Any Old Timers out there?

[JetsFanatic]

1 hour ago, munchmemory said:

Totally agree that Shea was a pit.  Horrible conditions for fans.   I could just never reconcile why Hess--massively wealthy at the time--just did not offer to build a new park?   Or even pay for the renovations.   I blame both Hess and Koch for not doing the 

[JetsFanatic]

6 minutes ago, JetsFanatic said:

1 hour ago, munchmemory said:

Totally agree that Shea was a pit.  Horrible conditions for fans.   I could just never reconcile why Hess--massively wealthy at the time--just did not offer to build a new park?   Or even pay for the renovations.   I blame both Hess and Koch for not doing the 

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-ready-flee-meadowlands-1977-article-1.2969435

The Mets made a last-ditch effort to compromise their long-standing prohibition of football games during the baseball season by opening the gates for one exhibition game and two early regular-season contests.

However, negotiations foundered on the Mets insistence that there be alternate rain dates in case of inclement weather. The Jets could go along with this for the exhibition game, but pointed out that the National Football League would not allow arbitrary cancellation of regular-season games with the attendant television complications.

The Jets at that time reiterated their offer to advance the money, up to $4 million, to install artificial turf at Shea Stadium as an "interest-free loan." This is similar to the way in which the Mets beat the city's fiscal crunch by advancing the money to refurbish Shea last year. The loan is paid back through withheld rental payments.

The Mets don't want artificial turf, claiming it disrupts the nature of the game.

 

 

[munchmemory]

7 minutes ago, JetsFanatic said:

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-ready-flee-meadowlands-1977-article-1.2969435

The Mets made a last-ditch effort to compromise their long-standing prohibition of football games during the baseball season by opening the gates for one exhibition game and two early regular-season contests.

However, negotiations foundered on the Mets insistence that there be alternate rain dates in case of inclement weather. The Jets could go along with this for the exhibition game, but pointed out that the National Football League would not allow arbitrary cancellation of regular-season games with the attendant television complications.

The Jets at that time reiterated their offer to advance the money, up to $4 million, to install artificial turf at Shea Stadium as an "interest-free loan." This is similar to the way in which the Mets beat the city's fiscal crunch by advancing the money to refurbish Shea last year. The loan is paid back through withheld rental payments.

 

 

Thanks for this bit of history, JetsFanatic.  Yup, I remember that.

But, once again, I fail to see how all these dopes could not have worked something out to keep the team in NY.  You keep negotiating until a deal is done.   Failing that, again, Hess needs to put the team temporarily in Yankee Stadium, the Yale Bowl, or anywhere else until his new NY park is built.   Just how I feel.

[y2k8]

17 hours ago, munchmemory said:

I'm still a huge Leahy fan.  But that was not his best moment.

Pat Leahy. Incredibly nice guy. Inexplicable how he was the Jets kicker for 17 seasons.

He missed 3 or more PATs FIVE (5) times in his career. In 1982 he only made 26 of 31 extra point attempts. I won't depress you with his FG percentage.

He was objectively terrible for most of his career. Yet they never replaced him. Cost the Jets so many games.

When the Jets moved to the Meadowlands in 1984, he actually became competent, if not above average. 

And yet, when he missed that OT chip in that infamous MNF gane at Chicago, I think that was finally the last straw.

 

[munchmemory]

2 minutes ago, y2k8 said:

Pat Leahy. Incredibly nice guy. Inexplicable how he was the Jets kicker for 17 seasons.

He missed 3 or more PATs FIVE (5) times in his career. In 1982 he only made 26 of 31 extra point attempts. I won't depress you with his FG percentage.

He was objectively terrible for most of his career. Yet they never replaced him. Cost the Jets so many games.

When the Jets moved to the Meadowlands in 1984, he actually became competent, if not above average. 

And yet, when he missed that OT chip in that infamous MNF gane at Chicago, I think that was finally the last straw.

 

You make all great points.  But for some strange reason, tons of us older fans (my wife, brother, friends included) loved Leahy and had a positive spin on his Jet history.  Still do.

[y2k8]

2 hours ago, CSNY said:

Hated the move to Jersey and as a result I still haven’t bought one gallon of Hess gas since

same

[JetsFanatic]

20 minutes ago, munchmemory said:

Thanks for this bit of history, JetsFanatic.  Yup, I remember that.

But, once again, I fail to see how all these dopes could not have worked something out to keep the team in NY.  You keep negotiating until a deal is done.   Failing that, again, Hess needs to put the team temporarily in Yankee Stadium, the Yale Bowl, or anywhere else until his new NY park is built.   Just how I feel.

I agree. My only point was there was enough blame for all to share.

