From Greg's Journal of Found Things

The Fumble Heard Around the AFC
the Story of the 1987 AFC Championship

We humans like to take one event from the whole set and make that the truth. We can not tell a likely event from one event, or one piece of data. We need a large sample size to make a statistical likely-hood.

Ernest Byner of the Cleveland Browns statistically never fumbled; but one day in 1987 he fumbled on the 3 yard line redefining his identity forever.

"Browns running back Earnest Byner took a handoff and appeared to be on his way to score the game-tying touchdown. But he was stripped of the ball by Broncos defensive back Jeremiah Castille, and fumbled at the 3-yard line. The Broncos recovered the ball, gave the Browns an intentional safety, and went on to win 38-33. While Byner took a lot of heat from Browns fans and the media for his fumble, what is often overlooked is that he was one of the main reasons Cleveland came so close to winning the game. He had a superb performance with 67 rushing yards, 7 receptions for 120 yards, and 2 touchdowns." Wikepedia Article the Fumble.


If you see one bright red swan, you are not likely to give up a theory that says that all swans are white, you will instead go looking for the person who painted it." Smolin, Lee Trouble with Physics (297)