The New Generation of Jets Fans
I'm on vacation in San Diego without computer access, so am unable to post in the comments - two of which described the disappointment of very young Jets fans.
I too feel badly about seeing my six year old son's disappointment about the Jets' loss - especially after they had a chance in the 4th quarter.
With the Jets down 24-0, he offered reasons why the Jets could come back - including the fact that last week the Seahawks put up a lot of points against the Bears after a horrible start. Despite the Seahawks loss, this convinced him that a Jets comeback was possible.
I did my best to curb his hopes - as I had done all week when I taught him about the Jets' tortured history.
However, I'm skeptical that the experience of being a Jets fan is any different for kids than that of being a fan of any other team that falls short in the playoffs. The children have not suffered through the tortured history - at least not yet. The Jets may still not be an elite team, but they haven't had back to back losing seasons since Rich Kotite.
Of course in the end it's all about championships, and for longtime fans getting to within a game of the Super Bowl only adds to the misery of not having been there for 42 years.
But it's doubtful that the children have a long-term perspective. They are highly unlikely to realize that yesterday may be the last time in their childhood that they even see the Jets in the AFC Championship. I know I didn't when the Jets lost the Mud Bowl to the Dolphins 28 years ago.
Ultimately, the misgivings about raising young Jets fans comes down to the knowledge that the elusive Super Bowl may never come and that many seasons of disappointment are ahead.
I should note that this post relates particularly to the Jets; the question of whether it is absurd to encourage - or not discourage - little kids from the completely irrational but heavily addictive practice of rooting for any sports team will be saved for another time.
posted on 1/24/2011
