Episode Archive for June 2012

Offseason Memories

BroadwayJoe.tv would like you to check out Joe’s thoughts on his days training in the offseason. Enjoy!

At a time in the year where little is really going on, it get me thinking about what I was doing around now during my playing days. Down at Tuscaloosa is where I did my offseason training, and when recollecting those summers it’s hard not to believe we trained in those ways. It’s not nearly the offseason training program players go through today. Nowadays players train with their teammates – either former college guys like at the University of Miami or current teammates like the Mark-Sanchez-run ‘Jets West’. A whole lot of working out that we did had to be done alone. The equipment and training tools weren’t readily available to all, though I was lucky enough to be allowed a key to the facilities. It allowed me to come and go as I pleased, and words can’t show how thankful I am for such.

Most of the time I’d be by myself with nothing more than an equipment manager. Occasionally there’d be two or three of my old teammates there, but for the most part I was on my own. With only an equipment manager to throw to, I’d have to set him up at the exact spot I’d want to throw to and throw to him there. With nobody to snap the ball, I’d pretend to take the snap then drop back. I’d go through my reads, making sure to work on looking through my other progressions. Some of these kids today get too fixated on their number one target. In practice the defense is using the other teams exact schemes. By knowing what the coverage is and having it so engrained within your actual play call, some quarterbacks will tend just go to their number one target without looking off the other ones. It’s hard to break the cycle of doing so; we’re creatures of habit – you really have to work on it. You’ve got to tell yourself to keep those eyes moving or guys at the safety position today will eat you up.

I, myself, would love the game with those safeties – the game within the game. I’d look one way and they’d pretend to bite on my fake. I had a great respect for those guys and how crafty they could be back there. It’s funny to think of all the training advancements these guys have today, and how I had to practice deep outs with a stationary equipment manager.

Congrats Miami

BroadwayJoe.tv would like to share with you Joe’s thoughts on the NBA Finals:

I’d like to congratulate the Miami Heat on taking home the ultimate prize in the sport of basketball, the NBA Championship. After watching their performance these past two weeks, there’s no doubt the better team came out the victor. The Heat played their best ball of the year in these playoffs, really coming on at the end. They seemed to click together at just the right time, getting contributions from their role players at just the right time. Mario Chalmers stepped up big in the last game, and Norris Cole hit a few timely buckets. Most impressive, though, was that wily veteran Shane Battier. He was remarkable; hitting 3’s with accuracy we’ve never seen from him. Along with that harassing defense and those hustle plays, his contributions were invaluable on this playoff run.
Now, Lebron James – he’s worth of every superlative we could use. The man played an all-around game throughout these playoffs at one of the highest levels I’ve ever seen. Of course, he’ll keep being critiqued – all great athletes are. But I think he’s learned how to handle the pressure. What he said after the game was real, it seemed. Now whether we can absolutely tell as fans, I don’t know – but he seemed genuine. It’s nice to see someone not continually pat himself on the back, to see the error in his actions. He recognized his mistakes and has learned from them. He’s been a fantastic teammate, lifting the men around him and making them better. He seemed to change his style for these playoffs and it noticeably paid off. He made no mental mistakes like last year, took his chances when he needed, and it all worked out. Congratulations to Lebron, and to the entire Miami Heat organization; well done.
- Broadway Joe

Broadway Joe and LeRoy Neiman

BroadwayJoe.tv would like you to check out this small piece on Joe Namath and LeRoy Neiman from our friends at NewYorkJets.com. The two friends, athlete and artist, shared a great respect and admiration for eachother. Joe and all of us at BroadwayJoe.tv would like to again give our condolences to LeRoy’s family. Rest in Peace.

http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-1/Namath-and-Neiman-Two-Legends-Reunite/4bf3a2d5-79f7-11df-ba56-acc8e62813e9

Remembering LeRoy Neiman

BroadwayJoe.tv would like to share with you Joe’s remembrance of the great artist LeRoy Neiman. LeRoy painted multiple works of Joe, including this most famous one below.

LeRoy Neiman
I’d like to say a few words about the great LeRoy Neiman. LeRoy was a class man, a true gentleman who was polite and upstanding right from the get-go. He had a way about him that made anyone feel comfortable talking to him. He made you feel special with the way he always understood exactly where you were coming from. Now, we as athletes meet with the media so much that we have a certain way of dealing with them. In LeRoy’s case, everyone appreciated his talents. The colors, the energy, everything about his work was uniquely his, even just his sketches. I don’t know if we’ve ever confused LeRoy’s work for anyone else’s.
LeRoy Neiman’s demeanor was special – he was slick, he was sharp. He kept neat and tidy, always up to date with his attire. We athletes admired the way he carried himself, he was always on time with his lady. He epitomized cool, and he would always feel what you were saying. He was accepted by everyone, so much so that he was even allowed back in the training room – something nobody in the media was ever allowed to do back then.
It was flattering to be the subject of some of his works. When I saw them I was always impressed. The way he captured the emotions was spectacular. Seeing the position, the posture – he really had a way of understanding you. Everyone sees art differently and takes it a certain way, but his was always special to me. I last saw LeRoy Neiman when he was in his mid-eighties. He still had that classy demeanor, that gentlemanly essence about him. He certainly won’t be forgotten, and that art will live on far longer than any of us will. Rest in peace, LeRoy Neiman.

