Show Some Love for Gang Green

For almost a half century, the crowning moment in the history of the New York Jets has been one game: Joe Namath's infamously guaranteed victory against the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. Seemingly ever since, they Jets have been the most maligned team in the league, constantly in the shadow of their rival New York Giants, who have one three championships in the last 25 years. Sometimes, they were bad enough that some may have considered their nickname (Gang Green) to be more likenable to an infectious disease, a plague that needed to be purged from the NFL scene.

Sure, the Jets and Giants may not play each other very often (they're not even in the same conference), but they are definitely rivals in every other sense of the word. In what other region are there two NFL teams to root for in such close proximity, both competing for the adoration of a city as well as for Super Bowl rings? The closest you get in San Francisco/Oakland, but even those two teams are separated by a bay. The fans of the winning team get to gloat and show their colors at work or at school, their club having earned them bragging rights for the rest of the year.

At least, that's how it should be. But the cascading spiral of mediocrity that has been the New York Jets over the past 41 years hasn't shown consistency in keeping and fostering their talent, leading to occasional winning seasons puncturing a culture of high expectations and an inability to reach the playoffs. Even when the Jets did secure a playoff berth, they have not been to a Super Bowl since the days of 'Broadway Joe' Namath.

Since Namath's departure, the Jets have not had a true franchise quarterback. Boomer Esiason couldn't win in green despite going to two Super Bowls in Cincinnati. Vinny Testaverde, in two seperate stints with the team, led the Jets to an AFC Championship game in his first year but only played significantly in two of the seasons he was signed to the team. The Jets then signed Chad Pennington, whose nagging injuries and inability to throw deep proved to be his demise in the swirling winds of the Meadowlands. Then head coach Eric Mangini then decided to take a flyer on Brett Favre, who came out of retirement to have a Pro Bowl year despite throwing as many interceptions as touchdowns.

But the new administration had other plans. Following Favre's second retirement, the Jets hired Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan as their new head coach, and drafted USC quarterback Mark Sanchez with the fifth overall pick. Along with a proven defensive scheme, Ryan has brought with him a swagger that the Jets have lacked since receiver Keyshaun Johnson played for the club.

Gang Green certainly has a lot going for them head into their game against the San Diego Chargers. They boast the #1 total defense in the entire league over the regular season despite losing starting nose guard Kris Jenkins to a knee injury, most prominently featuring defensive end Shaun Ellis, linebacker David Harris and shutdown corner Darrelle Revis. They also have an offensive line with three Pro Bowlers in left tackle D'Brickishaw Ferguson, left guard Alan Faneca, and center Nick Mangold, comprising one of the highest paid lines in the league. Veteran runner Thomas Jones, who eclipsed the 1,300-yard mark this year, is accompanied by rookie third-rounder and former Iowa Hawkeye Shonn Greene. Perhaps more importantly, the Jets have some momentum coming off a strong win against the Bengals on Wild Card Weekend. The mettle of their team will be tested against San Diego, who will almost certainly pack the box and force Mark Sanchez to throw. But that's what Cincinnati did last week, and New York persevered.

So raise your heads and break out the green jerseys, Jets fans. Your team is back.

The Quandary of College Football

There are so very many things to love about college football. The thrill of watching the game combined with a college atmosphere creates a unique experience that every football fan should treasure at least once. Not to mention, the games themselves are high-scoring, free-flowing, and dramatic, rampant with upsets and comebacks from every corner of the country. It is a break from the professionalism, discipline, and defense that marks the professional game and a delightful foray into the experience of college.

That being said, college football is far from the paradise of sport. The BCS ranking system is so muddled that Cincinnati Bearcats (currently ranked #8 in the country) is ranked ahead of a far more prestigous (and superior) school in the #9 Ohio State Buckeyes, not just traditionally but also presently. The Bucks are 4-1, their only loss coming to a USC team that has dominated the Big Ten (and college football in general) for decades. Don't get me wrong; Cincinnati are a great team (their dominant victory at Rutgers during the first week of the season proved as much), but to put them ahead of the Buckeyes because of a loss to USC when the Bearcats have yet to play a ranked opponent (their first such contest will be today against the University of South Florida) seems a mistake to me.

So befuddled are we by this system of college football rankings that President Barack Obama has proposed the installment of a national championship playoff. I personally love this idea, as it allows the broadcasters to get more big games between the best teams in the country (who otherwise would not likely get the opportunity to play one another) and allows all the teams an even shot at the National Championship instead of leaving it to voters to decide which team goes where.

Another problem exists in the college game that irrevocably set it apart from its professional counterpart: lack of parity. The NFL is steeped in collective bargaining agreements and regulations to keep control of its teams and players. No such restrictions are in place for the powerhouses of college football. Just like professional soccer in Europe, the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. A school's program is only limited by what their athletic department is willing to spend. For schools like Ohio State and USC, the sky is the limit; for the not-so-wealthy schools, fielding a competitive team can be a seemingly insurmountable challenge.

But that makes the victory all the sweeter when the underdog team does rise to the top. And that is why we love college football.