Here
They Are in All Their Glory!
The
Uniforms of the New York Jets
Bask in the Tradition. Bask
in the Memories.
Titled “It Doesn’t Get Any Better” and
Licensed by the National Football League, the Artwork is available in two
framed presentations:
An eye-catching
framed-and-matted print measuring 13” x 23” that sells for only $49 each—which
is an exceptional value for a fully assembled Artpiece of this size. And a dramatic 19” x 39” framed and
triple-matted high-quality print that sells for the discounted cost of $215.
Please note your Artwork will
arrive at your door in 7 to 14 days when you place your order. And needless to say, there is a 30-day full
moneyback guarantee. In addition, there
is a one-time discount shipping & handling charge of $6 regardless of how
many items you order.
To phone
in your credit card order, please call us at 1-800-786-3022 anytime between
10am and 6pm (Eastern) Monday through Friday.
You can also mail in your order, payable to The Greatest-Scapes, to: The Greatest-Scapes/P.O. Box 5548/Pittsburgh,
PA 15206. Please include your shipping
address and specify which Artwork(s) you’re ordering and how many. And please don’t hesitate to call us
toll-free if you ever have any questions or would like any additional information.
For your convenience, you can
print out our Order Form.
Click Here for Order Form
And this Artwork evokes an
unmistakably Classic quality. Indeed, it
will look at home next to a diploma or a work of fine art. Whether you hang it on a wall or lean it on a
shelf or mantle, the Artwork will make a striking impression.
Please keep in mind, though,
the visuals depicted here on the website simply can not do justice to the
detail and quality of the actual Artwork.
Please note the uniform images
shown are produced from hand-painted watercolor paintings. The publisher chose this route, rather than
photographs, because in many cases original jerseys no longer exist, even at
the various halls of fame. In addition, a
more consistent look and feel for the uniforms is achieved by painting them,
and allows for a higher level of detail than a photograph in some cases.
Here, then, is a detailed
description of the 13” x 23” Artpiece that sells for only $49 each. It consists of a 5” x 15” paper print that is
housed in a black frame that features two mats—black and silver—and a v-groove
cut into the mat, thus adding depth and beauty to the piece. Weighing approximately five pounds, the
Artwork is covered by crystal-clear glass and includes a “hanger” on the back
to allow for easy hanging.
The above is an example of
the 13” x 23” Artpiece, which depicts the Pittsburgh Steelers.
**************************************
As for the 19” x 39” Artpiece,
please each Artwork is printed on 115-lb Garda Gloss stock and then mounted to
avoid any rippling effects. As for its
matting and framing, the Artpiece is triple-matted in an acid-free framing
style. The outer mat is a rich, black
textured mat with white core. The middle
and inner mat colors have been selected to complement the team’s colors and the
overall framed piece. The matting is
framed to create a shadow box effect, giving the entire framed piece a unique
three-dimensional look. The frame is an exquisite
solid wood frame finished with a rich black matte texture, chosen to complement
all three mats and the print itself.
Finally, the Artpiece is protected by high-quality framing glass; the
total weight of the Artpiece being approximately 10 pounds.
|
|
The above is
an example of the 19” x 39” Deluxe Artpiece,
which depicts
the New York Yankees.
Here then is the history of the Jets’ Uniforms …
#1.
1960 The story of the New York Jets begins with the
story of the AFL – the American Football League. The AFL began in 1960 as an 8
team rival league to the NFL. Both leagues competed head to head for players,
fans and broadcast revenue. This was the way it was from 1960 to 1965 - two
separate leagues, two separate champions (although few people would have
honestly believed that the AFL champion could have beaten the NFL champs). Then
in 1965 the two leagues agreed to merge. It was decided that beginning in 1970
there would be only one league, the NFL. In the interim, between 1966 and 1969,
the AFL Champion would play the NFL Champion for the “World Championship”. It
was only after the first World Championship had been played in 1966 that the
name “Super Bowl” came into being.
The
New York Jets actually began life as the New York Titans when the AFL began in
1960. Joining the AFL as charter members were the: Dallas Texans (now Kansas
City Chiefs); Denver Broncos; Los Angeles Chargers (now San Diego Chargers);
Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans); Boston Patriots (now New England
Patriots); Buffalo Bills; Oakland Raiders.
The
Titans franchise was purchased for $25,000 by Harry Wismer, and played its
games at the Polo Grounds. The 1960 squad went a respectable 7-7 in their
inaugural season, finishing second in the AFL Eastern Division. The team
featured such players as quarterback Al Dorow, running back Bill Mathis, split
end Art Powell and the sure-handed, wide receiver Don Maynard.
