In the end, making peace is much more healthy than holding grudges.
During the “New York Sack Exchange” documentary by ESPN’s 30 for 30, directors James Weiner and Ken Rodgers brought the iconic New York Jets defensive line back together at the New York Stock Exchange, which was the site of their famous photo. As Rodgers said, “When we brought them back together on Wall Street, we knew something magical was going to happen.”
The reunion culminated in a discussion between Mark Gastineau, Joe Klecko, Marty Lyons, and Abdul Salaam. Klecko said, “It is a great feeling” to be with his former teammates again, while Salaam added that it was great to be “home.”
Their conversation soon detailed some of their exits from football; Lyons said that he was given the choice to retire with class or get cut, while Gastineau said that he was glad he left on his own terms.
In the midst of an argument, Salaam, living up to his “Soldier of Peace” name, summed up why they all needed each other and why the “Sack Exchange” worked so well.
“You guys might argue because you guys came at the same time. There was name-calling across the board. But you got to be happy, because it all worked out for you. It all came together.”
The topic of forgiveness was broached during the conversation, with Gastineau saying that “forgiveness is hard” while mentioning that Klecko and Lyons have yet to do so with him and vice versa. Lyons then spoke about forgiveness from his perspective.
“When you ask for forgiveness, you have to ask if I did something wrong. If I did something wrong to Joe, Abdul, or especially Mark, I am sorry. But I am not the same individual I was 40 years ago. Mark, you never did anything that would change my life. I have no regrets.”
Klecko added to this sentiment, saying that he agrees with Lyons about forgiveness and said that Gastineau was an “integral” part of the Sack Exchange. He added that the group would not have worked without Gastineau.
“We are getting to be older. We have grown so far from what we were then, and that’s a reflection on us as a brotherhood,” said Klecko.
As the group spoke about the interaction in reflection, it was evident how important the reconciliation was for the Sack Exchange. Whether it was Lyons, Gastineau, or Klecko, they all reflected the importance of forgiveness and healing. The sentiment is even stronger when considering the passing of Salaam; instead of holding their grudges past his death, they were able to find peace together before the Solider of Peace tragically departed.
The documentary was a great piece of the New York Jets’ history and lore. It showed the rise and fall of the most outstanding defensive line in the team’s history. It gave insight into how the Sack Exchange operated, what the infighting looked like, and the views each player held.
But more importantly, the documentary provided a critical life lesson through the Sack Exchange’s difficult trials and tribulations. The Sack Exchange, despite all of its issues, still found a path to forgiveness. There is always a path to forgiveness and reconciliation, and the journey of Jets’ legends was an excellent framework to utilize it.
