About
Remember when the 1998 NY Jets earned a first round bye in the playoffs with their 12-4 record? Gang Green had Bill Parcells as head coach, QB Vinny Testaverde, WR Keyshawn Johnson, RB Curtis Martin, WR Wayne Chrebet, LB Bryan Cox, and LB Mo Lewis. Possibly one of the best Jets team assembled. They were primed to go to the Superbowl and even had a 10-0 lead against the Denver Broncos three quarters into the AFC Championship game.
And then John Elway and the Broncos scored 23 unanswered points to beat New York and shattered my hopes of seeing the NYJ win it all.
This is what made me a fan of this NFL team. Everything else since is what makes me a disgruntled Jet.
I’ve been promised another run at the Superbowl by many owners, coaches, and players since but all have failed. I expected the Jets to ride the success from the 98 season the following year but the team regressed when Testaverde suffered a season ending injury. The NYJ finished the season 8-8 missing the playoffs. In 1999, I was sure the following year would be our year, that is, until Parcells announced his resignation as head coach.
For the 2000 season I was left with Al Groh as head coach after Bill Belichick left the Jets with egg on their face by preferring to coach the New England Patriots instead. If this isn’t humiliating, I don’t know what is.
And so began the ups and downs (mainly downs) I experienced as a fan hoping that the team will win a Superbowl. There have been some captivating personnel that kept me believing that it can happen. Coaches like Herm Edwards and Rex Ryan. Players like Chad Pennington, Mark Sanchez, Laveranues Coles, Kevin Mawae, Shaun Ellis, John Abraham, Darrelle Revis, and Santana Moss. However, each team eventually fell short of the goal and to this date I am left disappointed.
It’s not so much the losses that’s aggravating but how the Jets choose to lose. By conservative coaches preferring to run the ball and maintain possession of the ball rather than passing and scoring more points. By general managers who choose to draft talentless players and later wonder why the team can’t compete. Really, why do the Jets continue to draft short receivers under 6 feet?
I am still a fan and root for the NYJ to succeed but I am tired of how the team is ran. I hope this blog serves as a venting space for all other Disgruntled Jets to gather and discuss where the Jets are failing in reaching that AFC championship win. We were left hanging for one more win. Let us always reminisce on this.