As Gang Green Turns: 10-9 Loss to the Ravens Only Part of the Problem

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: 10-9 Loss to the Ravens Only Part of the Problem on Blogcritics.

Hanging my head quietly after the Jets slumped off the field in defeat at the New Meadowlands Stadium, I had one question: what did the Jets in more? The rucus with TV news reporter Ines Sainz or the way they gave away the store on the HBO series Hard Knocks?

One question is harder to deal with than the other, but in the ever churning soap opera that is Gang Green, no drama goes unnoticed. The Jets have been accused by Ms. Sainz of sexual harassment. She was on the field, trying to do her job and interview players, including QB Mark Sanchez, but some players got more than a little crazy. Maybe an attractive woman still causes that kind of thing, but truthfully it is as unacceptable on the gridiron as it in the boardroom.

The other part of that question is just as salient: did the Jets reveal too much on Hard Knocks? We know head Coach Rex Ryan certainly opened his mouth way too much - ask the Ravens' Ray Lewis who has the last laugh right now - and this caused players on other teams, coaches, and everyone else to wonder why the Ryan and the Jets would ever expose themselves this way. Good publicity? Perhaps. It was also an easy way to build resentment that had already been there into a tidal wave of anger and a desire for payback.

I am not sure we can blame the reporter or the TV show for what happened last night. The Jets defense almost looked as bad as the offense. The D got penalties it should not get, gave Ravens' QB Flacco more time than he should ever have had; and while Darrelle Revis looked good, he couldn't make up for Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson's transgressions all by himself.

As for the offense, you probably are sitting there shaking your heads and thinking, "What offense?" All the worries we had about King Rex's horses and his men seemed justified last night. Sanchez got humpty-dumptied by the Ravens' defense and is lucky they could put him together again.

This was less than an auspicious start for our Gang Green. They have to learn that a pretty woman on the field is no excuse for acting like teenagers at the mall. They also have to learn that the opposing team on the field has watched their TV show, taken lots of notes, and are more than ready for them.

Who beat Gang Green on September 13th? They all only have to look into the mirror to find the answer to that question.

As Gang Green Turns: Rex on the Beach

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Rex on the Beach on Blogcritics.

The ever-changing saga of the New York Jets had a new twist this holiday weekend: Rex Ryan flew down to Florida to have a pow-wow with his star cornerback Darrelle Revis. In the report first revealed by the New York Daily News, Ryan went to speak to Revis about getting something done before the first game of the season next Monday night against the tough Baltimore Ravens.

Can you imagine how this meeting took place? As previously reported in this column early in the preseason, Ryan was lamenting the absence of Revis in training camp. He even suggested that Revis would be kissed on the lips if he ever walked through the door. Since Revis wouldn't come to the mountain, the mountain obviously came to him.

I can picture Rex running along the beach, the wind in his hair, his arms outstretched longingly. Revis is running in the other direction, using his skills to escape Rex's embrace, but even the best defensive back in football can't evade a determined Rex on the beach.

Once reunited, they talk small talk. Rex tells him how much he needs him. Darrelle counters with the fact that he doesn't feel the love. Rex reminds him about the kiss comment, and Revis breaks down. They get on the cell phone, call Jets general manager Mike Tannebaum, and all is forgiven. A four-year, $46 million dollar deal is all the love Revis has ever wanted. For now anyway.

Rex and Darrelle walk along the surf, kick a few shells, and they are back in business. Rex hums a few bars of John Denver's "I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane." Revis says, "I'll be right behind you, man."

The contract will be signed today as Revis comes to New Jersey; disaster has been averted. The Jets and their fans no longer have to worry about Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson filling the Revis void. With Revis back in the fold, look for the Jets D to be number one again this year, and that means everything with the shaky preseason Mark Sanchez and the offense have had thus far.

Has the drama ended? Probably not because As Gang Green Turns is the best soap opera in all of sports, but for now Rex Ryan can be seen as the guy who saved the season by sweet talking Revis into signing a deal. Who needs Brad Pitt when Rex Ryan is your leading man?

 

As Gang Green Turns: It's a Hard Knock Life

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: It's a Hard Knock Life on Blogcritics.

