I know chad has been a topical discussion this past few weeks, some pulling for him, some determined to bring him down, but I couldn't help comparing him to Derek Jeter the other night as he, (Jeter) cheered for A-Rod breaking through a huge slump against the Tigers. I've said this countless- times even when he was going through some tough times he is always pulling for the team, waving the towel etc. He will be again tonight. He is the embodiment of what a team captain should be. He is desperate to bring the championship back to New York. Guys, lets get behind this guy and give him all the the support he deserves and give the team.
He is... now if he can bring Jeter's clutch performance capabilities we'll be cool! We all know Im a huge Pennington fan, so this is not a put down.
Derek Jeter has consistantly been on the field performing at a very high level for his team in clutch situations for years. He's won championships, put up huge numbers and for the most part stayed healthy. Other than the fact that they're both big team players and captians, there is no similarity what so ever.
The only guy I'd say was close to being our Jeter was Chrebet. Pennington is more like our Alan Houston.
if a towel waiver is what you want at QB, stick me back there. This is the NFL, not some pee wee game. You need a lot more than heart to win me over. Show me than you can play at a level deserving of my support and you got it. I know your post is really just a rally cry for jet fans to unite behind Pennington, but this is like the 3rd time we're doing it.
Wow... that really is a painfully accurate comparison. The sad part is I always liked Alan Houston too. And he did have his moments (buzzer beater at Miami when Ewing was still around), just like Pennington has had his. Lets just hope Pennington turns it around before he becomes the equivalent of the old Houston, because I dont think hes quite to that point yet. He could still get healthy and be very productive... Houston never really got well.
Yes your right, but cast your mind back to Fins @ Jets, November 2004, we crushed them with ease going 10-0 I think. People were really starting to take notice of us being a real threat for the SB. The next week Chad went down at the Bills with a tear to the rotar cuff but still came back and led us very nearly to the AFC game ( damn Bryan). He has been so unlucky with injuries, it's a cruel game I know, but what if he gets a decent shake this year, boy does he deserve it. If the prince of New York (Jeter) had Chads bad luck he wouldn't be short listed for the MVP he'll get this year but would be cheering on the Yanks from the pens.
When healthy, Pennington is a tremendous leader. But leadership grows out of consistency, and to make players around him better, he has to stay on the field week in and week out. Teamates need to believe by example, as cheering from the sidelines can only accomplish so much. I just pray he stays healthy and we can develop some semblance of a running game to take advantage of his superb play action.
The simple difference between Pennington and Jeter that for some reason nobody has brought up yet? Jeter has 4 World Series rings and Pennington has won 0 Super Bowls.
Hmmmm.....Both play for a NY team? Yes. Both are team captains? Yes. Both are white males? Yes. Both have 4 rings and make the playoffs every year? NO.....Jeter wins
hate to be nitpicky, but Jeter is not white, he's black. Pennington is our Pennington, he's a gutsy, sometimes cluth, genious QB with a noodle arm. No comparisons can be made.
This is one of the more ridiculous comparisons I have heard. First, you can't even begin to compare a shortstop to a QB. With the possible exception of a hockey goalie, no player in sports is more important to a team than a QB. The ball is in his hands every offensive play. A baseball player bats 4-5 times a game and makes a few plays in the field. Second, Jeter's championship rings have more to do with the teams he played on than him. He has been blessed by being in pinstripes and playing on a team with such a huge competitive advantage over the rest of baseball with almost twice the payroll of the next highest paid team. You can't always judge a player by championships, especially when a player is surrounded by the best team money can buy. There are many many players in baseball without rings who are better players than Jeter. A few clutch plays don't make a superstar. If that were so, Gene Tenace would be the greatest catcher of all time (for those too young to remember, Gene Tenace was the catcher for the As when they won 3 Series in a row in the early 70s and put up big numbers in the World Series. Third, this idea that Jeter has "produced" huge numbers is fiction. His batting average and hits have been high, but his production numbers - HR's and RBIs - are pedestrian. He is having a career year this year, but his average season is .315 with 15 homers and 75 rbis. Put him on the KC Royals and nobody knows who he is. Fourth, as for being captain of a baseball team - what is the big deal? What do you have to do? Cheer on the other all stars that make up the Yankees? There is more leadership and teamwork involved in one football series than in an entire baseball game. I agree that Jeter is a complete player and possesses intangibles, but he is nothing more than a good player who has had the tremendously good fortune to play on the richest, most successful team in baseball. Pennington has been more "clutch" than people realize. He has led the Jets on numerous 4th quarter drives to seal a win, win the game, or take the lead. Quite often, his kicker or the defense let him down.
