10 years ago today, Joe Namath wanted to kiss Suzy Kolber.

[Jetsfan80]

http://deadspin.com/10-years-ago-today-joe-namath-wanted-to-kiss-you-1487103791?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_facebook&utm_source=deadspin_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HQqIQyT-RuM

 

 

10 Years Ago Today, Joe Namath Wanted to Kiss You

 

 

Ten years! Where does the time go? A decade ago tonight, a Monday Night Football game between the Jets and Patriots, a drunken Joe Namath slurred and flirted his way through the most awkward sideline interview of all time.

 

It took until last year for Suzy Kolber to discuss the incident. She finally did so in an HBO documentary on Namath, and recalls that he had to be escorted out to the field by Jets personnel, and couldn't do any pre-air chat because "he wouldn't stand still." But she didn't realize he was drunk until mid-interview.

 

"When we first started talking and he was slow and deliberate and in his speech, what was going through my head was, 'Maybe it's just really cold.' And none of the executives in the truck were alarmed either because nobody said stop. ... The direction in my earpiece was, 'keep going.'"

 

So, the famous stuff. "I wanna kiss you. I couldn't care less about the team strug-gle-ling." Etc.

 

It was hilarious, but it was also sad and scary and, in the end, maybe a good thing. That public humiliation was what it took for Namath, who said he had been drinking all day, to admit he had an alcohol problem.

 

While promoting his 2006 book, Namath said as much.

 

"It was that incident that brought to light that I needed to do something, absolutely. And I'm glad. I hated having to deal with that incident, the family, the friends ... the fans. I mean, that really hurt."

 

Namath called Kolber to apologize a few days later, and did seek help for his alcoholism. But a meme was born. The interview stirred something on the nascent web. Pre-Youtube, pre-Twitter, the incident managed to spread like wildfire. It's almost as if that was the exact moment when the internet got together and decided, "We need sports blogs."

 

So why not head over to—where else?—Kissing Suzy Kolber, where they're celebrating Kissmas all day long.

 

[Jetsfan80]

http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/2013/12/merry-kissmas-namath-kolber-10th-anniversary.html

 

Merry Kissmas – The Namath-Kolber 10th Anniversary is Here
 

 

10 years ago this evening, what was set up to be an innocuous sideline interview between Suzy Kolber and Joe Namath, the sort of thing that would otherwise just fill airtime with inane banter, instead became a thing of football and Internet legend. A few years later, it would serve as the inspiration for the name of this fine dick joke/football blog. By extension, it would then inspire dear reader DTB to create the incredible video you see above, the winner of our Namath-Kolber anniversary contest.

 

For what it’s worth, the incident also inspired Broadway Joe to realize he had a serious drinking problem, which was probably for the best.

They say the 10th is the YouTube anniversary (at least that’s what I’ve been led to believe) so it’s fitting that this is our way to honor this site’s namesake. Congrats, DTB, you’ve not only won our contest but made a masterwork for the ages*.

*Okay, it may eventually be discarded by history but we will cherish it always.

[joewillie78]

Yeah, whatever, Just Joe being Joe. I'll never forget the late great Mickey Mantle telling the story after him and Whitey, and a bunch of the boys went out for a late night of partying and boozing, and the Mick was so hungover the next day that Casey kept him out of the lineup, until the bottom of the 9th and he needed Mick to pinch-hit, and the Mick, Said, gee skip, I dont know if I can do it, and Casey said, "of the 3 balls you see, hit the damn one in the middle" and Mick homered.

 

Joe's legacy, Like the Micks, is always safe. At least with me personally anyway.

[Larz]

 

http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/2013/12/merry-kissmas-namath-kolber-10th-anniversary.html

 

Merry Kissmas – The Namath-Kolber 10th Anniversary is Here

 

 

10 years ago this evening, what was set up to be an innocuous sideline interview between Suzy Kolber and Joe Namath, the sort of thing that would otherwise just fill airtime with inane banter, instead became a thing of football and Internet legend. A few years later, it would serve as the inspiration for the name of this fine dick joke/football blog. By extension, it would then inspire dear reader DTB to create the incredible video you see above, the winner of our Namath-Kolber anniversary contest.

 

For what it’s worth, the incident also inspired Broadway Joe to realize he had a serious drinking problem, which was probably for the best.

They say the 10th is the YouTube anniversary (at least that’s what I’ve been led to believe) so it’s fitting that this is our way to honor this site’s namesake. Congrats, DTB, you’ve not only won our contest but made a masterwork for the ages*.

