Former Cal QB in Fightin' Shape

by srr50 on Dec 28, 2025 8:57 AM CST in Texas Longhorns and Other Football

Some Cal Bear fans are still pissed about being left out of the 2005 Rose Bowl in favor of Texas, and the last Bear QB to lead Cal to the Rose Bowl apparently is ready to try and settle the score -- man-to-man.

Joe Kapp was an All-American in 1958 for the Bears, and he is the only player to quarterback teams in the Rose Bowl, Grey Cup and Super Bowl.

Kapp played for the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League before moving to Minnesota in the NFL. Last month, prior to the 2011 Grey Cup, Kapp got into a scrape with Angelo Mosca, a member of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 1963 Grey Cup. The pair were at odds over an alleged dirty hit that Mosca made on one of Kapp's Lion teammates.

http://youtu.be/eowH5IP3FQ8

You might want to keep an eye out for Kapp should he be on the sidelines tonight.

Speaking of which, Kapp was also involved in one of the greatest finishes to a college football game. Kapp was the head coach of his alma mater in 1982 when John Elway was the QB for Stanford, in a series known as "The Big Game."

If you have never seen the last minute of this contest, enjoy.

http://youtu.be/1Ka2TWrAdqU

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Comments

After all these years I never realized that with basic clock management, that play never happens.

by bevosbackside on Dec 28, 2025 9:14 AM CST reply actions

There may be some finishes as wild and exciting as that, but I doubt any will ever exceed it.

And the Cal QB that day was? Anyone??

by Texoz on Dec 28, 2025 9:24 AM CST reply actions

I had the same thought, except that since there was no play like that before that had worked, I’m sure Stanford thought that they had effective clock management.

I saw John Elway play both football and baseball in college and he is the best overall athlete I have seen.

by srr50 on Dec 28, 2025 9:25 AM CST reply actions

Texoz — yes it is another example of 6 degrees of separation.

I believe Gale Gilbert was the Cal QB that day in 1982.

by srr50 on Dec 28, 2025 9:27 AM CST reply actions

One of the claims to fame of GG’s dad is that he was the winning QB in that game…

by Tex Long on Dec 28, 2025 9:46 AM CST reply actions

Dang, some other old fart beat me to it… six or fewer degrees of separation, aye.

by Tex Long on Dec 28, 2025 9:47 AM CST reply actions

Watching Elway throw in that game is still amazing. His blend of arm strength & accuracy was a joy to watch. One of the best QBs I’ve seen in my lifetime. Along with Montana, Fouts, Marino and a few others, the 1980s had some fun QBs to watch.

by Texoz on Dec 28, 2025 10:16 AM CST reply actions

Kapp and the other old fart held a grudge over a supposed cheap shot something like 50 years ago.
Does anyone know anything about that cheap shot? It happened when Kapp? It happend in the CFL so footage is probably impossible to get even these days.

by my name is nobody on Dec 28, 2025 10:39 AM CST reply actions

I’ll take the ghost of Bobby Layne over Joe Kapp. He successfully haunted the Detroit Lions for decades. He may have relented after the Stafford pick, but Joe doesn’t want that fight.

by Saul on Dec 28, 2025 11:04 AM CST reply actions

I am a Texas grad that has lived in Northern California for years. Finally, going to a sports bar today for a Texas game and there will be others in the bar besides me that actually cares about the outcome. Hopefully not Joe Kapp, although I think I can take him if he’s drunk and I’m not.

Hook em Horns

by All The Pretty Longhorns on Dec 28, 2025 11:08 AM CST reply actions

The right hand punch Kapp throws is a lot prettier than any pass he ever threw. Sonofabitch was a noseguard playing qb who only threw knuckleballs. Ugliest passer in NFL history.

by Ole tnhorn on Dec 28, 2025 1:24 PM CST reply actions

Such a great play. Too bad the last lateral was so obviously an illegal forward pass.

Cal = cheaters

by Huckleberry on Dec 28, 2025 2:07 PM CST reply actions

Huck sez:
“Such a great play. Too bad the last lateral was so obviously an illegal forward pass.

Cal = cheaters"

C’mon now, haven’t you robbed us of enough?

/kidding

/maybe

by WestCoaster on Dec 28, 2025 2:29 PM CST reply actions

Huck, I’m glad you showed up. I wanted to let you know that your computer is broken. I used it to fill out my confidence bracket (your stats highest % chance win = my highest point pick). I’m getting stomped. You might want to upgrade your RAM

by ut-06 on Dec 28, 2025 2:32 PM CST reply actions