Woody Messes With Bull, Gets Horns
Here’s a treat in my inbox tonight about the whole coin toss thing … are we still talking about this? Please kill me now.
Statement from Jets Chairman and CEO Woody Johnson
An NFL coin toss has a few fundamental elements that are missing here, most notably the presence of the teams involved. That’s how it’s always done in the League, whether it’s determining the order of the draft or deciding who’s going to kick off the game. When the issue of which team would be hosting the first regular season game could not be resolved on the merits, I suggested a coin toss as the fairest way to resolve this issue. The League rejected that idea. Then, I was told on Friday that a coin toss had taken place at the League office and that the Jets had lost. We rejected a process in which neither team was present. The League departed from our time-honored tradition and declined the opportunity to set the matter straight with a transparent process.
Of course, the Giants couldn’t help but gloat.
“We look forward to playing the first regular-season game ever in the new stadium,” Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon said. “We have a great new home, and it’s right next door to Giants Stadium, a building that housed our three Super Bowl championship teams. We look forward to building the same legacy for our new stadium, and it starts on Sept. 12.”
Ugh .. can you hear the implied message to the Jets ownership in that statement? I sure can.
I’ll get to the issue of what the league did in a minute, but let’s make a timeline of this as we now know it and how exactly that matches up with the “transparency” that Woody is so keen for which to call out the league.
Friday – According to Woody’s statement he learned about the actual coin-toss result.
Saturday – The Jets website subtly publishes a story about an upcoming coin-toss for the game and that fans might be invited to attend!! Goody!
Sunday – The Giants don’t say anything about the matter, referring it to the league.
Monday – Word leaks that the coin flip was done and that Woody is “outraged” at the matter. Woody late in the day releases a statement about transparency.
So Woody, must have OK’ed the weekend story about the coin toss right? Yet he already knew the outcome of it, regardless of his acceptance of it’s validity. Then he forced a story about something that already happened, along with the potential for an event around it, and is chiding the league for their transparency issues? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!
I know this is meta, and might not be all that relevant, but for those who follow this closely, Woody has made the team reporter, Randy Lange (FULL DISCLOSURE who I respect beyond measure) look like a heel. If Randy Lange knew the real story, then he looks irresponsible for propagating a known falsehood, if he didn’t know the real story (which I imagine he didn’t) then he looks like nothing more than a mouthpiece. Ah … nothing quite like willfully throwing your employees under the bus to stroke the ego of a billionaire. What, that’s never happened to you? Oh.
As far as who should host the first game? If the league had any inclination to make things “fair” then they would have let the Jets have first crack, for various reasons that we won’t bother detailing. But far more important than any other, for the sole reason that the Jets have looked like the league’s redheaded stepchild in New York, and the league has in this move shown no desire to end that perception.
So rather than just complain about how the Jets and the league handled it, I’d like to suggest an alternative method for how the Jets could have gone about this.
Roger Goodell has an Achilles heel, and it’s public perception. Whereas his predecessor didn’t seem to care enough, I get the sense that Goodell can care too much about it at times. This could have been one of those times to work it to his disadvantage. With all the social media outlets available at their disposal, Facebook, Twitter, their own website message boards, whatever … the Jets could have gotten their fans involved, much earlier in the process (had they been … wait for it … umm … TRANSPARENT) and from a positive “please petition the league for the first game!” perspective.
If the Jets were so afraid the team wouldn’t get the game but wanted it, then they could have asked the fans to “do the dirty work” and get the message back to the league. The office would have been slammed, and they would have had to accede to at least a fair coin flip. I mean, we the fans ARE basically the shareholders of this league right? Last I checked we should hold some sway with what the league does or doesn’t do … since ultimately we help pay the bills. The Jets wouldn’t have been the bad guy. I know this is a viral campaign waiting to happen on Twitter … and with guys like PR Head Greg Aiello, and Commish Roger Goodell, easily available … it would have taken no time at all to get their attention.
