This Year is About Respect
Kevin Collazo was kind enough to send his thoughts in this week about what he expects from this season … enjoy.
Throughout the history of our beloved franchise, I think it’s safe to say that the good times have consistently been the recipients of the proverbial shake down, noogies, wedgies, and even embarrassing moments in front of the girl, by the bad. Turn the cheek.
Was the bar set too high thanks to 1969? After all, we know how the New York media, as well as it’s fan base, can fan the flames of a guarantee. We home into every single word, every possible meaning for it, and ultimately, every possible expectation from it. We do this to ourselves. Well, as we know in 1969, all of those things did come to fruition. Someone’s expectations were right on the money, but now- nearly 40 years later -the Jets are still trying to earn universal respect.
I’ll be the first to admit it. I thought last season’s team was would have lost 6 games at the most. Even though the Pete Kendall situation clearly took it’s toll on the line, this team was still far more talented than they showed. Unfortunately, injuries are always going to be an extremely large part of the game. Player contracts- from year to year- are handled in the most childish of ways by most of the players. They see the team losing games, then they look at the contract, and then they stop going all out for a win.
—A message to all those pampered multi-millionaires—
If you sign a contract for a set price, set length, and set stipulations, HONOR the contract. Enough of this holding out garbage. You’ll be far more respected, and it will only help your chances of winning when the team believes in you. Sticking to one’s word.. What a notion.
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Last year showed a lot of the aforementioned actions (or lack there of). Even through all of those barely viewable types of games, media hype, fanatic expectations, and even a slightly impressive game had us all thinking the team had turned the corner. Well, this year, I think it’s quite apparent where their expectations are. The additions are well known at this point. Almost every areas of need has been addressed, and the organization has not been reluctant to spend in order to put last year well behind them. A year which felt like a kick to gut, a smack in the face, and a broken heart all in one. They were the laughing stock of the AFC (Bengals character issues remain high on this list by the way), but no more. No need for guarantees. No need for media hype. The roster speaks volumes. The wounds from last year have calloused over. Now, this team is designed to perform. Now, this year is about respect.
25 Responses to This Year is About Respect
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Tom in Raleigh says:
Well said blee. I completely agree with you. I hate player hold outs and would agree that they should honor their contracts, if teams were held to the same standard.
If a player can be cut, year to year, for any reason, then they should be able to demand an increase for outperforming their contract.
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Ramble914 says:
Other then the 69′ era, the only other time this franchise has been respected was during the Parcell’s regime. As much as I hated the way and timing of his abandment of the team, I am still grateful we had him.
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Jose says:
yeah i totally agree with blee and tom. The contract numbers always look big but it doesnt take into account how many are cut for salary cap moves, sometimes the week or even days before they are due roster bonuses.
Another reason i cant hate against the holdout is because it is always in human nature to want more money when you feel you have outperformed your current pay. Just because i sign a job offer doesnt mean I wont want/ask for a raise later down the line.
This is especially true in the line of football, where rookies make outrageous amounts of money without proving themselves first. Think about it if it were you, you have a job in which youve been in for years, have shown loyalty and busted every bone to help and all of a sudden joe shmoe is hired at a bigger pay. Its kind of a slap in the face if they dont show some respect for your loyalty and do something for you. -
Johnny Styne says:
Ramble914 — If not for Pat Leahy’s obscene number of missed extra points during the 1982 regular season and Don Shula not covering the turf at the Orange Bowl, the Jets would have won the 1983 AFC Championship game and perhaps Super Bowl XVII — They were respected –
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Fonzie/Naples says:
blee and All:
Aren’t the majority of sport contracts are “performance” contracts with the player AND the team agreeing to specific and MEASURABLE goals, standards, accomplishments etc? Are you saying that teams generally violate, breach these contracts whenever it suits them? Don’t you think the the players, reps and atty’s would have the teams in court in a nano second suing to enforce the agreement PLUS all additional costs? C’omon guys, lets stop seeing the teams as the bad guys by giving the player a pass whenever it suits us. Remeber that a contract is an agreement by two parties to perfom a SPECIFIC task. The players are always the cry babies when it suits them and the bullies are always the teams. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all in real life could be held to the same standars? -
TOON2388 says:
I have finally relegated myself to the reality that pro sports is unlike ay other business for 2 reaons
1) Goal for team is to WIN & make $. all other businesses just try to make $
2) The tem becomes part of the fabric of the community as millions of people care about it – very unlike 99.99% of other businesses a community.The Courts long ago screwed pro sports by trying to apply general business laws to sports. Free Agency was first and then allowing teams to move was second. Also do not understand the whole “age of players dilemma – why can’t league say “you must have a college degree to work here?” Over 50% of jobs in real world require a college degree.