This
’60 HOME jersey showcases the original ‘Titans’ color scheme of navy blue &
gold. Notice the lack of any sleeve striping and the lack of any logo or
identification on the team's helmet.
#2.
1963 Original owner Harry Wismer runs into financial
difficulties midway through the 1962 season and is forced to sell the bankrupt
team in February 1963. The AFL itself runs the franchise from November 1962
until the conclusion of the ’62 season, when it is bought by a group of 5 –
spearheaded by Sonny Werblin – for $1,000,000. There were many reasons for the
team’s financial difficulties, but none greater than their seeming inability to
attract crowds. In their 1st three seasons they attracted season
total crowds of 114,000 in 1960; 107,000 in 1961 and an incredibly dismal
36,000 in 1962 – no wonder they went bankrupt!
Upon
purchasing the team, Werblin’s team changes the name of the ‘Titans’ franchise.
The team is renamed the ‘Jets’ – in celebration of the space or ‘jet’ age, and
the fact that their soon-to-be new home Shea Stadium is closely situated to
LaGuardia Airport…and, of course, because it rhymes with ‘Mets’ – New York’s
other new franchise.
Weeb
Ewbank, after serving as head coach for the Baltimore Colts from 1954-1962, was
brought on board to act as head coach & GM for the ’63 season. He would go
on to become the become to win Championships in both the AFL & NFL, but
we’ll save that story for a moment.
The
’63 season also featured brand new uniforms: a conversion from navy blue &
gold to the beloved green & white – a color scheme used until the present
day. Take a good look at the ’63 ROAD uniform and you’ll see some interesting
design elements: such as the unique shoulder and sleeve striping; the number
schematic on the jersey’s sleeves; the unusual point or ‘serif’ of the uniform
number ‘4’; and perhaps best of all, the helmet’s ‘jet’ logo!
Alas,
all the new elements still didn’t help the Jets on the field, as they struggled
to a 5-8-1 record, better only than the lowly Denver Broncos, but they bounced
back a bit at the gate, drawing 112,000 fans.
#3.
1965 Welcome ‘Broadway’ Joe!
The
story of the 1965 Jets can’t be told without telling the story of Joe Namath.
This young, charismatic quarterback, fresh out of Bear Bryant’s football
program in Alabama, was signed right out of college by owner Sonny Werblin for
the unheard of sum of $400,000! Though the team would go 5-8-1 in Namath’s
first year at the helm, good for second place in the AFL East, the Jets were
aimed towards greatness, as we’ll soon see.
This
’65 HOME uniform, as worn by Namath, Wahoo McDaniel & Jim Turner, featured
a new helmet logo. The jet was removed, and in its place, a football outline,
containing the word ‘Jets’ and the initials ‘NY’. This same logo will be
dropped in the early 70’s, then makes a comeback in the late 90’s.
An
interesting note about 1965: As mentioned earlier, the AFL began in 1960 as an
8 team rival league to the NFL. Both leagues competed head to head for players,
fans and broadcast revenue. This was the way it was from 1960 to 1965 - two
separate leagues, two separate champions (although few people would have
honestly believed that the AFL champion could have beaten the NFL champs). Then
in 1965 the two leagues agreed to merge – in part because of the Jets’
remarkable signing of Joe Namath. It was decided that beginning in 1970 there
would be only one league, the NFL. In the interim, between 1966 and 1969, the
AFL Champion would play the NFL Champion for the “World Championship”. It was
only after the first World Championship had been played in 1966 that the name
“Super Bowl” came into being. Thus the 1965 season was the last season there
was an AFL Champion that didn’t go on to compete against the NFL Champs but
that really didn’t matter to 1965’s 5-8-1 Jets who missed post-season play for
the 6th straight year.
Also
note: The 1965 Jets were now playing their second season at Shea Stadium, which
opened in 1964.
#4.
1968 Worlds Champions!
But
first, a bit of background. In 1965, when the AFL and the NFL agreed to merge,
it was decided that beginning in 1970 there would be only one league, the NFL.
It was further decided that between 1966 and 1969 the AFL Champion would play
the NFL Champion for the “World Championship”. It was only after the first
World Championship had been played in 1966 that the name “Super Bowl” came into
being.
Thus
the 1966 season saw the first meeting of the AFL and NFL champions, with the
NFL Champion Green Bay Packers humbling the AFL’s KC Chiefs 33-10. (Even though
the game was played in 1967, most football historians refer to this as the 1966
Super Bowl because it was the culmination of the 1966 season.) The NFL
superiority was on display again in 1967, when the NFL’s Packers pounded the
AFL’s Raiders 33-14.
