I may need guidance from one of the mods, but I had an idea to start a thread for photo images and or video taken by fans from the "old" stadium that used to sit next to where MetLife was built. I attended all but three (Euro trip, family wedding, my honeymoon) of the Jets games played here from '84 thru '09. Compared to MetLife, Giants Stadium was a place to actually watch football, and sometimes, to get rowdy. While we often hear about the terrible incidents that occurred, I can tell you that things did happen, but it wasn't the mayhem it's been described to be. Yes, I participated in some halftime hijinks at the spiral ramp, but I truly went to the games to watch my team, pay attention to every play, and always brought in a radio for up to date game info. My seats (I had six!) were in 122 and two more in 326. MetLife gradually sapped my joy once PSL's forced me to relocate high up to a far less enjoyable experience. After downsizing and relocating my seats twice I gave it up after 2014. I missed my covered Giants Stadium seats in 122 dearly. We went to games, saw the same folks in the same seats week in week out, year to year, saying hello to them for years without ever knowing their names. I hope they feel the same way about me - "Radio Guy" to them. Giants Stadium mostly existed before smart phones gave us video recording ability. There were a game or two where I brought in an 8mm video cam. Perhaps others did as well, and can share old clips. I have at least one I will post here once I get a URL for it, but I figured I can start this thread ahead of putting anything up so that others can as well. The place is now gone 17 years. It's time.
First attempt. December 1993. Cowboys. I had an 8mm video cam at the came. In Section 122 we had a man we only knew as "Big Daddy" who attended games with family members who all wore "Big Daddy's Jets Rooters" on jackets or shirts. Big Daddy sat in a lower row, maybe row 7 or 8, on the aisle. He brought a megaphone with him and would get up and go down a few rows to lead cheers for the entire section. My seats were at the back (Row 31?) end of the section at under the roof in front of the handicap area. From there we'd hear him yelling during games but never could quite decipher what he was cheering. Didn't matter. However, we could tell he'd often shout "Alright, alright, alright alright alright!" Sometimes when something great happened, my brother and I would run down the steps 25 rows just to fist bump him, and after a victory concluded we would not leave our seats to go home until Big Daddy and his crew lumbered up the steps to exit, so we could congratulate each other. (Kotite kept that from happening much) At another game I took a photo of him in his seat and at the conclusion of that season, handed a framed 4x6 to one of his Rooter family to give to him for Christmas. By this time age was creeping up on Big Daddy and he wasn't at that particularly cold game. I'm not sure if I ever saw him again. I hope someone has that photo on a mantle somewhere. When I find that image, I will add it here. Back to the clip. Big Daddy is shown briefly finishing his cheer as Boomer and the Jets have a first and goal against that great Cowboys team. Boomer escapes a sack and throws incomplete, but then the Jets score their only TD of the game on a running play. Was it Murrell? Baxter? Not particularly good video work, but it captures the essence of what I hoped this thread would be.
