As Gang Green Turns: Tebow and Sanchez - Ryan Knows You Can Take Only One Girl to the Prom

First published on Blogcritics.

One suspects that New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan is delighted as can be about the newest wrinkle in the Jets soap opera, with Tim Tebow crashing into the party. For if nothing else, Ryan loves to mix things up; he is definitely a "shaken not stirred" kind of guy. There were times last year that the Jets resembled the Titanic, and if anything Tebow represents the iceberg that hit the starboard side. Since we all know how the ship fared, one can only wonder how the S.S. Jets will stay afloat this season.
Perhaps in Ryan's mind there is no impediment, but that is the same thinking that the Titanic's Captain Smith took to his watery grave. Ryan, despite all his posturing and mouthing off, does know a thing or two about football. He is not some young schmuck who inadvertently asked two girls to go to the senior dance. Ryan knows you can take only one girl to the prom, and if he really wants to get to that Super Bowl and dance the final dance, he is going to have to choose a partner.

Make no mistake, this "love" triangle is something right out of Shakespeare, but if we don't want a tragedy on our hands (with almost everyone dead on the floor after the final sword fight), something has to give. Ryan knows it, Sanchez does too, and without a doubt young Mr. Tebow knows it. He came here of his own volition - choosing the Jets over Jacksonville Jaguars, despite knowing that Sanchez had just received a contract extension. Now isn't that just like the girl who says "Yes" when asked to the prom, even knowing the guy has asked out another gal already?

No one knows how this is going to play out this year, but you have to wonder what owner Woody Johnson and GM Mike Tannebaum were thinking. The obvious thing was to grab the headlines away from those NY Giants, but there is something even more insidious in the works here. Could they have given Sanchez the extension full well knowing that they had their eyes on Tebow? That's like asking if Judas gave up Jesus without thinking about those thirty pieces of silver.

I have been watching the soap opera I like to call As Gang Green Turns for most of my life, but I think these latest episodes are about the wildest I have ever seen (and training camp is still months away). So until the next drama unfolds; same Jet time, same Jet station, old chums.

Photo Credit: foxnews.com

As Gang Green Turns: Euphoria Limited in NYC After Tebow Trade

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Euphoria Limited in NYC After Tebow Trade on Blogcritics.


The announced trade of Tim Tebow from the Denver Broncos to the New York Jets has not sent crowds running through Times Square in joyous celebration. Jets fans know the score: Tim Tebow is no Peyton Manning - not by a long shot. Manning gets to go to the Mile High city and soak up the big bucks, and we get the detritus of this deal in a trade that takes two draft picks and cash.

There is another side to this story too, one that all fans of the soap opera As Gang Green Turns can appreciate: Mark Sanchez, the newly signed to an extension Sanchez, now has to fester in his own brooding way until training camp to see what this all means. If this is not a good reality show what is?

I guess the Jets could not resist the headlines this deal would give them. Headlines here in New York have kind of been rare for Gang Green, while Big Blue sucked up all that ink and screen time on the TV news with winning a little thing called the Super Bowl. I guess this is the Jets' way of grabbing back the spotlight - but how long can this last?

There is one other truth to consider here - Tebow may not be Peyton Manning, but neither is Sanchez. One can run and one can throw; one can pray and one can play, but the truth is that both of them have come up short and have a long road ahead to become anything resembling a Manning brother.

We Jets fans will have to just sit back and see how this all works out. We can only wonder what King Rex is thinking now, and I am sure his mouth will roar in the days ahead. Stay tuned because there will be more to come in the best soap opera in sports.

Photo Credit - AP

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Sanchez Extension Means Manning Turned Rex Down

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Jets Sanchez Extension Means Manning Turned Rex Down on Blogcritics.

In my previous article I indicated that Jets head coach Rex Ryan had to change his spots if the Jets had any chance of landing superstar quarterback Peyton Manning. One day later we learn the Jets have given current quarterback Mark Sanchez a three-year extension worth $40.5 million, meaning now we have five years more of the Ryan-Sanchez era. Excuse me, but the silence in New York is deafening this morning.

We Jets fans have to know what this means: we are stuck with King Rex and his brand of football, kind of the way we Mets fans are stuck with the 2012 team that is already beaten up and destined for .500 ball or less. I guess we should be kind of used to this by now, but it gets old pretty fast always waiting for next year.

Now don't get me wrong, there is a snowstorm's chance in July of me ever switching to Giant blue or Yankee pinstripes. I have Jets green and Mets orange and blue in my blood, born from losing and the hope that once sprang eternal from the mists over Ebbetts Field, the Polo Grounds, and Shea Stadium. Still, I think we Jets fans all woke up this morning, saw this headline about Sanchez, and wondered how things can go this way.

Quickly clicking on the radio to listen to my favorite sports stations (WINS, WFAN, and ESPN here in New York), I switched back and forth to get more details. One thing I heard really hit me hard: Jet icon Joe Namath advised Manning not to get into the Jets soap opera. If good old Willie Joe thinks Ryan and company are toxic, the prospects for the future (as long as Ryan reigns) are dismal to say the least.

You can imagine that Peyton was seriously considering the Jets chances for a trip to the Super Bowl, but with Namath's advice and his legacy to consider (no doubt also realizing how well things worked out for Brett Farve here) he decided it was not worth it. This is what Rex Ryan has done to the Jets; instead of attracting the best players the way he thinks, he is turning them away.

Some may feel that this extension confirms the Jets belief that Sanchez is their man for now and the future, but don't be fooled: this is strictly damage control. They are saying "Sanchez is our man; and this is Ryan's team." In reality this is pure desperation because the team was backed into the corner by Manning's decision to say no to Rex.

So Jets fans you know what we're in for now and for the next five years: more of the same, mediocrity disguised as a game plan. Better get used to it because Rex and Sanchez are here for there long haul on the road leading to nowhere.

Photo Credits - Daily News

As Gang Green Turns: Manning Up - Rex Has To Prove He Has the Right Stuff

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Manning Up - Rex Has To Prove He Has the Right Stuff on Blogcritics.


The old adage is that talk is cheap, which means in Jets head coach Rex Ryan's case that he has a 99 cent store full of throw away quotations. Most notable is stuff along the lines of promising his team will win the Super Bowl, anyone wanting to win a Super Bowl should be a Jet, and so on. Obviously, none of these things are anything that you can take to the bank to earn interest (or to make the great quarterback Peyton Manning want to wear Jet green).

Still, a compelling possibility exists for Ryan and the Jets: Manning is free and available and is looking for work. Manning currently has more opportunities than a kid in a candy store, but you have to know that he wants to connect with a winner: not a team that looks good on paper, but one that can get the boots on the ground drive all the way to the Super Bowl.

One of my vices is listening to sports talk radio shows here in New York, and everyone is buzzing about Manning and the possibility of him in a Jets uniform. As a Jets fan I couldn't say that doesn't get me excited, but I have also learned over the years that nothing is easy in the soap opera known As Gang Green Turns. While this should be a simple equation: Manning + Jets = Super Bowl, there are so many cooks ready to spoil the broth, and chief among them is Ryan and his mouth that roared.

