Tag Archives: Jets

Jets Fans: No Time To Just Settle, Be Super!

Posted on by
Reply

By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 1/19/10

The “house money” is all spent.  Moral victories no longer exist.  No, that’s all over now.  Complacency expired with the clock in San Diego.

Jets 17, Chargers 14.

Get greedy Jets fans.  Gang Green is in the final four.  They are about to play in a game the franchise has only seen on three other occasions, 1968, 1982, and 1998.  The New York Jets…say it with me…are going to the AFC Championship Game and are only 60 minutes away from Super Bowl XLIV.  Believe it.

With that said, every fan who bleeds green and white should be thinking big, thinking about getting two more victories and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy amid a green and white confetti rain.  Reaching the AFC Title Game is a great achievement…no doubt.  But don’t settle here.  Don’t be satisfied with just a “great” season.  Dream of a “Super” season.  It’s now within reach.

Opportunities like these are so rare.  Teams come so close, fall just short, and then prepare for a future that may never come.  One season a franchise makes it to the Championship Game, and the next season their balloon of hopes and dreams pop like their quarterback’s Achilles tendon in week one (see Vinny & the Jets circa 1999).

There are so many variables in the NFL.  Teams battle devastating injuries, unfavorable schedules, inclement weather, a salary cap, and have to peak at the right time just to have a shot at a January run.  There are no guarantees in the NFL…well…other than Joe Willie’s pledge prior to Super Bowl III.

Namath’s magic occurred a generation ago, the 2009 Jets are trying to exorcise the demons and do something that no Jets team has done since that unforgettable day in January 1969.

This is no longer just a feel good story.  The Jets are in way too deep for that.  An appearance in the AFC Championship Game officially qualifies as “serious business.”  It’s an opportunity that may never come around again.  The New York Jets head into Indianapolis to face Peyton Manning and the Colts on Sunday at 3:00 PM.  A trip to Miami, and a place in history hangs in the balance.

No time like the present.  No guarantees for the future.  No turning back now.

Get greedy Jets fans.

Connect With Jason

https://byjasonklein.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/instagram-circle.jpg?w=584

 

Lights Out at Meadowlands Signals Opportunity to Own History

Posted on by
Reply

By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 1/5/10

The sign outside may have read “

Giants Stadium,” but the building finally felt like home for Jets fans on Sunday night.

The Jets, perhaps, saved their best performance for last as they did battle with the Cincinnati Bengals in the final game played in Meadowlands history.  Gang Green overcame frigid temperatures, and all the odds, to defeat the Bengals 37-0 in a rout.  In the process, they clinched the 5thseed in the AFC playoffs, the franchise’s first trip to the post season since 2006.

The Jets were destined to do what their co-tenants couldn’t the week prior.  The Giants’ final Meadowlands performance left a sour taste – falling to the Panthers 41-9 in week 16.  By contrast, the Jets refused to lose, holding the playoff-bound Bengals to just 72 total yards of offense…in the whole game!

Mark Sanchez completed an up-and-down rookie season on a high note, managing the offense and feeding Thomas Jones.  Following the game, and a refreshingly frosty Gatorade bath for head coach, Rex Ryan, players did a victory lap, shaking hands with the fans and shutting out the lights at the old building in style.

It was the final great moment inside a building that provided many along the way.  Jets fans will always remember moments like the Monday Night Miracle victory over the Dolphins in 2000, the 1999 Divisional Game against Jacksonville, and the back-to-back routs of the Packers and Colts to end the 2002 regular season and start the playoffs respectively.  Giants fans will quickly forget the team’s 2009 shortcomings and focus more on the three Lombardi Trophies, hoisted after the 1986, 1990 and 2007 seasons.

Whatever your allegiance, there is tons of history oozing from within the Meadowlands walls.  A new partnership joining Steiner Sports with the Meadowlands allows fans and football historians alike to own pieces of that nostalgia.