But, the Jets didn’t think about it that way, and we were left with a pissing match between the Jets and Giants. We’ve always dreaded knowing, but now know beyond a shadow of a doubt who will win that in the league’s eyes. I think that can change in time, but it’s going to come down to a few things for the Jets: stable ownership, a winning tradition, and an even more devoted fanbase. If the Jets right now are about changing the “SOJ” culture of the team, then the way the front office handles this stuff needs to change too.
As a clear concession, the Jets will host the first Monday night game. I imagined that both teams would get a home game that weekend. Still, it’s clear that the Giants are crowing over hosting a game one day earlier than the Jets. Honestly, this only proves to me that the Giants are as an ungracious organization as I have always imagined them to be.
Thanks to the many of you who sent this in tonight, my thanks!
86 Responses to Woody Messes With Bull, Gets Horns
-
Daniel says:
Who cares? We’ll have the honor of closing out the stadium each stadium for the next few years…
The Jets are the MUCH, MUCH better team than the Giants.
-
each year*
-
Led says:
One thing is clear, the guys running the Giants are d-bags. I don’t think old man Mara — a classy guy (classier than Woody, to be honest) — would’ve ok’d that release, which looks like it was drafted by Francessa to gin up angry Jet fan calls on a slow afternoon.
-
Josh in Orlando says:
This isn’t that big a deal for me. But I agree, the Jets should have had a rep present at this so called “coin toss” – I mean fair is fair.
Still, we did close Giants Stadium last year, and to me, that probably should have went to the Giants as they were there first. (Though I am glad it was us – with a W).
We do have the first ever game there in preseason, and we have the first nationally televised game, so no big deal to me.
With that said, living in Orlando it’s easier for me to travel up north for a Sunday game, but MNF is going to be insane. I can’t wait.
-
I’d rather have MNF game. Remember, it’s not how you start. It’s how you finish!
Jets finished in the top four and we’re coming back for more!!! Even LT and Cromartie jumped ship!
Besides, you can’t get any fairer than a coin flip; and Jets will open the preseason. This will become a really good trivia question someday. No one will care with a Super Bowl ring on Sanchez’s finger!
J-E-T-S! Jets! Jets! Jets!
-
largebarge says:
This whole topic is laughable at best!!! Seriously…WHO CARES!!! We all know this is about billionaires, & they’re ego’s…THAT’S ALL!!! Regardless, I’m not gonna be at the game anyway(For the 1st time in 14 years)because of the friggin’ PSL’s, so I really could care less!!!
-
kc says:
playing the Monday night game is way better. The WHOLE COUNTRY is gonna get to SEE US and our EW BEAUTIFUL STADIUM! I wonder who we are gonna be playing. Minnesota with Favre???
-
Joe B. says:
“We have a great new home, and it’s right next door to Giants Stadium blah blah blah 3 Super Bowls nyah nyah”
Oh, you mean that place we closed down with a playoff clinching 37-0 win while your gutless team was completing its collapse in Minnesota? That building? Yeah, that place was a dump.
I agree with others, I’d rather have the Monday Night game anyway. It’s more of an event than a Sunday afternoon game when everyone will be distracted by 14 other games going on.
-
BigKatt wants a ring says:
MNF>Sunday Afternoon
Jets>GiantsThat’s all you need to know.
Now who do you think we’re gonna play?
I think that if the league thinks Brett Farve is coming back we’ll play the Vikes, but if not it’s gotta be the Ravens, maybe the Pats. I sure hope we get to play the Vikings first, with or without Farve we will whoop them.Have you guys looked at the our opponents recently?
