In the Seinfeld episode where Lloyd Braun sells computers for George’s dad, he eventually loses his job. Or as Frank Costanza puts it, “I have good news and bad news, and they’re both the same – you’re fired.”
That made today’s list a little easier. Because while I couldn’t think of a third or fourth person to put on my “People Who Need To Stop Talking” list, the two people I do have on it both work for the same team – the Jets:
2. Kerry Rhodes. On his Twitter page, the Jet safety says “We will be the best defense in the league this year!” Okay, well, in terms of points allowed last year, the Jets were 18th in the league – that would be just ahead of the Bengals – giving up 22.3 per game. The leader was the Steelers – who won the Super Bowl, need I remind you – with 13.9 points per game.
So basically, assuming it takes a similar number of points surrendered to lead the league in defense this year, the Jets have to shave almost 10 points a game off their total. Uh huh.
How is this magical turnaround taking place anyway? Because the Jets added Bart Scott? Hey, I like Scott just fine. But let me see him make a play without Ray Lewis alongside him first. And what’s the other reason, because Rex Ryan is now the head coach? Please. Ryan led the defense in Baltimore last year, and even that unit didn’t finish first in the league in defense (it was third). And the Jets would obviously trade their defense for the Ravens’ defense in a second.
The Jets are going to have the best defense in the league? I guess, like Conan O’Brien once said, “When all else fails, there’s always delusion.”
1. Ryan. It’s great that Ryan seems personable and funny. Honestly, that’s not sarcasm – I’m being serious. But he is inflating expectations way too much, and his talking tough about the Patriots is laughable.
Let’s keep in mind a couple things when we look at the Jets and Patriots. The Patriots’ coach, Bill Belichick, is maybe the greatest coach in NFL history. The Jets’ coach, Ryan, has literally never been a head coach at any level in his entire life. The Jets added a quarterback this year, Mark Sanchez, who will be a rookie. The Patriots will be adding a quarterback, Tom Brady, who is maybe the best actual player in the league.
Also, look at what the Jets have been like the last few years. Four years ago, they hire Eric Mangini, and the talk is that the Jets have their own Belichick, a young defensive guy who will turn the Jets into the Pats. His first year here, the Jets actually play well and make the playoffs. They then add Thomas Jones in the offseason, but the team goes 4-12 the next year. So then last offseason they go crazy, spending money to bring in Alan Faneca, Calvin Pace, Damien Woody and Tony Richardson while also trading for Brett Favre. The thinking is that the Jets are ready to make a run. Instead, they don’t even make the playoffs, and Mangini – the guy who had been called “Mangenius,” for god’s sake – is fired.
So now suddenly, this is the Jets’ year, right? Please. Stop talking, Jets.
