'Fireman Ed' quits Jets because of poor sportsmanship

It doesn't matter which NFL team you root for, some things are just iconic and deserve a tip of the cap whether you like the actual team or not. The Dog Pound in Cleveland, the Cheeseheads in Green Bay, and the Black Hole in Oakland are all examples of rabid fans showing team spirit to the nth degree. In New York, you had this guy (email subscribers click here):



Notice I said had. 'Fireman Ed', aka former New York City firefighter Ed Anzalone stepped down as his favorite team's unofficial mascot on Sunday. The Jets lost badly to the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving night and looked bad doing it, but that's not the reason Anzalone is stepping aside. By all accounts, his health is fine and the team's 4-7 record is not an issue. So, why did Gang Green's number one fan retire his fireman's helmet for good? As a guest columnist for New York's Metro newspaper, Anzalone wrote the following:

"On Thanksgiving night, I left the Jets game before halftime. This was the second time in a row I left before there were four zeroes on the clock. We have had much worse teams than this and I never left before. I pride myself in that, because I am not a quitter. I decided to leave Thursday because the confrontations with other Jets fans have become more common, even though most Jets fans are fantastic. This is an indication of how society has lost and is continuing to lose respect for one another.The stadium has become divided because of the quarterback controversy as well. Whether it’s in the stands, the bathroom or the parking lot, these confrontations are happening on a consistent basis."

For perspective's sake, Anzalone has been a Jets fan since 1975. The team won Super Bowl III in 1969 - meaning Anzalone has never seen his beloved squad win a championship. It's not frustration over losing, though. As Anzalone lamented, the team has gone through much worse. Rich Kotite yielded a 4-28 record as head coach. Bill Belichick scribbled "I resign as HC of the NYJ" on a piece of paper the day after being introduced as Bill Parcells' hand-picked successor in 2000. It's fan behavior. It's poor sportsmanship that has driven him away.

Sports are supposed to be fun for everyone. When they stop being fun, people quit. This goes for little people as well as not-so-little people. If poor fan behavior can chase away a man who used to run into burning buildings for a living, what do you think it does to your 6th grader? One win can erase 50 years of losing. However, one incident of poor sportsmanship can ruin someone for a lifetime. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol