SouthernJet Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Happy Fathers Day my fellow Bleed Greeners. Just a quick nod to my Dad who died in 1976 at age 58. It's a odd story of how I became a Jets fan and I owe it to my Dad and his noticing his homesick 12 yr old son. I was raised in Hamburg NY outside of Buffalo. My parents were best neighbors/friends with the Bills 1st coach and his wife, Buster Ramsey from 1960-61. I was 8 in 1960 and Coach Ramsey took me to get a Bills uniform custom fitted and allowed my brother and I on field at times, but we went to most games usually in stands w/my Dad. In 1962 Lou Saban took over as Coach and he moved down the street also. He was friends w/my parents (no one got close to Saban, LOL) but he had a son my age and we became friends. So my Bills fondness continued. Jack Kemp also was a member and spoke at my Church's Youth Nights quite often in off season. Then that day in 1964 came when I was 12 , my bro/sis 17, that my Dad was transferred to New Jersey. We moved to Waldwick NJ in Bergen County and I had 'no team'. Remember, in 1964, you only got info on local team. No internet, no watching your team at a Sports Bar from another city ,even no newspapers from Buffalo available to read about your team. In those days you followed your team via 3 methods. Newspaper, local news at night and going to game or watching/listening to local broadcast. My Dad saw I was both missing my football fix and kind of still not making a lot of friends yet in new town. So my Dad said 'its not the Bills' but lets get Jets tickets so we can go to games again. My bro had now gone to college, cementing his Bills fandom, yet i was a 7th grader, ripe to 'root again on a daily basis'. So off we went to Jets games, my daily fix of news, local news etc and in 1965 draft Joe Namath. As a now 13 year old, I was 'hooked' on Joe and the Jets So on this Day, Happy Fathers Day Pop, and thanks for giving being gentle enough to recognize yours sons melancholy and giving me a lifetime of Fandom. I am in my 50th year as Jets fan this season, and I kiddingly tell my 2 sons, 'Look what Grandpa did to us , this perpetual Jets angst', LOL. But I saw SBIII w/my Dad and his 'gift' allowed me to get some happiness back in 1964, but also gave me something to share w/my sons (whom he never met), who are now Dads to sons themselves. Three of us went to a game awhile back and plan another one this year vs Broncos. The circle continues. We all have stories, thanks for listening to my Dads story on this special Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Nice SJ-Happy Fathers day to you and all the dads out there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeC36 Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 great story SJ. Happy Fathers day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larz Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 great story ! my dad was a giants fan but couldn't get tickets (no stubhub app on your phone in 1981) so he took me to jets home openers 2 years in a row. I blame it on one eye walker and the sack exchange !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetlife33 Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Great, great story. Happy Fathers Day Southern Jet and to the rest of JN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernJet Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 great story ! my dad was a giants fan but couldn't get tickets (no stubhub app on your phone in 1981) so he took me to jets home openers 2 years in a row. I blame it on one eye walker and the sack exchange !!! LOL, probably also why my Dad got Jets tix...Giants were probably unavailable,,,thank God!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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