It’s All Falling Apart For The Jets
Thursday, December 16, 2010
What do you do if you’re the New York Jets and you get caught breaking the rules and engaging in unsportsmanlike conduct? Deny, deny, deny. And, when all else fails, blame the New England Patriots.
The latest laughable chapter in the despicable act committed by Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi now has the Patriots somehow involved.
We all know by now that Alosi purposely knee-bumped Miami’s Nolan Carroll Sunday as he was running down the sideline to cover a punt.
Alosi was initially suspended for the remainder of the season by the Jets and fined $25,000 by the league.
But today the Jets suspended Alosi indefinitely after they claim to have learned new information regarding the incident.
Apparently Alosi instructed five players to stand in a wall before he intentionally tripped Carroll. For that transgression, the Jets have suspended him indefinitely.
But the story doesn’t end there.
Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff said on ESPN 1000 in Chicago that while he had no idea that his team was doing it, that “a number of teams do it.”
“There’s a pretty good team up north that lines their whole defense up when they do it,” he said.
When asked if that team was the Patriots he said, “well, if you catch them, their defense when the opponents’ punt team is out there, they’re up pretty close to the line, so it looks like they’re trying to do it. Now are they doing anything illegal? Are they tripping anybody? Heck, no. I’m not saying that.”
Well, what exactly are you doing, then Mr. Westhoff? Let me answer that. You’re being an absolute weasel by trying to pass the buck. Just because your house isn’t in order, doesn’t mean you have to deflect the heat on you and your organization by ripping your rival.
The issue here has nothing to do with the Jets, the Patriots, or any other NFL team lining up their players, coaches, cheerleaders, fans or anyone else on the sideline when the opponent lines up to punt. In fact, they should do that. Why would you want opposing gunners to have as much space and freedom to run on your sideline to make a play against your punt returner?
The problem is when a member of the organization is not within the league mandated sideline protocols and, in this particular case, when a person intentionally tries to interfere and injure an opposing player.
This was clearly a premeditated crime by the Jets’ Alosi and should be punished as such. While I am a firm believer in second chances being given in life, in this particular case, being fired from his job with the team would not be too harsh a punishment.
Many have suggested that if Carroll suffered a season or career ending injury as a result of this that Alosi would have been fired immediately. I say that just because Carroll did not get seriously injured as a result of Alosi’s intentional knee bump, that should not affect the punishment handed out. The league needs to punish the crime, not the results of the crime.
Things are really starting to fall apart for the New York Jets in more ways than one. It’s bad enough that the team got embarrassed by New England on national TV and followed that up with a disappointing home loss to Miami. Now they have coaches intentionally trying to injure opposing players and they’re passing the buck much like a 4-year old would tattle on his brother or sister.
Two weeks ago the Jets were sailing along, flapping their gums and enjoying life as one of the premier teams in the NFL. Now they resemble the Titanic. To make matters worse, the Jets have to play at Pittsburgh this weekend. What a disaster!
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