Manning doesn't want promises of a Super Bowl: he wants to be there. From what I've heard on those radio shows, Peyton has no desire to play in the NFC and face his brother more than necessary. He wants to be in the AFC and hopes that he gets to the big game, and then facing his brother would be the stuff of legends. If you think New York got crazy for the Yankees and Mets in 2000, the New York Giants vs. Jets with the Brothers Manning opposing one another would send this metropolis into sheer lunacy.

Still, getting Manning to sign on the dotted line is going to be a challenge. I think Ryan and the Jets have to court Manning, prove they are winners, and Ryan has to change his style quite a bit. If he goes from big mouth to a more measured and methodical approach (similar to Giants head coach Tom Coughlin), Manning might be more secure in coming here.

People calling into the radio shows question Manning's health. If the Jets get him, will he be the superstar he was once, or will he suffer a mid season breakdown and burst everyone's bubbles? We know Manning didn't play a game last year, and there has to be some concern about his ability to throw a ball, his velocity, and his endurance. Certainly, even a compromised Manning might be better than Mark Sanchez, but medical tests will determine his health and we can take it from there.

The Jets have to go for Manning, and perhaps Mark Sanchez gains a mentor and will learn to be the same kind of player. Will it be hard for Sanchez to take a step backwards? Of course, and maybe even the Jets trade him to drop payroll to accommodate Manning's salary. That would be sound financial planning and investment to be sure.

I want to see Manning in Jets green next year. If Ryan and company want to see him there too, they have to show they are ready to win - not just talk about it. Ryan is the key here, and if the whole thing doesn't work out, you have to wonder if Manning figured he would avoid the dubious pleasures of being Rex Ryan's quarterback. If that would be the case, Ryan has to get out of town faster than you can say "Mangenius." I'm sure former Jets head coach Eric Mangini will welcome him to the club.

Photo Credits: Manning - lifenews.com; Ryan - Boston Herald.com

As Gang Green Turns: Rex and His Men Surprisingly Quiet As Giants Celebrate

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Rex and His Men Surprisingly Quiet As Giants Celebrate on Blogcritics.

The sounds of silence from Jets head coach Rex Ryan and his men are deafening. As the Giants enjoyed a ticker-tape parade in lower Manhattan, there was nothing to say for the Jets. Their fans (I am one of them) watched the celebration and felt like they were robbed or deprived or mislead, and that has to do with all Ryan's boasting and bravado that gave them a false feeling of security. Of course, we should know better. Ryan has been promising a championship for three seasons now, and all we have to show for it is watching Big Blue retake New York.

I for one do not take anything away from the Giants or their fans. They definitely deserve the accolades, the keys to the city, the parade down the Canyon of Heroes, and all the rest of the bounty of their victory. We Jets fans can even feel good about it in knowing that the Giants took down Darth Belichick and his Imperial Stormtroopers. Oh yes, Jets fans, we must admit that the force was undeniably with Obi Wan Coughlin, Eli Skywalker, and their Jedi. Please forgive these references to Star Wars, but I am losing it here.

You see, when it is all said and done, Jets fans should have nothing but admiration for the Giants, their victory, and their coach and quarterback. This is a class act all the way, and if we bleeders of green do not admit it, then we do not deserve a tourniquet to stop the flow of blood. In fact, Jets fans are down and out for the count right now, and there is no way for any of us to get back on our feet and face the future unless we come to grips with some disturbing facts.

1. Rex Ryan lied to us. He knew he was lying, and if he did not know, then he is even worse off than we thought. It is easy to shoot one's mouth off to friends and family, but when you stare into the camera and guarantee a Super Bowl berth to your fans, you better be able to back that up. Sadly, Rex has three strikes against him now, and unless I am wrong, that means he has struck out.

2. Mark Sanchez is not going to be an elite quarterback. There are those amazing guys who can be the QB that is in the stratosphere, the anointed ones like Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, or even Tom Brady. I think this Super Bowl victory elevates Peyton's brother Eli into this fraternity, but Jets fans have to realize that Sanchez is not even close to this crew. Sanchez may evolve and become a good QB, but I doubt he will ever rise as high as those named above.

3. Jets ownership tried to get by in 2011. There were questionable moves, especially the addition of Plaxico Burress. The offensive line seemed incapable of protecting Sanchez. He always seemed under the gun. One might say, "No wonder he threw all those interceptions." And the defense, what the supposedly masterful defense expert Ryan established, did not live up to expectations. In the overall picture, it seems that the Jets were short on personnel and on the support necessary from Woody Johnson to get the best players no matter the cost.

So now, the parade is over. Manning has been to Disney World, sat down with David Letterman to chew the fat, and got to drive his new Corvette as Super Bowl MVP. The Giants are the toast of the town and the country too. They beat the evil empire of the Patriots to the delight of many (including this Jets fan). Yes, the Giants have New York again and we can only stare in disbelief, as the Dutchmen probably did when Peter Stuyvesant relinquished the town to the British.

Yet there has to be hope for all fans of Gang Green. Our motto has always been "Maybe next year," but that can be either a joke or a reality based on what happens next. Whether or not the Jets make a play for Peyton Manning, there have to be some major changes coming for this season.

Are you listening General Manager, Mike Tannenbaum? Do you hear us Woody Johnson? Just take a look at what the Giants did. See what kind of coach Tom Coughlin is, what kind of quarterback Eli is, and the way the team handles itself. This is a winning organization, a class act all the way. Big Blue deserves all the praise and more. So now do the Jets ever evolve from being that other team with the big-mouthed coach, the erratic QB, and the shoddy offense and questionable defense? Or do they remain lost in the ether, acquiescing New York to the Giants and playing out the string?

Okay, Jets fans, we can wait for the answers to these questions, or maybe the answers will never come. If that's the case, then we have our responses by default and we will know that 2012 won't be much better, and maybe even much worse, than last year. Yes, it is tough being a Jets fan, but that's just business as usual for us. Perhaps that is the cruelest truth of all.

Photo Credit: ABC News

As Gang Green Turns - This Jets Fan Want a Big Giant Win

First published as As Gang Green Turns - This Jets Fan Want a Big Giant Win at Blogcritics.



This Jets fan has a confession to make: I want the Giants to win. There, I did say it! Incredible? Absolutely. Bizarre? Most definitely. Still, when I look at Bill Belichick and his smug supermodel marrying quarterback Tom Brady, I can't help wanting them to lose in a big way. Since Gang Green imploded this season, I cannot have the pleasure of seeing my team in there, but the always likable quarterback Eli Manning and his rock steady head coach Tom Coughlin are deserving of a championship for all the reasons the Jets were not this year.
Make no mistake, I am not donning a Big Blue shirt or hat - wearing anything Giants would make me melt like a vampire on the beach in the Cancun sunshine - but I am going to be rooting for them because in this Super Bowl battle they are the good guys. It's kind of like being in King Kong's corner when he is up against Godzilla; they're both monsters, but at least Kong had a heart and wouldn't hurt the girl. Godzilla would have used his fire breath to roast her and have her for dinner, so he had to go down.

