38 Years Ago Today...Jets Last Game at Shea

[Lith]

12/10/1983.

The Jets played their last game at Shea Stadium.  Jets got crushed by the Steelers 34-7 in an ugly close to their tenure at Shea.  The game was also the last in Terry Bradshaw's career as he re-injured an elbow that had cost him all of the 1983 season except for this game.  Ricahrd Todd also left the game early due to injury.  Game is probably best remembered for the scene afterwards as fans stormed the field and tore it apart.  

As Jet fans we have a lot of memories.  Not all that many of them are good, though.

[Bungaman]

I remember the wind trying to cut my torso in half as I had a seat in the last row of the first base side top deck bleachers: when you stood up, the icy air blasted into your upper body like some bad comic strip adventure. The ice coated steep steps that might among your last if you slipped and went hurtling towards the rail. And then, there were the trough urinals: the ultimate in classy community bladder voiding.

[islesmb]

a 10 year old me was there...:)

[jago]

had tix glad i didnt go,

[TuscanyTile2]

 

Summary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvM2ZYHEM4I

 

[TuscanyTile2]

 

[#90]

I was there....Horrible team and lots of angry Jets fans..... Not much has changed.

I still have an orange back to a seat from the lower level.

People brought wrenches and were taking 2-3 seats together.

Both goal posts torn torn and ripped apart.

So long Shea....

[TuscanyTile2]

@Lith  Was your thumbs up for the Bradshaw explanation or for Charrisa Thompson's boots and short skirt? 

 

[Lith]

29 minutes ago, jago said:

had tix glad i didnt go,

Good choice. 

My "had tickets to a game and didn't go" story did not turn out as well in hindsight  Down in Florida for a Thanksgiving weekend.  My bro-in-law was a Miami grad.  He had tickets to the Miami-BC game that weekend.   We planned to go until the morning of the game.  Torrential rains.  Downpours expected all day.  We stayed home. 

I had tickets to the Flutie Hail Mary game, but didn't go.  And I hate Miami -- would have been such a blast to be there among all Miami fans as Flutie completes the pass to Gerard Phelan to beat the Hurricanes as time ran out.

[munchmemory]

Getty sign on the scoreboard is probably the reason Hess left Shea.

[Scott Dierking]

1 minute ago, munchmemory said:

Getty sign on the scoreboard is probably the reason Hess left Shea.

he said the bathrooms...... But you may be on to something.

[slimjasi]

This team was a little before my time - question for the folks who remember this team - what went wrong that year? This was the year after the mud bowl loss. They had high expectations and expected to compete for a Superbowl. They ended up finishing 7-9 and out of the playoffs. What went wrong? 

[Lith]

6 minutes ago, TuscanyTile2 said:

@Lith  Was your thumbs up for the Bradshaw explanation or for Charrisa Thompson's boots and short skirt? 

 

Little bit of both.  Hearing Bradshaw talk about that play an knowing it was over was pretty cool.  But Charissa in those boots is pretty cool, too.

[Scott Dierking]

13 minutes ago, slimjasi said:

This team was a little before my time - question for the folks who remember this team - what went wrong that year? This was the year after the mud bowl loss. They had high expectations and expected to compete for a Superbowl. They ended up finishing 7-9 and out of the playoffs. What went wrong? 

As I recall, Todd regressed that year. 

More than anything, McNeil was banged up, and any time that McNeil was hurt, the Jets offense struggled. He was the lynchpin to that team.

[y2k8]

32 minutes ago, Scott Dierking said:

As I recall, Todd regressed that year. 

More than anything, McNeil was banged up, and any time that McNeil was hurt, the Jets offense struggled. He was the lynchpin to that team.

I think the biggest reason they regressed - they had an excellent Head Coach in Walt Michaels who was building something great - and they fired him because glug, glug, words, words. Then they promoted a nose picking OC who was not nearly as good.

The future of the team being in the news everyday was a negative distraction and certainly didn't help.

[Beerfish]

Still looks better than MetLife.

[jgjet]

Was there. Funniest thing was after everyone left, a station wagon went through the parking lot with one of the uprights and the flag was hanging off it so I guess it was sought of legal to drive like that. Crazy day.