We should *get a new post for that*, because with our new acquisitions we could be in for a huge year. Here’s what i think..*=away (’09 record)
Buffalo (6-10) 2 Wins – Buffalo looks to be rebuiling, we won’t
Buffalo* (6-10) be making mistakes like last season
Miami (7-9) 2 Wins – Hopefully the ST doesn’t lose another one for us
Miami* (7-9) i don’t think Henne will get anything on our DBs
New England (10-6) Win – They are still dangerous, but aging.no reason
New England* (10-6) Loss – we can’t win 2, can’t count out Brady though
Baltimore (9-7) Win/Loss – could be close, but i think our D beats there O bad
Cleveland* (5-11) Win – rebuilding teams stand no chance in 2010
Cincinnati (10-6) Win – couldn’t beat us last year, didn’t get any better
Pittsburgh* (9-7) Win/Loss – depends which steeler team and big ben we get
Green Bay (11-5) Win/Loss – Good team, we have home field advan. though
Detroit* (2-14) Win – see Cleveland above
Minnesota (12-4) Win/Loss – w/out Farve it’s an easy win, w/ 4 toss up, hfa
Houston* (9-7) Win – beat them last year, they haven’t imroved
Denver (8-8) – Win – We really should win this one, our D is too good
Chicago* (7-9) Win – Should be a little better this year, not enough thoughSo that 10 i think we should win and 6 toss-ups. Lets say we beat the Vikes, Ravens, and Packers at home while losing to the Pats and Steelers. Thats 14-2. Does that really seem that out of reach to you guys? Not to me.
-
Green Goblin says:
Can’t the Jets bail out of the stadium deal over the next decade or so and force the Giants to buy them out? If so, they should do so and move to Queens. If the Jets ever moved to NYC and left the Giants stranded out in New Jersey then that would be the only way they could completely take over New York and move ahead of the Giants once anf for all…..
-
LL says:
Sooooo we got shafted again.woody woody woody…What the hell did you expect! Why would you ever agree to share a stadium with the giants.Should have gone to queens, anywhere in one of the 5 boroughs it was a no brainer.Anywhere imagine astadium next to the Yankees in the Bronx. Or at the old worlds fair grounds in queens!OUR OWN STADIUM!!!! the clippers share with the lakers.who really calls that stadium home.I BLEED GREEN I LOVE MY JETS I LOVE WHAT REX AND MR.T ARE DOING BUT FOR A GUY AS WEALTHY AND SMART AS YOU WHAT THE HELL DID YOU EXPECT!!! You laid an Egg my friend and I sure as hell hope the name “New Meadowlands is not in red as the picture shows or the giants got you again.It better be neutral or green!!!!!
-
Shane L. says:
This whole situation is crazy but I’m cool with the solution. Think about it, nobody is gonna be watching the Giants game on sunday except their fans and their opponent’s fans. The whole country will be watching us on Monday Night opening the place in grand fashion. Surely the announcers will be instructed to throw in a dig or 2 about how the Giants played here yesterday just to remind everyone, but it will still be an awesome night. Oh and I’m def feelin “Jetblue Field” for the name. Giants will never agree to that though, they’d prob prefer “Green Giant Stadium.”
-
After a few rings the “Big Slink” is going to be associated with the Jets first, Giants second. Wait and see LL.
-
I hope so I want to see them win a Superbowl before I die!!!! Just one!!!!! woody should have seen this coming all of us did.I do love my jets !!!
-
bungi says:
I like the MNF game as well. Pat Hanlon is a sensitive homer. I can’t stand him.
-
BigBear says:
I absolutely love this blog but this topic is completely ridiculous……
-
Big Katt I would like nothing more then the New Meadowlands to be a spot the Jets Rock In.Get a Ring my man For all of us!!!!
-
JetMetVet says:
Hmmmm… When is Burress out of jail again ?? Get on the phone Tanny.. Start workin it.. You see where I’m going with this ?
-
Bkwrxwgn says:
If ego was an issue Woody shouldn’t have gone into a new stadium deal with the Giants. I agree with the earlier post about the Jets moving to Queens. MNF is a bigger deal, but being a NY fan I would rather the Jets FO let the team flex with action by winning games and leave the smack talking to when a NYJ/G SB happens!
