Well my friends?.I?ve made it: POST 1,000!!! I?ve thought long and hard about what I would write for this milestone and threw out many ideas. Many of my milestone posts have been creative ways to talk about my beloved Jets. When I came to 1,000 I decided against doing something gimmicky and to go with something that is more in the spirit of this forum. Originally, I was going to write about my 10 greatest Jet memories?.but it just wasn?t entertaining enough and too upbeat for a DbJ post. While I am a die-hard Jet fan?.my persona has been built around the ?dying? part. So, with that in mind, I give you: Requiem for a Team: The Ten Worst Moments in Jets History 10 - Game Plan for Brooks Bollinger vs. Baltimore So this was the first Jet game I had been to in-person since 1996. My brother-in-law took me to the game as a gift for being in his wedding party. I went into this game with tremendous optimism?..perhaps this unheralded kid could find lightning in a bottle and bring us to victory. Of course good-ole-Herm had other ideas. He dipped that bottle in cement. Never, in all my years of watching football have I seen a more conservative offensive game plan. No single event could possible be more in opposition to his mantra: ?You play?to win?.the game!? On top of it all?.Baltimore was HORRIBLE that day. Any effort whatsoever to move the football would have resulted in an easy win for us. Instead, handing off to an injured RB against an 8-man-front was the best we could do. For me, this was the last nail in the coffin for Herm. 9 - Bubby Brister shovel pass INT for a TD Ahhh?.the Kotite years. Incompetence brought to a higher art form. It was bad enough to be the worst team in the league?.but this play turned us into laughing stocks. Let?s put this into perspective. We were playing the expansion Carolina Panthers?.who had NOT YET WON a game. The Jets were up 12-6 with 22 seconds left in the first half. Instead of taking a knee and running out the clock, the Jets ?brain trust? asks Bubby (worst f*cking name ever) Brister to toss a shovel pass. This is normally a safe play?.but this is Jets we are talking about. The Bubster pitches the ball right into the waiting arms of Sam Mills who takes it 36 yards for the TD. The Jets went on to give Carolina their first win as a franchise and that infamous play was on every highlight show in the country?.a national embarrassment. 8 - Leon Johnson halfback option pass Boy, did it look like The Tuna was about to reverse the Jets fortunes. In an incredible phoenix-from-the-ashes performance, Bill Parcells turned the 1-15 Kotite Jets into a 9-6 team with a win-and-we?re in season finale. The Jets played the game very close with Neil O?Donnell (ah, the rich history of great jet QBs) at the helm (OK?..was anyone else hiding their head in shame when O?Donnell repeatedly asked the officials to quiet the crowd?). After falling behind in the second half (13-10), the Jets marched to the Detroit 7 with just under 8 minutes left?.this was it?.this was the moment The Tuna was going to put us back into the playoffs. But then?instead of keeping the ball in O?Donnell?s hands, the play call was a Leon Johnson halfback option pass. No one is open?.throw it away?throw it away?.what is he doing?!?!?!....pass into the endzone?.interception Bryant Westbrook. Ugh. The coach had changed, but the song remained the same?.?Same Old Jets?. 7 - Gastineau penalty in Cleveland This one is less clear in my mind, as I think this has been a trauma wiped from my memory?.but it is definitely worthy of the list. The scene is a 1987 playoff game in Cleveland. It couldn?t get much easier?.the Jets had a 20-10 lead with 4:14 remaining and Cleveland has the ball at their own 18 yard line. If that isn?t enough, it is 2nd and 24! This game IS IN THE BAG. And then along came Mark Gastineau. (Before I continue, let me talk a little about Gastineau. He was an incredibly talented pass rusher?but a monumental douche. Nothing looked more ridiculous than MG jumping around to Men Without Hats?while ?lunch pail? players like Klecko and Mehl looked on in disgust.) So, Gastineau is called for a roughing the passer penalty on an incomplete pass. Cleveland goes on to tie the game up and then win it in OT. The penalty clearly cost them the game (funny how Jets history repeats itself?.Eric Barton?s penalty in San Diego almost resulted in a similar demise). 6 - Testaverde tears Achilles While this could easily be replaced with any of the Pennington injuries (losing 2 QBs in 7 plays is right up there), I decided to go with the Testaverde injury for this list. The reason for this choice is the EVERYONE believed that the Jets were primed to make a Super Bowl run. Testaverde was coming off a career year, Curtis Martin was in his prime, the Belichick defense was looking phenomenal, and The Tuna was at the helm. All was right with the world. Then it happened. In the second quarter of the first game of the season, Vinny, with his cat-like agility, changed directions to chase a fumble and BAM?.clutching his left leg, he collapsed to the ground as if he were shot. Punter Tom Tupa ended up finishing the game (which we lost) at QB. Rick Mirer became the Jets starting QB in perhaps the worst stint of any Jets QB ever. That injury (and our front office lack of planning for a backup QB) resulted in the destruction of that season. Oh the humanity! End of part one (sorry....too long for a single post)