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[Ken Schroy]

4 hours ago, slimjasi said:

This team was a little before my time - question for the folks who remember this team - what went wrong that year? This was the year after the mud bowl loss. They had high expectations and expected to compete for a Superbowl. They ended up finishing 7-9 and out of the playoffs. What went wrong? 

Walt Michaels > Joe Walton

[Anthony Jet]

Too young for a jet game there, but I loved Shea. It was a dump but it was our dump being a met fan.

[Sonny Werblin]

1 hour ago, slimjasi said:

This team was a little before my time - question for the folks who remember this team - what went wrong that year? This was the year after the mud bowl loss. They had high expectations and expected to compete for a Superbowl. They ended up finishing 7-9 and out of the playoffs. What went wrong? 

Walt Michaels was fired after the mud bowl and Joe Walton was a turd.

[shawn306]

2 hours ago, Scott Dierking said:

As I recall, Todd regressed that year. 

More than anything, McNeil was banged up, and any time that McNeil was hurt, the Jets offense struggled. He was the lynchpin to that team.

yes.

I think Walton drafting O'Brien added to Todd's misery coming off the Mud Bowl. The following year Walton dealt Todd to New Orleans.

Alot of those guys (Buttle, Powell, Bobby Jackson, Schroy, etc) were Michaels guys and by 1985 most of those guys had been shipped out.

Most of us knew the Jets were leaving Shea after the season

As for the season...I think the season started going south when Marino made his debut against the Jets and hammered them. The following week they blew a 21-0 lead to Atlanta and loss 27-21. That was the game that Billy "White Shoes" Johnson went off in the second half.

After losing to Pittsburgh then finished the season in the rain against Miami. Only difference this time was that Shula covered the field this time since he had Marino and the Marx Brothers (Duper and Clayton) and they hammered the Jets again.

[Gen X Jet]

And 38 years since this god forsaken team has played a down where their base of fans live.

[thebuzzardman]

I blame this stadium's geographic proximity to where I grew up as a reason for my Jets fandom. Therefore, I have zero fond feelings for it. 

[doublel9]

Thanks for this, Lith, seminal moment in my life...

Was Jr in college, up before dawn drove 4.5 hours w/frat bro Dave, Steeler fan from Hollidaysburg PA.  His first time in NYC, had Steeler hat swiped off head within ten minutes.  Welcome to Queens!

Was on field after game, grabbed dirt, swore never to go to Jersey or fill-up at Hess.  Been in basement eating pretzels, watching on TV ever since. Now, never miss a Speedway when needle nears E 

 

 

[Dcat]

4 hours ago, Lith said:

12/10/1983.

The Jets played their last game at Shea Stadium.  Jets got crushed by the Steelers 34-7 in an ugly close to their tenure at Shea.  The game was also the last in Terry Bradshaw's career as he re-injured an elbow that had cost him all of the 1983 season except for this game.  Ricahrd Todd also left the game early due to injury.  Game is probably best remembered for the scene afterwards as fans stormed the field and tore it apart.  

As Jet fans we have a lot of memories.  Not all that many of them are good, though.

I was there for that soggy horrible game. Not one of the Jets finer moments. 

[Larz]

Damn I’m old

seeing one eye at shea made me a jets fan 

[section314]

I’ll never forget that all you heard the last quarter of that game was “ crack. crack crunch.” Another seat or two stomped from the handles. Literally people walking out of Shea with multiple seats under each arm.?Ironically, our 1st game in Giants stadium the next year was a Thursday night game, I believe  against the Steelers.

[y2k8]

Jets owner confirms move to Meadowlands in 1983

(Originally published by the Daily News on October 7, 1983. This story was written by Bryan Burwell.)

Jets' owner Leon Hess finally broke his silence yesterday and confirmed that his National Football League club has signed a five-year lease with the New Jersey Sports Authority to play its home games at Giants Stadium starting next season. Hess left open the slim hope of the team's return to New York City in 1989 if the city builds him a suitable new football stadium, but neglected to say that he would have to pay the Meadowlands a $10M penalty to do so.

Hess made his announcement in a scathing open letter to Mayor Koch, which was released to the press before it arrived at city hall late yesterday afternoon. In informing the mayor of the move, Hess said the Jets would return to New York City by 1989 only if a "first-class professional football stadium" is built and a satisfactory lease is provided.

