Sunday night game reminds me... Met Life stadium sucks...

[Gas2No99]

Jets prepare to enter bizarro world in Sunday's home opener

 

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- If you rebuild it, will they come?

If they do, will they root against the home team?

This already is a strange year for the New York Jets, and it could take a sharp turn toward surreal for the home opener Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Considering the circumstances -- low expectations, 0-2 start, "Suck for Sam," etc. -- many fans already have checked out for the season. A good number won't show up. Those who do will be conflicted, torn between idealism (always cheer for your team) and realism (2017 is hopeless and you want the No. 1 pick next spring).

There's also a chance the place could be populated by Miami Dolphins fans.

The sights and sounds won't be pleasant for Jets management: Empty seats, lots of aqua and orange and -- dare we say it? -- perhaps a mixed crowd reaction if the Jets win the game.

"It'll be a weird vibe there," said a longtime season-ticket holder who didn't want his name used. "Honestly, I think most fans want them to lose. If you talk to 10 people, two or three will tell you they want to see them win some games, but no more than one or two because it would jeopardize the draft pick. The rest of them want them to lose every game."

For the first time since 2005, the Jets will play their home opener with a losing record. That, of course, isn't the reason for fan apathy. Management ripped apart the roster in the offseason, starting a long-overdue youth movement that could take years to come to fruition. Acting owner Christopher Johnson insisted the team isn't tanking for a top quarterback, but the fan base has a hard time believing that.

Ed Anzalone, who was "Fireman Ed" from 1986 to 2012, said he went "berserk" when linebacker David Harris and wide receiver Eric Decker were released in June. That, he said, left a sour taste because he felt it was strictly cost-cutting.

Salary dump notwithstanding, Anzalone is still a die-hard and can't fathom the notion of a true fan rooting against the green and white. He might understand it late in the season, if the team is in contention for the No. 1 pick, but not this early.

"There's no way," he said. "Anybody who tells you that isn't a true fan. We don't even know if [USC quarterback] Sam Darnold is going to come out. There's so much that can happen at this point. You're going to root against the Jets? On opening day? When we're playing Miami? Come on, it's a joke. Don't go to the game."

Plenty won't. Lost of tickets are available on StubHub, with prices as low as $43 for upper end-zone seats. In a letter to season-ticket holders this week, the Jets were selling 300-level seats on a single-game basis for the remainder of the home dates. "Bring friends and family members to MetLife Stadium this fall," the letter said.

Ownership knew there would be ramifications when it chose this direction for the team, but it probably didn't anticipate the tanking sentiment to reach this level. Part of it is because of an unusually strong class of college quarterbacks. Many fans have their eye on the future, even now. Anzalone said he wants to see the young players on the field, ASAP.

"I want to see [Bryce] Petty, not [Josh] McCown," he said. "I don't want to see Matt Forte; I want to see [Elijah] McGuire. I want to see [ArDarius] Stewart. If you're going to go young, go young."

How this season unfolds will be fascinating on so many levels. Johnson sounded sincere when he said his biggest challenge is to "earn the trust of the fans." Asked if he's concerned about fan apathy and massive no-shows, he said:

"I hope that the fans will buy into our plan, and I’m looking forward to seeing growth. I’m extraordinarily excited about seeing the development of our young players, especially. I think they’re going to see this team grow before their eyes. I think that that’s exciting. I can’t say whether they’re going to stay home, but I hope they don’t. I think it’s going to be an exciting season. I can’t wait for this first home game."

It should be memorable, but maybe not in a good way.

[SAR I]

23 minutes ago, morny said:

It's the Panthers game in November. And they're about $100+ for a ticket, considering there's three of us (me, my wife and my stepdaughter) probablys a bit pushing it for us, but not going to purcahse for a while so they may come down in the meantime. 

PM me.  I may be able to take care of you and your family, no charge.

SAR I

[SAR I]

9 minutes ago, SMC said:

 You give up a dome for the 1% chance that a warm weather team may play a road game at MetLife?  Seriously?  Heck, Jets have hosted only 2 home playoff games in 20 years.

Yes, exactly.

As a fan I want to do anything to help the team win.  So if sitting in the cold for 29 years helps the Jets get to the Super Bowl in just 1 year by hosting two warm weather or dome teams in the AFC Divisional and AFC Championship rounds in January, hell yes, sign me up.

