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Football Life: Joe Namath


Integrity28

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Seriously guys? No thread on this?

 

joe_namath.jpg

 

THIS was the best part of the 2 weeks leading up to this God-forsaken SuperBowl. (Well, this and Marshawn Lynch's interviews. **** Goodell and his hypocrisy.)

 

Anyway, I had some drinks (ironically) before it aired, so I dozed off on the couch for part 1, but woke up for most of part 2. I've got to say gentlemen and ladies... this is why I give a sh*t. I may be a little drunk still, to be clear, but this in my opinion was what it's all about for us, as Jets fans. Joe is legend. Joe represents everything the league would become in his wake. It's not just about the guarantee... it's about what he meant for this franchise and the league, the sport in general. 

 

The New York ******* Jets as a franchise are central to the fabric of everything the NFL is today. They legitimized it, as we all know, but sometimes take for granted in the day-to-day bickering. This franchise lost its way. It's time for them to return to their rightful place as a premier franchise in this league. A franchise of consequence. 

 

You want to know why I bitched about Rex Ryan fo r6 years? Mangini for 3 years before him? This is why. My standards are Joe ******* Willie ******* Namath. My standards are being a pre-eminent franchise in this league... in spite of how broke it has become. Know that when I dog on the coaches and players that have come and gone and failed us, it is because of that... THEY FAILED US.

 

This isn't a thread about rose-colored glasses and hope, or about bitching about ex-coaches. This is a thread about remembering the part of this franchise's history that mattered. Watching this chronicle of Namath's life and career, remembering what he meant then and what he means now for this franchise... for today's Jet fans... it inspires nostalgia, but more importantly it inspires readiness. Readiness for this team to take its rightful place.

 

**** these mother****ing Patriots. **** Roger Goodell. Win in spite of their corruption. Remind this league that the New York Jets were teh catalyst for the NFL becoming what it is today. Win, respectably. Win.

 

I'm ******* ready.

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It's Joe's fault that I'm a jets fan. 

 

I should have been a Giants fan growing up near Yankee stadium, but Joe Namath was so friggin cool that I became a Jets fan.  I loved his brashness, his courage, his swagger on and off the field.  For a while, there was no bigger STAR in sports and that star was the QB of my football team. 

 

This NFL "Football Life" along with last year's HBO documentary are very well done and worth watching.   I like how they captured the excitement that was Broadway Joe.   It also brings some sadness when you realize how brutalized he was by the sport.    

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watched the whole thing. outside of my grandfather, father, brother and any little guy I have, I will never love another man as much as I love Joe Namath.

 

will be on again Saturday from 2-4 p.m. i believe

THIS! The man is an Icon.

 

He is what John Wayne was to Westerns

 

What Ghandi and MLK Jr. are to Civil Rights

 

What Einstein is to Science

 

Namath was and still is .......THE MAN!

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It's Joe's fault that I'm a jets fan.

I should have been a Giants fan growing up near Yankee stadium, but Joe Namath was so friggin cool that I became a Jets fan. I loved his brashness, his courage, his swagger on and off the field. For a while, there was no bigger STAR in sports and that star was the QB of my football team.

This NFL "Football Life" along with last year's HBO documentary are very well done and worth watching. I like how they captured the excitement that was Broadway Joe. It also brings some sadness when you realize how brutalized he was by the sport.

I agree with it being well done. They didn't sugar coat, showed his vulnerability, his human side, while also dipping into those moments where he was super-human.

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Tx, were you ever at a Namath game back in the day?

Yes, my Dad took me to see a Jets/Colts game in the old Memorial stadium in Baltimore in '71 or '72.

Namath was completing bombs all day long. I think he threw for over 400 yards that day.

I have always been a huge Joe Namath fan.

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Yes, my Dad took me to see a Jets/Colts game in the old Memorial stadium in Baltimore in '71 or '72.

Namath was completing bombs all day long. I think he threw for over 400 yards that day.

I have always been a huge Joe Namath fan.

Wow, that was probably the 44-34 shootout, Namath had 496 yds...I went to a few early 70's games also, too young to remember which games they were

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Wow, that was probably the 44-34 shootout, Namath had 496 yds...I went to a few early 70's games also, too young to remember which games they were

Yea, that was probably the game as I do remember it was a high scoring game.

I think Namath also threw 4 or 5 TD passes that day as well.

