The New York Jets and the Media Double Standard

Jan 31, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; From left Trent Dilfer , Jerry Rice , Mike Ditka and Cris Carter pose for a photo during the ESPN analysts press conference at the New Orleans Convention Center in preparation for Super Bowl XLVI to be played between the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

We have talked about this many times before. We have all seen it a lot with the Jets. The goings on of this week made me think about this topic once again. The topic being the double standard between the Jets and the mainstream media. Whenever you begin to forget about it, something happens that reminds me.

The double standard occurs as follows, an incident occurs somewhere in the league, it barely gets any coverage. An incident happens with the New York Jets, the broadcast world can’t get enough. Let’s to over some examples.

Remember when Rex flipped off a fan at a basketball game? Oh, ESPN and friends couldn’t get enough of that.  No talk about how likely provoked Rex was by a Miami Dolphins fan.  Fans can say whatever they want, but God forbid Rex does anything, it is national news.

I don’t believe it would have gotten the same attention had the coach been Mike Tomlin, or Tom Coughlin, or God forbid the sainted coach Hoodie.  Heck, ESPN would have probably found a way to commend the hoodie man for doing it.

How about when Rex cursed at a fan during a game in 2011.  Again, the reporters couldn’t stop talking about it.  How dare Rex do a thing like that?  No matter that it was in the heat of the moment, his team wasn’t playing well, and an I am sure totally sober fan decided to be stupid.  No.  Just that Rex is an idiot.  However, after that game, Bill Belichick had a fairly vulgar phrase to describe the Jets’ defense.  Actually, it was probably more vulgar than anything Rex had EVER said.  But did anyone care, besides us Jets fans?  Not so much.

As if Roger Goodell would ever let negative attention be shown upon his patron saint of coaches, Bill Belichick.

May 3, 2013; Foxboro, MA USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media during rookie minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Remember earlier this year, when the patron saint of hooded sweatshirts grabbed a replacement official?  He was so annoyed about the job the refs had done, he ran after one, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him around.

Yes, he was fined $50,000.  But suspension?  Nope.  Who gets to touch an official in ANY sport without being suspended?  Nobody.  And ESPN?  They talked about how Bill needed an answer, he was upset…no rage about him touching an official fairly violently.

What would have happened if coach Rex Ryan had done that?  The rage would have been off the charts, and we all know it’s true.  There would have been call to run the circus master out of the league.  There would have been NO justification for what he did, just anger.

The proof is in the past events.  The Jets can’t breath without causing rage amongst the reporters.

And then finally, the incident that brought this back to the forefront for me this week.  The incident involving Ryan Clark.  Have you guys heard about this?  Ryan Clark of the Pittsburgh Steelers had some choice thoughts about our favorite quarterback in the sport, Tom Brady.   He said he sees “ghosts” when under pressure, that he will react to pass rushers that aren’t necessarily there.  Read the article that I linked up to.  Nothing about that Clark isn’t smart for making the comments, really.  More about how Brady admits that some of that is true.

Just imagine if, say, Antonio Cromartie had made comments like that.  All he has to do is make comments about his own receiver abilities, imagine if he had said this about Brady?  ESPN might be ranking him the stupidest player ever to put pads on.  Maybe that is an exaggeration, but you know what I mean.  He would not be taken out of the fire for it.

Why?  Because there is a huge double standard in the media.  If anyone else does something, it’s not so bad.  But if the Jets do it, oh boy.