1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 1: The game is over and New York the world. You 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: play to win the gate. He's got as Jet. What's down? 3 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Official New York Jets podcast, a 4 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: Jets three sixty production. What's Up Everybody? Eating Greenberg and 5 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: Eric Allen back in studio for the Official Jets Podcast. 6 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: In this weekend, it's not only Jets colts on Sunday 7 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: I MetLife Stadium, it's also an honoring of the Super 8 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: Bowl three team in nine. It's been fifty years since 9 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:42,840 Speaker 1: that team has took the field and they're gonna be 10 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 1: basically the halftime performance. They're gonna be honored at MetLife Stadium, 11 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,519 Speaker 1: and what better way be honored throughout the weekend? Greens 12 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 1: I think the organization has something set up for them 13 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: throughout the weekend. I think the guys are arriving, maybe 14 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: late Friday, maybe bringing in their families a necessary morning. 15 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: I believe they'll be here on a day when it's 16 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: closed to the media and things like that. But I 17 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: believe the Super Bowl three team will be here to 18 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: take in walk through, maybe talk to some of the 19 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,479 Speaker 1: current members of two thousand and eighteen Jets. Then there's 20 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: some festivities Saturday afternoon. I know there's a dinner at 21 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: MetLife Stadium Saturday night, hosted by Jets fan himself, the Swammy, 22 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: Chris Berman Swamy. Yeah you young buck Man. No, well 23 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: I know he's just Swammy. I didn't know he was hosting. 24 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, so of course I know who the Swallow. Okay, 25 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 1: So then Sunday morning, actually I think I'm hosting a 26 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: breakfast at MetLife Stadium. And then, like you mentioned before, 27 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: the players will be honored at halftime. So everybody, make 28 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 1: sure you get your beers early, maybe the second quarter 29 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: early time out, or your pepsis, your pop worms, whatever 30 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 1: things like that, because we'd love to hit everybody in 31 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: their seats. Make sure to go in the two minute warning. 32 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: Don't go out two minute warning, You're still gonna get 33 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: caught in lines man. Yeah, okay, well everybody does a 34 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 1: two minute warning. You gotta be before that. Yeah, I 35 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 1: do that in the press box too. But so ea, 36 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: and I talked to Bob Letter, who wrote a book 37 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 1: that essentially is about everyone except Joe Namath on the 38 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 1: Super Bowl. A chapter about Joe in there. But as 39 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 1: you'll soon find out, he's one of the few people 40 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: he wasn't able to talk to right. And the book 41 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: is called Beyond Broadway Joe the Super Bowl Team that 42 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 1: Changed Football, And so Bob spoke to what he say, 43 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: thirty eight of the forty four members of the team 44 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: excluding Joe, and then five coaches, And there's a chapter 45 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: on every player. And if you're a Jets fan that 46 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: watched that Super Bowl and you follow the team growing up, 47 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: you're obviously going to be very in tune and you're 48 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: going to know a lot of a lot of the players. 49 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: But there's some fascinating stories from the beginning of the 50 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: book to the end of the book. But if you're 51 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 1: a young Jets fan like myself and I have the 52 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: good fortune of understanding what the Super Bowl meant, not 53 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: only from literature and and whatnot, but my grandmother actually 54 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: was at the game along with my dad and my uncle. 55 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: And I don't think wether, I don't think we've actually 56 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: discussed this. They were at the Orange Bowl. Yeah, yeah, 57 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: my grandma, my grandpa, my uncle, my brother were all 58 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: there in nineteen six nine. Did they keep anything from that, 59 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: like a ticket stub or you know that my grandma 60 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: program programs needs to be big. Back in the day, 61 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: I believe there is a program somewhere in my grandmother's house. 62 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: I mean, like, you know, not that the audience needs 63 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: to know this, but my grandmother is a hoarder, so 64 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: she has everything from she had a check from the 65 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: nineteen fifties that we recently threw out because obviously it 66 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 1: is expired. But like she she has a couple of 67 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: things and there's a uh, there's a program somewhere, I mean, 68 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: we have to find it. And there's a photo of 69 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: polaroid picture uh, and it's uh, you see Broadway Joe 70 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: like getting on a bus, and my grandma was just 71 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 1: like in the front front of the photo. This isn't 72 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:07,119 Speaker 1: in Miami. Yeah, yeah, look at you. Yeah, Broadway Joe's 73 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: So I will say this. Uh. And we didn't get 74 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: into this with Bob, but there was a feeling that season, 75 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: if the Jets could beat the Raiders, that they would 76 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: beat the Baltimore Colts. They were confident that they would 77 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: beat the Colts. Now, the Hodgemakers weren't confident. And we 78 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 1: didn't talk to Bob about the guarantee because it's been 79 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: talked about so many times. But I was in New 80 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: York City recently hosting a Q and A with Joe 81 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: Namath and he said that we're at the Miami Touchdown 82 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: Club and somebody in the back was saying, Hey, you're 83 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: gonna get your butt beat, Joe, You're gonna get your 84 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 1: butt beat, and he said, no, we're not. No, we're not. 85 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: I guarantee it. And that's how that's how it all started. 