca music]]
{{reflist}}
*[[Extempo]]

*[[Mento]], a Jamaican folk music related to Calypso
==External links==
*[[Mighty Sparrow]]
*''Pro Football Hall of Fame:'' [http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=71 Member profile]
*[[Lord Kitchener (calypsonian)|Lord Kitchener]]
*''pro-football-reference.com:" [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FoutDa00.htm Career stats and more]
* [[Sam'O]]

*[[List of calypso musicians]]
{{start box}}
*[[List of calypso-like genres]]
{{succession box | title=San Diego Chargers Starting Quarterbacks | before=[[Johnny Unitas]]| years=1973 -1987| after=[[Babe Laufenberg]]}}
cheesey pie
{{end box}}


{{AP Offensive Players of the Year}}
== External links ==
{{NFL1980s}}
* [http://www.caribbeanmusictv.com Caribbean Music] Caribbean Music TV.
{{OregonStartingQuarterbacks}}
* [http://www.calypsoarchives.co.uk/ The Calypso Archives]
{{ChargersQuarterbacks}}
* [http://www.calypsonians.com/ Calypsonians Database]
{{Chargers Retired Numbers}}
* [http://caribplanet.homestead.com/101.html Origin of Calypso]
{{1993 Football HOF}}
* [http://www.leeds.ac.uk/cath/events/2005/1103/film/ Calypso Dreams] | Link is dead
* [http://www.wfmu.org/irwin/muriels_treasure/index.html Muriel's Treasure: A Weekly Hour of Calypso on WFMU Radio]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Fouts, Dan}}
[[Category:Calypso]]
[[Category:Music genres]]
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from San Francisco, California]]
[[Category:National Football League announcers]]
[[Category:American sports announcers]]
[[Category:San Francisco television anchors]]
[[Category:American football quarterbacks]]
[[Category:Oregon Ducks football players]]
[[Category:San Diego Chargers players]]
[[Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players]]
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Oregon Sports Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Quarterbacks with 35,000 passing yards]]
[[Category:People from Deschutes County, Oregon]]


[[da:Calypso]]
[[fr:Dan Fouts]]
[[de:Calypso (Musik)]]
[[el:Καλύψο]]
[[es:Calipso (música)]]
[[fa:کالیپسو]]
[[fr:Calypso (musique)]]
[[it:Calypso (genere musicale)]]
[[he:מוזיקת קליפסו]]
[[nl:Calypso (dans)]]
[[ja:カリプソ (音楽)]]
[[no:Calypso]]
[[pl:Calypso]]
[[pt:Calipso (música)]]
[[ru:Калипсо (музыка)]]
[[sv:Calypso]]

Revision as of 12:59, 12 October 2008

Dan Fouts
No. 14
Position:Quarterback
Career information
College:Oregon
NFL draft:1973 / Round: 3 / Pick: 84
Career history
Career highlights and awards

NFL Records

  • Consecutive Seasons Leading Passing Yards: 4
  • Consecutive Games 400+ Yards Passing: 2 (tied)

San Diego Chargers Records

  • 254 passing TD's
  • 43,040 passing yards

NFL Season Leader

  • Completions: 1980,1981
  • Attempts: 1980,1981
  • Passing Yards: 1979,1980,1981,1982
  • Passing Yards/Game: 1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1985
  • Passing TDs: 1981,1982
  • Yards/Pass Attempt: 1982,1985
  • Completion %: 1979

Daniel Francis Fouts (born June 10 1951) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played for the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987, and is famous for being one of the most prolific quarterbacks of the Super Bowl Era.

Family

Fouts' father Robert Fouts was a long-time announcer for the San Francisco 49ers and was entered into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. Dan was a ball boy for the 49ers while growing up. He is the second youngest in his family. He currently resides in Sisters, Oregon.