The New Orleans Bounty Scandal

BroadwayJoe.tv would like to share with you Joe’s thoughts on the New Orleans Bounty Scandal.

I think it’s over our heads trying to describe the legal aspects of the New Orleans Bounty Scandal. Its semantics the way they’re describing it – the word, ‘bounty’. Bounty was used to describe the price on killing a man in the Old West; this is contact on the football field. In my day, we never had a ‘bounty’ on players. We had bonuses for big plays, big hits and such, but never a bounty for knocking a specific player out of a game. I don’t buy that there were bounties for knocking out specific players. Now, were there rewards for big plays and big hits? Probably, yes. But the gist of it is that none of this–the monetary rewards for big plays–is condoned by the NFL.

One thing to note, however, is that Coach Williams did say Michael Crabtree’s name on that tape before the 49ers game in the playoffs. That’s a frightening thought, and there’s no place in sports for behavior like that. They should penalize specific players for those types of actions; we can’t have that in our game. Whether it was a bounty or a bonus – its all semantics. The issue is that we can’t have players trying to injure other players with a monetary incentive.

Now back when I was getting ready to sign my second contract, the Jets came to me asking if I’d sign a contract filled with incentives. I had no intention of doing such – there’s no need for incentives in these contracts. It takes the focus off of winning and places it on individual accomplishments. I told them, “I play the same way every game and that’s to win – that’s a fact.”

Well back then we had a Kicker names Jim Turner who was a member of the Super Bowl-winning team. He was a good kicker, but couldn’t get the ball past the goal line on kickoffs. We just couldn’t get a touchback. So we had a defensive lineman, a terrific player named Vernon Biggs, who Coach Weeb Ewbank noticed could kick it for a touchback every single time. So coach wanted him to kick off for us. But you see Biggs noted that this wasn’t his responsibility, as he was a lineman, so he asked for $20 for every time he kicked off. That may not seem like a lot but you have to remember the time we were in. Well Coach Ewbank wouldn’t give it to him – so he never kicked off.

I played for my teammates, and these incentive-laden contracts change the motivation of players. But maybe players are different today. Guys are signing much bigger contracts, but maybe they need the extra incentive of bounties and bonuses to give that extra bit of effort. Things change – that’s a constant of us as a society.

Thanks LT

Broadway Joe Namath would like to thank Ladainian Tomlinson for his eleven years of classy service to the National Football League. In his nine years with the San Diego Chargers and two years with the New York Jets, LT carried himself with the utmost dignity and class. He was a terrific football player, for sure, but an even better teammate and leader. His demeanor both on and off the field was exemplary, serving as a true ambassador of the game. His service in the community and too the fans was rewarded when he was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2006 and the Bart Starr Man of the Year in 2007. Ladainian was named to six All-Pro Teams in his 11 years, and was awarded the MVP in his signature 2006 season. He will be rewarded for his on-field performance when he is elected to the Hall of Fame years from now. More importantly, however, he’ll be remembered for the class with which he carried himself at all times. From Joe Namath himself and all of us at BroadwayJoe.tv, thanks for your service to the game, LT.

Ladainian Tomlinson to Retire

BroadwayJoe.tv would like you to know that Ladainian Tomlinson will retire, according to the New York Post. The six-time All-Pro Running Back will sign today with the San Diego Chargers to retire a member of the team he spent nine seasons running for. Tomlinson, who spent the past two years as a member of the New York Jets, will finish his career as the fifth-leading rusher in NFL history with 13,684 yards and 3rd in total career touchdowns with 162. A surefire Hall of Famer, Tomlinson will be remembered as one of the great all-purpose backs in NFL history. His incredible pass-catching ability out of the backfield and remarkable versatility helped inspire the new wave of dual-threat backs that populate the league today. Though he never reached the ultimate goal of a Super Bowl, Tomlinson has certainly earned the place in Canton he will surely hold five years from now.

Read more over at the New York Post: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/jets/tomlinson_to_retire_xnKhQwCt8yPNYPNlVoxAYP?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=Jets

A TRUE “DADDY’S GIRL’S” TAKE ON FATHER’S DAY

BroadwayJoe.tv would like you to see Jessica Namath’s Fathers Day article. Happy Fathers Day from all of us at BroadwayJoe.tv, and enjoy!

By Jessica Namath

I love Father’s Day, mostly, because I love my father! I’m a true “daddy’s girl,” and the strength of our relationship and the amount of effort and love he’s always put into it has, without a doubt, shaped me into the person I am today. It’s only now, as an adult, that I realize how important the relationship I have had, and continue to have, with my father has been in laying the foundation for who I am and how I view the world.

