A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Walt Michaels

It was a fitting coincidence that on Sunday, 45 years after his playing career ended, the Browns honored Walt Michaels among a group of their star players on a day when the Jets were in town.

A generation has gone by since Michaels' tenure as Jets head coach ended prematurely. I was somewhat surprised to read yesterday that he is now "only" 77 years old. I remember Michaels as being an old man when he coached the Jets. Of course, he was fired just after I turned 10 years old, an age when 53 seemed ancient. And Michaels had by then already been on the Jets coaching staff for two stints covering much of the previous 20 years.

Michaels was reportedly pleasantly surprised and excited to be remembered by the media covering the Jets. Wearing his Super Bowl III ring (Michaels was a long-time defensive coordinator for the Jets under Weeb Ewbank), he stated that the Jets could win a Super Bowl with Chad Pennington and offered praise for Eric Mangini, but said that the Jets could use Mark Gastineau and Joe Klecko on their defensive line.

Perhaps it is for the better that professional sports coaches do not come like Walt Michaels anymore. He abhorred losing, and would not tell his players how proud he was of their losing effort. After the Jets' devastating loss in the 1981 playoffs - a game from which I have not yet recovered - Michaels walked in and out of the locker room without saying a word. His meltdown after the loss to Miami in the '82 AFC Championship game led to his forced resignation.
posted on 10/31/2006