Lack of respect for Klecko is amazing made the pro bowl at 3 different positions, was a game changer , stopped the run and was a fierce pass rusher
I remember the press saying that the moron Walton doesn't want ints he'd rather the sacks but obviously he could have throw the ball away more
The most amazing thing about that - and it really is incredibly freakish considering the limitation - was that it was almost like a form of echolocation. He would "sense the ball" sometimes, get a bead on it, and catch it over his opposite shoulder. We would watch him play aware he was blind in one eye, meaning we never forgot it was there, so it made it all the more exciting to watch. AND HE'D DO IT IN STRIDE. And you'd go what disability? Watch some old clips, come away with an elevated form of appreciation. I had a brain injury in my frontal lobe which included damage to my olfactory sulcus on the left side years ago. It took a a couple of years, but the right side took over and overcompensated and now my sense of smell is ridiculously keen. So watching Jets games I'd say, "What's that smell . . . ?" "I don't smell anything." "I do. It isn't victory." The point I'm trying to make about Wesley Walker and me watching the Jets in Smell-O-Vision is that they're not in the same league. Heh. He's such a nice person, too. Funny personal story that I've told on here several times over the years, my friend Alex, went to the away game Jets vs 49rs, the Garrison Hearst Pain Game. PAIN, PAIN, PAIN. Afterwards he went to drown his sorrows in a Sports Bar. In walks Wesley Walker in a green suit jacket and tie and he goes to his buddies, "Holy Shit! I think that's Wesley Walker!" There were a decent amount of Jets fans in there, and soon enough he was high-fiving them and small talking, signing bar napkins, etc. Alex shook his hand and said, "I had my eye on you! . . . Oooooo." Wesley cracked up and was really nice about it, had a beer, and hung out for a half hour. And that's how my friend, Alex, stuck his foot in his mouth and got his T-shirt signed by Wesley Walker. EDIT & P.S.: I've shared this, too, but I saw Al Toon on the #7 train once on his way to practice. He was in street clothes and had his Jets duffle bag between his knees resting on the floor. I recognized him immediately even though it was very early in his career and I thought, "Holy Crap! That's Al Toon!" It was an off-time to be riding the subway so the car mostly empty. Yep, pretty much just me and Al Toon on that groaning metal snake from Hell. I wanted an autograph so bad, but he was kind of alone with his thoughts and in the end I decided not to bother him. I regretted it as soon as he got off the train, but what I really regretted was not saying anything to him at all. Years later I thought he probably would have been honored because who gave a shit about the Jets. :/
I think it was more just O'Brien's special talent, but just because I feel like it, Walton was a backstabber. Well, Walton's specialty was nose-picking so I guess they're even. Walt Michaels was falling apart after The Mud Bowl. He more or less had a nervous breakdown, and the way management treated him as Joe Walton stepped over his nearly dead body doesn't make me think very much of him. Which brings to say fuck Don Shula while I'm at it. We've had many discussions over the years on here, but that '81 & also of course the strike shortened '82 team, that was it, that was our ticket. You as well as a small handful of others agreed with me. I'm sure you still do.
Holy Crap, I remember the DeBerg thing! My cousin went, "I AM IRRRRONNNN MANNNN!" Hahahaha. It was like those early devices if you had a tracheotomy but times ten, which is not funny at all, but Jets, s-o-o-o-o . . .
Why isn't Joe Klecko in the Hall of Fame then? I mean what did he do wrong to piss off the league? Must be some reason. He clearly was good enough to be in the Hall.
Because there were so many really good to great D lineman in the era he didn't make the cut. He was all pro twice. He had excellent players around him on the line. At the same time Klecko was putting up numbers LT across town was creating a completely different expectation on D. Klecko was all pro in 81 and 85. 81 was LT rookie year. He was all pro and put up 6 consecutive all pro seasons. Klecko's next great year was 1985. Klecko's second all pro season. The Chicago Bears had arguably the best D in NFL history that year. Three defenders from that SB winning team went into the HOF. Dent, Hampton and Singletary went into the HOF. There's certainly an argument that Klecko was as good or better than Dan Hampton. Personally I wouldn't have put Hampton into the HOF either. I'm good with Klecko going in. I'm a Jets fan and he certainly was a great player for a couple of years. I'm a guy who thinks way to many go into the HOF. Was he as good as Charles Haley, Lee Roy Selman, Randy White, Joe Greene, Bruce Smith, Reggie White. I don't think so and I'm biased because he was a Jets player. FYI I was thrilled that Hill got in. Much more deserving than Klecko. He truly dominated against the best on the biggest stage. Arguably the best player on the 68 SB team.
Exactly. I believe that several HOF OL have said that he was the toughest DL they ever faced and that he definitely belongs in the HOF. Any Jets fan that claims that Klecko wasn't a great player and doesn't belong in the HOF is ignorant imo. He was one of my all-time favorite Jets.
Nobody has said he wasn't a great player. You're the only one I have ever heard say he was the greatest Jets player.
No, I didn't. You weren't the only one dissing Klecko. My statement stands. IMO championjets69 and you are ignorant and don't understand football if you diss Klecko. Congrats on being in such austere company. A number of OL including several HOF OL have said that Klecko was the toughest/best player that they ever had to block and that he belongs in the HOF. If my own eyes hadn't told me how great he was, then reading that would have convinced me. The fact that you think you know more than them or 99% of other Jets fans tells me all I need to know.
Yes, Shea had character. I remember that other teams played in baseball stadiums as well, and I hated seeing all those games. IMO they hurt the teams, as players would often slip and fall on the dirt. I think the swirling winds at Shea hurt the Jets about as much as it did other teams. Moving in with the Giants was the greatest mistake ever, until Woody came along and doubled down on it. Yeah, I don't think we'll ever see the Jets get their own stadium.
Yes, I believe he committed a penalty or two in his career. That makes sense, but you would think by now he would get in. Especially last year when 20 extra players got in like Hill. I guess the system isn't perfect. There must be some reason because I was recently watching highlights and he seemed amazing to me. And that was just highlights. Here is a great video the Jets put out about him a couple years ago. I have to believe there is some reason cause he seems more more than worthy. The HOF dismisses him as if he is nothing. It's odd to me.
Lack of respect because Jets primarily. He also committed a crime after he retired, and I think that has prevented his getting in via the older players who didn't make it initially route
R U implying that we do not know what a off sides penalty? Or lining up in the neutral zone Maybe either your memory has failed U or you were not around to see Kleckp play
