Sunday’s NFC-AFC championship games certainly filled the bill. They both were very entertaining games, and may be viewed as two of the better championship battles in NFL history.

When I think of NFC-AFC championship games, two NFC games always come to mind.

First, there’s the 1981 Eagles-Cowboys frigid day at Veterans Stadium in which the Eagles finally overcame the Cowboys in a 20-7 victory onward to their first Super Bowl. The Cowboys had won 21 of the previous 23 matchups.

There’s also the 49ers-Cowboys championship title in which the 49ers won in the final 58 seconds on Dwight Clark’s famous leaping, tip-toeing, backline “catch” with only 58 seconds left for a 28-27 victory.

Sorry to my colleague Rod Heckman and other Cowboys’ fans.

In this week’s version of my Yesterday column — reminiscing about sports and pop culture from the 1960s, 70s, 80s and sometimes before and beyond — I’ll look back at some prominent championship games.

In addition, what former Dallas Cowboys’ rookie running back fizzled after lifting them to a Super Bowl crown? Did Andre the Giant ever win a WWWF title? And does anyone remember a weekly Saturday cartoon movie from the early 70s?

Quick Quiz ... What former Penn State quarterback holds the NFC Championship Game record for most touchdowns in a game?

Feels Like the First Time ... In the Eagles’ victory over the Cowboys, Wilbert Montgomery ran for 194 yards on a gimpy ankle, and I will always remember his 42-yard scamper that opened the scoring to set the tone. Ron Jaworski had a lousy game, completing just nine of 29 passes for 91 yards with two interceptions.

Dallas, under Danny White, never got untracked, and the Birds’ defense limited Tony Dorsett to 41 yards.

If you remember, Dick Vermeil took the team to Tampa to practice because of the severe cold front.

By the way, “Feels Like the First Time” was released by Foreigner in 1977 and reached No. 4 on the Billboard 100 Chart.

Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair ... The 49ers-Cowboys 1982 tussle was a seesaw contest and a league classic.

Joe Montana completed 22 of 35 passes for 286 yards with three touchdowns, but also threw three interceptions. Clark caught eight balls for 120 yards.

White connected on 16 of 24 passes for 173 yards with a pair of scores, and Dorsett ran for 91 yards.

The song, “San Francisco (Be Sure to wear Flowers In Your Hair)” was recorded by Scott McKenzie in 1967 and soared to No. 4 on the Billboard chart.

Freeze Frame ... In 1981, the Bengals and Chargers participated in the “Freezer Bowl,” which featured the coldest game in NFL history in terms of wind chill. Game temperatures in Cincinnati reached minus nine (-9) and a chill factor of minus-59 due a constant wind at 27 miles per hour.

Cincinnati easily won the game, 27-7, as San Diego had trouble adjusting to the elements.

Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson completed 14 of 22 passes for 161 yards with a pair of scores, while Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts was 15 of 28 for 185 with a touchdown and two interceptions.

Pete Johnson ran for 80 yards with a touchdown for the Bengals, while Chuck Muncie had 94 yards for the Chargers.

Cincinnati head coach Forrest Gregg played for the Packers in the 1967 NFL championship “Ice Bowl.”

“Freeze Frame” was released by the J. Geils band in 1982 and reached No. 4 on the Billboard chart.

Fool on the Hill ... In 1972, the Dolphins had a magic ride to a 16-0 undefeated season and a Super Bowl title. However, their win in the AFC championship game was a memorable one.

But Allentown native and punter Larry Seiple saved their season when he scrambled 37 yards with a fake punt to help the Dolphins tie their game with Pittsburgh at 7-7 at Three Rivers Stadium on New Year’s Eve.

It was a classic black-and-blue skirmish that was on the verge of the future Steelers’ dynasty.

Bob Griese, who suffered a dislocated ankle and broken right fibula in Week 5, came off the bench to relieve Earl Morrall, and guided the ‘Fins to a 21-17 victory.