It is the first time (and probably the last) in my life that I am rooting for the Giants, but as someone who bleeds green for his Jets, this is not a difficult choice. Sure, I will be thinking about the Jets players, many of whom will be home watching the game in disbelief. I am certain Rex Ryan will be sitting on the sofa, enjoying the taste of his toes rammed down his throat as he watches the game. As most Jets fans know by now, Rex has a proclivity for foot in mouth disease. I doubt he will learn his lesson, but something has to give next season for the Gang that is Green and their fans, so let's hope Rex is taking notes.

Right now the focus has to be on Indianapolis and Super Bowl XLVI for Jets fans. I don't care about anything but seeing the Giants take down Brady and company. That's the first order of business. Then, after the game is over, the next thing on the list should be for Jets owner Woody Johnson to break the bank and sign Peyton Manning and trade Mark Sanchez to get some help on the offensive line. Imagine two Mannings playing in New York (really New Jersey, but that's another story); and can you further imagine a Super Bowl pitting brothers Manning against one another? That would be bigger and better than any Subway Series or even the Rangers playing the Islanders for the Stanley Cup.

Okay, the soap opera As Gang Green Turns is still on hiatus, and I'll catch up with the action soon enough, but for now this Jets fan is hoping that Big Blue takes the trophy and sends Brady and company home for a long winter's nap.

Photo credit - USA Today

As Gang Green Turns: Sanchez Throws Season Away in 19-17 Loss to Miami

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Sanchez Throws Season Away in 19-17 Loss to Miami on Blogcritics.

Three more interceptions this week and the situation starts to look pretty bad for QB Mark Sanchez, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, and head coach Rex Ryan. We Jets fans have run out of excuses for these three, and even Schottenheimer's apparent benching of Santonio Holmes in the final minutes of the game seems meaningless. Giving Holmes a time out for bad behavior does nothing to save Schottenheimer; in fact, his lack of leadership becomes even more apparent when you analyze things.
The first person who needs to go is the big guy on top. I have often jokingly referred to Ryan as Humpty Dumpty, but after this game the reference has never been more obvious or fitting. Rex had a big fall this season, and you have to wonder about him lying in pieces outside MetLife Stadium. My bet is the players will collect their things and walk by indifferently instead of rallying the horses and men to try to put Rex back together. Honestly, it is his own fault and his fate is deserved.

Schottenheimer has been under fire all season, and he has more than anything mishandled the line and the receivers. It also seems like he has had Sanchez on auto pilot. Sanchez has fallen apart as much as King Rex, with his trigger-finger being so itchy that he just throws the ball without seemingly any thought process or plan. Without proper pass protection, and with receivers being covered and out maneuvered, Sanchez has been under the gun and shooting blanks. It is not a pretty picture at all.

The benching of Holmes at the end of the game was the salt in the wounds. On an offensive drive that mattered most, Holmes should have been in there, but not in Schottenheimer's world. He allowed whatever altercation happened between Holmes and a teammate to override good sense, so we have Holmes sitting on the sidelines looking like a kid in the corner in school. Unfortunately, the dunce cap goes on Schottenheimer for this final straw. If he isn't sent packing, something is rotten in the state of Jets country.

Of course, we Jets fans are bitter now, but we have to face facts and so does owner Woody Johnson. This team cannot be seen as a legitimate playoff contender; perhaps, it never should have been in the three years Ryan has been here. All his hot air made the perception that the team was more than the sum of its parts. It's kind of like dropping a Cadillac shell around an old Yugo. No matter how nice it may look, you will never get the performance you expect, and eventually the shell will break away, as it did for Rex this year.

If we learn anything from this 8-8 season, it is that we can only hope things get changed for the better. Jets fans shouldn't be thinking about how Oakland, Denver, and Cincinnati lost. Remember that Tennessee won. Besides, even if all the stars aligned and the Jets won, they no doubt would have been eliminated in the first round.

Next year we need to see a major change for the Jets. Sanchez should be thought of as a back-up QB for now, or trade him and get the right guy. The Jets should make a full court press to obtain Peyton Manning, and Schottenheimer should be shown the door. Finally, Johnson should take a long hard look at Ryan and decide whether his baggage is worth it. After three years of empty promises, the bubble has burst. It could be Ryan is shown the door too, and that may be necessary in order to purge what is wrong with this team.

It will be a long and lonely time for Jets fans in the months ahead, but maybe we should bite the bullet and watch the Giants. They have a solid head coach in Tom Coughlin, and Eli Manning is starting to look like he is in his brother's shadow no more. Jets fans may not like admitting it, but Big Blue has much of what the Jets lack. If we are honest with ourselves, we will know it is true and then we only have to hope that Woody Johnson realizes it as well and makes appropriate changes.

For now, the soap opera known As Gang Green Turns goes on hiatus. As in the TV world, that is never a good thing, and reruns just don't cut it because we know how it all turns out. Hang in there until next year, Jets fans.

Photo Credits: Humpty Dumpty - lyricsdog.eu/ Holmes - nydailynews

As Gang Green Turns: The Party Is Over for Rex and His Men

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: The Party Is Over for Rex and His Men on Blogcritics.


It really matters very little what happens against Miami next week; the party is over for head coach Rex Ryan and his minions. His kingdom is fractured, and if he hasn't fallen off the wall yet it's only because he's holding on for dear life. My advice is "Let go, Rex." It'll makes things easier in the long run, and then all your horses and men can scatter to the far corners after next week's game instead of worrying about putting you back together again.

Ryan is his own worst enemy. He is reminiscent of Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden character in spirit and in person. While Rex never seems at a loss for words or embarrassed by what comes out of his mouth, Kramden often recognized that his got him into lots of trouble, hence the famous "I've got a BIG mouth" line from The Honeymooners. We can only wish Ryan had such awareness.

The Jets were playing what could ostensibly be called a mini-Super Bowl against the Giants at MetLife Stadium. It had the aura of it building up the week before, with Rex shooting his mouth off, saying the Jets were a better team, and the rest of his blather. Compared to Ryan, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin comes off like a Harvard professor. All week the buzz in New York was that Coughlin needed the win against the Jets or would lose his job. Perhaps the talk should have been about Ryan losing his, and after that debacle on Christmas Eve against the Giants, it seems reasonable to me to indeed bring that possibility into discussion.

Ryan has made nothing but promises (empty ones it seems for the most part) for the last three years. He is supposed to be a master of defense, but the team seems shaky in that department, especially this year. To make matters worse, the offense is sputtering like a Model-T Ford of late. Sanchez is always under the gun, seemingly without more than a few seconds before he has to throw the ball. When he does throw, the competition licks its lips because chances are pretty good for an interception.

