Dolphins -Jets history is interesting

[ethurst22a]

I was talking to my great grandfather today who worked for the City of Miami administration under three mayors and the subject came up about football. My great-grandfather worked in the City Historians office. He just sent me some cool pictures of the Federal Highway Administration building I-95 in Miami.

He shared with me some amazing things about the Jets-Dolphins rivalry that many people don't know about. Hopefully, this will provide a different light on why, I think that the Jets-Dolphins rivalry is in the top three of the NFL and why fans are passionate about the rivalry.

In the 1960's Miami had NO INTEREST in any kind of sports teams. The Miami Seahawks left town in 1947 because of lack of support and moved to Baltimore and became the Colts. From 1960 to 1965, the Jets played exhibition games and put on football clinics in Miami. This was done by order of the AFL to convince the Miami commission and raise public awareness that a pro football team would work in Miami.

No one, not Norman Braman (who strangely went on to own the Philadelphia Eagles) from Miami cared about bringing in a professional sports team in Miami (see the story of the ABA Miami Floridians). It's pretty funny to see Norman Braman bitch and complain about Marlins Stadium when he could have cared less about pro sports in Miami almost 50 years ago.

Sonny Werblin, one of the principal owner of the Jets, with the approval of the AFL commissioner, Joe Foss, got the green light to hold exhibitions and football clinics  in Miami. Since Foss could not get a resident businessman from Miami to support a team, he found Joe Robbie, from South Dakota.

Another key factor that my great-grandfather mentioned was that Werblin was a South Florida resident who had ties and got his start in the entertainment industry which would later become a key in finding a financial resource for the Miami Dolphins.

My great grandfather said that the Mayor at that time, Robert King High, Joe Foss and Sonny Werblin met before the Miami commission on the impact of pro football in 1964. The Miami Commission, while not ethusiastic about sports, gave Robbie a lease on the the staduim to bring an AFL team to Miami. In short, they really expected Robbie to fail.

The problem was that Robbie didn't have the money. This is where entertainer Danny Thomas, comes in. Robbie met him through Werblin.

Thomas, who loved sports and had a vacation home on Miami Beach wanted to always be a football coach instead of an entertainer. For those of you that don't know just how important and popular Thomas is, go to Wikipedia and that will explain it all.

Robert King High knew of Thomas desire for pro sports. He arranged a meeting between Werblin, Thomas and Robbie at City Hall.  Thomas became a general partner and with Sonny Werblin, drafted the initial charter of the Miami Dolphins. Robbie was a lawyer so he understood all the legal terms so that was no problem.

The charter went to the original owners of all the AFL teams, Sonny Werblin, Bud Adams (yes, that Bud Adams of the Titans), Ralph Wilson, owner of the Bills with Lamar Hunt (Kansas City Chiefs)  overseeing everything.

The only abstaining vote was from a guy named Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders who Miami played in their first regular season game in 1966.

In 1964, the Miami Dolphins were born all with the help of Jet owner Sonny Werblin.

So this explains why most South Floridians are Jet fans. The Jets had a built in fan based before the Dolphins were a reality by holding exhibition games at the Orange Bowl.

For young guys that don't understand why older Dolphin fans get upset about the Landshark Stadium issue or whatever the name is, its because the older fans know what Joe Robbie went through to bring pro football to Miami. That's why after the lease expired on the Orange Bowl, he raised private funds to build JRS. He never went to the people and requested money.

My great-grandfather, who is a die hard Dolphins fans since the charter was signed, got to know a few of the Jet players who had off-season homes in Miami.

Before the Heat, there were the Miami Floridians of the ABA that failed. Most South Floridians followed teams from the North (The Knicks, 76ers, Celtics and Bruins) when South Florida had no sports teams so these people kept their allegiences because there were fans already here. In my high school years, mostly everyone I went to school with followed the Philadelphia 76ers because they had Dr.J and that's what CBS would beam into our living rooms on Sunday before the Heat ever existed.

So the Jets-Dolphins is more than just a rivalry. I know that some of you may not like it but the Jets were very instrumental in pro football coming to Miami.

[Phishfan]

Great story, but I completely disagree with your theory of why there are many Jets fans in South Florida. I doubt most of the fans you see at a Dolphins-Jets game are old enough to remember any of those exhibition games.

[TonyB0D]

the reason there are so many jets fans in florida is because florida is made up of all transplanted NY/NJers.

[Sunstroke]

^^^ Occam's razor gives a really close shave...

[jtex316]

This is a great piece of history and I really enjoyed reading it. But this has absolutely nothing to do with the Jets / Dolphins rivalry, and everything to do with how the Dolphins were originally formed.

"Most" South Floridians are Jets fans because the Jets held off-season clinics in Miami in 1960? No chance in hell.

[Crabby440]

after reading all of that.. F the jets!

[ethurst22a]

This is a great piece of history and I really enjoyed reading it. But this has absolutely nothing to do with the Jets / Dolphins rivalry, and everything to do with how the Dolphins were originally formed.

"Most" South Floridians are Jets fans because the Jets held off-season clinics in Miami in 1960? No chance in hell.

Why isn't that possible?

Even the NFL has traveled to Mexico, Japan and London trying to pave the way for an expansion team in the near future. These guys in the AFL did the same thing. It's a business. You have a fan base in every country so it would be crazy for the NFL not to exploit the fan base.

How about the NBA in the off-season? Kobe, LeBron and Wade go to China. Isn't that the same thing as opening the market for an International NBA league one day?

When the Dodgers left Brooklyn and moved to L.A., I don't think that the move would have worked anywhere else. There was a base of New Yorkers that lived in L.A./Hollywood and even though people from Brooklyn got upset, they still had the Yankees.

When it comes to business, nothing is impossible.

What was interesting to me is that Dolphin fans are just as obnoxious as Jet fans. The irony is that it was a Jet executive who really pushed for the City of Miami to get a franchise in Miami.

[ethurst22a]

the reason there are so many jets fans in florida is because florida is made up of all transplanted NY/NJers.

Correct.

In all my years of living in Florida, I have never had a negative encounter during a Jet game. None whatsoever.

However, when I moved to Denver, I saw a guy coming out of the liquor store with Jet gear and I almost tackled him. It was like instinct. What made it so bad was that I got out of my car and ran towards him. He didn't know what was about to hit em. I had a flashback to the 1982 AFC Championship Game.

But there was a mutual understanding. He had on Jet gear and I had on a Miami Dolphins tee shirt. Nothing more needed to be said. I got a beer out of that deal.

I think that if you look for trouble, trouble will find you. I've never had any trouble with a Jet fan at all.

[Kid Dynamite]

First of all not MOST all South Floridians are Jet fans. It just seems that way when the Jets come to town because they only get one chance a year to see their beloved team so they all come out.

Secondly, it has nothing to do with whatever happened 40 years ago. South Florida has amazing weather, beaches, night life, and can I again say weather. In other words we attract so many transplanted New Yorkers here. What always makes me shake my head is how so many of them trash Miami as a city because New York was so "much better".

[jtex316]

off-season clinics that happened 45 years ago means that anyone who was at any level attached to it is AT LEAST 55 years old now, or older. The Dolphins have been here since what, 1968? There is no - zero% chance that in 2010, MOST SFL football fans are NY Jets fans because of mini-camps and off-season clinics that happened 45+ years ago.

Clinics with Kobe, Lebron and D-Wade are happening right now - so of course RIGHT NOW, there will be Chinese people who like the Lakers / Cavs / Heat.