How Mara, Namath created a Giants-Jets hatred that has vanished

Wellington Mara and Joe NamathLate in his life, even Wellington Mara could smile when he said the name “Joe Namath.”

“Wasn’t always so,” Mara said, chuckling, in 2002.

Those, alas, were the days. Before the advent of Joe Namath, the notion the Giants ever could be challenged in New York City was laughable. They were the kings, the crown princes, the ambassadors and the dukes of New York football.

Other teams tried to penetrate the Big Blue Monopoly: two different versions of New York Yankees, one New York Yanks, one Brooklyn Tigers, one Brooklyn Dodgers, even the Staten Island Stapletons. They all failed. The Giants played in the Polo Grounds when that was the signature address in New York…