5 - AFC Championship Game – Second Half Collapse In his second season with the Jets, Bill Parcells brought the Jets to the AFC Championship Game. While my own personal hell associated with this game is well document in my post 200, here is a recap of the carnage for the rest of you. If you recall, the Jets were leading 10-0 in the third quarter. However, it didn’t take long for that lead to disappear. The Jets ended up turning the ball over 6 times, including a rare Curtis Martin fumble and two late Vinny Testaverde INTs (a return to form for Vincenzo). This was perhaps the best team the Jets had fielded since Namath, but the way they fell apart in the second half of this game shook all Jets fans back to reality. Terrell Davis and John Elway just took over the game and showed us how far we still had to go. Just goes to show you that “Same Old Jets” trumps even the genius of The Tuna. 4 - Bill Belichick resigns as HC of the NYJ Only in the bizarro-world that is the New York Jets, could a situation like this occur. The Jets had enjoyed a three year return to respectability under Bill Parcells….but as the Tuna often does, he decided to “retire” from coaching. He remained as GM and named his protégé Bill Belichick Head Coach. Seemed like a logical choice. However, less than 24 hours later, BB hands BP a hand scrawled note that said he resigns as “HC of the NYJ”. The press conference that followed was so bizarre, that you would have thought Belichick’s family had been abducted and the kidnappers had demanded he resign from the Jets. Lucky for us, Belichick has not gone on to do much with the rest of his career. 3 – The Mud Bowl In the strike shortened 1982 season the Jets were looking good and won 2 playoff games. That team was built on speed….Freeman McNeil in the running game and a fierce pass rush. South Florida was getting hit with a ton of rain and the Dolphins left the tarp off the field (if you didn’t hate the Dolphins already….surely this did the trick). The result was a muddy field with no traction. Richard Todd was not good that day and A.J. Duhe (a name that haunts the nightmares of every Jet fan) picked off 3 passes. What was devastating about this game is that given the field conditions, this was a game that the Jets never had a chance to win. I’ve never looked at a muddy puddle the same again. 2 - Doug Brien misses 2 FGs in Pittsburgh This one still stings. This is Herman Edwards’ legacy as a Jets coach. The Jets gave the Steelers everything they could handle in this game. With the game tied, it looked like the Jets were driving toward the go ahead score when they settled for a 47 yd FG with 1:58 remaining in the game….and Doug Brien missed. Amazingly the Jets got the ball back and marched back down the field. (While watching all this unfold, I remember asking myself: “Is this was the greatest victory I had ever witnessed since I became a Jet fan in 1977?”…I should have known better) First and 10 at the Pittsburg 25. Martin run…no gain. Second and 10. Jordan run…2 yards. Third and 8. Pennington kneel down…..1 yard loss. Brien in for the 43 yard FG. Miss. Overtime only extended the suffering. For everything good that he ever did….the fourth quarter of this game was a microcosm of Herm Edwards career: Inspiration done in by conservatism and stupidity. 1 - Fake spike Ahhh…this is the one. The single worst moment in Jets history. To refresh your memory…Pete Carroll was the Jets HC and was doing a decent job. They were 6-5 and had a showdown with the Dolphins to put them firmly in the drivers seat for the division title. Things were looking very good…..a 24-6 third quarter lead. Then Marino mounted a comeback. As bad as it was, NOTHING could have prepared Jet fans for how it ended. With the Jets leading 24-21, Marino marched the Dolphins to the Jets 8 and ran to the line to spike the ball to stop the clock at 22 seconds. But he didn’t spike it. He faked the spike and tossed it to Mark Ingram for the winning TD. Numbness filled my body as I stared in disbelief. You could hear the hearts of Jet fans ripping in two as we watched replay after replay after replay. That play completely derailed the Jets season….they lost their final 5 games and did not make the playoffs. Next thing you know, Carroll is out and Kotite is our new coach: Not only can you not have ice cream….but here is an extra plate of broccoli! From this day forward it was indeed “Same Old Jets”. Some honorable mentions: Lamont Jordan halfback option pass against Baltimore; FG debacle in OT Giants game; Draft picks such as Blair Thomas, Jeff Lagerman, Roger Vick or Mike Haight; and Garrison Hearst OT TD Run. So what is the point of my post? I guess it is to say we’ve been to hell and back again as Jet fans….and we are still here. As bitter of a pill as every one of the above has been….when our day finally comes, it will be sweeter than we could possibly imagine. And surely we will be able to say: “We’ve earned it”. And if that day never comes, at least we’ve got something to write about at tgg.com. Just remember that every game is just another opportunity to experience…..DeathByJets.
