Fan Loyalty: A Concept Based On Hope -- Even For Jets, Mets Fans

By Trevor Gill

Why do we do it to ourselves? Why do we allow sports to ruin our lives?

I have spent the first 16 years of my life watching the Mets blow game after game, and the Jets hang in games just long enough to lose them in the end. Yet like so many sports fans I continue to torture myself.

If you have a bad car that never works, you get a new one. If you have a big nose, you get a nose job. A bad wife? No problem, you get a divorce.

But why are sports different? Why do we feel such deep loyalty to teams that don’t even know we exist? Or to players that for the most part, don’t really care about us, as long as they get paid?

Jets Aren't Loveable; They're Just Losers -- Period

By The Lantern

It started out as a humorous release, one man's fun take on losing and the New York Jets. But now, it has morphed into something else entirely. It's "Jet Therapy" and in Part II the feelings go from kind-hearted jokes to full-out anger:

"The mind is a strange thing, men. We must begin by asking it ... What is losing? Losing is a disease … as contagious as polio. Losing is a disease … as contagious as syphilis. Losing is a disease … as contagious as bubonic plague … attacking one ... but infecting all.

"But curable!

"Now, I want you to imagine you are on a ship at sea ... on a vast … gently rocking … gently rocking … gently rocking … gently rocking. …" -- The Natural, 1984

#$%&! The Yankees And Their Fans' Sense Of Entitlement

By Trevor Gill

Congratulations to the 2009 New York Yankees for outspending the next closest team in Major League Baseball by more than $65 million. Oh yeah, and kudos to you for winning yet another World Series title.

You see where this column is going?

As a Mets fan, I hate many things about the Yankees. I hate their astronomical payroll and overall philosophy, of “buying” championships, especially during a recession. I hate Alex Rodriguez, who is a good-for-nothing-attention-loving-steroid-using baby. I hate their new stadium, full of overpriced corporate restaurants.

But most of all I hate their fans, who somehow feel they are entitled to all this good fortune.

Wake Up America, Soccer Is 'The Beautiful Game' For A Reason

By Deb Borges

If someone were to ask what my favorite sport is, most people close to me would answer “that’s easy – she’s a huge football fan," and for the most part they would be correct. I have been a devoted New York Jets fans since the age of 8 and love everything about football.

But it is really the sport of futbol that I hold near and dear to my heart.

Futbol, futebol, footie, soccer – call it whatever you’d like – is a sport that I was born to love. My parents were both born in Portugal, and like many other European countries, soccer there is a way of life. I grew up playing the sport, watching the sport and still do today.

For those of you who aren’t fans, it can be hard to explain the role that soccer plays in many families like mine. It’s a sport like no other, a sport that unifies countries and evokes a sense of patriotism like nothing I’ve experienced in my lifetime.

Mickelson To Benefit Big-Time From Tiger's Public Meltdown

By The Lantern

Lord knows Tiger Woods has enough issues to deal with right now, but one that hasn't manifested yet certainly will as soon as the 2010 PGA Tour season begins in earnest with the southern swing in the spring.

Obviously a case can be made that Woods is the greatest golfer of this or any other generation and is easily one of the the most recognizable people on the planet. While he still sits four major championships shy of Jack Nicklaus' all-time mark of 18, Woods has done everything else required to be considered one of the greatest individual athletes, if not the greatest, in sports history.

His equals include guys named Ruth, Jordan, Gretzky and Ali, and animals like Secretariat. Statistically speaking, no one has touched Woods' accomplishments since he burst onto the sports landscape in 1996.

But in the case of popularity, Tiger does have one true rival. Phil Mickelson isn't perfect every week by any means, but is loved nonetheless because he's got an everyman quality that the striped one will never attain.

Especially now.

Jeter Is The Man, But Not The Sports-Man

By Jeremy Fuchs

Derek Jeter has been named SI's Sportsman of the Year. As a die hard Yankee fan, I couldn't be happier for Jeter. He's a class act. He's also dating Minka Kelly, so this just adds to my jealousy. But, for some reason, I don't consider Jeter Sportsman of the Year.

Sure, he had a great year, and yeah, he led his team to a World Series win (although I'd argue that win was on the shoulders of Alex Rodriguez). He's the face of the Yankees. But, what else has he done?

Jets, Despite Problems, Are Right In Middle Of AFC Playoff Picture

By The Lantern

If you took nothing else from the Jets' ugly 17-6 win over woeful Carolina on Sunday, know this: Despite their myriad of injuries and problems, they are very much alive in the pursuit of a spot in the NFL's meaningful January football tournament.

