"Hey Climax, I got your not best in AFC East!"
One of the top stories of the week in the NFL featured All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis ending his holdout and agreeing to a four-year. $46 million deal − approximately $32 million of it guaranteed. Not nearly the Nnamdi Asomugha-type contract that Revis sought, but he needs to keep in mind that Jets’ owner Woody Johnson and GM Mike Tannenbaum have far more marbles than Al Davis.
With the most dramatic and riveting NFL contract dispute in reality television history now over, all seems right with the New York Jets. This was the most over-publicized holdout this side of Brett Favre and somewhere, Tim Calishaw is happy. But there are still a few head-scratchers that remain.
First off, how convenient is it that Revis’ signing just happens to coincide with the conclusion of the HBO “Hard Knocks” series about the Jets? The finale just happens to be tonight at 10 PM – true “Must-See TV!” This is far more compelling storyline than the “Tony Richardson gets cut and then re-signed” storyline. And they say reality TV isn’t scripted! Here’s hoping the looming 2011 NFL lockout and voting on Roger Goodell’s proposed 18-game schedule is also televised.
Second, we at Sports Climax find it interesting that both Johnson and head coach Rex Ryan flew to Revis’ home in Florida to meet with him, his agent and his family in order to try and broker a deal. If the participants’ names had been changed to Zygi Wilf, Brad Childress and Brett Favre, the media would have been ALL OVER the owner and coach. But Ryan is the darling of New York media, and Revis doesn’t text reporters and teammates conflicting stories.
But the Jets are the darlings of the media these days, and have been labeled as Super Bowl contenders. You heard it here first – they’re due for a fall in 2010, and they’re not even the best team in the AFC East. Rex Ryan is pictured above with his anticipated response to this writer and the editor of Sports Climax regarding this prediction.
Look on the bright side – at least we don’t have to endure Sean Salisbury’s “expert” analysis of the Jets (and berating of poor John Clayton) on “The Bristol Improv” anymore.
Used with permission of the author.
Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’. Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.
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