Now
came 1968 and the NFL’s best, the 13-1 Baltimore Colts, playing the AFL’s
young, cocky NY Jets who finished 11-3 and above .500 for only the second time
in their 9 year history. In the week leading up to Super Bowl III, the Colts
were favored by as many as 17 points – but that didn’t faze the charismatic Joe
Namath. Three days prior to Super Bowl III, in a show of bravado forever burned
into the memory of Jets’ (and perhaps Colts’) fans, Namath had the audacity to
‘GUARANTEE’ a Jets’ victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts.
Then,
the Jets went out, and took care of business – making them the first AFL team
to ever win the Super Bowl! Though it would turn out to be the only
championship to date in franchise history, the ’68 Super Bowl is often regarded
by sports aficionados as one of the biggest upsets of all time. On the big day,
Namath completed 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards, taking home game MVP honors –
en route to a 16-7 Jets’ victory, in front of 75,000 football fans at the
Orange Bowl in Miami.
This ’68 ROAD jersey, worn by
such Super Bowl champions as Namath, wide receivers George Sauer and Don
Maynard, and running back Matt Snell, showcases a few minor modifications from
earlier years, including a different sleeve stripe configuration and a green
belt.
#5.
1978 The 70’s were a disappointing time for Jets
fans as the team can’t get past the .500 mark in any 1970’s season. The 1978
Jets at least finish a respectable 8-8, one of four .500 seasons in the 70’s
(1972, 1974, 1978, 1979).
This
ROAD uniform, as worn by Matt Robinson, Wesley Walker and Joe Klecko, featured
some interesting changes…alterations that will grace the Jets’ uniform for the
better part of the next decade. First, the team’s logo has been radically
altered – consisting of the word ‘Jets’ in a sleek, modern font. What looks to
be a supersonic-type jet is stationed just above the letters, branching off the
‘J’. Then the sleeve striping has been simplified to two thick horizontal
stripes. Finally, large numbers have been added to the shoulders, and the
collar has been changed from white to green.
#6.
1986 By now the Jets have left New York’s Shea
Stadium for the larger, more football oriented Meadowland Stadium in New Jersey
(they packed their bags after the 1983 season).
The
early to mid 80’s jets have scratched their way back to respectability. The ’86
Jets got off to a terrific start – winning 10 out of their first 11 games,
before settling for a 10-6 final record, good for second in the AFC East and a
wild card playoff berth – only their fifth playoff appearance since their Super
Bowl III victory (the other times being in 1969, 1981, 1982 and 1985).
In
the opening round of the playoffs, they rout the 11-5 Kansas City Chiefs 35-15
in the AFC Wild Card game. Next up were the Cleveland Browns, led by Bernie
Kosar. In a wild game that took two extra periods to decide the winner, the
Browns squeak by the Jets 23-20 on the strength of a 27 yard Mark Moseley field
goal. This was after the Browns had scored 10 points in the dying minutes of
the 4th quarter to tie the game.
Jets’
fans took some comfort in the fact that the Browns would face a similar ‘last
minute’ overtime loss the very next week – at the hands of the Broncos – in a
game known for Elway’s infamous march downfield dubbed ‘The Drive’.
This
’86 Jets HOME uniform was worn by such notable Jets as Al Toon, Freeman McNeil
and Ken O’Brien. Note the white collar and thick, green singular stripe down
the pant legs.
#7.
1990 The Jets of the late 80’s struggle for
respectability, and the 1990 Jets are no exception, finishing 6-10 and out of
the playoffs. While not as numerous as Giants fans, Jets fans remain extremely
loyal to their beloved Jets, and they draw almost 500,000 fans to their 8 home
games – an excellent achievement.
Look
closely at the 1990 ROAD uniform pictured here and you’ll notice the addition
of thin, black outlines surrounding the jersey’s stripes and numbers. This trim
can also be seen sandwiching the thick, white stripe on the side of the pants.
Also note the arrival of green pants, almost shiny in appearance. The Jets’
pants have had a zippered front for the past decade, but now they’ve returned
to a laced front.
#8.
1993 This 1993 HOME uniform largely mirrors the ROAD
’90 uniform – right down to the thin, black trim surrounding the numbers &
stripes.
Look
carefully and you’ll see a small NFL shield on both the jersey’s neckline and
the left thigh of the pants. If you look closely at almost all NFL uniforms
worn from 1991 on, you’ll note this same small NFL shield patch on the jersey’s
neckline. Most NFL uniforms added the NFL logo patch to the neck, and to the
upper left thigh of the pants, beginning in 1991.
