...at rock bottom. Welcome. This is it, it has to be. I've been a Jet fan since the age of 7 in 1974. Back then I thought rock bottom was going 3-11 every year while other kids who liked the Cowboys, Steelers and Raiders had their teams going to the Super Bowl every year. The 80s were more about the pain of coming so close--first in 1981 when Richard Todd's marvelous comeback ended with an INT 11 yards short. The Jets did that one better the following year in the mud and even upped it further in double OT at Cleveland a few years later. In January 1987, after the Jets had pissed away a 10-1 start and lost the 2-OT game at Cleveland, I thought rock bottom was seeing the Giants go on to win the Super Bowl against a team we had destroyed back in October. Surely it didn't get any worse then renting the stadium of a team you could probably have beaten and then they win the Super Bowl. But even so, we were still a good team. I later thought rock bottom had to be 1989, when all the good work of Walt Michaels had finally gotten too old, we had a coach nobody liked and needed a complete overhaul after 4-12. Surely the 90s would bring better times. Of course most of us thought rock bottom had to be the Rich Kotite years. Beginning with the Fake Spike game in 1994 on Pete Carroll's watch (good thing we got rid of him!) on through 1996, the 4-33 stretch was as bad as it could ever be, right? Especially since one of the four wins was against the expansion Jags in the third week of their existance. Bill Parcells would rescue us from this perceived rock bottom and nearly take us to the Super Bowl many of us had never seen. Then we were reminded of how long the sting lasts when you come so close and lose. The year 1999 saw the Jets dream die twice in consecutive games--first in January as the second half 10-0 lead blew away in the Denver wind, then in September when Vinny's achilles gave way in the first half of the first game and the season went with it. Then Parcells went, the Bellichick went, then Keyshawn went. Welcome to the new century. Some of you younger types may have thought that 2005 was rock bottom, kind of a miniature version of 1989. But no, today is the real rock bottom. Not only did we put up a patented New York Jets 4-12 disappointment, we have today's Super Bowl salt to rub in this latest wound--the fucking Giants and the fucking Patriots. Let's face it, there is no good outcome. Either the Giants win and we hear about it until the end of time--and no doubt will see reminders of it at every Jets home game for the forseeable future, or the Patriots become the NFL's greatest ever team with a coach that left us and a QB we put in the game for them. No matter what happens, this is rock bottom. After decades of trolling the ocean floor looking for it, today we have found the rocks at the bottom of the abyss. But look at the bright side--after today there is only one direction we can go. Right?
Great post Italian... I'm a somewhat younger Jet fan so I only really got to experience the late 80s through today... but in my opinion you're dead on about this... this is as low as it gets. With that said, I think it's only rock bottom because of the circumstances... as far as the actual team is concerned, I'm much more confident in the team as it is now and where it can go with a good offseason as opposed to Richy's last year with the Jets... that was a rock bottom coaching staff and roster, and even that got turned around in one year... I guess we'll see... no where to go but up.
Dont worry, we are Jets fans, it can and will get worse. This is by far the worst SB ever imaginable, worse for me is that this is the first season that my son really started to watch football and of course the freaking Giant and the freaking Pats are playing for the SB. He is becoming a Giants fan right before my eyes, every freaking day this week he wakes me up with a Go Giants chant. Forgetting about the SB matchup for a minute, the worst Jets season for me was 1999. Vinny getting hurt in the first game of the year that we were legit SB contenders is as bad as it gets. That season pretty much sums up our lives as Jets fans.
In a long and storied history of "can you top this" as far as rock bottom is concerned, this is close. But for me, personally, rock-bottom was the fake spike game, because that was the first year I had season tickets and, being 25 years old at the time, was still blessed with boundless optimism. That ended that November afternoon.
Great post. We are a god damn embarassment. I am starting to truly hate this team. I've been a fan since 1979. Team has let me down year after year after year. I am starting to think i am a bad father because i turned my 7 year old son into a Jet fan. I am starting to believe i should change him into a fan of the team whoever wins today. What's the point? We have no future...zero..we are a disgrace and today is the lowest point in the last 35 plus years. How the hell do we have a fan base???? How?
Well, it this is rock bottom, it can't get any worse. It's only up from here. You guys are throwing yourselves quite the pity party, feeling all sorry for yourselves. Being a Jet fan makes you a bad father? The Jets have let you down? How about maybe your hopes were too high? How many times have they really been a Super Bowl contender to start a season? Yankee fans can compare today to 1986 when it was the Mets and Red Sox in the World Series. A real no win situation. It's funny how things work out. The Sox lost that series in the worst way possible. Substance abuse derailed the Mets hopes of a dynasty. Ten years later, the Yankees put together a better run than either the Mets or Red Sox have ever seen. Who knows if the Giants can make another run like this? Eventually, the Pats will fall. Only time will tell if the Jets do anything, but we'll be watching to find out.
