Anybody Watch "Namath" on HBO?

[truth on hold]

I love how Namath is always nailing Rexy in the press

[EasternOHBillsFan]

Simply put, Namath was the coolest football player ever -- took the game from Johnny U crew cuts and black high tops to the modern world.

 

I disagree... Johnny Unitas ALWAYS did it with class, and even though he had to sit and watch Super Bowl III in agony on the bench for most of that game, he took his lumps and moved on. To the end, Johnny Unitas represented the NFL extremely well and personally in my opinion is still the greatest QB in NFL history despite not playing in the protect-the-QB-at-all-costs, pass happy league we have today.

 

All Joe Namath did was become a flamboyant icon and is now consistently embarrassing the team he played for and acting like a drunken fool.

 

We need more Unitases and less Namaths. You never saw 'crew cut' Jack Kemp act like that either, to reference the Bills in all of this.

Edited January 30, 2012 by BmoreBills

[nbash]

I disagree... Johnny Unitas ALWAYS did it with class, and even though he had to sit and watch Super Bowl III in agony on the bench for most of that game, he took his lumps and moved on. To the end, Johnny Unitas represented the NFL extremely well and personally in my opinion is still the greatest QB in NFL history despite not playing in the protect-the-QB-at-all-costs, pass happy league we have today.

 

All Joe Namath did was become a flamboyant icon and is now consistently embarrassing the team he played for and acting like a drunken fool.

 

We need more Unitases and less Namaths. You never saw 'crew cut' Jack Kemp act like that either, to reference the Bills in all of this.

 

I didn't mean for that to come off as a knock on Johnny U, loved him. I just happened to love Namath's style and swagger, he was refreshing in a conservative, low-flash world of Unitas, Kemp, Starr, etc.

[Cloverbank]

I don't have the exact quote, but when sitting at his locker after the SuperBowl victory the reporter said "Joe, you were the best player out there today". Namath replied, No we were the better team'. Class act.

 

 

Grew up on Long Island .... 2 guys you could always count on to give autographs to us kids at Jets training camp at Hofstra University ...Namath and ..... Lou Piccone (still my favorite Jet and Bill).

[Buffaloed in Pa]

My wife and I watched HBO's profile of Namath's career last night. Was one of the more interesting stories about him. Well done. Another great football player from from western Pa. Beaver Falls, East Brady, there all the same, blue collar towns where sports was the big thing. I'd like to see HBO, or some other network, do a similar documentary on Jim. I think it would be interesting.

 

Any thoughts/comments?

Just one of many great pa. boys at QB

[bbb]

Grew up on Long Island .... 2 guys you could always count on to give autographs to us kids at Jets training camp at Hofstra University ...Namath and ..... Lou Piccone (still my favorite Jet and Bill).

 

That is really cool. I still remember reading an SI article where it mentioned the only two players who sell tickets by themselves were Joe Willie and OJ. To have such an icon be one of the two who would always sign is pretty awesome.

[EasternOHBillsFan]

I didn't mean for that to come off as a knock on Johnny U, loved him. I just happened to love Namath's style and swagger, he was refreshing in a conservative, low-flash world of Unitas, Kemp, Starr, etc.

 

I understand what you meant, but over the course of time quarterbacks like Namath were a flash in the pan, because still today we see that the quarterbacks who are most grounded seem to hoist the championship trophy.

 

As an aside, Don Shula never had to account for his coaching during Super Bowl III and how he let his all-pro quarterback ride the pine because Earl Morrall got them there.

[tennesseeboy]

IMO, the irony in comparing Kelly to Namath is that Kelly had a much greater career… except for the lone fact that Namath guaranteed a victory in the Super Bowl and then delivered, whereas Kelly was on a team which lost 4 straight Super Bowls.

 

Aside from this single but huge point, Kelly accomplished way more during his NFL career than Namath.

Au contraire, mon frere.....Joe Namath actually won a superbowl...the first one that the AFL won. Jim Kelly struck out four times....game, set and match.

[EasternOHBillsFan]

Au contraire, mon frere.....Joe Namath actually won a superbowl...the first one that the AFL won. Jim Kelly struck out four times....game, set and match.

 

Brad Johnson won a Super Bowl, as well as Trent Dilfer, and so they are AUTOMATICALLY better than Jim Kelly, according to your logic.

 

Disqualified.

Edited January 30, 2012 by BmoreBills

[RevWarRifleman]

Just one of many great pa. boys at QB

 

Ah someone from Pa., great. Perhaps you can shed some scientific information about what is, in my mind, clearly a sport phenominon. What IS IT about this northwest region of Pa that has produced such great NFL players??? And yes, its amazing the number of HOF quarterbacks from that region. Is it possibly iron ore flakes in the water? How about the food, 'Buffaloed in Pa'? Just like various regions in the U.S. has its noted dish, Buffalo wings & beef on weck, Balitmore, crab cakes, Maine, lobster, on and on and on? How about, instead of crosses in the local churches in western Pa., they have footballs?

