For The Love Of The Game

When you are growing up, people (and by people I mean adults) always ask you want you want to be when you grow up. Kids give kid answers like starting second baseman for the New York Mets or a lawyer or whatever it takes to quiet that adult who's decided to feign interest in the life of a youth.

Seriously, it's a stupid question in its premise. Adults should ask and encourage kids to do what they love to do. What you want, what you need and what you love rarely link and sync up. But when they do, it's a beautiful thing.

I've wanted to be involved in sports all my life. At some time when I was at Boston University, I found a need to express myself on the written page and soon found that I loved writing about sports as much as I loved watching and playing them.

When I was walking around the second semester of my senior year at BU, people (and my people I mean any and everyone from well-minded adults to random classmates that you barely spoke with but happened to be by the keg when you walked up for your next drink) would find a way to ask "What are you going to do when you graduate?"

This question is about as dumb as the first one I mentioned. Just because I was able to get through this stage of my life, why should I know exactly what I'm doing next? Why should I tell you? Do you really care or are you just trying to fill "dead air" by feigning interest in someone you barely know?

Well, those were the questions tha raced through my mind and just to help fill the space and end the conversation, I told people I was moving to Portland, Oregon. You would be surprised how many people that shut up.

Looking back, this is one of those life-changing moments that I didn't take full realization of at the time. But don't get me wrong. To quote the great bard Curtis Jackson...

If I die today, I'm happy the way my life turned out.
All the shootouts, I done been in them by myself
Locked up, I was in the box by myself
I done made myself a millionaire by myself
Now s**t changed muthaf***a, I can hire some help

OK, so maybe I'm just talking about the first couple of lines of that, but it tastes so good once it hits your mouth...

Through the power of Facebook, an ex-girlfriend from a long time ago, long long time ago, befriended me and asked what I had been doing for the past decade. I was a big fan of my response so I'll reprint it here, mostly cuz it's all true.

So how things are going? Let's see...I once tried and failed to eat a 12-egg omelet in New Hampshire. Hung out on Fisher Island in the middle of Miami for a week. Watched the sun rise in the middle of Montana. Put my cat on a leash to see Mt. Rushmore. Was left by a state university employee in a Cancun airport with $300. Partied at a Daytona Beach club, hit a Waffle House and drove half-asleep across the state. Went from Kansas City to Raliegh, NC and back to pick up two cats. Cut my shoulder-length dreadlocks before my best friend's mother's wedding on a whim. Was offered a job to eventually work at the New York Times and turned it down to move sight unseen to Mississippi. Secretly regretted that decision for five years. Visited New Orleans weeks before Hurricane Katrina hit and haven't been back since and will celebrate two years of Naomi Jessica Kester on September 21.

Throughout all that mess, I was happy with my life because I my employment was based around a passion, around something I loved whether it be sports, writing or a combination of the two. And yes, I secretly did regret not taking a job that would have kept me in Florida, but then I would have never met my wife...

So what's the point behind all this babble? Similar to Kris' point from long ago, I'm at a crossroads. Only difference is I've been at this crossroads for more than a year, I'm still standing in the middle of the road and the paths in any direction seem to be taking me away from familiar ground, from things I love and enjoy to things to just help pay the bills.

I'm proud to say that I haven't worked a job that was just to help pay the bills since college, since I was a lackey in the Admissions Office, a cook/counter person for caf's Late Night menu, a paid peer advisor coordinator working as a secretary for the summer. I mean, even when I was waiting tables, it was at the best sports bar in the city so that didn't really count as work.

Now I'm looking at a mindless grunt moving an filing medical records or applying to try to become a police officer or a teacher. The final one has the most potential, the most appeal but the hoops necessary to leap through is silly. One would think a qualified black man trying to teach would be snatched up right away in this politically correct climate as someone "who could relate to the urban population", but I guess I'm not the only one...

Now what or what now, either way I don't know what to do next. What I want to do next, I'll relate next time which will be sooner than later.

Heisman Watch, Week 9

Each week I will give you my top 5 candidates and now just guys who are falling by the wayside, to late for many guys to rise up except for those who are already in the running:


Case Keenum, QB Houston- Maybe his worst performance of the year against SMU this weekend, and it wasn’t all that bad. He threw for just under 300 yards and only 1 TD. Keenum still has impressive overall numbers completing 70% of his passes and 20/4 TD/INT.

Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame- He has been a consistent performer all year long and this week was no different. Clausen threw for 250 yards and 2 TD. Like Keenum his overall numbers are impressive, especially the 27/3 TD/INT number.