As a joke the oher day I was asked by some non-NFL watching freinds who I would be cheering for. My reply was "snipers", but only against Tom Brady and Bill, and maybe the mysterious Ernie fellow. Well i am a bit of a loose cannon and I left just enough pause to have em guessing i was serious. Quite funny all around. I am not in NY so I am cheeering for the giants, If I was a Jets fan living in NY I would hate life right now because i know how it would be salt in the wound, for me a Pats perfect season is the worst that could ever happen
I am reading this post wearing my Namath jersey. This year will be my 43rd season as a season ticket holder. This is a hard day for any Jet fan, but unfortunately things have been worse. Unfortunately it would take me a lot of space here to list. The Browns playoff game when Gastineau roughed Kosar was one of the lowest momemts. But we have a lot to be proud of as Jet fans. Lets keep our heads high and root unfortunately for the Giants. What choice do we have? But tomorrow everyone will be 0-0, and it starts all over again. Go Jets!! Jetmike Sec 228
Definitely a tough day. As a Jets fan since 1970, I feel like I've seen most of the horror, having just missed out on SB III. Maybe it's the fool in me, but I'm always hopeful for the next year. I'll never give up. With that said, I have it in my mind that I'm rooting against the Patriots, not rooting for the Giants. My hatred for the Patriots and all things Boston is much stronger than my dislike for the Giants. The Giants are more of a back page newspaper rival of the Jets, rather than an onfield rival. I despise everything about the Pats, from their smug, fat owner to their devious and lying coach to their dirty, cheapshot players. For me, it will be a historically good day to see the Patriots go down. And anyone who understands football history, knows that a Giants victory does not compare with what the Jets did in SB III.
Meh. It's not *that* terrible, and certainly not the lowest point in this franchises history. I actually felt much worse during/after '05 than I did at any point this season. See in '05 we had no future, a declining roster, a HC who had let many good young players go, and a GM/HC combo that made some retarded decisions with no obvious plan for the future. Just because two major rivals are in the Super Bowl doesn't mean I'll be crying myself to sleep tonight. Shit happens, and theres no point in exaggerating a pretty crappy year. This is not even close to this franchises lowest point, and theres really no need labeling it that because your need for instant gratification hasn't been met. Unlike with Kotite, Herm, Watson, Coslet, and Carroll we're actually heading in the right direction, something none of those guys could say they did for the Jets at any points in their tenure.
good post Italian....the only saving grace for me is that I dont hate the giants that much. to me theyve always been just another team...dont have too many Giant fan friends to rub it in...soooo, with that said I am rooting for the Giants with every inch of my soul today....but that certainly doesnt help me swallow the fact that the Jets are just fuckin pathetic! remember when the patriots were pathetic? well this is their 6h superbowl appearence since then! 6!.....unreal.
It might not be the same thing, but this SB doesn't even compare to the feelings I had after seeing things like the fake spike and Vinny going down. I guess those are just instances rather then all encompassing situations, but they kind of typify what this franchise is about, it's luck, etc. To be honest, I'm glad that a NY/NJ team has the opportunity to knock off one of the many dominant Boston sports franchises in what will probably amount to the biggest game of any kind played this year. It's not much to cling too, but hey, we had our 2 chances to put all this undefeated nonsense to bed.
Long time fan. Not to highjack your thread , but having been a fan since the NY Jets came to be , I must agree with you. This game absolutly, positivley sucks. How can any Jet fan watch these two teams play and be excited about who the hell wins. Feck the Patriots and the Giants. I am going to be in pain watching this fecking game. Allentown Ernie.
There's no way this is rock bottom - things are bad now, agreed, but we've just had probably the best 10-year period in Jets history. Playoffs in 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2006, playoff wins in 1998, 2002 and 2004. The lowest point for me was 1996 - a terrible season AFTER a terrible season AFTER a terrible end to a season. Around $80 million was spent in the 1996 offseason to build a winner and the result was a 1-16 team. That's low. Older fans may have something to say about the endless futility of the '70s as well. There's no way this rock bottom.
i cant count how many times i thought we hit rock bottom its part of being a jets fan oh well today will suck thank god for wild turkey and bud
So it only gets better from here then!! The best is yet to come and wont that be fine? I don't mind the giants are in it, I would want a NY team to win if it isn't mine. Fuck the patriots till the end of time. I am NY fan today like every day.
You have to put things in perspective... if you think we've hit rock bottom, just imagine what it must feel like to be a Raiders fan right now?
The Raiders have a lot of good young players on their team and a potentially great young QB. I wouldn't for a minute think we will win a SB before they do. That's just more homer thinking. It's not as if we have a sure thing management in place. We simply have more stability because our owner doesn't really care.