86 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: And then the next morning you see headlines in the newspaper, 87 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: so you're hosting the Q and A and some guy 88 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: didn't to like, no, no, no, no, that happened at 89 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: the mind, I thought you were saying that some and 90 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: tried to like recreate the moment that would be something 91 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: that would be funny. Maybe some day that will happen, 92 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 1: but uh uh, that's all. It's not like Nameth one 93 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 1: out there and he was talking to a medium member 94 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: and was like, oh, yeah, we're gonna win it. But 95 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:17,919 Speaker 1: if you talk to the guys over the years, and 96 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: I've had a great opportunity to do that, they were 97 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,799 Speaker 1: very confident heading into that game. And the thing about 98 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: that game in particular, which was very interesting is the 99 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: Jets down, I mean dominated on the ground and with 100 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: the defense. I think that had five takeaways in all 101 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: sixteen and seven against the Baltimore Colts. But that game 102 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 1: really changed the football landscape and we were we are 103 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 1: lucky to be part of an organization that, um, you know, 104 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: has that as part of its legacy. And again who 105 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: knows what had what would have happened. Uh, people ultimately 106 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 1: think the merger was happening, but this definitely quicken it 107 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 1: or made it faster that the merger was definitely going 108 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: to happen. Um, So we never know because the NFL 109 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: dominating those first two Super Bowls. So a couple of 110 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 1: things here before we roll in this interview with Bob 111 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 1: Letter is one I think Bob and you and everyone 112 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:16,679 Speaker 1: and would be happy to know that the Super Bowl 113 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 1: three is It was actually taught in when I went 114 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: to school, so I was part of like an American 115 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 1: sports history class and very much so we talked about 116 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 1: Super Bowl three you want to advanced school man, because 117 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: it was a real cool We wasn't elective, but it 118 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: was really cool. We didn't have any sports history class. Yeah, 119 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 1: it was awesome. We learned all about the history. It 120 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,560 Speaker 1: was the history of sports and television and Super Bowl 121 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: three was a big part of that. And just some 122 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 1: really cool stuff there, Like, for example, I didn't know 123 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 1: this is that Floyd Little and Suilve. Oh, by the way, 124 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 1: we gotta drop the four four in here. Yeah. So 125 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: Floyd Little actually, right before the a f L NFL merger, 126 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:55,039 Speaker 1: had agreed to sign with the New York Jets, and 127 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: then the two leagues merged and then there was just 128 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 1: one singular draft. Floyd Little went to the Amber. Bronco's 129 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 1: arrest is history. The other thing is that I just 130 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 1: wanted to say about Joan Amath and the Super Bowl 131 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 1: and the guarantee is just my favorite story is that 132 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: he's like out by the pool like a day before 133 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: the game and reporters just like walked up to him 134 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: and had had a conversational interview with him. And could 135 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 1: you imagine could you just imagine what that would be 136 00:07:19,760 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: like today if a player were just hanging out by 137 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: the pool the day before a game. First of all, 138 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,679 Speaker 1: screwy on social media would be through the roof. Second 139 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 1: of all, it just would never happen, No, it when, 140 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 1: it when. And that was the innocence of everything, because 141 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: back in the day, you could go out and there's 142 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: stories you guys, heaven beers with reporters and you know, 143 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: and there were certain things off limits. Now we live 144 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: in a world where your phone controls everything, so you 145 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 1: gotta be on point all the time. I think there 146 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: was more freedom back in the day, and it was 147 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: more of a relaxed atmosphere, like you're saying, and isn't 148 00:07:55,960 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: it something if you look back to that raft. I 149 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: believe Joe Namath gets was lockted by the St. Louis 150 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: Cardinals in the NFL and the New York Jets of 151 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: the NFL and something any opts to go to the 152 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 1: Jets and the rest of the history. But this was 153 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: a great team. Greens about the mine. This is a 154 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 1: great team, and we get lost in and and that 155 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: over the years. That just thinking it was broadway Joe, 156 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: because if you talk to Joe, he is the first 157 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: person to talk about his