There have been a number of bumps along the way, but what’s been the biggest embarrassment? Let’s run though some candidates.
Foot Fetish
This is the freshest of the bunch, as Rex Ryan and his wife, Michelle Ryan, are apparently into feet. Like … really into feet. You can read all the details if you want, but it essentially comes down to a couple that looks and sounds a whole lot like the Ryans that enjoys posting videos of the woman’s feet on the Internet. Rex said on Wednesday morning that it’s a “personal matter,” which isn’t exactly a denial in most parts.
Expect foot jokes to be a part of the remainder of the season.
Ines Sainz
Now, Ines Sainz draws attention wherever she goes, so it’s not exactly a surprise that a room full of testosterone-pumping grown men acted like a room full of testosterone-pumping grown men when she walked into their locker room. Still, their actions brought a significant amount of negative attention to the Jets organization, as well as an NFL investigation. That’s never a good thing.
Sal Alosi and Tripgate
Can you name two strength and conditioning coaches in the NFL? No, because they’re supposed to work in the background and never get noticed. So when Sal Alosi stuck out his leg on the sideline a couple of weeks ago and tripped a Miami Dolphin, he screwed up. Big time.
He said that he “wasn’t thinking,” but what he did was inexcusable. He’s paying the consequences, but he sure put some egg on the face of a franchise that has been so outspoken about cheating over the past few years. (Mike Westhoff‘s needless accusation of the Patriots’ doing the same thing in the aftermath didn’t help, either.)
Happy Trails, Little Danny
During Hard Knocks, little Danny Woodhead became a national phenomenon. The 5-foot-7 running back was a hard worker trying to make the team, and he did everything he should have to earn a roster spot. However, the Jets were invested in rookie Joe McKnight, and they felt the need to keep two fullbacks, even though the position is almost obsolete in the NFL. Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan ultimately decided to keep David Clowney instead of Woodhead.
Clowney went on to play three games for the Jets, making one catch before getting cut in early October and signing with the Panthers. Woodhead, meanwhile, has blossomed into a star of sorts for another team. The fact that that other team just happens to be the Jets’ division-rival Patriots, well, that stings quite a bit.
Blowout at Gillette
While there’s been plenty of drama off the field, the events that took place on the field in New England might have been the most embarrassing. That’s because the 9-2 Jets were visiting the 9-2 Patriots. It was billed as a showdown of Super Bowl contenders; it played out like a lopsided high school game.
The Pats picked off three Mark Sanchez passes and rolled to a 45-3 blowout. Making matters worse, Mr. Woodhead had 104 receiving yards.
The loss sent the Jets on a mini-tailspin, as they lost what should have been an easy home game against the Dolphins.
Brett Favre Shows His True Colors
While this technically only involved the Jets a little bit this year, it was their franchise that allowed Brett Favre to send voicemails and disgusting photos of himself to sideline reporter Jenn Sterger back in 2008. The controversy blew up during this season, thus giving the Jets even more distractions that they surely didn’t need.
Braylon Does the DUI Dougie
In Week 2, when the Jets were beating the Patriots, wide receiver Braylon Edwards received a taunting penalty for doing the “Dougie” in the face of Darius Butler. The 15-yard penalty didn’t stop him from doing it again later in the game. Clearly, his understanding of consequences is low.
That point was driven home two days later, when Edwards was busted for driving under the influence of alcohol. Though he could have called a cab (or even a Jets program for a free ride home, no questions asked), he decided to drive home tha fateful evening, and his blood alcohol content (BAC) was at 0.16.
This offense may actually make the Jets look OK, because they offered the program that drives players home at the push of a button. However, it doesn’t work both ways, because it was, after all, the Jets who went out of their way to acquire Edwards last year, despite his rocky track record.
What was the most embarrassing moment of the Jets’ 2010 season? Share your thoughts below.
Tuesday, Dec. 21: Is Vince Wilfork the best defensive tackle in the NFL?
What has been the most embarrassing moment of the 2010 Jets season?survey software