Mark Ingram, RB Alabama- He failed to find the end zone this week against Tennessee but had a solid game hitting the century mark on the dot and averaging 5.5 a carry. Missing the end zone is going to cost him when it comes time to evaluate his body of work

Tim Tebow, QB Florida- His numbers were unimpressive in another unimpressive Florida win. Tebow has 2 years of goodwill stored up which will keep him among the Heisman elite, which is unfortunate because this year he has been anything but elite.

CJ Spiller, RB Clemson- His teams has been mediocre but Spiller continues to shine. In an upset versus Miami this weekend he was all over the field. 100 yards receiving, 75 yards rushing and almost 150 on returns including 2 TD’s. He is electrifying when he gets the ball in his hands and he can make a strong late season push with his play making ability.


FALLING
Jake Locker, QB Washington- A poor outing in a loss to Oregon drops him back down.
Joe McKnight, RB Southern Cal- Back to back poor performances has me looking toward next year for McKnight.
AJ Green, WR Georgia- Had a bye, looking for a big game in Jacksonville versus Florida

Here Come The Warm Jets: Week 7 2009

Beating up on Oakland only proves one thing about your team:

That you don't actually stink.

That's pretty much it. Playing Oakland is like playing a minor league team. There isn't a phase of the game they're any good at, so even a halfway decent team is supposed to beat Oakland badly.

So, yeah, the running game was great again, going over 300 yards (for the second week in a row, which only has been done once ever in NFL history, apparently.) But that's what you're supposed to do against Oakland, who stinks against the run.

Sanchez didn't turn the ball over. Good. That's what he's supposed to do. Like Chris Rock said, "What you want, a cookie?"

If you're going to feel good about any stat, it's that the Jets only had two penalties. That's a trend that needs to continue.

The general Jets fan feeling about a game like this is: I'm glad they won, but I'm not going to get happy about it yet. Beat Miami next week, then maybe I can start forgetting the turd of a Buffalo game from last week.

Also, Leon Washington is out for the season, and possibly career, after badly breaking his leg. That certainly takes away from any possible warm feelings about the game. Leon is a fun player to watch, and one of the few guys on the Jets that could be called a "playmaker." It'll hurt not to have him, and I'm really hoping it's just this year and not any worse than that.


By the way, I hope all of you get the Red Zone Channel wherever you live. It is a really awesome way to spend a day at home watching football. Six and a half hours, going from game to game as teams cross midfield or as close games go into the fourth quarter. They show you every touchdown. They tell you every important thing going on in every game, pretty much as it happens. There are no commercials. None. Not a single commercial for six and a half hours.

I can't even express how much having this channel pleases me. I mean, if I didn't have it, I would have been stuck at home today watching that dreadful Bears-Bengals game, and trying to see what's going on with the Jets on my computer. That's no fun.

Instead, my Sunday was like watching TV with someone who has every game and is the most incredible remote-control operator in the history of man. Without the annoyance of actually having to watch it with that guy, who would probably be an arrogant prick about being so good with a remote.

The only downside is trying to figure out when to go to the bathroom or to fix something to eat, because, again, there are no commercials. If that's the worst thing about it, well, sign me up.


The summary for this point in the season: 4-3, playing Miami next week at home, then the bye. Miami is kind of a must-win, since they've already lost two division games. Also they should be embarrassed by the way they blew all those fourth quarter leads from the Monday night game.

The bottom line: Could be better, could be worse. Leaning more on the better side. Slightly. Just slightly.

Heisman Watch, WEEK 8

Each week I will give you my top 5 candidates and some other guys who are rising and falling:

Case Keenum, QB Houston- On the road this past week threw for a season low 334 yards and 2 TD’s. Continues to have impressive overall totals though, throwing for over 400 yards per game with 19 TD’s and only 4 picks.

Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame- Had a chance to sh9ine on the national stage this week against Southern Cal and while he didn’t play spectacularly he also didn’t play his way out of the race; throwing for over 250 yards and 2 TD’s without turning the ball over let people know he is a legit candidate.

Jake Locker, QB Washington- Threw for 270 yards against a good ASU defense, but also threw 2 picks. Wasn’t overly effective with his legs either, but he is still a top candidate in an ever shrinking race.

Mark Ingram, RB Alabama- Controlled the entire game this past weekend versus the vaunted Gamecocks defense. He rushed for a Bryant-Denney Stadium record of 246 yards, averaging over 10 yards per carry. Needs to get his TD total up if he wants to win this thing.

Tim Tebow, QB Florida- Steadily rising up the board and even in a close call last week Tebow threw for 255 yards and tallied over 300 yards of total offense. As his team continues to win he may move closer to his second trophy.