Interested in owning a pair of seats from within Giants Stadium?  Steiner Sports new partnership makes that possible.  Fans will have access to seats, seatbacks, pieces of the turf, goal posts, and various other items from within the building.  It’s the perfect way to commemorate the past and look forward to a bright future inside the New Meadowlands starting in 2010.

As the Jets prepare for their Wild Card Weekend rematch with Cincinnati, and the Giants start to prepare for what will no doubt be an exciting 2010 campaign, the lights inside Giants Stadium are now dark.  There will never be another game played inside the building that served as home for two teams, and enjoyed one glorious timeline of moments.

It finally felt like home for Jets fans on Sunday night.  Giants fans have always felt ownership.  With both teams moving across the parking lot next season, now it’s the fans who can start to make pieces of the building their own.

Connect With Jason

https://byjasonklein.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/instagram-circle.jpg?w=584


 

Torch in Sanchez’s Hands Now

Posted on by
Reply

By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 9/15/09

The torch has been passed.  Now, let’s see how far the kid can run with it.

Prior to making his first professional start, New York Jets rookie Quarterback, Mark Sanchez met up with the only man to ever lead the franchise to a Super Bowl – Joe Namath.  For over forty years now, long-time suffering Jets fans have savored Joe Willie’s performance in Super Bowl III, speaking glowingly about the iconic figure and his positive contribution to an otherwise abysmal team history.  Sunday at Reliant Stadium in Houston, TX, Namath informed Sanchez that it’s time to move on.

“…this isn’t about me anymore.  It’s about you,” he told Sanchez.

With that, a new era of New York Jets football began.  Jets 24, Texans 7.

Sanchez was confident and efficient, throwing for 272 yards including a 30-yard touchdown pass to Chanci Stuckey.  He was masterful under pressure, converting 10 of 18 third downs.  He exhibited great mobility in the pocket, and excellent decision making throughout.  Sanchez’s play, coupled with a pair of big runs from Thomas Jones, and Rex Ryan’s“Ravenous” defensive scheme, left Jets fans giddy at what the future might bring.  His quick start was reminiscent of the way another former New York rookie began his storied career.

Thirteen years ago, with similar poise and passion to what Sanchez displayed yesterday, Derek Jeter wrote the first chapter of his legendary career.  Now the all-time Yankees hits leader, Derek Jeter began his 1996 rookie season in Cleveland with a home run and a pair of dazzling plays at short stop.  The sky was the limit that day, and for over a decade, Jeter has been as good as advertised.

He further solidified his legacy on Friday night by passing Lou Gehrig’s hits total.  On Sunday, the fiery kid from SoCal began writing his own legacy, chasing Broadway Joe along the way.

One game into “Matinee” Mark’s career, he looks up for the challenge…even if it was only one game.

“It isn’t fair to anyone to judge a young quarterback after one game,” Namath said.  “Even if it was a really good game…what I saw was a kid who was ready.”

The kid was ready, and so are Jets fans.

In 1996, the Yankees, with a new manager (Torre) and a new leader(Jeter), built on chemistry carried over from the previous regime to capture the team’s first title in 18 years.  It’s been over forty years without a Jets Super Bowl victory.  Could a new coach (Ryan) and a new leader (Sanchez) do the trick for Gang Green too?  Jets faithful burn for another title run – time will tell if Sanchez can light that fire with his new torch.

Connect With Jason

https://byjasonklein.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/instagram-circle.jpg?w=584

 

 

Easy to Forget the Real Super Bowl III Jets

Posted on by
Reply

By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 8/26/09

The 1969 New York Jets were as smooth as Joe Namath’s flowing brown locks.

Forty years later, as the 2009 Jets prepare for opening day, that legendary club remains the signature team for an otherwise frustrating franchise.  Everything went right that season for the green and white, the story is part of the fabric that makes up the NFL.  Back in 1969, as everyone knows, the New York Jets tore through their schedule, dominated the competition, and then, in dramatic fashion…lost to the Kansas City Chiefsin the Divisional Round of the Playoffs?

