Everybody is feeling bad about yesterday's report that an 8-year-old Jets fan was trampled upon by drunken Cleveland Browns fans outside the Cleveland stadium after last Sunday's game. The Jets reached out to the family and offered to fly them all to New Jersey, arrange for seats in a suite at New Meadowlands Stadium and get them autographed gear from coach Rex Ryan and Jets players to make up for the rotten experience: “It’s terrible what happened to the kid. Anyone as a parent can relate to how awful that is. Anything the Jets can do to improve his spirits, we wanted to extend the offer,” said Matt Higgins, the Jets’ executive vice president of business operations.
Thus far, the family has graciously declined, not wanting to be in the spotlight anymore than they already have been, but the Jets say the offer is still on the table if they want it. The Jets certainly could use some motivated fans for this weekend's home game against the Houston Texans. Both of the Jets losses came at home this year, and Ryan let Jets fans know yesterday, in one of his trademark epic pep talks, that he really wants them to throw their voices into the game:
I’m challenging our offense. I’m challenging our fans. I’m challenging everybody, myself included, to start fast. Let [the Texans] know we’re here. Our team is going to let Houston know that we’re here and our fans will also. The last time we played Houston [last season’s opener in Texas], they had a ‘white out.’ Everybody was wearing white. I’m not calling for anything like that. I’m just calling for a ‘loud out.’ Let’s be loud and proud and get after these guys.
The Jets should count themselves lucky the massive New Meadowlands Stadium blackout happened last weekend during the Giants ugly loss to the revitalized Cowboys, lest Ryan tempt the fates. But for the fan who can't get enough of Ryan's unique brand of pep, you can now buy your own Rex Ryan motivational DVD.