The Jets got handed several early Christmas presents on Sunday, in the form of neat stocking stuffers. Miami, Houston, Jacksonville and Pittsburgh all lost and now the Jets are just one game out of the final AFC playoff spot with five to play.

Is it a case of here we go again? Or this time things will be different?

Unfortunately for the Jets, several missteps earlier in the season could ultimately destroy their chances regardless of how well they play.

Yankees Hot Stove: Fixing A Team That Ain't Broke

By The Lantern

In Yankee land things are never what they seem. We know this all too well. Even though the franchise is coming off its 27th world championship and appears to be loaded at every conceivable position, one has to figure GM Brian Cashman is just biding his time before making some sort of splash.

The Yankees know no other way. It's what they do. And lucky for their fan base, they tend to get more things right than wrong.

So who will be the big pickup this offseason? That remains to be seen, but I've got some ideas on how they should approach things. Not that they need a nearing middle age, sleep-deprived maniac like myself advising them, but the Yankees know many of their fans are so knowledgeable about the game they could probably be a GM on some level.

So for you know whats and giggles, let's kick it around.

In Times Of Jets Desperation, There's Always The Big Man In Red

By Kelli Burns

Well it’s that time of year again. One by one the Jets faithful have finally started throwing in the towel as their beleaguered team has gone into the toilet. It appears no amount of praying to the Great Almighty holds any traction as far as Jets Nation is concerned.

The Big Kahuna appears to have gone on Jets hiatus, preferring instead to leapfrog the plight of the little green battlers to instead deal with other more pressing issues -- like why Eggo’s are out of stock nationwide.

So with the Jets faithful clutching at their last remaining shred of pride, it’s time to make a last ditch plea to the one man who may possibly have the power to alter the trajectory of the Jets nosedive into true embarrassment. Yes, it's time to call upon the big guy himself. And I’m not talking about Rex Ryan. I mean the other, even bigger guy.

Santa Claus.

Cowabunga Dude! C'mon Jets, Losing Is All In Your Minds

By Thomas Hensch

I believe the Jets, yes, the New York Jets, can make the playoffs.

Yes, Jet fans, I said the "P" word.

The Jets likely need to run the table to make it because they have dropped six of their last seven games.

Everybody has them dead and buried. But bare with me here. There is good reasoning behind my boastful claim.

Sanchez Has His Faults, But Jets' Coaching Has Many More

By The Lantern

If patience is a virtue for most everyone, then impatience is a rite of passage for fans of the New York Jets.

This season  has taken the form of countless others. Hope and optimism has been smacked in the face by pessimism and despair. The usual old sayings about this team have once again been proven true.

So nothing has really changed and the most jaded among us, myself included, aren't terribly surprised. The Jets are that one part of our lives that takes away from all that is good. It is what it is. Many of us watch and we don't really even flinch anymore. I mean, sure, some younger fans have the gall to sound shocked by what they see on any given Sunday. And others like to pretend they are these wise souls who know pessimism and waiting for the other shoe to drop just defeats the purpose. But I believe those people are either living in a fantasy world or really aren't the true diehards they profess to be.

Because no one -- and I mean no one -- should be sitting there countless Sunday after countless Sunday saying, "Aw shucks. We'll get 'em next week."

That's as phony as it gets.

Give Me 1 Good Reason Why Jets' Klecko Shouldn't Be In Hall Of Fame

By Thomas Hensch

One of the biggest travesties in professional sports history is the exclusion of former Jets great Joe Klecko from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The best description of Klecko came from legendary actor Jackie Gleason in the 1980 film "Smokey and the Bandit II.” Joe had a small part in this film playing himself, driving a tractor trailer, which Joe actually did in the offseason. In the scene, Gleason's character, Sheriff Buford T. Justice, confronts Klecko, who is in the driver’s side of the big rig, yelling and cursing at him to move the truck. Klecko gets out of the truck, and Sheriff Justice has this terrified look and says "Oh my God! It’s that big ‘ole bulldog, Joe Klecko" … and then Klecko bends his sheriff badge in half with his own bare hands.

Jets' Rhodes Needs To Man Up, Forget The Stupid Pro Bowl

By Thomas Hensch

What the heck did I just witness on Twitter Thursday? @KerryRhodes begging for Pro Bowl votes a few days before a sink-or-swim game against hated rival New England?

