By his own estimate, Anthony Munoz played in over 300 football games during his career. Of those, several are worthy of "big game" status: Citrus Belt League battles against Redlands, crosstown showdowns with UCLA and two Super Bowl matchups with the San Francisco 49ers. 

But through the years, there were three games which, when studied today, offer a true picture of Munoz as a player and a person. 

n Chaffey High School at Santa Barbara San Marcos, Oct. 3, 1975: It didn't clinch a league title or a CIF playoff berth. This nonleague battle - the longest road trip by Munoz during his prep football career - simply sealed the legacy of the 6-foot-6, 275-pound high school All-American in Chaffey history. 

Played in front of an estimated 3,300 fans, San Marcos dominated the game statistically, rolling up 268 yards of total offense to Chaffey's 78 and earning 15 first downs to just three for the Tigers. 

With the stadium clock inoperable due to electrical problems, game time was kept by the officials on the field. And when the Royals scored to take a 7-0 lead with about 41Ú2 minutes to play, the Tigers needed a quick answer. 

About 90 seconds remained when Chaffey faced fourth-and-22 at the San Marcos 45. The coaching staff called for a tackle eligible play, with quarterback John Gable hitting a wide open Munoz on a 10-yard pattern. Battling through several defenders, Munoz rumbled the final 35 yards, dragging two San Marcos players with him into the end zone. 

On the ensuing conversion, Chaffey faked a kick, Gable passing to Rick Fellhauer for the two points needed to take an 8-7 lead. 

San Marcos responded by driving to the Chaffey 10, but couldn't snap the ball for a potential winning field goal before time expired. 

John Nadel, currently an Associated Press sports writer, was at that game as a reporter for the Santa Barbara News-Press. While he admits the details are now fuzzy, one thing remains clear in his mind. 

"It was like watching a man playing against little boys. Munoz was an obvious talent," said Nadel. "I remember following him throughout his career. Nothing he did later on surprised me after what I saw that night." 

While Munoz caught four touchdown passes during his NFL career, it was the one at San Marcos that scored big in his high school legacy. 

n USC vs. Ohio State at the Rose Bowl, Jan. 1, 1980: This was the test that separated Munoz from other "talented" collegiate offensive linemen. It proved he had the physical talents to dominate an opponent plus the mental toughness and desire to overcome adversity. 

Despite being part of several outstanding Trojan teams and playing with some of the all-time greats in school history, Munoz did not enjoy tremendous personal success. Severe knee injuries marred most of his USC career and threatened to end his pro aspirations. 

"He had some of the worst luck an athlete can have. All of this promise, all of this hope. And yet he met with devastating misfortune," said then-Trojan head coach John Robinson. 

As the 1979 season began, Munoz's plan was to finish with an impressive senior year and improve his pro prospects. But it all fell apart five plays into the opener at Texas Tech when he suffered another major knee injury. 

After rehabilitating throughout the season, Munoz opted to forego petitioning for a medical redshirt, choosing instead to play in the 1980 Rose Bowl against Ohio State and then try his luck in the NFL draft. 

The Buckeyes, ranked No. 1 in the nation, trailed early but eventually held a 16-10 fourth quarter lead. 

USC answered with an eight-play, 83-yard drive in the final minutes, capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Charles White for a 17-16 Trojan victory. White, who rushed for 247 yards that day, had six carries for 71 yards on that deciding drive. 

On all six, he followed Munoz's blocks. 

"We made a decision: We were going to run the ball over Anthony," said Robinson. "It was such a triumph over adversity. It will be remembered in my mind and my life as one of the unique experiences." 

The effort also made an impression on the pro scouts. Cincinnati selected Munoz with the No. 3 pick in the 1980 NFL draft. 

n San Diego at Cincinnati in AFC Championship Game, Jan. 10, 1982: In 1997 Bengal fans were asked to vote for the most memorable game in the 30-year history of the Cincinnati franchise. 

The overwhelming winner was the "Freezer Bowl." Played at Riverfront Stadium in temperatures as low as 9-below zero (factoring the wind chill, an NFL-record 59-below), the Bengals dominated the visiting Chargers 27-7 to earn a berth in Super Bowl XVI. 

"The conditions were treacherous. It was nuts (playing), just plain nuts," said Munoz in an interview the week after the game. "At least when it's 25 degrees, your adrenalin flows and you can block the cold out of your mind. But Sunday you couldn't NOT think about it. I stood in the huddle trying not to shake." 

In just his second NFL season, Munoz had transformed from highly-touted rookie to hard-nosed pro. His maturity helped Cincinnati improve from 6-10 also-rans to 1981 AFC Central Division champs. 

In that AFC title game, all the Bengal linemen came out in short sleeve jerseys. A psychological ploy against the warm-weather Chargers, it sent a statement remembered by players and fans alike. 

Despite the idea's success, it didn't block out the cold for Munoz or his teammates. 

"They had heaters on the benches and you could get warm enough when you were off the field," he said. "But then you'd go back out and it would be cold again." 

Cincinnati scored 10 points in a 59-second span to take command as the Bengal offensive line dominated play throughout the game. 

"We did it all. We didn't have any major breakdowns and we caused some big turnovers," said Munoz. "It was a matter of making the big play." 

He would compete in the Super Bowl two weeks later, then make the first of 11 trips to the Pro Bowl. But that AFC Championship Game, Munoz's first real taste of big-game NFL success, set the stage for what would be a long and prosperous pro career.