 

Any of these theories close 'Buffaloed'? God I hope not because w/ all of these I've obviously been very facitious.

[K-9]

Ah someone from Pa., great. Perhaps you can shed some scientific information about what is, in my mind, clearly a sport phenominon. What IS IT about this northwest region of Pa that has produced such great NFL players??? And yes, its amazing the number of HOF quarterbacks from that region. Is it possibly iron ore flakes in the water? How about the food, 'Buffaloed in Pa'? Just like various regions in the U.S. has its noted dish, Buffalo wings & beef on weck, Balitmore, crab cakes, Maine, lobster, on and on and on? How about, instead of crosses in the local churches in western Pa., they have footballs?

 

Any of these theories close 'Buffaloed'? God I hope not because w/ all of these I've obviously been very facitious.

 

Gotta be the steel shavings in the Iron City Beer.

 

As to those that would deride anything Namath did in his career, I can only assume you didn't see him play much, if at all. Yes, he was flamboyant off the field, but he was no primadonna. Far from it. He may have worn the flashy clothes and lived the unabashed bachelor lifestyle in NY City (who wouldn't?), but he was one of the most humble guys as well. That's why everybody liked him. For all his flash, he was just one of the guys and the media is largely to blame for hyping his image. He was the ultimate team player to boot and he had the respect of everybody he played with and against.

 

Just a great QB in every sense of the word. Hardly a flash in the pan. If Namath was a flash in the pan then so was Gale Sayers. And flashes in the pan don't make the HOF and have documentaries made about them.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Edited January 30, 2012 by K-9

[RevWarRifleman]

Gotta be the steel shavings in the Iron City Beer.

 

As to those that would deride anything Namath did in his career, I can only assume you didn't see him play much, if at all. Yes, he was flamboyant off the field, but he was no primadonna. Far from it. He may have worn the flashy clothes and lived the unabashed bachelor lifestyle in NY City (who wouldn't?), but he was one of the most humble guys as well. That's why everybody liked him. For all his flash, he was just one of the guys and the media is largely to blame for hyping his image. He was the ultimate team player to boot and he had the respect of everybody he played with and against.

 

Just a great QB in every sense of the word. Hardly a flash in the pan. If Namath was a flash in the pan then so was Gale Sayers. And flashes in the pan don't make the HOF and have documentaries made about them.

 

GO BILLS!!!

Well put, K-9. He was tough too. Basically played his whole pro career on one leg. Team guy, skilled, and tough.

 

On a side note,I think you're on to something. Yes, steel shavings in the Iron City beer. I should have caught that. Could it be the cause.....? I'm going out and buying some Iron City to "experiment" in my lab.

[K-9]

Well put, K-9. He was tough too. Basically played his whole pro career on one leg. Team guy, skilled, and tough.

 

On a side note,I think you're on to something. Yes, steel shavings in the Iron City beer. I should have caught that. Could it be the cause.....? I'm going out and buying some Iron City to "experiment" in my lab.

 

Yep. Namath was tough as nails. Which, ironically, is what you'll be crapping after your Iron City lab "experiments."

 

But you'll be throwing 60 yard passes on a frozen rope so it's well worth it.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[EasternOHBillsFan]

As to those that would deride anything Namath did in his career, I can only assume you didn't see him play much, if at all. Yes, he was flamboyant off the field, but he was no primadonna. Far from it. He may have worn the flashy clothes and lived the unabashed bachelor lifestyle in NY City (who wouldn't?), but he was one of the most humble guys as well. That's why everybody liked him. For all his flash, he was just one of the guys and the media is largely to blame for hyping his image. He was the ultimate team player to boot and he had the respect of everybody he played with and against.

 

Just a great QB in every sense of the word. Hardly a flash in the pan. If Namath was a flash in the pan then so was Gale Sayers. And flashes in the pan don't make the HOF and have documentaries made about them.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

The ONLY reason he is in the Hall of Fame is for Super Bowl III- his numbers are below average for a quarterback. He did not face the Baltimore Colts led by Johnny Unitas for a full game as I said, and didn't do anything relevant before that game or after that game. He may have made the AFL, but if he had lost that game he's not in the Hall of Fame. There is NO other quarterback you can say that about, ever. All of the other NFL QUARTERBACKS in Canton got there on their statistics at least, bottom line. Put Ken Stabler in the Hall then... why not?

Edited January 30, 2012 by BmoreBills

[K-9]

The ONLY reason he is in the Hall of Fame is for Super Bowl III- his numbers are below average for a quarterback. He did not face the Baltimore Colts led by Johnny Unitas for a full game as I said, and didn't do anything relevant before that game or after that game. He may have made the AFL, but if he had lost that game he's not in the Hall of Fame. There is NO other quarterback you can say that about, ever. All of the other NFL QUARTERBACKS in Canton got there on their statistics at least, bottom line. Put Ken Stabler in the Hall then... why not?

