flgreen Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Aristotle Tziampiris. Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Piraeus Why They Hate the New York Jets Posted: 09/18/2013 11:39 am Make no mistake about it. The NY Jets are routinely derided, despised and yes, hated, by a big part of the media and many NFL fans. Examples are too numerous for comfort: Just before the beginning of the season, experts decided that the Jets deserved the last spot in their power rankings (we'll see about that); on the Sunday of Week 1 another panel of experts on one of the proliferating morning football shows unanimously pronounced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to be sure winners (they lost). Or think about Tim Tebow. Moral opprobrium was heaped upon the Jets in prodigious quantities for letting down and derailing the career of the finest America has to offer. There was simply no end in negative stories about this episode; and then Tebow signs with the New England Patriots and is cut after failing to make the 53 man roster. And what happens? Nothing! The Patriots get a pass, turns out Tebow simply cannot throw. If there is one example of media bias against the Jets, this is it. But the question remains, why do they hate the Jets so much? Here are the three major reasons. 1) The Jets Face the NY Media Market. New York is the largest media market in the country and every single media outlet that counts at the very least has an office here. Operating essentially on a 24/7 news cycle, it is simply more convenient and easier to cover the Jets; and keep in mind that very many people sincerely care about the Jets, a team with probably a few million of supporters (the official New York Jets page on Facebook had at last count 1,505,866 likes). Now this could have been a symbiotic relationship creating a virtuous circle of good reporting. It hasn't. The complication is that most in the media have figured out that starting a controversy about the Jets is far likelier to produce attention and bring traffic to their work. Manish Mehta, the Daily News beat writer for the Jets provides a case in point. Now I am not saying that he is not competent or conscientious or scrupulous (though Roger Angell he ain't). The point is that when he called for Rex Ryan's firing it was no less than Chris Christie, the Governor of New Jersey who responded (or took the bait) calling him among other things "a dope." So here it is how it works: you attack the NY Jets and possibly the next leader of the free world deals with you. Certainly not a pleasant experience but the moral of the story is that Jets baiting guarantees extensive, wide controversy and publicity even (or especially) for beat writers; and when it comes to journalism that is a net plus. 2) The Jets Are Iconoclastic. It possibly goes back to Broadway Joe and the mythology that put this team on the map. But the Jets have never been boring, have even flirted with the counter-culture and have been willing to break or bend some rules. In many ways, Rex Ryan embodies this tradition. No ordinary NFL coach he: think of HBO's Hard Knocks, his tattoo, running the bulls etc -- well the list is long. But many want the NFL to be a conservative continuity without anyone rocking the boat. Many do not appreciate the fun ethos of the Jets; and many downright despise such attitude. Hatred ensues. 3) Envy. The Jets have not won a Super Bowl since 1969, why should fans be jealous of them? Well, that is precisely the point. Perennial underdogs, with no celebratory confetti in decades, the Jets dominate attention, command headlines and quite often cause a national discussion. Supporters of teams whom they consider more worthy become green with envy. If only their teams were as interesting; if only more people cared about them. But they don't. It is the Jets that get the attention, it is the Jets that have the multitudes of passionate followers. Their response is predictable, if unfortunate: they end up hating them Jets. Hatred and bias against the Jets will not go away anytime soon. The best way to deal with them is for the Jets to finally win another Super Bowl, thus allowing feelings of envy to have a firm basis in reality. Dr Aristotle Tziampiris is Visiting Fellow at New York University's Remarque Institute http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aristotle-tziampiris/why-they-hate-the-ny-jets_b_3944418.html?utm_hp_ref=sports&ir=Sports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted September 18, 2013 Author Share Posted September 18, 2013 Hey , we've had articles from the WSJ, figured the Huff Post was due Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crusher Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Who the hell are we to argue with Aristotle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREENBEAN Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 This is beautiful wonderful awesomeness. I sometimes go on the NFL official site and see 4 Jets articles on the front page and nothing on teams like the 49ers ( ya know, the NFC champs) and such. I could only imagine what it must be like to another teams fan and seeing the Jets all over the damn place. I'm sure it sucks........ Not NEARLY as much as it sucks to actually be a friggin Jets fan of course. Especially if it's been since 1980 for Pete's sake, but it must be incredibly annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SayNoToDMC Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 **** this guy. The only people who really know how to hate the Jets are us, for all these other people it's the trendy thing to do. Like these hipster a$$hole's everywhere all of a sudden. I'll still hate the Jets long after all these other tools get tired and move on to something new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRJETS Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 So here it is how it works: you attack the NY Jets and possibly the next leader of the free world deals with you. Certainly not a pleasant experience but the moral of the story is that Jets baiting guarantees extensive, wide controversy and publicity even (or especially) for beat writers; and when it comes to journalism that is a net plus. The first in the media to use this low dirty tactic to increase volume was Mike Fatsesa at wfan. Now everyone is doing it including ex Jets like LT, Jenkins, Woody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Dierking Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 The media always seems to hate bad teams. Can't understand why Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T0mShane Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 IT'S BECAUSE THEY'VE SUCKED FOR THE FARRRRRRR MAJORITY OF THEIR EXISTENCE AND DO STUPID THINGS. <closes Ark of the Covenant> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizard King Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 So this is what high academia is spending time on these days...I hope Professor Aristotle was on sebatical when he wrote this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOJOTOWNSELL Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 the sheep keep grazing at the vast pasture in Bristol, CT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larz Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 thats all kinda true, but rex set himself up for this with the guarantees, and what, 4 internet scandals ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peebag Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Cuz they talk the walk but never walk the talk.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 So this is what high academia is spending time on these days...I hope Professor Aristotle was on sebatical when he wrote this. Yeah, that's what being a professional student gets you, writing articles about the Jets for the Huffington Post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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