running backs, whether it be 158 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: Matt Snow or Emerson Boozer, or offensive linement guys like 159 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: John Schmidt is center up front, or the receivers Donny 160 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:40,119 Speaker 1: Maynard of course, and George Sower and then that defense 161 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: Jerry philbin Um and company. So, uh, the ultimate team 162 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:51,559 Speaker 1: and they had the ultimate win and maybe in sports history, 163 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 1: and well, what a perfect segue to roll in this 164 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: interview with Bob Letter, because it is more than just 165 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: Joe Namath. And I think that's why Bob Letter wrote 166 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: this book. As you'll soon here, he said that someone 167 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 1: would said, oh, that's the Joe Namanth Super Bowl, and 168 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: he took it personally and said, because this team was 169 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 1: great in many more ways than just Joe Namath, even 170 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 1: though he was a key component to the Jets of success. 171 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: But without further ado, here's our talk with Bob Letter. 172 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: All right, now joined by the author of Beyond Broadway, 173 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: Joe the Super Bowl Team that Changed Football, Bob Letter. Bob, 174 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 1: thanks so much for joining us. Thank you gentlemen for 175 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: inviting me. It's a pleasure. And uh, I hope a 176 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 1: lot of Jets fans are gonna learn something from our 177 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: conversation today in from the book. I'm sure that they will. 178 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: And for fans that don't know about what the book is, 179 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 1: can you want to explain what it is, how long 180 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 1: the project took for you to complete, and where you 181 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: got the idea to write this book. The project took 182 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: three years. The book is essentially, I guess the best 183 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 1: way to describe it is the story of the Super 184 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:06,079 Speaker 1: Bowl Jets team other than Joe Namath, although he's obviously 185 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 1: essential character in it, and I think he still has 186 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: the second largest chapter in the book. But it's the 187 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: first attempt ever made to try to incorporate and tell 188 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: the stories of the other forty four players, UM, and 189 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 1: the five coaches and the pro personnel director who enabled, 190 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 1: as I say it, Joe Namath to live up to 191 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:29,199 Speaker 1: his Super Bowl three Guarantee. Bob, there's gonna be a 192 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: lot of young people listening to today and they don't 193 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 1: know the enormous um victory that was for not only 194 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,560 Speaker 1: the Jets, but the a f L and the entire 195 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: football world. And your part three of your book is 196 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 1: how Super Bowl three changed everything? How did it change everything? Well, 197 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 1: I don't want to give the whole thing away, but 198 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: let me put it. Let me put it to you 199 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 1: this way. Um. The Jet players, first of all, had 200 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: heard rumors during the two weeks between the a f 201 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 1: L Championship game where they beat Oakland and earned a 202 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: spot in the Super Bowl, and the Super Bowl game itself, 203 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 1: UM that the NFL was not necessarily going to follow 204 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: through and have all the a f L teams come 205 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:17,960 Speaker 1: into the NFL. In fact, a couple of them, and 206 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 1: they talk about it in the book. Told me that 207 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:24,320 Speaker 1: some of the weaker a FL franchises were seriously being 208 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: considered not being included, and frankly the two weakest AFL 209 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: franchises at the time. And think about this gentleman with 210 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 1: the Boston Patriots and the Denver Bronco. So imagine Tom 211 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:41,439 Speaker 1: Brady never having played for the Patriots. Well, maybe he 212 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: would have gotten to the Jets. Who knows um. But 213 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,199 Speaker 1: the other thing that happened is that Pete Rosel, it 214 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:51,320 Speaker 1: was well known, was looking to incorporate um the ten 215 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 1: AFL teams or however many they were going to put 216 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: in into the NFL structure, and in other words that Jess, 217 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: we're going to be placed in the Giants vision. The 218 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 1: Oakland Raiders were going to be in the forty Niners division. 219 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: Buffalo would have been in a division with Detroit, um, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. UM. 220 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:12,960 Speaker 1: After the Super Bowl game, the a f L owners 221 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:16,839 Speaker 1: got their backs up and they told the NFL, because 222 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: this was decision making time about the merger that was 223 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:23,319 Speaker 1: still two weeks two years off from actually being completed, 224 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: that they were insistent that the structure of the old 225 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 1: American Football League be maintained. And so the best way 226 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 1: to really look at this, and I really thought about 227 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:38,439 Speaker 1: this over this past weekend. Imagine today if the American 228 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 1: Football Conference was not the American Football Conference but the 229 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 1: American Football League, and the NFC was the National Football 230 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: League and they were literally separate league, still at war 231 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 1: with each other, and each year vying for the talent 232 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:57,440 Speaker 1: coming out each year. Imagine for Sam Donald would have 233 00:12:57,480 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 1: cost the Jets to try to sign away from an 234 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 1: NFL team. That it's fascinating to think about when you 235 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 1: put it that way. But I want to know is 236 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 1: how did you go about writing this book and how 237 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 1: many players did you speak to? It were as a 238 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 1: phone interviews? How did you get in contact with the players? 