PSA: TJB Hall of Fame Week
It’s that time again, as the TJB staff don their mustard-colored jackets and pay tribute to the TJB Hall of Fame: Class of 2009. Over the next five days, five new members will be inducted into the Hall, with a tribute article for each written by a TJB staff member.
TJB Hall of Fame members are those Jets that excelled on the field and excited or inspired us and since is our hall (and yours too), we seek to specifically reward those who are fan favorites or who have been forgotten or underrated in the annals of football history.
Please add your tributes to the players inducted at the end of their respective article, which will end up in the sidebar to the right of the screen, along with all the tributes for all previous inductees. For general comments, please be patient – you’ll get a chance to discuss who was snubbed or who deserves to be picked next year, at the end of the week.
13 Responses to PSA: TJB Hall of Fame Week
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Harlan Lachman says:
Five is a good number. It allows TJB to correct some serious omissions.
First from the SB III team, two musts are Don Maynard (whose performance in the AFL Championship game got us to SBIII and was an NFL career leader for years as a Jet) and Matt Snell whose performance made possible by the OL and his running mate won SB III with an off day from our QB and HOF WR. [I would understand Jim Hudson, the best safety we ever had but his injury shortened his career too much IMHO].
If only Curtis’ yards as a Jet are counted, Freeman McNeil would be up there too or might even be in front. Freeman was more explosive in his years as a Jet too. Don Shula took his moment of glory away by flooding the field and getting away with it. If we had not had to rely on Richard Todd, Freeman would have gotten us to our second SB. IMHO, Freeman was the best Jets halfback.
Wesley Walker deserves in. His story (one eye blind) is great. His performances outstanding (most with the QB Jet fans seem to hate because he was not the non SB winning Dan Marino) and like Maynard, he was an expert at the long bomb, which broke so many opposing defenses’ backs.
Finally, Lance Mehl deserves recognition. He was the best of his generation. The equivalent of Curtis. Smooth, reliable, just getting the job done day in and day out.
OMHO,
harlan
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gary goldberg says:
marvin powell deserves to be in along with marty lyons
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Nelson17 says:
Mo Lewis anyone?
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The Iron Marshal says:
Good comments, Harlan – agreed that Maynard is a must. He averaged something like 17 or 18 yards a catch over his entire career!. The man terrorized opposing secondaries; we used to have run’n'gun talks when I was a kid, the kind where everyone is going, “yeah, but my guy is better than…” or “… imagine if these two guys were playing on the same team…” – the three names that always came up for receiver were Don Maynard, Lance Alworth and Bob Hayes. DC’s would have cardiacs gameplanning this trio! Of the three, I’d say that Don and Lance were the best. Hayes had his amazing speed, and the unique distinction of being the prime reason why the NFL plays zone defenses, as not a human on earth could cover him one-on-one. But Don’s slim frame belied a tough as nails Texan who would throw himself into a wall in order to get the job done.
I’d really, really love to see Mark Gastineau inducted here on the TJB Hall of Fame. The man was incredible, a force of nature. Put it this way, Lawrence Taylor, who was probably the best rusher ever to play the game, was the Giants version of Mark. That’s how good Mark was.
The strikes against Mark are overblown, IMO. The roughing the passer penalty in that playoff game against Kosar? Home-gamer ref job, that one. His dancing antics post-sack? Too effin’ bad, if you don’t like it, go watch another game. As for his post-NFL career problems – so what? What does that have to do with his play? And if anyone insists on making character the issue when discussing Mark, making hay of his problems, then they must also give credit for Mark finding Christ, turning his life around and becoming a positive force again after almost burning out. If they don’t do that, instead focusing only on the problems, then they’re full of *%it.
Mark, if you read these blogs, if I ever meet you in person, I’d be happy and honored to shake your hand, express my thanks for all the great memories watching you play your heart out, and I’d tell my 5yo boy that he was shaking hands with the greatest Jet Pass Rusher ever to play.
