I started following the Jets after ZW was drafted. Been to two games since and watch every week even now that he’s not playing. Love your fanbase and passion.
Here’s the question: why have the Jets struggled so mightily for such a long time? Is it ownership? Is it the pressure of NYC media/fans that impacts performance/decision-making of players? Is it just coincidence and a series of bad hires…which leads to bad draft picks, free agent signings etc. etc.?
Honestly, what do you think is the core reason?
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My personal opinion is it’s the culture and that starts with the owner.
When we have won we had a much better culture around the team. When Parcels came in he had a track record and soon we had like a decade of sustained winning.
But far too often we pick rookie head coaches, or coaches who are sons of coaches that worked for us but were part of losing cultures. I don’t think our owners have understood a winning mentality so they don’t look for it.
Our organization follow the wishy-washy style of our owners.
I’ve been a fan since 1961. There’s plenty of blame to go around. Bad ownership, a series of questionable GM and coaching hires (with the exception being Parcells, and he was hired by Leon Hess, who made some bad decisions of his own), bad drafting and free agent signings*, some good college players who turned out to be mediocre to poor NFL players, etc etc. MetLife has a terrible reputation with players and with fans. The Jets are, and probably always will be, the second NFL team in NYC.
*Of course there are some exceptions. The 2000 draft (Pennington-Abraham-Ellis-Becht-Coles), the 2006 draft (DBrick, Mangold, Leon Washington ), and last year’s draft. And the free agent signings of Curtis Martin, Damien Woody,Kevin Mawae, and a few others
Ownership.
Over the last 20 years Woody Johnson an uncanny track record of hiring and trusting the wrong people, “fighting the last war”, being impatient in the offseason and too patient in-season, etc.
Leon Hess was a bad owner as well. It rarely gets talked about because he was apparently a great guy but he allowed Weeb Ewbank to fuck over Walt Michaels , then years later forced Michaels (who was an alcoholic but a good coach) to resign after taking the team to the AFC championship because he was afraid of Joe Walton leaving, personally fired Pete Carroll after 1 year to bring in Rich Kotite.
I think the NY media piece is the most overblown aspect of the Jets. Our beat and media are a box of puppies compared to what people build up NY media to me.
You want to see a pack of rabid wolves against a team? Look no further than the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Media/hockey media in general. BRUTAL.
It’s the fans, man.