J-E-T-S…Brett! Brett! Brett!
Are you kidding me?
Oh, now you want a Jets jersey with 4 on it?
Now, you're proud of your team?
Too late.
If it were up to me, I'd revoke the tickets from every season ticket holder who allowed Giants Stadium to become Heinz Field East last November.
Forget that the Jets staged a stunning upset. It didn't matter because YOU weren't there to see it. While I thoroughly enjoyed being among so many Steeler fans outside of Pittsburgh, it was positively pathetic that Jets fans allowed it to happen.
Even the home team's commentators couldn't help but comment repeatedly on the enormous number of Terrible Towels in the stands.
I was at that game – with a ton of Steelers fans. Before the game even began, I had this little worm of a guy screaming at us – furious because we were waving the Towels.
"Not in our house", he screamed.
Let's forget for a second that the Jets don't even have a house at the moment.
It is, after all, called Giants Stadium.
That said, this little guy was incensed – almost to the point of jumping on one of us.
While we laughed at him, and had our fun – I had to admire him.
Here we were, almost matching the Jets, fan for fan – and he wasn't going down without a fight.
Yes, you were angry at us for our chants of 'Here We Go, Steelers…', but I know your rage was really channeled toward your fellow fans who were not in the seats we occupied. The ones who left you for dead. The ones who literally sold you out.
We didn't walk up to the Stadium ticket window and buy those tickets. Your fellow fans coughed them up for a price – many of them at face value or less.
You, my friend, deserve a brand new jersey with Brett Favre's name and number. I salute you.
When your team goes south for the season, or even a couple of seasons – and you bail on them – you're no longer a fan.
You don't get to come back when the weather is fair, again.
Don't worry, this goes for certain Giants fans, as well.
Every so-called Big Blue Backer that was calling for Coughlin's head after week 7 – that Super Bowl win was not for you. You don't get to revel in it.
The title defense this year is for the fans that showed up and suffered through the losses.
Brett Favre's 4 Jets jersey was a top seller upon its release. You still can't keep Jets merchandise in the stores or keep up with the new demand.
So, what I want to know is – who's buying it all?
Why is it that last season, promoters literally couldn't give a replica Jets jersey away – and this year, they'd rob them in the street for one?
Is it all really because of Brett Favre?
Is he the only reason you took your team back?
If it is, then you no longer have a team.
That team belongs to the real fans.
The fans that endured all the heartbreak at Shea Stadium – before Namath guaranteed a Super Bowl win - and after he took the magic with him when he retired.
The fans that own a Wesley Walker jersey.
The fans that endured the 1-15 season in 1996.
The fans that banged their head against the wall when they lost not one, but two head coaches in a matter of minutes.
…and the fans who scathed us Steeler fans last fall – you are true fans.
You guys can yell 'J-E-T-S…Brett! Brett! Brett!' and it actually means something to you.
The rest of you prodigal flat-leavers – I don't know how you can look at yourself in the mirror, let alone sleep at night.
Let the real Jets fans enjoy their day.
The rest of you can go figure out who's gonna be hot this season, and get on the bandwagon before it's full.
-Lunatic