joe namath

Snow flurries flutter to the Shea Stadium grass, the lights have glowed for an hour or so and fans inch through rows and aisles to their seats.

The last hint of daylight slips into a late-fall magenta hue.

Sinatra croons over the loudspeakers. It's either "Summer Wind" or "That's Life."

Joe Namath jogs out to the field. I've been there for 20 minutes, stretching or sprinting.

I meet him at the 20, wide right. I run five yards and cross in. The ball is there. I run eight yards and curl, and the ball is there. I run outs, flags and posts, and the ball is always right there.

I never drop it.

Wearing his white jersey, with the green No. 12 and wide green sleeve stripes, Joe Willie dances as he takes his five- and seven-step drops in those white Pony cleats.

It's pre-game warm-ups. The opponent never matters.

Soon enough, I'm jousting with the Sandman, deep asleep with no worries.

A few times a year - maybe more, depending on fluctuating stress levels - I go to my foolproof play, catching passes from Joe Namath, to cure insomnia.

Thank Ron Kantowski, who prodded me the other day, for my revealing such a personal predilection to the world.

Readers love that, he says. Love such insights and color and description. We'll see.

I'm not even from New York, don't even care about the Big Apple. I'm from Milwaukee. A cheesehead. Bart Starr. Robin Yount. Marques Johnson.

Joe Namath? There's just something about guaranteeing that the Jets would win Super Bowl III over the Baltimore Colts, then doing it.

The brashness of challenging authority, of owning a bar, Bachelors III, that undesirables frequented, and being the first prominent player to wear white shoes.

When the girlfriend saw my eyes bug out as we walked by a Joe Namath throwback jersey in a sports store last month, without hesitation or discussion, she bought it for me.

It hangs in the home office, or on various doors.

The infrequent times his number's called, Joe and the jersey are always there. They've never failed.

Having trouble snoozing? Might want to transport yourself to Shea and Sinatra and snow, in the late fall dusk of 1969. It could help.

Guaranteed.


THIS WEEK'S BEST BET

Idaho at Las Vegas Wranglers, 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Orleans Arena

Las Vegas beat Idaho in the playoffs two seasons ago, and the Steelheads zapped the Wranglers in April before winning the Kelly Cup. The rivalry continues Thursday, and Friday and Saturday night.

TICKETS: $12.50-$36.75 adults; $7.50-$10.50 children.

ON THE WEB: www.lasvegaswranglers.com.

ALSO WORTH A LOOK

Oregon State at Oregon, 1:30 p.m. Saturday, ESPN2

Watch OSU senior Gerard Lawson, a Palo Verde High graduate who returned a kick 100 yards last season. He averages 22 yards a return. The 5-foot-11, 196-pound cornerback has returned an interception for a TD
A back injury delayed incoming University of Alabama president Frank Rose's decision on a new coach to replace J.B. Whitworth whose contract expired this week. Texas A&M football coach Paul "Bear" Bryant said he might go to Alabama, and by week's end Texas A&M had released him from his contract so he could take a similar job at his alma mater. No announcement had yet come from Alabama.

n The Auburn Tigers smothered any Alabama hopes for an upset by soundly defeating the Tide 40-0 in Coach Whitworth's last game at Alabama.

n The Goodfellows organization prepared to auction off a 1951 Chevrolet coupe that would be made like new by local shops and garages.

n Tuscaloosa Kiwanians selected J. Lewis Harper as Farmer of the Year.

25 years ago this week

n A decade of dominance over the Auburn Tigers ended for the Crimson Tide at Legion Field as the Tigers scored a 23-22 victory.

n Mayor Al DuPont was in Los Angeles for the National League of Cities where President Ronald Reagan spoke about his "urban enterprise zone" proposal.

n The police chief and sole police officer of the town of Vance resigned without explanation.

n Crimson Tide players Jeremiah Castille, Joe Beasley and Mike Pitts were named to The Associated Press all-Southeastern Conference football team.

10 years ago this week

n The City Council voted to turn over the management of the city-owned McDonald Hughes Center to the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority.

n University Place Elementary School moved from the building where it was housed for 57 years to its brand- new building next door.

n Howard Gundy, who established University of Alabama School of Social Work and later served as acting president of UA, died at 82.

n Federal budget cuts caused jobs and beds to be cut at Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

n UA head football coach Mike DuBose fired four assistant coaches.

n Tuscaloosa native and former Detroit mayor Coleman Young died at 70. Young was the first black mayor of Detroit and presided over the city for an unprecedented five terms.

Five years ago this week

n A UA trustee said that he fully expected Dennis Franchione to be back next year as the Crimson Tide head coach despite rumors of Texas A&M pursuing him.

n The Crimson Tide rolled past the Warriors in Hawaii, 21-16.

n Students and teachers at Rock Quarry Elementary School complained about illnesses caused by mold in the school.

n Jack Warner joined three other alumni, and together the quartet pledged $12.5 million to Virginia's Washington and Lee University.

n An inmate jailed for murder made his third escape from the Greene County Jail.

One year ago this week

n The University of Alabama dismissed its head football coach. Joe Kines, defensive coordinator, would serve as interim head coach. No timeline was set for hiring a replacement.

n Former UA quarterback Joe Namath, critical of the coach's firing, was in town to sign copies of his book "Namath."

n W.O. "Buddy" Kirk took on an embattled position as Pickens County district judge replacing a judge who resigned after being arrested for methamphetamine possession.

n A tornado tore through Demopolis hours before the annual Christmas on the River parade. The parade went on after the storm passed.

Compiled by news librarian Betty Slowe.