NEW YORK — Perhaps there was something about the footage of himself in a green and white Jets jersey shredding the Baltimore Colts' defense in Super Bowl III that made him nostalgic for those times again.

Because after watching a pre-screening tonight of “Namath,” an HBO and NFL Films documentary about his life, Joe Namath was longing for the connection he once had with his team and its fans.

"I feel awful about it. I feel awful about my relationship with the Jets right now in the sense — I'm talking about the ownership, general manager and head coach," said Namath, who came under fire from Jets coach Rex Ryan and players after his weekly radio spots became a constant source of criticism toward the team. "I don't want them upset with Joe, but damn it, I have to say what I see, what I think, what I feel.

“With the current Jets situation the last few years, I just tried to explain how I felt about things, and when we talk about our head coach, the Jets head coach, he’s unique. I’ve never seen that style in all the years I’ve been around football.”

After a season where the Jets went 8-8, Namath said that “they can do some things better, no doubt,” and that with the advent of Facebook, Twitter and his personal website, he has the ability to be more critical than in year’s past.

Namath said he has not heard anything from the team since the season ended.

“No. No,” he said. “And that (meant) more than comment.”

On current Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, Namath said some of the criticism he’s received is deserved, especially the errant throws and how he “presses” at times, but that “he can learn from those mistakes, he needs the help around him.”

He compared Sanchez’s beginnings to those of Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

Those admissions tpnight were the last in a string of some good, and some uncomfortable, moments that the former quarterback faced head on during the screening of the documentary, the first time he’s seen a majority of the footage and interviews.

MORE COVERAGE OF JETS FOOTBALL

• Jets stories and columns



• Jets photos



• Jets videos



Old tape showed a man who was worth more than $300,000 out of Alabama when no other rookies made anywhere near six figures. He demanded the Jets give his brothers jobs in the scouting department, and give him a green Lincoln Continental and a house for his mother.

Newer footage showed him drunk on the sidelines of a Jets game being interviewed by ESPN correspondent Suzy Kolber, a now infamous exchange in which Namath declared he wanted to kiss Kolbert.

“I didn’t want to do it, are you kidding me? To talk about your life and all, it’s hard sometimes. It’s hard when you have parts of your life you don’t care to talk about or share,” Namath said a few minutes after seeing the revealing documentary, which premieres Saturday on HBO at 9 p.m.

At the film’s end, it showed a much happier Namath who referenced the strong bond he has with his daughter, Jessica, and his grandchildren.

He joked with a waitress at HBO’s studios who brought him coffee, that he expected a glass of Johnnie Walker whiskey.

He was welcomed back to Beaver Falls with open arms recently and his jersey was retired amid a heartfelt reunion with old teammates.

He hopes, now, he can have that situation with the Jets.

“I want a winner here,” Namath said. “And not one wearing blue necessarily.”

Conor Orr: corr@starledger.com; twitter.com/ConorTOrr