I don't need to see next week's game (I predict the Jets will lose 21-14 by the way) to say that I think Rex's big mouth has taken a toll on this team. He needs to either learn to shut up and take some notes from guys like Coughlin, or maybe it is time for him to go. As for Sanchez, it has been a three year experiment that seems to have fizzled: no smoke and mirrors are going to make him a better QB. He is looking more and more like a back-up quarterback to me, but I am sure he will not want that and will go elsewhere.

Yes, we Jets fans are bitter after that loss on December 24. It ruined our Christmas worse than a stocking full of coal. We have to blame Ryan and Sanchez, and even a partridge in a pear tree would do nothing to make us feel better. So please, Jets fans, don't start thinking about if the Bengals lose or if this team or that wins, because it is over.

Deflate the blow-up Jets player on your lawn, throw all those green cups and plates into a bag, and hang up your Jets jerseys and hats in a dark closet. Tom Coughlin and the Giants taught us all a terrible lesson on Saturday, but Ryan may be the only one who learned nothing from it.

There will be no playoffs this year and a long time before next season. Hopefully, Ryan will take some classes on public speaking, start rethinking his offense and defense, and maybe owner Woody Johnson will do what needs to be done and offer as much money as possible to a new QB who can really lead this team. Can anyone say "Peyton Manning" without picturing him wearing a green uniform? Now THAT would be a great belated Christmas present for Jets fans.

Photo Credits: Gleason - hark.com; Ryan - Daily News

As Gang Green Turns: The Ryan Express Continues to Derail

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: The Ryan Express Continues to Derail on Blogcritics.



The once hallowed Jets defense, head coach Rex Ryan's version of The Maginot Line, is looking more and more like Swiss cheese. How did Tim Tebow lead a 95-yard drive (and carry the ball for a 20-yard touchdown run)? The answer is the same as how the Germans overcame that supposedly impregnable French barrier in World War II: they simply went around it.

Ryan has made many promises to the fans and his players, but now it seems he just has miles to go before he sleeps - the promises have already been unkept. The 5-5 Jets are in no position to take the division and probably have very little chance of making the playoffs.


Yes, the defense didn't do its job on Thursday night against the Denver Broncos (5-5), but the more important story is Mark Sanchez and the offense. Sanchez still seems like he is treading water out there, while Tebow is doing his best Fran Tarkenton impersonation and making his fans believers. In fact, when Sanchez starts looking around for someone to catch his pass, the opponents are probably happier than the Jets' wide receivers. Chances are just as good for Sanchez to throw a ball that will be intercepted rather than a completed pass. It is starting to get that bad.

A great quarterback can be a game changer. Look at Indianapolis this season. They are 0-10 without the services of Peyton Manning. No one can underestimate how important that great quarterback is, for if he were playing in full health that team would no doubt be 8-2 now. It goes without saying that Manning is that terrific; however, the Jets with Sanchez are 5-5, and at this point it would be hard for us to say they would be doing much worse without him.

Yes, the Jets' offensive line has been taking a lot of blame for this Sanchez meltdown, but most Jets fans should see the truth by now. Sanchez is no great quarterback and struggles to be even moderately good. Ryan always gives him support and that is all well and good, but when does the coach finally face the fact that Sanchez still doesn't seem to have his head in the game? Maybe when he is sitting home watching the playoffs.

The great Ryan defense, the supposedly unstoppable express train to the Super Bowl, has been derailing this season. Ryan's offense is not much better, and the truth is that this train is probably not making it into the station. So for all Rex's promises and all his bluster, we face the reality of what will probably end as an 8-8 (or worse?) season.

If this happens again, Jets fans are going to be grumbling all the way through the playoffs. We then have to face the facts and perhaps Ryan will too: maybe Mark Sanchez never becomes the next Joe Namath, and then we have to start thinking about who is QB in 2012? Chances are that the Colts will not sign Manning and he will be a free agent? If Woody Johnson's deep pockets can pull out thirty or so million dollars, the Jets may indeed have a great quarterback again, a game changer, who could finally lead them past the Patriots to take the division. Wouldn't that be a great way to get the Ryan Express back on track?

Photo Credits: Ryan & Sanchez - Daily News; Peyton Manning - ESPN.com

As Gang Green Turns: Humpty Dumpty Rex Teetering On the Wall

Article first appeared on Blogcritics.

Rex Ryan, Jets head coach and intimidating master of his domain, seems ready for a big fall. It isn't enough that he has negotiated his path with his foot in and out of his mouth going on three seasons, but now all the king's men are not loyal to his service, so even if the big guy falls off the wall, it is unlikely they will all rush to put him together again.


"Controversial" seems to be a word that is always connected with Ryan. He brags about his team, sometimes without thinking, and oftentimes even if he has time to think he still blabbers about things that are potentially damaging to the team. He is like a parent who keeps telling his kid that he is a prodigy, but the kid can barely play the piano and hits all the wrong keys. Then he goes on bragging to the other parents about how great his son plays and puts him in the spotlight, only to see the child fall apart on stage. Incongruously, he learns little or nothing from this and continues to push the child without ever doing the most sensible thing - teach him how to play the piano the right way.

This turmoil on the Jets is nothing new. Ryan seems to enjoy it, even if it is a subconscious pleasure, and manifests situations which continually mix things up. Unfortunately, the big guy is not just a straw that stirs the drink, but rather a blender that has the cover off. But if Rex doesn't like the heat, why does he keep putting himself in the kitchen you may ask. The answer is not because he is looking for a gargantuan snack, but more likely that he is unable to stop himself, sort of like the shark that eats its own intestines after you slit open its belly.

If the things I hear on talk radio on sports stations here in New York are even half accurate, the Jets locker room has more protesters than can be found in lower Manhattan in Zuccotti Park. Many people see this unrest as a key to the team's terrible start (2-3), but the problem is inherent in the culture that Rex has established in the team. Anyone who watched the HBO show Hard Knocks last season can tell you that Rex wants his guys to win and aspire to be a bad boy bunch as they mow down the competition. Sometimes this has worked for him, but now his methodology seems to be imploding.

When questions have been rightly raised about quarterback Mark Sanchez and his throwing problems, suddenly the focus shifts and it's the offensive line that is to blame, or even more specifically offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Derrick Mason complains about the line, and before you can say Gang Green, Mason is traded to the Texans. This goes a long way to qualifying King Rex's rule over his kingdom, as obviously he is ready to banish those who do not show loyalty to him or his minions.


Now we have Santonio Holmes complaining about the offensive line. Apparently Plaxico Burress has also complained, and right guard Brandon Moore is accusing Holmes of being "disrespectful" and causing dissension on the team. Center Nick Mangold has indicated that he has no problems with Holmes, but one wonders how true that can be. Clearly, the writing is on the wall and Rex, not that light on his feet to begin with, is walking a shaky path on top of it.

