Schwartz: From Broadway Joe To Cooker Joe
By Peter Schwartz
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During his Hall of Fame career, Joe Namath made a habit out of carving up opponents.
Today, Joe Willie is grilling up some outstanding delicacies thanks to the Rapid Cooker and Namath New York Steaks.
So how did Broadway Joe get involved with Namath Products?
It all came about with a visit to his family in Canton, Ohio, where his cousin, Jon Molnar, is a chef. One day, they talked about cooking and tailgating and Namath came up with an interesting question.
"Why can't we find or cook or get the quality taste of steaks that we get at a big-name restaurant or top steakhouses around the country?" said Namath during an exclusive interview with WFAN.com
And that's how the Rapid Cooker was born.
Namath and his cousin went to work on a device that would cook steaks from the top at up to 1,400 degrees. The idea was to cook the meat evenly without a flame flaring up. The heat source comes from the top and high temperatures sear the juices into the meat.
"There wasn't a product like it on the market," said Namath. "If you cook from the bottom, things fall on the flame and juices fall on the flame."
But that won't happen with the Rapid Cooker, which uses infrared as its heat source. The technology reduces fat and calories by melting way excess fat and catching grease in the drop tray. The speed of this cooker is also faster than traditional grilling units.
For more on the cooker and steaks, check out this video.
The stainless steel Rapid Cooker is a dream come true for the tailgating football fan. It's portable and weighs just 39 pounds, so it's not hard to bring to MetLife Stadium or anywhere else you might be cooking up steaks and burgers before the game.
"This is also what initiated this," said Namath. "Talking about tailgating specifically, and how many folks I run into on game day going through the parking lot. It's easy to carry around, which makes it perfect for a football fan."
While Namath is cooking up some outstanding steaks with his new Rapid Cooker, he's also looking ahead to the upcoming Jets season. With some of the additions -- including wide receiver Eric Decker and first-round pick Calvin Pryor -- the man who guided Gang Green to its only Super Bowl title is pumped up for the 2014 campaign.
"I'm very excited," said Namath. "Last year, going into the season, I thought they could do well. As a fan, coming off of last year, you know we can get better. We're expecting improvement. You can't help but be excited about this group."
That group includes second-year quarterback Geno Smith, who compiled an up-and-down rookie campaign. He led the Jets to some big wins over the Patriots, Saints and Dolphins, but also made his share of mistakes.
When asked to evaluate Smith, Broadway Joe provided what amounts to be an incomplete grade for the signal-caller.
"I don't see anything outstanding about him," said Namath, who continues to have his finger on the pulse of the Jets and the entire NFL. "He's not an outstanding passer. He's not an outstanding runner. I haven't seen anything really extra special from Geno, and that's not to be negative at all. The guy performed really darn well on a professional level against guys that were so much better than he's ever played against. The upside of Geno is going to be strong."
What's also strong is the line of steaks that Namath Products has available to fire up on the Rapid Cooker. From the New York strip steak to the porterhouse, to the filet mignon to the premium steak burger, all of the meats are USDA grade to the point where they rank in the upper two percent in the country.
"They're dry-aged, prime, USDA steaks," said Namath. "You can have whatever kind of cooker you want, but if you don't have the quality meat, you're not going to end up with the quality taste."
The reaction in the marketplace to the Rapid Cooker has been very positive. Namath has brought his revolutionary cooking unit to a variety of trade shows and has come away with some more accolades to go along with being a Super Bowl MVP and a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
The Rapid Cooker was the "Blue Ribbon Winner" at the 2013 National Hardware Show in Las Vegas, and it captured 2013 Industry Edge Reader's Choice Award's "Best New Product" honors.
The home office for Namath Products is located in Canton, Ohio, which is appropriate since Namath is very familiar with another building in town that has also acknowledged his new product.
The cooker is the official grill of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"They're nice to have on the team," said Namath.
Namath is no stranger to being on a winning team. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Alabama's 1964 National Championship. A few years later, he came through on his guarantee when the Jets beat the Colts in Super Bowl III.
Today, Namath is on another winning team with Namath Products. The Rapid Cooker and the line of steaks has allowed Broadway Joe to make another guarantee.
"Guaranteed Delicous!"
More info on the Rapid Cooker is available at www.namathproducts.com, or on Facebook here.
Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @pschwartzcbsfan, as well as Joe Namath @RealJoeNamath and Namath Products @NamathProducts.
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