I'm from way back.

[Torus34]

Hi. Many years ago, I was the chief chemist at the Port Reading refinery of Hess Oil [then Hess Trading and Transport,] when Mr. Leon Hess bought the Titans. That's the old Titans, not today's Titans. Now, Mr. Hess wasn't born yesterday and knew that nothing succeeds like success. So, with the team's name changed to the Jets, he would make sure that we had stacks of Jet's tickets to distribute free to friends and family. We'd get them every Wednesday of that first season. I'm talking about a stack of tickets an inch thick. One thick inch of NY Jets tickets.

Yup. You know the rest. With the eye of the TV cameras showing lots of fannies in the seats, it wasn't long before the Jets caught on. The second season? We had to pay like anyone else for a seat! But the Jets were on their way toward that memorable game, Super Bowl III, when QB Joe Namath picked the Colts apart with quick button hook passes. Come half time, Baltimore's fate was sealed as Broadway Joe went to the long pass. Those of us who witnessed it, and I listened by radio, have never forgotten it.

Since then, the Jets have had many ups and downs. This year, though, maybe . . . .

Go, Gang Green!

 

[LRJets]

Welcome to this site. Our goal to "break the tape" is all the same, as anything else, we differ in ways of reaching it, but we prevail in harmony. It's a chess game football with injury.
BTW, Hess was a true self-made man. Started with one truck, then two, then oil. No "Lucky Sperm Club" for him.
(Curl that brim!)

 

[Torus34]

Welcome to this site. Our goal to "break the tape" is all the same, as anything else, we differ in ways of reaching it, but we prevail in harmony. It's a chess game football with injury.
BTW, Hess was a true self-made man. Started with one truck, then two, then oil. No "Lucky Sperm Club" for him.
(Curl that brim!)
View attachment 4222

Hi, LRJets!

Thanks for the welcome.

Mr. Hess did indeed start with a single oil truck. He made sure that we employees were well aware of it. He also had a disdain of advertising in the early days. He felt that his trucks and plants, meticulously maintained, were sufficient. You could walk through the Port Reading refinery in your Sunday best and not be concerned about a possible piping leak.

Efficiency was also a hallmark of the operation. At shift's end, each truck returning to the yard dropped off its driver and was parked down the road by a truck 'valet'. There were two brackets on the front of the truck. The valet hung his bicycle on them, drove the truck to its parking spot, and then rode back on his bike to get the next truck.

It should be noted that Mr. Hess, early on, married into the Wilentz family, folks not unknown among New Jersey's movers and shakers.

I knew of no one in the organization who did not respect Mr. Hess, big time.

Again, thank you.

Go, Gang Green!

 

[NewMFS62]

Welcome to this site. Our goal to "break the tape" is all the same, as anything else, we differ in ways of reaching it, but we prevail in harmony. It's a chess game football with injury.
BTW, Hess was a true self-made man. Started with one truck, then two, then oil. No "Lucky Sperm Club" for him.
(Curl that brim!)
View attachment 4222

I was going to say the same thing about curling the brim.
That flat brim stuff doesn't cut it with us traditionalists.
But the hat would look great with my Titans jacket.
And
Welcome Torus34
Later

 

[Torus34]

I was going to say the same thing about curling the brim.
That flat brim stuff doesn't cut it with us traditionalists.
But the hat would look great with my Titans jacket.
And
Welcome Torus34
Later

Hi, NewMFS62!

Thanks for the welcome. At my advanced age I'm careful about wishing my life away, but the wait for Monday night and the Cowboys game isn't easy. For the first time in a while Big Blue appears to be climbing out of the doldrums, ready to put up a real struggle.

Regards.

Go, Big Blue!

 

[NewMFS62]

Go, Big Blue!

Ugh! You just lost me.
If you go back that far, you remember how the organization and fans of that team looked down on the Jets. They wouldn't even give Jets scores when they did an out of town scoreboard during their games. So, for that reason, I never say or type that team's name.
My two favorite teams are the Jets and anybody playing those guys in Blue.
Later

 

[Torus34]

Ugh! You just lost me.
If you go back that far, you remember how the organization and fans of that team looked down on the Jets. They wouldn't even give Jets scores when they did an out of town scoreboard during their games. So, for that reason, I never say or type that team's name.
My two favorite teams are the Jets and anybody playing those guys in Blue.
Later

Hi, NewMFS62.

I go back to when the Jets became the Jets, and so root for them. But I also go back to the days of Charlie Conorly with the Giants, and have room in my fan heart for them, too. The only time this becomes a problem is when they play each other. Then, I'm torn -- and that's the truth. In those games, I just look to appreciate the great plays that occur, regardless of who's involved.

Regards.

Go, New York Whatevers!!!

 

[NewMFS62]

BTW, the first pro football game I attended was the blue team against the Chicago Bears at the Polo Grounds (I think it was 1956).
Later

 

[LRJets]

Next to the word "iconic" in any dictionary should be....

 

[LRJets]

From R.C. Owens to Shofner, he set many passing records, and a true gentleman who lived to see 90 and made the NFL's first half century an honor and pathway.

 

[NewMFS62]

From R.C. Owens to Shofner, he set many passing records, and a true gentleman who lived to see 90 and made the NFL's first half century an honor and pathway.

