For as long as I can remember my Sunday’s in the fall have always revolved around the New York Jets. Unfortunately for me not many of these Sundays have been pleasant, as the Jets have gone on to be one of the embarrassing, bad, and heartbreaking teams of the past nineteen years. I bleed Green and White. When asked my affiliations in life Jets fan is second only to American. My love of the Jets is nothing short of a curse. See I was not born into fan ship like many people who end up supporting the same teams their parents had. My father is a Giants fan, my mother a Lions, and surrounding family didn’t have any real interest in football. But since I was five we have been shouting, jumping, crying, and non-stop talking about my favorite team.
The thing is when you haven’t won a Super bowl since the 1960’s their isn’t much positive to discuss. But the Jets haven’t been annually one of the worst teams in the league. That would be too easy to deal with. The Jets put their fans through the worst type of turmoil by playing with there heart. The heartbreaks I have had in my living room throughout my childhood are the most vivid memories I have. In 2006 AFC Divisional round the Jets kicker Doug Brian missed two short field goals in the final two minutes of the game, leading to an overtime loss. In 2008 led by quarterback legend Brett Favre they were the best team in the league with five games left to go and lost out to miss the playoffs. Not to mention the countless seasons where they would choke in the games that mattered the most or win to screw us out of a draft pick. I thought my luck had changed when Rex Ryan was hired as the head coach. He had a boldness and bravado that hadn’t been seen on the Jets sideline since Joe Namath. In his first season he led the Jets all the way to the AFC championship game eventually losing, another heartbreaker and long offseason. But the following one we had an even better record, the only mishap on the season was a humiliating 45 to 3 loss to the New England Patriots. As it so happened they met again the playoffs. Tom Brady and Bill Bellichek terrorized my childhood as they created a dynasty a good part to do with beating the Jets twice a year. After blowing them out five weeks prior the Jets were ten point underdogs and everyone counted them out. They never beat the Patriots especially in New England. But a miracle happened…they won. I can recall every moment from that game. David Harris’s interception, Santonio Holmes diving catch in the end zone, and Rex running into the end zone after they sealed the game are all memories forever engraved in my mind. I sat and watched the postgame for hours soaking in the feeling of bliss I have never experienced before. I am not embarrassed to say I cried of happiness. This victory to date was the happiest moment of my life 19 years in the waiting, which is why I believe in loyalty.