Commentary: An Undignified Win
In an unprecedented move, Rex Ryan publicly apologized to Mike Francesa, Filip Bondy, Mike Florio, and Peter Schmuck today at the Jets home facility in Florham Park. “Those guys are right, and I am wrong,” the heavyweight coach said. Astute observers thought the barrel-shaped, team leader was on the brink of breaking down for the second time this season. A Kleenex was discreetly passed to the quivering coach.
What caused this unusual statement? It was just simple logic.
Critics have been quick to point out that the Jets beat the Colts in week sixteen only after Indianapolis pulled their starters leading by an insurmountable five point in the third quarter. Then, despite Marvin Lewis starting the game this week with all his offensive starters, sports columnists were quick to say that the Bengals weren’t really trying.
While local luminaries like Filip Bondy and Mike Francesa, were quick to remind the Jets that they weren’t worth the cost of the paper to print their stories, and that they didn’t belong in the playoffs, the blow that really got to Rex Ryan, was an article by Peter Schmuck, in the Baltimore Sun, entitled “The NFL’s Integrity Gap.” In Schmuck’s article (no pun intended), he insists that the Bengals were laying down last night, which gave the Jets an unfair shot at the playoffs. Apparently, the Jets failure was in not playing diginfied football the last two weeks of the season. Of course, they should ahve played like the Ravens.
Objective analysis suggests that the Sun columnist is right on. Going into week sixteen, the Ravens only needed a single win to get in the playoffs. In the next two games, they proved what pride and integrity really mean in the NFL. Sure, in week sixteen, they lost the game due to undisciplined play. Sure, they dropped touchdown passes and negated pick-sixes by the bushel-full. Sure they lost to a Steelers team that had, in recent weeks, itself lost to Kansas City, Cleveland and Oakland. But, the Ravens loss to the Steelers was brave and heroic. As for this week, the Ravens’ blowout of the Raiders by a huge eight points ought to make the message crystal clear. The win over the Raiders, an impressive 5-11 team who the Jets barely outlasted 38-0 in week seven, should convince anyone that some teams (unlike the Jets) belong in the playoffs.
“That Schmuck is no schmuck,” Ryan said. “Next time we’ll do it with dignity,” the coach went on, finally mastering his emotions. “Next time we’ll do it like the Ravens.”
49 Responses to Commentary: An Undignified Win
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2g says:
I’m so pissed off at the lack of credit the Jets are getting. Like this team with the best overall D and best rushing offense in the NFL was just handed a spot in the playoffs. No one seemed to notice that that Colts game was a game when Peyton was still in and that the Bengals were held to what, 7yds in the 1st half with Palmer in the game. They were utterly dominated. I hope the Jets go to Cincy and do it again next week.
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a wise man says:
Lol I love this little article.. they will continue to hate on us but I have a feeling the Jets are not a team to play with, at the end of the ESPN highlight of our game last night they showed Rex saying, “No one wants to face us.” Then Merrill Hodge and Sage Steele basically laughed it off saying there are a lot of teams that want to face to Jets.. LOL, I love it, no one expects us to win… the best way to go into the playoffs !
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Harris52ChampionshipDefense says:
The lack of respect is fine with me. Going to make it all the sweeter when they beat the Bengals this weekend.
Filip Bondy is the worst sportswriter in NYC. In a market that features Steve Serby and Mike Lupica, that’s really saying something. -
steviek says:
that stuff may piss us off as jet fans…. but we should really welcome it.
almost any coaching staff loves to us that no one thinks we can do it, us against the world schtick. and it works alot. belichek has been making a living playing that angle in his clubhouse for years.
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droseatwork says:
huh?
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OMG27 says:
whoever wrote this took the sarcasm a little far.
where’s the story? do you even have a point, or were you too caught up trying to be clever? -
Jimmy Shnoogen says:
I’m very confused by the tone of this post. Was Rex genuinely emotional or was he just giving the big F.U. to the Schmuck? While I understand the point of view that the Jets moon walked their way into the playoffs, the fact remains that they cannot control what team they play, and who of that team is represented on the field.