Pro football career

Drafted in the third round out of the University of Oregon, Fouts helped lead the Chargers to the playoffs from 1979 to 1982 and twice to the AFC title game (1980 and 1981). He led the league four times in passing yards; ending his career with over 40,000, the third player to surpass that landmark. Fouts was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Fouts was a 6-time Pro Bowl selection (1979-1983 & 1985) and compiled passer ratings over 90.0 for a 3-year stretch (1981-83). Fouts threw for over 4,000 yards for 3 consecutive seasons (1979-81), led the NFL in passing yards in 4 consecutive seasons(1979-1982) and 6 times eclipsed the 20-touchdown mark with a career high 33 in 1981. His career high of 4,802 passing yards during the 1981 season was an NFL record at the time.

In 1982, a season shortened to 9 games because of a strike, Fouts averaged what is still a record of 320 yards passing per game [1]. Highlights that season included back-to-back victories against the 1981 Super Bowl teams San Francisco (41-37) and Cincinnati (50-34) in which Fouts threw for over 400 yards in each game to lead the Chargers to shootout victories [2].

Fouts garnered All-Pro selections in both 1979 and 1982, while also being named 2nd Team All-Pro in 1980 and 1985. In addition Fouts was also named 2nd Team All-AFC in 1981 and 1983. However, Fouts and the Chargers lost both AFC Championship Games in which they played.

Fouts's first few years in the league were inauspicious, but with the arrival of Don "Air" Coryell in 1978 the Chargers' fortunes turned. Yet it was actually two years earlier, with the arrival of Joe Gibbs as the Charger's offensive coordinator, that the seeds of success were planted. Under Coryell, the Chargers were known for the deep passing game and the involvement of the tight end as a key receiver. This required a tough, intelligent quarterback with a strong arm. Fouts filled the bill.

Fouts was not a mobile quarterback and the deep passing game led to many hits. Fouts's ability to take punishment and still play at a very high level is unique. Rarely using the shotgun, Fouts would drop back from center and look for one of a bevy of great receivers. Wide receiver Charlie Joiner and tight end Kellen Winslow were the most famous, both now in the Hall of Fame, but John Jefferson and Wes Chandler, among others, were also key. Fouts' passing enabled Winslow to lead the NFL in receptions twice (1980,1981), while Winslow (1982) and Lionel James (1985) led the AFC in receptions on another 2 combined occasions [3]. James, in fact, set the NFL record (since broken) in 1985 for receiving yards by a running back at 1,027. Jefferson became the first receiver to have 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first three seasons in the NFL. Both Jefferson (1980) and Chandler (1982) led the NFL in receiving yards [4]. Chandler's 129 yards receiving per game average in 1982 is still a league record[5]. Both Jefferson (1978, 1980) and Chandler (1982) led the NFL in receiving TDs. In 1980, Winslow, Jefferson and Joiner became the first trio on the same team to have 1,000 yards receiving in a season. When he retired after 1986, Joiner was the NFL's all-time leader in receptions with 750[6].

Pass protection was also critical for such an offense. The Chargers had an excellent offensive line which protected Fouts well, and included 4 time Pro Bowler Ed White, 5 time Pro Bowler Russ Washington, 3 time Pro Bowler Doug Wilkerson, Billy Shields and Don Macek. The Chargers led the league in passing yards an NFL record 6 consecutive years from 1978-1983 and again in 1985 under Fouts [7]. They also led the league in total yards in offense 1980-1983 and 1985.

Despite going to the playoffs from 1979 through 1982 and playing in 2 AFC Championship Games, the Chargers never went to the Super Bowl under Fouts (although they went 7 years after his retirement). Usually this is attributed to poor defense and their unwillingness to run the ball. In Fouts' prime the defense was not as stellar, but the running game became far better with the addition of Chuck Muncie, traded from New Orleans in 1980, and the drafting of James Brooks from Auburn in 1981. It is believed the defense had little opportunity to improve as the offense often scored quickly, leaving the defense to spend far too much time on the field. It also hurt that Fred Dean, an All-Pro sack specialist, was traded away to the San Francisco 49ers in 1981 in a contact dispute [8], and Dean would win UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year (while playing in only 11 games) that year en route to a Super Bowl victory and help the 49ers to another Super Bowl title two years later. Dean would later be inducted into the Hall of Fame [9].

