Tag Archives: Jets

Hard Knock Jets Get Knocked Out in AFC Title Game…Again.

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 1/25/11

His eyes were bleary.  His voice was filled with uncertainty.  The New York Jets had just fallen to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship Game and Jason Taylor was addressing the media.

Taylor and his Jets teammates had the rug pulled out from under their magic carpet ride towards a Super Bowl appearance, and he was discussing the harsh reality that awaited them in the offseason.

“This team as you see it tonight will never be together again,” he said. “Whether Jason Taylor’s back, or anybody else is back, it will not be the same football team again.  It just can’t be.  It’s sad in its own right.”

It’s sad, but that’s life in today’s National Football League.  Teams looking to maintain a certain level of success each year must contend with factors like expiring contracts, salary caps, injuries, and age – all of which play a role in shaping a roster.

The 2010 Jets were built to win now.  They acquired veterans entering the final year of their contract, and although their hand was stacked, they folded in Pittsburgh.  Now they must deal with the ramifications after pushing all their chips to the center of the table.

Tough decisions will have to be made on key free agents like Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie, Brad Smith, Shaun Ellis, and David Harris, among others.  Both kicker Nick Folk and punter Steve Weatherford are free agents too.  Gang Green will also have to reach a verdict on the futures of aging superstars Ladainian Tomlinson and the aforementioned Taylor.

The Jets were presented with an opportunity in 2010, a once-in-a-lifetime shot to play for a Lombardi trophy.  So what will it take for the Jets to get this chance again?  It starts with another draft, mini camp, and grueling training camp two-a-days.  They must endure another four-game pre-season and sixteen-game regular season.  Along the way, they have to avoid potential pitfalls like key injuries, treacherous weather conditions, and any off-the-field issues that could prevent a player from performing.

If they manage to surface with a playoff-worthy record in January 2012, they’ll have to win at least one postseason game (at most two) just to get back to the same exact position they already had on Sunday morning.

It’s possible.  After all, they’ve now done it two years in a row.  They have a young, and now experienced quarterback in Mark Sanchez, and a passionate Head Coach in Ryan. One would have to believe they are set up well in those two key areas for years to come.  As long as Ryan is leading the Jets, the mission statement won’t change either.  He expects the Jets to be chasing a Super Bowl every season, starting with 2011.

In truth though, chances like the one the Jets just had are rare.  Just ask Taylor.  It took him fourteen seasons to get to this point, and he had to join the hated rival of his former Dolphins to do so.  Taylor gave it everything he had, invested in Rex Ryan’s scheme, and believed his career would come to an end with him hoisting the Lombardi trophy in a green and white uniform.

Long-time suffering Jets fans also had dreams of green and white confetti raining from above.  It will be 43 years and counting since Joe Namath led the Jets to glory in Super Bowl III, the franchise’s only appearance on the big stage.  After all the hype, the free agent additions, Hard Knocks, Ryan’s bluster, the 11-5 record, and road playoff victories over Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, the fans believed this 2010 Jets team would be the one special enough to end the drought.

The Steelers had other ideas.  The sobering reality left Taylor, his teammates, his head coach, and all fans bleary-eyed, filled with uncertainty, and forced to accept that this team, as constituted, will never be together again.  It just can’t be.

A missed opportunity.  It’s sad, in its own right.

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Same Old Jets Advance to AFC Title Game…Again!

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 1/18/11

Just End The Suffering.

The always-candid Head Coach of the New York Jets stood at the podium Sunday night in Foxborough, MA.  His team had just knocked off the top-seeded New England Patriots 28-21, earning them a spot in the AFC Championship Game for the second consecutive season.  Rex Ryan looked out at the throng of reporters before him and punctuated the evening with his usual bravado, giving positive meaning to a phrase once dripping with negativity.

“Same old Jets,” he said, “Back to the AFC Championship Game.  The only difference is, this time we plan on winning.”

It’s rare in sports that a team gets a shot at a do-over, but that’s exactly what awaits Gang Green this Sunday in Pittsburgh.  Just twelve months removed from their last shot at an AFC crown, the Jets defied the odds, backed up all the talk, and are once again just sixty minutes away from the Super Bowl.

It’s only the fourth time in their, at times, tortured past, that the Jets have advanced this deep into the playoffs.  They have only won the Conference Championship once, the same season they won their only Super Bowl, in January 1969.

