All Time Jets: The Wideouts
To continue on, it was clear that you wanted to see Curtis as the All-Time Jets Running Back, and you made the right choice. Certainly there were players that had a spark, but over time, Curtis has proved out to be the best back out there… add to that the fact that he had been romantically linked to Toni Braxton, and there you go.
I know that there are plenty of options here, but I hope that I have provided a good enough sample. Some guys I have left off (like Rob Moore, Lav Coles & Santana Moss) just due to their not playing for the Jets for long enough. Certainly Meshawn doesn't fit that category either, but he was a #1 pick and I wanted to see what you would do with that. As far as Rich Caster, he was a player who led the Jets in receiving 4 times during the 70s and was a 3 time Pro-Bowler to boot.
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What, no JoJo Townsell?!!
Fine, I'll vote for Maynard instead . . .
Al Toon getting more love than Wes? Wow!
Most talented at WR:
Al Toon and Wesley Walker
Most prolific and most heart:
Country Don Maynard and Wayne Chrebet
I thought George Sauer (spelling?) was better than Maynard, he just quit sooner. For my money, nobody was better than the one-eyed wonder, Wesley Walker. He was an awful commentator on Jets radio broadcasts but nobody could stretch the field like him. I did love Namath to Caster for 88 yds in I think the Colts game.
I still have my Al Toon Jersey and he is the best WR I have seen for the Jets. Meshawn definitely had talent but he also had a huge mouth that he never shut. Maynard has to be in there just by virtue of his HOF status. I almost voted for Chrebet though.
[TRUE STORY]
I met Al Toon in Steamboat Springs in 2000. He was in front of me getting his lift ticket (he's an avid snow boarder). I told him I was a Jets fan and he said we're the only ones who recognize him in public. He was super cool!
How can I choose between Toon, Walker and Chrebet, probably my three favourite ex-Jets of all time?
Especially when Maynard was probably better than all of them!
Toon was the most talented of all but his career was cut short (partly due in my eyes to the fact that they never put any other talent around him). I loved Walker's big play abilities and every Jets fan has to love Chrebet's heart, guts and his amazing hands.
Anyway, I'm pretty sure Caster is a tight end!
I chose Maynard and Walker. I really don't remember Maynard, but he's one of the few Jets HOF members and, as an added bonus, the Giants inexplicably let him go after his rookie season. Walker was the best deep threat the Jets have ever had. We've had great possession receivers, like Toon (the best and I can't blame anyone for choosing him over Walker, but he was no way near as exciting a player), Chrebet, Caster, Keyshawn, etc. But, the legally-blind in one eye Walker was a true game breaker. Also, he had the single greatest game that any Jets WR has ever had. September 21, 1986, the Jets beat the Dolphins in OT, Marino throws 6 TDs, including three to Duper and Clayton (who got over 300 receiving yards between them). On a day when Duper, Clayton and Toon all had great days, Walker's 194 yards and 4 TDs stole the show, including his 21 yard TD to send the game into OT (was it on 4th down? I know it was the last play in regulation) and his 43 yard score in OT was a thing of beauty. Oh and his other two TDs went for 65 and 50 yards…three 40+ yard bombs in one game!!! No other Jets receiver had Walker's deep-threat ability…it's a shame he had to play with Richard Todd as his QB for most of his NFL career. Also, he and Maynard are the only Jets who led the team in receiving yards for 6 seasons in their careers.
And they just announced Chrebet will retire Friday. We'll miss you Wayne. Come back and coach our guys to catch the ball.
Who is George Sauer Jr?
If you are relatively new to Bob’s Blog, you may be shocked by the very random nature of the occasional football history post. In the past, I have featured Joe Kapp, the Immaculate Reception, and many other great old school football topics not because they are relevant, but rather because they are relevant to me. So, feel free to bypass my ramblings about the good old days, or sit back and enjoy today’s entry.
George Sauer
So, last night, I am enjoying another hour of viewing from a DVD set I received for Christmas, Super Bowl Collection, I – X , and was watching the summary of 1968 in pro football and then the historic Super Bowl III between the Colts and the Jets. I must tell you if you love old school NFL, you might need to buy this!
Anyway, I was enjoying the Super Bowl III highlights that I have seen a hundred times, and was watching WR George Sauer make catch after catch in this game for a total of 8 catches for 133 yards. Basically 2/3rds of every yard Joe Namath was credited for went to George Sauer. He was opposite Don Maynard, who had a far less significant contribution to the upset of the favored Colts. Of course, Sauer, is relatively anonymous to my generation, while Namath is constantly presented to us as the one of a kind superstar that he was (despite his statistics being very disappointing). By the way, Namath played well in this game, but the adoration seems excessive for his performance when you actually watch the game and study the statistics. Matt Snell’s running and the Baltimore Colts 5 Turnovers were the reason that the 18-point favorite Colts went down to the biggest upset in football history. Of course, Namath did make the guarantee, so history will never forget him.
Anyway, my DVD had a few special feature vignettes at the end of the game, and one was a 5-minute story about Sauer. The details were pretty interesting about a guy I knew almost nothing about. Including:
· He retired at 27 after 4 Pro Bowls in 5 years, and being a star in Super Bowl III
· He claimed he retired because he lost any desire to play football and found football to be too savage and attempted to become an author
· His dad was the scout who signed him, and also a star for Nebraska and Green Bay in the 1930’s and part of the Packers 1936 title team
· He was given a full scholarship at Texas when he was born (long story)
Anyway, a father-son combination in the NFL that I didn’t know much about, but now I am a bit more familiar with the great George Sauer, Jr.
I am old enough to remember George Sauer. For the brief career, he was the best receiver the Jets ever had. Far and away the best hands and the moves and the routes were precise. He is so underrated because of his quick exit to the game. But for my money, Nobody better.
A no-brainer: Maynard and Walker; averaged 18.7 and 19 yards/catch!
Caster had great individual games, and Toon good numbers in a short career.
Quetion about Joe Namath.
Many years ago, not sure if just a rumor or fact, I was told Joe Namath through a pass nearly 100 yards in the air. I am searching web sites and can not find proof.
Any help?
Jets Fan
No idea, but he was some athlete. They used to say he could throw it in a teacup from 60yds away, so he was pretty accurate too.
100yds in the air sounds like a lot, although the link below says Namath could throw 75yds “with his eyes closed”. I doubt anyone today could throw further than 80, but LaMarcus Russell can apparently throw it 70yds effortlessly.
Puzzled as to why you raised this in the comments of a post that’s over a year old, but thought it was interesting anyway.
http://www.billoreilly.com/pg/jsp/general/genericpageblue.jsp?pageID=481
The world record for throwing a football, including bounce and roll, is apparently 213yds!