In the wake of the New York Jets' loss to the Buffalo Bills this past Sunday, I just had to do this.
The loss, which knocked the Jets out of the playoffs, is what has put me over the edge. The straw that broke the camel's back, the boiling point to which the pot overflowed, it is time that I have this conversation with myself.
At the age of 20, I have not witnessed a championship victory from one of my favorite sports teams. Since I was young enough to pick up a ball, I inherited all New York teams from my father. I regretfully admit that I have been a devoted fan of the New York Mets, New York Knicks and the Jets my whole life. In 20 years, I’ve seen two World Series appearances, two AFC Conference Championship losses, and playoff pushes here and there, but never a championship to bring home to the Big Apple.
Now, on the other side of the spectrum, I have seen the New York Yankees and New York Giants each win a couple of titles, basking in the glory of being champions. Both teams have been far more successful in their existence as a franchise than the Mets and Jets. Did I pick the wrong side of New York? Probably, but how could you go against your father and his teams?
I’ve stuck it out for a long time, and have supported all three teams, through ups, a lot of downs and an abundance of frustrating seasons. When I decided to take a look at the numbers, and dig deeper into the failures of the three teams I devote all my time too, I begin to wonder if it’s time to take the jump.
Since 1995, when I was born, the Jets have a record of 160 wins and 175 losses. The Knicks have a record of 793 wins and 963 losses. And the Mets are surprisingly the only one with a winning record in that span, with 1698 wins to 1682 losses. Collectively, all three teams combine to post a record of 2651-2821. That equivalents to a 48 percent winning percentage from 1995 to 2015. That just goes to show that it may be time to reevaluate my sports teams.
The numbers are staggering, but not surprising. I’ve devoted too much time to my teams, from buying expensive tickets for big games, buying jerseys and everything in between. It's getting pretty old. To think I was debating whether or not to drive eight hours to Buffalo, buy tickets at 100 dollars a piece to watch the Jets lose, sickens me. I almost did that. Almost. But I’m learning, and I made the right choice.
So with all of that said, is it time for me to say goodbye to the teams I’ve followed my whole life? I’m not sure at this point. I say it every year as a joke, but each year I get just a little bit more serious about it. I’ve been invited to join the bandwagon on a variety of occasions for multiple teams, and maybe I should give that some serious thought.
Until then, I’ll keep suffering.