FALLING
Eric Norwood, LB South Carolina- Hasn’t been spectacular the last few weeks.
Colt McCoy, QB Texas- Another so-so performance in a big game sees him slipping down the board
AJ Green, WR Georgia- Only had 3 catches, but one was for a TD and had almost 100 yards

RISING
Joe McKnight, RB Southern Cal- Had a solid 80 yard, 1 TD performance on the road versus Notre Dame
Tony Pike, QB Cincinnati- Finally ready to put him up here, but an injury may sit him out this week.
Matt Barkley, QB Southern Cal- After missing a game earlier for a shoulder injury he has had 3 solid weeks.

Here Come The Warm Jets: Week 6 2009

One word sums this up:

Rookies.

The rookie QB threw 5 picks. He couldn't have looked worse. The wind impacted him horribly. So did his bad play - by the end he seemed completely lost and demoralized.

The rookie head coach made some rookie moves (two weeks in a row now.) Bad use of time outs. Questionable challenge on the Bills punt return. Not benching Sanchez after it was clear he was a mess. Becoming too predictable on defense.

The good start to the year obscured the fact that when you have a rookie head coach and rookie QB, you're likely to struggle. We should have seen this coming.

That doesn't change the fact that it's another Jets season with another dispiriting and demoralizing loss to the Bills. Seems like we have one of those every year, no matter who is coach or QB.


And now, a debate between my rational self and my irrational self:

IRRATIONAL DAN
That's it. The season's over. Losing to this Bills team at home means we officially suck.

RATIONAL DAN
Hold on. Take a step back. They're 3-3. They play Oakland next week, and have a revenge game at home vs Miami after that. Winnable games.

IRRATIONAL DAN
How are they going to win any games with Sanchez playing like this?

RATIONAL DAN
He's not going to play like that all the time. He's a rookie - every rookie has games like this. And a couple of the picks weren't entirely his fault.

IRRATIONAL DAN
Didn't you hear Kris Jenkins is out for the year? That's it - the defense is never going to be good, if they ever were in the first place.

RATIONAL DAN
Losing Jenkins hurts. But they played decently without him - it's not like the Bills couldn't be stopped in the second half after Jenkins went out. Remember, the Bills scored mostly because the Sanchez picks gave them good field position.

IRRATIONAL DAN
The coaching has been atrocious. They're still calling shotgun passes on third and short - even on a day where Thomas Jones could not be stopped. Ryan looks clueless at the end of games. It's pathetic.

RATIONAL DAN
Didn't you listen to my thing earlier about rookies? I believe Ryan can figure it out - he's no Herm. But, yeah, I'm a bit concerned about the play calling on offense. I don't like those pass plays on third and short when they go shotgun so the defense knows it's a pass.

IRRATIONAL DAN
After these last two games, how can you think they'll win another game all year?

RATIONAL DAN
Even in the losses there are positives. The offense looked good against Miami. The running game was outstanding against Buffalo. The defense didn't give up a lot of points to Buffalo. Leon finally had a good game. I can't see this team losing both of the next two games. Say they split, that means 4-4 going into the bye. Again, with a rookie coach and rookie QB, that ain't so bad.

IRRATIONAL DAN
I don't want to talk to you anymore. I prefer to stay angry and full of hate. What's the point of being a Jets fan if you're going to be all level-headed about it? That's gay.

RATIONAL DAN
Don't worry. If they lose to Oakland, I'll cease to exist.

Heisman Watch, Week 7

Each week I will give you my top 5 candidates and some other guys who are rising and falling:


Eric Norwood, OLB/DE South Carolina- Didn’t do anything spectacular against the Wildcats this past weekend, but he did have 8 ½ tackles. Big game against the Tide this weekend, national audience will see him for the first time, we will see if he can make an impact and really put his name in the national consciousness.


Case Keenum, QB Houston- Continued his stellar play against top tier opponents on the road in Starkvile this week. He completed 75% of his passes for over 400 yards and 4 TD’s, leading the Cougars to their third win against a BCS opponent. Keenum has over 2100 yards and 17 TD’s, while only throwing 4 interceptions.


Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame- Was Idle this past week. Has Southern Cal coming up this week, this is his Heisman campaign game


Jake Locker, QB Washington- Didn’t throw for a lot of yards this week against Arizona but had four TD’s (3 passing & 1 rushing) along with 92 yards on the ground. Still the best combo QB in the country.


Mark Ingram, RB Alabama- The bruising tailback just had his first back to back 100 yard games. He ran for 172, averaging over 6 yards per carry. Ingram only has 7 TD’s on the ground but most impressively he is yet to fumble a ball this season.

FALLING
Tate Forcier, QB Michigan- Was benched in the 4th quarter this week.
Joe McKnight, RB Southern Cal- Idle last week and others are racing past him
AJ Green, WR Georgia- Failed to make a TD catch again this week.