T I M
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I will take full credit for Mo Lewis….. if he gets in lol. I pined for him all week last time…. There were some who jumped on board but still surprised it wasnt unanimous when I brought his name up….
Maybe the Bledsoe hit / Brady era still stings some Jet fans.
He was the best LB that ever wore the Green and White. He belongs in our HOF!!
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Bent says:
Thanks for your comments. There are obviously more than five people who deserve recognition, so we aren’t going to be able to keep everyone happy. With that said, I hope you enjoy the first of our inductees today and there are four more to follow over the rest of the week.
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Harlan?
Mo Lewis or Lance Mehl?
Who was a better NY Jet?
I was a little young for Mehl’s prime but I do know he was a tackling machine. I did hear from my Dad and other relatives he made most of his tackles 6 yards pass the line of scrimmage.
I believe Mo Lewis was the greatest LB we have had. Maybe I’m wrong since my real knowlegde starts in the early to mid 80′s but…….
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Trust me on this. Lance was for his era the perfect LB. He always played hard, somehow always seemed to make plays by being in the right place, one could have made a text book of how to play the position with him.
I never felt Lewis reached his real potential here. Maybe it was coaching or scheme. But I felt Lance left every ounce of his potential on the field and Jet fans benefited from it.
harlan
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SackDance99 says:
Earl Campbell-5 consecutive Pro Bowls, 3 times All-Pro in that span in the HOF
Mark Gastineau-5 consecutive Pro Bowls, 3 times All-Pro in that span, 1984 Defensive Player of the Year and the 1984 Pro Bowl MVP, retired as the NFL’s sack leader and, if the sack had been official in 1981, he would’ve had 3 seasons of 20 or more sacks…no other player in NFL history has had more than 1–not in the HOF and not in the TJB HOF. He should be in both.
Enough said.
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Andrew Weiss says:
There must be something said on behalf of Joe Klecko, despite appearing on the Pats sidelines recently when his son played there. The only guy in NFL history to go to the Pro Bowl at three DLine positions, and all heart.
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To expand on Mehl, he was a great LB and was cut down by the Meadowlands turf just as he was reaching his peak…he made the Pro Bowl in ’85 and was out of the NFL after the ’87 season. That Meadowlands turf just killed the Jets, with Mehl and Toon the biggest victims. Here’s Mehl’s description of his injury (from the NYT):
With his 3-year-old son, Logan, fidgeting on his lap, Mehl briefly recalled the circumstances that led to his injury. ”We were playing New Orleans at Giants Stadium,” he said. ”The game was in the second quarter and I was chasing Wade Wilson across the field. Suddenly, without ever being touched, the knee just gave out on me.”
Actually, in his pursuit of the Saints’ quarterback, Mehl tried to stop short of colliding with a teammate and, on the artificial turf, suffered damage to bone, the anterior cruciate ligament and cartilage. He missed the remaining eight games of the 1986 season, and last year, appeared in just three games.
IMO, Mehl was a better LB than Mo, but Mo’s consistent excellence was a marvel. And, IMO, Marvin Jones was better than both of them (Jones’ stoning of Jarrod Bunch his rookie season (I believe it was 4th and goal) was one of my favorite defensive plays of all time), but injuries ruined Jones’ career, too. Jones and Stan Blinka were the two most violent tacklers I’ve seen in Jets uniforms.
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Andrew,
Klecko should be in the HOF, but he’s already in the TJB HOF and had his number retired by the Jets. Gastineau and Klecko were the Ruth and Gehrig of the Sack Exchange. It’s time the Babe Ruth part of the duo gets some love.
I like the TJB Hall of Fame, it’s a good idea for remembering our favorite Jets.
Also, since we have a lot of down time before the start of training camp, I think we should also start a TJB Hall of Shame for players (Jets and non-Jets) that Jet fans particularly dislike. I would immediately nominate Brett Farve, Jason Taylor, and Tom Brady.