239 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: And did you have a favorite interview? Um? How I 240 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 1: got in touch with the players is a deep guarded secret, 241 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:27,079 Speaker 1: but I will reveal to no one. Um. Um. We 242 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: had a system in place that we put together here 243 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:34,680 Speaker 1: UM that allowed me to identify where the players were 244 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: and then to connect with them through different various means. 245 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: I talked to thirty eight different people who were part 246 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 1: of the forty four players other than Joe and the 247 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 1: five coaches, um and and Sonny Werblin's kids, and even 248 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 1: the children of some of the other owners of the Jets, 249 00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 1: As Sonny Werblin had really gone out of the way 250 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,560 Speaker 1: after the sixty seven season, he had been brought out 251 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: by the There's uh And so I was able to 252 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:09,319 Speaker 1: talk to probably um of the players. Several of them 253 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 1: had died, notably George Sowar Jr. In Jim Hudson that 254 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 1: was actually just a couple of years before I started, 255 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 1: But there had been others who early on had passed away. 256 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: Cleave Rush, who was a superb offensive coordinator, had been 257 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: the first to pass away in ninety eight or seventy nine. Um, 258 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 1: Buddy Ryan was not doing well at the time that 259 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 1: I started the book, But I was able to get 260 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 1: most everybody else. And I also got the last interviews 261 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 1: um that people like um Winston Hill ever did, Curtly 262 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 1: Johnson ever did, etcetera. So it was it was really 263 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: a thrill for me to talk to a lot of 264 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 1: these guys. Now, what's what's the most interesting interview? Boy, 265 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 1: that's really tough to pick out, but I'll tell you 266 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: the first one because it was very very telling about 267 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 1: the rest of the book. Curly Johnson was the first player, 268 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: UM that I elected the call, and it was just 269 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: by chance. I had no specific reason for starting there. 270 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: Curly lived out in Texas and his wife answers the phone, 271 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: and she I told her who I was, and my 272 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 1: my spiel for everybody was and I'm a Jet fan 273 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: since nineteen sixty three, and I remember the evolution of 274 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 1: the team from the Titans to the Jets, and even 275 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:28,359 Speaker 1: more so the evolution and the progress that the players 276 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 1: made individually between nineteen sixty three when Sonny Werblin and 277 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:35,160 Speaker 1: we Viewbank took over, and of course at the end 278 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: of the sixty eight and beginning of the sixty nine 279 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: season when the Jets became champions UM. And and she 280 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: listened to me and said, okay, she says, can you 281 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: hold on a second? I said sure. She covered the 282 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:51,240 Speaker 1: microphone on the phone, and I heard her distinctly say, Hey, Curly, 283 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: there's a guy on the phone that wants to talk 284 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: to you about the Super Bowl. UM, And I could 285 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: hear Curly, who really couldn't communicate for well at that 286 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: point he had really been struck early on by CTE. 287 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: But he laughed. She laughed even louder. She came back, 288 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: and she said, Curly has been waiting forty eight years 289 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: to tell people what happened in his mind, the memories 290 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: he has about that great season, and although nobody else 291 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 1: exactly put it that way, UM, reading between the lines, 292 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: that's what most of the players I talked to really felt. 293 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 1: And the best way I can explain that is that 294 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: when the book was done, and everybody in the book 295 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:34,280 Speaker 1: has their own chapter and they've all seen what I've 296 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: written about them. Um. I heard from at least a 297 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: half a dozen who said they can't wait for the 298 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: book to come out because it will give them something 299 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: they can pass on to generations from their family, to 300 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: show what Grandpa, great grandpa, great great grandpa did as 301 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: a football player back in the nineteen sixties. Yeah, and 302 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 1: that's really wonderful. And the Jets are gonna honor more 303 00:16:56,560 --> 00:17:01,280 Speaker 1: of thirty those Jets players who were there. January twelfth, 304 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty nine. Down in the Orange Bowl one, the 305 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 1: Green and White beat the Baltimore Colt sixteen seven UM 306 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: and one of the most iconic games in any sport ever. Uh. 307 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: The coach of that team was we view bank. You 308 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: actually were able to dig up some player evaluations. How 309 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,639 Speaker 1: cool was that? And I gotta imagine, Bob and when 310 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 1: you went into this, you