RISING
Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma- Healthy and looked sharp in his first game back.
Colt McCoy, QB Texas- Solid but not yet spectacular.
Tim Tebow, QB Florida- Always in the discussion, but statistically not great.

Here Come The Warm Jets: Week 5 2009

I don't want to talk about it.

Maybe the defense read their own press all week? What a pathetic no-show of a game they had. I mean, they knew the Wildcat was coming, right?

I'll be honest, I only saw about half the game, bouncing back and forth from seeing bands to the bar. I was getting updates throughout from my brother and Greg.

For the parts I saw, the tackling was terrible, and there was too much over-pursuit on the edges that led to big plays.

Bottom line, though, is if you take the lead with around 5 minutes left and you're supposed to be a good defense, you don't give up that final TD drive. You just don't.

God damn it I hate losing to the god damned Dolphins. Any time. Especially on prime time.

The other bottom line, the real bottom line:

If they lose to the shitty Bills next week, at home, then you can without question say that this team peaked in Week 2 against the Pats, and it's all down hill from now on.

The offensive line hasn't played one good game yet. The defense needs to answer this crap week with a good one against a team that just scored 3 points against the freakin' Browns. Rex Ryan needs to bounce back.

If I felt like being rational, I could point out a few positives (Braylon Edwards looked good, Sanchez didn't turn the ball over, the fake punts) but I don't really feel like being rational. I have to think about losing to the Dolphins all week. So rational can go sit in the corner and chill for a while.

This was a blown opportunity. To put the Dolphins in a huge hole. To take a one game lead over the Patriots. To solidify this team as a force in the AFC.

Now we're left with that sickeningly familiar feeling - that this is still a team you can't trust, and that is bound to leave us frustrated and heartbroken when it's all said and done.

I told you I didn't want to talk about it.

Here Come The Warm Jets: The Braylon Edwards Trade

Let's evaluate the trade that brough Braylon Edwards to the Jets.

What did the Jets get?

A tall, talented, mercurial, and still relatively young receiver.

Braylon Edwards has top-tier talent. 3rd overall pick in the 2005 draft. 80 catches, 1,289 yards, 16.1 yards per catch, 16 TDs in 2007. Had an off year in 2008 where he dropped 16 passes, but still caught 55 for 873 yards and 3TDs.

His quarterbacks have been Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn (so not exactly Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.) His teams have mostly been terrible, except in 2007 (his best year.)

He is 6'3" and 26 years old.

What did the Jets give up?

Chanci Stuckey, a nice receiver, but best suited to be a #3 guy in the slot.

Jason Trusnick, a very good special teams player, but not used for much else (a backup backup tight end.)

A couple of draft picks next year, one of which is a conditional 3rd rounder that could go to a 2nd rounder depending on, um, conditions.

What else is there to talk about?

Edwards has had some off the field issues, mostly attitude problems and a recent supposed altercation with one of LeBron James' friends.

Did you get what you need?

For the Jets, absolutely. They needed a guy to be the #1 receiver. Jerricho Cotchery is better than average, but he's best suited to be a #2 receiver. Dustin Keller can be even more of a threat if there are two WRs for the defense to cover, meaning it's more likely he'll have a linebacker on him.

Did you give up a lot to get it?

Not really. I don't love that there's a second or third round pick involved, especially if Edwards is unable to recapture something resembling his 2007 form. But other than that it's two decent role players and a 5th round pick.

All else being equal I would have liked to keep Stuckey, since he was a 7th round pick that did well, which is always nice to root for. But to get a big-time talent, you have to give up something of value.

What do I think of the trade?

I think it's pretty obvious by now that I'm in favor of it. Even if Edwards doesn't really work out, it's worth the risk. The ceiling for this deal is much higher than the floor is low.

Worst case scenario Edwards lasts only this year, stinks, and is let go. The Jets are out a couple of replaceable players and a relatively high draft pick. Best case is that with Sanchez throwing to the Edwards-Cotchery-Keller combo the Jets have a balanced offense with talent in both the running and receiving game, to go along with the top-level defense.

So, my early take is that this makes a lot of sense. And, as an added bonus, if the Sanchez to Edwards battery becomes productive, it will make Mangini look even more like a dope, since he facilitated the trades to get both those guys to the Jets. That would be a nice cherry on top, huh?

WEEK 6, Saturday Oct.10

5 Games to See
#17 Auburn vs. Arkansas- Under the previous Arkansas coach Houston Nutt this was the type of game he would always win. Bobby Petrino’s Razorbacks have shown dramatic improvement over last years team and they are always tough in Fayettenam. This has all the makings for a letdown for the undefeated Auburn Tigers. The Tigers won convincingly on the road in Rocky Top last week and vaulted from unranked to #17, veteran QB Chris Todd will have to keep his team from suffering a letdown in this one.


