Post by Lithfan on Feb 9, 2016 6:40:22 GMT -5
February 9, 1983
“I have spent 32 years in this game and I’ve enjoyed them all. But in that time, I have never taken a vacation and I have never spent enough time with my family. Now I think it is time that I should. So I am retiring as head coach of the New York Jets effective Tuesday, Feb. 8, 1983. I wish my assistant coaches, the players and the rest of the organization and the next head coach good luck in the future. I am proud to say that I leave a much better team than the one I took over six years ago. The Jets are a team that I have personally chosen and developed.”
And with the release of that statement on February 9, 1983, 33 years ago today, Walt Michaels revealed that a day earlier he had “resigned” as head coach of the Jets.
Jim Kensil, team president followed with a statement of his own, “The Jets, of course, are disappointed to lose a coach of Walt’s stature, but his statement speaks for itself. Our priority now is to fill the vacancy created by his decision.”
It was assumed at the time, that Michaels was forced to resign by owner Leon Hess who was upset by what he saw as irrational conduct by his head coach during the Jets recent playoff run. The playoff run that we all know ended in the mud of the Orange Bowl a few weeks earlier.
That irrational behavior that apparently disturbed Hess began the week before the mud bowl inMiami, during the Jets 17-14 victory in Los Angeles against the Raiders. Michaels received a phone call at halftime from someone claiming to be Hess. Walt was convinced the caller was Al Davis (whom had fired Michaels after one season as Raiders DB coach in the early 1960s) trying to sabotage his team in the middle of the game. Turned out it was a bartender from Queens with a bet riding on the outcome of the game.
A week later both in the locker room after the Jets AFCCG loss in Miami, and on the flight home, MIchaels went into an angry tirade against Don Shula regarding the condition of the Miami field and the fact that it remained uncovered during a 24 hour rainstorm prior to the game.
After returning home, Michaels blew off his postseason player meetings as well as his season ending press conference. Despite all of that, he still received a vote of confidence from Kensil. “I’m not saying taking the loss to Miami so hard is good,” Kensil said, “but Walt’s Walt. I haven’t lost faith in him. I just told him to go home and relax.”
Kensil may not have lost faith in him, but apparently Hess had. He would be replaced later in the week when Offensive Coordinator Joe Walton was promoted to head coach.
Source: The New Hampshire Telegraph
“I have spent 32 years in this game and I’ve enjoyed them all. But in that time, I have never taken a vacation and I have never spent enough time with my family. Now I think it is time that I should. So I am retiring as head coach of the New York Jets effective Tuesday, Feb. 8, 1983. I wish my assistant coaches, the players and the rest of the organization and the next head coach good luck in the future. I am proud to say that I leave a much better team than the one I took over six years ago. The Jets are a team that I have personally chosen and developed.”
And with the release of that statement on February 9, 1983, 33 years ago today, Walt Michaels revealed that a day earlier he had “resigned” as head coach of the Jets.
Jim Kensil, team president followed with a statement of his own, “The Jets, of course, are disappointed to lose a coach of Walt’s stature, but his statement speaks for itself. Our priority now is to fill the vacancy created by his decision.”
It was assumed at the time, that Michaels was forced to resign by owner Leon Hess who was upset by what he saw as irrational conduct by his head coach during the Jets recent playoff run. The playoff run that we all know ended in the mud of the Orange Bowl a few weeks earlier.
That irrational behavior that apparently disturbed Hess began the week before the mud bowl inMiami, during the Jets 17-14 victory in Los Angeles against the Raiders. Michaels received a phone call at halftime from someone claiming to be Hess. Walt was convinced the caller was Al Davis (whom had fired Michaels after one season as Raiders DB coach in the early 1960s) trying to sabotage his team in the middle of the game. Turned out it was a bartender from Queens with a bet riding on the outcome of the game.
A week later both in the locker room after the Jets AFCCG loss in Miami, and on the flight home, MIchaels went into an angry tirade against Don Shula regarding the condition of the Miami field and the fact that it remained uncovered during a 24 hour rainstorm prior to the game.
After returning home, Michaels blew off his postseason player meetings as well as his season ending press conference. Despite all of that, he still received a vote of confidence from Kensil. “I’m not saying taking the loss to Miami so hard is good,” Kensil said, “but Walt’s Walt. I haven’t lost faith in him. I just told him to go home and relax.”
Kensil may not have lost faith in him, but apparently Hess had. He would be replaced later in the week when Offensive Coordinator Joe Walton was promoted to head coach.
Source: The New Hampshire Telegraph