didn't think that, well, there's 311 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 1: a chance I get some player evaluations from we view back. 312 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: Well remember wildest treams. What actually happened is that some 313 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:39,480 Speaker 1: of the Jet players, after I had interviewed them, invited 314 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 1: me to come to New York to meet them, because said, hey, 315 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: you're asking us a lot of questions. There's a bunch 316 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 1: of us that want to look you in the face 317 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,440 Speaker 1: and ask you a bunch of questions. So I did 318 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: travel to New York in January of two thousand and sixteen, 319 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: and I met with guys like Jerry Philman and Ralph 320 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:59,440 Speaker 1: Baker and Al Atkinson and Larry Grantham and Bake Turner 321 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:03,160 Speaker 1: and Cornell Gordon and a whole bunch of them, um 322 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: and in and amongst the crowd, I was introduced to 323 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 1: a gentleman named j Palmerans who lives on the island 324 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 1: and is one of the biggest Jet season ticket holders. 325 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:14,160 Speaker 1: Um and Jay was introduced to me and I told 326 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:16,399 Speaker 1: him what the project was and he said, hey, he 327 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: got some time before you go back to Chicago this weekend, 328 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,399 Speaker 1: and I said, sure, followed him to his home that 329 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 1: Sunday morning, and he told he took me into what 330 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: I would best describe as a jet caves filled with uniforms, helmets, shoes, 331 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: all sorts of playing paraphernalia from that from that team. 332 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,720 Speaker 1: He's really the ultimate fan of that Super Bowl team. 333 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:42,120 Speaker 1: But more importantly and have more interest to me, He 334 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: opened up his shelf and showed me the weeview Bank States, 335 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 1: which essentially meant that he had playbooks and personal notes 336 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: and things of that nature, um from from the end 337 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 1: of his Colts time to the end of his Jets time. 338 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,080 Speaker 1: And he said, here, have fun. I think you're going 339 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 1: to find a lot of interesting stuff. And he showed 340 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: me a number of items that were there, including, just 341 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: as an example, uh uh, the hospital report on Joe 342 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 1: Amos knees. And one of the great things, AHAs that 343 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: comes out of this book is that at the end 344 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:21,879 Speaker 1: of the seventh season UM the Jets ownership and we 345 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: were told by Dr Nicholas and a specialist of knees 346 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: and such that Joe probably had two to three years 347 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 1: of full capability left in him. And then there was 348 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:37,360 Speaker 1: no guessing that they could make about whether he'd even 349 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 1: be able to suit up and play evermore. And so, UM, 350 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 1: they basically said, if you're going to go for a championship, 351 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 1: go for it soon. Well that that summer, as a 352 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,680 Speaker 1: lot of Jet historians no, in trading camp, the Jets 353 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 1: traded for Bob Talamini to really fortify their offensive line eight, 354 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 1: and that was to protect Joe and be They brought 355 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:00,680 Speaker 1: in Babe Perilli, who became the first veteran quarterback to 356 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: back up Joe Namath and be ready really to step 357 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: in if Nameth got hurt or had to leave a 358 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: game or or what for whatever reason. And that, to 359 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: me in retrospect, was the sign that they were going 360 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:13,479 Speaker 1: for it. I felt that way as a kid when 361 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 1: I was sixteen that year. But I also in looking 362 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 1: back now and being able to read all this information, recognized, um, 363 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 1: that that we and and Sonny Werblin and the Jets 364 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,679 Speaker 1: ownership had decided. Yet we're going for it now because 365 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 1: we can see what the doctor reports have to say. 366 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 1: And that's just one of the things, Um that comes 367 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:36,919 Speaker 1: out of the book. You mentioned Babelli going through this process, 368 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:40,879 Speaker 1: and as time has gone on. How difficult is it 369 00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:44,640 Speaker 1: when you've seen some of these guys passed recently. It's 370 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 1: been very hard for me personally because Babe, Larry Grantham, 371 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:53,199 Speaker 1: Um in particular, were guys that I was talking to 372 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 1: on a fairly regular basis long after I was done 373 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: interviewing them. I mean, Larry Grantham has really taught me 374 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 1: before he died last year, what professional defenses are all about, 375 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: and what you do and what you don't, and especially 376 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: the critical importance of watching film. A lot of the 377 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: other guys I still talk to, you know with with 378 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:18,159 Speaker 1: some regularity, and I count you know, a handful of 379 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:22,119 Speaker 1: them as really amongst my very best friends, and I 380 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:26,040 Speaker 1: hope to continue that well past this fiftieth anniversary. Have 381 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 1: you mentioned that you were sixteen at the time when 382 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: the Jets won the Super Bowl. I just want to know, 383 00:21:31,040 --> 00:21:33,439 Speaker 1: is has grown up watching this team and rooting for 384 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: this team? And what do you remember about the season 385 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 1: about the Super Bowl? And did you have a favorite player? 