Griese, who missed 10 weeks, only completed three of five passes for 70 yards. Larry Csonka ran for 79 yards and Mercury Morris added 68.

Terry Bradshaw, who was 5 of 10 for 57 yards, was knocked out of the game with a concussion and broken nose and was relieved by Terry Hanratty, who went five for 16 for 57 yards. Franco Harris ran for 76 yards.

“Fool on the Hill” was released by the Beatles in 1967, and a favorite of my high school days was “Fool If You Think It’s Over” was released by Chris Rea in 1978.

Beginnings ... The First NFC and AFC Championships game were held in 1970 when the AFL and NFL merged.

In the first NFC game, Dallas downed San Francisco, 17-10, behind Duane Thomas’ 143 yards rushing with a touchdown while Walt Garrison added 71 yards. Craig Morton tossed a touchdown. However, the Cowboys lost to the Colts, 16-13, in the Super Bowl.

Thomas was destined to be a superstar back, but his career was cut short due to drug use and other issues.

On the other side, Baltimore defeated Oakland, 27-17, behind future Eagle Norm Bulaich’s 71 yards and two touchdowns. Johnny Unitas completed 11 of 30 passes for 245 yards with a touchdown.

Ageless George Blanda relieved injured Darryl Lamonica in the second quarter and finished the game completing 17 of 32 passes for 271 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.

At the time, Unitas was 37 and Blanda was 43.

“Beginnings” was released by Chicago and initially released in 1969. It was re-released in 1971 and climbed to No. 8 on the Billboard chart.

Quick Quiz Answer ... Kerry Collins threw five touchdowns in the Giants’ 41-0 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in 2001.

WWWF/WWE Wrap ... Each column, I will look back at the career of a pro wrestler we likely watched in our youth.

In keeping with the theme of the column, here are five championship bouts from the past.

Madison Square Garden, 1971: Ivan Koloff shocked a sellout crowd when he pinned WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino with a bodyslam and knee drop off the top rope to win the title at 14:55. Pedro Morales beat Koloff a month later.

Madison Square Garden, 1973: Bruno Sammartino pinned WWWF World Champion Stan Stasiak at 12:35 to win the title after three consecutive body slams.

Baltimore, 1977: Superstar Billy Graham pinned WWWF World Champion Bruno Sammartino to win the title at 13:43 with a leg pick up and putting both feet on the top rope for leverage.

Indianapolis, 1988: Andre the Giant pinned WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan at 9:05 to win the title even though Hogan’s shoulder came up before the three count.

WrestleMania V, Atlantic City, 1989: Hulk Hogan pinned WWF World Champion Randy Savage to win the title at 17:54 with the legdrop.

Another Classic Game ... In 1938, “All-Star Baseball” manufactured by Cadaco is still regarded as one of the best-selling baseball games of all time. It contained actual player records for the designated year and had versions through 1969.

The game board had two spinners on top of a diagram of a baseball field. A hole for a baserunner peg was cut at the location of each base. A cardboard back panel was inserted into cut-out slots in the board, and displayed the key to the game cards and cardboard wheels that can be turned to display the correct inning, the number of outs and the score.

Each circular player card has a series of lines and numbers arranged in a circle around its center. The card is placed on a spinner, which the batting player spins.

Once the spinner came to rest between two lines, the number for that section defined what happened to that batter.

Every possible situation in a game was covered.

It would be cool to play with players from the 1960s and 70s like Hank Aaron, Willie McCovey, Pete Rose, Roberto Clemente and others.

Superstar Cartoons ... From September of 1972 to November of 1973, ABC-TV aired “The Saturday Superstar Movie” (later changed to the “New Saturday Superstar Movie”).

It was an hour-long animated flick that featured legendary cartoon and kid characters in an adventure.

Shows featured the Brady Kids, Lassie, Popeye, Gidget, the Banana Splits, Yogi Bear, the Munsters, and even Willie Mays among others.

Your thoughts are always welcome and will be published; email them to tnsports@tnonline.com