Today’s post is a reminder that this isn’t a ranking, so number 89 has less to do with favorites and more to do with the significance of the number, specifically the year 1989.
In 1989, one of the most popular commercials to air during the Super Bowl that year had two American favorites clashing heads in a sub-competition during the biggest commercial advertising day of the year: the Bud Bowl I, featuring Bud versus Bud Light.
In a classic matchup, one has to remember that the Bud Bowl predated fun-and-gun concepts, so having a big and bullying team born from high calorie and high carb beer was the presumptive favorite in the game. The lighter Bud Light team could’ve benefitted from one of many from the coaches from the Mumme tree or even Steve Spurrier, doing us all a favor and keeping him out of the SEC, but this was beer and also fake…but set the stage for future matchups for another 8 seasons.
Bud used a crushing run game featuring the Beechwood Backs and their Appliance of Defiance, the Freezer, overpowering the Bud Light squad all night long until one of the Bud stubbies came in and doinked the winning field goal kick at the last moment. The owner of Bud Light apparently was Spud McKenzie, who secured the services of what looks like Bud “Bear” Bryant, judging by the hat.
Looking back on it, it was goofy fun or perverse stupidity, depending on your age or on your own level of maturity. If “what in the hell were we thinking” ever comes to your mind as you watch this, remember that 1989 wasn’t ripe with great taste or decisions, so the Bud Bowl might have paired perfectly with other 1989 staples:
- Milli Vanilli
- Paula Abdul
- Bobby Brown
- Janet Jackson
- Fine Young Cannibals (memories of hearing She Drives Me Crazy while dad listened to Clark Howard comes to mind immediately)
- Naming Ray Goff the 24th head coach of Georgia football
Good times…maybe so good I’d prefer not to remember them.
’89 reminds me of the Gator Bowl against Michigan State with Tony Mandarin and Andre Rison. Was living @ St. Simons and a friend got some tickets and we took a crew down for Dooley’s last game. We went to Hooters and ate before the game and dayummmm, I didn’t want to leave. My main fuzzy memory of the game was Rison running wild after about every time we scored, but the Dawgs prevailed.
Good times indeed, and the waitresses @ Hooters were as hot as a 2 dollar pistol. 😁
As long as we’re talking about that Gator Bowl, raise a bottle to Wycliffe Lovelace. https://uga.rivals.com/news/catching-up-with-wycliffe-lovelace?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIqzkgzWvLGikMkD6DoJ7Zr-zwGkkFYnp-ksq63C93RD-cHA2FBdrnX3qu2W-aBjZDnJnhTkx019ZT2rG878sIwF4_ngEyNJkDN23oe3GNYZyPIC_EVrBf0qRKJtppxMKpRds4eKe_0sseJ-19DALD_B2wb1fZ4YhY17XsSKEr9U
That was Dooly’s last game, right? I was there and really enjoyed it. I was finishing up school and my dad went. It’s the only football game he ever attended. He loved it.
Yes sir, Dooley’s last rodeo. Glad your Dad got to see it, back and forth game for sure. We would score and the next thing you know, there goes Rison again.
I worked with a lady that was in QC at the cartersville bud plant. When InBev took over they changed the ingredients in Budweiser. I noticed the change in the mid 2000s but didn’t put it together with the takeover until I met her.
Bud Light in kegs at parties is a reason why I often brought my own beer to a party.
There were eight Bud Bowls. I would have guessed maybe three. I thought it was kind of dumb but I miss the days before everybody thought they were too cool for school. It was a good time to grow up.
Just dropped by to say “wassup?” The commercials with the Clydesdales were brilliant. Can we all agree the commercials outshone the product?
How would Bud Light dress in a rematch?