Rex can say that none of this matters, that his offensive line has "skin like an armadillo," but there is a fear for this Jets fan that this season is on the brink of being lost. I am not at all certain that you can blame the linemen for Sanchez's performance thus far, and perhaps it is legitimate to blame Schottenheimer (but he is not the guy throwing the ball), who says "The team's a family and all families have disagreements." Is Schottenheimer pretending not to notice the jeers of the fans? They and some of the players think it best if he goes, but Rex is standing by his man (at least for now).

So the chicken or the egg question this week is this: is it just that Sanchez is not throwing the ball well, or is it because the line is not giving him enough time to throw it even if he were? The painful process of watching the last three games seems to clarify things for me: poor blocking, the lack of Schottenheimer's "pound and ground" game of running the ball, and no success putting the ball in the air either because of Sanchez throwing poorly or receivers not catching the ball.

In the next episode of the ongoing soap opera that is As Gang Green Turns, the guest star this week is the Miami Dolphins (0-4), coming into the New Meadowlands Stadium for the big Monday night game. The Jets are coming off three losses in a row, and there should be no doubt about the outcome of this one, but right now there is nothing but uncertainty. If the Jets should lose this game, Rex may indeed have that big fall from the wall, and all his horses and all his men are going to run in different directions. If that is the case, Rex will lie there in the hot sun for a long time, and the season may well be over after six games. How do you pick up the pieces after that?

Photo Credits: Ryan - New York Daily News; Sanchez - New York Post

NFL Free Agency, MLB Trading Deadline, and Tiger Back in the Saddle: It's Christmas in July for Sports Fans

Article first published as NFL Free Agency, MLB Trading Deadline, and Tiger Back in the Saddle: It's Christmas in July for Sports Fans on Blogcritics.


As I was watching Sports Center on ESPN today I felt like my head was spinning. Not only am I trying to keep an eye on the "Bottom Line" for everything up to the minute, but I am also watching the action concerning NFL free agents, MLB trades, and the news about Tiger Woods coming back after three months on the shelf with a bad leg. I couldn't help thinking this was like Christmas in July for sports fans.
Yes, so much is happening and it is sometimes tough to process it all at once. For me as a New York Mets and Jets fan, I am watching what the Mets did with the Beltran trade, how he is doing in San Francisco, when pitcher Zack Wheeler is heading to Port St. Lucie, and how the Mets keep winning despite losing their best hitter.

In the world of Gang Green, we have the signing of Santonio Holmes to a new five year deal. This makes lots of sense to me, and as Mark Sanchez continues to develop and get better at the passing game, Holmes is without a doubt going to be his go-to guy. There is also the exciting prospect of the Jets obtaining Nnamdi Asomugha, but as they were courting him the valuable Brad Smith, who will be greatly missed as a wide receiver and kick returner, was signed by the Bills.

The Jets had better do something more because the New England Patriots picked up Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco (which is like saying Donald Trump got more money playing Lotto). The Jets need to get moving on Asomugha and fast, considering they have also lost Braylon Edwards and Kellen Clemens and are looking to restrucure deals with other players.

We also get the news that Tiger Woods (now 21 in world rankings) will participate in Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, next week. Tiger is even tweeting about it, saying he is "Excited to get back out there!" This is good news for golf fans who have missed his presence. This is Tiger's time to rise above the personal problems and the injuries and rebuild his career and image.

Besides all this happening, we are hearing about Plaxico Burress and Tiki Barber trying to get back into action. It would be amazing to see what would happen if they both got offers from a team (maybe the NY Giants?). We also have Rory McIlroy getting his Irish up at the Irish Open in Killarney, telling a commentator "Your opinion means nothing." And what about NBA stars getting offers from foreign countries like Japan, Germany, and Russia? You would think what happened with NFL would have shaken things up a bit, but if guys like Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony start signing contracts, you know it's going to be a long winter for basketball fans.

With all that is going on right now, these are indeed exciting days for sports fans; it's sort of like Christmas in July if you like surprises and finding presents under your barbecue grill. The Jets could make many fans happy by wrapping up Asomugha with a big red bow and getting him to sign on the dotted line. So kids, mail out those letters to Rex Ryan (I mean Santa) ASAP and let him know how you feel.

Photo Credits:
Nnamdi Asomugha - raidersgab.com
Tiger Woods - Getty Images

NFL Lockout Over: Now the Fun Begins

Article first published as NFL Lockout Over: Now the Fun Begins on Blogcritics.

I am sure if you're a big fan of the NFL, you are happy that the lockout is over and the season is saved. Now all of you who were wondering what to do with your Sundays in September without football can breathe a sigh of relief. And, as for those football widows and widowers, at least you will know where your significant others will be on Sundays. Why not grab a bag of pretzels and join in the fun?

That was a long 136 days of lockout, and I really didn't think that the players and owners would get their acts together in time for the season to start on time. With yesterday's agreement, training camps everywhere are throwing open their doors and welcoming the players with open arms.

After the deal was announced, NFLPA chief DeMaurice Smith said that either side didn't get everything it wanted, but NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, "Football is back, and that's great news for everybody." Amen to that one!

As a Jets fan I was happy to hear head coach Rex Ryan shooting his mouth off again. Always boastful and kind of like the captain of a ship stuck in a terrible storm, Ryan has the knack for talking about good seas ahead even when he is throwing a life preserver overboard. Now he is telling the press "We got better" (during the off season). No one even broke a sweat at training camp yet, but Rex is ready to be the mouth that roared. I guess we fans of Gang Green wouldn't have it any other way.

So now that the lockout is over, what was all the fuss about? It seems some of the best things accomplished were unrestricted free agency after four years, 47 - 48.5% of all revenue (down from previous years but the owners can't skim one billion off the top as they always did), a salary cap set at $120.375 million, and a $620 million Legacy Fund to be paid to former players. The big one though seems to me to be that a rookie like super quarterback Cam Newton (first pick in the draft this year) can earn the big bucks with a four-year contract with an option for fifth-year cub option. To get a more detailed idea of what is going on, fans should check out the NFL web site for all aspects of the NFL collective bargaining agreement.

So football fans can get ready for some football. Get out the team jerseys and all the other paraphernalia. Watch the training camps and enjoy the frenzy of free agency. Things just got going and the excitement is already palpable. No other sport generates this kind of interest and excitement, and most fans do not really care what each side got or didn't get. We were just waiting for a regular season and now we've got it. Great news for everybody indeed.

Photo Credit: AP

As Gang Green Turns: Ryan and Wife Take in a Knicks Game

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Ryan and Wife Take in a Knicks Game on Blogcritics.

Bloviator par excellence Rex Ryan, head coach of the New York Jets who lost their second AFC Championship Game in a row last month, took in the Knicks game at Madison Square Garden last night along with his lovely wife Michelle. Whatever happened on the court - Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were blowing out the hapless Knicks 113-96 - mattered less since King Rex and his queen were in the house.