On
the left shoulder of this ’93 jersey is a patch commemorating the 25th
anniversary of the Jets’ January 12th, 1969 Super Bowl victory in
Super Bowl III at the conclusion of the 1968 season. The patch says ‘Twenty
Fifth Anniversary’ at the top, ‘Super Bowl III Champions’ at the bottom, with
‘1969’ & ‘1993’ sandwiching the Jets’ logo of the mid-late 60’s.
In
their 4th and final season under coach Bruce Coslet, the 1993 Jets
finish 8-8, missing the above .500 mark for the 5th straight season.
This prompts Jets management to change coaches yet again, this time in favor of
Pete Carroll.
#9.
1994 The ’94 season marked the NFL’s 75th
anniversary. To help celebrate this milestone, most teams wore special
‘throwback’ sweaters commissioned by the NFL (note the diamond patch on the
left shoulder signifying this occasion!).
The
’94 Jets HOME uniform pictured here honors the beautiful Jets’ uniform as worn
by the Super Bowl Champs in 1968. Notice also the fact that the 1994 helmet
featured the mid-late 60’s helmet logo, the popular football-shaped logo.
Look
carefully and you’ll see a small NFL shield on both the jersey’s neckline and
the left thigh of the pants. If you look closely at almost all NFL uniforms
worn from 1991 on, you’ll note this same small NFL shield patch on the jersey’s
neckline. Most NFL uniforms added the NFL logo patch to the neck, and to the
upper left thigh of the pants, beginning in 1991. The only major exception to
this practice was in 1994 when the teams wore their throwback uniforms – in
these cases, as is the case here, most teams did not wear the NFL shield patch
on their jersey or pants.
As
for their record, the 1994 Jets fell to 3-13, their worst mark ever. And it got
worse in 1995, when they finished an abysmal 1-15. But the tide was about to
turn…
#10.
1998 Bill Parcells is now running ‘Tuna Ball’ in the
Big Apple!
With
Vinny Testaverde at the helm, and a balanced offence led by the likes of Curtis
Martin, Keyshawn Johnson and Wayne Chrebet – the once ‘mediocre’ Jets of the
70’s, 80’s and early 90’s have finally been transformed into a virtual
powerhouse and a threat for the AFC title.
Parcells
took control in 1997, after the Jets worst ever 1-15 record in 1996, and
immediately turned the team around. They finished 9-7 in 1997, only their 5th
above .500 finish since 1970.
In
1998, they keep right on rolling, finishing 1st in the AFC East with
a 12-4 mark. In the AFC Divisional Playoff game, they beat the Jacksonville
Jaguars 34-24 in a thriller, then go on to face the Denver Broncos in the AFC
Championship game. It wasn’t to be, however, as the Broncos beat the Jets 23-10
on their way to their second straight Super Bowl victory. But the fans’
patience has been rewarded – the Jets are once again back to respectability – and
then some.
As
far as the uniform is concerned, the 1998 Jets have opted to keep the ‘retro’
style of their late 60’s / early 70’s uniforms – first showcased by the ‘94
‘throwback’ jersey. Note the unusual horizontal and vertical striping format on
the sleeves, as well as the old-style Jets’ logo on the upper left
breast/shoulder area. The small, now traditional NFL shields can be seen on the
jersey’s neckline and the left thigh of the pants. Look carefully at the pants,
and you’ll also see that the Jets have reverted back to the double stripe style
– used in the 60’s. Finally, the ‘old-school’ football-shaped helmet logo was
so popular among fans in the 1994 throwback uniform that it has been
reintroduced on the helmet.
#11.
2000 As the Jets enter the new millenium, the organization has melded
design elements from both modern and past uniforms. This 2000 uniform still
features the ‘retro’ style of Jets’ uniforms from the 60’s – including the
helmet logo, and unusual sleeve striping. Look closely and you’ll see the thin,
black trim surrounding the jersey’s sleeve numbers – an element introduced in
the 90’s. But it remains a simple and elegant design, not over done. Perhaps a
uniform, much like a sports franchise, needs a good balance of old and new
design elements working together in harmony in order to be successful.
After
such a fantastic start to his Jets career, Bill Parcells “kicks himself”
upstairs after he has health concerns during and following the ’99 season. In
1999 the Jets lose Vinny Testaverde in their season opener and struggle
admirably to an 8-8 record, while the 2000 Jets, under new head coach Al Groh,
do one better and finish 9-7, narrowly missing the playoffs.
***************************************
The New York Jets: “It Doesn’t
Get Any Better”
TRADITION… MEMORIES… CLASSY…
Order Yours Today …
and Revel in it!
800-786-3022
412-781-3022
E-mail:
greatestscapes@hotmail.com