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Creative film editing is used to settle a classic hypothetical question: which was the better team, the tough-as-nails Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s or the overwhelming Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s? By raiding the massive vaults of NFL Films, searching out dramatic footage of Steeler-Cowboys matchups, and then playing fast and loose with the editing machines, the various plays are cobbled together into one fantasy game. The fakery doesn't end with game footage, as the announcing team is augmented with clips of the late, great Howard Cosell. Classic showdowns involving Steeler greats Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, and Jack Lambert and Cowboy legends Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith can look nearly convincing, thanks to very fast edits. Of course, there are obvious continuity problems with splicing together game films shot at different games in two different decades, such as fans in some parts of the stadium wearing parkas while others lounge in T-shirts. But the entire production is generally handled with a genial tongue-in-cheek attitude, even if the relentless jokes at the expense of Cosell can begin to seem mean-spirited. To avoid spoiling the outcome, let's just say that the game between these two classic teams is a cliffhanger to the end, leaving ESPN announcers Joe Theismann and Mike Patrick plenty to get excited about. The outcome leaves the winner set to face off in the "
Millennium Bowl" against the victor in another fantasy game,
the clash between the Green Bay Packers of the 1960s and the San Francisco 49ers of the 1980s.
--Robert J. McNamara
From the Back Cover
The game of football has been played for over 100 years, but at the end of the millennium one question remains... Which team is the greatest of all time?
Matchup of the Millennium combines the latest in computer-generated special effects with historic archival footage to create a mythical series in which four legendary dynasties battle to be the "Team of the Ages."
In the second game, the Pittsburgh Steelers of the 1970s--the first four-time Super Bowl champion--square off against the Dallas Cowboys of the 1990s--winners of three Super Bowls in a four-year span. NFL Films uses its vast film archive--the world's largest sports film library--and special effects compositing to make the impossible possible... Emmitt Smith vs. "Mean" Joe Greene... Lynn Swann vs. Deion Sanders... Troy Aikman vs. Jack Lambert... Franco Harris vs. Ken Norton Jr. ESPN's Joe Theisman and Mike Patrick call the game, while NFL Films President Steve Sabol provides historical insight. Plus, a broadcasting legend makes his return to the booth--Howard Cosell. 47 minutes.
