I have been thinking alot about the SOJ story since Cimini and Leberfeld had their panties in a bunch earlier in the week. I think the big thing that has been missed about the SOJ theory isn't that all of us aren't dissappointed with Sunday's lose to the Bills. Every Jet fan and player wants the Jets to win every game every week. HOWEVER, what is startling about the Jets as a fan base is the continued negative reaction of the fans to any type of adversity this team faces. This didn't happen just last week, it happens everytime the Jets lose a game or a player gets hurt or a call goes against us. The perception of the SOJs is a false positive - sure the Jets lose games and players get hurt and refs blow calls but that isn't the result of a SOJ curse. We as the fans - and even the media by extension - place that mantle of a SOJ curse because we haven't wanted to face the obvious explanation for 40 years of futility: Essentially, with the exception of a small bright spot in early 80's and since 1998, the Jets have sucked as a result of poor management stemming from ownership all the way down to GM, the coaching staff, scouts, etc. Now before everyone jumps up and down and screams, please consider the following: #1 - What happened 10 years ago has not bearing on what happened this past Sunday. 10 years ago, Rick Mirer played QB after Vinny went down. What does that have to do with Sanchez's performance last week? Other than the result, there is no correlation. #2 - 40 years since a championship is a long time to wait. However it hasn't been a long a wait as the Lions or the Seahawks or the Chargers who have never won a Super Bowl. Consider this - the Chiefs are exactly ONE year removed from the Jets in futility. They won Super Bowl 4 and haven't been back since. Does anyone hear any comments about the "Same Old Chiefs" in the mainstream press? #3 - The Jets since 1997, have relatively speaking (in comparison to the abysmal 1970s and 1987-1996), been a successfull football team. Granted we haven't won a Super Bowl, but we have been to the playoffs multiple times, have won the division multiple times and but for a bounce or a kick one way or another may have had a shot to play in, if not win a championship. #4 - It should be interesting to note that since 1997, when NOT SO COINCIDENTLY ownership (first under Leon and then under Woody) began taking an active role in the team and demanding success, that the Jets franchise has had its most successful run in team history. Good organizations start at the top. Yes Leon wasted most of 3 decades getting there, but when he did wake up and hired Parcells good things happened. As for Woody, he really did inherit a screwed up team - Parcells retired, Belichicken quit, Groh quit, Edwards was a disaster. Mangini - for all his faults - is responsible for a lot of the talent on this team. But I think Woody pulled the trigger on Mangini for the right reasons and at the right time. #5 - To get more into more specifics about Woody, I think he has gotten a bad rap from us Jets fans. Granted - depending upon your point of view - the stadium deal didn't get done to all our satisfaction and the PSL issue was a disaster because of the economy. However at least he MADE THE EFFORT to get a stadium deal for the Jets. How is that working out in Oakland or Minnesota? Sharing with the Giants suck, but at least we are 50% owners in our OWN stadium VICE 0% owners in someone else's stadium. Plus no one can say Woody won't spend the dollars on either Free Agents or High Draft picks. If those players don't pan out that isn't his fault - he is writing the checks, not picking the players. #6 - With more kudos to Woody, hiring Tannenbaum has been his best move so far in my opinion. Tannenbaum is obviously a cap genius and has really shown a knack for making shrewd trades with draft picks and players. Of course detractors will always point out the big mistakes, but since 2006 Tannenbaum has quite a good success rate. I would like to point out that an average NFL team is made up of 50% drafted players (not even necessarily by that team) and 50% undrafted players. Criticism of Tanny about the # of draft picks is a bit unfounded when you consider that ratio. We as fans and the media have over emphasized the impact on the number draft picks a team has by equating volume with success. If a team has 10 draft picks and only 3 make the active roster, how is that better than a team with 4 draft picks and 3 making the active roster? #7 - The Jets - right now - despite a 3-3 record have made a commitment to building a better team by drafting and starting Sanchez. For the first time in a LONG time, the Jets are no