This year, with Father’s Day approaching, I became interested in finding out the history behind the day we honor our dads. Doing a little research, I discovered it originated in the early 1900s. Following the inception of Mother’s Day, the first Father’s Day was held in Spokane, Washington in June of 1910, thanks to a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd. Her own father raised six children by himself after the death of her mother. It was quite uncommon for widowed fathers of the time to do that, since most remarried quickly or sought help from female family members. She felt her dad, and fathers in general, deserved a day of recognition, like mothers were getting, and the nation quickly agreed and embraced this new tradition.

As I learned about the history of Father’s Day, I related to the feelings of its founder. After my parents divorced, when I was 13, my dad didn’t slip out of our life, nor did my sister and I fall by the wayside as he searched for a new life or wife. We always remained his top priority. Growing up, there was never a question of whether or not my dad wanted to be with us. We knew he did. He never complained about not getting to spend time with his friends or needing a break from his parenting duties. In fact, it was just the opposite. Whatever activities my sister and I participated in, my dad was actively involved. He’d pick us up and drop us off at school, join us on field trips, diligently watch my sports practices, and be in the front row for my theater performances and dance recitals. His consistent involvement and support made all the difference in the world and I owe him so much for that.

I know something only a daughter knows – how important the relationship is between a girl and her father. I’m a firm believer that if children get positive feedback and encouragement from their parents, their self-esteem will reap the rewards. The first man in a girl’s life is her father, and their relationship paves the way for her future relationships. Growing up, and still to this day, my dad is always the first to tell me how beautiful I am or how well I did at something. And while he’s also the first to point out a mistake or where I have room for improvement, that honesty has also helped me learn more about myself.

I’m certainly not going to go all ‘Samantha Brick’ here (if you’re not familiar with her, Google her, right after reading this), but I know that my father’s compliments and approval have made all the difference in the self-confidence I possess as an adult. While it’s always nice to get a nod of approval or compliments from the opposite sex, I’ve never judged my worth or value based on someone else’s opinion of me. I truly believe that has to do with the approval I have for myself that was solidly ingrained in me by my father.

In today’s world of compulsive social networking and relentless competition, judging and bullying, I think it’s all the more important for parents to do everything possible to instill self-confidence in their children. As a mother, I have come to really understand that – and to also understand it’s a challenging job for which we should support others and seek support when we need it. I was just thinking about that the other day when my dad and I went to Toys R Us to look at bibs for my 17-month-old daughter, (I told you we do nearly everything together). My dad pointed to one and said: “Now why would they do this?” He was pointing to a bib that said: “My dad is cooler than your dad.” I know it’s intended to be cute, but parenting is so hard that I don’t think we should be encouraging competition between fathers, or mothers for that that matter, (think “Time Magazine’s” recent cover, “Are You Mom Enough?”).

As parents, we all have to play the cards we are dealt and deal with the situations we find ourselves in. The most you can ask of any parent is that they do their best and unconditionally love and support their child the best they know how. Being a parent – a good parent – is very difficult. And, as we all know, it truly is a job that’s never finished. That’s one of the greatest things about my dad. Although my sister and I are adults with children of our own, he still continues to teach and guide us. His approach with raising us has always been that he’s training us for life, whether it’s reading and relaying the latest health and diet tips, reminding us “it’s a war out there!” when we’re driving, or encouraging us to exercise, because, as he always says: “Our health is our most taken for granted luxury.” My dad is always reinforcing habits he knows will make us better people (and safer drivers).

While I love my father for all these reasons, this year, the thing I’m most grateful for, is that I get to share him with my daughter. I see the pure joy and happiness on both of their faces when they see each other. I love that he gets to actively play a role in seeing her grow and that I get to share that with both of them. To me, this year, it really hit me that Father’s Day is the day we honor, thank and celebrate our fathers, and father figures, for the impact and contributions they’ve had on our lives, and the lives of our children.

This Father’s Day, whether you’re remembering your dad or fortunate enough to be celebrating with him, take a moment to reflect on the impact he has had on you and share your gratitude for that with him. In this hectic world we sometimes forget to tell those we love just how much they mean to us. Father’s Day is the perfect opportunity to do just that! Zithromax

Jets Looking Like a 4-3 Defense

Joe Namath Football Camp

BroadwayJoe.tv would like you to know that you can sign up for the 41st annual Joe Namath John Dockery Football Camp. This years camp will take place from July 15th to July 20th at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, CT. Players from ages 8 to 18 can come learn instructional football from the Hall of Fame Super Bowl Winning Quarterback. The camp is broken down into three divisions based on age, size, ability, and previous playing experience, as campers come learn lessons from one of the greatest to ever play the game. For more information, visit us at joenamathcamp.com — a link is provided under our “Partners” section to the right of your page. Sign up soon and get ready to learn from Broadway Joe!