Overall, the Chargers achieved three wins against four losses in the playoffs under Fouts, who threw for over 300 yards in all but two of those games. One of their more notable wins was the 1982 playoff game known in NFL Lore as The Epic in Miami, where Fouts led his team to a 41-38 victory by completing 33 of 53 passes for a franchise record 433 yards and 3 touchdowns on the hot and humid day. His completions, attempts, and yards in the game were all NFL postseason records at the time. The following week in the AFC championship game in Cincinnati, there was a 144°F drop in temperature compared to the previous week in Miami [10], and the Chargers lost 27-7 in what is known as the Freezer Bowl.

The following season, he threw for 333 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 31-28 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC divisional playoff round.

Honors

Fouts finished his 15 NFL seasons with 3,297 of 5,604 completions for 43,040 yards and 254 touchdowns, with 242 interceptions. He also rushed for 476 yards and 13 touchdowns

Dan Fouts is one of only seven quarterbacks in NFL history who have achieved two consecutive (back-to-back) 30-touchdown passing seasons. The others are Steve Bartkowski, Brett Favre, Dan Marino, Jeff Garcia, Peyton Manning, and Y.A. Tittle. He was also the third quarterback in NFL history to pass for 40,000 yards, after fellow Hall of Famers Johnny Unitas and Fran Tarkenton, and the first quarterback ever to throw for over 4,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.

Fouts' jersey number, 14, is one of only two numbers retired by the San Diego Chargers.

In 1999, he was ranked number 92 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

In 1992, he was inducted into the University of Oregon and State of Oregon Sports Halls of Fame.

After pro football

In 1988 through 1993, Fouts started his career as an analyst on NFL on CBS. He worked with variety of play-by-play announcers including Dick Stockton, James Brown, Verne Lundquist, Brad Nessler, Jim Nantz, Jack Buck, and Tim Ryan.

Fouts' post-NFL career included a well-received commentator role on ABC's Monday Night Football, alongside famed MNF anchor Al Michaels and comedian Dennis Miller. He also served as a college football analyst alongside Brent Musberger and Keith Jackson (after Fouts' MNF departure). He was also a sports anchor for KPIX-TV in his hometown of San Francisco from 1994-1997.

In 1998 Fouts made his big-screen debut, portraying himself in the football comedy "The Waterboy," starring Adam Sandler. Fouts and Musberger appeared late in the film as ESPN's broadcast team for the fictitious New Year's Day "Bourbon Bowl" game.

After Jackson's retirement from ABC in 2006, Fouts became a play-by-play announcer, adding his own commentary on the game at times since he was a former player and analyst. His broadcast partner for 2006 and 2007 was Tim Brant[11] now that Jackson has opted to permanently retire. (Jackson previously said he was going to retire after the 1998 college football season, but elected to stay on to call Pac-10 games for ABC, including the annual Rose Bowl.

On February 11, 2008, ESPN announced they weren't re-signing Fouts or his partner Tim Brant[citation needed].

It was reported in USA Today on August 20th, 2008 that Fouts will be an analyst on some CBS NFL games with a variety of play-by-play announcers including Don Criqui, Bill Macatee, and Dick Enberg. He will also call some Southeastern Conference games for the network.

Fouts also did color commentary for the football video game NFL GameDay 2004. He partnered with long-time announcer Dick Enberg.

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_per_g_single_season.htm
  2. ^ http://www.nfl.com/players/danfouts/gamelogs?id=FOU692150&season=1982
  3. ^ http://www.nfl.com/history/leaders/individual/receptions
  4. ^ http://www.nfl.com/history/leaders/individual/receivingyards
  5. ^ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/rec_yds_per_g_single_season.htm
  6. ^ http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=107
  7. ^ http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/team/passing
  8. ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/news/2001/02/28/sayitaintso_chargers/#49ers
  9. ^ http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=261
  10. ^ http://www.inhistoric.com/2008/07/1101982-freezer-bowl.html
  11. ^ [1][dead link]

External links

Preceded by San Diego Chargers Starting Quarterbacks
1973 -1987 		Succeeded by
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