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Jets owner Woody Johnson sells N.Y. apartment for unbelievable record price

Jets owner Woody Johnson sells N.Y. apartment for unbelievable record price

What was your first apartment worth?

I shared mine with three roommates at the University of Wisconsin (Coyne Court!) and it was so cramped that you couldn't flush the toilet or the neighbors' shower would jump to like 200 degrees. I think my share of the rent was $150 or so.

I don't think many of us live in the same world New York Jets owner Woody Johnson lives in. I'm about to relay a tale that is absolutely stupefying.

Johnson sold his Manhattan apartment for $77.5 million, according to the New York Daily News. No, I didn't misplace the decimal. It's the largest price ever paid for a New York City apartment (heck, I'd hope so). I don't really care what a very rich NFL owner pays for his housing; I'm sure they all have estates that are incredibly nice and insanely priced. Here's the catch: Johnson reportedly never lived in the $77.5 million apartment on the Upper East Side. And the guy who bought it might never live there either.

Let me recap: A man just spent $77.5 million to buy an apartment he may never live in from another man who never lived in that $77.5 million apartment. More than 3.5 million Americans are homeless, by the way.

The Daily News story said that Johnson reportedly never lived in the five-bedroom duplex at 834 Fifth Ave., "instead opting to stay in another of his homes at One Central Park West." The site 6sqft.com said Ukrainian billionaire Leonard Blavatnik, who bought the apartment at more than the asking price of $75 million, said it's unknown if Blavatnik will live in Johnson's old apartment or "if it will be merely another shiny object in his trophy case of New York City real estate." Blavatnik recently bought three other New York City homes for a combined total of more than $100 million, 6sqft.com said. According to 6sqft.com, Johnson's old apartment that he bought has "five bedrooms, three maids’ rooms, and an open layout perfect for entertaining." Three maids' rooms?

The building is a famous one in New York, with 24 apartments over 16 stories, ranging from 4,000 square feet to 12,000 square feet, according to CityRealty.com. It overlooks Central Park and has a doorman and 24-hour concierge service. Sounds like some great digs, and maybe Johnson will regret giving the apartment up.

Whatever. Johnson had to pay for that Darrelle Revis contract somehow.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!