That year, the legendary Joe Namath guaranteed they would win the Super Bowl, Ryan has repeatedly predicted the same outcome for this year’s squad.  Is there any reason to doubt him anymore?

In two seasons with the Jets, Ryan has transformed the culture within the organization and the mindset of its fan base.  His confidence is contagious, his personality is infectious.  He has delivered on every single thing he has promised to date, except one thing – a Super Bowl.

He can take another step towards cashing that check on Sunday at frosty Heinz Field.  It’s something this team shouldn’t take lightly, despite their overwhelming confidence.  Though it only took them one season to get back to the Title Game, there is no assurance they will ever return again.  Plus, with labor unrest, and a potential work stoppage in 2011, now is the time for Ryan to end the misery and capture the team’s first Lombardi Trophy in 42 years.

In order to get to Dallas, home of Super Bowl XLV,  the Jets will have to beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh for the second time in a month.  It’s a tall task, but it’s a game they must win.  There are no moral victories for just getting back to the Title Game – not when your mission statement is a Super Bowl victory or bust.

Make no mistake about it, defeating the Patriots on Sunday was a great accomplishment, but there is no relief for Jets fans.  That won’t come until Mark Sanchez is picking green and white confetti out of his curly mane.

Back in August, during the first episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks, Ryan announced their goal in 2010 was to win the Super Bowl.  He then famously bellowed, “I want to lead the league in wins.”  Two more victories would accomplish both goals, a Title and a 15-5 overall record – good for most wins in the NFL this year.

Before then, the Same Old Jets are headed back to the AFC Championship Game.  The only difference is, this time they plan on winning.

It’s been 42 years in the making.  Get it done.

Just End The Suffering.

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Like Namath, Rex Ryan Intends To Keep His Promise

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 1/12/11

Joe Namath once guaranteed Super Bowl triumph, and delivered.

Rex Ryan pledged the same thing two years ago.  His quest continues Sunday in Foxboro against the Patriots in their AFC Divisional Playoff Game.

Forty-two years ago today, January 12, 1969, “Joe Willie” made good on his promise, defeating the Baltimore Colts16-7 in Super Bowl III.  Not since then have the Jets had a personality quite as colorful or brash.

Since his arrival in New York, prior to the 2009 season, Rex Ryan hasn’t been coy with his intentions.  He doesn’t just want to win a Super Bowl.  He plans on it.

During his introductory press conference, he assured Jets Nation of a pending trip to the White House following a title run.  This summer, he even hand signed an ESPN Tour Bus with an inscription of, “Soon to be Champs.” Ryan is ultra-confident and doesn’t care who he offends.

“I’m not apologizing,” he said this past August.  “I just know what’s going to happen.  My crystal ball, I’m seeing a Super Bowl trophy in there.  I could be wrong, but that’s what I see.  But every time I go to work, that’s what I look at.”

Ryan can thank Namath for the trophy he ogles over each day in Florham Park.  For forty-two years, that Lombardi Trophy has stood alone.  Ryan insists he is the green & white Messiah to add another to the collection.

He faces, perhaps, his biggest challenge this weekend.  Coming off of an embarrassing 45-3 Monday Night Football thrashing last month, Ryan knows this rematch with New England will not be easy.  However, he’ll tell anyone who will listen of his plans to pull off the upset and even out-coach the former HC of the NYJ, Bill Belichick.

His bluster might seem dumb, or even reckless on the surface, but Rex Haters must understand one thing:  he just doesn’t spew anything without purpose.

Right or wrong, and always controversial, Rex Ryan takes calculated risks with each bold statement he dangles to the media.  His intentions are almost always targeted at taking pressure off his players and coaches, and putting it squarely on his own shoulders.

It’s hard to argue with the results.  In two years, Ryan has posted an impressive 20-12 regular season record, made an appearance in the AFC Championship Game, and won a total of 3 playoff games (so far), more than any other Jets Head Coach in history.

Love him or hate him, Rex Ryan delivers.  If he can pull three more victories out of his Jets cap this year, and make good on his promise, he’ll own New York.

Just like “Joe Willie” did, forty-two years ago today.

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Jokers? Or Do Jets Have Ace Up Sleeve?

