One of my favorite New York Jets stories centers around the 1979 Senior Bowl. Jets scout Connie Carberg had to choose an injury replacement player to fly in at the last minute. She had nothing to go on but the phone conversation she was having with each prospect.
In the end, the passion and desire of a defensive end from East Central Oklahoma State University named Mark Gastineau – who would drop anything and everything to compete – won Carberg over. Gastineau flew into Ladd–Peebles Stadium in Mobile Alabama, the Jets fell in love, and the rest is history.