Aug 15th 2008 12:35PM by Tom Mantzouranis (author feed)
Filed under: Jets, AFC East
Being a football fan in New Jersey with no allegiances to the locals has been an interesting experience in the last couple of weeks, to say the least. As Favremania has gripped the region, there haven’t been a lot of rational thinkers out there — just a lot of hysteria. I couldn’t get away from it. I sought refuge at last weekend’s All Points West festival, where I figured the hipsters, hippies, and Radiohead fanatics would reject any semblance of professional sport. But, no, there was this.
Through it all, I’ve seen nothing but bad ahead for Brett Favre and the Jets. The opinion is probably more prevalent across the nation, but in my little vacuum this is the best thing to happen to the area since The Beatles played Shea, or, you know, . I’ve been a lonely voice in my homestate.
But Joe Theismann and former Giant quarterback Jeff Hostetler have my back. Both cite the location more than the decision itself as a mistake. Theismann thinks that New York is simply a “void-filler” for Favre, and that his lack of desire to play there will ruin him. Hostetler thinks that the prickish fanbase will turn on him and render him paralyzed from culture shock (my words, not his).
Both men (surprisingly, in Theismann’s case) make excellent points, and they’re well worth considering for any Jets fan who has conveniently forgotten the phrase “buyer beware.” Hate to ruin the puppy dog parade, Jets fans, but it’s better to be prepared than smacked by reality.