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 1/5/11

The New York Jets pushed all their chips to the center of the table this season.

It’s time for them to show their hand.

One year ago, a 5th seeded, 9-7 Jets team was playing with house money, only thirty minutes away from the Super Bowl.  Unable to protect a halftime lead, against the Colts, in the AFC Championship Game, the Jets were sent home to ponder what might have been and begin preparation for another run in 2010.

Ever since the blue and white confetti rained on their parade in Indianapolis last January, the Jets have done whatever it takes to get another shot in 2010.  With nothing in the NFL guaranteed, and a win-now mentality, the Jets decided to go all in.

For twelve months, Head Coach, Rex Ryan, told anyone who would listen about their pending Super Bowl plans.  He insisted his talented roster was better than the other 31 clubs.  Now it’s time to ante up.

Viewed as a bunch of jokers by others around the league, they solidified their secondary with aces like Antonio Cromartie and Brodney Poole, upgraded their pass rush with Jason Taylor, and added offensive sparks like Santonio Holmes and Ladianian Tomlinson.

With a bulls-eye on their backs, the team appeared on HBO’s Hard Knocks all summer long, and made headlines as often for their off-field shenanigans as they did for their on-field play this season.  At times, their performance in both places was not for the faint of heart.

Despite the drama, and non-stop chattiness, the rollercoaster ride netted them an impressive 11-5 record during the regular season – this time, good for a 6-seed in the AFC tournament, and the tall task of winning three straight road games to reach Super Bowl XLV.

Fittingly, the Jets open up the playoffs in the same place their last hand folded, Lucas Oil Stadium, against Indianapolis, the defending AFC king.  They will get the rematch they so greatly desired.  Will they be able to hold’em this time?

The Jets are going to have to get through a Murderer’s Row of quarterbacks: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and, more than likely, Ben Roethlisberger in the AFC if they want a shot to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.  The Jets believe they have their own stud quarterback in Mark Sanchez.

The Jets must do whatever it takes to cash in on this latest opportunity.  With an aging roster and a potential work stoppage in 2011 there is no guarantee they will have this chance again.  Now is the time for these Jets.

It’s been 42 years since Joe Namath guaranteed a Super Bowl Victory.  Rex Ryan’s been guaranteeing one for two straight years now.

The chips are in the center of the table.

Time to show their hand.

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Steiner Sports Did it Again in Twenty-Ten!

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 12/22/10

The 2010 Steiner Sports year moved faster than Brett Gardner beating out an infield single.

After an historic 2009 at Steiner Sports, the company had a lot to live up to in the first year of the new decade.  The previous year saw Steiner Sports move to a new facility, make available artifacts from the original Yankee Stadium, and develop a new line of exclusive product to commemorate the 27th World Series Title in Yankees history.  How would 2010 stack up in an encore performance?

New Partnerships

The New Year began with a “Giant” announcement.  In January, Steiner Sports informed collectors and sports historians of their plans to offer a new line of collectibles from the soon-to-be demolished Giants Stadium.  The 2010 NFL season would see the Jets and the Giants move into the New Meadowlands Stadium, vacating their previous home across the parking lot.  Similar to their efforts at the original Yankee Stadium, Steiner Sports offered one-of-a-kind artifacts from the old Meadowlands, including seats, seatbacks, stadium signage, sod from the field, and pieces of the goal posts from each end zone.  Both Jets and Giants fans relished the opportunity, snatching up Meadowlands memorabilia at a record pace.

Meadowlands Seats

2010 also saw the World’s Most Famous Collectible Company partner up with the World’s Most Famous Arena: Madison Square Garden.  With MSG set to undergo renovations over the next few years, Steiner Sports began offering unique pieces of the building for fans to add to their collections.  In addition to physical pieces of the building hitting the market, including pieces of the court and arena signage, game used items from the Knicks,Rangers & Liberty also became available.  Fans were able to scoop up game used uniforms, basketballs, pucks, sticks, and clippings from the basketball nets and hockey goals.  These unbelievable items are all available on the Steiner Sports website and inside MSG during Knicks and Rangers home games.

The Dirt

In previous seasons, Steiner Sports had developed a line of product offering actual infield dirt from Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, and Wrigley Field.  In 2010, Steiner Sports got down and dirty with all 30 Major League Baseball Stadiums.  A team of Steiner Sports Product Development specialists created an entire line of memorabilia, released in April 2010, that incorporated Certified Authentic, game used field dirt from every stadium in baseball, giving fans of all teams a “field pass.”

