197 replies to this topic

[Maxman]

Ed says he will always be a Jets fan but there are too many confrontations. So he will go to the games, just not as Fireman Ed. He will sit somewhere else and won't lead the chant any longer. This sucks because he was great at getting the stadium loud. But more so because

Fireman Ed will no longer play team's mascot

KRISTIAN DYER
NEW YORK
Published: November 25, 2012 7:02 p.m.
Last modified: November 25, 2012 7:10 p.m.

For 26 years now, Ed Anzalone has gotten transformed eight Sundays out of the year into “Fireman Ed,” the most iconic football fan in the nation. Anzalone, sitting atop his brother’s shoulders, his image displayed on the stadium’s big screens, leads the green-clad crowd in the “J-E-T-S! Jets! Jets! Jets!”

The franchise will turn to a new era on Dec. 2 when the Jets host the Cardinals, as he will be “Fireman Ed” no more.

The retirement of Anzalone in his special role in the game day experience at MetLife Stadium is the end of an era for Jets fans used to his presence in section 124. On Thursday night, with the Jets down 35-3 at halftime of what turned into a 49-19 home loss to the Patriots, Anzalone left the stadium. It had nothing to do with the team’s 4-7 record this year or the fact that they likely won’t make the playoffs for a second straight year.

“Listen, I went through the Rich Kotite era — we were 4-28 in that era. Any Jets fan knows this isn’t the worst of times; it isn’t close,” Anzalone told Metro. “It’s been about the nastiness. I just think society in general — you’re out in your car there’s no respect at all. I don’t want to put up with that from people taking it out on me anymore.”

Anzalone said fans have gotten nasty and confrontational with him, often mistaking him as part of the organization when he is merely a season ticket holder “who has never received a dime from this team.”

He said he will still go to games and that he never, ever can quit on the Jets. It isn’t the mounting losses or the lack of wins that is bothering him, but rather the boorish behavior of fans.

“That is right. For me to write a letter, I think it is best that I move on. I’m sure there will be somebody else that takes over. I wasn’t the originator of the chant and I won’t be the last one. It’s got to end,” Anzalone said.

“I wouldn’t go to my same seat. I’ll be in different seats. I have a ton of guys that have 10 or 12 seats that sell and I’ll grab a couple of theirs. I can’t be in the section that I’ll be in. I can’t be in the same section and not be ‘Fireman Ed.’ But I am thankful to have been the maestro of that chant all those years. The fans humbled me by getting behind me and joining me.”

Anzalone, a New York City firefighter, would spend his pregame time not with his buddies drinking beers and grilling burgers but rather visiting children’s birthday parties in the parking lot or posing for pictures with children battling cancer. He was everywhere before the game but minutes before kickoff he’d walk down the stairs to his seat, often to a standing ovation from Jets fans in his section.

A season ticket holder since 1976, he was first put on the big screen at the old Giants Stadium 10 years later to fire up the crowd.

Anzalone hasn’t informed the Jets of his decision to hang up his fireman helmet.

“No, I haven’t notified them of anything. I’m not on their pay roll,” Anzalone said. “I don’t owe the Jets anything.”

Follow Jets beat writer Kristian Dyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.

http://www.metro.us/...y-team-s-mascot

[T0mShane]

Good for him. It has to suck shilling for this douchebag franchise.

[SayNoToDMC]

Captain Jet Wins!

[T0mShane]

FIREMAN COURTNEY

[Matt39]

it became way too political. no one gave a sh*t in the 90's. he was just the guy that got the stadium going

[Matt39]

but yeah since the new stadium and such it seemed he was on the payroll....

the new stadium, holy sh*t what a disaster

[The Crusher]

RIP

[cr726]

Ed is a vry good guy, it is ridiculous how some fans attack him for the Jet failures. Sad but true.

[Smashmouth]

I hear Crusher tried to tackle Ed once .

It was not football related.

Do the Math

[BleedGreen314]

"i dont owe them anything" i want to believe

[Matt39]

Ed is a vry good guy, it is ridiculous how some fans attack him for the Jet failures. Sad but true.

The front office has turned the franchise into a clown show. Ed's an easy target to be roped into that perception. Between the disaster of a new stadium and all the bizarre/awful personnel deicisions this isnt surprising. we're at rock bottom as a franchise....and that's not even taking into account the Giants success.

[T0mShane]

Didn't Ed do PSL commercials or robocalls?

[jetsjetsjetss]

met him twice recognized me the second time seemed like a genuinely good dude interested in the other fans. Always let the little kids around him wear his hat or something

[Matt39]

Didn't Ed do PSL commercials or robocalls?

if he did then the fans have every right to give him sh*t.

[stoicsentry]

1. The "nastiness" he mentions is evident on this thread. We have a whole bunch of people calling themselves fans that don't root for the team, even when they're doing well.

2. How is the stadium a disaster?

[Matt39]

1. The "nastiness" he mentions is evident on this thread. We have a whole bunch of people calling themselves fans that don't root for the team, even when they're doing well.

2. How is the stadium a disaster?

The Jets have become hard to root for.

Have you seen the stadium?

[stoicsentry]

The Jets have become hard to root for.

Because they haven't had a losing season the past 3 years, or won 4 playoff games the past 3 years, or.....?

Have you seen the stadium?

It's cleaner, sleeker, the word 'Giants' is nowhere to be found on it, there's more to do... besides the PSL's (which is a big 'besides', I'll grant), what exactly is worse about the stadium?

[Matt39]

Because they haven't had a losing season the past 3 years, or won 4 playoff games the past 3 years, or.....?



It's cleaner, sleeker, the word 'Giants' is nowhere to be found on it, there's more to do... besides the PSL's (which is a big 'besides', I'll grant), what exactly is worse about the stadium?

more to do? lol.

[dbatesman]

We have a whole bunch of people calling themselves fans that don't root for the team, even when they're doing well.

You're the best.

[SayNoToDMC]

Because they haven't had a losing season the past 3 years, or won 4 playoff games the past 3 years, or.....?

This is the least likable, sh*ttiest Jets team I can remember. It's currently a joke at every level of the organization