Larry Little: 1972 Topps Football
Player: Larry Little
Card: 1972 Topps Football #240
Team/Position: Miami Dolphins / Guard
Cost: $2.00
With the Saints and the Indianapolis Colts recently losing, what better time than to feature a member of the 1972 Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins remain the only team in the history of the NFL to complete a perfect season, although they only won fourteen regular season games as opposed to the current 16-game regular season schedule.
Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a single person that has any respect for the ’72 Dolphins squad. Every year they celebrate by popping the cork on a fine bottle of Champagne when the final undefeated team loses and somehow, Mercury Morris finds his way onto ESPN. The Dolphins’ perfect season will always put them in the conversation for the greatest team ever, but for what it’s worth — they’re not even close.
Little arrived in Miami via trade after San Diego had signed him two years previous as an undrafted free-agent. When the great Don Shula took over the helm, Larry Little’s life was about to change.
Don Shula replaced George Wilson as the Dolphin coach. When he first met Larry Little during the off-season, the new coach glared.
“How much do you weigh?” Shula asked.
“About 285 right now,” Little replied.
“I want you at 265,” Shula ordered.
Larry Little frowned. Growing up in downtown Miami, he recalls, “We were poor, but I never was hungry. We ate good. I ate more than anybody in the family. Any food anybody didn’t want, I was always around to get it.” He still takes many of his meals at his mother’s home. But when he trimmed himself to 265, he realized that his quickness had increased. When the Dolphins began to win, his reputation also increased. In each of his first three seasons under Shula, he was selected as the AFC’s outstanding offensive lineman in a NFL Players Association poll that determines the best player in various categories. (SPORT magazine — a great read if you get a chance)
Little became known for his quickness from the guard position and his ability to haul ass around the corner when Shula pulled him. Little’s versatility in the ground-game allowed both Miami running-backs, Morris and Csonka, to eclipse 1,000 yards a piece in ’72 — the first teammates to accomplish such a feat.
Little’s ability as a pass-protector was also top-notch. From 1970 to 1972, Little was named the top offensive lineman in the AFC by the NFLPA. When Little finished his career, he had been selected All-NFL six different times and had been selected to play in the Pro Bowl on five different occasions.
As always, it’s tough to put an offensive lineman’s greatness into context without having seen him play. Unlike many of the interior linemen of today, Little wasn’t a hulking beast that relied solely on his mass. Little did everything well which allowed him to take on huge defensive tackles and quick defensive backs with equal effectiveness.
A week or so ago before Christmas, I grabbed a few packs of Gridiron Gear and was pleased to pull a Larry Little autograph. While youur average collector would probably be pretty pissed off pulling Little over even the worst rookie, I was quite happy. The cards are a bit cheesy especially if you love vintage, though.
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