There is no owner loyalty because there is no player loyalty. If the NFL salary cap is perfect and levels the playing field, how does Pitt let the best guard in footnall leave?
In the old days, pre-free agency, the field was most level. Draft & trades were only way to improve
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Matt says:
they’re goal is to win..because that’s how they make their money
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All–
There’s also no true competition for pro sports franchises. And they know it. In any sport, most franchises can dump on their fans, knowing that they’ll only come back for more. Macy’s can’t treat their customers like dirt. It’s just they way it is.
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Yeah, it’s getting ridiculous with players not honoring their contracts. In Chris Baker’s case, what has he done to deserve a new deal? He caught 41 passes last season on a 12-loss team? Wow, thanks Chris!
Unbelievable.
Check out my blog where I write about the Jets and all things New York at http://www.empirecitysportsblog.com
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Harvlis says:
Football is a business, first. I can’t fault management for cutting a player to make room for another and I can’t fault a player for asking for more, if he deserves it (Wake up, Chris Baker). Although, as a Jet fan, we would love this year to earn us some respect — don’t rush to conclusions. The right side of our O-Line is a total questionmark. We don’t know if Woody can cut it for a whole season and, if any starters go down, we are in trouble. If Tannenbaum forgets to add depth to our O-Line, he needs to go. He forgot the line last year and, as a result, it was a horrible season. It is that important.
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Vinny says:
I have to say im very impressed with the fans here who dont see everything threw green tilted glasses and undestand the buisness of football. Its just buisness and its how the NFL is designed to work.
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pat d says:
The mid 80′s Jets were respected
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Reprocity says:
The RT position is a questionmark. Brandon Moore has been our most consistent player on that line the past copple of years.
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Reciprocity, If anyone gets hurt, look at the back-ups. Not a year of pro football between them.
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good call Pat D. I remember Lyle Alzado being interviewed late in the ’85 season and he was asked “which team is the team you think is your toughest challenge in AFC?” he said THE JETS. Remember the Raiders were the 1 seed & favored to win AFC – like us, turnovers killed them against NE. That WC loss still haunts me because I was in LA visiting family and would have gone to Coliseum had we won – and probably would have been killed inside stadium.
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James in TN says:
Hey Ramble914, why don’t you pull for the Dolphins if you love Parcells so much. The Jets can beat any team any given sunday.
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James,
I’ve said repeatedly for the last three months that I expect the Jets to be 11-5 this season.
I didn’t say that I loved Parcells, I said I was grateful for the success he brought the franchise.
Like I’ve also said many times…go root for the Titans.
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Harvlis, I was refereing to the “Right” side of the line comment. There’s ZERO depth anywhere on the line. Brick and Woody dont seem like sure bets so Faneca-Magold-Moore are the strength. My hole point is really the RT spot is the most questionable but the right side and the left side are really both shaky due to our Tackles. Why no depth? We bring in RBs like cops bring in Doughnuts but no OL?
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billvv says:
I will always be thankful that Parcells was here. The attitude change was palpable. He departure was planned, unlike Herm’s, so there’s no reason to have a different view just because he’s not here.
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Reprocity,
It’s one of my biggest fears for the season, if one of our OL gets hurt, we are right back where we were last season. I don’t know why we didn’t keep Wade Smith as a backup? I would think he is a better option then one of the kids.
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DSmizzle says:
Fonzie, are you on crack? Teams screw with players all the time and do what’s best for the team, and that often involves treating people “unfairly” (we do not live in a fair world).
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chris says:
I’m telling you everyone
10-6 should still be an expectation for this team -
JustAGreenGuy says:
Anything but keeping the 4-12,10-6,4-12,10-6 pattern. I never can tell if we are actually any better and it raises my hopes for us to crash again the next year. This team causes heart conditions.
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I don’t get why people have a problem with teams cutting players when they don’t perform – that is part of the agreement. If a player is getting a real shoddy deal and vastly outperforms his contract, then I can see them asking for more money. In those cases, the teams almost always acquiesces. The problem with Baker (and all you people who think the team should cave in to his pathetic demands) is that he:
1.) Has a fair deal, and
2.) Did not outperform his contractBottom line: when a player gripes that he is underpaid and wants more money, he usually gets it IF HE IS WORTH IT. Clearly, Baker is not. He is quite replaceable. Unlike the Kendall situation last year, 2nd tier tight ends are not that hard to find and/or replace. Bye Chris – thanks for your decent play, for which your were well paid.
If the players should honor the contracts, shouldnt teams be held to the same standards? Injured player, player with a down year all are cut mercilessly.. “its a business” they say.. Well, they’re right..