Clarence Clemons: 1942-2011; NFL's Loss Is Rock 'n' Roll's Gain

One of Rock and Roll's great sidemen, Clarence Clemons, died Saturday at age 69.  The legendary E Street Band saxophonist whose huge presence and bigger sound passed away in a Florida hospital after suffering a stroke last week. 

The Big Man's tight bond with Bruce Springsteen for four decades made him one of the most revered figures in the rock world.  His distinctive solos on hits like"Jungleland" and "Thunder Road" are considered some of the most recognizable sax riffs in rock 'n' roll history.

Clemons had undergone surgeries following a June 12 stroke.

"He carried with him a love of people that made them love him," said Springsteen.  "He created a wondrous and extended family."

Clemons cut a big figure onstage and the gridiron as well.  "Glory Days" could almost be autobiographical.

Most E Street fans probably didn't know that the burly Clemons was a pretty good athlete and a star football player.  The 6-foot-4 Clemons excelled in the sport and earned a scholarship to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and, later, a tryout with the Cleveland Browns.  Injuries  he suffered in a serious automobile accident shelved his plans for an NFL career.  

His derailed football career gave Clemons time to concentrate on his saxophone playing and the rest is rock 'n' roll history.

Clemons might not have made the Cleveland Browns roster, but he's been immortalized in Cleveland's Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

The E Street band also played the Super Bowl in 2009.  It was the first time Clemons walked on stage after knee replacement surgery in 2008.

Even the first meeting between Clemons and Springsteen is a legendary rock 'n' roll fable.  As Clemons and Springsteen tell it, Clemons, the son of a Virginia fish salesman, burst into an Asbury Park bar when a blast of thunderous wind blew the door open in 1971.  The grand entrance gave the impression Clemons ripped the door open.

The dramatic first encounter was the basis for the song "Tenth Avenue Freezeout."

"I will never forget that moment," Clemons recollected later.  "I felt like I was supposed to be there.  It was a magical moment.  He looked at me, and I looked at him, and we fell in love.  And it's still there."

After that stormy night, Clemons became a regular E Street Band member and, possibly, it's most recognizable and popular member.

Clemons blistering sax solos were the highlights of E Street shows and he never disappointed--whether it was in front of 70,000 in the swamps of Jersey, aka the Meadowlands, or one of the mythical shows at the Stone Pony rock club.

"His loss is immeasurable...He was my great friend, my partner, and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music," said the Boss last night.  "His life, his memory and his love will live on in that story and in our band."

Clarence Clemons will live on in his music but "Spirit in the Night" just took on a whole new meaning.

A Few Reasons Super Bowl XLVIII in NJ Could Be The Best

The weather at Super Bowl XLV in Dallas must have the NFL wondering how many helmet-to-helmet hits they took after they awarded the 2014 Super Bowl game to New Jersey/New York.  All these airport closings and frozen roads.  Where is this?  Chicago? 

If all the forecasts are correct, this Sunday in New York--the night of the big game in three years--will bring snow and icy rain to New Meadowlands Stadium with temperatures dropping to 20 degrees.  Don't forget the wind chills which sweep across the swamplands.  Perfect for football purists, hell for everyone else.

Right now, the temperature over/under for Super Bowl XLVIII in NJ/NY is 32.5 degrees and snow comes in at 5-to-1 odds.  Global warming is the handicap.  There isn't a retractable roof.

Bad weather aside, it's the pomp and promotion leading up to the game that should really keep people away.  Here are a few of the things to look forward to that could make Super Bowl XLVIII the best ever.  One can only wish.

•   New Meadowlands Stadium is now named Giants Stadium once again.  New Meadlowlands Stadium.  What genius came up with that one?

•   Seeing newly-appointed NFL Commissioner Keith "I know everything" Olbermann blame the inclement weather on George W. Bush.

•  Watching ESPN and other networks insist on having their talk show analysts broadcast from freezing, open booths outside the studio.  Mike Greenberg shivers to death on live TV and no one notices.

•  Mexican "reporter" Ines Sainz shows up and no one cares.

• Media Day is cancelled due to the foul weather.  Players and reporters are instructed to use Twitter from hotel rooms.  Rachel Nichols wins stupidest question after she tweets Mark Sanchez and asks why he and "Entourage" actor, Adrian Grenier have never been seen in the same room together?

• A Super Bowl Tribute to "Jersey Shore" and Jimmy Hoffa pre-game extravaganza beats out a "Twilight" themed mope-fest.