[munchmemory]

55 minutes ago, JetsFanatic said:

I agree. My only point was there was enough blame for all to share.

Totally.  I have no problem throwing the Mets brass in there as part of the blame.  lol

[Beaver]

Jesus.  I opened this thread and immediately smell BENGAY and Preparation H.

[Claymation]

My favorite part of the Jets games at Shea Stadium was that the temporary stands would literally bounce with the fans jumping. Or the competition of the JETS chant from one side of the stadium to the other.

[Trotter]

7 minutes ago, Claymation said:

My favorite part of the Jets games at Shea Stadium was that the temporary stands would literally bounce with the fans jumping. Or the competition of the JETS chant from one side of the stadium to the other.

never had a chance to go to a game at shea but early on in the meadowlands before fireman ed the upper deck endzones would do the chant. One side first - then the other. I am not sure about this but seem to remember the guy who started this went by crazy larry?

Anyone remember?  

[munchmemory]

5 minutes ago, Trotter said:

never had a chance to go to a game at shea but early on in the meadowlands before fireman ed the upper deck endzones would do the chant. One side first - then the other. I am not sure about this but seem to remember the guy who started this went by crazy larry?

Anyone remember?  

I remember the alternating sides of the stadium thing before Ed.  Don't recall "Crazy Larry".   Wasn't it two cops or firefighters on opposite sides?

[Trotter]

1 minute ago, munchmemory said:

I remember the alternating sides of the stadium thing before Ed.  Don't recall "Crazy Larry".   Wasn't it two cops or firefighters on opposite sides?

Very well could have been but for some strange reason I remember a guy with longer hair doing the chant in the one endzone and someone telling me his name was crazy larry. I was also in my early twenties so there could have been other factors at play. 

[#27TheDominator]

2 hours ago, munchmemory said:

Thanks for this bit of history, JetsFanatic.  Yup, I remember that.

But, once again, I fail to see how all these dopes could not have worked something out to keep the team in NY.  You keep negotiating until a deal is done.   Failing that, again, Hess needs to put the team temporarily in Yankee Stadium, the Yale Bowl, or anywhere else until his new NY park is built.   Just how I feel.

Pretty sure that Yankee Stadium didn't want any part of football at that time.  If they did, wouldn't the Giants still be in New York?  The Yale Bowl is in New Haven, Connecticut.  How would that help? 

[CSNY]

4 minutes ago, Trotter said:

never had a chance to go to a game at shea but early on in the meadowlands before fireman ed the upper deck endzones would do the chant. One side first - then the other. I am not sure about this but seem to remember the guy who started this went by crazy larry?

Anyone remember?  

Yes. His name was Conrad who sat closer to section 28 but was a few rows down from me.  
Conrad was a kindly old gentleman truly a nice man who wore a long woolen overcoat for the colder games (picture  typical dress for a college game in the 40’s or 50’s ) One particular game he brought his megaphone and he started with “ all right all right all right all right all right “ which then went into J E T S JETS JETS JETS. After a few games it started growing in popularity as the end zones would have their competition on who can yell it the loudest and a short little guy with an ill fitting helmet with no face mask and a whistle started to get on the railing blowing his whistle mimicking the letter J E T S. 

[munchmemory]

1 minute ago, #27TheDominator said:

Pretty sure that Yankee Stadium didn't want any part of football at that time.  If they did, wouldn't the Giants still be in New York.  The Yale Bowl is in New Haven, Connecticut.  How would that help? 

Just a place to play until you build the new stadium.  Remember the Yanks played in Shea while the stadium was being renovated.

At that time, most of the old West Side docks had become dilapidated.  That would have been the time to pitch a new park in that location.   Or anywhere else in Queens, Brooklyn, Long Island....anywhere which could have kept jobs in NY and included a public transportation link for folks who did not have cars.

[Trotter]

2 minutes ago, CSNY said:

Yes. His name was Conrad who sat closer to section 28 but was a few rows down from me.  
Conrad was a kindly old gentleman truly a nice man who wore a long woolen overcoat for the colder games (picture  typical dress for a college game in the 40’s or 50’s ) One particular game he brought his megaphone and he started with “ all right all right all right all right all right “ which then went into J E T S JETS JETS JETS. After a few games it started growing in popularity as the end zones would have their competition on who can yell it the loudest and a short little guy with an ill fitting helmet with no face mask and a whistle started to get on the railing blowing his whistle mimicking the letter J E T S. 

Thank you.