No one says anything about a baseball team resting its starters in the last week of the season before playoffs. Even if its going against a team playing for a wild card spot. Its actually supported. No one claims that its affecting the integrity of the game, or accuses a clinching wild card team of backing into the playoffs.
The Jets earned all nine of their wins, because the beat the teams that were put on the field by the coach. And anyone who questions any of the Jets wins should equally question their losses, and pose questions about some of the bad luck they’ve gotten this year.
Schmuck represents his given name quite accurately.
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Joe S. says:
The World is Against the Jets and the Jets Fans!!!!!
FU_K them ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Brendan says:
Bondy isn’t a sports writer. He’s a gossip columnist moonlighting as a sports writer.
And as for the lack of respect, I welcome it. The less people respect and expect us to do well, the more this team is likely to band together in an “Us vs. Them” mentality. We are a dangerous team.
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starz31 says:
The media got burned after they themselves proclaimed us as a great team after week 3. They’re just covering themselves if we lose next week, in which case they can proclaim how they were right that we were a bad team.
We have had a lot of learning-on-the-fly moments this season, coach, defensive scheme, O-line scheme, and QB…the fact we made the playoffs, had the #1 Defense, the #1 running game…thats fantastic right there. I want to do damage in the playoffs, of course I do, but everyone needs to have relaxed expectations.
This team has already exceeded pre-season expectations…the rest is just gravy.
Enjoy it fans.
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JesusRevis says:
I have no idea what this means.
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Jets = Misery says:
I want to be interested in this story, but you really aren’t clear here. Please post some links.
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JustAGreenGuy says:
Got to love his attitude. I thought we were backing in, but the Jets smacked Cincy. They deserve to be in the playoffs and if we had an established QB the world would be singing another tune about the Jets chances .
Congrats to the team on setting the Jets single season rush record and I believe Rex set some NFL record too.
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Okay, I think it’s all sarcastic. Nevermind.
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vurtualife says:
I believe the above post was almost entirely a toungue-in-cheek criticism of the hubris of these self-proclaimed “journalists” and the lack of credit they seem to be dishing out to the Jets for their wins the last 2 weeks…
I would add uber-doosh Peter King to that list as well, as he is fond of jumping on the bandwagon and uttering nary an original thought in his “analysis”, along with 90% of those similarly vapid ESPN “analysts”
How much do they pay these goons? Clearly far more than logically reasonable…
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section 102 says:
guys, its sarcasm
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Yea the same ESPN “analysts” who said that we were going to lose all of our games when there were four weeks left, AFTER knowing teams may rest their starters.. come on.. 3 wins out of 4 isnt bad, especially 5 wins in the last 6 isn’t either..
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miketaliaferro says:
The NFL Industry (and all of its media tributaries):
“The Jets Suck. The Jets DO NOT belong with the rest of the good, good teams of our community. Woody, take your Q-Tips and go home. In fact, fold the franchise, it’s getting in our way.”
This message is clear, and unequivocal.
How we respond as a franchise, as a team and as fans will be The Show this month. Hopefully, it will be worth the price of admission.
Rexy doesn’t have to work all that hard this week — just play all the media about the playoffs in a never-ending loop to his team, and just sit back and have fun designing new plays. The media will do his work for him.
Remember this week’s line: The Jets Suck.
Pass it on…
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Come on guys, this is a funny post. Enjoy the sarcasm and the well deserved digs at some of the worst “sports journalists” in all of sports.
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greg sec130 says:
posted this elsewehre too, but applies more here:
as for respect — that comes in time. If the Patriots get in at 8-8 they’d be dangerous because everyone knows they have been good in the past. Experience is great, and often can be a huge edge, but they are still an 8-8 team. The Jets are a new team (with Ryan) and tho they have the top D they are “unknown” to the masses that don’t know football but watch on Sundays and play fantasy football and know who Tom Brady is but don’t know a 46 defense from a 6 pack. One day soon, the Jets will have a down year but will be considered “dangerous” because of their past success too.
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Bent says: I think we need to borrow the “it’s satire, people” tag from KSK…
Andrew is demonstrating how ridiculous it is that the Jets were deemed not worthy of a playoff place by the media by sarcastically lauding the Ravens’ somewhat inferior resume.