*Okay, it may eventually be discarded by history but we will cherish it always.

 

 

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

 

that was so awesome

[Bergen Jet]

http://kissingsuzykolber.uproxx.com/2013/12/merry-kissmas-namath-kolber-10th-anniversary.html

 

Merry Kissmas – The Namath-Kolber 10th Anniversary is Here

 

 

10 years ago this evening, what was set up to be an innocuous sideline interview between Suzy Kolber and Joe Namath, the sort of thing that would otherwise just fill airtime with inane banter, instead became a thing of football and Internet legend. A few years later, it would serve as the inspiration for the name of this fine dick joke/football blog. By extension, it would then inspire dear reader DTB to create the incredible video you see above, the winner of our Namath-Kolber anniversary contest.

 

For what it’s worth, the incident also inspired Broadway Joe to realize he had a serious drinking problem, which was probably for the best.

They say the 10th is the YouTube anniversary (at least that’s what I’ve been led to believe) so it’s fitting that this is our way to honor this site’s namesake. Congrats, DTB, you’ve not only won our contest but made a masterwork for the ages*.

*Okay, it may eventually be discarded by history but we will cherish it always.

The creator of this video has won the internet. There is nothing left to see. Brilliant.

[Gen X Jet]

It's been a tough decade since that video was aired.

[jorge o8]

10 years wow i feel old!

[Freemanm]

My best friend is in AA, so I've seen how tough it is. I'm happy to see that Broadway Joe ha laid off the sauce since that incident.

[MexiRoll6]

She is even hotter now than she was then. I'd kiss her any day.

[Integrity28]

******* legendary.

[joewilly12]

She is even hotter now than she was then. I'd kiss her any day.

Joe Namath is no fool he knows a hottie when he sees one.

[JoeWillie]

_{Not a great moment for Joe, but hardly the most embarassing in franchise history.}

 

_{I think any one of Rex's top 5 would trump Broadway Joe having a few beers and wanting to kiss a hot sideline reporter.}

 

_{Still can't get the image of Mrs. Ryan hanging her feet out the car window, while Rex films and gropes her little tootsies.}

 

_{Yes, Rex ... we now know that your wife's feet are very soft and yes, you can touch them again.}

 

_{Christ ... about as embarassing as it gets.}

[bitonti]

i was at this game and I remember it being cold as s--t. the fact that willy was out there with short sleeves spoke volumes about how wasted he was. 

[HessStation]

Having watched a recent documentary on Namath, come to find out he was so badly embarrassed not so much for himself but for his children after this, he decided to clean himself up. 

[joewilly12]

i was at this game and I remember it being cold as s--t. the fact that willy was out there with short sleeves spoke volumes about how wasted he was. 

Short sleeves?  It looks to me like his arms are covered in the video.

[bitonti]

Short sleeves?  It looks to me like his arms are covered in the video.

 

yeah i guess he had a turtleneck or something but even that was way underdressed. Look at Suzy that's how cold it was that day. 

[PatriotReign37]

It's been a tough decade since that video was aired.

 

Yes, the Jets have been strugggalllling.

[TuscanyTile2]

Chad was such a little wussy.  He was perfect for that video.

[TuscanyTile2]

_{Not a great moment for Joe, but hardly the most embarassing in franchise history.}

 

_{I think any one of Rex's top 5 would trump Broadway Joe having a few beers and wanting to kiss a hot sideline reporter.}

 

_{Still can't get the image of Mrs. Ryan hanging her feet out the car window, while Rex films and gropes her little tootsies.}

 

_{Yes, Rex ... we now know that your wife's feet are very soft and yes, you can touch them again.}

 

_{Christ ... about as embarassing as it gets.}

 

Barf.  That whole thing turned my stomach.  WTF was Rex thinking w/ that.  I had kind of forgotten it (probably intentionally) about it until just now.

 

Definitely Rex's most embarrassing non-football related moment.  I think he recently had his most embarrassing football-related moment though when he tried including pre-season wins.  How stupid does he think people are?  Rex is clearly a buffoon (and he knows it) but, despite that, I still think he did a reasonably good job here. 

 

Btw, I'm not a "save Rex at any cost" guy.  I know we can do better than him.  I just think we can also do worse so I'm a little hesitant.  Saying "good coaches" and the Jets in the same sentence is a pretty rare thing (other than saying it in the type of sentence I just wrote, of course).  I do think Rex is going to be fired though.  And I have to admit I'm somewhat warming up to that idea.