longer looking at band aids at the QB position and have actively sought since 2006 to find a franchise QB. I am not saying that Sanchez is that guy - his performance last week and since week 1 is to be expected from a rookie - up & down; good, bad & UGLY. However at least the Jets finally have someone with potentially the tools and football IQ to be the guy at the most important position. Look around the league, and notwithstanding those teams with franchise QBs, who is in a noticably better position that the Jets? Is Shaun Hill the answer in SanFran? What about Kerry Collins in Tenn or David Garard in Jax? Those teams and others are the Jets without an answer to the QB question! So if you have bothered to read all this, I would like to close with one final thought. We as a fanbase can collectively complain about a lot of things in Jets world. But I believe, all things considered, things aren't as bad as we make them out to be. Sure we have had our fair share of disspointments. But what I would suggest to each one of you is that our collective sigh of "Same Old Jets" really is just our hang-up. The only team's fans that are similar to ours is the Patriots*. Why? Because prior to lucking into Tom Brady in the draft and winning 3 Super Bowls, the Patriots were WORSE than the Jets and their fans were exactly like US without the benefit of even a Super Bowl win 40 years ago! Each one of us now look at the Pats and their fans and are nauseated by the stench coming out of Foxboro. How the hell could that team win with our ex-should have been- head coach, ex-coaches, re-tread players, etc? As much as it pains me to say it, the reason why is because they have had a good owner in Bob Kraft (who I hate with a passion). The guy has put the right people in charge, built a stadium out of his own money and paid to get talent. What does that mean for Jets fans now? Well I think we are on the right track with Sanchez, Ryan, Tannenbaum and Woody. Are there going to be some bumps in the road or 5 pick games? Yeap there will be, but for the first time in a LONG time the road forward looks a heck of lot better than the one traveled. So think about that "Same Old Jets" fan before you boo Sanchez or the team in a couple of weeks. Think about that "Same Old Jets" fan when you show up 20 mins late and leave 20 mins early. Think about that "Same Old Jets" fan when you spend most of your time in the pisser or waiting on line for beer. Perhaps, just perhaps "Same Old Jets" fan you may find you are missing out on watching the development of young QB with a bright future. Perhaps, just perhaps some cheers of encouragement may just be what our QB needs OR chants of "DEFENSE" to help out a Jenks-less defensive unit. I for one am happy that Ryan, much like Parcells, is trying to stake all that SOJ nonsense. I think it is great that when Ryan hears SOJ he thinks Joe Willie and Super Bowl 3 and not Bubby Brister's shuttle pass interception. And maybe we can all help out a bit by not being the "Same Old Jets" fan.
The players, coaches, trainers, staffers, front office types, and cafeteria workers change every year. They've changed stadiums, practice facilities, even the ownership of the team changed about a decade ago. The only constants are the fans and the media, who act like ignorant apes year in and year out. So yea, if there's anything 'same old' about the Jets, its us. Although, in ten years in Baltimore I don't think Rex Ryan ever had an injury as devastating as the loss of Jenkins. And we seem to have at least one like that every year. So who knows. And my only gripe with Woody is deciding not to build a dome. I don't care if he doesn't want to host a super bowl, unless he's going to let us all sit in the owner's box with him when it rains, no roof was a bad choice.
Good job. Its about time someone called out the fans on all the negativity. I'm guilty of bashing Woody Johnson as well but your post will make me think twice now. Conversely, much like you I have been saying that since 1997, this has been a much better team than the 70's through 1996. Great post - admins should make this a sticky and require all new registrants to view it before joining!
No doubt the fanbase is crazily bipolar. This week's finest includes the comparison of RR to Rich Kotite! :lol: :rofl: Staff should be handing out medication at the fuckin tailgate.
I don't think "Same Old Jets" should even exist. It's completely senseless. From a front office perspective, it might have some application and that could filter down to coaching and personnel decisions but in terms of on-field performance like Sanchez throwing picks or Doug Brien missing a FG, it makes no sense.
