While looking at the Big Super Duper Super Bowl Insert in this morning's paper, I glanced through the yearly matchups and results. It seems to validate a franchise when they play in the Super Bowl (well, unless it was the Broncos in 1987 and 1989), and I got to thinking how the conferences runner-ups are soon forgotten.

So in a bit of "fantasy booking", I thought it'd be interesting to go back and see what the Super Bowl would have been like if each conference's title game had been reversed. In other words, imagine if both teams who LOST the AFC and NFC titles had actually won and met in the Super Bowl that year. Even if you just look at the macth-ups, you can see how this would've changed NFL history drastically.

Super Bowl I (aka: "World Championship Game")
Dallas Cowboys vs. Buffalo Bills
Guessing Dallas goes over here. Don Meredith would have been known for more than being drunk on MNF.

Super Bowl II (aka: "World Championship Game")
Dallas Cowboys vs. Houston Oilers
Dallas rolls for the second year as they become the NFL's first "dynasty".

Super Bowl III
Oakland Raiders vs. Cleveland Browns
Weird, because 39 years later, the Browns are one of the few franchises that haven't reached the big game (and I'm not counting the Ravens). This was post-Jim Brown, so I'd give the game to Daryle Lamonica and the Ray-duhs. Ray-duhs become the AFL posterboys and validate the upstart league.

Super Bowl IV
Oakland Raiders vs. Cleveland Browns
Four years in and already a rematch? With a hunch, I'd say the Browns get their revenge and walk away with the title.

Super Bowl V
Oakland Raiders vs. San Francisco 49ers
Battle of the bay and the experienced Raiders make it 2 for 3.

Super Bowl VI
Baltimore Colts vs. San Francisco 49ers
Toss-up game, since the Colts were definitely on the downside at this time. Still, I think they'd gut it out and upset the favored 49ers. 49ers would be 0-2 in the big game?!

Super Bowl VII
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys
A few years before their "real-world' matchup! This was the year of the Immaculate Reception, so gotta' go with the Steelers.

Super Bowl VIII
Oakland Raiders vs. Washington Redskins
Now with Stabler at the helm, the Raiders win their 3rd title?!

Super Bowl IX
Oakland Raiders vs. Los Angeles Rams
West coast feud! In a big upset, I'll say the Rams sneak out a a win. More significantly, James Harris gets the spotlight..almost 15 years before Doug Williams.

Super Bowl X
Oakland Raiders vs. Los Angeles Rams
Rematch. Raiders get their revenge and FOURTH title?

I love what-ifs. Fast Forward to about 94 ish (I can't be bothered to actually check it out) when it was AFC: Bills-Chiefs, and NFC: Niners-Cowboys.

Result of course was Cowboys-Bills, but damn if everyone wasn't salivating at Montana and the Chiefs against the Niners.

What if Bowls XI- XX

Super Bowl XI
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Los Angeles Rams
3 NFC titles in a row for the Rams? Doesn't matter, as Steelers pick up title #2.

Super Bowl XII
Oakland Raiders vs. Minnesota Vikings
A few years away from another "real-world" match-up. Same result, and golly are the Ray-duhs cleaning up.

Super Bowl XIII
Houston Oilers vs. Los Angeles Rams
"Luv' Ya' Blue" breaks into the title game...only to get shellacked by the Rams

Super Bowl XIV
Houston Oilers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Probably the biggest difference between a "real-world" Super Bowl. Houston returns and picks off the Cinderella Bucs. A Super Bowl appearance would have changed the profile of the entire Bucs franchise.

Super Bowl XV
San Diego Chargers vs. Dallas Cowboys
AFC domination continues as the Chargers Air Coryell offense rolls over the Cowboys and Danny White.

Super Bowl XVI
San Diego Chargers vs. Dallas Cowboys
Why not? Cowboys in an upset. They learned something from the previous year.

Super Bowl XVII
New York Jets vs. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas repeats in a strike year and Jackson Todd is no Broadway Joe.

Super Bowl XVIII
Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers
Joe Montana and pals get Title #1.

Super Bowl XIX
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Chicago Bears
This was the 1984 season...with most of the Steeler legends either retired or on medication (Joe Greene and Terry Bradshaw had already left). Bears take the title, a full year before they really did. With no Fridge, either...so let's say Walter Payton actually gets to score a Super Bowl TD.