-
Eddie DiGio says:
Whatever…we get shafted
Lets just beat up the Pats on Monday Night so the whole country can see us break in the new JETS stadium
-
GANGGREEN says:
By the end of the year they’ll be saying Where are the Giants? sitting home again…The Jets and us fans will run that stadium…Giants are has beens…J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets
-
Ladainian Tomlinson says:
Its ok guys. Don’t worry. We’ll be the ones closing it out for the season at the end of January, and that’s all that matters.
Cuz I move…my…hips
-
Shamik says:
Whatever, its not that big of a deal. Who the hell are the Giants gonna play that’ll steal the MNF thunder from us anyway? The Cowboys? They ended their season pitifully last year. On the other hand, we get to play either Vikes or Pats. Win/win for us especially if Favre comes back.
So what if we didn’t open the stadium? We’ll open the preseason and the first nationally televised game. Of course, if any Giants fan ever opens their mouth, just remind them of the pathetic way they closed out their own house, and how we left it in style…with a J E T S JETS JETS JETS cheer.
-
The Giants are going to be awful again this year. I knew they sucked last year when they were 5-0, against 4 of the worst teams in the league and the Cowboys. I’m sure most of you guys did too. There is no way they win the NFC East this year, and i would love for them to miss the playoffs. The most important thing to accomplish in this stadium is to win the AFC championship game, something we will do this year. We’re gonna play the first 3 playoff games in the Slink, and the G-man might not even make the playoffs. What a wonderful time to bleed green!
-
LT!!!!! IN THE HOUSE!!! GLAD YOUR A JET MY MAN!!!!!
-
O what it do LT?
-
The BigKatt and LT in the house.You guys rock !!! ( i know who the BigKatt Is )…Cheers to those who bleed Jets’s Green!!!!
-
Harrison says:
What is everyone talking about. By the time the giants “open” the new stadium there will have been 4 games played in it. And the first one by the JETS! We’ll all watch those pre season games. The stadium won’t be new by then. Monday night is much much much better.
-
plaxico buress….hmm.
-
BamBam says:
The Commish is a smarmy, doughy, fratboy. I could throw him further than I trust him. The fix was in.
Having said that, **** it, Monday will be fun! -
sunsetmusic says:
Duuuuddddeee I want FAVRE on Monday Night…..That would be ridiculous!!!!!
-
RonJersey says:
How friggin cool is this? Its March 16th and we are talkin JETS Football! Puss Rush, Pass Rush, Pass Rush. Oh, and di I say…
-
CCDC says:
It doesn’t matter who gets the first game. It matters who consistently fields a winning team. Win the Lombardi trophy first and shut the “G-strings”….err I mean “G-men” up.
-
JetObsessed28 says:
yawn
-
Frank, the Jets and Giants won’t play each other in the regular season until next year.
And that game should be a Jets home game, since the 07 meeting was a Giants home game.
-
Ed L says:
i cant wait to see how physical the jets play the puss-men this preseason when rex is going to be his spiteful self and hopefully tell some of our practice squaders to take out some knees…..
i hate the giants and there fans even more now…. alot of people are bashing woody but you all forget that man has payed everyone of the players we have all wanted and does a great job of actually caring about the team and how they perform…
you may say he is just doing his job and he is, but i think we have one of the best owners in the NFL
-
At the end of the day ot dosent matter but a few things are clear here:
A) Pat Hanlon continues to be an assbag. He swears he is a tough guy. A beating in the near future for him is on the list.
B) Goodell played this so poorly its absurd. The Jets asked for a coin toss…its got denied and then he does it behind closed doors? From now on we should eliminate the opening coin toss for who kickoffs. Goodell can save time and just do it himself and tell everyone when they come out….So gay!
