Talented actor and college football legend Ed Marinaro joins the proceedings to talk about #49 (and #44 at Cornell), plus playing basketball with Jim Brown at the Playboy Mansion, screen testing for the Six Million Dollar Man, Hill Street Blues, playing for Lou Holtz, the famous Hail Mary game in 1975, living with Joe Namath and his role in the forthcoming Soprano’s prequel, The Many Saints of Newark. Also catch the Hall of Shame, Hall of Fame and a discussion of the three worst days in Tom Niedenfuer’s life.

Our Guest
Ed Marinaro is a talented actor and one of the greatest players in college football history. As a running back at Cornell, he set 16 NCAA records on his way to becoming a three-time All-American and the first player in history to rush for more than 4,000 yards. In 1971 he won the Maxwell Award and the AP and UPI Player of the Year Awards and finished 2nd to Pat Sullivan in the race for the Heisman Trophy. In a 6-year pro career with the Vikings, Jets and Seahawks, he played in 2 Super Bowls before turning his attention to acting – where he appeared on hit shows like Laverne & Shirley, Sisters and Hill Street Blues. And next year you can see him in The Soprano’s prequel, The Many Saints of Newark. He’s our first guest with an Ivy League education and our first College Football Hall of Famer.

 2:14 – “Oh, thank you! It’s great to be here.”
Ed Marinaro comes loaded with stories!

18:11 – “Number one on the contender list for me is Bobby Mitchell.”
Tom and Rudy discuss great football #49s including Bobby Mitchell, Dennis Smith, Tom Landry (and his connection to Erich Barnes), Tony Richardson, the hated Mike Siani, Dwayne Woodruff and Michgan QB Bob Chappius.

22:00 – “They get a history lesson with this, too.”
Rudy shifts to baseball with “Louisiana Lightning”, Ron Guidry and the time-honored tradition of knuckleballers wearing #49. Yovani Gallardo, Teddy Higuera, Warren Cromartie, Larry Dierker, Armando Benitez and Rob Dibble.

27:10– “Forty-nine is wide open.”
In discussing the dearth of #49’s in basketball and hockey, Tom issues a challenge to the youth, to consider the number.

27:20 – “There’s only two.”
Screen Stars returns with the shortest list ever. Jonathan Silverman in Little Big League and Kenny Rogers in Six Pack. That’s it.  That’s the list!

28:19 – “You know exactly where we’re going.”
The #49 Hall of Shame:
1.      Tom Niedenfuer blowing up twice in the 1985 NLCS.
2.     The legendary Jose Mesa/Omar Vuzquel beef.
3.    Chris Sale’s hatred of sweet White Sox throwbacks
4.    Byung-Hyun Kim blowing saves in Game 4 & 5 vs. Yankees in 2001 World Series.

35:54 – “These are #49’s of current import.”
The official Heat Check for #49
1. Shaquem Griffin
2. Jordan Hicks (even though he's not pitching in 2020)
3. Jake Arrieta
4. Julio Teheran
5. Chris Sale

38:24 – “That only leaves us with the Hall of Fame.”
Here’s your all-time greatest #49’s:
1. Bobby Mitchell
2. Ron Guidry     
3. Tim Wakefield
4. Charlie Hough
5. Dennis Smith

Our thanks to Friend of PUN Scott Malaga for helping us secure Ed Marinaro. Check out Scott’s business interests HERE.

You can also get more details on Ed Marinaro’s upcoming film, The Many Saints of Newark HERE.

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