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Throwback Thursday - 1987 Scab Football

TuscanyTile2

By TuscanyTile2
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TuscanyTile2

TuscanyTile2

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I don't think we'll ever see "replacement players" in the NFL ever again but it did happen during the strike of 1987.  This clip talks about the Redskins playing the Cowboys on Monday Night Football.  The Cowboys had like 8-10 players (including starting QB Danny White, HOF Randy White and Tony Dorsett) cross the picket line yet the Skins pulled off a remarkable upset. 

The Redskins backup QB (who came into the game when he starter was injured) was literally in jail on a cocaine charge until the Skins got him for this game.  After the game he was sent back to jail. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF2Ot3GJvjA

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SAR I

SAR I

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I actually attended a scab game at Giants Stadium in 1987, we played the Cowboys I think.  I remember watching Joe Klecko and Mark Gastineau on the picket line, it was right up there with my attending a New Jersey Generals game from a standpoint of sheer football excitement.

SAR I

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Scott Dierking

Scott Dierking

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6 hours ago, SAR I said:

I actually attended a scab game at Giants Stadium in 1987, we played the Cowboys I think.  I remember watching Joe Klecko and Mark Gastineau on the picket line, it was right up there with my attending a New Jersey Generals game from a standpoint of sheer football excitement.

SAR I

Gastineau crossed the picket line.

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TuscanyTile2

TuscanyTile2

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7 hours ago, SAR I said:

I actually attended a scab game at Giants Stadium in 1987, we played the Cowboys I think.  I remember watching Joe Klecko and Mark Gastineau on the picket line, it was right up there with my attending a New Jersey Generals game from a standpoint of sheer football excitement.

SAR I

I'm not sure what this means.  I assume it means "it was boring" but possibly it was so unusual that people were fired up?  I can't seem to find any scab games on YouTube.  Strangely I'd be interested to see the Jets scabs again (if I remember correctly, our scabs were 0-3).

Do you remember anything noteworthy about either game (scab NFL or NJ Generals game) you went to?  Did you go to a Generals game during their crappy 1st season?  Or was during the Donald Trump ownership years?  (The Hershel Walker, Walt Michaels, Brian Sipe, Doug Flutie era).

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TuscanyTile2

TuscanyTile2

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Whoa, Suge Knight was a replacement player?!?!?

 

http://mentalfloss.com/article/27240/scab-story-1987-nfl-strike

Did any of the replacement players go on to better things?

There’s where things get interesting. Hip-hop fans might have recognized a young replacement defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams: Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight, who appeared as a backup in two games.

There was also some legitimate football expertise on the replacement rosters. The Chicago Spare Bears boasted future New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton at quarterback. Payton’s play turned out to be significantly less brilliant than his play-calling as a coach. Payton only completed eight of 23 pass attempts in three games while throwing an interception and taking seven sacks. He racked up a putrid QB rating of 27.3 for his efforts.

Current UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel also suited up during the strike; he went 2-0 as the San Diego Chargers’ replacement starter.

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shawn306

shawn306

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38 minutes ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

I'm not sure what this means.  I assume it means "it was boring" but possibly it was so unusual that people were fired up?  I can't seem to find any scab games on YouTube.  Strangely I'd be interested to see the Jets scabs again (if I remember correctly, our scabs were 0-3).

Do you remember anything noteworthy about either game (scab NFL or NJ Generals game) you went to?  Did you go to a Generals game during their crappy 1st season?  Or was during the Donald Trump ownership years?  (The Hershel Walker, Walt Michaels, Brian Sipe, Doug Flutie era).

Both the Jets and Giants striking players held a tailgate party for the fans prior to the Dallas game. It was really kind of neat as a 21 year old hanging out with guys like Mark Bavaro, Kenny O'Brien, Lance Mehl and others that day. We didn't even bother going into the stadium that day. Just hung out got autographs, took pictures and talked to the players.

As far as the Generals are concerned...I had season tickets their final season 1985 had a blast. Got to see Steve Young, Jim Kelly, Flutie, Herschel Walker, Reggie White. Football, Summer, Tailgates you could not beat it.

The games were good as well. They had an Easter Sunday Classic against Jim Kelly and the Houston Gamblers who were running the Run-n-Shoot offense which the Generals won.

If I remember correctly Flutie got hurt maybe mid season and was out for awhile but came back into for the playoffs. They met the Baltimore/Philadelphia Stars in the first round at the Medowlands but ended up losing a close game when Generals TE Sam Bowers dropped and easy TD pass late that would have put the Generals in front. Sad thing about the game was that even though it was playoff game between probably the two best teams in the league at the time there was no TV Broadcast of the game. It wasn't on ESPN for some reason or ABC. I have tried for years to find the game on youtube or through tape traders but it has never surfaced.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ60G1n-GsI&t=2533s

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Scott Dierking

Scott Dierking

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8 minutes ago, shawn306 said:

Both the Jets and Giants striking players held a tailgate party for the fans prior to the Dallas game. It was really kind of neat as a 21 year old hanging out with guys like Mark Bavaro, Kenny O'Brien, Lance Mehl and others that day. We didn't even bother going into the stadium that day. Just hung out got autographs, took pictures and talked to the players.