C) I hope Rex is rested and comes out crowing that since we closed out the old stadium in style (unlike the Giants) the league thought it would be fair for the Giants to open the new one.
D) As some have stated…..Coughlin better get his boys fired up for our “preseason” game and Hanlon better have his notepad ready for his comments post game. I assume he will not be happy with how the game was played “fairly”
E) I hope we play the Vikings on MNF and put a beating on NFL “golden boy” Favre. Wouldnt that be a nice little bow for Goodell and his boys to watch on national TV?
-
NYJ10 says:
f*** the giants
-
Nafstejyn says:
If it meant that much to Woody, he should have built his own stadium in NY. Get your shinebox Woody.
-
who cares we get the real opener monday night baby the whole usa will be watching us even the giants them selfs…….. i wounder if eli looks as dumb watching tv as he does in the huddles i think he has down syndrom
-
alot of people dont understand that we would probably have to wait another 10 years for a stadium to be in ny….
there is a business side of things to people you can just buy a chunk of land knock some buildings or peoples homes down and build a billion dollar stadium…
oh and i guess we would all be okay with no tailgating ever again?
WAKE UP!
-
Bent says: The Giants Statement -
“We look forward to playing the first regular-season game ever in the new stadium,” Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon said. “We have a great new home, and it’s right next door to Giants Stadium, a building that housed our three Super Bowl championship teams. We look forward to building the same legacy for our new stadium, and it starts on Sept. 12.”
The rebuttal -
“Much as we enjoyed actually closing Jets Stadium in a manner with which we can actually feel some pride, we are excited to move onto our new stadium, which we are honored to have a once-great franchise sharing with us,” Jets Spokesperson May Dupp-Quote said. “We look forward to winning multiple championships with our team that actually does show some signs of promise for the future instead of (for example) heading in the wrong direction behind an overpaid one-year wonder QB and a defense which isn’t nearly as good now the architect is coaching elsewhere. Although the Big Slinky opens on September 12th, we look forward to having the whole country watching a team with an actual future cement the Stadium as its own, on the following night.”
-
Brendan says:
Game. Blouses.
-
JoeDog says:
I’ll be honest with you. I was planning to sell the opener for as much as I could get in order to help finance this year’s PSL payment. Then I heard it’s going to be on MNF. There’s no way I’m gonna miss that game. My wife and I will be there with bells on….
-
supercooljetfan says:
i rather the monday night game let the majority of the country see the stadium for the first time with the jets playing in it…nobody outside the eastcoast will watch the giant game on sunday…giants are still whiny because we closed the old one out in fashion unlike there las game stinker
-
To everyone saying “THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR BUILDING IN NEW JERSEY AGHAGHAFJKLAGHDKLGH”: You’re right. Just sign a check for close to a billion dollars and we’ll get crack-a-lackin’ on that NY stadium.
Typical Jets fans that are never pleased. We should be doing backflips we’re out of that cursed dump and moving into a new place. Not a red & blue stadium. Not as second class citizens. But as the team that’s in position to claim that building as our own. We all know our crowd blows the doors off the Giants home crowds. I have never seen a football crowd as insane as the one Week 2 against the past last year. Week 2! Everyone settle down. No one is going to remember or care who won the first game, just who won more and who won championships. I don’t know about you guys, but I feel like the Jets are in better position to make those two things happen.
-
they will never tell you but the maras begged woody to join in the building of the new jet stadium cause they werent gonna have enough money…plus the giants are psling the whole stadium the jets only half
-
*the pats last year
-
96DEBACLE says:
Bassett
it sounds to me your more aggravated with how Woody handled Lange then the coin toss itself.
it is possible the Jets site didnt run the story in a timely manner. i doubt Woody has input into what and when a story goes out. he cannot be able to that micromanage. now if you said Jerry Jones had his hand in there i would have to give it a little thought. still wouldnt buy it.i like the idea of putting it in the fans hands. i doubt that was one of the suggestions when they tried to do this on “Merit”. and it is a much fairer way then a coin toss IMO. its also possible that was suggested and shot down by one of the sides as a team would most likely not want that opening media event decided by the fans (like a coin toss is?).