SAR I

[SAR I]

15 minutes ago, Gas2No99 said:

What are you talking about? Anyone of ACTUAL REAL Net Worth knows that certain enclaves such as Fieldston, Jamaica Estates, and Cobble Hill are some of the best and biggest houses in 5 borough NYC.

Yeah, but to get to them you have to drive through a sewer.

15 minutes ago, Gas2No99 said:

Then BUY a BUILDING in Manhattan .Just like the rest of us who never left because we needed more room, you UPGRADE your life situation. You don't downgrade to Jersey and a life spent on the Turnpike.

Manhattan is fun when you're young and single.  Once you've gotten out of the race to find a mate it becomes a fun place to work, not to live.

A building in Manhattan doesn't come with safety, clean air, open spaces, and a sense of community.  A big house in Bergen County does.

We never drive on the Turnpike, we drive East and West.  If we need to go South, we take the Garden State Parkway, a lovely and scenic drive.

SAR I

[#27TheDominator]

3 minutes ago, SAR I said:

Yeah, but to get to them you have to drive through a sewer.

Manhattan is fun when you're young and single.  Once you've gotten out of the race to find a mate it becomes a fun place to work, not to live.

A building in Manhattan doesn't come with safety, clean air, open spaces, and a sense of community.  A big house in Bergen County does.

We never drive on the Turnpike, we drive East and West.  If we need to go South, we take the Garden State Parkway, a lovely and scenic drive.

SAR I

^

Loves New Jersey.

There is more "sense of community" in Bensonhurst (not New York, I know) than there ever will be in Bergen County, NJ or Montgomery County, MD.  

[ZachEY]

52 minutes ago, SAR I said:

Hey, I lived in Manhattan for 10 years, it's not like moving to New Jersey for 8 years makes me lose my cool card.

I simply wanted a house.

SAR I

Maybe it wasn't clear.  Stating that New Yorkers who don't live in Manhattan who complain about Jersey don't have their "cool card," to use your term.

[ZachEY]

16 minutes ago, SAR I said:

A building in Manhattan doesn't come with safety, clean air, open spaces, and a sense of community.  A big house in Bergen County does.

SAR I

Meh - My neighborhood is plenty safe and the air is plenty clean.  We're a short walk from a great local park and a medium walk to Central Park.  Plenty of friendly faces in our building, even met another couple who's daughter is 3 weeks older than ours who we'd consider friends now.  My wife sees a lot of the same mom's at different things too.  So, I don't know that I agree with that.

The problem with Manhattan is what it's always been.  Your 5500sq ft costs what my 1400sq ft costs.  As for buildings, they start at 10M and only go up from there.  That's why we'll leave eventually.  For now, we're renting at well below market (thanks to a condo owner who's either unaware of market prices or is just happy to have a young family that reminds her of her own kids in her unit) and it's fine for the two of us with a 20 month old.

[Kleckineau]

51 minutes ago, SMC said:

My comment wasn't made as a fan, but a business commentary.  Lack of a dome was a bad business decision by Mara and Woody.  And, no, SB is not a 10-15 year cycle.  In many instance, it's a 5 year cycle for choice locations.

Lastly, the Dolphins and Raiders have never played a playoff game at MetLife, so what's the point?  Hypothetically?  You give up a dome for the 1% chance that a warm weather team may play a road game at MetLife?  Seriously?  Heck, Jets have hosted only 2 home playoff games in 20 years.

My sentiments exactly. They took it all the way to third base and literally left the loyal fans out in the cold.

It was a parsimonious move by the billionaire franchise owners that is the major reason the Metlife Stadium is looked upon as tawdry and second rate.

[Bugg]

1 hour ago, Gas2No99 said:

What are you talking about? Anyone of ACTUAL REAL Net Worth knows that certain enclaves such as Fieldston, Jamaica Estates, and Cobble Hill are some of the best and biggest houses in 5 borough NYC.

 

Then BUY a BUILDING in Manhattan . Just like the rest of us who never left because we needed more room, you UPGRADE your life situation. You don't downgrade to Jersey and a life spent on the Turnpike.