The story told in the New York Daily News includes a headline about Rex and his wife playing footsie courtside, referencing the now infamous YouTube video with a woman (who may or may not have been his wife) talking about her foot fetish. In the soap opera As Gang Green Turns during the course of a tempestuous season, this incident was just another case of adding to the drama that seemed to happen on a daily basis.

At the half Ryan spoke to a reporter and once again the mouth that roared predicted that the Jets will win it all next year. If this doesn't get old it's because Rex is so good at spinning his yarn that he would give FOX News' Bill O'Reilly a run for the money. When Rex speaks we just have to listen and, even if the tale is one full of more sound than fury, he is no idiot and we are compelled to listen.

After all this time I must admit I like Rex Ryan, but I think he has not faced the facts about his team the last two years. Sometimes all the buzz off field, no matter how entertaining, takes a negative toll on what happens on the field. As he enters his third year as head coach, maybe he can talk less and stop putting the team in difficult situations because of his bold and sometimes over the top blustering. I know, it's not going to happen.


If Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni were to take a page from Ryan's book, he could pronounce that the Knicks (ironically chasing another Boston team called the Celtics) were going to acquire Carmelo Anthony, take the division, and win the championship. Now, if he could just get his wife to take her shoes off and put it on YouTube - well, you get the idea.

Rex Ryan made a dark winter night seem a little brighter last night at Madison Square Garden. Yeah, the Knicks lost, but we Jets fans have to wonder if Rex believes everything that comes out of his mouth as much as enjoys all the stuff that goes into it. Until training camp and all the changes that are undoubtedly coming for Gang Green, we might as well watch the Knicks and hope D'Antoni can spark some fire in his squad before it's too late.

Photo Credits:
Ryan & Wife - Simmons/Daily News
Mike D'Antoni - Gallardo/AP

As Gang Green Turns: Jets 24-19 Loss to Steelers Ends the Green Dream

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Jets 24-19 Loss to Steelers Ends the Green Dream on Blogcritics.

Whether Jets head coach Rex Ryan realizes it or not, all that talking kind of takes its toll. The Jets were really good talkers, sometimes in a yada-yada-yada kind of way. Ryan and his guys talked so much they gave those ladies on The View a run for their money. Even Joy (there's no key to turn off my mouth) Behar can't compete with the likes of Rex, but then again she doesn't have to go out on a field and prove something every week the way he does, so it is kind of funny when Joy goes off, but not so much when Rex does.

Ryan talked a good talk all season (and even during the preseason on the HBO series Hard Knocks), but in the end all the swagger kind of caught up with him and the team. You can just get by so long on being verbose when you have to throw or run a football.

What did the Jets in yesterday was a combination of too much sound and not enough fury. The great writer William Shakespeare wrote about a tale told by an idiot that was full of sound and fury but signified nothing. In essence these words from Macbeth can be applied to Ryan, who strove to take the castle and then the kingdom, but forgot that words are fine in dramas but not as important on the playing field.

If Jets fans weren't ready to pack it in at the half (when their team was down 24-3), it is only because we have seen it all before. It's the old Tug McGraw "You gotta believe" mentality, and we Jets fans as well as Mets fans have been suckered by the concept of being the underdog and loving it. Well, as good old Maxwell Smart (played by Don Adams on the great television show Get Smart) used to say, "Missed it by that much." We go home and they move forward and that's that.

Sure, we fans got into the second half. The Jets defense did what it should have done in the first half. They had Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger falling apart at the seams, but that is the problem with the Jets. They make you think the comeback is possible. They lull you into hoping that there will be one more pass, one more play, the Nick Folk field goal that just makes it to win with zero seconds left.

Alas, no storybook endings happened in Pittsburgh. The better team is going to the Super Bowl; Gang Green gets to stay home and watch all those expensive commercials and drown their sorrows in beverages of their choice. In the end Mark Sanchez was no Joe Namath on this day, though he played valiantly and would have had a chance if the defense played the first half right. Instead, Sanchez gets to rest a sore shoulder and Ryan his wounded ego.

Now that we have seen the Jets get to the AFC Championship game two years in a row and not move on, we fans are going to expect much more next year. Yes, we Mets and Jets fans are always looking at calendars and dreaming. How many more more next years can there be? When does this year ever become the next year we hoped it would be?

The soap opera As Gang Green Turns now goes on hiatus. One can only wonder what will happen? Will some of the cast be let go? Will new characters be brought in? Maybe the most important question is this: what will Rex Ryan do to engineer a team that will allow Jets fans to not only believe in the dream but to see it realized in February 2012?

Photo Credits:
Rex Ryan - usspost.com
Don Adams - corpsstories.com

As Gang Green Turns: What a Difference a Week Makes - Jets and Steelers Play Nice?

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: What a Difference a Week Makes - Jets and Steelers Play Nice? on Blogcritics.

It is amazing how different things can be in one week in the soap opera As Gang Green Turns. You will probably recall all the bluster coming from New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan concerning his arch nemesis Darth Bull - New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick - in the week before the game between the Jets and Pats. This was a showdown. This was a war between coaches. Man your battle stations and full speed ahead.


Well, this week the Ryan Express has slowed down some. He has toned down all the rhetoric and has actually made nice. He likes Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin. He admires the man. He respects him. The last time Rex got so enamored with someone (Darrelle Revis - when he was missing from training camp), he talked about giving his corner back a great big smooch if he walked in the door. Mr. Tomlin, you have been warned.

And if our wondering eyes are to believe what we are seeing, then we get a reciprocal round of praising of Ryan by Tomlin. He likes Rex too. There is either something wrong with this picture, or perhaps it is just the silence before the fury. Either way, this kind of lovey-dovey stuff gives me the creeps right before a big game.


Now, before you go thinking this game is going to be boring, today Steelers' defensive back Ike Taylor said he was going to "lay him out" in reference to his former teammate, Jets' wide receiver Santonio Holmes. Ah, some turmoil has finally surfaced. This is just the kind of threat we need to get the fun going again.

Come on, Rex, you know you want to respond to this comment. Truthfully, we're waiting.

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Sack Pats 28-21 - Bring on the Steelers!

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Jets Sack Pats 28-21 - Bring on the Steelers! on Blogcritics.

Today Jets fans are bursting with green pride, while fans of the New England Patriots just might be green with envy, but no matter what the game last night settled - at least for this season - the score between the two teams in favor of the Jets. The Jets now head into their second AFC Championship Game in a row, and one has to give a great deal of credit to Jets' head coach Rex Ryan as the man who has got them there.

Make no mistake, this was a battle of wits and wills between two tough competitors. You could say that Mark Sanchez beat Tom Brady, or you could say the Jets' defense beat Tom Brady (sacking him five times in the process), and you could even say the Jets' offense was just better than the Pats' offense. While these things are all true in regard to last night's game, the real battle - as stated during last week by Ryan - was between the head coaches Ryan and Bill Belichick.

