New York Jets Take Famous Chant and Make it Organized Team Event

Oct. 8, 2012; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Fireman Ed gets the crowd going at the game between the New York Jets and the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Remember our buddy to the right, Fireman Ed? Well it doesn’t look like he is planning on returning for the 2013 season. The Jets are actually planning a way to replace him. And it’s a little bit crazy.

The Jets organization has taken it upon itself to take the famous “J-E-T-S” chant, and, instead of letting the fans do it naturally, converted it into an organized event. The letters will be done by designed sections. Take a look, right from a publication put out by the Jets:

You see? Each section has been assigned a letter, to coordinate the chant.

My initial reaction? Why?!?!?! My reaction as I thought about it? Why?!?!?!? In all my years of rooting for the Jets, this might be the dumbest thing I have seen them do, other than personnel decisions.

I don’t have the ability to convey how I REALLY feel about this, because Fansided runs clean websites. If anyone asked me about this in person, I would use the appropriate words to describe how truly stupid this is, and how badly the Jets are wasting their time. But, with clean words, I will do my best.

First of all, who actually thinks that this plan will work? Typically, the majority of fans that are in attendance at a football game are, at least partially, TANKED. No offense to anyone out there that enjoys their beers at the game, I am just making a statement. You can do what you like. My point is this, you are going take a group of inebriated people, and have them time that chant correctly! They are expected to know when it’s their turn? This is bound to screw up, even just taking the plan at face value.

Secondly, is it not an organization’s job to dictate to me, or any other fans, how to cheer! That is our decision, it’s not to be told to me. The J-E-T-S chant has been owned by Jets’ fans for more than 30 years. It started many years ago with Fireman Ed and his friends, and it was done where one side of the stadium would do the entire chant, and the opposite side would do it back and respond. It evolved into Fireman Ed leading the entire stadium at once. But it EVOLVED. It just happened, naturally. That is how cheers like that occur, naturally.

You don’t take fan initiated cheers away from the fans.

Note to the Jets and the organization, if you want to make us cheer, SCORE SOME MORE. Have an offense that isn’t at the bottom of the league in scoring. Then, I will cheer all you want. But you have no business taking over the famous chant. It’s ours, you can’t have it.