The new line, approved and authenticated by Major League Baseball, included team logo crystals, key chains, stadium and player plaques, ceramic coasters, and 11×14 collages – all containing a capsule of field dirt.  A line of “In the Game” collages were also developed – a unique 20×24 player collage with actual stadium dirt sprinkled on the photo.

Due to favorable pricing, the MLB dirt collection was a popular choice for holiday gifts, and in corporate incentive programs around the country.

The Padded Seats

In an unprecedented move, Steiner Sports temporarily adjusted the price on a pair of padded, championship-level Yankee Stadium Seats, giving fans the opportunity to “Take a Seat in History” at an exclusive price.  The comfy blue seats had listed for $1,750 at their original release, but were discounted, for a limited time, at a price of just $999.

The response was overwhelming.  Yankees fans, and baseball historians alike, reserved their piece of history, for display within their sports rooms or office.  This rare collectible currently remains at the reduced price of $999, and will remain there through the holiday season.  All other pairs of authentic Yankee Stadium seats remain at their original retail price.

The Events

Steiner Sports Clients were treated to a wide array of athlete Meet & Greet opportunities in 2010, both within the confines of their Corporate Offices, and their retail and Last Licks locations.  Fans got up close, and personal with an impressive “who’s who” list of athletes including Eli Manning, Amar’e Stoudemire, David Wells, members of the 1977/1978 Yankees,Vinny Testaverde, Joba Chamberlain, Dustin Keller, Jim Leonhard, Jay Feely, Magic Johnson, Brian Cashman, Hakeem Nicks, Mark Teixeira, and Nick Swisher, among others.

Jets Event With Leonhard, Feely & Keller

Live Meet & Greets, and the ability for customers to interact with athletes, is a trend that is sure to continue in 2011.

More Digital Interaction

2010 saw the world become more connected through the use of popular social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter.  As they so often do, Steiner Sports led the way in the sports memorabilia industry, connecting with thousands of new fans.

Through the popular websites, Steiner Sports found a new and unique avenue to connect with customers and sports fans, publicizing upcoming events and signings, running daily contests, promoting new product, and even sparking heated and passionate sports debates.  It also gave fans a new forum to speak directly to the company, often expressing their interest in the industry or requesting information about athlete signings or products listed on SteinerSports.com.

Individual Steiner Sports Sales Representatives also joined the party, creating their own Facebook and Twitter accounts, giving their clients a new means to increase communication and interact on a more personal level. (Friend Jason on Facebook.  Follow Jason on Twitter).

Moving Forward

In the first year of the new decade, Steiner Sports proved, once again, that the future is bright for the leader in authentic, hand signed and game used collectibles.  There is no doubt that 2011 will prove to be more of the same.  In the New Year, Steiner Sports figures to further revolutionize the sports collectibles industry with new and exciting product and events, in an effort to bring fans closer to their heroes than ever thought possible.  If it’s happening on the field, it’s happening within the Steiner Sports corporate offices in New Rochelle, NY.

Just don’t blink.  It’s a fast-paced, ever-changing industry, moving quicker than number 11 in pinstripes.

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New York Jets Fans Thankful, Hopeful This Holiday Season

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 11/24/10

Jets fans, be thankful, not satisfied.

There is a lot for Jets fans to be grateful for this Thanksgiving.  Gang Green is sitting atop the NFL with an 8-2 record, 3-0 in the AFC East, and possesses a never-say-die attitude.  Their quarterback is proving to be a trustworthy leader, their wide receivers can single-handedly change the outcome of a game, and their head coach has the bravado to lead this team to their first Super Bowl since 1969.

As the New York Jets get ready to face the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving night, there is certainly a lot for Jets fans to be thankful for, but now is not the time for complacency.

Two short seasons ago, the Jets took a similar 8-3 record into the final five weeks of the regular season.  They won only one of those contests, finishing 9-7 and out of the playoff picture.  Last year, a 9-7 record got them all the way to the AFC Championship Game in Indianapolis.  It was an unexpected journey that ended one game prematurely, a missed opportunity.