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Bent says:
Greg – except that any other team in the same situation would be deemed dangerous because they are an “unknown quantity” (which actually proved to be true in the case of the Cards last year).
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GP says:
In the words of J. Peezy, “DASS DISRESPECT!!”
The Giants rode that wave of being disrespected and underestimated 2 years ago all the way to the Super Bowl. Why the hell can’t we? Let the talking heads continue to take us lightly.
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subwayfare says:
a wise man, on January 4th, 2010 at 11:59 am Said:
Yea the same ESPN “analysts” who said that we were going to lose all of our games when there were four weeks left, AFTER knowing teams may rest their starters…Exactly. You can’t have it both ways. If you predicted the Jets would lose to teams with nothing to play for, you then can’t come back and say the Jets are frauds for winning those games.
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ml says:
I completely agree that I do not mind being doubted as I think it will help us not savor this win and get real hungry to go into cincy next week..However, the disrespect being shown to us is downright embarrassing. We have a TREMENDOUS o line and running game and the number ONE defense in the NFL. Are you kidding? We are a few rookie mistakes/two kick return TD’s from being 11-5/12-4 and we are here in spite of that. We won all of the games we were supposed to win with the exception of ATL and BUFF and we went 5-1 down the strecth. What about this team is NOT a wildcard team? I understand people that are upset about the colts last week but don’t take it out on the Jets..think about that for a moment…
As far as cincy laying down? Why would Marvin Lewis bother if they were going to lay down? Not too mention..it was 27-0 at halftime and there only 1st down came on a garbage illegal contact penalty. We pushed there starting front seven (minus 1) around the field. So, if my team laid down like that…who is the squad that doesn’t deseve the playoffs. These analysts should be ashamed -
Andrew Weiss says:
For those who have defended me, thank you. You bring a tear to my eye.
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Totally agree. That’s why I wrote so here: http://thevertexblog.com/display/below/jets-have-nothing-to-apologize-for
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m eazii says:
F the media..they won’t respect our team until we win a superbowl or get close to the superbowl, which i think we have a great chance doing this year, especially if sanchez is not turning the ball over…but we as fans should just say HI HATER to all these guys, and i know this is the mentality the team has too…they know and we know this is a very good football squad…number 1 defense and number 1 rushing offense says it all….if we make 1 or 2 plays in both miami games, the jax and atl game, and lets not forget the first bills debacle, we would be having a bye and resting our players this weekend, but i think it was best for this team to get into the playoffs in the way we did, and now evryone is saying we backed in which just motivates this team more! WE ARE A VERYYY DANGEROUS TEAM AND I BELIEVE RYAN WHEN HE SAYS NO1 WANTS TO PLAY US!! WATCH OUT FOR THE JETS!!!
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Faithfully following the entire end-of-the-season media piffle has been a hoot since, oh, at least, Thksgvg, I’d say. If not longer.
We have four top AFC teams who’ve each deserved their Top-4 playoff positions with double-digit win seasons. No problem there. “Congrats, and well done!” I say.
But since early October you’ve had EIGHT teams (NYJ, Miami, Balt., Pitt., Hous., Nashville, Jacksonville, Denver) stumbling, bumbling, spitting up hairballs all over the place on the way to grabbing a WC slot. EIGHT teams finishing between 9-7 and 7-9, any one of which could have grabbed a stranglehold on a berth with only a teensy bit of additional competitive cojones over a three-month period. It seemed at times as if no one wanted a WC slot.
The Jets are simply one of those eight. They sucked along the way just as badly as the other seven — but as it all played out, they (and the Ravens) gave it just that teensy extra bit that was needed. So the other six go home — ‘See ya!’ And these two head to the tournament. Where, as they say, “Anything can happen!”
Where all the sarcasm comes from, IMHO, is the fact that, in the media, Balt. and ANY of the other 6 stumblebums would have been welcome to the playoffs. Other teams would have been gutty and gritty to make it, and they would be hungry and DANGEROUS in the playoffs (hmm, just like the Balt. coverage…) — BUT THE JETS!?!?!?!? Uh-unh. Something must be wrong here.