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1972: Namath & Unitas Engage in Epic Passing Duel as Jets Beat Colts

By the 1972 season, QB Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts was 39 years old and in the twilight of his great career. Joe Namath of the New York Jets (pictured above) was ten years younger but had missed most of the previous two seasons due to injuries. After winning the Super Bowl following the ’70 season, the Colts had gone 10-4 in 1971 to make the playoffs as a wild card team, but were now in a transition under a new owner, Bob Irsay, and vice president and general manager, Joe Thomas. New York had fallen under .500 in both 1970 and ’71 without Namath, following the ’68 season that had resulted in an AFL title and Super Bowl victory over the Colts and a division championship in ’69. Age and injuries had taken their toll on both the teams in general and starting quarterbacks in particular.

The Colts and Jets, division rivals since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, met at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium on September 24, 1972. New York had won its opening game the previous week at Buffalo handily, but more due to the running of second-year FB John Riggins (125 yards on 26 carries) than Namath’s passing (5 completions in 14 attempts for 113 yards with a TD and an interception). Baltimore, meanwhile, had lost dismally to the Cardinals – while Unitas passed for 257 yards, the Colts couldn’t get in the end zone and two passes were intercepted while PK Jim O’Brien misfired on three field goal attempts.

Expectations could not have been great for a high-scoring passing display, but that is what the 56,626 fans in attendance got. Namath set the tone in the first quarter by connecting with diminutive (5’10”, 160-pounds) WR Eddie Bell for a 65-yard touchdown. The extra point attempt was missed, and Unitas responded with a touchdown pass of his own that covered 40 yards to WR Sam Havrilak. O’Brien was successful on the PAT and the Colts held a 7-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Baltimore tacked on six more points in the second quarter as O’Brien booted field goals of 14 and 32 yards. The pace of the scoring sped up as the Jets responded with a 67-yard touchdown pass play from Namath to Riggins that was quickly followed by Baltimore’s RB Don McCauley returning the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a TD. Namath struck again to knot the score at 20-20 with a 28-yard touchdown pass to WR Don Maynard. Broadway Joe’s fourth TD pass of the half, a mere 10-yard toss to TE Rich Caster, provided the Jets with a 27-20 lead at halftime.

The tide receded a bit in the third quarter, which was marked only by Bobby Howfield kicking a 14-yard field goal to put the Jets ahead by 10 points. But in the fourth quarter, McCauley ran in for a Colts TD from a yard out to make it a three-point game. Namath followed with a 79-yard touchdown pass to Caster. Unitas connected with HB Tom Matte for a 21-yard touchdown, but Namath iced the cake by again throwing to Caster, this time for an 80-yard TD that provided the final score of 44-34.

“I know it sounds dumb, but I’ve had better days throwing the ball,” said Namath afterward. While he completed just 15 of his 28 passes, they went for an astounding 496 yards with six touchdowns against one interception.

Rich Caster gained 204 yards on six catches with three touchdowns. Eddie Bell added another 197 yards on 7 receptions with a score. Don Maynard and John Riggins each caught one pass apiece, for touchdowns of 28 and 67 yards respectively; Riggins also was the leading rusher with 87 yards on 21 carries.

It all overshadowed an outstanding effort by Johnny Unitas (pictured at left), who completed 26 of 45 passes for 376 yards with two TDs and no interceptions. Tom Matte was the leading rusher, with 42 yards on nine carries, and also caught the most passes, with 9 for 69 yards and a TD. The converted halfback Sam Havrilak gained 115 yards on four receptions with a touchdown, and TE Tom Mitchell was right behind with 114 yards on 8 catches.

The game proved to be the last great performance for Unitas in Baltimore. While the Colts shut out Buffalo the next week, they proceeded to lose the next four games. After a 21-0 loss to the Cowboys in Week 5, GM Thomas fired Head Coach Don McCafferty, who had refused to bench Unitas – John Sandusky, the interim head coach, was ordered to do so and the nondescript Marty Domres started at quarterback ahead of the all-time great for the remainder of the year. It was the conclusion of an outstanding era for Unitas and the Colts. Baltimore ended up with a 5-9 record for third place in the AFC East.

The Jets finished second in the division with a 7-7 tally. Joe Namath stayed healthy enough to start all but one game and led the NFL in passing yards (2816), touchdown passes (19, tied with Washington’s Bill Kilmer), yards per attempt (8.7), and yards per completion (17.4).

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