Stephen A. Smith, colorful sports personality, is an irrational human being. Anyone who has listened to him speak for at least ten consecutive seconds is aware of this. Recently, he argued that the Cowboys might be better off dumping Tony Romo (?) to get one of the yet-to-be-drafted, unproven rookie quarterbacks, Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin (???). And his new article on ESPN.com slamming the Mark Sanchez extension is priceless. His words are in bold, commentary follows. The headline:
Gang's gotta be kidding on Sanchez
Coddled quarterback's extension is latest punchline in Jets' continuing joke
Now, no one's arguing that the Jets aren't a continuing joke. But extending a young QB who is the future of the franchise is not exactly explosive ammunition to be used against them. A bit later:
...Perhaps Gang Green will be something more tangible, significant, on another day. But on this day, let it be said that the Jets are a joke. When you take the time and effort to reward your quarterback and the leader of, arguably, the NFL's most dysfunctional franchise with a three-year, $40.5 million extension -- knowing the man still had two years remaining on his contract -- clearly, you're looking to be laughed at.
It's absolutely insane to argue that the Jets are the league's most dysfunctional franchise when in the past three years, they've gone 9-7, 11-5, and 8-8 with two playoff berths (both of which led to AFC Championship Game appearances). Is the franchise still a joke? Yeah, probably. They're still the Jets. But the ineptitude of teams like the Rams or the Buccaneers or the Raiders is so much greater than the ineptitude of the Jets.
Point number two: Sanchez did still have two years left on his contract. But the reasons for the extension were a) sending a signal to everyone that Sanchez is 'The Guy' and b) clearing up salary cap space to sign free agents this year. It's ridiculous that an ESPN analyst whose job is to analyze sports failed to mention this stuff.
"[Sanchez] is a young player," Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum told reporters following the team's announcement of the extension. "And just like any young player, there's some inconsistencies that have to get better. We've won a lot of football games with Mark as a starting quarterback for the New York Jets. That's really what convinced Rex, Woody [Johnson] and me. It's not a projection. It's not a hope. It's not an incremental leap of faith. It's, 'Here's a three-year body of work.'"
I'm going to stop right here. I simply can't take it anymore.
You're right. This is making way too much rational sense.
Here's a question: If the point has been reached at which we're tired of Ryan's boasting about things not achieved, when does fatigue set in for Sanchez? Yes, he is the man who catapulted the Jets to two straight AFC title games. But has anyone forgotten how the Jets initially squeezed into the playoffs his rookie year? Or how horrible things were this year?
I like how the fact that Sanchez has taken the Jets to two AFC Championship games is brushed aside so quickly. "Yes, so he's taken his team to the brink of the Super Bowl twice in his first three years in this league. So what? Call me back when he wins eight or nine rings."
The shrapnel of criticism aimed in Sanchez's direction isn't entirely about his ability to play football. Nobody's sitting here fretting over the 26 interceptions he threw this past season, eclipsing the 22 he threw in his rookie year.
I typed in "mark sanchez career stats" on the Google machine and literally clicked on the first link that popped up. Mark Sanchez threw 18 interceptions this past year, not 26. He threw 20 in his rookie year, not 22. You can't just make stuff up, man. This is your job.
It's just about time to fret over Sanchez's mental makeup and this insatiable need the Jets evidently feel to nurture his psyche, no matter who else on their roster they alienate in the process.
Did anyone listen to LaDanian Tomlinson talk of how much Sanchez was coddled after the season? How about former Jet and noted ESPN NFL analyst, Damien Woody, who essentially said the same?
Damien Woody appeared on Colin Cowherd's radio show a few days ago and adamantly defended the Mark Sanchez extension. LaDanian Tomlinson is bitter and whiny. Let's move on.
Does anyone recall seeing Santonio Holmes pout his way into the offseason? Or Ryan being pushed to a near-tearful mea culpa, acknowledging he was asleep at the wheel while acrimony and dissent were ballooning in his locker room instead of wins?
Who's the common denominator in all of this?
Don't bother answering. We all know the deal.
Yes. Exactly. The following things are Mark Sanchez's fault:
1. Rex Ryan allowing locker room dissent
2. The Jets' incompetence
3. Santonio Holmes being a jackass
4. The Jets only making two AFC Championship appearances in the past three years
5. LaDanian Tomlinson being old and whiny
6. Global warming
7. Wars
The same quarterback who's never had a viable backup since he arrived in this league is the same quarterback the Jets just committed to for the next five years.
Relevant? Nope. Mark Sanchez's fault? Nope. Let's print it anyway.
It's the same Mark Sanchez whose idea of a demotion is being pulled from a few reps in practice so Ryan could get his attention -- while telling the media "Shhh! Don't say anything. I want him to sweat!"
Relevant? Nope. Mark Sanchez's fault? Nope. Let's print it anyway.
Seriously! Stop laughing!
I'm not laughing at who you think I'm laughing at.
We're talking about the same Mark Sanchez last seen throwing one pivotal interception after another with the season on the line versus the Dolphins, tanning in the South Florida sun -- blow-drying his hair, evidently -- before Holmes had stomached enough and said "To hell with this, let me go and relax myself."
So far, all this criticism is absolutely fair and fact-based.
Holmes spoke for the silenced among Gang Green. He spoke to a fan base that had seen the inexplicable, still desperate for an explanation. He revealed, through his own disgust, that the Jets, despite having a talented quarterback, are still saddled with one whose capabilities are limited because the Jets do everything but don an apron to protect the man undeservedly called Sanchise.
In this sick, twisted world, Santonio Holmes is the hero.
Santonio Holmes has admitted to selling drugs when he was a teenager. He's been arrested for disorderly conduct and for possession of marijuana. Supposedly, he once threw a glass at a woman's head in a nighclub. He was benched at the end of last season for getting into a fight in the huddle. Seriously? This guy?
...Congratulations, New York Jets. Your future is set. You have your quarterback, and all the baggage that comes with him.
Good luck on thinking it'll get you somewhere. To places only the Giants can speak about in this football town, that is.
One final note for Stephen. Let's play a game.
Mark Sanchez, 2011-12 (3rd full season):
3474 yards
26 TDs, 18 interceptions
56.7% completion percentage
78.2 QB rating
Career playoff record: 4-2
Mystery Quarterback, 2007-2008 (3rd full season):
3336 yards
23 TDs, 20 interceptions
56.1% completion percentage
73.9 QB rating
Career playoff record: 4-2
Similar, right? Well, Mystery Quarterback is Eli Manning.
Now consider that Mark Sanchez's best "weapons" this past season were: Plaxico Burress (52 years old), Santonio Holmes (see above), and Derrick Mason (who doesn't play football anymore). Sanchez didn't really have a tight end. He didn't really have a running game. His offensive line wasn't great. His offensive coordinator was bad enough that he just got fired and replaced by Tony Sparano. And he still put up numbers eerily similar to Eli Manning's the year Eli won the Super Bowl. Maybe give Sanchez a chance, huh?
Nah, on second thought we should all be like Stephen A. Smith--we can make up statistics and shout a lot, and ESPN will pay us real-life money.