I back that idea 100%, but doubt the Giants would, considering all the media attention the Jets got just a couple of months ago.i just dont agree with the angle of the story. which is a first in about 5 years.
though i completely agree the Jets got shafted by not be present at the mysterious coin toss. the one that was declined then actually happened.
the national media that surrounds a new stadium is big for the revenue of the NFL. why would they let the opening go to a team that hasn’t won a SB in 40 years when you can have a team that just won a couple of years ago?
-
P.S.
the Monday night game is better anyway -
@Ed L, there was prime real estate available in Queens, right next to Citi Field. Manhattan wasn’t the only option.
-
Nafstejyn,
I assume you’re referring to Chop Shop Row. Those guys were holding out for a king’s ransom, and that’s why they are still sitting there and the promised area-cleanup hasn’t happened yet. They won’t sell.
That’s why the Jets had to propose the deal that would’ve put the stadium right smack on top of the planet fountain or whatever it’s called. I believe the congressman or whoever was trying to get the Jets back to Queens then called the plan a “rape” and it fell apart. It’s not like they didn’t try, it was harder to build in Queens than it was on the West Side.
-
nicko says:
the Giants are a bunch of clowns………while we were marching to the playoffs, winning our final game at the old stadium, the Giants were getting blown out by the Panthers backups……….that joke organization can have the sunday game, we’ll take the nationally broadcasted Monday night game…………
-
Ray says:
Let’s wait and see who builds a better legacy in the new stadium. All the Giants have is the past. Too bad Mara won’t live long enough to see another championship.
-
BC says:
I think everyone at the first preseason game – a Jets game – should bring a green Jets sticker and slap it under their seat. That way we’ll truly leave our mark as the first fans cheering at Jets stadium!
-
i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, the jets NEVER should have agreed to this stadium deal. woody said it was “no option” staying as co tenants in any stadium venture when he purchased the team. home fields ,from labeau to gillette stadium, are as much of a teams identity as the logos on their helmet. i don’t give a sh** about the amenities in this new place. i was a ticket holder for twenty years, and will not be a part of this new venue. if he had built a place for the jets and their fans who have waited patiently for 25 years the psl fees might have been easier to fathom. this flap over the first game is just the beginning. unlike in the past when the giants and the league completely dismissed the jets when it came to the schedule the jets now expect to be on equal footing. that will never happen. and by the way the giants put out that smug press release yesterday, they are expecting the new meadowlands facility to truly be another “giants stadium”
-
BrooklynJets says:
What about Beer on Monday Night Football? It is possible they will cut beer sales earlier since it is the Jets and national TV and I sure hope that is not the case.
-
fattyboomboom says:
Never trust a ginnger !!
-
John,
Shouldn’t your name be John (formerly of) Sec. 125? Since you’re boycotting a team because the City of New York shut down multiple bids by Woody to build in NY, not Woody himself?
It’s not like Woody decided “screw the fans, let’s just do it cheaper”. He’s still paid $850 million of his own money to put this thing together. Who cares what the Giants or their fans think? This is a brand new stadium, and seriously John, if the Jets played in the friggin’ swamp next to the stadium we could make that our home. It’s not the colors of the seats, or the name on the side, it’s how the crowd backs its team and raises its game. Jets fans could do that if we were knee deep in sludge watching Greene take handoffs in the marsh.
-
This story has taken on a life of its own..
I think it’s rather pathetic that we’re bickering over a coin toss..
-
charleyjet says:
Tell Woody that his decision to go partners in New Jersey has consigned the Jets to permanent second class status. Which team has its practice facility at the site? I have heard the phrase “the new Giants Stadium” more times than I can count. You should have built a park next to Citi Field and given the Jets their own home. Don’t cry now.