The National Football League can be sobering for teams enjoying success one season, and fall flat the next.  So many factors affect a team’s ability to win games – injuries, scheduling, weather, off-the-field distractions, etc.  There are no promises a team on the rise will continue ascending towards greatness.

Teams have to take advantage of every situation that presents itself. With nothing guaranteed in the future, the 2010 Jets have an opportunity to make history over the next 2 months…the pieces are all in place.

Not since Joe Namath waggled his finger in the air have the Jets had a quarterback with this much moxie, and this much confidence.  In his sophomore year, Mark Sanchez has earned his “Sanchize” nickname, along with the trust of his teammates and coaches to lead, rather than just manage the offense.

Surrounding Sanchez is a suddenly explosive offense with enough weapons to set off a metal detector.  Imported receivers Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards have been dominating for the Jets, carving up opposing defenses like a Thanksgiving turkey each week.  A two-pronged rushing attack, comprised of Shonn Greene and the legendary Ladainian Tomlinson, has been among the most effective in the league, running behind the most solid offensive line in football.

This holiday season, be thankful for the Jets’ aforementioned offensive talents.  Appreciate their consistently dominant defensive unit and confident head coach.  Be grateful for their last-minute heroics, week after week, producing the kind of heart-pounding adrenaline to snap anyone out of the deepest of tryptophan comas on Turkey Day.

But ask any player on that roster, and they will admit, they haven’t accomplished anything yet.  Players, along with long-suffering Jets fans, dream of the day when green and white confetti will rain from the sky, showering a newly-crowned World Champion Jets team.

The pieces are in place for 2010 to be that special season.  An 8-2 record after ten games is certainly something to be proud of, but don’t be satisfied.  An opportunity like the one that presents itself right now may never come around again.

If the Jets can capitalize, it would truly be something to be thankful for.

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Jets Fans Losing Patience with Revis

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 8/25/10

Revis Island is a lonely place these days.  Once a thriving, popular destination, the island has been evacuated, deserted by once loyal visitors dressed in green and white.

Over the past 24 days, the Darrelle Revis saga has taken a dramatic shift in the court of public opinion.  A stalemate that once saw Jets fans side with the disgruntled cornerback now has most rethinking their allegiance, choosing to favor the organization’s position instead.

It’s a surprising twist considering the Jets recent history regarding popular, and important, players looking for new contracts (see Pete Kendall & Leon Washington).  However, Revis’s perceived unwillingness to negotiate or compromise has left Jets fans frustrated with the NFL’s best corner.

They want one thing, and one thing only: a Super Bowl Title.  That’s it.  It’s been 42 long years without one for Gang Green and the 2010 season represents the organization’s best opportunity to change that.  Revis’s self-imposed absence from camp, and his demands to be the highest paid corner in the league, leaves Jets fans questioning his desire to win and labels him as a selfish, “me-first” player.

Darrelle Me-vis.

If a “media blackout” wasn’t in effect, Revis would be telling his side of the story.  He’d be preaching about his fear of injury without a guaranteed contract in place, and he’d point to the recently jettisoned Leon Washington as his “Exhibit A.”  He’d want everyone to know that the Jets were the ones to first approach him with plans for a re-worked contract, claiming he had out-played his existing deal (a pact he ironically held out to get as a rookie).  He’d also mention that his skills are far superior to those of Nnamdi Asomugha, the new salary standard for NFL corners, and the man Raiders’ owner, Al Davis, grossly overpaid to keep.

All valid points.

However, over the last 24 days, fans have not heard a peep out of Revis camp.  Instead, they’ve become more enchanted with the players actually in Jets camp, admiring their work ethic and determination on HBO’s Hard Knocks.  They’ve also watched two players with similar contract concerns,Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson, report to camp, work hard, and earn new deals “the right way.”

In addition, Jets fans have bought into Head Coach, Rex Ryan’s swagger, and truly believe this is a win-now team – with or without Darrelle Revis.

Revis is the best player on the Jets, though he is not bigger than the team.  But make no mistake about it, Jets fans: Gang Green is a better team with Number 24 on the field.  Period.  If this team, and tortured fan-base, have any aspirations of hoisting a Lombardi Trophy in February 2011, they are going to need Revis there to help.

For the time being, Revis Island remains dark.  Disillusioned fans have lost interest in his demands and chosen to support a team dedicated to winning rather than their money-hungry defensive star.