[munchmemory]

3 minutes ago, CSNY said:

Yes. His name was Conrad who sat closer to section 28 but was a few rows down from me.  
Conrad was a kindly old gentleman truly a nice man who wore a long woolen overcoat for the colder games (picture  typical dress for a college game in the 40’s or 50’s ) One particular game he brought his megaphone and he started with “ all right all right all right all right all right “ which then went into J E T S JETS JETS JETS. After a few games it started growing in popularity as the end zones would have their competition on who can yell it the loudest and a short little guy with an ill fitting helmet with no face mask and a whistle started to get on the railing blowing his whistle mimicking the letter J E T S. 

Don't think I ever knew this.  Thanks for more Jet history, CSNY.

[Trotter]

9 minutes ago, CSNY said:

Yes. His name was Conrad who sat closer to section 28 but was a few rows down from me.  
Conrad was a kindly old gentleman truly a nice man who wore a long woolen overcoat for the colder games (picture  typical dress for a college game in the 40’s or 50’s ) One particular game he brought his megaphone and he started with “ all right all right all right all right all right “ which then went into J E T S JETS JETS JETS. After a few games it started growing in popularity as the end zones would have their competition on who can yell it the loudest and a short little guy with an ill fitting helmet with no face mask and a whistle started to get on the railing blowing his whistle mimicking the letter J E T S. 

Found this on good ole Google  - see even Boomers know how to do this but it took 5 minutes to figure out the cut and paste. CSNY, sounds like this is your guy with the helmet.

The chant was started originally by another fireman named Larry Mack. Most people don't know whas his full routine was. He usually wore a green wig and green sweatpants. He would then stand up on the rail and get the Jets chant started. When the chant was over, he would turn around and moon the crowd. Most of the time, he would have JETS spelled out across his butt. Eventually, security put an end to it, thus letting Fireman Ed take the reigns of the cheer.

 

[CSNY]

2 minutes ago, Trotter said:

Found this on good ole Google  - see even Boomers know how to do this but it took 5 minutes to figure out the cut and paste. CSNY, sounds like this is your guy with the helmet.

The chant was started originally by another fireman named Larry Mack. Most people don't know whas his full routine was. He usually wore a green wig and green sweatpants. He would then stand up on the rail and get the Jets chant started. When the chant was over, he would turn around and moon the crowd. Most of the time, he would have JETS spelled out across his butt. Eventually, security put an end to it, thus letting Fireman Ed take the reigns of the cheer.

 

Sounds like him. 

[CSNY]

12 minutes ago, munchmemory said:

Don't think I ever knew this.  Thanks for more Jet history, CSNY.

My pleasure Munch ? Going to those games at Shea were truly a lot of fun Far far better than anything I ever was a part of at Giants “ fu$king stadium. Seems when they moved the fan base kinda list some of its collective souls just wasn’t as raucous that it was at Shea The games at Shea were a party 

[TuscanyTile2]

1 hour ago, CSNY said:

Yes. His name was Conrad who sat closer to section 28 but was a few rows down from me.  
Conrad was a kindly old gentleman truly a nice man who wore a long woolen overcoat for the colder games (picture  typical dress for a college game in the 40’s or 50’s ) One particular game he brought his megaphone and he started with “ all right all right all right all right all right “ which then went into J E T S JETS JETS JETS. After a few games it started growing in popularity as the end zones would have their competition on who can yell it the loudest and a short little guy with an ill fitting helmet with no face mask and a whistle started to get on the railing blowing his whistle mimicking the letter J E T S. 

 

[Randy Rasmussen]

Most of the Long Island fan base stopped going to the Meadowlands after a few years.
And they were replaced by football starved NJ Giants fans.
I remember the Al Toon game winning TD catch to knock the Giants out of the playoffs in 88.
Guys in my section that wore green and acted like Jet fans showed up at that game in Simms and Taylor jerseys.
I was unusually obnoxious at the end of that game


Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app

[BP]

5 hours ago, CSNY said:

Disagree. The games at that time had to have no more than 5000 available seats by Friday to have blackout lifted. By no means was Shea deserted   Let’s also not forget the Giants were around since the NFL started and were the only game in town for so many years. Just stands to reason they will be sold out by having a larger fan base since they were around longer. It is like that with baseball ( Yankees versus Mets ) Hockey ( Rangers versus islanders or Devils) and Basketball ( Knicks versus Nets ) 

Fair points. I get the bitterness towards Hess if you lived in NY. But I liked him. 

[CSNY]

52 minutes ago, BP said:

Fair points. I get the bitterness towards Hess if you lived in NY. But I liked him. 

BP we all have our opinions but FUCH LEON HESS!!!!!!!!!   I put him in the same category the way Brooklyn Dodger fans think of Walter O’Malley ?