-
brendan, if it was our own swamp i’d be fine with it. he might have spent a lot of his own money, but those psl’s will help ease the sting a little. don’t get me wrong, i’m as big a jet fan as anyone on this blog, but i think the stadium decision was a slap in the face. screw sheldon silver, woody should have built in queens or another place in the tri state area.
-
bernie says:
Bassett, I think you’re mostly on the money here. I’ll add that Woody needs to just shut up. He didn’t originally put the organization in this position – Hess did – but he blew his one opportunity to change it. As long as you’re in NJ, sharing a stadium with the team who was there first, you’ll continue to be treated this way – rightfully so – and you’ll continue to have an apathetic fan base who, by the way, would never “do the dirty work” you suggest, because they don’t care. Just read so many of the comments from JETS fans over the past few days saying they don’t really care about this. That’s just how our fan base is. It’s sad, it’s pathetic, it’s on Woody Johnson. He has no one to blame but himself. So please just shut up, Woody.
-
Brandon from Illinois says:
As much as I hate the fact that the Jets have been playing in the shadow of the Giants, it seems like a lot of Jets fans are way too bitter over this. Don’t blame the Giants. The Jets should get their own stadium. I know it would be a difficult endeavor, but it could be done. My vote is for all official members of the Jets organization to go on strike until they get a deal for their own stadium. I’m sure I wouldn’t be the only one who’d be miserable without Jets football, but the end result would be worth it.
-
John,
I understand what you’re saying. I am as tortured a NY sports fan as you could possibly be. Because of this I pick my battles. I don’t care that another team plays in the same stadium, not that it doesn’t carry the other team’s name.
I already commented on the Queens subject, but it was harder to get that project off the ground than the West Side stadium. Woody tried in NY, but in terms of business law and building, it’s much, much, muchhhh more difficult to build in NY (especially the metro area) than NJ.
If it was a perfect world the Jets would have their own stadium. And some Superbowls. And be respected. And so on, and so on. It’s not a perfect world. I don’t think it’s a reason to get the torches a pitchforks out and storm Woody’s office. Looking around the league, there aren’t many owners who have Woody’s commitment to spending and his ability to let his employees do their work with minimal interference. I like Woody as an owner (and I am even paying PSLs for my new seats). I have the Coupons in Queens and Silver Spoon Dolan running my MSG teams into the ground. Woody is the only owner out of the four I have faith in.
I don’t look at it as “aw man, we’re with the Giants again…” I look at it as a chance for us to return the favor and make them feel like 2nd class citizens in their own place. Jets win, and win, and keep winning, while the Giants sputter and burn out under Wonderboy Reese and it will be the Giants who are looked at as the lesser team.
-
dave b says:
Giants showed lack of class
but we got to close out Meadowlands last year, and I’d personally prefer the Monday night game.
-
Lance Mehl says:
Until we get our own stadium we will always be lacking a true identity .. but I am so used to it – it doesn’t bother me anymore
-
Since what I just proposed isn’t going to happen any time soon, I’m trying to look on the bright side instead. I’m from IL and don’t get to see many Jets games on TV or in person. However, the first game the Jets play this season will be nationally televised! Nice.
-
brian311 says:
im not as familiar with the queens stadium details, but i do believe Woody did just about everything in his power to build the west side stadium. he spent a ton of his own money and battled MSG for the better part of a year.
-
AKA Jack says:
Just win.
-
I always think this stuff sets our organization back. We are already looked at as the Giants little brother and Woody basically threw a temper tantrum for no reason. Only one team gets to open the new stadium and the league chose the Giants. Big deal. I’m sure the Giants last year were unhappy when the regular season schedule was released and they did not have the final game in the stadium. But they did not go nuts about it.
-
“I’m sure the Giants last year were unhappy when the regular season schedule was released and they did not have the final game in the stadium. But they did not go nuts about it.”