Houston vs. Mississippi State- New coach Dan Mullen has State fans believing, in what I am not sure yet, but believing. Houston might be the best team in the Big 12, except they play in C-USA. They suffered a huge letdown last week in El Paso losing to conference foe UTEP and giving up 59 points in the process. We all know the Cougars can score with Case Keenum at the helm but can they stop anyone? As crazy as this sounds this is a bigger game for the SEC team, they need a win to continue the good vibes under their first year coach.


#22 Georgia Tech vs. Florida State- All this week the news in the college football world has been Bobby Bowden’s future in Tallahassee. I think it speaks to the larger fact of why the Noles have been so inconsistent this year, who is really in control on that team? The Yellow Jackets are not a team you want to go in and play unprepared because of their unique option offense. Mickey Andrews has said this is his fastest defense ever, we will find out because they will be tested by the speed of Tech’s offense.


Maryland vs. Wake Forest- I highlighted this game because I want to say it is important right now in the ACC race, but with this shitty conference, who the hell knows. The Terps did get a big win last week against the always choking Clemson Tigers, and it got them off to a 1-0 start in conference, despite having a loss to MTSU under their belt. Wake has a young team but a veteran QB so who knows what they bring. it’s a typical I have no freaking clue what is going to happen ACC game, but it could be important to the Atlantic Division race.


Wisconsin vs. #9 Ohio State- This is always one of the most physical football games of the year. Both teams like a solid ground game and controlled passing attack. The Badgers always seem to pull off a win like this each year even when they aren’t that good. The Buckeyes talent-wise are the class of the Big 10 but strange things are afoot in this conference this year and wouldn’t be surprised to see a big time upset in the horseshoe.


4 Players to Watch
Eric Norwood, LB South Carolina- Two seasons ago in Williams Brice the Kentucky Wildcats and Gamecocks faced off in a top 10 match-up (imagine that) and the undoubted star of that game was a fairly unknown sophomore LB named Eric Norwood. He scored two TD’s on fumble and wreaked havoc on Wildcats QB Andre Woodson all evening long. Norwood is now perhaps the best defensive player in the country. Look for him to have another strong game against a Cats offense which is struggling to find an identity.


Jaquizz Rodgers, RB Oregon State- The diminutive (5’7 190) Beavers running back is still one of the nations best kept secrets. Recruiting coordinators all over the state of Texas are probably still trying to figure out how they all missed on this kid, but he was only offered by Oregon State and handful of smaller schools. Quizz runs as hard as anyone in the country and is averaging 5.3 a carry this season. He has also become a threat to catch the ball already with 33 receptions on the season.


Aaron Hernandez, TE Florida- The Gators have all kinds of weapons on offense but Tebow’s go to guy is always Aaron Hernandez. He has great hands and catch’s his customary 3-4 balls a game, most for first downs. He is also a good blocker on the edge allowing the Florida running backs to get to the second level. He is a future NFL tight end.


Nathan Enderle, QB Idaho- Yes I am talking Vandals football baby, I am prolific. Enderle is a big kid (6’5 230) with an accurate and strong right arm. Completing 65% of his passes at almost 9 yards per attempt he is as good a passer as anyone in the country. He takes his Vandals on the road to San Jose and will need a big game to lead his team to victory.

Heisman Watch, Week 6

Each week I will give you my top 5 candidates and some other guys who are rising and falling. I waited until this week to unveil my first list because I didn’t want to jump to conclusions too soon. Again, I don’t subscribe to any preconceived notions on what school or what position a person has to play in order to win, the trophy belongs to the player who has played the best this season. All that being said here are my top 5 candidates (in no particular order):


Eric Norwood, OLB/DE South Carolina- If you haven’s seen this young man play you are missing something special. He is a weird player, he really isn’t a LB or and End but his motor runs 100% on every single play. Defensive statistics don’t always tell a story but Norwood has 6.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 2 passes defended, a forced fumble, 2 blocked kicks and leads his team in tackle through 5 games. He is truly a special college player and right now there isn’t a better defensive player in the country.


Case Keenum, QB Houston- He has been the most accurate and explosive QB in the country so far. Keenum’s worst game os the season this year was in week 1 against Northwestern State when he through for 359 yards. Each week his yardage numbers have gone up, this week throwing for over 500 yards and 5 TD’s in a road loss at UTEP. He is completing over 66% of his passes and has good legs rushing for over 100 yards and 2 TD’s this season.