386 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:46,199 Speaker 1: My favorite players were Jerry Selban and Emerson Boozer. And 387 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,439 Speaker 1: that's one of the reasons I wrote the book, is 388 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: that my my interests in those days, although we all 389 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: loved Joe. You couldn't fail to love Joe. His talent 390 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: was just, you know, out of this world. But the 391 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: Jets had eleven play who played in the a f 392 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 1: L All Star Game that year. So there were ten 393 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:07,359 Speaker 1: other guys, guys like John Elliott and Jerry Philbin and 394 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: Al Atkinson and John Schmidt and Dave Herman and Boozer 395 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 1: himself and Don Maynard and George Sower Jr. Um. These 396 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 1: guys were special talents, um. And so as the youths 397 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: have gone by and the fiftieth anniversary has come to 398 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 1: be connected almost strictly with Joe Namoth. In fact, that's 399 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 1: what I hear here in Chicago when I tell people 400 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 1: about the book. They said, oh, you're you're writing a 401 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: book about the name of Super Bowl. And in a 402 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 1: way that's almost offended me because as a Jets fan 403 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,880 Speaker 1: and somebody who grew up watching football and learning about football, 404 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: as this team was being put together piece by piece 405 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:51,760 Speaker 1: in sixty three and sixty four and sixty sixty sixty seven, 406 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: even bits and pieces that still came together in sixty eight, UM, 407 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: I have really come to recognize that these guys were 408 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:04,360 Speaker 1: a tremendous outfit of forty five players who really committed 409 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:08,120 Speaker 1: themselves to going to win. And I don't know about 410 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: the players today, but I did discover that most of 411 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: these guys back then knew very little about their teammates. 412 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:18,560 Speaker 1: I'm talking about their personal lives. The obviously they knew 413 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 1: their lives and their kids, but beyond that, not much else. 414 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:25,640 Speaker 1: And Jerry Philbin, after reading his chapter, said Hey, I'd 415 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,000 Speaker 1: like to read a couple of the other chapters. I said, sure, 416 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:30,679 Speaker 1: said to to him, and he said, Wow, there is 417 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,359 Speaker 1: so much information here that I didn't know about my teammates. 418 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:36,679 Speaker 1: And he said, I can't wait to read about the 419 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 1: rest of them. And I've heard that from a number 420 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: of players. In fact, Billie Joe, who was at the 421 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 1: beginning of the season the third string fullback, told me 422 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 1: a couple of weeks ago he learned things about himself 423 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,880 Speaker 1: in his chapter. And I don't think you could give 424 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,160 Speaker 1: me a nicer research compliments than to point that after 425 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:58,560 Speaker 1: you can't get anybody than that. How about Broadway Joe 426 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:02,879 Speaker 1: himself did. He liked the concept of the of the 427 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 1: book because I've been here for close to well, this 428 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 1: is my eighteenth season, and I've been around Joe quite 429 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 1: a bunch, and he is a humble guy. He is 430 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:16,640 Speaker 1: a guy who has that magnetic personality. I know when 431 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 1: a lot of people hear that name, and probably you 432 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 1: go through this every day, they think of Broadway, Joe 433 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: the fur Coat, um, the Bachelor's uh, the establishment that 434 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,359 Speaker 1: I had in New York City, the TV shows and 435 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:35,760 Speaker 1: all that other stuff. But I don't think people understand 436 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:37,960 Speaker 1: that this guy was a good teammate and he also 437 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 1: went through an evolution as a player, specifically in Night 438 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: when he said, Hey, I can't do it all by myself. 439 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:48,080 Speaker 1: I have a great running game behind me, I have 440 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:51,919 Speaker 1: a good offensive line, and I have a dominant defense. Well, 441 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 1: you know, I have to be honest with you. I 442 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 1: have never talked to Joe Namas. Wow, he did not 443 00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:59,879 Speaker 1: talk to me for the book. The players told me 444 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:03,120 Speaker 1: that they loved him. In fact, all Atkinson's told me 445 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:06,640 Speaker 1: that the end of his chapter had to conclude with 446 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 1: his simple comment that always remember that we wouldn't have 447 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 1: won without Joe Namas. Um the players love him. Um, 448 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: I they just you know, they know that he was 449 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 1: a difference maker. And we all know he was a 450 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 1: difference maker. Everybody recognized that um, but he said after 451 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:28,480 Speaker 1: the game to Sal Marciano of Channel two in New York, 452 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: when Sal tried to congratulate him and say to him, congratulations, 453 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 1: you're the king of the Hill, Joe immediately turned it 454 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:37,440 Speaker 1: around and said, no, we're the kings of the Hill. 455 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:40,880 Speaker 1: We've got the team. And that was another bit of 456 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 1: the the reason that I did the book that I did, 457 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: I wanted to show and this, this is the way 458 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: the book is laid out, that without a great offensive line, 459 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 1: a very good running game, and particularly running backs who 460 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 1: could block like the devil, great receivers, and a defense 461 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,919 Speaker 1: that in nineteen six eight became the best in the 462 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,640 Speaker 1: American Football League. Without all those components, that even I'll 463 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: add the special teams because they were largely um inhabited 464 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:15,400 Speaker 1: by rookie players who just basically played their hearts out 465 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 1: and put their lives on the line. Because even in 466 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:22,360 Speaker 1: those days, the special teams were more dangerous than anything 467 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: that we see today because there were less and less rules. 