MARK GASTINEAU & JOE KLECKO
“I’m sorry….I can’t do the pregame interview with you outside”, I told Mike Forrest of Channel 3 in Philadelphia as he prepared for his Eagle-Jets stand up at Veteran’s Stadium. “The Astroturf is wet, and I don’t have my game shoes yet.” So he proceeded to line up plastic trash bags for me in a trail to his set up position so he could get me on camera in my stocking feet. This is when it hit me….it’s pretty cool to be a starting player in the NFL.
Not that I was REALLY a starting player…but I was for this particular preseason game. Keith Krepfle was out, John Spagnola was dressed for the game but still weak from an intestinal virus, and 4th stringer Bo Dennis was a converted fullback out of Delaware and not deemed yet ready for action. So I was thrust into the limelight as a starter. This was an opportunity of a lifetime, and I planned to make the best of it.
Funny, but I really wasn’t nervous. Even though we were playing the NY Jets and their famous “Sack Exchange” defense that included Marty Lyons, Joe Klecko, and Mark Gastineau, I was still brimming with confidence from my play in the previous exhibition game against Buffalo. So I took everything in stride as I proudly put on the same Eagle’s uniform that had been worn by the likes of Chuck Bednarik, Tommy McDonald, and the rest of the team’s legendary stars. I even got my old college number 80 (which was switched to #86 later in the year)….so it looked like karma was on my side as well.
Even though it was only the first home exhibition game, the Eagle’s faithful were out in full force to take a look at the team that could contend for a championship. The last Eagle’s squad to grab the brass ring was the 1960 team, long before the Super Bowl made its first appearance in 1967. In the fourteen seasons since the inception of the game, Philadelphia had never come close. The fans were sensing an end to their frustration…so even a game that didn’t count in the standings took on significant importance.
The Jets ran a 4/3 scheme that was much different than the Buffalo Bills. They also ignored the unwritten rule about not stunting and blitzing too early in the preseason, so their unusual alignments made my blocking assignments much more difficult. On the second play from scrimmage, QB Ron Jaworski called for me to do a quick out on the near sideline. I had a perfect release off the line and ran five yards down the field before executing a sharp cut against my defender safety Johnny Lynn. With a yard or two of cushion, Jaws threw a bullet in my direction and led me perfectly. I stretched out my arms and caught the ball in stride for my first reception as a pro.
Before I could reel my arms back in to tuck the ball away and protect myself, I felt a searing pain as Lynn’s helmet made full contact with my exposed ribs. All the breath in my body evacuated like a kindergarten class during a fire drill. Although I held onto the ball, I was flipping and flopping on the turf writhing in pain. Now Vermeil had a dilemma….use raw rookie Bo Dennis in a big spot, or risk sending a weakened Spagnola into battle. He chose John, but luckily I shook off the effects of the nuclear blast that centered on my midsection and went back into the game the following set of downs.
On the first play in that series, Vermeil called for a “yam” block (when the TE goes in motion) on the nose tackle, which happened to be the monstrous Temple grad Joe Klecko. Joe had obviously seen this play before, and had me in his sights out of the corner of his eye. When center Guy Morriss pulled to expose Klecko for my block, the burly Jet fired into me with even more force than I had experienced on my ill fated reception. He sent me reeling back about 5 yards and made the tackle on Wilbert Montgomery for a loss. Luckily, it was the last yam call Vermeil made in the game. And I had run a total of three plays and gotten blown up twice. The ratio was not to my liking.
In a 4/3 alignment, the tight end is more likely to be “covered” by a defensive lineman than a linebacker. This makes it easier to release for a pass pattern, but a much more difficult blocking assignment since you are giving up about 30-40 lbs to your opponent. Although Gastineau wasn’t huge, he was still very quick and mobile. Many times I “whiffed” on Gastineau trying to figure out where he was going. Obviously, my Evelyn Woods speed learning football class hadn’t prepared me properly for this advanced form of the game. Although I caught two more passes in the contest, Vermeil was not happy with my performance and let me know about it in the team meeting the next day.
My starting position was gone the following week against the NE Patriots…and so was the white glove treatment I had received from the media and the assistant coaches. While making the team was a thrill, I really never got serious consideration as the tight end of the future and was released the following preseason.
“I’m sorry….I can’t do the pregame interview with you outside”, I told Mike Forrest of Channel 3 in Philadelphia as he prepared for his Eagle-Jets stand up at Veteran’s Stadium. “The Astroturf is wet, and I don’t have my game shoes yet.” So he proceeded to line up plastic trash bags for me in a trail to his set up position so he could get me on camera in my stocking feet. This is when it hit me….it’s pretty cool to be a starting player in the NFL.
