RIP Walt Michaels

Discussion in 'New York Jets' started by mrjet80, Jul 11, 2019.

  1. Cant stand Shula but at the very least weve heard him speak fondly of the Dolphins-Jets rivalry w.o being overly bias or anti jets. In fact mud bowl aside,ive enjoyed his insight on some of the classic games.

    Hes a puppy compared to hoodie Dracula who is just flat out condescending,insulting & disrespectful to anything jets.
     
  2. JetsKickAss

    JetsKickAss Well-Known Member

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    John Idzik Sr....not Jr. :D
     
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  3. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    Yes I really like Walt - good old fashioned coach. He knew the game well, he saw a lot. It was his defense that shut the Colts down in SB III.

    Mentioned in other posts but not this one was the fact that Michaels had a lot going on in his personal life in 1982. His mother was dying and he was driving back and forth from Hofstra to PA at least once a week. Throw in the players strike, the playoff run, and the fact that the Jets played their last six games on the road including the post season and that can really wear on somebody particularly the man in charge . In hindsight both Kensil and Hess should have taken this into consideration. Let the man rest in the off season and tell him hey we have a full 16 game season coming up let’s go get em next year - they had a great team. Of course they didn’t want to lose Walton either as they saw him being responsible for Todd’s turnaround but look how that turned out . It sucks. Hindsight is always 20/20....
     
  4. jilozzo

    jilozzo Well-Known Member

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    i fully admit that i am fixated on the past - the whole marino - obrien draft choice. i really wonder if michaels had still been coach if he would have had any input for or against the pick.
     
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  5. westiedog1

    westiedog1 Well-Known Member

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    Can't know for sure but I'd like to think that Michaels would have pushed for Marino, a fellow Pennsylvanian, over Californian O'Brien.
     
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  6. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the info. Living in the south, we never got any news like this, and depending upon where we lived, rarely were able to see any Jets games once the two leagues merged. In 20 years of reading and posting on Jets fan sites, I don't recall anyone ever stating that Joe Walton was a hot HC candidate.
     
  7. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    I would never use the term "explosive" to describe the Jets' offense in '98. Parcells kept everything under tight wraps. He held Vinny in check to prevent too many interceptions, we didn't have a homerun threat at RB or at TE, or any of the WR positions. We were a good offense, solid, productive, pretty consistent in marching down the field, but I don't recall a many quick strike TDs.
     
  8. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    IMO Merlin saying that was purely out of a sense of justice or football purity and what was the right call. I remember his hating the Jets or at least never showing them any respect? My memory may be hazy or wrong on that. Does anyone else remember Olsen's not seeming to respect or like the Jets?
     
  9. NCJetsfan

    NCJetsfan Well-Known Member

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    Robinson was stupid to arm wrestle Klecko at any time. He had no chance of winning, and to do it right before the opener was especially stupid.
     
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  10. GREG

    GREG Well-Known Member

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  11. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    Yes believe it or not for a week or so after the 1982 season was over Walton was a leading HC candidate for two or three teams. And that was the final straw for Michaels demise . The Jets panicked. Too bad....
     
  12. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    I can remember him saying things such as ( prior to the 51-45 game ) ‘ This is a very important game for the Jets - I don’t think they can win in Miami - type stuff. ‘ What I remember more is it seemed every Jets game he and Enberg announced - they lost. I’m talking early to mid 80s. I guess that would be indicative of the Jets usually failing to win the big game since Enberg and Olsen primarily announced the prime games.
     
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  13. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    Well that 1998 team put up some great numbers - the “quick strike” that year not common but did happen at times. The Dedric Ward TD against Buffalo turned out to be the division winning play. But there were more explosive offenses around than the 1998 Jets. I was comparing the 82 and 98 teams. I would have to give the 98 offense the edge .
     
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  14. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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  15. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    in reply to jilozzo and westiedog1:

    Michaels would have preferred Marino I’m sure . I’m not sure if his opinion would have mattered with the way the organization was run back then.
     
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  16. JetsKickAss

    JetsKickAss Well-Known Member

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    Yes, it would have mattered, MrJet. The Jets FO was structured so that the HC had plenty of input. This was how it was done going back to the mid-1970's and even before with Weeb. Mike Hickey conducted the drafts and worked well with Walt Michaels. He did not work well with Joe Walton.

    Michaels MIGHT have takent a QB and it probably would have been Marino from Pennyslvania. That's what killed me.

    Of course, it's also possible that the Jets don't take a QB. Walton had done a good job with Todd in the 2 years he had him...but he was either not sold on him or was thinking about the long-term when he drafted O'Brien. The relationship between Walton and Todd -- rock-solid in 1981 and 1982 -- disintergrated in 1983 and drafting a QB didn't help.

    I remember how disappointing that 1983 season was. We opened by beating a good Dan Fouts Chargers team on the road and then the season turned sour. One of the most disappointing seasons coming off the Mud Bowl loss.
     
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  17. JetsKickAss

    JetsKickAss Well-Known Member

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    Don Criqui games tended to be wins for the Jets....and Bob Costas, too !

    I remember Costas 1st game, Jets vs. Colts, 1982 !
     
  18. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    Do you remember the home opener against Seattle? 95 degrees and a slew of turnovers. Seattle fumbled a punt return very early deep in their own territory - the Jets picked it up and scored and the refs not only didn’t allow the TD they said the punt returner was down - I want to say it was Warner who fumbled but I don’t think he returned punts ?
     
  19. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    Actually I think the tie game against Miami in 1981 was his first Jets broadcast - it’s actually on utube and it was a good game.

    He called a game later that year against the Colts - a Jets blow out win. I hope they put that game up on utube. He got into an argument with Trumpy over the whole Steve Serby/Richard Todd locker room fight . Costas of course siding with Serby and Trumpy siding with the player.
     
  20. mrjet80

    mrjet80 Well-Known Member

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    You may be right but I can remember reading back when Michaels was the DC he was actually begging the higher ups in the draft room to take Art Shell - this coming from a DC. They didn’t take his advice that day unfortunately.
     

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