As far as the Generals are concerned...I had season tickets their final season 1985 had a blast. Got to see Steve Young, Jim Kelly, Flutie, Herschel Walker, Reggie White. Football, Summer, Tailgates you could not beat it.

The games were good as well. They had an Easter Sunday Classic against Jim Kelly and the Houston Gamblers who were running the Run-n-Shoot offense which the Generals won.

If I remember correctly Flutie got hurt maybe mid season and was out for awhile but came back into for the playoffs. They met the Baltimore/Philadelphia Stars in the first round at the Medowlands but ended up losing a close game when Generals TE Sam Bowers dropped and easy TD pass late that would have put the Generals in front. Sad thing about the game was that even though it was playoff game between probably the two best teams in the league at the time there was no TV Broadcast of the game. It wasn't on ESPN for some reason or ABC. I have tried for years to find the game on youtube or through tape traders but it has never surfaced.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ60G1n-GsI&t=2533s

USFL was a good watch and a good thing. They actually kept the NFL "honest", which is what the league certainly needs now. 

For an interesting byplay, watch the ESPN 30 for 30 "Small Potatoes, who killed the USFL".

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TuscanyTile2

TuscanyTile2

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25 minutes ago, Scott Dierking said:

USFL was a good watch and a good thing. They actually kept the NFL "honest", which is what the league certainly needs now. 

For an interesting byplay, watch the ESPN 30 for 30 "Small Potatoes, who killed the USFL".

I watched it last night.  I liked it. Interesting football documentary 

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nyjunc

nyjunc

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in our lone replacement game win we faced a future Jet great QB in Kyle mackey who started that day for the dolphins.

 

we can point back to that strike as the time the franchise changed.  we were really good in the 80s up to that point.  We had 4 PO seasons from 1981-1986(4 more than the total for the 70s and 2 more than our franchise total from 1960-1980), we were very close to being a SB caliber team in 1986, we then started 1987 2-0 and the strike came.  The replacements players went 1-2 and then our reg players would go 3-7 the rest of the way.  We wouldn’t make the playoffs again until 1991(at 8-8) and would go on to become the worst team in football by the mid 90s.

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SAR I

SAR I

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1 hour ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

I'm not sure what this means.  I assume it means "it was boring" but possibly it was so unusual that people were fired up?  I can't seem to find any scab games on YouTube.  Strangely I'd be interested to see the Jets scabs again (if I remember correctly, our scabs were 0-3).

Do you remember anything noteworthy about either game (scab NFL or NJ Generals game) you went to?  Did you go to a Generals game during their crappy 1st season?  Or was during the Donald Trump ownership years?  (The Hershel Walker, Walt Michaels, Brian Sipe, Doug Flutie era).

On the Jets scabs, it was typical Jets.  I remember that with the strike looming, smart teams went out and got the top talent (if you can call it that) from the scrap heap because these games were going to count and they didn't want their seasons ruined.  In the run up to the strike you'd read reports of teams signing NFL player who just retired a few months earlier or training camp walk on's, the teams that took this seriously were protected.

The Jets, of course, didn't give a crap and didn't do a thing.  So we got the bottom of the pile of awful players.

As for the Generals game, it felt just like a Jets game, most fans there would be Jets fans since at the time the Giants were so good.  There was no energy though, just people enjoying a laugh on a summer day.  I did see Walt Michaels as the head coach and the team with Flutie and Walker.  I'll have to find that ticket stub, not sure if it was Philadelphia with Reggie White or another game. 

I think the NFL should investigate a summer league but using the actual NFL teams.  Same teams, same uniforms.  Who knows, the Summer Jets might go 14-2 and win the Summer Bowl.

SAR I

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JoJoTownsell1

JoJoTownsell1

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1 hour ago, shawn306 said:

Both the Jets and Giants striking players held a tailgate party for the fans prior to the Dallas game. It was really kind of neat as a 21 year old hanging out with guys like Mark Bavaro, Kenny O'Brien, Lance Mehl and others that day. We didn't even bother going into the stadium that day. Just hung out got autographs, took pictures and talked to the players.

As far as the Generals are concerned...I had season tickets their final season 1985 had a blast. Got to see Steve Young, Jim Kelly, Flutie, Herschel Walker, Reggie White. Football, Summer, Tailgates you could not beat it.

The games were good as well. They had an Easter Sunday Classic against Jim Kelly and the Houston Gamblers who were running the Run-n-Shoot offense which the Generals won.