Last week I referred to Ryan and Belichick as Luke Piewalker and Darth Bull respectively (alluding to the famous Star Wars characters), but as I watched the game last night, something made Belichick lose his imposing status. Wearing a frumpy Patriots' hoody and his headphones, Belichick looked more like a worn-out Yoda who the force did not have with him. At times Belichick seemed lost, as if the proceedings could not be happening before his eyes as his padawans were getting clobbered.

What even seemed more impressive was that the Jets defense got to Brady. Besides sacking him five times, Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, Drew Coleman, and company rattled Brady's cage. During every possession he seemed rushed and even flustered, trying to find someone to throw the ball to but being dogged by that relentless Jets defense that had him flinching even when no one was close to him.

Sanchez was impressive going 16 - 25 for 194 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions. While he no doubt had to be nervous going into this game at Foxborough, he showed the grit and determination of one more experienced on this night, and this ongoing maturation process has been happening though not always obvious in the later games of the season. Now it seems Sanchez has found himself, is comfortable with his receivers, and is playing the game smarter than he ever has before.

Last week Rex Ryan said that there was the only one bigger game in Jets team history than this one, and that was the victory of Joe Namath and his team in Super Bowl III. At the time I thought this was more typical Ryan bluster, but now I see the wisdom of this comment. Beating the Patriots - and especially beating Belichick - was indeed crucial and exorcises the haunting 45-3 loss to the Pats last month.

Now the Jets will turn their attention to the Pittsburgh Steelers. If the Jets can indeed beat the Steelers next week and reach the Super Bowl, the achievement will be even more amazing because they will have won three playoff games in a row against the best teams around: the Colts, the Patriots, and the Steelers. Even more amazing is the fact that they will have done this on the road.

There will be lots of talk going on this week, and I am sure much of it will be coming from Ryan as per his usual routine. Still, despite all the talk and all the hype, Ryan and his men came out and walked the walked. In two more weeks, they may even get to walk the walk of Super Bowl champions. If they do win it all, should we worry that Rex will finally run out of things to say? Not a chance.

That's it until next week at Pittsburgh in the ongoing sports soap opera As Gang Green Turns.

As Gang Green Turns: Patriot Fun and Games

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Patriot Fun and Games on Blogcritics.

I don't know how exciting this week would be if Rex Ryan was not the head coach of the Jets, but I'd rather not find out. Despite all his weaknesses, King Rex is certainly fun to watch and to listen to whenever he finds a microphone in his vicinity. This week as we are waiting for the big game against the New England Patriots, Rex has not disappointed the green-blooded faithful.

First, Rex would lead us all to believe that whatever happens on that gridiron is inconsequential. No, Rex is not running on the field and throwing passes for his ailing quarterback Mark Sanchez, although the prospect of seeing him even making one play would be worth the price of admission. No, Rex Ryan is not talking about the on the field stuff because this is a battle of wills between Patriots' head coach Bill Belichick and him.

You can almost see this as a Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker matchup. Belichick is off course the head of the Evil Empire, dressed in black and weilding a red light saber. Rex would be a rather chubby Luke, with blue light saber ready for action. Rex would be the underdog - as of course he is - but one good swing of that Jedi electronic blade just might take out the evil Lord of the Gridiron.

Anyway, that is Rex's take on it. It is a battle between Bill and him. What goes on during the game boils down to this battle of minds and wills. This would be a very funny thing is it were not so serious because the battle is on the field, and Rex better start getting that straight.

Then we have Antonio Cromartie upping the ante by calling Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady an expletive. Ryan joked with reporters that he found this kind of thing offensive, with everyone laughing as they recalled his salty language on the HBO series Hard Knocks. Why Cromartie ever started this thing is beyond me. It makes as much sense as Ryan saying the battle is between him and Belichick. I am sure all the guys on the
Patriots are going to love Rex and his minions more than ever now.

To add to the insanity this week, Mexican TV reporter Ines Sainz (the woman who claimed harassment by the Jets as she tried to interview Sanchez last year) comes out and says she picks the Jets to win the Super Bowl. Why would a woman who accused this team of being disrestful to her do this? I guess this sort of incongruous and totally gratuitous kind of thing is now commonplace in the soap opera As Gang Green Turns, but such is what we have come to expect from the team and those associated with it.

So we go into this game on Sunday with lots of drama, but none of it matters in any way except to keep the reporters talking, the fans squawking, and the players rumbling. The only thing that truly matters is when Tom Brady and Mark Sanchez walk on that field in Foxborough this Sunday. They are the ones that will be doing battle, as Darth Bull and Rex Piewalker are on the sidelines. Until then, I guess we are just going to have to put up with these ongoing Jets and Patriots and their fun and games.

Photo credit: NY Daily News

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Get Saturday Night Fever and Beat Colts 17-16

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Jets Get Saturday Night Fever and Beat Colts 17-16 on Blogcritics.

There was a crazy notion here in New York all last week that the Ghost of Playoffs Past, played by a ghoulish Peyton Manning, was going to come back and ruin the party for the Jets again. Everyone was talking about head coach Rex Ryan fearing Manning and that it would all turn out so badly, but Ryan's "Hope" was found in a great running game for the offense, a defense that had been engineered in many ways just for this rematch, and a last second kick that hit the right spot.

There was a tough first half of matched zeroes, but the way Darrelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie, and company were going, it looked like Manning was closed for business. This was the way Ryan envisioned things when he brought Cromartie into the mix. Things did change in the second half, and Ryan had to start worrying that no matter how well he had planned for this moment, Manning and the Colts were just going to squeak away with a 16-14 win.

Then came Mark Sanchez. Yes, he of the hurting arm and having a pretty much off night. When the pressure is on, Sanchez seems to rise to the challenge, and with fifty three seconds left he brought the team down the field and got them to where they needed to be for Nick Folk to have one shot to put it through the uprights. Talk about pressure! But Folk was game and the kick was good.

Unlike last year, Manning goes back home and the Jets move on. It felt good as a Jets fan to see Manning skulking off, defeated by Rex Ryan's crew, the guy he had bested so many times before. After the game Ryan enjoyed the moment and then some, telling reporters that it felt good to see Manning know the feeling that he has known. Rex had the salt and was enjoying rubbing it in Manning's wounds.

Of course, all green-blooded Jets fans were happy last night. It was a magic moment of victory with no time left on the clock. It's the stuff of all kids' dreams when they stand on a field or court: hit the homer that wins the big game, sink the basket at the last second, slap the puck into the net, or kick that ball free and clear. Nick Folk had that moment last night and the Jets rightly celebrated an amazing 17-16 victory.

But make no mistake: Tom Brady and the New England Patriots loom next weekend, and we can bet that Bill Belichick was enjoying this game and licking his chops for the next round. With Sanchez still ailing, and the Jets just barely getting this win, it looks like there could be another big blowout in Foxborough next week.

