The Monday Night Miracle

Day 68

I think yesterdays column surprised a few people. I don't mean to be such a downer or anything. Perhaps I just wanted to get that off my chest, I don't think I told anyone about that.

Anyway, this column will be a much lighter column. I am sure you know by now that I am a football fan and my favorite team to follow is the New York Jets. To share the pain of being a Jets fan, I made my son Logan a Jets fans too.


Being a Jets fan is hard on the soul. While there are some bright moments they are usually overshadowed by greater moments of failure. But today I am going to blog about history, I watched the game between the hated Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets on Monday Night Football. Well, I watched most of the game but more on that later.

I am referring to the Monday Night Miracle, the game voted as the greatest Monday Night Football game. It was on October 23rd, 2000. And I remember it like it was yesterday.

As a Jets fan, you HATE the Miami Dolphins. Nothing against them and their fans, it is merely business. And I was looking forward to watching my team kill them. That had to be the most frustrating game I have ever watched with the Jets. They had no heart, they were manhandled by the Dolphins all through the first half. I admit that I had lost faith in my team.

At halftime, Arnold Schwarzenegger visited the broadcast booth at halftime and he had much more faith than I did. While I was proud that he was a Jets fan I laughed when he said "Wayne Chrebet is going to pull it off. I think as usual the Jets are going to come from behind, you will see... I think the Dolphins have to be terminated."

The Jets were awful to start the 3rd quarter and like most of the fans in the stands, I left. I was utterly ticked off and I had to do something about it. So I took my beard trimmer and I shaved my head.


Yeah, you heard me right. I took a beard trimmer and cut my hair. I didn't shave my head completely bald but I cut everything off but an inch. I had never done this before either. After I cut almost all my hair off, I took a shower and then went back to check the score. And I saw a miracle brewing, the Jets were marching down the field and Vinny Testaverde hit Laveranues Coles (his 1st professional TD) with a 30-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. And so it began.

A few minutes later, Testaverde threw another touchdown to Wiggins and suddenly it was only a 10 point game. The Jets defense played hard and the Jets were able to kick a field goal and now with about six minutes left we were only behind by a touchdown. And just like me, fans began to come back to watch the game. And then the unthinkable happened, Testeraverde hit Wayne Chrebet with a 24-yard touchdown with 3:55 to go to tie the game. We were TIED!


And then reality hit just as it always does to Jet fans. Just one play later, the Dolphins threw a 46-yard touchdown. I stomped the floor angrily, the Jets were minutes away from taking the game and they just let the Dolphins waltz into the endzone. But call it fate or destiny, Vinny and the Jets would not be denied. The Jets marched down the field again and they called a play, a pass to tackle eligible Jumbo Elliott. Are you kidding me? A pass to a Tackle? His diving, bobbling touchdown catch (and his only catch in his whole career) completed this historical Monday Night Football miracle. We are going into overtime!


The Dolphins still had a chance at winning the game, but the Jets defense stood up against them. Marcus Coleman intercepted a pass and ran it down back into the Dolphins territory but it was called back because of a penalty. My heart stopped. I remember yelling at the TV, telling the Jets to do it again. And sure enough, Marcus Coleman picked off Fiedler again to set up Hall's game-winning 40-yard field goal.

THE JETS HAD WON! I woke up Kristy screaming and cheering. It was close to midnight and I didn't care. I think my impromptu haircut surprised her more.

I think this proves that I am a die hard Jets fan. I would cut my hair in an instant if it made the Jets win a big game. Maybe this Saturday...