Schwartz On Sports: Kicking Off The New Stadium
By Peter Schwartz
After two weeks of squaring off against teammates in practice, the Jets finally get to face an opponent on Monday night. Gang Green will host the Giants in the first football game at the New Meadowlands Stadium.
There are a few interesting storylines surrounding the game.
THE JETS CAN FINALLY GO HOME….SORT OF!!!!
The Jets have really never had a stadium that they can call their own. They played in the Polo Grounds that was the home of the baseball and football Giants. Then they moved onto Shea Stadium in 1964. It was at Shea where the Jets really established a strong relationship with their fans. It was there home until moving into Giants Stadium in 1984. The Meadowlands was the Jets home field but it never really felt like home. The players, coaches, staff, and fans always felt like second class citizens because it was "Giants Stadium".
Although they will still be sharing a stadium with the Giants, the Jets are happy because they fill as if they finally have a place to call home.
One Jet in particular is looking forward to Monday night. Veteran guard Brandon Moore came to the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2002 when the team was working hard to plan for a new stadium.
Last season, I wrote a story for Jets Confidential on the plans for the demolition of Giants Stadium. I interviewed Moore for the story and he joked with me that he wanted to climb up and help take down that big "Giants Stadium" sign.
It was always a sore subject for the Jets when asked about playing at Giants Stadium and Moore couldn't be happier that he doesn't have to drive up to the Meadowlands and see that sign anymore. As the Jets prepare to face the new stadium partners the Giants on Monday, I caught up with Moore during training camp this past week and here's the interview…
Given this week's war of words from both the Jets and Giants as to who's stadium this is, Monday night figures to be interesting for an opening pre-season game. I've been in the stadium twice and it's pretty impressive. But the argument of whether its "Jets Stadium" or "Giants Stadium" is pretty silly. It's called the "New Meadowlands Stadium." The Jets and Giants split the costs and it belongs to both teams. It will be lit up in green for Jets games and blue for Giants games. How about everyone just shut up and go out and play football!!!!!
As part of Monday's festivities, the Jets will induct six men into their newly created Ring of Honor. Joe Namath, Don Maynard, Weeb Ewbank, Curtis Martin, Winston Hill, and Joe Klecko will make up the first class to take their place in the ring.
JETS/GIANTS PRESEASON HISTORY
The Jets will be facing the Giants in the pre-season for the 42nd consecutive season. The series began in 1969 and the Jets own a 22-18-1 edge over Big Blue in the annual summer match-up. The Jets have won three straight including last season's 27-25 victory. This will be the first time that the locals have met in week one of the pre-season as the game usually takes place in week three.
YOU SAY TOMAYTO, I SAY TOMAHTO, LET'S CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF
The next time we hear anything about the Darrelle Revis negotiations, it will likely be the announcement of a deal. I say likely only because you never know. Sometimes, it can be very hard to keep a secret, so we'll see if the Jets along with Revis' agents Neil Schwartz and Jonathan Feinsod can keep true to their word.
In an announcement released Thursday, both sides say that they will be keeping their mouths closed in terms of talking to the media about Revis.
"Both parties have had conversations to clear the air, and will continue to negotiate with the hopes of reaching an agreement. From this point forward, all discussions regarding these negotiations will remain confidential."
Hmmmm. Are we really to believe that this is it until a deal? I can see the Jets being tight-lipped but will either of the agents resist the urge to say something if talks fail to produce any movement?
Both sides insist that everything is going to be kept confidential.
I'm thinking of a great line from the cartoon "The Penguins of Madagascar"….
I think that says it all!
SEPTEMBER 13TH WILL BE A GREEN DAY AND NIGHT
When the Jets open up their regular season on Monday night September 13th against the Baltimore Ravens, there's going to be some special musical entertainment inside and out of the New Meadowlands Stadium.
Green Day will perform at halftime of the Jet's first regular season game in their new home. They will be accompanied by the cast of the Tony Award winning Broadway show "American Idiot".
Before the game, there will be a pre-game tailgate concert in the plaza area outside the stadium. Performing will be Slash, the former lead guitarist for Guns N' Roses, and Nicole Scherzinger, the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls and the current Dancing With The Stars Champion. Scherzinger is also scheduled to perform the National Anthem.
That's it for now. Enjoy the game Monday night. It should be fun with all of the hype surrounding the first game in the new stadium.