Not that I was REALLY a starting player…but I was for this particular preseason game. Keith Krepfle was out, John Spagnola was dressed for the game but still weak from an intestinal virus, and 4th stringer Bo Dennis was a converted fullback out of Delaware and not deemed yet ready for action. So I was thrust into the limelight as a starter. This was an opportunity of a lifetime, and I planned to make the best of it.
Funny, but I really wasn’t nervous. Even though we were playing the NY Jets and their famous “Sack Exchange” defense that included Marty Lyons, Joe Klecko, and Mark Gastineau, I was still brimming with confidence from my play in the previous exhibition game against Buffalo. So I took everything in stride as I proudly put on the same Eagle’s uniform that had been worn by the likes of Chuck Bednarik, Tommy McDonald, and the rest of the team’s legendary stars. I even got my old college number 80 (which was switched to #86 later in the year)….so it looked like karma was on my side as well.
Even though it was only the first home exhibition game, the Eagle’s faithful were out in full force to take a look at the team that could contend for a championship. The last Eagle’s squad to grab the brass ring was the 1960 team, long before the Super Bowl made its first appearance in 1967. In the fourteen seasons since the inception of the game, Philadelphia had never come close. The fans were sensing an end to their frustration…so even a game that didn’t count in the standings took on significant importance.
The Jets ran a 4/3 scheme that was much different than the Buffalo Bills. They also ignored the unwritten rule about not stunting and blitzing too early in the preseason, so their unusual alignments made my blocking assignments much more difficult. On the second play from scrimmage, QB Ron Jaworski called for me to do a quick out on the near sideline. I had a perfect release off the line and ran five yards down the field before executing a sharp cut against my defender safety Johnny Lynn. With a yard or two of cushion, Jaws threw a bullet in my direction and led me perfectly. I stretched out my arms and caught the ball in stride for my first reception as a pro.
Before I could reel my arms back in to tuck the ball away and protect myself, I felt a searing pain as Lynn’s helmet made full contact with my exposed ribs. All the breath in my body evacuated like a kindergarten class during a fire drill. Although I held onto the ball, I was flipping and flopping on the turf writhing in pain. Now Vermeil had a dilemma….use raw rookie Bo Dennis in a big spot, or risk sending a weakened Spagnola into battle. He chose John, but luckily I shook off the effects of the nuclear blast that centered on my midsection and went back into the game the following set of downs.
On the first play in that series, Vermeil called for a “yam” block (when the TE goes in motion) on the nose tackle, which happened to be the monstrous Temple grad Joe Klecko. Joe had obviously seen this play before, and had me in his sights out of the corner of his eye. When center Guy Morriss pulled to expose Klecko for my block, the burly Jet fired into me with even more force than I had experienced on my ill fated reception. He sent me reeling back about 5 yards and made the tackle on Wilbert Montgomery for a loss. Luckily, it was the last yam call Vermeil made in the game. And I had run a total of three plays and gotten blown up twice. The ratio was not to my liking.
In a 4/3 alignment, the tight end is more likely to be “covered” by a defensive lineman than a linebacker. This makes it easier to release for a pass pattern, but a much more difficult blocking assignment since you are giving up about 30-40 lbs to your opponent. Although Gastineau wasn’t huge, he was still very quick and mobile. Many times I “whiffed” on Gastineau trying to figure out where he was going. Obviously, my Evelyn Woods speed learning football class hadn’t prepared me properly for this advanced form of the game. Although I caught two more passes in the contest, Vermeil was not happy with my performance and let me know about it in the team meeting the next day.
My starting position was gone the following week against the NE Patriots…and so was the white glove treatment I had received from the media and the assistant coaches. While making the team was a thrill, I really never got serious consideration as the tight end of the future and was released the following preseason.
However, my fifteen minutes of fame were as fleeting as a Mark Gastineau pass rush but the memories have lasted a lifetime…. and are as vivid in my mind as a Johnny Lynn helmet to the ribs. Some things you just never forget.
P.S. I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with Gastineau a couple of years ago at the NFL Alumni golf tournament held at Greate Bay Country Club in Somers Point, NJ which is owned and operated by my good friend Mark Benevento. He didn't remember much about this particular game...and was mostly complaining about not getting any residuals from his ex-wife's tv show "The Gastineau Girls". He was very nice and autographed some pictures for my daughters. It's the least he could do after costing me a shot at fame and fortune...don't you think?
