Hello everybody. I hope you all had a happy holidays, and were able to save up enough good feelings to make it through these next few weeks until the next round of holiday festivities.
Quick thoughts about the NFL before I get to my main point:
RGIII is the truth; he’s going to give the G-men headaches for years. Eli is back in elite form and the giants D-line showed up in a big W vs. the Packers. The Bears look good on both sides of the ball again. Kolin Kaepernick seems to be for real; the guy’s got a laser arm, can run and avoid pressure, and is now 2-0 as a starter vs. two good teams—guess I focused on the wrong backup QBs to highlight last week huh?
The Steelers need Ben Roethlisberger back if they want to a chance to get to the playoffs this year. After committing 8 turnovers against the Browns, it will be ugly next week vs. a much better Ravens defense if he’s not under center.
The Eagles look to continue rebuilding with Nick Foles during Andy Reid’s lame duck period as his time with the Eagles comes to an end. Both Vick and Reid have a history of success in the NFL, and I would bet both of them find a new NFL team next year. The Dallas Cowboys look like they should follow suit and begin rebuilding—the Tony Romo project has failed.
The Jets are terrible, maybe I’ve been to kind to Mark Sanchez. Fireman Ed “quits” in a symbolic move; if he’s as much of a fair-weather fan as most other Jets fans, he’ll be back when they start winning again.
The Patriots, Texans, and Falcons are all very good; It’s gonna be a tough road to the SB this season in both the AFC and the NFC, as it always is.
In baseball, I believe the market has been set for Josh Hamilton. Over the weekend, the Tampa Bay Rays extended Evan Longoria for 6 years 100 million dollars. Longoria is 27 years old, and will be 29 when the extension kicks in. Hamilton is a bit older at 31, but due to off the field issues will be starting only his 7th MLB season next year (it will be Longoria’s 6th). Both players are leaders on their clubs, have MVP type talent, and have a history of injuries. Hamilton’s off the field issues make him a bigger risk, but his talent level is a bit higher than Longoria’s so I believe there value evens out.
Hamilton’s camp wanted somewhere in the 5-6 year, 140 million dollar range, but after Longoria’s extension and unwillingness by teams to sign the big deals this offseason, I believe they will have to readjust their asking price.
Normative Narratives 
November 26, 2012 at 2:00 pm
dude, really? what jets fans do YOU KNOW PERSONALLY, that are fair weather fans?
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November 26, 2012 at 2:04 pm
And frankly, as a Giants and Yankees fan – you know very little about persevering through tough times as a fan and don’t really have the credibility in such discussions. You don’t know the pain we know.
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November 26, 2012 at 2:27 pm
I should’ve known that little comment would draw lots of criticism. For the record I did say most, not all, Jets fans. One could argue that most fans of any team are fair weather fans, and they might be right.
And being a Yankee’s and Giants fan has been great, but there has been plenty of heartbreak there too. The Giants record since 2000 (when I was 12 and decided I couldn’t be a 49ers fan my whole life) is: 95-81, including a bunch of losing seasons–not exactly lighting the world on fire. Also, when they looked to be building a dynasty, Plax shot himself in the foot. They have also had some of the worst second half collapses in recent NFL history– there certainly have been hard times as a Giants fan (as well as the obvious good ones).
The Jets over the same time period are 90-86. They also have a coach and team that focuses on talking shit and playing mind games. Their fans have been relentless in their shit talking as well over the last few years. If you can’t take back don’t dish it out
Can’t really complain about the Yankees, except that 04 collapse to the Red Sox after being up 3-0 in the ALCS. That was the worst collapse in MLB post-season history. I follow all 162 games of the regular season and every postseason game–investing all that time and emotion and folding in the postseason like they so often do is by no means easy, but I won’t complain about being a Yankees fan.
This is about a Giants-Jets beef that I by all means did not start. It was started, at least within our circle, by Jets fans who now all seem to be in hibernation, which is what prompted the comment in the first place. I know you Tim are not a fair-weather fan, nor are you for the most part a “shit-talker”, if that makes you feel better about the comment. I know you have a history of being die-hard for your teams even when they are loosing, which is very commendable.
And stopping following the team because there doing poorly is the definition of being a fare-weather fan, which is exactly what the Jets unofficial mascot is doing.
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November 26, 2012 at 3:28 pm
I remember my first Jets game in 1997, was week 2 after a 1-15 season. To make matters even worse, we had Neil Fucking O’Donnell under center. I went with my next door neighbors family (they are actually why I’m a Mets, Jets, and Knicks fan – parents are out-of-towners), and we sat about 10-15 rows behind Ed “Fireman Ed” Anzalone. Dude was going hammer than H.A.M. all game. Needless to say, I became a Jets fan and never looked back.
Leave Fireman Ed alone. Dude has been the conductor of a 50,000 person orchestra every week of every season since before I was rockin’ huggies. He can do whatever he sees fit as far as I’m concerned. I won’t ever question his “fanhood”.
J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS! JETS!
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November 26, 2012 at 3:33 pm
And yes, one would argue that “most” teams have fair weather fan bases. The more a team wins, the more casual fans they pick up. It would seem that your Giants likely have even more fair weather fans than the Jets!
Also, you don’t need to look further than 161st St in the Bronx this past October to see the fairest of fair weather fans…
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November 26, 2012 at 4:10 pm
Well, there is also the difference between talking shit about your team and indifference. Being disgusted and talking shit shows emotion. You either love or hate your team if your a fan, you’re never indifferent.
But your right, Fireman Ed can do whatever the fuck he wants.
But you also have to understand that when your team makes bold predictions and talks trash and then gets in everyone’s face about how good they are, and then they aren’t, that’s gonna cause some backlash
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