A deal will eventually get done, and when it does, Revis Island will, once again, open its gates.  The question remains, will Jets fans, once again, open their arms, welcoming back the team’s most dominating player?

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A Super Bowl in NY? Not Cool…FREEZING!

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 5/17/10

Super Bowl XLVIII or XLVIIIce Bowl?

The New York Jets and Giants are both lobbying to host the 2014 Super Bowl at the New Meadowlands, a brand new, 1.7 billion dollar facility set to open its doors in 2010.  The stadium has everything the NFL covets in a venue for their marquee event: it’s modern, has tons of luxury suites, is in a huge media market and is surrounded by a major city with unlimited entertainment opportunities.

It does, however, lack one very important feature: a roof!

Topping 40 degrees on an average February day in New Jersey is a struggle, sort of like selling PSL’s to frustrated Jets and Giants fans in a poor economic climate.  Playing the most important game of the NFL season in less-than-ideal conditions would be a very real possibility should the game be played outdoors in the Northeast.

During last Wednesday’s Super Bowl “pep rally” in New Jersey, Jets Owner Woody Johnson snidely remarked: “We’ll be lucky if it snows!”

Lucky?  How so?

Snow would present some unique, and potentially dangerous challenges for those fans traveling to the game – leaving open the possibility of empty seats for the big game.  Plus, the NFL would be showcasing a compromised version of their product to the world.

While playing the Super Bowl in a cold weather city is nothing new –Minnesota and Detroit have each hosted Super Sunday under a dome – actually playing the game in those conditions without a roof would be without precedent.

Some have argued that the most legendary and memorable games in history have taken place in the cold weather.  Heck, the 1967 NFL Championship Game was nicknamed “The Ice Bowl.”  With a game-time temperature of -13 degrees and a wind-chill of -48 degrees, the Green Bay Packers hosted the Dallas Cowboys for the right to play in Super Bowl II.

True, this game was both exciting, and unforgettable, but there’s something else important to note about the contest.  It was a home gamethe Packers earned by finishing with a better record than the Cowboys.  The Packers went on to face the Raiders in the Super Bowl, played at a neutral sight, the Miami Orange Bowl – game-time temperature: 86 degrees.

Forcing two teams, who have battled all season long, to play the most important game of their lives on a neutral site, in potentially cold and dangerous weather conditions ignores the integrity of the game.  The rationale behind a neutral site has always been to provide an ideal venue to both teams, without any obstacles or advantages for either team.

With that said, if the NFL were to allow the team with the best record left standing to host the game, and that team happened to play in an outdoor, cold-weather stadium – so be it.  Luck of the draw.  As long as the Super Bowl site is a neutral one, it should be played in ideal conditions.

It’s also been suggested that the game of football is a sport tailor made for cold, snowy weather.  While there may be some truth to that, there is no need for the fans to endure such treacherous conditions.  The old Texas Stadium had it right: cover the fans and let the players play in the elements.  The Jets and Giants could have shown similar compassion for their soon-to-be wet, shivering fans when building their new home.

Instead, the New Meadowlands will open its doors this September, sans roof.  In four short years, they hope to host a Super Bowl there.  They will learn their fate following a May 25th NFL owners vote.  Both the Jets and Giants acknowledge that weather will be a factor in the decision, but it didn’t have to be this way.

Had they put a roof on their new football Mecca, this vote would be a slam dunk.  Speaking of dunks, they would also be a top candidate to host future NCAA tournaments.  Concerts, shows, speaking engagements, and conventions would also be the norm, year-round.  One would think, over time, the additional events would help generate enough added revenue to offset the cost of putting a dome on the building…right?

It’s a hypothetical question left dangling out in the cold, like the thousands of fans forced to sit in potentially snowy conditions.  When that happens, one can bet that Jets and Giants ownership will be warm and toasty, tucked away inside one of their new luxury suites, safe from the elements.

With comfy seats like that, no wonder Johnson thinks he “would be lucky if it snows.”

The average fan, trying to enjoy the game?  Not so lucky.

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It’s a Hard Knock Life…For Gang Green

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 3/25/10

Move over Orphan Annie, Rex Ryan just registered for summer classes at the school of Hard Knocks.