“The Q-Tips couldn’t POSSIBLY have elbowed their way into our party. They’re dainty little waifs on a poorly coached team that has Pollyanna at QB. ‘Woody, grab the Band-Aids!!!!!!!!’ Should we invoke the Mercy Rule this week? Do we HAVE to put them on TV this week?”
As I said above, Rex doesn’t need to pin anything to the bulletin board this month. He just has to pipe in every radio and TV sports show non-stop, and leave a bunch of laptops around with sports sites open. That should do the trick.
This team should then be ready to Remember the Alamo, storm San Juan Hill, take Pork Chop Hill, and wipe out terrorism in our lifetimes by game time Saturday.
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Lysol says:
Well played Rex. Francesa is a jerk. He will bash the Jets because he hates them. I could see why best rushing team and best defense. I guess I would hate the Jets too
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Eddie DiGio says:
One thing I know is this team has Rex’s back. Behind closed doors he is probably firing this team up, and they will be ready follow him into the depths of hell.
Let em hate, let em disrespect. We are in the playoffs and 20 other teams are not.
Miserable people love to try and bring down happy ones to their level. As they say misery loves company
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TJBfan says:
I read that article earlier and here is my reply….
Schmuck says its not fair because the Texans played their heart out to beat the Patriots while the Jets beat a Bengals team that ‘wasnt trying’. Well were the Texans not trying in the season opener?
If i recall correctly we dominated the Texans just as well for the first game of the season and it cost them at the end of the season. My hats off to houston on a winning season but we proved one on one we are more worthy
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Ben Nevis says:
greg-
I posted this elsewhere as a response to you, but it fits better on this thread:
I can understand the average fan not being up on how dominating the Jets D or O line is–I don’t expect fans to watch tape of our games.
But there’s no excuse for analysts or commentators like Peter King or Trent Dilfer or Tony Dungy or Mike Francessa–these guys SHOULD be watching tape before they open their mouths. Though I don’t think King or Francessa would understand what they were watching–these guys have no knowledge of the game whatsoever.
Which is what makes a guy like Chris Collinswood so great. Not only does he know the game, he does his homework, he watches tape, and he knows what it is that he’s watching.
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Andrew-
Nice job–it’s like you took all of our comments about the ahole brigade–Peter King and Mike Francessa and Trent Dilfer and Tony Dungy–on the “Game Recap: Jets Arrested for Murder” thread, and turned it into satire.
Me like it.
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Mike Francessa is a pompous jerk. Even when he is proven wrong on his radio show he cuts people off and goes to the next caller. He thinks he is the Pope of Sports but all he is is the POOP of sports
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Neville says:
I love how the Jets are getting nothing but scalding remarks from the media. We were down by five for crying out loud when indy pulled their first team. That is certainly not insurmountable considering we have the number 1 defense and rushing attack, and knock on wood EVERYWHERE, Schotty has Schott himself in the foot recently.
Now that we are in the playoffs, I have doubt how they’ll finish. Win at Cincy. Win at SD (sorry LT, but Bart Scot will NOT be a classy guy either…). Then we’ll go back to Indy and completely maul them after the crap everyone has been saying about our team. Ideally, I’d like to take our Havin’ Fun in Miami, but I think the Saints are the safer bet.Revis for DPOY …. Child, Yes!
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Bent says:
I wonder if the “well, the Bengals just lay down” comments would be quieter if it was a closer game. Nope, they would have said “the Jets barely won even though they had a few guys out”. They just can’t win!
Except – guess what? – THEY WON!!!
Hahahahaha.
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Bent-
Judy Battista in the NY Times is suggesting today that the Bengals played the way they did to preserve “the element of surprise.”
This is from Judy B in the NYT today: “With Cedric Benson out, the Bengals ceded the running game against an inspired Jets team. [Head Coach Marvin] Lewis left quarterback Carson Palmer in the game into the third quarter, but he was clearly balancing health versus a desire to play well. And at the same time, he was not giving the Jets’ defensive coaches an up-close look at Benson. Instead of first-hand experience, the Jets must rely on game film to see how other teams attacked him.”
This is clearly ridiculous. The Bengal didn’t “cede” the running game. Lewis said before and after the game, that they had played to win. And Palmer wasn’t “balancing health versus a desire to play well”–he was just simply horrific, 1 for 11, one INT, 0 friggin yards, and a passer rating of 1.7!