468 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: All those things together, as I said early on in 469 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: this conversation, enabled Joe to fulfill his guarantee, Well, the 470 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:38,640 Speaker 1: book is beyond Broadway. Joe, Bob Letter tremendous research, well written, uh, 471 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:41,719 Speaker 1: piece of literature for any Jets fan. And I just 472 00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:45,639 Speaker 1: wanted to leave today with one question. The fathers and 473 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,239 Speaker 1: sons are gonna go to the game Amountlife Stadium this 474 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: weekend Sunday, it's halftime. Here come the Jets onto the field. 475 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: What do you want the fathers to tell their young 476 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: kids about the sea the team? Wow? Great question. Uh. 477 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:07,440 Speaker 1: First of all, I plan to be there too. I'm 478 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:09,760 Speaker 1: gonna find by hooker by crook away to get into 479 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 1: the ballpark. But um, the thing about the sixty eight team, 480 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:16,880 Speaker 1: as I mentioned before, is that these were guys who 481 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: really played their heart out together one of the real 482 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 1: keys to that team winning and I think it probably 483 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:26,919 Speaker 1: applies as well today. But Larry Grantham stressed to me that, 484 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: particularly on defense, every one of the eleven players had 485 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 1: to not only understand, um, what exactly the other ten 486 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:40,119 Speaker 1: guys would do on every single play. So imagine whether 487 00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 1: it's a draw play, or it's there a sweep to 488 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: either side, or it's a screen or it's a long 489 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:50,399 Speaker 1: pass play. Um, the defensive tackle John Elliott had to 490 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 1: know what the other guys on the defensive line. Each 491 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 1: one of them was going to do on that play, 492 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 1: what the linebackers were going to do, kind of the 493 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: safeties we're gonna be lined up, and what the corners 494 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 1: were prepared to do, and that sort of thing. And 495 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: that is what makes a team cohesive and work. And 496 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:10,960 Speaker 1: just to give an example, you know from the present day, 497 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 1: watching the game against Jacksonville the other day, so the 498 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 1: the thriving uh Jacksonsville offense because they could just throw 499 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: over the middle, as Jet defensive backs would let their 500 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 1: guy go and anticipate that somebody else was going to 501 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 1: pick them up deeper in the secondary. Um. That comes 502 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 1: from experience, that comes from really watching film for for 503 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: endless hours and understanding what's going on. But it's the 504 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 1: cohesion that comes together. And you know, going into the 505 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 1: six eight season, guys, um, there were only three new 506 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 1: players that started for the Jets, so everybody else had 507 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 1: become more and more accustomed to playing alongside the guy 508 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 1: next to them um in the years that had passed on, 509 00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:58,840 Speaker 1: and that was one of the keys to the success 510 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:02,040 Speaker 1: of that team. That is Bob Letter, the author of 511 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 1: Beyond Broadway Joe, The Super Bowl Team that Change Football. Bob, 512 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 1: thank you so much. Again for joining us. Well, thank you. 513 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 1: I appreciate your your opportunity and your recommendation, and I 514 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: hope people will take advantage uh and read up because 515 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 1: young or old, but particularly to the young not there, 516 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: who I understand may not be as with it. As 517 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 1: far as this team goes, this is the legacy that 518 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 1: we have as Jet fans. This is the greatest team 519 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 1: in the history um of the New York Jet franchise. 520 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: In fact, they still hold the record for official points 521 00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:36,640 Speaker 1: scored in the season, and I think that says quite 522 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 1: a bit fifty years later. Thanks Bob, We'll see us Sunday. Okay, 523 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:46,280 Speaker 1: thank you. Tremendous stuff from Bob, getting some insight on 524 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 1: how he went about talking to the players, how the 525 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 1: book came to fruition three years in the making. I mean, 526 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 1: the book is let's take a look here. It's about 527 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:01,280 Speaker 1: three hundred plus pages, almost four hundred, and there's just 528 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 1: tons of information in this book from the beginning to 529 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 1: the end. And then truly like, as as we sit 530 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: here recording this podcast, I'm looking in the middle. There's 531 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:15,720 Speaker 1: just like some photos here and I'm looking at a 532 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 1: photo of the nineties side players and it looks like 533 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:22,480 Speaker 1: it's out of a notebook that I have on my desk, 534 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:24,520 