Still, there is always a miracle that can be had if things align the right way for Rex and his men. Anyone who watched last night's game and saw that ball end things the Jets' way have to be believers. So until next week, channel the late great Mets' pitcher Tug McGraw saying "Ya gotta believe," do a lot of praying, and keep your fingers crossed.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

As Gang Green Turns: Jets Beat Bills And Will Play Colts Next Week

Article first published as As Gang Green Turns: Jets Beat Bills And Will Play Colts Next Week on Blogcritics.


All this past week, head coach Rex Ryan made it clear that he wanted to win number 11 real bad, and his team went out and got it for him today, even though many of his regulars sat it out. The Jets (11-5) beat the Buffalo Bills 38-7 at New Meadowlands Stadium, and then they had a victory parade around the field to celebrate. Of course, beating the Bills (4-12 ) with replacements is not terrible but it is nothing to brag about either.



Hurting quarterback Mark Sanchez started and stayed on the field for one series of plays, but then he was gone and Mark Brunell took over and ended up tossing two touchdown passes, and even third string QB Kellen Clemens got in on the act and ran for a ten-yard touchdown. Rookie Joe McKnight carried the ball 32 times for 158 yards, and the defense handled the Bills despite Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie taking the day off.

As fate would enter the picture, the Jets were getting that eleventh win for Ryan while the Kansas City Chiefs were losing to the Oakland Raiders. This set up next week's game against the Indianapolis Colts, reminding everyone of last year's Jets loss to Peyton Manning and company in the AFC Championship game.

Ryan was certainly not letting this rematch get to him as he made his comments after the game. He is still going with his usual "we're the best team out there" routine, but he did qualify it by saying that now the team has to step up and prove it.

All week long people were debating whether or not Sanchez should play, but Ryan obviously took the most cautious path with his young QB. We can question whether or not Sanchez will be prepared for next week, but we know that the team is facing the always tough and prepared Peyton Manning. If they should somehow miraculously survive the Colts, then the next opponent would be Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. These impending match ups should temper the enthusiasm of even the most green-blooded Jets faithful.

Still, Ryan has talked the talk all year long, and his team has taken him into the playoffs for the second year in a row. Now the time for talking is over (but that's not going to stop Ryan) and the team has to walk the walk. The biggest concern for this team is getting guys like Cromartie, Revis, LaDainian Tomlinson, Shonn Greene, and Sanchez back in good shape for the game. If they are still hurting and not up to their full playing ability, then it is likely Gang Green's return to the playoffs will be brief.

Photo Credit: Robert Sabo/NY Daily News

A Sports Fan's New Year's Resolutions

Article first published as A Sports Fan's New Year's Resolutions on Blogcritics.

I basically don't like resolutions - primarily because that sets someone up for failure - but for me 2010 in sports was a difficult and sometimes painful year. In order to make life easier for me (and those I love) I have come to the conclusion that making some resolutions (and keeping them at least for a time) will make everyone happier.

So, here it goes, my sports resolutions in no apparent order. In 2011 I resolve to:

1. Stop expecting my teams (Mets, Jets, Islanders, Knicks) to make the playoffs. This is an unreal expectation and ruins my enjoyment of the games themselves.

2. Stop comparing Jets head coach Rex Ryan to silent film star Fatty Arbuckle (Fatty was much cuter anyway).

3. Stop watching ESPN so much and play with my kids more. I can always get the scores from the paper the next day, right? Who needs to see highlights.

4. Give Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins a chance with the Mets. I know Willie Randolph is never coming back, so I have to live with that. Come on, Terry, make me believe again.

5. Let go of the notion of switching channels back and forth when watching games. I don't really enjoy games this way, but I can't help wanting to see what's happening someplace else, but then I end up missing the really great or big plays.

6. Stop comparing Rex Ryan to the late comic John Candy (John was much funnier anyway).

7. Stop enjoying the fact that Tiger Woods didn't win one tournament last year and may never again be the great golfer he once was. Hasn't the guy been punished long enough? I mean if Eliot Spitzer can get a show on CNN, Tiger should really be forgiven. He's not as bad as Billy the Kid or someone like that, right?

8. Enjoy watching Rafael Nadal beat the pants off everyone he faces and not keep thinking that his days as number one are ending. He may still end up being the greatest tennis player ever.

9. Stop waiting for broadcaster and former tennis player John McEnroe to say something politically incorrect again. I know it is only a matter of time.

10. Stop comparing Rex Ryan to John Goodman (hey, Goodman has lost a lot of weight).

11. Give up the notion of Brett Favre appearing in the sequel to There's Something About Mary.

12. Keep enjoying the fact that OJ Simpson will not be appearing in anything other than jailhouse photos in an orange jumpsuit.

13. Stop blaming Carlos Beltran for keeping his bat on his shoulder and looking at that third strike from Adam Wainwright with the bases loaded to end Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. I mean, come on, it's time to forgive and forget.

14. Stop comparing Rex Ryan to the late comedian Chris Farley (hey, Rex would never be able to make living in a van down by the river funny).

15. Get over the fact that the Jets really don't belong in the playoffs this year. This will help me enormously when they are eliminated in the first round anyway.

16. Never get angry about anything Mike Francesa says on WFAN radio ever again. If I could just stop listening...

17. Continue laughing over how pompous Yankee announcer Michael Kay got roasted in his own pudding for declaring the Texas Rangers dead after the Yankees won the first game in the playoffs. We know how well that turned out for Mike.

18. Stop wishing to see headlines declaring that George Steinbrenner hired (or fired) Billy Martin. I mean, aren't they in heaven right now still having an argument over Miller Lite being less filling or tasting great?

19. Stop comparing Rex Ryan to Santa Claus (though Rex does have the "Ho, Ho, Ho" part down right).

20. Stop reading the newspaper from back to front. I have been doing this since high school, and there has to be something more important on the front page than the back page after all these years.

21. Give up all hope for the Islanders to get a new home before I am too old to go to the games. Also, I give up hope of the team making the playoffs or being like that 1980s team that I loved so much.

22. Keep telling myself that all those technical fouls Amar'e Stoudemire keeps racking up (he has ten so far this season) are just how he plays an aggressive game and won't adversely affect him or the Knicks in the long run.

23. Stop going downstairs during family parties to watch the game. This is going to be a tough one, but I must say I always get back upstairs in time for them to sing "Happy Birthday" and blow out the candles.

24. Wear my teams' hats and attire during the season, even during overlap times like the month of September when I will wear a Jets cap and a Mets T-shirt.

25. Finally, stop comparing Rex Ryan to Ralph Kramden (as played by Jackie Gleason on The Honeymooners) because only Ralph could admit the obvious about his big mouth.

There you have it, folks. I don't know how long I can keep these resolutions, but I can promise you I will make it until tomorrow. After that, hide the remote controls and let the games begin.

Happy New Year!

Photo Credits:

Fatty Arbuckle: filmreference.com
Eliot Spitzer: sfweekly.com
Amar'e Stoudemire: nba.com