I saw him play, live on tv and in old films. I'm constantly amazed that many of his long passes were sidearm wobblies and high arching "ducks" that I think would have been picked off by the DBs who were used to defending the long passes on the AFL teams before the merger.) Remember, Joe Namath made fun of the "dink and dunk" short passing game that he called "NFL Game Plan".

And, Yes, I remember the "all initial" backfield: YA Title, RC Owens, CR Roberts and JD Smith.

Later

 

[Bigmoe]

Hi. Many years ago, I was the chief chemist at the Port Reading refinery of Hess Oil [then Hess Trading and Transport,] when Mr. Leon Hess bought the Titans. That's the old Titans, not today's Titans. Now, Mr. Hess wasn't born yesterday and knew that nothing succeeds like success. So, with the team's name changed to the Jets, he would make sure that we had stacks of Jet's tickets to distribute free to friends and family. We'd get them every Wednesday of that first season. I'm talking about a stack of tickets an inch thick. One thick inch of NY Jets tickets.

Yup. You know the rest. With the eye of the TV cameras showing lots of fannies in the seats, it wasn't long before the Jets caught on. The second season? We had to pay like anyone else for a seat! But the Jets were on their way toward that memorable game, Super Bowl III, when QB Joe Namath picked the Colts apart with quick button hook passes. Come half time, Baltimore's fate was sealed as Broadway Joe went to the long pass. Those of us who witnessed it, and I listened by radio, have never forgotten it.

Since then, the Jets have had many ups and downs. This year, though, maybe . . . .

Go, Gang Green!

Welcome to the site !
Great to hear your connection to mr Hess !
Those free tickets weren’t worth much then but increased a bunch .
We started our contribution to the Jets with season tickets in 71’
Had them for 50 years , not sure many had tickets that long or were a crazy as me and my dad .
The last 5 years I brought him in a wheel chair finally giving them up during covid . Yes 10K gone with that ripoff PSL .
Any way enjoy and I’m with
@NewMFS62 went to a few Giant games in Yankee Stadium
But I hate them !!!

 

[SackExchange]

Welcome to the site! What a great account from the early days of the franchise.

 

[Torus34]

Welcome to the site! What a great account from the early days of the franchise.

Hi, SackExchange!

It was fun to watch the Jets take hold. The jewel in the crown was Super Bowl III. Mr. Hess did all he could to win another one, but it just wasn't in the cards. The first half of SB3 is a fine lesson in understanding the weaknesses of an opponent and exploiting them. That differs from what I understand of the Lombardi approach of destroying an opponent's will to win by attacking the the opponent's strength. I guess which wagon you choose depends on the horses you have in the team.

Regards, and happy rooting!

Go, Gang Green!

And yes, I tend toward simile and metaphor. Words are my Lego(r) blocks.

 

[butterscotch]

Hi. Many years ago, I was the chief chemist at the Port Reading refinery of Hess Oil [then Hess Trading and Transport,] when Mr. Leon Hess bought the Titans. That's the old Titans, not today's Titans. Now, Mr. Hess wasn't born yesterday and knew that nothing succeeds like success. So, with the team's name changed to the Jets, he would make sure that we had stacks of Jet's tickets to distribute free to friends and family. We'd get them every Wednesday of that first season. I'm talking about a stack of tickets an inch thick. One thick inch of NY Jets tickets.

Yup. You know the rest. With the eye of the TV cameras showing lots of fannies in the seats, it wasn't long before the Jets caught on. The second season? We had to pay like anyone else for a seat! But the Jets were on their way toward that memorable game, Super Bowl III, when QB Joe Namath picked the Colts apart with quick button hook passes. Come half time, Baltimore's fate was sealed as Broadway Joe went to the long pass. Those of us who witnessed it, and I listened by radio, have never forgotten it.

Since then, the Jets have had many ups and downs. This year, though, maybe . . . .

Go, Gang Green!

We have all been paying for it too

 

[Torus34]

We have all been paying for it too

Hi, butterscotch.

After Super Bowl III, Mr. Hess did all he could, hoping for a repeat. It wasn't in the cards for him. Perhaps, just perhaps, the next few years . . .

Regards, stay safe 'n well.

Go, Gang Green!

 

[butterscotch]

Hi, butterscotch.

After Super Bowl III, Mr. Hess did all he could, hoping for a repeat. It wasn't in the cards for him. Perhaps, just perhaps, the next few years . . .

Regards, stay safe 'n well.

Go, Gang Green!

Hi torus. I think losing johnny sample was huge in 1969 that & good teams were getting bigger.. us lastly we did not have good drafts

 

[LRJets]

Welcome to the site !
Great to hear your connection to mr Hess !
Those free tickets weren’t worth much then but increased a bunch .
We started our contribution to the Jets with season tickets in 71’
Had them for 50 years , not sure many had tickets that long or were a crazy as me and my dad .
The last 5 years I brought him in a wheel chair finally giving them up during covid . Yes 10K gone with that ripoff PSL .
Any way enjoy and I’m with
@NewMFS62 went to a few Giant games in Yankee Stadium
But I hate them !!!

Harry Wismer: Attendance today is40,000. 30,000 are dressed as empty seats.

 

[LRJets]

Hi torus. I think losing johnny sample was huge in 1969 that & good teams were getting bigger.. us lastly we did not have good drafts

 

[butterscotch]

View attachment 4489

he was clutch & dirty