• After Justin Bieber's hair malfunction in last year's Super Bowl XLVII half-time show in New Orleans, Bruce Springsteen gets the call in 2014.  Why?  Because Jersey's favorite son can do whatever he wants in the Garden State.  Wyckoff's own Jonas Brothers feel slighted and vow revenge by releasing a cover album of Greetings from Asbury Park.

• Jerry Jones is still waiting to get back into the Super Bowl.

• The NFL begins plans to fore go Roman numerals after they can't figure out how to fit Super Bowl LXXXVIII on tee-shirts and other souvenirs.

• The 20-4 New York Giants--after the 20-game season and expanded playoffs--beat the New York Jets in Super Bowl XLVIII.  Giants head coach Bill Cowher frisks, then hugs Plaxico Burress after he catches the game winner.

• Jets fans finally notice that Rex Ryan's lap-band surgery is working after he removes parka.  The new Dr. Scholl's spokesman barely tips the scales at 133 pounds.  His head alone weighs in at 45. 

 Hey, if Ricky Gervais can get a third shot at the Golden Globes, why not a second shot for an uncovered stadium in a cold-weather city?  Hear that Pittsburgh and Green Bay?

Giants Host Dolphins at Meadowlands Practice Facility

The New York Giants invited the Miami Dolphins into their training facility tomorrow to help them prepare for the Dolphin's Sunday afternoon game against the Giants co-tenants, the New York Jets.   While the Jets head coach Rex Ryan was burying a jinxed football outside his team's practice facility yesterday, the Jets owner, Woody Johnson, was digging up negative feelings between the two New York teams who share one stadium.

Giants co-owner, John Mara said he didn't contact the Jets owner because he felt it was just a simple case of civility.   Jets fans think it sounds fishy that their New Meadowlands roommates would turn their practice field into a northern version of Sea World right before a big game against their AFC East division rivals.  All that's missing is Miami consultant--and former Giant and Jet coach--Bill "Big Tuna" Parcells performing a Shamu act.

The Giants agreed to allow the Dolphins team use of the indoor field almost a month ago.  Mara said he wishes he contacted the Jets before the invitation. The Dolphins head coach, Tony Sparano, is the Giants former defensive coordinator.

Johnson did phone Mara and voiced his displeasure at his alleged friend's version of "Three's Company." Mara said he told Johnson he wished he called first and said, "We have a long partnership that's going to last for many years and the last thing I want to do is get them upset about an issue like this."  Johnson has made no public comment.

Jets fans disagree.  They have always felt like illegal squatters in the Meadowlands. It goes back to the days of trying use green bunting to hide the blue walls of the old Giants Stadium to recent disagreements with the design of the new stadium before it was completed.

The fans claim they are the stadium's second-class citizens and are still irked by the "rigged" secret coin toss, which decided the team who would pop the cherry of the New Meadowlands Stadium by hosting the first regular season game.

Mara should have taken the Jets inferiority complex into consideration before making the Dolphins--one of the Jets sworn enemies--comfortable.  The Jets might view this as revenge for opening up a multi-stitch gash in Giants quarterback Eli Manning's head during last summer's pre-season game.  Ryan was asked if he was angry about the Giants' hospitality and only remarked, "Officially?  No."  The usually vocal coach then added,  "It's their facility, they can do anything they want with it."

Ryan wasn't so generous later and said, "I don't want anyone using our facility but us.  When we have the Super Bowl [in the Meadowlands] I'm going to make sure we're in it...I don't want anyone in the facility but us."

 While New York sports radio was burning with pissed Jets callers, the Giants players took it in stride.  "It's cool," said Giant wide-out, Steve Smith, "They'll bring a little South Beach love here."

Sparano brought the Dolphins to New York early, not so much as a sneak attack, but more of a bonding outing for his team.  They plan to see the Broadway show "Lombardi" and get acclimated with the cold weather. In an indoor practice field?  Mara also mentioned his son is an associate producer on "Lombardi."  Maybe the Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez--a noted Broadway buff--is a little jealous?

After all was said and done, the Jets and Giants owners made up.  In a Jets fan's warped vision, it is still a Giants town.  Forty-two years without a Super Bowl appearance can make a person greener than the Jets uniform.  Maybe the Jets ought to roll out the red carpet for the Philadelphia Eagles next week, right before they play the Giants.  Sanchez can take them to see "Elf."