AJ Green, WR Georgia- If you haven’t yet, just watch one quarter of Bulldog football and Green will do something spectacular. If you get the ball near him he will snag it. He has great size, speed, athleticism and the best hands in the country. His number aren’t huge (30 rec. 527 yards, 5 TD) but he makes his most spectacular plays in the end zone. Two catches that come to mind are one against the Gamecocks were he went up against a double team and snagged the ball out of the air and this week against LSU on a fade route, he leaped and reached right over the defenders head (who had perfect position on him) and snagged the ball away for a TD.


Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame- He is the highest rated passer in the country, and for a reason, right now he is the best. Clausen has been the star for the Irish this year with his pinpoint accuracy and his ability to make dramatic comebacks. Even without his best WR this week he found ways to complete balls even under relentless pressure from Washington. He is completing 68% of his passes for over 10 yards per attempt and has 12/2 TD/INT.


Tate Forcier, QB Michigan- I am what you call a paradox, sometimes in sports obsessed with numbers and other times think they are overrated. In the case of Tate Forcier I have few numbers to back up his candidacy. As true freshman he is the unquestioned leader of his team and its best player, especially in the crunch. As a true freshman he has lead three game tying/go ahead drives in 5 games. Though his team lost in overtime this week his drive was legendary, running for 2 first downs and throwing for 2 others before tossing the game winning TD, exhausted because his team had no timeouts, Forcier couldn’t even stand up in the huddles.


FALLING
Greg McElroy, QB Alabama- Rough game at Kentucky this week
Eric Berry, S Tennessee- Hasn’t made the game changing plays the past two weeks
Jahvid Best, RB California- Struggled in 2 blowout losses to Pac-10 opponents
RISING
Golden Tate, WR Notre Dame- Emerging as a big play threat
Jake Locker, QB Washington- Best Dual threat QB in the country
Joe McKnight, RB Southern Cal- Becoming the go to guy on Southern Cal’s
offense

Here Come The Warm Jets: Week 4 2009

Here is the real score of the game:

Saints 10
Jets 10
Mark Sanchez -14

Which when you add it all together means the Jets lost 24-10.

Let's do the rationalizing first:

- If you're going to lose a game, losing to a good NFC team on the road is as good a game to lose as any. It's not like the Jets were going to be 16-0.

- The rookie QB was going to have games like this one. It was inevitable.

- If you told us we'd be 3-1 this year @Houston, vs Pats, vs Tennessee, and @Saints, we'd have first said you were dumb and second said "we'll take it!"

Now let's call out why the team lost:

- Sanchez played terribly. The first pick was abominable. The Jets were in scoring position, in the red zone. You can't turn it over there. Can't do it. And it wasn't even close - everyone in the stadium including Darren Sharper knew where he was throwing it.

The fumble in the end zone was worse. If you're throwing out of the end zone, you have about 3-Mississippi to get rid of the ball. Sanchez hesitated, and thus the strip-sack. That it happened two plays after a huge 4th-and-short goal-line stand by the defense made it that much worse in terms of momentum.

Sanchez still needs to work on protecting the ball. He fumbles too much. Every time he runs with it, the ball looks ready to be knocked out or dropped at any minute.

- The offensive line played poorly. Again. The running game didn't do much. Sanchez was under pressure most of the game. This was supposed to be the strength of the team. It hasn't been yet, by any means. They need to seriously step it up for the Jets to do any real damage this year.

- Brian Schottenheimer had a bad game. Not every media outlet talks about this, but coaches can have bad games just like players can. This was one of those for Schottenheimer. In particular, the following decisions:

* Throwing more than running early in the game.
* Shotgun formations on third and short.
* Having Sanchez throw from his own end zone.

Schottenheimer has that Mangini-esque tendency to outsmart himself. He's a bright coordinator and usually does well in terms of game-planning. But sometimes he thinks three or four steps ahead when the simplest and most logical choice would be the correct one.

Rookie quarterback. Loud stadium. Lack of big-time receivers. Yes, the Saints are probably expecting run. But so what? Run until they stop you.


And now let's talk about attending the game in person:

- New Orleans is an incredible city. I fell in love with it the first time I visited about 15 years ago, and love it still. There is no place in the US quite like it, from the architecture to the food to the people. I can't wait to go back - there was a lot I didn't get to do, even in three days.

- New Orleans fans were very gracious. Since the city depends very heavily on tourism, this isn't so surprising (they do want us to come back, after all.) But even after the loss there were mostly handshake exchanges and "good games" or at worst lighthearted teasing.

- There were a lot of Jets fans in the city. On Saturday a bunch of them gathered on the corner of Decatur and Bienville in the Quarter to drink at a bar and do a bunch of J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets chants. A lot of those chants. That was fun.