Huh?

No upset for the ages?  No merging of the leagues?  No guarantee?

No, actually, all of that happened the previous January during Super Bowl III, the culmination of the 1968 season.  It was the 1968 team that overcame the odds and defeated the Baltimore Colts 16-7.  That’s the club deserving of all the accolades so often misdirected towards the team from the 1969 season.  Confused?  Where did things get mixed up?

Every season, the NFL declares its champion during the Super Bowl – typically held in January (sometimes February) of the following calendar year.  However, this scheduling snafu has rarely caused any confusion…except in the case of the often overlooked 1968 New York Jets.

For instance, the 1972 Miami Dolphins are the only team in NFL history to complete a perfect season.  Yet, they won the Super Bowl played in January of 1973.  At last check, no one has ever referred to the ’73 Dolphins as Perfect – that team lost in the Super Bowl to the Minnesota Vikings in January of 1974.

Every Giants fan lives by their 1986 and 1990 Championship teams – even though both of those title games were played in 1987 and 1991respectively.

Take it a step further: Slumdog Millionaire, deemed the top film of 2008, was crowned during the Academy Awards ceremony held in February of 2009 – the following year.  Yet, years from now, film aficionados will refer to Slumdog as the Picture of the Year for 2008, not 2009.

So why are the 1968 Jets almost always referred to as the 1969 club?  Ever see a 1968 Team Signed New York Jets helmet for sale, advertised as such?

It’s possible it has something to do with the symmetry of winning during the same calendar year as the ’69 Amazin’ Mets and ’69 Knicks.  New York sports fans will always have a soft spot in their heart for that year of gluttonous winning – still no excuse for inaccuracy.

In 2008, the Jets wore a commemorative patch to honor the 40thAnniversary of the Super Bowl III team – mathematical recognition appropriate for the 1968 club, and further confirmation of the championship team’s true identity.

Regardless, forty years without a championship is a painfully long time to wait for such a devoted fan base.  When Gang Green finally gets to hoist that Lombardi Trophy for the second time in franchise history, it will be a day, and a year, that no Jets fan will soon forget.

Make no mistake about it.

Connect With Jason

https://byjasonklein.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/instagram-circle.jpg?w=584

 

 

Favre’s Next Stop Should Be Canton

Posted on by
Reply

By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 6/10/09

According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, 25 to 30 hotel rooms were recently blocked off by friends and family of “retired” quarterback, Brett Favre.  Their itinerary: Green Bay, Wisconsin, November 1, 2009.  Certainly, the Packers must be planning a “Brett Favre Day” as part of their 1:00 PM matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.  They must be retiring his legendary number 4, and honoring his 16 seasons of work in green and gold…right?

Wrong.  These travel plans were made amidst the latest rumors regarding Favre’s potential comeback – this time, with the archrival Vikes.  His entourage would be better suited booking rooms in Canton, Ohio for the summer of 2013, the first year he’s eligible for induction into Pro Football’sHall of Fame.  Instead, the ole’ gunslinger just can’t stay away from the game he loves.  As a result, his comeback story has become a tired one.

Like a dinner guest lingering long after everyone else has gone home, Brett Favre has outworn his welcome in the NFL.  There’s no debating hisresume – he is one of the greatest players, and leaders, to ever play the game.  But its time the 39-year-old pack it up, head held high, and retire for good.

He looked weary, and old during the final weeks of his short stay in New York.  He looked defeated following the Jets 24-17 season-ending loss inMiami, at the hands of the man he replaced, Chad Pennington.  Despite it all, Jets owner, Woody Johnson, gushed over the job Favre did, and publicly expressed interest in bringing him back (after all, Johnson still had PSL’s to sell).

