Countdown To Agony
39 Years and counting… that’s roughly how long I’ve endured being a NY Jets Fan. Endured, does that word tell the story, or should I use words like, suffering, tortured, agonized, embarrassed, stupefied, dumbfounded, bewildered, heartbreak – you get the picture. Have I suffered more than other fans from other teams, maybe, maybe not. Am I the only suffering Jets fan – definitely not!
This article is not so much about the 39 years of suffering. Not about the “Mud Bowl”,”Fake Spike”, Kotite, Bellichek. Not about the many, many draft blunders or the over-all incompetence of past owners, front office and coaching staffs, it’s not about all that. For some strange reason I always remained a NY Jets Fan. It doesn’t matter that we are a perceived by many as a joke playing our games in another State (New Jersey) in Giants Stadium. That shouldn’t matter to a true fan, should it?
My question is… How much can one man take? The Knicks are an embarrassment that I can’t even watch. The Mets are just the Jets in pinstriped uniforms. But I love this team, don’t I? I spend way too much time building and maintaining NYJetsFan.com. I do it because I love it. I love the mixture of members on this site and wouldn’t trade it for any other site out there. But how much can one man, fan take?
Without hope, you have nothing. Each and every season, Jets fans can start all over with high hopes. We’re not a Dynasty like the Patriots, our Super Bowl is the Draft. New players bring new hope, new attitude and new optimism. So why do I feel worse now than at any point in my previous 39 Years as a Jets fan?
We have so much work to do to gain some respectability in this league. This work will take a combination of know-how, smarts and a wide open wallet. The problem is I don’t have enough confidence in Woody, Mike T and Mangini to make this happen. If last off-season is any type of gauge on what to expect this off-season we are truly doomed. We spent nothing in relation to other teams that spent the money and had the results to show for it. We all know what a very good team in the Patriots did in the off season. They brought in the best WR (actually a few of them), and the best LB available vastly improving their team on the way to a perfect season while we brought in and overpaid Kenyon Coleman and let a valuable LG in Kendall go over a million dollars. We made one good move in bringing in Thomas but look at the fruits of our off-season compared to others. The draft was good for us, bringing in Harris and Revis but much more help was needed.
I’m not going to go over again my plan for this season. Suffice it to say wholesale changes need to be made and made this year. Vilma, has to go, no doubt about it. Mangini held on to him way to long not only hurting his trade value, hurting Vilma and hurting our defense by not having a true 3-4 MLB. Vilma needs to be traded and the same goes for Robertson. Robertson is a good player, but not a 3-4 DT. If Mangini insists on running this 3-4, he needs to trade Robertson along with Vilma.
Others that need to go via trade or being cut are: McCareins, Barret, Dyson, Chatham, Kassel, Clement just to name a few. Coles, as much as I love his production needs to be traded. Not only for his constant out-spoken whining about training camp, but because he is damaged goods. He is only one good hit away from another concussion and his next might be his last. Trade him now while we can get value for him. Chad can stay as a backup if he restructures, if not, trade him for a 4th if we can get it. Rhodes needs to be locked up long-term and forget drafting character guys, get guys with potential, guys that can bring excitement to this dead team.
Is this team cursed, some would say yes. I for one am not superstitious, but watching this team does make you wonder. Winning the last game of the year against the Chiefs was just another example of how nothing goes our way as far as benefiting the team. All we had to do is lose a meaningless game and we had the 3rd pick and a chance at a true superstar. Now we drop down to 6th and for all I know, and most of us feel, the Jets will probably blow it on another OT in Jake Long. After taking D-bust with the 4th pick, I can only pray that we don’t let history repeat itself and select another OT. Not when we have so many holes. My guess is we go Gholston or Laurinaitis which would be nice, or maybe a QB in Ryan or Brohm. I don’t know and it’s not up to me nor is it up to the screaming fans who might say something like “We Want Sapp” while the brain trust selects Kyle Brady.
So I am at a crossroads here. I don’t know if I can take another beating like this. Some of you younger fans have no idea what it’s like to suffer this long. I can’t imagine ever leaving this team, but if we come out of this off-season like we did last it may be time for a Divorce! Mangini, Mike, Woody, it’s all up to you. Only you can save us and only you can destroy us. Here’s to one last chance!
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I forwarded his article to NYJETS.com (coaches) uner the contact section hoping they will see how you and many jets fans feel at this point. Good article.
I finally come across an article outlining most of what is wrong with this Jets team. I, too, feel hopeless about the future of this franchise.
There’s just way too much bad mileage with this team down through the years. Part of the problem is with the fans and the New York sports media. If any other New York team had the season these Jets’ had there would be daily articles about how bad the coaching is and calls for Mangini’s head. The talk radio telephone lines would be lit up with fans stating enough is enough as well as demonstrations outside the Meadowlands on game day. Fans would become vocal enough to threaten cancellation of season tickets. But what happened? Well, these are the Jets’ you see. Losing seasons, mediocre seasons, disastrous seasons have become acceptable to the Jets’ beat writers and Jets’ fans. Its become as expectant as the pathetic,seemingly unending attempt at a lob pass in the end zone during this season. Curiously, that horrible lob pass play speaks volumes to me about the Jets’ future and past. If something doesn’t work keep trying it until it does work. And if it still doesn’t work, well, hey, we kept trying to make it work didn’t we? Oy Vey. Will this frustration ever end? Maybe it is time for a divorce.
Ron , I feel like you wrote this for me .
so something is definetly going on here . you have expressed many of my thoughts . except
I don’t know when to let a player go as quick as you can . you can drop them licky split. Coles should ask to resign because he may not survive another concussion not trade him off to some other team , that would be ruthless.I see you backed off of letting Chad go because he just ain’t a come from behind QB . Had he had a defense and “Coaching” going with the young GM and Coach “Tangini” hurt us in the short term because they are going through their growing up Faze .
this year I posted the comment why did we win the last game and I got called weired .well I am weired but not for that reason. Maybe Herm was told to lose during his term here . don’t you wonder why would Mangini would shoot his own chances in the draft by winning that game ? Does he still believe in Santa ? why would anybody disassemble a young 4-3 to build a 3-4 unless ofcourse its only about the money and not winning.Right?
As a fan since the days of Wahoo McDaniel I have seen the best, well not quite, and the worst.
Keep the faith and hope for better no talk about giving up. What, become a fan of another team!!
Got any cheese to go with that whine!
To quote the great Frank Zappa you are what you is and thats all there is.
Mangini and Tannenbaum will get us out of the mess left behind by Herm (the disaster) Edwards. These guys deserve a pass for this year and in two years the Jets will be an organization with its eye on the Super Bowl. Does anyone remember the Dallas Cowboys when they were 1-15 and nobody thought Troy Aikman was going to live up to his potential-well that turned out alright. Give Clemens and the rest of a chance.