- On Sunday we were at that same bar watching the early games. We met some older Italian NYC homicide detectives that were right out of central casting. There was a guy named Dominic who made fun of his friends (one of them is on his phone writing a text message and asks us 'how do you spell money?') and then told us cop stories. I haven't laughed like that in a long time.

- At the game, there was this really drunk young guy in front of us. He spent most of the first half looking at us instead of the game, and making us shake his hand. At one point, my brother Eric says to the guy, "You're like the ultimate cheerleader - you should have brought your skirt and pom-poms."

Later, this guy puked on the two Saints fans in front of him. One of those standing spit-ups, so when the people turned around to see what happened they couldn't be sure who did it. But they were informed. Those people left. Drunk guy puked again. He didn't make it for the second half.

- After the game, we ate at a place called Deanie's (awesome seafood - we had a plate of fried catfish, oysters, shrimp, and soft shell crab that made me forget all about that game.) There was a Saints radio broadcast from the restaurant, with Bobby Hebert. Yes, THAT Bobby Hebert.

Matt got on the radio with Bobby Hebert, though he didn't know who it was until after and we told him. Matt first said how great the Saints fans were and how nice everyone was. That got a cheer. Then one of the radio guys said something about how great the Saints D was. Matt said, "well, was it really your defense or playing against a rookie QB?" That got a loud groan. And a laugh from me.


And now what's next:

- The defense proved they are for real. Drew Brees didn't throw a TD, in a home game. He only had around 200 yards. Revis held Colston to basically nothing. If Sanchez played only average, the Jets win the game. This bodes well for the rest of the year.

- It will be interesting to see how Rex Ryan handles losing. I think he'll be fine, but this is New York, and the pressure has gotten to people.

- It will also be interesting to see how the offense bounces back after a particularly crap game. More than Sanchez coming back to play well, I'm looking to see how the run game does. It's the offensive line I'm more worried about at this point than Sanchez. They need a statement game against the Dolphins.


Next game is Monday night in Miami. Organized chaos defense vs Wildcat offense.

I have a dilemma for this game: I also have tickets to see a pretty kick-ass band that night (Kylesa, get up on it). I don't know if there's a TV at the place they're playing. I'll let you know how it goes.

Confessions of a...

I think it's safe now. I think it's OK to say this out loud...

My name is Martin Kester and I'm a Mets fan.
(HI MARTIN)
I've been a fan since 1985-86 and have a memory of my mom taking me out of Lowell School in Teaneck, then driving me to Manhattan to watch a parade from a sign post.

I remember my mom taking me to Shea Stadium for Mother's Day and scoring seats right behind home plate with the player's wife. Then in the ninth inning, I sneaked down as close as possible to watch the Mets win it in the 9th.

But those happy memories are few and far between. I have more memories of cringing as Armando "Smoke" Benitez or Bradon Looper or Aaron Heilman was called from the bullpen. I have distinct memories of sitting on the floor of a somewhat empty apartment in Portland, Oregon and watching Kenny Rodgers throw ball four in the NLCS. Standing in a slightly more furnished apartment in Columbia, South Carolina and wondering about the answer to this Jeopardy question - (Drafted by the California Angels in 1992, his unmemorable six-year career was highlighted by starting in left field in the 2000 World Series.)

Then 2006 and the Timo Perez catch that sadly is forgotten because Adam Wainwright made his name known with a curve ball that is still buckling Beltran's knees right now...

But this was supposed to be just the beginning. I mean, we had a young core (Reyes, Wright) with a star in his prime (Beltran) and some young pitchers (Maine, Perez, Pelfrey) all under 30 with potential...

I can't continue. Mostly cause everyone knows what would happen the following two seasons.
This year, of course, was supposed to be different and at the end of May, they were seven games over .500 and in first place.

Then the walls crumbled down.

Whether it was injury, poor upper management, poor field management, crappy minor league system, horrible players and their horrible play, sad mistakes at the wrong time or a really long stretch against top teams...

Point is the wheels came off and instead of stopping to change the tires, it seemed like someone decided to ride on the rims, then the axle and then getting out to push the three-wheel vehicle to the side of a cliff and push it over, tossing a Moltov's cocktail at the gas tank with precise accuracy that causes everything to explode.

I stopped paying attention six to eight weeks ago and it was hard. I purchased an XM Radio with the main purpose being the ability to listen to Howie Rose call Mets games. Needless to say, I stopped listening to that thing. In fact, I would have canceled the service but they continue to give me three months for free.

So it's there and if the game is on, it's hard to not turn by and listen to a few innings...