Good write up and most of it makes sense. Sometimes it does seem like this team is cursed, but when I look at some teams that have never played in the SB, I guess it could be worse. I do believe they are putting together a really solid team and Woody is willing to spend the money...but you get a little taste of success then get kicked in the teeth, it does kinda piss you off. Then you step back and look at the big picture...I guess we'll see in the next few weeks.
It's one thing for a life long Jets fan to say "same old Jets". It's another when the media says it. I've been a Jets fan for 50 years. It isn't that I am a darksider. It isn't that each and every year I think we will lose. But, one has to admit... fortune and fate have not been kind to us. The Testaverde achilles injury in week one, when we thought we just might have a shot at all the marbles. Pennington, so promising, and then the shoulder... and Herm. Then came the "let's be the Patriots" thing with Mangini. I won't even go back to the Kotite days. I was and remain on board with Woody. Other than not moving back to Queens, he's done what any good owner who wants to win should do. I was on board with Herm. I was on board with Mangini. That is, until both of them proved lacking as an NFL HC. I'm on board with Ryan. I think he could be the right guy. Heck, I still think Schottenheimer could be the right guy. WJ has done what he could do. It is just that year after year, something always goes wrong. What goes wrong is different every single year. Favre blows out an arm. Now Jenkins goes down and our rookie QB has all but collapsed 6 games into the season. (I know the Snchez lovers will jump on that, but that is what he did against Buffalo... collapse, mentally) Now, I hate people that boo at games. That is total BS. Support the team or stay home. Now, talking with friends or on a message board... SOJ does have it's place. I have my doubts about a southern California QB playing in the northeast, said so before the draft, said so afterwards, but became a Sanchez hopeful as soon as he was a Jet. I'm still hopeful, but I have my doubts. It would be SOJ if he is a bust. If he works out, just that fact alone would obsolete the SOJ thing by itself. Some 12 year old posters here actually think I WANT Sanchez to bust! Nothing could be further from the truth. Only time will tell. Until this team can put a few good years together, it is what it is. (Herm fave) My point is it's OK for long time Jets fans to lament SOJ! It isn't OK for media to do it. Cimini absolutely REVELS in SOJ. So does Bningo. They both suck.
while i have no love whatsoever to woody and cant stand him. i will agree with everything else you said and it was put quite eloquently. much more so than the drivel i posted the other day being annoyed about the soj saying. its truely annoying.
considering every franchise can give you the same odd unfortunate circumstances, and other probably more severe than what the Jets have endured, SOJ is a media induced piece of bullshit that keeps this franchise in neutral. i won't acknowledge it as long as i live. Its such a pussy statement. Fantastic write up Klecko.
Yeah I can't believe the amount of negativity going on. I was really shocked when I first started visiting this message board how many people turn and bash the players, the coaches, and each other.
Reading comprehension is your strongpoint I guess. IF you had taken time to read this you would realize that I am not blaming the Jets fans for the disasters of the past. The blame is squarely on the shoulders of the owner and management - exactly where it belongs. What I did say is that this SOJ nonsense has been a crutch for Jets fans for way too long a time. There is no causation/correlation with the Jets teams 20 years ago and the play of the team last weeek or next Sunday. The only people who cry about the SOJs are the media and the fans - and always after a tough loss, tough injury, bad call, etc. Fans and other teams would love to be in our position - a potential franchise QB, well balanced team, good & young upcoming players at key positions, a new stadium, an owner willing to spend money. The only people not happy about this is, well, us - the Same Old Jets fans. Those two douchebags whining on draft day make my point exactly: [youtube]3Xq9_n7Vhzg[/youtube]
I did read your OP. You are complaining that fans say SOJ. Do you really think that is why the team has lost three straight? I don't blame the fans. As far as what sports writers in this town say, it's just not that big a deal to me, personally.
