SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
I should be writing this in green, but I’ll let the New York Jets do that.
Ah, the Gang Green Nation. Began in 1959 wearing blue and red, playing in the Polo Grounds in upper Manhattan, and known as the Titans of New York.
In 1964, no more Titans, replaced by the green and white Jets playing at Shea Stadium in the New York borough of Queens.
I was then with the Jersey Journal sports department in Jersey City and assigned to cover the Jets, who in 1966 brought in rookie quarterback Joe Namath out of Slippery Rock, Pa. and University of Alabama.
Two years later, Broadway Joe as he was nicknamed but had never been on Broadway, took the Jets to the American Football Conference championship, and in what was designated as Super Bowl III in 1968, predicted and stunned the NFC champion Baltimore Colts, 18-7, in Miami’s Orange Bowl.
That was it, that was the glory that stuck with this franchise. I remember him two days before the game leaning back on a lounging chair at a motel on AIA across from the Atlantic Ocean, and getting annoyed with the questions thrown at him, he leaned forward and predicted they were going to beat the Colts.
Somehow when I think of the Jets now, I also think of the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association. I call them the nomads who won a pair of ABA titles with the red, white and blue ball in 1974 and ’76. Nothing since, no NBA championships, and simply reminds me of the Jets.
The third member of this trio, the Mets, were the first to choose this franchise name, and that was 1962, but at least they won a World Series in 1969 and another in 1986.
So let’s get back the Jets and their frustrated fans that fill the seats at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Like the New York Giants, the other tenant there, they wear NY and play in the Garden State under co-owners Woody and Christopher Johnson, and its general manager is Joe Douglas.
These days, the Jets’ drive is for a quarterback. It’s getting plenty of space on the sports pages of the New York Post and New York Daily News. Unhappy with their first round, second pick Zach Wilson out of Brigham Young, they’ve got their sights on 39-year-old Aaron Rodgers, still currently with the Green Bay Packers.
This past weekend they had a guest at their practice field in Florham Park, N.H. in former Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who was recently released by them because he didn’t agree on a no-trade contract. It appears that the Jets
went over things with him and left it at that.
Said Derek’s older brother David, a former No. 1 draft pick: “He said he had a great trip, enjoyed meeting with the Jets. It was a visit that got him more acquainted with another team, and he got a feel for it, but he wasn’t making a fast decision.”
There has also been some talk about Jimmy Garoppolo and whether or not he will return to the San Francisco 49ers. There’s all been some interest regarding present Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who turns 35 next month and hasn’t had any particular big games.
Zach Wilson, well the Jets don’t speak of tradng him but he’s also listed by the media as one of five roster players that might be traded.
The way he’s let the team and its fans down, any of these mentioned quarterbacks would be a gift, a huge improvement.
The franchise has had an impressive offseason, with both Darrell Rivas and Joe Klecko voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and wide receiver Garrett White and defensive back Sauce Gardner were named respective NFL offensive and defensive Rookies of the year.
Then there’s the return of running back Breece Hall. The former Iowa State two-time All-America and Big 12 offensive player of the year led the Jets along the ground until he went down with a torn ACL in week 7 against the Denver Broncos, and was immediately done for the season.
He had rushed for 563 yards, scored eight touchdowns, and also tallied five times through the air while also showing his blocking skills.
The word is that he is ready to go, has been working out for months, and is recognized for patience, burst, vision and confidence. He’s said he can’t wait to be back playing.
So now all the Jets need is a quality signal-caller who can generate the offense, one with experience, one who can handle the pressure, and one who can gather the support of the green and white die-hards.
Everyone’s been getting into the act, even Namath, a true-green Jeter, has been pushing for a quarterback to pave the way to what, let’s say, he accomplished in 1968.
The Nets, 45 years since winning that final ABA title, the Jets 55 years since that Super Bowl. The Mets, well they just happen to be well-stocked for this season, one of the favorites in fact to reach the postseason, and unlike the Jersey Jets, they, as do the Nets, play in New York.
Remember, it began with M-E-Ts, followed by J-E-Ts, and the N-E-Ts then put the cap on it.
