Can I Go On Hiatus From The Jets?

I remember a long time ago before Bill Simmons was Bill Simmons, he wrote that article where he outlined when its acceptable to abandon your fan hood and switch teams. Specifically it was when ownership has managed the team so egregiously bad, you’re allowed to switch teams altogether or pretend that team is just dead.

I’ve always thought that was complete bullshit. Primarily because all the teams I root for are owned by the 4 worst owners in sports. Wilpons, Dolan, Woody and Wang (not really Wang(. For the better part of my adult life those guys have run my teams directly into the ground and turn them into nationwide laughing stocks. But I’m still there every day. I always thought if the Mets Jets Knicks Islanders contingency sticks by their teams, then so can everybody else. Until those guys renounce fanhood, nobody else should get to either.

So this idea that you get to just say “I can’t take it anymore, I’m switching!” is gay as shit. But I reached a point yesterday with the Jets where I’m contemplating whether or not I can just ignore this steaming pile of dog shit for at least the remainder of the year. Because to be perfectly honest I feel like an ASSHOLE committing myself to this team every week. I write blogs about this team, I spend all afternoon live tweeting the games. I ruin my Sunday every week watching them. Fuck I basically ruin my entire week – the first portion reminiscing about the previous lost, the second half dreading the next loss on the horizon. But here’s the rub – its not just that their losing. That I can deal with it. Nobody knows how to cope with their teams losing better than me. But its the manner in which they’re losing that has me considering taking a Jets hiatus. Like honestly what the fuck is the point of gearing up for every Sunday now that we know exactly whats gonna happen every week? Before the clock even starts – before the coin is even flipped – Geno Smith doesnt even allow the Jets to even potentially possibly have a shot to win a ball game. Mike Vick doesn’t either. And it doesnt stop with the QB situation either. We’ll spend all week talking about the vaunted Rex Ryan defense only to watch them give up TDs in big spots. Watch them rack up about 100 yards worth of penalties. We’ll spend all week talking about how bad the secondary is only to be proven they are even fucking worse than we thought. The OC – doesn’t matter who it is these years – will make insanely questionable play calls that everyone at home on their couch knows was the wrong move. The only glimmer of hope we ever had for this team – the front 7 – is on the field every 25 seconds because their offense sucks so fucking bad that they cant ever perform up to the best of their ability. And then the icing on the cake is after we get embarrassed yet again, Rex Ryan will give the media some quotes like “I know it doesnt look that way right now, but this team is a winner. I know it in my heart.” Shut. The. Fuck. Up.

What I just laid out there – that exact unfolding of events – is going to happen every week from now until January. So why the fuck do I commit to this team? Why should I write about them and argue about them and agonize over every game? Its already been scripted. The way the NFL is right now, you absolutely 100% need a competent quarterback to have a chance to win in this league. Geno Smith has proven he’s not a professional quarterback. Mike Vick is a wased up back up who is just as careless with the ball and I give it about 15 more seconds before he gets his head taken off scrambling like an idiot every snap. Neither guy gives you a chance to win on any given Sunday. Best case scenario is a high draft pick where you take a guy like Mariota or Jameis, and neither of those guys appear to be a true franchise stud. Bottom line in the NFL – there’s just no hope until you figure out that one position. So until then I just wanna be the casual fan. I want to sit at the bar and have the game on as a distraction while I shoot the shit and booze with friends. You know how many quality football games I miss each week because I’m strictly watching the Jets? I want to watch some of those other teams with real quarterbacks make real plays and enjoy the actual sport of football. I want to change the channel when the game reaches official dogshit status. I dont want to write 1,000 word blogs like this anymore. Because its all just pointless. As a rational human being I just dont think I can bring myself to dedicate myself the way I usual would when you truly, genuinely know in your heart and in your mind they have no chance to win and in all likelihood get embarrassed. I feel like the kid who’s girlfriend is cheating on him and he just sticks by her side because “he loves her.” I dont wanna be that fucking schmuck anymore.

Like I said I’m never “switching teams.” Thats just not an acceptable idea if you’re a real sports fan. And I’m considering abandoning this team either. But I am fucking done defending them or rationalizing their behavior or holding out hope. Done letting them actually ruin a portion of my life. Watching this team right now is quite literally the least enjoyable thing I do and I dont wanna feel this way anymore.