He's having a subpar season with zero interceptions, zero sacks, zero forced fumbles and many receivers not fearing his hits. In today's NFL, players are more concerned about looking great, living the NFL lifestyle, than winning Super Bowls. The players need to get back to playing football the way it's suppose to be played, and not by being part of the "me generation," patting themselves on the back and bringing attention to themselves.

Pride Is Returning To Long Island ... In Diapers

By The Lantern

Usually, when a team starts the season with just eight wins in its first 21 games it's not time to book reservations in some strange city for a championship series, but in the case of the Islanders there are plenty of reasons for their fans to come out from under whichever rock they've been hiding under for the last decade.

In the wacky world of the NHL, where a loss is as good as a tie, the Islanders find themselves within a moderate hot streak of the top spot in the Eastern Conference. This coming from a team not expected to finish above 13th or 14th in its half of the league -- John Tavares or no John Tavares.

The 'Answer' For Knicks Is Simple: Sign A.I.

By Jeremy Fuchs, Blog Of Champions

What’s the answer for the Knicks? Is it a complete and utter changing of hands? Is it hoping and waiting for LeBron? Or is it, (gasp!) bringing back Isaiah? While that last suggestion is nothing more than hokum, it has gotten that bad for the Knickerbockers. This once proud franchise is sitting back and hoping one of the many 2010 free agents want to call New York home. Unfortunately, there’s still a season left to be played.

And while there is absolutely no chance of the Knicks being close to playoff contention, the Garden is a basketball Mecca and it needs to have some sort of excitement. So what is the answer to at least get the Garden full again? "The Answer," is the answer.

Oh Thank The Good Lord For Fantasy Football

By Adam Weber, Grilling With The Weber

I woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. I had accidentally dropped Adrian Peterson from my fantasy team. The horror was so graphic I will spare you the details of my trauma. But know this: as I lay there in a pool of heavy sweat, I couldn’t help but ask myself a simple but frightening question:

Do I love my fantasy team more than my real team?

Foot-In-Mouth Jets Now Believers In '09 Learning Curve

By Rich Santonocito, Empire Sports Now

Jets fans were so quick to become believers after their 3-0 start that each loss since then has hurt more and more. Even at 4-4 Jets fans still believed a playoff birth was possible. It's over now. Jets fans won't be disappointed for the rest of the season now that the Jets lost to the Jaguars and their playoff chances are shot.

Expectations have been lowered. All the talk, all the hype, all the hoopla is over. Rex Ryan and his players won't be doing much barking anymore. Kerry Rhodes isn't going to tell the media the Jets are going to "embarrass" the Patriots this week. It's doubtful Ryan is going to ask the Jets fans to be "prideful" and cheer louder anymore this season knowing the product on the field isn't giving fans anything to be prideful or cheer about.

“Maybe we’re not one of the best defenses in the league,” Bart Scott told The Associated Press.

As Usual, 'Island Of Misfit Toys' Beckons Jets

By The Lantern

For a brief few minutes on Sunday I lost power in my house. I was sitting in the mancave helping my 6-year-old put together his Bionicle and watching the Jets. When the TV went black I felt a bit relieved. On some level I was thrilled because if the power stayed out I couldn't watch the Jets potentially lose another game they should have won.

But, alas, the good people at my local utilities were on top of their game this day. Power was restored in a few minutes and DirecTV rebooted itself.

The Jets, however, suffered from a power outage all afternoon and now have no hope of rebooting their season.

At 4-5 following an absolutely horrendous 24-22 loss to a Jacksonville club that had only managed to beat awful Tennessee twice, putrid St. Louis and equally bumbling Kansas City the Jets are finished for 2009.

Greetings! Now For A Mission Statement

Ever want the opportunity to be a sports writer? Do you think they are all armchair quarterbacks filled with pessimism? Do you think you can do better?

Well, now's your chance.

I created this blog as an extension of what I do for WCBSTV.com in NYC. I offer opinion and insights into all of my favorite teams, focusing mostly on the Jets, but also on whatever pops into this deep chasm I call a brain.

So when I started thinking about doing something more personal I asked myself, what would be the best way to be different? How can I make this blog unique?

The answer as best I can gather is to turn this forum into an open-ended sounding board for the fans, a chance for them to try their luck at being the next Rich Cimini, Rod Boone or, dare I say it, Mike Lupica.

So starting now email me your "columns" at greenlanternjets@gmail.com They can be on anything, but I'd like to try to keep a sports theme. I will then link back to your blog or site. If you don't have one, don't worry. Everyone who sends something in will get the opportunity to see their words published. Comment posting is available at the bottom of every entry so, if you have the passion, odds are you'll get plenty of feedback.