[BP]

25 minutes ago, CSNY said:

BP we all have our opinions but FUCH LEON HESS!!!!!!!!!   I put him in the same category the way Brooklyn Dodger fans think of Walter O’Malley ?

It’s all good man! It’s almost 40 years ago. Hopefully we get to see a SB before we die. 

[CSNY]

1 minute ago, BP said:

It’s all good man! It’s almost 40 years ago. Hopefully we get to see a SB before we die. 

Amen to that brudda ??

[BP]

3 hours ago, CSNY said:

Yes. His name was Conrad who sat closer to section 28 but was a few rows down from me.  
Conrad was a kindly old gentleman truly a nice man who wore a long woolen overcoat for the colder games (picture  typical dress for a college game in the 40’s or 50’s ) One particular game he brought his megaphone and he started with “ all right all right all right all right all right “ which then went into J E T S JETS JETS JETS. After a few games it started growing in popularity as the end zones would have their competition on who can yell it the loudest and a short little guy with an ill fitting helmet with no face mask and a whistle started to get on the railing blowing his whistle mimicking the letter J E T S. 

Theres a nfl films highlight of the Jets/Bills 1981 playoff game at Shea on YouTube and they showed this guy you’re talking about leading the jets chant and the fans making the swivel stands bounce up and down during the come back.

 

I tried posting it here but it says copyright or some sh*t and won’t load. Check it out, you might be in it lol I was in the mezzanine behind home plate 

[CSNY]

5 hours ago, y2k8 said:

Pat Leahy. Incredibly nice guy. Inexplicable how he was the Jets kicker for 17 seasons.

He missed 3 or more PATs FIVE (5) times in his career. In 1982 he only made 26 of 31 extra point attempts. I won't depress you with his FG percentage.

He was objectively terrible for most of his career. Yet they never replaced him. Cost the Jets so many games.

When the Jets moved to the Meadowlands in 1984, he actually became competent, if not above average. 

And yet, when he missed that OT chip in that infamous MNF gane at Chicago, I think that was finally the last straw.

 

Liked Leahy and he did get more consistent with the move to the Meadowlands and the reason for that is at Shea the winds were notoriously unpredictable. Any kicker would have had difficulty at Shea 

[BP]

1 minute ago, CSNY said:

Liked Leahy and he did get more consistent with the move to the Meadowlands and the reason for that is at Shea the winds were notoriously unpredictable. Any kicker would have had difficulty at Shea 

this is true. I remember last game of 78 was against the cowboys and the outfield light poles were bending from the wind. 

Did you ever get caught in one of those classic Shea garbage tornadoes that would swirl around the field?

[Trotter]

10 minutes ago, BP said:

Theres a nfl films highlight of the Jets/Bills 1981 playoff game at Shea on YouTube and they showed this guy you’re talking about leading the jets chant and the fans making the swivel stands bounce up and down during the come back.

 

I tried posting it here but it says copyright or some sh*t and won’t load. Check it out, you might be in it lol I was in the mezzanine behind home plate 

I remember watching that game on tv. Whenever they would show those stands shake up and down you would swear they were going to collapse.

[CSNY]

Just now, Trotter said:

I remember watching that game on tv. Whenever they would show those stands shake up and down you would swear they were going to collapse.

And those were the temporary seats The stands on the upper deck were rocking just as much. Like I said earlier Games at Shea were a huge party and a whole lot of fun 

[CSNY]

9 minutes ago, BP said:

this is true. I remember last game of 78 was against the cowboys and the outfield light poles were bending from the wind. 

Did you ever get caught in one of those classic Shea garbage tornadoes that would swirl around the field?

Walking thru the parking lot after the cold windy December games were sometimes a adventure for sure but not in the stadium itself. I guess I sat too far up for the garbage to reach that high?

[CSNY]

19 minutes ago, BP said:

Theres a nfl films highlight of the Jets/Bills 1981 playoff game at Shea on YouTube and they showed this guy you’re talking about leading the jets chant and the fans making the swivel stands bounce up and down during the come back.

 

I tried posting it here but it says copyright or some sh*t and won’t load. Check it out, you might be in it lol I was in the mezzanine behind home plate 

Will look for it for sure ?

[y2k8]

59 minutes ago, CSNY said:

Liked Leahy and he did get more consistent with the move to the Meadowlands and the reason for that is at Shea the winds were notoriously unpredictable. Any kicker would have had difficulty at Shea 

Shea was the worst wind stadium ever, but Giants stadium was no picnic either.

Leahy was terrible in away games as well. The guy couldn't kick on grass. When he started playing on artificial turf, he was ok.

Still not good enough. Still no reason to miss the short distance PATs like he did.