Tag Archives: New York Jets

Sad News From A Former NFL Star

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I have always been a fan of Mark Gastineau. One of my favorite memories is sitting at home on a Monday night watching the Jets play Denver with my middle daughter and seeing Mark Gastineau and Joe Klecko sitting on the sidelines while the offense played. Their uniforms were grass-stained and disheveled, but they looked as if they were having the time of their lives. They were an amazing duo.

The New York Daily News is reporting today that Mark Gastineau has been diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.

The article reports:

Gastineau said he received the diagnoses roughly a year ago and traced his illnesses back to football.

“You know, my first reaction was that I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it,” Gastineau told the Daily News in a phone interview Thursday night. “My second reaction was how can I help other people coming in to the NFL? That’s what it’s all about.”

The former defensive lineman believes football can now be played safely and aims to educate young football players.

“I know that there’s techniques out there that if I would have had ‘em, if I would have had the techniques out there that I’m teaching now to these kids, I know I would not be probably…I know I wouldn’t have the results that I have now,” he said on the radio.

Mark Gastineau is an ambassador for USA Football. He is an advocate for the Heads Up Football program–a joint program of the NFL and USA Football to improve the safety of the game.

The article further reports:

The former defensive lineman was enshrined in the Jets’ Ring of Honor in 2012. He gave an eclectic speech during halftime of the Jets’ Monday night loss to the Texans in October of that year when he was inducted alongside former wideout Wesley Walker.

“I think that the Lord put me on this Earth to show that you can be a great player, have all the sacks in the world…and at the end of your life you get news like this and you can turn it into bad, or you can turn it into good,” Gastineau told the News. 

I love football, but am concerned about the toll the game takes on its players. Hopefully the Heads Up Football program can help in this area. Meanwhile, I wish Mr. Gastineau well.

It’s Been A Bad Week For Football

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Tim Tebow, a player on the Denver Broncos Amer...

Tim Tebow, a player on the Denver Broncos American football team. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I like football. I’m a Jets fan (except when they play the Patriots, at which time I am thoroughly conflicted). I like Mark Sanchez–he is young, but I think he has great potential if he stays healthy. I have children who are Saints fans. It’s been a bad week.

Football is a rough sport. There is no need to make it rougher by giving out bonuses to hurt opposing players. The punishment levied against the New Orleans Saints’ coaches was appropriate. If there are other coaches doing the same thing, they should also be chastised. If you can’t win honestly, you don’t deserve to win.

About Tim Tebow. The best article I have seen on the Jets trade was posted yesterday at National Review. The article is entitled, “Tebow to Gomorrah.” I think that is probably appropriate.

The article sums it up:

Tebow is a force for capital-g Good in a sport filled with too much bad. And he’s a proven winner who routinely plays at the edge–and beyond–of his athletic ability. The Jets are a sad-sack organization with a Big-Blue chip on their shoulders, run almost entirely on bluster and bad behavior. Their marriage is far likelier to dull the former than sharpen the latter.

Don’t get me wrong. As a pure football move, I don’t think it’s terrible. Tebow would have been a nice piece in any offense–a versatile player (some scouts still think he should be converted into a tight end) who can do a lot of things in the backfield. The cost (a fourth and a sixth-round draft pick for Tebow and a seventh-rounder) was a little high, considering the Jets are in need of young depth, but liveable.

My understanding of Rex Ryan is that he would rather have a football team that runs instead of passes. Are we going to see Tim Tebow become part of a running offense to round out Mark Sanchez’s passing offense? That would be nice. At any rate, for a gang of New Yorkers, the Jets haven’t been very offensive lately, and I would like to see that change.

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