It has come to this for the beleagured New York Jets.
Heading into today's home finale vs. San Diego, a game the Jets lost, 27-17, Gang Green began entertaining the idea of cleaning house after the season ends next Sunday vs. Buffalo. According to the New York Daily News, the Jets are considering trading both Mark Sanchez AND Tim Tebow after the season. Tebow, for whom the Jets wasted two draft picks in a March trade that was designed solely to prevent him from going to a division foe, such as the hated New England Patriots, reportedly wants out anyway, as he wasn't being used the way he was promised. The Jets abandoned the Wildcat offense with Tebow, but used it today with WR Jeremy Kerley instead to some success.
What's likely to happen? Consider:
As I've said before, I'd peg coach Rex Ryan as gone after 4 seasons. The novelty is gone, and the Jets' offense has regressed, right along with Sanchez, who appeared to have peaked a little too early, a price paid for leaving USC too early, as his former coach, Pete Carroll, now with Seattle, has maintained. GM Mike Tannenbaum and offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, the latter of whom was chased out of Miami because of offensive ineptitude last year, appear to be on the firing line as well.
A popular rumor sends Tebow home to Jacksonville, which would have him sharing the QB job with either Blaine Gabbert or ex-Dolphin Chad Henne, whichever one ends up remaining with the Jaguars after a lost season of their own. Sanchez? A friend of mine suggested that Seattle would be a landing spot for him. It'd reunite him with Carroll, and he'd back up rookie sensation Russell Wilson. The Jets conceivably could take Matt Flynn off the Seahawks' hands. Seattle had acquired Flynn in the offseason after he'd caddied Aaron Rodgers for four years in Green Bay, but drafted Wilson as an "insurance policy". Some insurance. Wilson's in the conversation for Rookie of the Year with fellow QB's Robert Griffin III (Washington) & Andrew Luck (Indianapolis). If not Seattle, maybe Arizona, which has a QB problem of their own, or even Philadelphia, which figures to do some house cleaning of their own, starting with Andy Reid & Michael Vick. Nick Foles, their rookie QB, isn't the answer. Stay tuned.
In the real world, Wayne LaPierre, head of the National Rifle Association (NRA), made headlines Friday when he brazenly suggested that schools should have armed guards present to prevent a repeat of the Newtown massacre 9 days ago. The Daily News characterized him as idiotic and insane, and rightfully so. LaPierre is thinking with his wallet and his profit margins. His defiant stand, stubborn, actually, makes that other stubborn mule, Rex Ryan, look like a choirboy by comparison.
LaPierre seems to think that troubled kids like Adam Lanza will be deterred in the future if there are security guards, armed to the teeth, standing at the gate, if you will, to prevent them from going in and shooting up the schools. No, what's needed is to identify the kids who have disorders, such as Asperger's Syndrome, which Lanza had, and get them help ASAP. Proper treatment, plus parental supervision & discipline, is a better deterrent. Leaving guards at the gate waves a red flag at these kids, as if the guards were matadors and they're bulls looking to cut them down. Not a good idea.
As such, LaPierre and Jets management, including owner Woody Johnson, get Dunce Caps this week. The Jets' caps are retroactive to the Tebow deal, which was doomed to fail after all, 9 months ago. LaPierre, meanwhile, needs to go into sensitivity training, and, maybe, back to school.
2 comments:
In the case of Wayne LaPierre, I must disagree.
I've grown up around guns (father in law enforcement and other relatives being avid hunters for years) and I learned early on that they can kill and it's a great responsibility to own one. But I also know that gun laws mean nothing to the bad guy. Lanza couldn't get guns due to CT's laws so he took is mom's stash. Bad guys find a way because they don't believe in following the rules.
Armed guards (perhaps civilian volunteers) would be a good idea, because so called "gun free zones" lead to events like Newtown, or Virginia Tech. People should be allowed the option to defend themselves.
Obama's daughters' school, "Sidwell Friends", DOES have an armed guard on their campus. Not Secret Service mind you - but an active separate guard. In fact, right now they're advertising to hire more:
(http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/12/23/School-Obama-s-Daughters-Attend-Has-11-Armed-Guards-Not-Counting-Secret-Service).
BTW - I spoke with an expert on Aspberger's Syndrome and she tells me it's unlikely Lanza actually had this disorder or if he had that it was the cause of his rampage (if anything he was likely bi-polar). They often lack the ability to carefully plan such actions, much less carry them out. Had armed guards (or a teacher with a concealed weapon) been at the school that day, Lanza's killing spree would have been stopped way sooner.
Then why hasn't anyone said anything in the press to debunk the common belief that Lanza had Asperger's? Would autism lead to a bi-polar condition?
I think the argument against having armed guards at elementary schools is that it would frighten the youngest children (Grades K-3 or 4), who wouldn't understand why their school needs guards.
LaPierre lives for the 2nd Amendment, I get that. Problem is, he is too out of touch with reality, based on what's happened the last couple of days.
Post a Comment