Introducing… our new guest blogger, Nicholas M. Logan! Nicholas will be joining us from time to time to weigh in on various issues including sports teams in the New York and surrounding areas. Agree or disagree with his review of the “Same Old Jets” in the 2011 NFL Season? Leave a comment at the bottom of the blog article to discuss…
Same Old Jets –
A Frustrated Fan’s View
by Nicholas M. Logan
The New York Jets recently completed the 2011 NFL season with another patented collapse. For fans of this star-crossed franchise, it was just more of the “Same Old Jets”. For those not familiar with the term, “Same Old Jets” is the not-so-affectionate nickname given to the team for its mind-numbing ability to lose in similar fashion over and over again – over the course of 40+ years – in spite of changes in management, coaches, players, and coaching philosophies. The franchise has a history of poor finishes, bad decisions, and heart-breaking losses at the most inopportune and unexpected times. There are so many examples of this ineptitude that to try and list them here would take up all the space available for this article. Suffice to say that the players and the coaching staff alike seem to have the same decades- long affliction of having horrible mental and physical lapses in big spots.
Another important characteristic of “Same Old Jets” is the epic failures of the front office and/or coaching staff to maintain any semblance of professionalism in the face of adversity, either within itself or, more importantly, with its players. While the more successful organizations are the epitome of quiet class, the Jets always seem to be surrounded by drama. Coaching changes, media spats with other franchises, players who say and do stupid things – the list goes on.
The Jets as a laughingstock is nothing new; it seems to happen every few years like the 7-year itch. Only with these guys, it’s more like the 2-4 year itch. Those that follow the team religiously like myself (or even from a short distance) will know what I’m talking about. The general cycle is that of the hiring of a new coach (sometimes with a new GM), a new direction, and a year-to-two years of limited success– just enough to get the fan base excited. By year three or four, the team begins its usual round of disappointments, and inevitably it culminates in a horrific collapse of some sort that costs the coach his job, leaves the franchise in a public relations nightmare, fans disappointed…………..and the cycle begins anew.
While head coach Rex Ryan is safe for the time being, the latest collapse coupled with the in-fighting of players points to the likelihood of another organizational tailspin. Whether Ryan can regain control of the team remains to be seen. However, if history is indeed doomed to repeated itself, he’ll be fired in disgrace within the next two seasons and go on to become another footnote in the comical history of the Same Old Jets.
You may be asking… What does this have to do with insurance and why is it on an insurance blog? While our main goal at Mackoul & Associates, Inc., is to advise our community on insurance related topics, we like to add some variety to our posts from time to time. Feel free to let us know how you think we are doing by commenting on our blog or by emailing jmaffeo@mackoul.com.
