CBS’ Matlock reboot, featuring Kathy Bates in the lead defense attorney role played by Andy Griffith in the 1986 original, has already come into the sports world in a number of ways. Some of that has been about NFL on CBS shots of Los Angeles Chargers’ FB/DT Scott Matlock to accompany in-game promo reads. But the show itself has also leaned into football at times, and it sure did that in Thursday’s episode. There, firm partner Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) made an incredible reference to a controversial 2005 Penn State-Michigan officiating decision while lobbying for a continuance:
Look, as a lifelong Penn State fan this is not the kind of memory I needed directed at me this morning.
However, as a proud @WilsonBulldogs alum as well, I felt the need to share… @chadshenne mentioned on @matlockcbs last night pic.twitter.com/gK00YMuIsG
— Joe Mays (@CoachJoeMays) October 18, 2024
That clip starts with Olympia recognizing a “terrible call” against the Wolverines the past Saturday to try and gain sympathy with the Michigan fan judge. But it then moves into an incredibly detailed reference to a game from almost 20 years ago, which saw the Wolverines edge No. 3 Penn State 27-25 on a fourth-down touchdown pass from Chad Henne to Mario Manningham after head coach Lloyd Carr successfully lobbied for time to be put back on the clock following a third-down incompletion. Here’s a transcription of some of that, beginning at 0:33:
“Actually, let me take you to better days. 2005. Michigan versus Penn State, Michigan’s coach, Lloyd Carr, I believe, well, he went crazy in the fourth quarter and got two seconds added back to the clock. Two seconds.
“Fast-forward to the final play of the game, the Wolverines are at the 10-yard line and there’s one second left, which sophomore quarterback Chad Henne used to deliver a strike to Mario Manningham in the back of the end zone. Judge Bowser, just give me enough time to run one last play.”
That is an amazing amount of detail for a CBS procedural drama to include on a football game from 19 years ago. Even if they are a Big Ten broadcaster now. But between this and the NFL on CBS references, this Matlock reboot (which has won a significant amount of praise) is definitely making football-world inroads.
[Coach Joe Mays on X]