 

With all due respect, Bmore, you can't be more wrong about what Namath "didn't" do in SBIII. It's too bad that he didn't get a chance to watch his own boyhood hero, Johnny U. for the entire game. But Unitas didn't play defense anyway and Namath did a number on the best defense in pro football by calling one of the best games a QB ever called. We've grown so accustomed to radio receivers in the helmet, personnel packages, and OCs calling plays, that we take for granted the lost art of a QB who called his own plays. And nobody was better at that than Joe Namath. It was the most important aspect of playing the position at the time and I don't dismiss that so easily. Especially when comparing QBs across eras.

 

While SB III is his crowning achievement, it's hardly the only reason he's in the HOF. Fortunately, the pro football writers of his era recognized the difference between being a QB and being a passer. Kenny Stabler not being in the HOF is just not Namath's problem.

 

Why is Gale Sayers in the HOF? He seems to fit the criteria for "flash in the pan" as well. God knows there are RBs that have more yards and TDs. He's in there because he deserves to be according to those who made the selection. Just like Namath.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[bbb]

He was a two time league MVP and was the All Time AFL quarterback.........So, it wasn't just SB III that got him in.

 

Joe Namath, Gale Sayers, Creedence Clearwater Revival - all relatively short bursts so brilliance that they are HOFers!

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

Interview from the early 1970's:

 

Interviwer: Does sex before a game hurt an athlete's performance on the field?

 

Namath: It depends on what kind.

 

[EasternOHBillsFan]

With all due respect, Bmore, you can't be more wrong about what Namath "didn't" do in SBIII. It's too bad that he didn't get a chance to watch his own boyhood hero, Johnny U. for the entire game. But Unitas didn't play defense anyway and Namath did a number on the best defense in pro football by calling one of the best games a QB ever called. We've grown so accustomed to radio receivers in the helmet, personnel packages, and OCs calling plays, that we take for granted the lost art of a QB who called his own plays. And nobody was better at that than Joe Namath. It was the most important aspect of playing the position at the time and I don't dismiss that so easily. Especially when comparing QBs across eras.

 

While SB III is his crowning achievement, it's hardly the only reason he's in the HOF. Fortunately, the pro football writers of his era recognized the difference between being a QB and being a passer. Kenny Stabler not being in the HOF is just not Namath's problem.

 

Why is Gale Sayers in the HOF? He seems to fit the criteria for "flash in the pan" as well. God knows there are RBs that have more yards and TDs. He's in there because he deserves to be according to those who made the selection. Just like Namath.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

If he called his own plays, then you would think the Jets would have been better and his numbers would have been better, and so all the more evidence that he wasn't a HOF quarterback.

 

Let's look at the statistics:

 

16-7 Final Score.

N.Y. Jets: 1 TD, 3 FGs.

Baltimore Colts: 1 TD with Johnny Unitas at QB, in the 4th quarter.

Earl Morrall intercepted 3 times in the first half.

 

Joe Namath:

 

"Earl Morrall would be third-string quarterback on the Jets," he said. "there are maybe five or six better quarterbacks than Morrall in the AFL."

 

Even HE knew that it was the key to the game, because if Unitas had been out there the game, it would have been tough for him to keep up with the scoring of the Colts against their defense. Earl Morrall gave the Jets the game, dooming the Colts defense. This is a script written many times- a team who should win does not because of a liability, and the Colts' liability was Earl Morrall. Joe Namath didn't win that game, the Colts lost it.

[K-9]

If he called his own plays, then you would think the Jets would have been better and his numbers would have been better, and so all the more evidence that he wasn't a HOF quarterback.

 

Let's look at the statistics:

 

16-7 Final Score.

N.Y. Jets: 1 TD, 3 FGs.

Baltimore Colts: 1 TD with Johnny Unitas at QB, in the 4th quarter.

Earl Morrall intercepted 3 times in the first half.

 

Joe Namath:

 

"Earl Morrall would be third-string quarterback on the Jets," he said. "there are maybe five or six better quarterbacks than Morrall in the AFL."

 

Even HE knew that it was the key to the game, because if Unitas had been out there the game, it would have been tough for him to keep up with the scoring of the Colts against their defense. Earl Morrall gave the Jets the game, dooming the Colts defense. This is a script written many times- a team who should win does not because of a liability, and the Colts' liability was Earl Morrall. Joe Namath didn't win that game, the Colts lost it.

 

So, calling plays = calling your OWN number more often and increasing your OWN stat line. Got it. Sorry I wasted your time.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[tennesseeboy]

Brad Johnson won a Super Bowl, as well as Trent Dilfer, and so they are AUTOMATICALLY better than Jim Kelly, according to your logic.

 

Disqualified.

none of them (Kelly included) won the first one that the AFL ever won. That was the greatest achievement in the history of the merger (at least from the AFL side). No one is ever going to have an achievement like that again. He was great. Kelly had a more productive statistical career? Heck yes. But you need to be great when greatness is needed.