Speaker 1: and you know what I mean, Like, this is crazy 535 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: just to think about how the operation was so different 536 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 1: in the nineteen sixties and the seventies compared to now, 537 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 1: because this document would not only would be electronic, could 538 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:39,320 Speaker 1: probably be locked somewhere like this is just like a 539 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 1: piece of paper. And what's so funny to me is 540 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:43,640 Speaker 1: when in the interview with Bob is when he was 541 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 1: saying that he came across papers from the doctors on 542 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:51,239 Speaker 1: Joe Naman's knees, like that, that's crazy. You don't just 543 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:55,560 Speaker 1: like find that anymore. And then, uh, just looking back, 544 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:58,240 Speaker 1: I'm still thinking about the defense and bringing up Randy 545 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:01,800 Speaker 1: Beverly had a couple of interceptions and that game. Um yeah, 546 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 1: but all you said, Yeah, Bob elaborated on his relationship 547 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:08,959 Speaker 1: with j palm Rance, and palm Rance is a guy 548 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:12,360 Speaker 1: who's got a lot of Judge memorabilia. So there is 549 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 1: uh some really neat information that palm Rance hands and 550 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 1: he was able to share with Bob in this book. 551 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 1: I have a good name of story for you. So 552 00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 1: we're also in the Q and A in the city 553 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: and we get done with it, and I said, thanks 554 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:31,200 Speaker 1: Joe and the people. There was a small, uh crowd 555 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:33,840 Speaker 1: in attendance, and they clapped, and he went over to 556 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl trophy because they brought it into the city, 557 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 1: and he kissed it, and then he came over to 558 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 1: me and he whispered to me, he goes, I think 559 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 1: that's the first time I ever did it. Oh, look 560 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:47,240 Speaker 1: at that about that. Uh yeah, I've met Joe a 561 00:31:47,320 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 1: couple of times, and growing up, you know, you hear 562 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:55,320 Speaker 1: stories about Joe, and you see photos and see videos 563 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:58,880 Speaker 1: and whatever. But meeting Joe in person, it's weird because 564 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:04,600 Speaker 1: you can and see exactly why people were pulled to 565 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 1: him as fans, as friends, and you said that he 566 00:32:08,640 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 1: had a magnetic personality. I mean, it's so obvious just 567 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:13,800 Speaker 1: in the first time I met him, I think was 568 00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 1: for like two minutes at a United Way event and 569 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,000 Speaker 1: he's a big proponent of United Way as a hometown hero. 570 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:21,800 Speaker 1: That happens every year, and I suppose I interviewed him 571 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:24,320 Speaker 1: for like probably a minute or two, probably less than 572 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 1: two minutes, because he's a busy guy, and I mean 573 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 1: you could tell immediately that you know he's got he's 574 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:33,600 Speaker 1: still got the fashion going. He's very charismatic and he 575 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:36,400 Speaker 1: that was a great edge to charismatic man that that 576 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: guy he got. He still can walk down New York City. 577 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,400 Speaker 1: He's still got he's got a glow about him. There's 578 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 1: just something different. And remember he's been on a public 579 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 1: eye for what fifty some years now, and he is 580 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 1: so good with people because a lot of people want 581 00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:55,120 Speaker 1: to come up to him and tell him their story, 582 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,240 Speaker 1: tell him where they were when it happened, or maybe 583 00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:00,480 Speaker 1: where their dad was when it happened, and think like that, 584 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,200 Speaker 1: and you know, or maybe maybe asked him a story 585 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 1: about Bear Bryant and Alabama and he is so giving 586 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: with his time and his smile and that beaver falls 587 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:17,480 Speaker 1: the draw uh that he developed and then went down 588 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 1: to Alabama picked up some southern twain to Yeah, it's 589 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 1: like a Pennsylvania and Alabama Pennsylbama. There it is. But 590 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 1: he's a man. He's still the man to this day. 591 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 1: And this team is you know, it's still you know, 592 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:34,800 Speaker 1: they'll always be remembered. But any time you get to 593 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:39,200 Speaker 1: a fiftieth anniversary, it's really special. Fifty years later again 594 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 1: super Bowl three, the team will be honored at halftime 595 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 1: at met Life said he has the Jets take on 596 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:48,720 Speaker 1: me now, Indianapolis Colts, make sure he has. He said, 597 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:51,080 Speaker 1: make sure to get your popcorn and get your pepsi, 598 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:53,960 Speaker 1: your soda, your beer or whatever you need. Make sure 599 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 1: to get it before the two minute warnings. Are wearing 600 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:01,120 Speaker 1: all whites like they did in Super Bowl, and as 601 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:04,600 Speaker 1: on our previous podcast, Neil Glatt, the President of the Jets, said, 602 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:07,640 Speaker 1: they're rocking the gray face masks. I like it, so 603 00:34:08,080 --> 00:34:10,640 Speaker 1: a little bit of a uniform combination, a new one 604 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:14,279 Speaker 1: so a new one for new Jets fans, an old 605 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:17,279 Speaker 1: one for older Jets fans. Nonetheless, it should be a 606 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:19,960 Speaker 1: great day, thanks again to Bob Letter. But that's all 607 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:23,360 Speaker 1: we have on this episode of the Official Jets Podcast.