When fans start lamenting SOJ, they are trying to bring causation and correlation between this team in 2009 and other Jets teams in the past. They are whining about things that have no/no connection other than the result. The Dennis Byrd injury or Gastineau's roughing the passer call did not impact Sanchez throwing 5 picks. Anytime this team faces adversity, the fanbase and the media start whining about SOJs. I am not blaming the fans for 3 losses in a row, but if the people in the media and the fans were running the team here, we would have traded Sanchez back to the Browns and be stuck starting Ratliff or Clemens - one guy that couldn't beat out a rookie QB and another pre-season superstar who can't beat out Quinn and Anderson. Expectations of anything better than 8-8 with a rookie QB and HC are just ridiculous. Everyone got so worked up - and yes the media is to blame on this as well - when the Jets started off nicely, that no one took a step back to objectively look at the team and especially the play of the rookie QB. On the subject of the media, Serby-Cimini-Cannizarro & company are unskilled hacks. Every Jet loss or bad call or injury is followed by a "cookie cutter" article they pull off the shelf because they are LAZY, UNTALENTED, MISERABLE WRETCHES, passing off as responsible journalists. Perhaps, just perhaps the SAME OLD JETS MEDIA, could come up with an article that would realize interest Jets fans. How about getting the real scoop about why Belichicken didn't want to coach the Jets and what actually fuels his hatred of the team. From my perspective, guys don't walk out the door pissed off for no reason when management just gave them $1 million in cash to stay. Sure the media writes that Belichicken is a cheating scum bag, but something tells me there is more to this story than that. Or, how about some work on Mr. Eugene Parker (Crabtree's agent) and the tampering charges. How come the CIMINI & CO never disclosed that Parker was agent for Lav Coles (who Washington obviously tampered with) and CMartin (who the Jets obviously tampered with)? That would have been an interesting story to read that impacts the Jets. However in both those examples, that would require work by the "journalists" in question. Why work, when the public we eat up the same old tired SOJ story line they can pull off the shelf. That is why the SOJ storyline continues perpetrated by the media and consumed by the fanbase. For example - Serby: QB has bad game, article starts off "We were once again fooled into believing that the 2nd coming of Joe Willie and the franchise's newest savior had arrived. With yesterday's abysmal performance, [INSERT QB NAME] joins Troy Taylor, Glenn Foley, Browning Nagle, et al..." Cimini: After another Jets loss, article starts off "Once again the Same Old Jets crashed and burned, unable to meet high expectations in a devastating loss to [INSERT TEAM NAME AND SCORE]..." So, no I don't blame the fans for the Jets losing but I do blame them for this incessant unfounded whining. The Jets lost 3 in a row because their rookie QB - whom everyone wanted to put in Canton after the 1st 3 weeks - had two stinkers in New Orleans and against Buffalo. Against the Fish, the defense decided to take a week off.
There is a serious hole in the logic of the OP. He explains that the SOJ concept is a facade, but then concedes that "Essentially, with the exception of a small bright spot in early 80's and since 1998, the Jets have sucked as a result of poor management stemming from ownership all the way down to GM, the coaching staff, scouts, etc". This indicates a tradition of fail, hence the slogan same old Jets. OK, so anyone who thinks its a curse is wrong,and he does a good job of demonstrating this, but show me how a fan base is unreasonable when they assume the Jets are simply perpetuating a 40 year tradition of inept management?
I think at least for some of us, the negativity isn't just based on the fact that we lost those last 3 games, but how we lost them. They were embarrassing. Oh, and for me, I'm pissed because I thought we at least had a nasty, aggressive D to look forward to. They were exposed in what, week 5? And Jenkins out=over.
and theyll be the same people scratching and clawing to get back on the bandwaggon talking about how they supported the team all along. or waiting for us to fail and speaking matter of factly with "i told you so" "this team never...." "we never should have...." all the same self pity, self defeatist bullshit. whatever fuck em, weed out the weak minded.