But then I hear something like this that sent me over the edge...
"The Mets will send 2-3-4 to the plate. Angel Pagan, Cory Sullivan and Jeff Francour."

I nearly threw the device out the window of my car. And it was then that I realized I should pay attention to other things. Things like Entourage and the bravado to make Turtle the most interesting character in Season 6, similar to running a successful offense through Leon Powe or Ben Wallace.

I figured out that I can listen to Giants football games on my cell phone, something very useful living in Atlanta and getting Falcons games instead of the best and most boring team going.

I've worked at getting The Terminal Podcast off the ground. Check the link to listen to previous episodes (and remember we're still in the early stages) and all the while tried to ignore my family and find time for myself. One would be surprised how much time three women of various ages and stages can take from a man.

Well, I guess you wouldn't.

Either way, I will host another episode of The Terminal tomorrow and post it ASAP. We'll be previewing the MLB Playoffs and I'll make sure not to mention the Mess in the Citi. Be sure to give a listen and download it each week and tell your friends.
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Now playing: Martin Kester - Terminal 9/29
via FoxyTunes

WEEK 5, Saturday Oct. 2

5 Games to See
Washington vs. Notre Dame- The battle of the QB’s who are fast climbing the NFL draft boards. Jake Locker of Washington has exploded into the national scene (but if you search back you will see this Blogger was talking about Jake Locker 2 years ago). Obviously the Huskies had a huge letdown against Stanford, but that was expected (again, called by yours truly). Notre Dame has been less than impressive the last 3 times out (loss to Michigan and close losses to MSU and Purdue) and needs to prove themselves this week. If Washington pulls off the upset the Charlie Weis hotseat will hear up.


#8 Oklahoma vs. #17 Miami (FL)- Supposedly Sam Bradford is possibly ready to play, but Stoops has decided not to dress him. Landry Jones will be at the helm for the Sooner offense. Miami is coming off a butt whooping at the hands of conference foe Virginia Tech and now we will see how good they are on the rebound. If the Canes come out of this first month gauntlet 2-2 that is still not bad, though after winning the first two people expected more. The Sooner defense has allowed only 2 TD’s in three games. This offense lead by Jacory Harris will be their toughest test. It think the Canes win a close one.


Texas A&M vs. Arkansas- The Aggies are off to a 3-0 start but haven’t played the toughest competition. They have solid running game with two very good backs. Arkansas hasn’t shown the ability to play good defense but they can light it up on offense. QB Ryan Mallet is big and has a huge arm to match. Arkansas would like to get into a shootout but A&M has a ground game that control the clock and that will be there best way to win the game.


#22 Michigan vs. Michigan State- We all now know about the legend that is Tate Forcier, well there is a little chink in the armor. Forcier struggled a little in what should have been a loss to Indiana. The Spartans may be the best 1-3 team in the country. They have lost three tight games in a row. Sophomore QB Kirk Cousins is proving to be one of the better QB’s in the Big 10 throwing for 7 TD’s and only 2 picks. Michigan fans better not expect a walk in this one.


#25 Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi State- An interesting intra-conference match-up between the ACC and SEC. Georgia Tech has been as enigmatic as anyone in the country. Everyone knows they can run the football under Paul Johnsons’s triple option system. New Bulldogs coach Dan Mullen has them playing much better football and they had a chance to knock off LSU last week. If Mullen can pull off this upset it will be a great win in his first year in Starkville.


4 Players to Watch
Greg McElroy, QB Alabama- In my opinion McElroy has been one of the two most impressive QB’s in the country this year (Case Keenum of Houston the other). McElroy has an impressive arm, both on the deep ball and on the out routes where you need zip on your passes. He has a multitude of weapons who he isn’t afraid to use and he is averaging over 10 yards per pass completion which is ridiculous.


Jahvid Best, RB California- Explosive is the one word that encapsulates Mr. Best. Last season he average over 8 yards a carry while rushing for 1500+ yards. This season he already has 8 TD’s more than half his total form last season, including 5 in a win at Minnesota a few weeks ago. We all know Southern Cal has a fast defense and this will be Bests biggest test.


BJ Daniels, QB South Florida- Daniels is replacing the best player in the short history of USF football Matt Grothe who suffered a season ending injury two weeks ago. Daniels is a phenomenal athlete at the QB position. Last week back in his hometown of Tallahassee and lead the Bulls to a huge win by throwing for over 200 yards and rushing for over 100. Look for him to continue that dynamic play at Syracuse this weekend.


Kellen Moore, QB Boise State- The signal caller for the BCS busting Broncos is as steady as the come. He completes almost 70% of his passes and has 10/1 TD/INT ratio. Moore is a good athlete and a smart player who will always keep his team in games, he strikes me as a surprise NFL prospect.