Joe Namath says Jets' Super Bowl talk is 'justified'

Joe Namath says Jets' Super Bowl talk is 'justified' »

By Manish Mehta

CORTLAND -- The Jets brash style may have rubbed some folks the wrong way, but the franchise’s most beloved figure, frankly, loves it.

Joe Namath praised the team’s bravado and said their Super Bowl aspirations were “justified,” calling Rex Ryan’s group New York’s best hope to erase the organization's long Super Bowl drought.

“This team that I'm looking at today is more suited to be able to follow through with a championship than what we've had out there,” Namath said after a morning practice shortened by lightning today. “I don't know if any of you can remember a team that we've had with this kind of defense or the kind of people we have now in the (skill positions).

"I never dreamt that it would be a long time coming to get another championship with the NY Jets,” he added.

Namath, whose Super Bowl III guarantee in 1969 still resonates with Jets fans, also admitted that this year’s team is more confident than his Super Bowl winning team ever was.

"They have more swagger than we had, that’s for sure," Namath said. "We have a team we're expecting a lot out of this year.”

Namath praised Mark Sanchez’s growth, but repeatedly pointed to the offensive line as the most critical piece of the team. To that end, he admitted he was surprised by the team’s decision to cut perennial Pro Bowl left guard Alan Faneca in the offseason.

“I sincerely don't know the reasons that Faneca is not here,” Namath said. “So when I first saw that we lost Faneca, I was a bit confused, upset. The man was a Pro Bowler for a number of years and did well last year. I still don't know exactly why he's departed. But whoever steps into that slot is going to have a load to carry.”

When Namath first walked into the press box, he ran into linebacker Bart Scott, who wore a t-shirt saying, “Known to do the Impossible Like Broadway Joe.”

The Hall of Fame quarterback took one look at the shirt and smiled.

"It's not impossible," the legend said. "We know that."

Note:
Namath has launched a new site -- www.broadwayjoe.tv -- to interact with fans about football and non-football-related topics.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/jets/2010/08/joe-namath-says-jets-super-bow.html#ixzz0vnvlnCms

Rex Ryan doesn't apologize for repeatedly praising Darrelle Revis »

By Manish Mehta

CORTLAND - Rex Ryan’s brutal honesty may have not helped the Jets’ cause in the ongoing contract impasse with Darrelle Revis, but the tell-it-like-it-is coach isn’t apologizing for anything he’s said about the Pro Bowl cornerback.

“I’m just going to be myself,” Ryan said after this morning’s practice was shortened due to lightning. “I’ve stated all along the kind of player that I think Darrelle is. People want to throw it in our face that you shouldn’t say it.”

“The tape doesn’t lie,” the coach added. “This guy’s a heck of a football player. He is under contract for three years so you like to see him out here. You hope it works out in the end where both sides are happy. And the New York Jets are happy. That’s what needs to happen.”

Although the lines of communication remain open on both sides, sources told the Daily News that a deal still isn’t close. Revis, who has three years remaining on his 6-year, $36 million rookie deal, isn’t happy about the $1 million he’s’ scheduled to earn in 2010.

The Jets have offered two proposals in the past week that were rejected. The Jets maintain that “total compensation” remains the fundamental sticking point at this time. Revis is looking to become the league’s top paid cornerback, which would mean earning more than the roughly $16.5 million that Oakland’s Nnamdi Asomugha will make this season.

Despite the impasse, Joe Namath, who was at camp today in conjunction with HBO, remains optimistic that Revis will be back soon.

“I’m not worried at all,” Namath said. “I’m confident he’s going to be here. I know Mr. Johnson wants him. Rex wants him. We all want him here. My experience being around here the last day or so, my confidence has grown tremendously in believing we’ll have Revis…. After talking to some important people, in my opinion, I have confidence that Revis will be here.”

Namath said he never had a contract-related holdout during his Jets career.

“I was accused of missing camp the first couple of weeks from time to time,” said Namath, who admitted that coaches and team doctors sometimes asked him to stay away from the start of camp to rest his knees.

“I never had a contract problem as far as getting it solved before time,” Namath said. “A contract never kept me out of camp. I don’t recall of a time that I had a contract problem with the Jets.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/jets/2010/08/rex-ryan-doesnt-apologize-for.html#ixzz0vnvqSx5N

 

lol I think that shirt was specially made for Jenn.