Exactly, Jason.
-
LONGTIMEJETFAN says:
Good for Woody…..he had his opportunity to leave the Giants shadow and get his own stadium possibly with the Mets and didn’t, so stop crying!….win a superbowl, then maybe the league and others will respect your franchise!
-
are-tee says:
Re. Jets getting the first nationaly televised game – has the league specified that the Giants game will be on Sunday afternoon? I can see them showing yet another Giants-Cowboys or Giants-Eagles matchup on Sunday night.
-
Just read the Jets could opt out of the stadium deal…They should move to one of the five burroughs or Long Island (Queens makes the most sense) and put a dome on it (this would steal all the events [like the Super bow] from the new Giants Stadium).
-
Revis Christ says:
honestly Woody is one of the best owners in the league. it would have been near impossible for the jets to get a stadium in ny. i agree that it sux that the jets got shafted again, but it doesn’t really matter who plays there first. the jets are on the uo swing and have much more potential than the giants .i thinks its all about the fans, us jet fans are some of the most passionate fans in the whole league and we have a brand new stadium thats gonna be sick, i think we can make it “our” stadium just by winning and being as passionate as i know jet fans can be
-
reality jet fan says:
Was there any doubt that the nfl would make sure there beloved giants would get to open the building. But all that matters is winning.
-
GP says:
Ugh…you call this news? In the words of that tired, miserable old fart Tom Coughlin, “Talk is cheap. Play the game.”
-
@Brendan…BINGO…key word – “harder”. Woody took the easy way out. I’m sure there’s plenty behind the scenes of all 3 location options that we fans don’t know about, I get that. Bottom line is it would have been harder…but not necessarily impossible. BTW…I’m not attempting to rehash the stadium issue, bottom line is they are in NJ. My point is that was Woody’s choice and he now has to deal with some of the possible negatives of that decision. To me personally, I couldn’t care less which team plays first. Last team standing counts much more than first does.
-
Haha, ok dude. If by “easy way out” you mean spending years of his life and millions of dollars on proposed deals that didn’t go through and then “settling” for spending $850 million on a state-of-the-art mega stadium that would bring the first cold-weather Superbowl to the NFL since they started awarding it to cities and not the home teams.
And it wasn’t Woody’s choice. How long do you hit yourself with a hammer until you stop swinging? He was never going to get on the West Side and Queens was even less likely. Would you rather the Jets play in old Giants stadium while the Giants played next door in a new stadium?
-
There is absolutely no chance of the Jets moving to Queens in the next thirty years. They just opened their Atlantic Health facility in New Jersey, and have spent a ton of money on this new stadium. I also felt the team lacked its own identity by playing in their rivals stadium since the moved in 84, but I’m over it as well. This stadium is half ours. It’s what we do INSIDE the stadium that will determine whether the Jets or Giants are the more respected and beloved team in New York. But honestly, I really don’t care if only 10% of New Yorkers are Jet fans. That 10% will kick ass!
-
RJ says:
Woody is so right in this matter. Don’t know how you can criticize him, Bassett.
Perhaps the real problem here is that Woody is first class, but the fans are still 2nd class.
If Woody wouldn’t have spoken up I would’ve been disappointed. It’s probably because of Woody’s approach to this matter that we got MNF in the end.
Woody wants a winner and it’s obvious in this organization from top to bottom.
-
LWsquad says:
Bent-
Thanks for the rebuttal quote. Everyone should just read that and realize how much we kick A$$. No arguing is needed. We will blow the doors off that joint on MNF. I doubt there is a team that will be as hungry as our NY JETS come opening game. I can guaranTEE no team wants to be that first one we get. I picture Trent Edwards in the BUF game this year. We hadn’t got a sack in like 4 games and they literally folded him up like patio furniture. Gonna suck to be you on Monday Night…whoever you are.
Maybe its just me, but I’d rather have the MNF game anyway