Great post. I remember watching that game as a neutral fan & then developing a strong Dolphins hatred. One of the most unsportsmanlike moves I've ever seen. Shula knew what he was doing & even had his players practicing in that slop. Home-field advantage doesn't mean you can allow the field to downgrade this much. Schula was a classless jerk.
I was 15 and I was certain that this was finally gonna be our year. The field conditions quickly dispelled me of that sense of certainty. It was mud football. I love mud football and weather games. So I can't complain. But they didn't tarp the field on purpose and thats football or that was football back in the good ol days - not alot of rules. : )
I remember good ole Tom "Bullseye" Ballchinski. He could shot you in the eye from the 40 and save a score.
Crutchfield was one of six active Jets who did not play in the game. After the strike the league increased the number of active players per game to 49. (The limit had been 45 players in Weeks 1 and 2 of the '82 season.) 43 Jets played in the Mud Bowl and another six were in uniform but did not see the field.
If you can not fathom that a wet field can favor one style of play over another then there is no sense in discussing it with you. Woodley also threw 3 interceptions after averaging less than 1 interception a game that year. No alibis just some rational reasoning that the wet field may have played a part rather than just saying "both teams had the same poor footing".
Harper played in the game and caught four passes. Sohn returned all the kicks, though. 1 kickoff return for 31 yards and 6 punt returns for 65 yards
I bet the Jets and over in that game. As soon as the game came on, I knew I was screwed with the over. Just another reason why I hate the Dolphins.
after that game, the league changed the rules. the league itself now takes over control of the field a week before a playoff game.
This post is so dead on....perfectly put and remembered to a t. It was a HUGE deal on what Shula pulled. We are about the same age JWWS. It is a fact....Shula took away every strength the Jets had going into that game. I clearly remember all the talk about Shula and the rules committee and how he was an untouchable in a situation like this. Only Shula could have gotten away with what he pulled. Its completely irrelevant on what might have happened if it was a dry field because nobody knows...what we do know is that field should have been a dry field..period. Looking back in sports, one cant point out such an intentional action to alter a playing field to favor a team for a single game.
I was a junior in high school and this game STILL bothers me! Not sure if anyone remembers, but there was a TV commercial for the Daily News in the days leading up to this game. The commercial featured Richard Todd who proudly proclaimed, "Read about who we'll be playing in the Super Bowl!" Needless to say, a few days later Mr. Todd played like he was being paid off by the mob! However, the Divisonal game the week before against the Raiders out in LA was the hardest hitting football game I think I have ever seen. Jets won 17-14 and guys were simply getting HAMMERED on both teams. This also happened to be the game where Lyle Alzado threw Chris Ward's helmet at his head. A CLASSIC football game that should be reaired on NFL Network.
Wasn't aware of this. So the NFL did react to Shula's behavior. Obviously Shula wasn't punished but @ least there's a move to ensure some asshat doesn't pull it off again.
Another case like this was the 1975 AFC title game. In that one the Steelers flooded the sides of the field outside the numbers the night before the game. On gameday there were sheets of ice between the numbers and the sidelines, but not in the middle of the field. This severely affected the Raiders deep passing game because their receivers could not get any footing.
Kind of confused now. This is another extreme example of home team rigging the field conditions & it occurred years earlier. Was there a lack of media outrage? I'd expect the NFL to make rule changes similar to what they did after the mud bowl before 1976 season starts.
Bah, I hate to agree with nyjunc or defend Don Shula, but there is a thin line between cheating and gamesmanship. Its a poorly held secret that Parcells would have certain gates at the Meadowlands opened when opposing teams were kicking FGs because the wind kicked up. That's pretty clearly rigging the home field advantage. Yet he is revered as a god around here.
I need to do this sorry but Miami cheated and Shula admitted it and was not fined, cost Walt Micheal his job. Crap Bucket Joe Rose even says it on his show sometimes. So all the ill that befalls Miami is well deserved. Miami played on the same field but was plodding team by having the field muddy they cut the jets speed down and let the running backs they had were plod horses in comparison.