To think that the “surprise” of playing Benson next week is going to be any kind of a factor is, well, simply nuts.
At least Batistta does concede one thing: ” Still, the Bengals’ awful performance cannot do much for their confidence entering the rematch. . .”
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Steve in Philly says:
As someone who listens to Francesa every afternoon at work (in Philly too… somehow WFAN comes in clearly here), I can vouch for the fact that he has at least blasted the Giants as much as he’s blasted the Jets. I’m not excusing it but for the last 3 weeks, all he’s been doing is fielding calls about how much the defense is garbage, etc etc.
I think it’s all based on the fact that the Giants (who Francesa proclaimed to be one of the 4 “elite” teams in the NFL) didn’t make the playoffs. He’s just blinded by his own bias toward the Giants. It doesn’t mean he’s a bad person by it- we’re also blinded by our bias for the Jets.
Mike, when fielding calls, has always protected Rex Ryan to an extent (well, maybe not Rex’s big talk attitude (called him a “clown” I think once) but he’s not saying that he wants Rex fired). He’s also, on many many occasions, defended Sanchez and said he thinks he’ll be fine. I want to give him credit for having those opinions at least before I blast him.
Where I draw the line, however, is how Mike for the last week has literally done nothing but vent his frustration about the Jets. The way he describes the Colts game, you’d think he was accusing the Jets of using video cameras on the sidelines and every single person on the team doing HGH. He went as far as to describe the game as an “aberration”. It’s clear that he’s just upset that the Giants didn’t make the playoffs in my opinion. I refuse to listen to him today (is he even on today or is it Joe and Evan?) because he’s probably fielding tons of Giants calls calling for the firing of Tom Coughlin and worse yet- calls about Jason Bey and possible Mets trades for Mauer which make no sense.
I think, after listening to him a lot, that Mike would have criticized the Giants just as much if they had the same season as us. He was REALLY REALLY hard on Eli Manning when he was a rookie and if I recall correctly, was upset they benched Warner that season. He plays both sides. Does he dump more on the Jets than the Giants? Probably. I think the best time to listen to him is on a Monday when the Giants have lost and the Jets have won. Then he’ll make you feel better about the Jets.
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JetsFan4Life says:
For those who don’t respect the JETS, who gives a flying F…this year they don’t need to respect us, that’s all overrated. Instead, let the NFL naysayers just fear our awesome “Ground and Pound” attack and “Shutdown” D!
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reality jet fan says:
Mike francesca is angry because he said that the gmen were the team to follow and act like. I guess he would like rex to walk out to the podium and say thank you to the colts and bengals. And also say that we are done trying because we reached our goals this year just getting in was enough.I think this would make fatcesca ansd the gmen fans happy.
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Its amazing on this rare occasion that the jets are the toast of the town that giant fans have to call up and whine about the jets and jet fans its pathetic.
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alex says:
you know whats funny? When Jets win its because we were “supposed to” against either an “inferior team”(raiders, panthers) or against a team thats either not healthy/not in top shape or not trying(patriots, bengals, colts). When we lose its always about how atrcious jets are and enevr about the quality of the opponent yet the Jets are never given the credit for the win even though they are given the blame for each and every loss.
So its lose-lose either way and it all comes down to this…..Media has to choose whether they will approach the team as villains or good guys…and apparently we broke some kind of unspoken media rule by being proud, brash and talkative….its what you call the ‘Miami Hurricanes’ rule…..I cant stand it because the core of it is this elitist, pompous view that the athletes and the coach are supposed to be not only good on the field but choir boys off the field….
F them. I want Jets to stomp everyone out and talk about before, during and after it. This year and the next….thats why I loved watching the Hurricanes, the team was all about intimidation of the opponent while having fun and dominating and as a loyal fan I couldnt ask for more.
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Play Like a JET says:
I am alarmed at how many people misunderstood this article.
Anyways, if you guys need even more incentive to get angry (I wonder if anybody shows the Jet players these stupid articles hatin’ on our boys), go and check out Chadiha’s article. That’ll get you hot.
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Sorry, Chadiha’s on Sports Illustrated.com.
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Man crush developing on Sexy Rexy…