As anyone who has seen this season's Hard Knocks on HBO can tell you, it probably isn't the worst place in the world for a football team to get exposure. Yes, you get a weekly dose of Gang Green in all its glory and infamy, with Coach Rex Ryan getting a little heat for his language from Tony Dungy and inspiring Patriot's Quarterback Tom Brady to say he doesn't watch the show and "hates" the Jets. Is this the way to conduct a preseason or what?

Now we hear reports that on tonight's episode of the show that we could have a special guest star: contract holdout Darrelle Revis. Is this just a good ploy to spike those viewer ratings or is it a way to finally get both sides to the table? There are always rumors in the world of Gang Green, and there have been plenty of them going around this week that Revis was close to a deal, but then we get alternating stories about the Jets and Revis being about as far apart as the Golden Gate and George Washington Bridges.

A report in the New York Daily News last week suggested that both sides were $40 million apart in the negotiations, and there has been no budging from either side as we reach day twenty-four in Revis's holdout. That is why these rumors about Revis appearing on tonight's episode of Hard Knocks, while intriguing to say the least, seem dubious. During this whole time the team has maintained that negotiations are "confidential," and so we have heard nothing new; that is nothing new except for all the rumblings, grumblings, and gossip that gets dissected on talk radio day after day.

What is interesting to note is that a significant deal was announced regarding All-Pro center Nick Mangold. He signed a seven-year deal making him the highest paid center in the NFL ($57 million). The whole Revis thing looks considerably more disdainful when we note that Mangold came to camp without a deal. While he may or may not have known a deal would be reached, Mangold took the view of the team coming first. Revis is making it clear that he comes first, but maybe tonight things will change in the unreal world of reality TV.

How long can this holdout last? Maybe all season? "Who cares!" the Jets will tell us, courtesy of the tunnel known as Rex Ryan's mouth. He says that they are confidant in Antonio Cromartie stepping up on the left and rookie Kyle Wilson on the right, backed by the less than astounding Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman. "To the right of them; to the left of them." Where have I heard that before? Oh, yeah, but things have to be considerably better for the Jets without Revis than those Light Brigade guys Tennyson wrote about, right?

So tune in tonight to see if the green really hits the fan: same Gang Green time; same Gang Green station. There could be some genuine fireworks, and even if Ryan doesn't shoot his mouth off, Revis just might show up. Da-da-da-dum.

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Miss Revis in 31-16 Loss to Giants

Okay, Jets fans, it's the morning after the big game against the Giants. Keep telling yourselves, "It's only a pre-season game; it's only a pre-season game." Maybe if you close your eyes and wish real hard, Darrelle Revis will appear in a cloud of smoke, and he'll be back on the team. Yeah, that's about as likely as Francisco Rodriguez ever pitching another inning as a Met again.

The truth, the hard sobering truth, was visible in the first football game ever played at the New Meadowlands Stadium on Monday night. Antonio Cromartie, who has earned the number one spot in Revis's absence, was beaten in one completion by Hakeem Nicks, but he also missed two interceptions. Kyle Wilson, the first round draft pick taking over Cromartie's position on defense, went untested in the game.

The real worry was seen in the lack of depth now apparent, with both Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman looking like they were in big trouble last night. Especially even when Eli Manning left the game because of an injury, these guys were burned by the Giant's back-up QB Jim Sorgi. Not a pretty picture to be sure.

All of Rex Ryan's bluster about the team being headed for the Super Bowl suddenly seems more ridiculous than ever now. With this real weakness exposed, it doesn't matter how great Mark Sanchez and the offense looked in the first half. If the defense is going to be like this come September 13, Ryan's going to be drowning his sorrows in large Mickey D shakes soon enough.

Hopefully, Woody Johnson was watching this game carefully. The Giants beat the Jets and made the D look bad. Revis is no doubt at home watching ESPN and grinning from ear-to-ear. As Rex Ryan removes his big foot from his big mouth, Woody should be taking the wallet out of his back pocket. A Jet fan's homemade sign at last night's game sent the message loud and clear: "Pay Revis!" Come on, Woody, you know you want to. It's going to be a long, tough season if Revis sits it out because you wouldn't do what was right for this team.