LUPICA: LEON HESS IS A BUM FOR MOVING THE JETS IN 1983

In the two-page letter dated yesterday, Hess accused Koch of forcing the Jets' exodus from the city by failing to produce a proposal for a new stadium.

Hess' announcement came less than 24 hours after he had told his fellow NFL owners that he had yet to make up his mind on the move and on the same day a copyrighted story appeared in the Daily News linking the Jets' transfer to a package deal involving the sale of Monmouth Park racetrack to the Meadowlands.

Hess claimed Koch had promised in a Sept. 26 meeting to "get back to us on Friday, Sept. 30, with a proposal for a new stadium, which in fact, was already being considered according to your earlier statements. Instead of that, you, Mr. Mayor, held a news conference on Wednesday, Sept. 28, announcing a Jets' move to New Jersey, although you knew very well that no such decision had been made…You cannot fool the public, Mr. Mayor. Jets fans want a clean, efficient, well-run stadium, built for football, not the 'unsuitable' Shea…It is time for New York to have a first-class, new professional football stadium."

 

 

The Jets reached an agreement with the state-run authority that operates the Meadowlands complex, for a minimum of five years starting next year and running through 1989.

According to the terms of the lease, the Jets could leave after the 1988 season, but they must advise the Authority of whether they will exercise that option prior to Feb. 15, 1986. If the Jets do decide to leave Giants Stadium - whether they inform the Sports Authority or not - according to the lease, they would be bound to pay a $10 million penalty to the Authority.

The terms of the lease with the Sports Authority have much to do with the terms Hess said would guarantee the NFL franchise's return to the city. In the letter to Koch, Hess wrote, "The Jets pledge to return to New York City, if the city will do the following:

• "Build a first-class professional football stadium for the City of New York.
• "Have all the necessary permits, detailed plans, authorizations, approvals and financing securely in place before Feb. 1, 1986 (14 days prior to the option date on the Jets' lease with the Meadowlands).
• "Guarantee the Jets occupancy starting in the 1989 season under a lease equitable to the city and the Jets."

In a prepared statement released by his office, Koch said the following:

"I am really surprised that Leon Hess would write a letter addressed to me, which is not factual and release it to the news media before it was delivered to me.

"Leon Hess has decided that he will not under any circumstances - no matter what we do to upgrade the stadium - remain in Shea Stadium, and he has rejected out of hand, without engaging in bona fide negotiations, our counter offer to the offer made by Giants Stadium and the Meadowlands. What is most troublesome is that he concealed his true objective from March to Sept. 26 to take advantage of the city of New York.

New York Jets owner Leon Hess confirmed the move to the Meadowlands in 1983. (Dan Farrell)

 

"He now says that he would be willing to come back to New York City if we were willing to build, for his exclusive use, a new stadium which would cost the city up to $200 million so that he could play 10 games a year there. It is not possible for us in these difficult financial times to devote about 20 percent of our annual tax levy capital budget to such a use.

"If such a stadium were commercially viable, then he should be able to put together a private consortium to use private funds for that purpose, and the city would certainly cooperate. Leon Hess is aware of that. His letter is nothing more than a smoke screen to deter angry fans from venting their frustrations with catcalls when he appears a week from Sunday at Shea Stadium.

"I again renew my offer to sit down and negotiate a refurbishing of Shea Stadium to make it into a first-class stadium suitable for the joint use of both baseball and football teams or, alternatively, to support his efforts to put together his efforts to put together a consortium to build a private stadium for his exclusive use. Leon, your efforts to conceal your true intentions remind me of a trick play and won't work. We hope Mr. Hess reconsiders and sits down and works with us to resolve this matter. Pending that action, we shall continue to seek another team."

Meanwhile, Robert E. Mulcahy, chief operating officer of the Sports Authority, denied that the deal that was uncovered by The News' investigation concerning the sale of the Monmouth racetrack existed. Mulcahy said in a prepared statement that since the Monmouth board of directors took the track off the market last June 27 and since then, the Sports Authority had stopped its interest in purchasing the Central Jersey racetrack. However, Monmouth sources say the secret December board meeting - at which time the sale is supposed to be reconsidered - is still scheduled.

Governor Cuomo, reached at a Democratic Presidential forum at Canarsie Hall last night, had little to say about Hess' letter.

"I won't negotiate with Mr. Hess in the newspapers," said Cuomo, who also pointed out that Hess had not contacted the state. "We'll talk if he wants to talk."