This August, the New York Jets will be the latest team featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks, a documentary series produced in conjunction with NFL Films.  The novel reality show takes football fans behind closed doors inside an NFL locker room, giving them access to internal coaches meetings, practices, and players’ personal lives away from the field.

The Jets will be the seventh team featured on the show that first featured aBaltimore Ravensteam, in 2001, with a feisty, loud defensive coach named…Rex Ryan.

This time, Ryan is running the show in New York.  He will most likely run the show on HBO too.  His Big Apple-sized personality is the perfect fit for reality television.  His bluster and quick-witted comments will keep viewers on their toes, plus, his recent lap-band surgery, and the eating challenges that lie ahead, adds a human element sidebar that should add to the intrigue.

Throw in a marketable, second-year franchise QB (Mark Sanchez), a trash-talking veteran linebacker (Bart Scott), arguably the best defensive player in the league – barring an extended holdout, (Darrelle Revis), a young stud running back (Shonn Greene), and a newly acquired, future first-ballot Hall of Famer (Ladainian Tomlinson), and the Jets should be must-see-TV this summer.

In addition, coming off a surprisingly successful run through the AFC Playoffs in 2009, the Jets will have a “Super Bowl or Bust” mentality this season as they leave their old home behind and prepare to open up a new, state-of-the-art Stadium in the Meadowlands.  It remains to be seen whether their inclusion on the show will distract them on the way to reaching their lofty goals.

It will certainly be a learning experience…

From the school of Hard Knocks.

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Script Flipped on Jets in AFC Title Game

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By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 1/26/10

Mark Sanchez stood at the podium, his playoff beard finally gone, like the Jets hopes of winning Super Bowl XLIV.  His “Wonderboy” T-Shirt…no where in sight, replaced now with a blank, white one, perhaps symbolic of the clean slate the New York Jets will have the next time they take the field in 2010.

All the big wins down the stretch, the top ranked defense and running game, the bluster…all just a memory now.  That’s the way it goes in the NFL.  One day you’re playing in the Conference Championship Game, only sixty minutes from Super Sunday, and the next thing you know, you’re staring at a blank page, pen in hand, script unwritten.

Unfortunately for authors like Sanchez, Head Coach, Rex Ryan, and the rest of the Jets organization, it’s often difficult to stick to any script in this league.  There are always so many variables, unforeseen injuries, salary cap calamities, unfavorable schedules, and inclement weather that could get in the way.

Opportunities like the one the Jets just had are rare in the NFL.  Bright futures can dim rather quickly.  Players age, become free agents, or retire, and windows propped open by hope and promise are humbly slammed shut with little notice.

The 2010 Jets should be favored to win their division, and contend for a place in Super Bowl XLV.  It’s exactly what awaited the 1999 Jets after losing to Denver in the AFC Title Game the year prior.  That team, devastated by a week one Achilles tendon injury to quarterback Vinny Testaverde, failed to reach their Super goal.  So have the ten Jets teams since.

It took eleven years to get back to where they were in January 1999 – a halftime lead in the AFC Championship Game, and only thirty minutes from the Super Bowl.  This year, like 1999, they failed to score in the second half as the Indianapolis Colts took the game 30-17, and punched their ticket to Miami at the Jets’ expense.

Make no mistake about it though, the Jets did not lose this game in “Same Old Jets” fashion.  They were beaten by the better team, with the better quarterback.  There is no shame in the way this latest Jets team played.  They were resilient, positive, had great team chemistry, and captured the imaginations of every fan that bleeds green and white.  Ryan made everyone a believer in 2009.

In his final team meeting of the season, Ryan told his players to “wear their Jets stuff and be proud of it.”  Why shouldn’t they?  Ryan has created a new culture within this organization, an environment that players can thrive in, and one that is enticing for prized free agents to come be a part of.

Though there is no assurance of anything in 2010 and beyond, the Jets appear to have all the pieces in place to succeed – in this unpredictable league, that’s the best any franchise can hope for.  Gang Green is set up with a young, star quarterback, a fiery, crafty head coach, a powerful defense and running game, and a brand new stadium – all components that any NFL author would salivate at the chance to write into the script.

There was no storybook ending this year, and there is no guarantee there ever will be.  But the future appears bright and Jets fans will have to wait at least one more season for the next chapter in Jets history to be written.

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