NY Jets Win The Super Bowl!
Oooops, I’m old and confused. Congratulations to the New England Patriots for winning Super Bowl 51. The first OVERTIME game in Super Bowl History! You deserved to win the game….one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time!
Now, back to the NY Jets winning Super Bowl III. Jets quarterback Joe Namath “guaranteed” victory on the Thursday before the game, then went out and led the AFL to its first Super Bowl victory over a Baltimore team that had lost only once in 16 games all season. I was 18 years old, watched the game on a black and white TV in a college dorm in freezing cold (a lot of snow) Rochester, NY. It was a day I will never forget, but unfortunately that is the last bit of happiness that the NY Jets have given me.
Namath, chosen the outstanding player, completed 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards and directed a steady attack that dominated the NFL champions after the Jets’ defense had intercepted Colts quarterback Earl Morrall three times in the first half. The Jets had 337 total yards, including 121 rushing yards by Matt Snell. Johnny Unitas, who had missed most of the season with a sore elbow, came off the bench and led Baltimore to its only touchdown late in the fourth quarter after New York led 16-0. (from NFL.com)
Some Facts About Super Bowl III (from nfl.com):
Date: January 12, 1969
Stadium: Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
MVP: Joe Namath, Quarterback
Favorite: Colts by 18 1/2
Attendance: 75,389
Future Hall of Famers: Jets: Weeb Ewbank (coach), Don Maynard, Joe Namath. Colts: Don Shula (coach), John Mackey, Johnny Unitas
National Anthem: Lloyd Geisler of the Washington National Symphony Orchestra:
Halftime Show: “America Thanks” with Florida A&M University Band
TV: In the United States
Network: NBC
Announcers: Curt Gowdy, Al DeRogatis and Kyle Rote
Viewers: Est. 41.66 million viewers
Cost of 30-Second Commercial: $55,000
…..Oh my, how times have changed!
photos from Wikepedia