You have to complement this with the 10 best moments in Jets history, lest I fall into a deep depression and contemplate suicide.
one of the best moments was the Pennington to Moss bomb against SD in playoffs. another great one was the 41-0 blanking of the Colts
I remember none of these things. They never happened. They were all part of a 35 year long nightmare, and I don't remember my dreams. Good job, DBJ! Let me go find that rusty old gun now.
Great post DBJ. I agree with the order, but you didn't put the reign of Kotite into the picture. Kotite wasn't really a moment, but really more of a coma.
HAW! Excellent as always. Hehehe. I would tear out my arm hair in memorium, for Old Time's Sake, but it doesn't grow back any more. I'll just rub this sandpaper over my face instead. That ought to suffice.
Excellent job as always DBJ! :up: (Yuck, what's that taste in my mouth?) It really is hard to be a JETS fan. :breakdance:
Of recent Jet lore..... On the positive side, I would add the Tampa Bay game when Curtis hit Chrebet in the endzone to beat Keyshawn and the Bucs. Somewhat of a meaningless game, but it was a very un-Jetlike win. I think that started the whole "flashlight" stuff, too. Also, Hall's 54-Yrd FG to beat Oakland in 2001's finale. On the negative side, I would have to say sitting in my mother-in-law's cabin watching the scroll at the bottom of ESPN that read "Pennington fractures non-throwing wrist vs. Giants." I've been in that cabin probably three times, and two visits coincided with pure Jets calamity: Parcells resigns and Chad breaks his wrist. Unbelievable.
Until we win another Super Bowl, the bitter moments will always resonate the most. Regarding the Cleveland debacle in double OT, Gastineau's sin of aggression was just one of a series of missed opportunities for the Jets to put that game away. Later in that same drive, just before the Brown's scored, one of the Jets DBs dropped a gimme INT in the end zone that would've sealed the game. Also, Pat (a bigger choker than people remember) Leahy missed a short kick in the first OT that would've won the game. Finally, I lay the defeat squarely on the shoulders of chicken shit Joe Walton who refused to let O'Brien pass for a first down that would've sealed the game. Three runs into the line, and the Jets had to punt the ball away, allowing Kosar to drive for the game-tying FG in regulation.
Unfortunately, those memories aren't as vivid as the bad ones. Without a long narrative, here are a few off the top of my head: - Obviously: SB III - Monday Night Miracle - 1986 Jets/Dolphins Shootout (Wesley Walker...amazing) - Season finale in 2002 against GB - Wayne "flashlight" Chrebet defeats Keyshawn "Star" Johnson - Playoff win over Indy - Playoff win over Cincy - John Hall 53 yarder to clinch - Bill Parcells hiring
Yeah, that play still paints a picture in my head. Why is it that the Jets seem to be equated with some of the all-time bonhead plays in football? It hardly seems fair. It is almost through some weird and twisted irony that the hiring of Herm Edwards (the recipient of the positve end of a bonehead play) was some feeble ploy at exorcising the demons of the past. Lets hope the exorcism worked because we paid a dear price for it.
The power of Tangini compels you! The power of Tangini compels you! The power of Tangini compels you!!!:smile:
Great post, DBJ, I guess I am a little thankful that I didn't have to live through the fake spike or the Mud Bowl although it does offsets being a Met fan as well, brings back terrible memories but hopefully Mangini could bring good memories from now on :beer:
