When people too young to have seen Joe Namath play quote statistics and dispute his Hall of Fame credentials, the temptation is to slap them upside the head. Instead, just pity them. The HBO special “Namath,” which debuted over the weekend, is a reminder how much fun football was when Broadway Joe was living large as quarterback of the New York Jets.
The 90-minute documentary explains how Namath achieved celebrity status on par with that of Muhammad Ali. In an era when sports stars were expected to be humble conformists (Johnny Unitas), Namath lived his life to the fullest and in broad view of the public.
The best footage is from his pre-knee injury days at Alabama as a dual-threat quarterback, running the option and throwing jump passes a la Tim Tebow.
HBO’s treatments of sports subjects such as the Brooklyn Dodgers, Curt Flood, the Philadelphia Flyers and Larry Bird and Magic Johnson show a rare ability to capture athletes and teams in their time and place. “Namath” is must-see TV, especially for the uninitiated.
– Kevin Dunleavy
