New York Sports Teams Resemble The Crumbling City They Inhabit
Is New York City… cursed?
Is the Big Apple… doomed?
The biggest star to come to town since arguably Reggie Jackson, Aaron Rodgers by way of the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets, was supposed to bring this wretched franchise its first Super Bowl appearance in 55 years.
Instead, despite all the hype, despite all the drama going into his first game with the team in front of a national audience on Monday night football, Rodgers went down and was lost for good due to a torn achilles… on the fourth play of the season.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 11: Aaron Rodgers #8 of the New York Jets is helped off the field for an apparent injury during a game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium on September 11, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Jets Lose Aaron Rodgers to an Achilles Tendon Injury, Then Rally to Stun Bills 22-16 in Overtime.
Not The First Time For The Jets
You can't make this stuff up. Did you know the last time the Jets were seen as a Super Bowl contender, they lost their quarterback, Vinnie Testaverde, during the first game of the season in 1999.
The injury? A torn achilles. Just like Rodgers.
No team in the NFL has had a longer streak of missing the playoffs than Gang Green. Yep, despite the ever-expanding playoff format and despite all the high draft picks, you have to go back to 2010 to find the Jets in the postseason. Without Rodgers and despite rallying to beat the Bills on Monday night (22-16), expect that dubious distinction to continue given the awesome talent currently in the AFC.
But New York has two sports teams, so maybe the Giants can give the region hope, right?
Nope. They lost 40-0 on Sunday night. And to the hated Cowboys at home on national television, no less. The Giants have now been outscored 78-7 in their past two games dating back to last year's blowout playoff loss to the Eagles.
Cowboys set franchise history, leave 'no doubt' with 40-0 win.
So much for hope.
New York Baseball Is No Better
Meanwhile, over to baseball, the Yankees, also seen as championship contenders, are looking at a last place finish for the first time since 1991. This despite having the highest payroll in the American League at $278 million.
Its highest-paid player, Aaron Judge, has 31 home runs this season (he hit 62 last year to break the AL record) after missing several weeks due to a toe injury. His annual pay is $40 million per season for the next eight years. Overall, the Yankees have won exactly one World Series in 20 years (2009), an unthinkable drought considering the 27 championships the organization has captured, which is still the highest in professional sports.
The only team to have a higher payroll than the Yanks? The crosstown Mets in the National League. Payroll: $343 million. The organization signed Justin Verlander in the offseason for more than $43 million annually. He didn't make it out of August after being traded back to the Houston Astros, where he won two World Series championships. Its other stud pitcher, Max Scherzer, didn't make it out of July after he and his fat contract (also more than $43 million annually) was traded to the Texas Rangers. Overall, the Amazins ain't so amazin', as they are currently 28.5 games out of first place.
Max Scherzer Contract Details, Salaries, & Earnings.
And you thought money could buy happiness.
How About Basketball Or Hockey?
But hey, basketball season is coming soon! Except the Knicks likely aren't going anywhere. Again. The team hasn't won a championship since Nixon was in office. They were knocked out of the playoffs last year by the eighth-seeded Miami Heat and haven't made any significant moves in the offseason.
How about the Nets over in Brooklyn? Nope. Rebuilding year, they say. Kevin Durant is gone. Kyrie Irving is gone. James Harden is gone. The Nets haven't won an NBA championship, since, well, never.
Over to hockey, the New York area somehow has three NHL teams. No other city can boast having this many franchises from one sport anywhere in the country. So to review:
The New York Rangers haven't won a Stanley Cup in nearly 30 years.
The New York Islanders haven't won a Cup in 40 years.
And the New Jersey Devils haven't won a Stanley Cup in 20 years.
Outside of maybe, maybe the Devils, who are exciting but still profoundly young, don't expect those streaks that total a combined 89 years to be broken.
Messi Didn't Choose New York
Soccer? Naah. The New York Red Bulls and New York City FC are currently in 4th and 7th place in their conference. And at last check, the one guy who could save their franchises from mediocrity, Lionel Messi, has propelled Miami Inter from last place to a favorite to win the MLS Cup.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - AUGUST 02: Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF celebrates his 2nd goal during the Leagues Cup 2023 match against Orlando City SC (1) and Inter Miami CF (3) at the DRV PNK Stadium on August 2nd, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)
Lionel Messi scores again, Inter Miami tops Philadelphia 4-1 to make Leagues Cup final.
Which leaves us with the New York Liberty of the WNBA, which have been in existence since the league launched in 1997. They have as many championships as the Nets do (zero).
So with sports being utterly depressing in the New York metro area despite having NINE professional sports teams to choose from, at least there's the city itself. A thriving metropolis that never sleeps!
New York City A Disaster Too
But people are now leaving New York in droves for places like Florida and Texas and Tennessee. That's what happens when you boast having the highest taxes in the country and violent crime is spiraling out of control. Most folks can't afford to live here. For example, $3500 per month is the average cost of a studio apartment. That's a 35 percent increase from last year alone. And then there's the migrant crisis, which has made the city unrecognizable thanks to people sleeping in the streets and ritzy hotels being transformed into shelters.
How three renters are coping with record-breaking rent in NYC.
“Let me tell you something New Yorkers, never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to — I don’t see an ending to this,” Mayor Eric Adams declared last week regarding the migrant crisis. “This issue will destroy New York City.”
“Let me tell you something New Yorkers, never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to — I don’t see an ending to this,” Mayor Eric Adams declared last week regarding the migrant crisis. “This issue will destroy New York City.”
‘I Don’t See an Ending to This’: NYC Mayor Adams Predicts Migrant Crisis Will ‘Destroy’ City.
The mayor estimates $12 billion will be added to the city's deficit to house and feed and educate these migrants. That's the type of number that will send this great city into bankruptcy.
Hope Seems To Be Gone
Sports used to be the ultimate escape, especially for weary New Yorkers who have to deal with working tirelessly just to afford to live here while dealing with the second-worst traffic in the country.
New York City - Worst traffic cities in the U.S., ranked.
Aaron Rodgers gave the city and the region hope that its most cursed, most unsuccessful franchise would recapture the glory of Joe Namath and that improbable Super Bowl victory over the heavily-favored Colts in 1969.
But after just four plays, the 39-year-old four-time MVP and one-time Super Bowl champion was out. And may well have played the last snap of his storied career.
It wasn't supposed to be like this for the Jets. Or the Giants. Or the Yankees or the Mets. But that's the state of New York sports in 2023, where its teams are faring just as poorly as this once-proud city itself.