My favorite sport has changed many times in my life. My first love was baseball. That lasted until I was about 8 or 9. Then my favorite sport was basketball. It was the sport I played more than any other and it's my dad's favorite sport. Football became my favorite sport in high school. Bill Parcells was the coach of the Jets when I was 13-15. That and the Madden video games got me really into the Jets and the NFL. I stayed a huge NFL fan after the Parcells years. As soon as I went to Notre Dame, the Notre Dame football team became my favorite of all the teams I rooted for, but I still liked the NFL better than college. Over the last five years or so, I rediscovered my love for baseball. Baseball is once again my favorite sport. And the NFL has now dropped behind baseball and college football.
So how did that happen? It really has nothing to do with Notre Dame's success this year. It's because of the Jets. Here's a conversation I actually had with somebody (I don't remember who I was talking to, but I remember the conversation):
Me: I hate the Jets.
Other Person: Which football team do you like?
Me: The Jets.
My anger with the Jets started in 2008 when they traded for Brett Favre. I admit it was worth a shot. It almost got the Vikings to the Super Bowl. But Brett Favre was one of the most dislikeable players in the NFL. He was one of my favorite players when I was younger, but once he started with the whole I might retire, I'm retiring, I might not retire, I'm not retiring routine, there was no way to like him anymore. Late in his season with the Jets, he did all sorts of dumb Favre things and I was happy to be done with him. But then the Jets drafted Mark Sanchez. I just could not embrace a player from USC, Notre Dame's biggest rival. I put up with him for two years when he got the Jets to the AFC Championship Game in back to back years, but these last two years have been a disaster. I just want him gone, but I'm worried that they'll keep him for salary cap reasons (which would be really dumb).
And the other reason that I can't stand the Jets is Rex Ryan. The Jets are clowns. And their general clownery (I just made that word up) starts with Rex Ryan. I don't know how many times he predicted they'd win the Super Bowl. He didn't this year, but he said this was the most talented team he's ever had. Just shut up and win. Then talk all you want. He's motivated other teams to beat the Jets. The Giants made fun of the Jets after winning the Super Bowl (and the Jets totally deserved it). The Jets are all about getting headlines (Favre, Rex Ryan saying ridiculous things, Tebow). Some franchises are all about winning (Giants, Patriots, Steelers, Packers, Colts). You can't be surprised when Santonio Holmes and other guys like morons when the head coach acts like a moron.
Mark Sanchez and Rex Ryan have made it very difficult to root for my favorite NFL team. Today I was just happy that their season is over. I want the two of them gone, along with Mike Tannenbaum. Tannenbaum will probably be gone, but I think at least one of Sanchez and Ryan will be back, and I wouldn't be shocked if both were back. Also, all that matters in the NFL is making the playoffs. As the Giants have shown, just get into the playoffs and anything can happen. I still have my issues with college football, but it has the best regular season of any sport because every game is so important.
I have never had trouble rooting for Notre Dame. Sometimes I knew we were in terrible shape, but nothing could make me stop loving Notre Dame. I have actually given thought to just rooting for whatever team drafts Manti Te'o. I won't abandon the Jets, but I'll be a lot more excited about rooting for them in 2013 if Mark Sanchez and Rex Ryan are gone.
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