If I remember correctly Flutie got hurt maybe mid season and was out for awhile but came back into for the playoffs. They met the Baltimore/Philadelphia Stars in the first round at the Medowlands but ended up losing a close game when Generals TE Sam Bowers dropped and easy TD pass late that would have put the Generals in front. Sad thing about the game was that even though it was playoff game between probably the two best teams in the league at the time there was no TV Broadcast of the game. It wasn't on ESPN for some reason or ABC. I have tried for years to find the game on youtube or through tape traders but it has never surfaced.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ60G1n-GsI&t=2533s

I loved the USFL and was a HUGE Generals fan. I still have some of their memorabilia that I bought as a kid. 

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Scott Dierking

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1 hour ago, SAR I said:

On the Jets scabs, it was typical Jets.  I remember that with the strike looming, smart teams went out and got the top talent (if you can call it that) from the scrap heap because these games were going to count and they didn't want their seasons ruined.  In the run up to the strike you'd read reports of teams signing NFL player who just retired a few months earlier or training camp walk on's, the teams that took this seriously were protected.

The Jets, of course, didn't give a crap and didn't do a thing.  So we got the bottom of the pile of awful players.

As for the Generals game, it felt just like a Jets game, most fans there would be Jets fans since at the time the Giants were so good.  There was no energy though, just people enjoying a laugh on a summer day.  I did see Walt Michaels as the head coach and the team with Flutie and Walker.  I'll have to find that ticket stub, not sure if it was Philadelphia with Reggie White or another game. 

I think the NFL should investigate a summer league but using the actual NFL teams.  Same teams, same uniforms.  Who knows, the Summer Jets might go 14-2 and win the Summer Bowl.

SAR I

Not so sure that the teams that decided to become competitive and bring in "higher end" talent were smart. Dallas fielded a team including scabs of Danny White, Randy White, Ed Too Tall Jones, and cleaned up against the competition in those games. BUT, when the strike was over, it created a divisive team.

Other coaches that basically refused to coach these players earned a lot of loyalty and respect from players as they came back. Buddy Ryan earned tremendous respect from his team for basically dismissing the scabs.

In terms of the Jets, Joe Walton was already on his way out and losing the locker room. He took a very "pro-management' stance, rarely stood up for his players and was losing the locker room to the inevitable 'Joe must go" crowd.

 

 

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nyjunc

nyjunc

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22 minutes ago, Scott Dierking said:

Not so sure that the teams that decided to become competitive and bring in "higher end" talent were smart. Dallas fielded a team including scabs of Danny White, Randy White, Ed Too Tall Jones, and cleaned up against the competition in those games. BUT, when the strike was over, it created a divisive team.

Other coaches that basically refused to coach these players earned a lot of loyalty and respect from players as they came back. Buddy Ryan earned tremendous respect from his team for basically dismissing the scabs.

In terms of the Jets, Joe Walton was already on his way out and losing the locker room. He took a very "pro-management' stance, rarely stood up for his players and was losing the locker room to the inevitable 'Joe must go" crowd.

 

 

Walton coached 2 more seasons after 1987, he wasn't already on his way out in 1987.

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shawn306

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48 minutes ago, nyjunc said:

Walton coached 2 more seasons after 1987, he wasn't already on his way out in 1987.

No but the seeds were already planted by then. The fans hated Walton and by late 87 the first strands of Joe Must Go were starting to reverberate in the stadium.

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Ex-Rex

Ex-Rex

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4 hours ago, Scott Dierking said:

USFL was a good watch and a good thing. They actually kept the NFL "honest", which is what the league certainly needs now. 

For an interesting byplay, watch the ESPN 30 for 30 "Small Potatoes, who killed the USFL".

It was Donald Trump who killed the USFL with his dumb lawsuit and decision to play in the fall - in direct competition with the NFL. Bad idea.

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Ex-Rex

Ex-Rex

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5 minutes ago, Scott Dierking said:

He already was on his way to losing the locker room is my point.

Jets bounced back to 8-7-1 the next year, but then the bottom fell out at 4-12 in 89 and Walton went with it. Too bad Dick Steinberg turned out to be a bogus GM. His first two drafts were the pits. His decision to take Rob Moore in supplemental draft cost the Jets a first round pick and with it Brett Favre.

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Scott Dierking

Scott Dierking

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5 minutes ago, Ex-Rex said:

Jets bounced back to 8-7-1 the next year, but then the bottom fell out at 4-12 in 89 and Walton went with it. Too bad Dick Steinberg turned out to be a bogus GM. His first two drafts were the pits. His decision to take Rob Moore in supplemental draft cost the Jets a first round pick and with it Brett Favre.

The Jets of that era had a lot of talent. The team underachieved, and Walton has to be made a culprit of not fulfilling that potential. 

The beginning of the end, was the '86playoff loss to Cleveland, and particularly the play calling in the OTs

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