Crimson Red Sports

Joe was never what you'd call a humble person, but most of his talk was lighthearted and quick.  Street talk, really.  A Vanderbilt tackler hit him pretty good when he was a sophomore and, according to our players, said, "Hey, No. 12, what's your name?"

Joe said, "You'll see it in the headlines tomorrow."  On the next play he threw a touchdown pass.

Years later some New York writer tried to get a rise out of him about his studies at Alabama.  He asked Joe if he had majored in basket weaving.  Joe's quoted answer was, "Naw, man.  I majored in journalism.  It was easier."

---

This excerpt was taken from the book "Bear:  The Hard Life & Good Times of Alabama's Coach Bryant", by Paul "Bear" Bryant with John Underwood.  It is available here at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1572438886).  If you have not read this book, I highly recommend it.  This story about Joe Namath is found on page 184.

Not meaning to hijack you SC, but me favorite Bama QB quote involved team docs standing over Stabler, who had just had his bell rung.

"Kenny, do you know where you are?"

""Yeah. 3 and 7 on the 43"

That is a good one.

You know, they can say what they want about Joe Willie, but he was (and still is) quick on his feet AND quick with his retorts or responses to the media :)

My Brother In Law is a Joe Willie expert. I have yet to pose a Joe trivia question that he couldn't answer in seconds.  Man is amazing with Bama football too.

These identical comments are in the book Namath by Frank Kriegel.  I hope the writer of The Bear book gives appropriate credit since the other book was published first.

Really?  What year was the Namath book published?

Namath hardback was published August 19, 2004.  It contains over 100 pages of credits for information in the book.  Since I am reading it on an ereader, it is not easy to go back to quotes and see if they are credited to another source.  But over 100 pages of credits is a lot!

He was and is still great! He can point a finger and do what it said on the field. RTR!

The Hard Life and Good Times of Paul Bear Bryant was published in 1975 so it obviously was published first!  I thought it was a new release.  I bet Mark Kriegel gave credit for his source in Namath.  I don't want to plow through over 100 pages of references to find it though!

Boy, you guys are so knowledgeable about publications. My compliments to you all. RTR!

That's right.  That is why I was asking.  The updated second edition came out in 2007, so that is probably the source of the confusion.

Namath had a book released around 1969 or 1970, I read it as a teenager. I think that quote is in there. It's title was, "I Can't Wait Unitl Tomorrow.......Because I Get Better-Looking Every Day."

Great book with several Coach Bryant stories. Namath has probably had over 200-300 magazine articles written about him, so I'm sure that quote has been around a long time.

I am going to see if I can download the Bear book and I Can't Wait until Tomorrow.... on to my ereader.  I remember when Joe's book came out.  I still would love to meet him - have come within 20 feet of him twice in my life and neither time did I get to meet him. :'(

I remember Joe being inerviewed by Johnny Carson about his book back then, "I Can't Wait for Tomorrow," and Johnny asked him about the title. Joe was embarassed and said the publishers recommeded the title for "marketing" purposes. I saw the book on Amazon for like $2.99.

I like just sitting here and reading about the past players and coaches. RTR!

I saw Joe (with the Jets) play an Ehibition game against the Houston Oilers in 1968 od 69 in Charlotte (Independence Stadium) Joe played about 1. 5 quaters.

A funny fight broke out. Some dweeb guy offered to bet anyone $10 bucks that the Oilers would "run for a touchdown" on the next play. They hjad the ball on their 39 or so   (1 and 10) and it was a running play for three -four yards. A drunk guy who had taken him up on it wanted his money. The dweeb (with his son sitting next to him)
giggled and said "they did run for a td they just didn't make it.


Fists were flying, dweebs shirt was  ripped off and the police had both in hand cuffs.

Jets 13-7

I saw Joe Namath and the Jets play an exhibition game against the Boston Patriots in 1968 at Legion Field. I was a young teenager and I was with my dad. It was great and a high-scoring game.

If you like these quotes, read the books.  They will give you a picture of an era that was golden in football, even though we didn't know it at the time.

I am over half way through Namath and although I saw him play, heard the stories about him and remember him posing in pantyhose ( an adman's dream they called him), I have a new found admiration for all the things they didn't broadcast about him.  Bear Bryant didn't call him the best quarterback he ever coached for nothing.  And Joe didn't stop there.
Read about Super Bowl III. 

I think this book is a "must read" for anyone who loves Alabama football and the legends that are part of it.

Not rying to be picky, but I think Coach Bryant called Namath the best "athlete" he coached and Stabler the best QB. People don't know this, but Namath ws a running QB, sorta of like Tebow. He was leading the nation in scoring TDs when he was injured in either 1963 or 1964. I watched Super Bowl III, one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time.  Seven future Hall of Famers were in the game. Both head coaches, Weeb Ewbank (Jets) & Don Shula (Colts). Joe Namath and Don Maynard (WR), an incredble deep threat for the Jets. John Mackey (TE), Johnny Unitas (QB), and Ted Hendricks (LB) for the Colts.
The first Super Bowl I ever saw.

Marshall I can almost feel those days again. I may just get the books and read them. You all have a special touch on your posts. RTR!

Super Bowl III was the game Joe Namath "Guaranteed" the Jets would win.  The AFL Jets were 18-20 (depending on the day) underdogs to the NFL Colts.  The press barely reported the "guarantee" until the Jets had won the game and then it was broadcast widely. The book explains why Namath guaranteed the game and it was just an idle boast.  If you want to know.... you'll have to read the book! :D

Marshall, I'll defer to your knowledge on Bear Bryant's statement about Joe being the best athlete.  I may just be overloaded with "Joe fever" while reading this book!

Not only was Namath an outstanding athlete in football, he also played baseball and basketball.  In basketball he could dunk the ball either forward or backward, a feat apparently unheard of in white basketball players.  Also, he was offered a signing bonus in baseball but decided to go to college (the influence of his Mother).

I was a huge Jets fan as a teenager because of Namath. He guaranteed the win because he said the Jets were not geting any respect from the media or anyone else. I remember him saying that on TV at the time. The Jet were an 18 1/2 point underdog. Nobody but Jets fans and a young teenager in Decatur, Alabama thought the Jets could win. I watched every game they played that year on TV. The Jets had an outstanding team. Namath was sacked only 6 times in 14 games, still the NFL record for fewest sacks of a QB in a season. I can still see some of those great players, George Sauer, Jr., WR, Emerson Boozer RB, Matt Snell RB, Winston Hill OT, Gerry Philbin DE, Randy Beverly CB, Johnny Sample CB, Pete Hammons TE, Verlon Biggs DE, Jim Turner FG Kicker. This was an incredible team. Plus, Namath won the Hickock Belt, given to the best ATHLETE in all of sports for the year. Amazing year.



 :-*

Yes when Namath played for the Jets I was a big supporter. RTR!

I think Namath and Dan Marino were the best pure passers in the game. I've watched a lot of football over the years and have seen many great QB's, but these 2 guys had the most accurate arms ever.

And GMac.

And, of course, GMac. ;)

I agree with those 2 but what about Unitas? Do you think he could be included, I was never a great-big fan but he was a winner with his arm. RTR!

I agree with Ricky - Johnny U definitely should be included. His record of throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games (between 1956-1960) remains unsurpassed as of 2011.