New York Jets--Really?

My father had a placard on his desk. It read: God so loved the World that he sent his only son—not a committee.

Elementary school classrooms have just one teacher. And when a substitute teacher is charged with running that classroom, the children intuitively know that the supervision is suspect. So even the most well-behaved and intellectually gifted students often feel no obligation to be in accord with the substitute teacher’s directions.

Canines too have a solitary leader. And if death befalls the alpha dog, another animal from the pack is selected—not a stray. There is a social hierarchy that excludes outsiders.

Sport teams are no different.

And while I do not claim to be an expert, I must say that when I heard that the New York Jets had traded some really good players for Tim Tebow at the end of last season, I thought What are they doing? There is no such thing as co-quarterbacks?—especially when quarterback #2 isn’t homegrown. No one has confidence in multiple leaders—including the multiple leaders themselves.

And so week after week this football season the Jets fans have cringed. There has been no rhythm. There has been no cohesiveness. At all times fans could sense the ambiguity. No one knew who might be  in charge from play to play.

There is a reason an orchestra has one conductor, a nation has one president and the Pips just had one Gladys. Effective leadership requires a solitary leader—not a committee.

It’s something God and my father understood.

The Jets management needs to pick one guy and ditch the other. And at this point I really do not care which quarterback they choose just as long as they pick one.  It’s the only way to salvage the team.

Because the Jets  are no longer gang green---the envy of all, they are gang red—the butt of embarrassment and ridicule.