 

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-owner-confirms-move-meadowlands-1993-article-1.2378842

 

Note: The Jets lost 5 of their next 6 games after making the announcement.

[Dupe]

Amazing that it was that long ago. 

[Peace Frog]

1 hour ago, y2k8 said:

Jets owner confirms move to Meadowlands in 1983

(Originally published by the Daily News on October 7, 1983. This story was written by Bryan Burwell.)

Jets' owner Leon Hess finally broke his silence yesterday and confirmed that his National Football League club has signed a five-year lease with the New Jersey Sports Authority to play its home games at Giants Stadium starting next season. Hess left open the slim hope of the team's return to New York City in 1989 if the city builds him a suitable new football stadium, but neglected to say that he would have to pay the Meadowlands a $10M penalty to do so.

Hess made his announcement in a scathing open letter to Mayor Koch, which was released to the press before it arrived at city hall late yesterday afternoon. In informing the mayor of the move, Hess said the Jets would return to New York City by 1989 only if a "first-class professional football stadium" is built and a satisfactory lease is provided.

LUPICA: LEON HESS IS A BUM FOR MOVING THE JETS IN 1983

In the two-page letter dated yesterday, Hess accused Koch of forcing the Jets' exodus from the city by failing to produce a proposal for a new stadium.

Hess' announcement came less than 24 hours after he had told his fellow NFL owners that he had yet to make up his mind on the move and on the same day a copyrighted story appeared in the Daily News linking the Jets' transfer to a package deal involving the sale of Monmouth Park racetrack to the Meadowlands.

Hess claimed Koch had promised in a Sept. 26 meeting to "get back to us on Friday, Sept. 30, with a proposal for a new stadium, which in fact, was already being considered according to your earlier statements. Instead of that, you, Mr. Mayor, held a news conference on Wednesday, Sept. 28, announcing a Jets' move to New Jersey, although you knew very well that no such decision had been made…You cannot fool the public, Mr. Mayor. Jets fans want a clean, efficient, well-run stadium, built for football, not the 'unsuitable' Shea…It is time for New York to have a first-class, new professional football stadium."

 

 

The Jets reached an agreement with the state-run authority that operates the Meadowlands complex, for a minimum of five years starting next year and running through 1989.

According to the terms of the lease, the Jets could leave after the 1988 season, but they must advise the Authority of whether they will exercise that option prior to Feb. 15, 1986. If the Jets do decide to leave Giants Stadium - whether they inform the Sports Authority or not - according to the lease, they would be bound to pay a $10 million penalty to the Authority.

The terms of the lease with the Sports Authority have much to do with the terms Hess said would guarantee the NFL franchise's return to the city. In the letter to Koch, Hess wrote, "The Jets pledge to return to New York City, if the city will do the following:

• "Build a first-class professional football stadium for the City of New York.
• "Have all the necessary permits, detailed plans, authorizations, approvals and financing securely in place before Feb. 1, 1986 (14 days prior to the option date on the Jets' lease with the Meadowlands).
• "Guarantee the Jets occupancy starting in the 1989 season under a lease equitable to the city and the Jets."

In a prepared statement released by his office, Koch said the following:

"I am really surprised that Leon Hess would write a letter addressed to me, which is not factual and release it to the news media before it was delivered to me.

"Leon Hess has decided that he will not under any circumstances - no matter what we do to upgrade the stadium - remain in Shea Stadium, and he has rejected out of hand, without engaging in bona fide negotiations, our counter offer to the offer made by Giants Stadium and the Meadowlands. What is most troublesome is that he concealed his true objective from March to Sept. 26 to take advantage of the city of New York.

New York Jets owner Leon Hess confirmed the move to the Meadowlands in 1983. (Dan Farrell)

 

"He now says that he would be willing to come back to New York City if we were willing to build, for his exclusive use, a new stadium which would cost the city up to $200 million so that he could play 10 games a year there. It is not possible for us in these difficult financial times to devote about 20 percent of our annual tax levy capital budget to such a use.

"If such a stadium were commercially viable, then he should be able to put together a private consortium to use private funds for that purpose, and the city would certainly cooperate. Leon Hess is aware of that. His letter is nothing more than a smoke screen to deter angry fans from venting their frustrations with catcalls when he appears a week from Sunday at Shea Stadium.