Super Bowl XX
Miami Dolphins vs. Los Angeles Rams
Whoa...Dan Marino wins a Super Bowl? Yup. it was either him or DIETER BROCK.

What if Bowls XXI- XXX

Super Bowl XXI
Cleveland Browns vs. Washington Redskins
Yes, no "Drive" to kill the Browns...instead it's Jay freakin' Schroder who gives Marty Schottenheimer nightmares as the Skins win

Super Bowl XXII
Cleveland Browns vs. Chicago Bears
Da' Bears return and get another trophy. Schottenheimer gets more therapy.

Super Bowl XXIII
Buffalo Bills vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Tough to pick... but let's say Randall Cunningham, Reggie White and boys come from out of nowhere and take the title.

Super Bowl XXIV
Cleveland Browns vs. Los Angeles Rams
Jim Everett, Flipper Anderson and Henry Ellard run all over the Browns. Poor Marty.

Super Bowl XXV
Los Angeles Raiders vs. San Francisco 49ers
49ers win for title #2 behind Montana and pals. Art Shell makes history as the first black head coach to appear in a Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXVI
Denver Broncos vs. Detroit Lions
Denver's defense eats up the Silver Stretch. The city of Denver nukes itself.

Super Bowl XXVII
Miami Dolphins vs. San Francsico 49ers
49ers win #3 with Steve Young.

Super Bowl XXVIII
Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers
Niners repeat...and Marty is now 0-4 in the big game.

Super Bowl XIX
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys
A year before it really happened, the Boys win another title. After the game, Greg Lloyd promises to come back soon and "win the fuckin' Super Bowl".

Super Bowl XXX
Indianapolis Colts vs. Green Bay Packers
On the Super Bowl's 30th anniversary, the Packers finally win.

What if Bowls XXXI- XXIX

Super Bowl XXXI
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Carolina Panthers
Both three season removed from infancy, BOTH 1995 expansion teams arrive in the Super Bowl, simultaneously. The defensive-minded Panthers knock off Mark Brunell's improbable run. Panthers LB Kevin Greene celebrates by signing on for a 6-man tag match at Slamboree!

Super Bowl XXXII
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Francisco 49ers
49ers win after Kordell Stewart thows 6 INTs. Afterwards, Greg Lloyd promises to return soon and "win the MOTHER fuckin' Super Bowl"

Super Bowl XXXIII
New York Jets vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings win to land at 18-1...the NFL's best mark ever. Remember, the Miami Dolphins never went 17-0 in this alternate dimension.

Super Bowl XXXIV
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Defense again eats up the Jags as Tampa Bay wins. Shaun King wins a Super Bowl?!

Super Bowl XXXV
Oakland Raiders vs. Minnesota Vikings
On the Super Bowl's 35th anniversary, the all-too-familiar Raiders win another one... with coach Jon Gruden. Raider Nation gives itself a massive group tatoo to celebrate.

Super Bowl XXXVI
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
After two weeks of interistate Super Bowl hype, Pennsylvania is a wasteland and the Allegheny River is filled with beer and vomit. Eagles win their first title. Greg Lloyd isn't around, however.

Super Bowl XXXVII
Tennessee Titans vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Eagles repeat in the first all-black QB match-up.

Super Bowl XXXVIII
Indianapolis Colts vs. Philaelphia Eagles
Three in a row for the Eagles.

Super Bowl XXXIX
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Atlanta Falcons[/b]
Atlanta finally makes it in...only to lose to the Steelers, who tie the Vikings for best record ever at 18-1.

and why not...

Super Bowl XL
Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers
If I'm typing this whole thing out, I have to throw myself a bone, somewhere. Denver wins for only their second title.


Conclusions:
Obviously, not a scientific analysis, but the NFL landscape would've been completely different. Oakland would have been one of the premier franchises in all of sports. I never realized that they had lost some many AFC title games, either!

With no 17-0 Dolphins, we'd never hear the annual comparisons... but I'm sure some historians would've dug up some old pre-modern era undefeated team.

Joe Namath would not have been the national icon he became.

The Rams and Browns would gain alot of luster. While the Bills, Broncos and Vikings would not be the Super Bowl dogs they were known as. Steelers and 49ers didn't come out smelling so nice, either.

If you wanted to get really scientific, this thing would not have unfolded in the linear manner presented. If certain teams had lost or won Super Bowls, they might have re-structured their personnel and coaching staff the following years.

Still, it's a weird "tagent universe" take on the Big Game.