Thoughts from a Yankee-Jets Fan

Ben G., I'm thanking you now for referring to James "Manchild" Anderson, who would win Big 12 Player of the Year if Damion James were not alive.

Since the Jets beat San Diego, I've been contemplating a great deal about my sports fortunes. On behalf of my friends Matt and Martin (the only other Yankees and Jets fans I know), let me tell you something. Life is good. The Yankees won the World Series. The Jets made the AFC Championship. Although Gang Green lost to the Colts, everything is in place for a great Jets future. Darrelle Revis just finished only his third year in the league. Mark Sanchez finished his rookie year with a great playoff performance. Shonn Greene showed he is a bona fide back.

For the first time in oh so many years (meaning since 2001), I have a reason to be happy about the teams I root for. I won't lie. I was spoiled early in life by the Yankee 3-peat (I'm not gonna claim I cared about baseball in 1996). But, since Mariano Rivera gave up that @#!%*!$ bloop single to Luis Gonzalez in the 2001 World Series, the baseball world has treated me meanly. As for the Jets? I don't think I need to say anything. Rutgers basketball? No NCAA's since 1991. Oklahoma State basketball? To quote Gus Johnson, Heartbreak City.

The nadir of my existence as a sports fan came between March Madness of 2004 and March Madness of 2005. To recap: In April 2004, Oklahoma State lost the national semifinal to Georgia Tech on a layup with no time left. The Yankees blew the 3-0 in the ALCS. The Jets came into Pittsburgh to play the 15-1 Steelers in a divisional playoff game and woud have won had Doug Brien made one of three game-winning field goal attempts. To cap it off, a great Oklahoma State team lost to Arizona in the 2005 on a Salim Stoudamire miracle jumper. Ready for an understatement? It was a bad year.

After that point, things deteriorated...quickly. The Yankees lost three straight divisional round series (plural) and then failed to make the playoffs. Herm Edwards left the Jets after the next year. Eric Mangini led the Jets to one good year before sucking the life out of the franchise. Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton became known primarily for a DUI and the team itself didn't do too much.

Yankee-Jets fans have suffered through an incredibly gloomy period. We began to wonder what it was like for a team to win a title. But, at long last, the glory days are back. The Yankees are good. The Jets are good. Now all I need is for Oklahoma State or Rutgers to become good.