"I again renew my offer to sit down and negotiate a refurbishing of Shea Stadium to make it into a first-class stadium suitable for the joint use of both baseball and football teams or, alternatively, to support his efforts to put together his efforts to put together a consortium to build a private stadium for his exclusive use. Leon, your efforts to conceal your true intentions remind me of a trick play and won't work. We hope Mr. Hess reconsiders and sits down and works with us to resolve this matter. Pending that action, we shall continue to seek another team."

Meanwhile, Robert E. Mulcahy, chief operating officer of the Sports Authority, denied that the deal that was uncovered by The News' investigation concerning the sale of the Monmouth racetrack existed. Mulcahy said in a prepared statement that since the Monmouth board of directors took the track off the market last June 27 and since then, the Sports Authority had stopped its interest in purchasing the Central Jersey racetrack. However, Monmouth sources say the secret December board meeting - at which time the sale is supposed to be reconsidered - is still scheduled.

Governor Cuomo, reached at a Democratic Presidential forum at Canarsie Hall last night, had little to say about Hess' letter.

"I won't negotiate with Mr. Hess in the newspapers," said Cuomo, who also pointed out that Hess had not contacted the state. "We'll talk if he wants to talk."

 

https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/jets-owner-confirms-move-meadowlands-1993-article-1.2378842

 

Note: The Jets lost 5 of their next 6 games after making the announcement.

Hopefully after the disgrace of Andrew Cuomo and the disgrace of Chris Cuomo, they cancel their Dad and change the name of that beautiful bridge back to the Tappan Zee Bridge. 

[SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN]

We had seats in the endzone right in front of the scoreboard . Fans were ripping metal pieces of the bleachers and throwing them at the score board . Some were sticking into the scoreboard like darts . The fans were determined to destroy the place . In hindsight , it was justified since I spent 40 years shlepping to Jersey to watch this mess . During the fourth quarter , me and my buddy stood having a conversion with a security guard . He couldn't believe the mayhem .  We all had a good laugh about the whole situation .

[Green DNA]

I was at that game.  I slipped the ticket taker $3 to get in (common practice for all games at Shea) and gave the usher $1 to guarantee me a seat if someone showed up with a ticket.  My most vivid memory is Richard Todd walking to the tunnel behind home plate and getting bombarded with beer, soda, bananas, apples and anything else that fans could get their hands on.  Good times.

 

Edit: Almost forgot the mens room where fans were peeing in the sinks, wastebaskets and anywhere else they could.  The floors were soaked, it looked like a pipe had burst.  

[SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN]

11 minutes ago, Green DNA said:

I was at that game.  I slipped the ticket taker $3 to get in (common practice for all games at Shea) and gave the usher $1 to guarantee me a seat if someone showed up with a ticket.  My most vivid memory is Richard Todd walking to the tunnel behind home plate and getting bombarded with beer, soda, bananas, apples and anything else that fans could get their hands on.  Good times.

 

Edit: Almost forgot the mens room where fans were peeing in the sinks, wastebaskets and anywhere else they could.  The floors were soaked, it looked like a pipe had burst.  

[JetsFanatic]

19 hours ago, slimjasi said:

This team was a little before my time - question for the folks who remember this team - what went wrong that year? This was the year after the mud bowl loss. They had high expectations and expected to compete for a Superbowl. They ended up finishing 7-9 and out of the playoffs. What went wrong? 

They changed HCs.

Michaels was replaced by Walton. In fairness, Joe Walton was hired as OC in ‘81 did a great job with Todd in 1981 and 1982, his two best seasons. When Michaels was fired after leading the Jets to the 1982 AFC Title game they elevated Walton to HC. Todd had a bad season and the team missed Michaels coaching.

[Randy Rasmussen]

They changed HCs.
Michaels was replaced by Walton. In fairness, Joe Walton was hired as OC in ‘81 did a great job with Todd in 1981 and 1982, his two best seasons. When Michaels was fired after leading the Jets to the 1982 AFC Title game they elevated Walton to HC. Todd had a bad season and the team missed Michaels coaching.

Todd throwing a pick late in the 4th qtr to BillSimpson was a great job. 4 picks to AJ Duhe was a great job? Todd was merely Sanchez before his time.
Walton was a backstabbing nose picking ex Giant who sucked as both an OC and HC.


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