But, just as he did following the 2007 season in Green Bay, Favre, once more, opted for retirement.  It was back to Mississippi he went, riding off in the sunset, never to throw another touchdown, or interception, again.

Then a funny thing happened, Favre had surgery on his injured shoulder – an odd move for a retired player.  Whether it was feelings of resentment for the way he was exiled out of Green Bay, or his true passion for football, it appeared that Favre wanted to come back, again.

The decision to play, or not to play, ultimately belongs with the player.  No one else has the right to tell a willing and able athlete that he has to hang it up…after all, athletes have a very limited career shelf life, they should get as much out of that time as possible.  Instead, it is Favre’s constant uncertainty about his intentions that rubs fans the wrong way.

Had he expressed a desire to play again in 2009, no one would begrudge him the right to do so.  Instead, he told Johnson and the Jets, “Thanks, but no thanks,” and retired from football.  The Jets moved on without him, gave him his unconditional release, and drafted USC Quarterback, Mark Sanchez as his replacement.

Now, just five short months after the season ended, with his ties to the Jets cut, Favre has flipped again, and appears ready to get back in the game, a move that has further alienated him with fans tired of this stale act.  If he goes through with it, hotel rooms in Green Bay will certainly go for a premium this November 1st when the Vikings come to town.  So will rooms in Canton, OH the next time Favre would be eligible for Hall of Fame induction, the summer of 2014…or 2015…or 2016…

Connect With Jason

https://byjasonklein.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/instagram-circle.jpg?w=584

 

 

Sanchez to Pilot Jets

Posted on by
Reply

By Jason Klein

Originally Written For The Official Steiner Sports Blog – 4/28/09

His cell phone was pressed firmly to his right ear, his left hand was triumphantly raised above his head.  The voice in his ear, that of General Manager Mike Tannenbaum, asked the kid from SoCal if he wanted to be a New York Jet.  With the world watching, he accepted…punctuating the news with a fist pump and a smile.  Just like that, the Jets had a new face for their often embattled franchise. Mark Sanchez, welcome to Broadway.

Immediately, the Jets have their biggest name at their most important position since Joe Willie sported white cleats and a mink.  So far, the Kid looks the part. Coming from one of the biggest football programs in the nation (USC), he is already battle-tested.  There are certainly some question marks regarding his overall experience – he only started 16 games for the Trojans – but experts are quick to point out just how grueling Pete Carroll’s pro-style practices are.

He looked relaxed and genuinely excited at his introductory Jets press conference, at one point claiming that, “this is so cool.”  His heritage will open up new marketing avenues for the Jets, giving them the ability to target a broader audience within the large New York Hispanic Community.  His diverse background, personality and looks, all in the largest market in the nation, will lead to numerous endorsement deals.  That is, if the kid can play.

He will get every opportunity to start in 2009, and all things being even in training camp, he will be under center against Houston on opening day.  However, if he’s outplayed by incumbent Kellen Clemens, look for Sanchez to start the season as the understudy.

Coming off the Brett Favre experiment in 2008, this team is built to win now.  Nick Mangold, D’Brickashaw Ferguson, and Alan Fanaca anchor a solid offensive line, capable of protecting a young and inexperienced QB like Sanchez.  Plus, Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, and Jerricho Cotchery provide this squad with enough firepower to succeed.  Ultimately, new coach, Rex Ryan’s defense will keep the team in all games, Sanchez or Clemens would simply have to protect the ball and not make mistakes.

Whether it was a ploy to help sell more PSL’s or not, by trading up to the 5th pick on Saturday and nabbing Sanchez, the Jets inserted a player, with all the tools, who could potentially lead their franchise for the next decade.  However, fickle and hungry Jets fans know, for every Joe Namath, there is a Browning Nagle.  The heat will be turned up on the kid from SoCal.  Mark Sanchez, welcome to Broadway.

Connect With Jason

https://byjasonklein.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/instagram-circle.jpg?w=584