Hey Rex Hater, SHUT UP!

By Deb Borges

When a Giants fan begins to advertise his or her hatred towards New York Jets coach Rex Ryan, there’s only one word that explains the justification:

jeal·ous 1. Fearful or wary of being supplanted; apprehensive of losing affection or position.

I’m sorry Giants fans, but it’s true. Jealousy is causing you to hate the primary reason the Jets found success this season. Ryan gives you nightmares. And as the definition states, you are afraid that for the first time your precious G-Men aren’t being talked about, and have lost the affection of football fans in New York.

I say be nervous. It's all happening right before your eyes.

Hey Rex, SHUT UP!

By Jeremy Fuchs

Full disclosure: I'm a Giants fan. I run a Giants blog. And I really dislike the Jets.

I was rooting for the Colts, mostly to hear the whining on talk radio from Jets fans. You can give me the "But, it's a New York team!" argument, but I don't buy it. Mets fans were only rooting for the Yanks in the World Series because they hate the Phillies. As a Yankee fan, I would root for the Mets only if they were playing the Red Sox.

But I digress.

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

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.

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.

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.