This commercial should help guide you:

 

Most expensive homes(not talking about condos in Manhattan)  sold the last few months in NYC are on the beach in Belle Harbor, Queens.

You cannot touch a Park Slope brownstone for under $1.5 million. 

Grant that LI is not the greatest mid Island, but you cannot beat the shore communities north and south and way out east. There are a lot of nice places in Bergen county but they aren't beachfront. 

[SAR I]

4 hours ago, gEYno said:

Maybe it wasn't clear.  Stating that New Yorkers who don't live in Manhattan who complain about Jersey don't have their "cool card," to use your term.

Yes, that's definitely true.

Manhattan is coolness unto itself.  After that, the burbs are the burbs, doesn't matter if it's Long Island, Westchester, or New Jersey.  Different degress of the same suburbia.

The other 4 boroughs, different story, mostly a dump.

SAR I

[SAR I]

4 hours ago, gEYno said:

Meh - My neighborhood is plenty safe and the air is plenty clean.  We're a short walk from a great local park and a medium walk to Central Park.  Plenty of friendly faces in our building, even met another couple who's daughter is 3 weeks older than ours who we'd consider friends now.  My wife sees a lot of the same mom's at different things too.  So, I don't know that I agree with that.

The problem with Manhattan is what it's always been.  Your 5500sq ft costs what my 1400sq ft costs.  As for buildings, they start at 10M and only go up from there.  That's why we'll leave eventually.  For now, we're renting at well below market (thanks to a condo owner who's either unaware of market prices or is just happy to have a young family that reminds her of her own kids in her unit) and it's fine for the two of us with a 20 month old.

Agree completely.  My wife and I lived in the mid-80's between Central Park West and Columbus, jogging in the park after work, enjoying life.  But then we got married, it was time for a family, and we didn't have the money to afford the 2 or 3 bedrooms we'd eventually need.  Moving to NH with 2 NY salaries fixed all of that.  Instant house, instant family.

My advice to my own kids and anyone else in their 20's is this:  Establish your career in Manhattan, live nicely in town, and once you find a hot fiance move the hell out of the state where your NY salary can go a long, long way for 10+ years.  Sell your house for 2x what you paid, buy a beach house, and move back to the NY metro area in beast mode.

SAR I

[kelly]

On 9/21/2017 at 11:49 AM, SAR I said:

I would have sex with the one on the left.

SAR I

sar,.. check ur e-mail  

[Cornfed]

You guys don't think this stadium is beautiful? Gorgeous stadium on a beautiful day. Yeah, lots of fins fans, but this season is gonna be whacky in that way.

On that note, now anyone can get seats at pretty much any price point for probably any game this year due to a thriving secondary market.

I like this place!

[nyjunc]

1 hour ago, Cornfed said:

You guys don't think this stadium is beautiful? Gorgeous stadium on a beautiful day. Yeah, lots of fins fans, but this season is gonna be whacky in that way.

On that note, now anyone can get seats at pretty much any price point for probably any game this year due to a thriving secondary market.

I like this place!

There's no character to the place, it's a sardine can.  look at what Minnesota and Atlanta did then get back to me. the old stadium was a perfect football stadium for fans, no seat was bad but I love that we no longer play in "Giants Stadium" and our seats are no longer red and blue but this stadium is very underwhelming

[RutgersJetFan]

1 hour ago, Cornfed said:

On that note, now anyone can get seats at pretty much any price point for probably any game this year due to a thriving secondary market.

It's amazing what a roster that sucks dick can do for resale prices.

[Cornfed]

21 minutes ago, nyjunc said:

There's no character to the place, it's a sardine can.  look at what Minnesota and Atlanta did then get back to me. the old stadium was a perfect football stadium for fans, no seat was bad but I love that we no longer play in "Giants Stadium" and our seats are no longer red and blue but this stadium is very underwhelming

I think ours is beautiful on a nice day like Sunday. My pic doesn't do it justice. I also realize that's a subjective opinion, so I can't disagree with you if you don't like it.

I haven't been to either the Vikes' or Falcons' stadiums. The pictures do look cool. I am guessing they'd be especially cool for night games when closed up. I do like our simple, beautiful, sun filled, open stadium on gorgeous September days. I hope we get another one on Sunday (...which will technically be October, but who's counting?).