NO BIG SURPRISE

For every hopeless cause, every gloomy situation, every no-chance predicament, the 1969 Super Bowl stands as a beacon of light, proof that sometimes the impossible is possible after all.

The New York Jets pulled off that little bit of magic and insist that their 16-7 victory over the Baltimore Colts in Miami was no great surprise, even though they went in as 17 1/2-point underdogs.

In fact, Joe Namath was so confident, he guaranteed the victory.

Thirty years ago, the quarterback boldly announced to the world that the Jets would handle the Colts, violating a basic rule by providing bulletin-board material for the opposition. And just to make sure everybody found out, he popped off at a Miami Touchdown Club dinner.

To understand just how outrageous Namath’s guarantee was, understand that these Jets were from the old AFL, scorned by the lordly NFL, treated like some kind of second-class citizens, interlopers in the private preserve of the pro football establishment.

“For two weeks, we were told how we were going to lose,” Namath said as his old team prepared for today’s playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. “When you keep hearing your team isn’t going to win, you get angry and frustrated. The anger festers. Anger is a good thing to have.”

The Touchdown Club dinner wasn’t even in Namath’s plans for that night.

“I probably wished I was back in Fort Lauderdale rather than south Miami,” he said, “even though I always did get along well in south Miami.”

Jets guard Dave Herman, shifted to tackle by coach Weeb Ewbank to face Baltimore’s Bubba Smith, recalled confronting the quarterback about his remarks.

“I went up to him and said, ‘I’ve got a guy 6-foot-8, 320 pounds. We really don’t need to excite him,’ ” Herman said.

Not that the rest of the Jets didn’t share Namath’s opinion. Herman said the offensive line asked Ewbank to stop showing them films of the Colts. “We might get overconfident,” he said.

John Mackey, Baltimore’s Hall of Fame tight end, remembered reading Namath’s guarantee and deciding that the quarterback was just running his mouth.

“We laughed,” he said. “We thought it was a joke. That was our problem. We had the wrong attitude. We started to believe we were 19-point favorites. We believed all we had to do was show up. We announced our victory party the Wednesday before the game and cut up the shares at the pre-game meeting. Can you believe that?”

What’s more, owner Carroll Rosenbloom contributed to the Colts’ cocky attitude.

“Rosenbloom took everybody’s family, everybody but dogs and cats,” Mackey said. “It was the only time I’ve ever been on the road with my wife and kids. We just had so many distractions.”

Carefully, almost casually, the Jets took apart the Colts on Jan. 12, 1969. There were no dramatic long-yardage plays, just a methodical piece-by-piece construction of one of the greatest upsets in football history.

Matt Snell kept pounding away at Baltimore’s defense, rushing for 121 yards, and Namath directed a controlled attack, completing 17 of 28 passes for 206 yards. Jim Turner kicked three field goals and the Jets intercepted Earl Morrall three times in the first half.

With the Jets leading 13-0 after three periods, Ewbank grounded his offense. Namath never threw a pass in the fourth quarter.

When the Colts rushed sore-armed Johnny Unitas into the game, Herman recalled his reaction. “I thought my heart was going to stop beating,” he said.

Unitas went for it, throwing 24 passes in the final 20 minutes. While this was going on, Namath sought help from a higher authority.

“I remember looking up at the clock with six minutes and 11 seconds left in the game, and it’s the first time I asked the good Lord to please try to help us out and move the clock,” he said.

Slowly but surely the time ticked away. Baltimore scored with 3:19 left and then recovered an onside kick. The Colts went to the Jets 19 before Unitas threw three incomplete passes and Namath’s prayer was answered. New York had done the impossible.

A new version of the Jets is now on its own playoff path, dreaming about its own Super Bowl. Namath was asked if it could happen.

“I believe, in my heart, they have a chance,” he said. “They still have to beat a heck of a Jacksonville team and they have a tough game after that. It’s a chance. It’s there. All of us think the Super Bowl is possible.”

Notice, he didn’t say anything about a guarantee this time.