Over the Hill to the Super Bowl

The 1972 Washington Redskins were dubbed the Over the Hill Gang by the media, who considered the team of aging veterans too old, too slow, and too ornery to succeed. The day-to-day story of how that team went to the Super Bowl is told in this book, which is the diary of Brig Owens, the team's safety and now a member of the Redskins Ring of Fame. It's all here--the competition, the battles for starting positions, coach George Allen's relentlessly thorough preparations, the humor, the tension, the glamour, and the routine...a story of hope that any football fan of any era will enjoy. In his second year as coach of the Redskins, George Allen had assembled a team of gritty veterans who were perhaps a step slower than they were in their prime, but they turned out to be tougher and more savvy than their younger opponents. Most significantly, they understood the concept and importance of team. The term “Over the Hill Gang” became their rallying cry. They actually embraced the phrase, even as they fought daily to prove it wrong, making a commitment to consistency, excellence, and camaraderie. The end result was the team's first-ever trip to the Super Bowl against the undefeated Miami Dolphins. Reaching the Super Bowl became a lasting victory for hope! If the Over the Hill Gang could do it, couldn’t anyone? Brig Owens kept a diary of observations, strategies, and insights on audiotape throughout that season. Every week, in a corner of the parking lot at Redskins Park, he secretly handed the tapes to his friend, journalist Chuck Cascio. Chuck took the tapes and shaped the content for the book, which was originally published in 1973. The diary is reissued here as an e-book—a type of publication unthinkable forty years ago…almost as unthinkable as the Over the Hill Gang reaching the Super Bowl! Over the Hill to the Super Bowl captures the magic that worked for Washington in 1972…and can work whenever and wherever players and fans believe their team can bring hope to their city.