New York Jets nominated for Professional Sports Team of the Year Award

On May 18, SportsBusiness Daily and SportsBusiness Journal will host the fourth annual Sports Business Awards in the Broadway Ballroom of the Marriott Marquis in New York City.

The 2011 Awards will recognize excellence and outstanding achievement in the business of sports from January 1, 2010 through February 28, 2011.

Nominees from 15 different categories were carefully studied over the past several weeks by the selection committee and the winners will be announced at the live awards ceremony in a little less than two months.

Launched in 2008, the Sports Business Awards were established by SportsBusiness Daily and SportsBusiness Journal to celebrate and recognize the leaders, visionaries and day-to-day practitioners who personify excellence in the business of sports.

The inaugural event took place at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City. This year marks the third consecutive year that the Marriott Marquis will be home to the Sports Business Awards.

For the second consecutive year, the Big Apple will have horses in the race for the Sports Facility of the Year Award as the New Meadowlands Stadium, home to the New York Giants and the New York Jets, and Red Bull Arena, home to Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls, have been nominated for the honor.

Last year, Citi Field and Yankee Stadium were nominated for the award, but were topped by the $1 billion Cowboys Stadium.

Speaking of the Jets, Gang Green, who went to their second consecutive AFC Championship Game this past season, have the opportunity to lay claim to the Professional Sports Team of the Year Award, which, if it hasn’t already, should give head coach Rex Ryan plenty to bark about during the lockout.

This year’s Sports Business Awards nominees include:

Professional Sports Team of the Year

Ganassi Racing

New York Jets

Orlando Magic

Pittsburgh Penguins

San Francisco Giants



Professional Sports League of the Year

Major League Soccer

National Basketball Association

National Football League

National Hockey League

Ultimate Fighting Championship



Sports Event of the Year

ING New York City Marathon – 2010

NBA All-Star Game – 2011

NCAA Final Four – 2010

Winter X Games – 2011



Sports Executive of the Year

George Bodenheimer, President, ESPN/ABC Sports

Chip Ganassi, Owner, Ganassi Racing

David Levy, President of Sales, Distribution and Sports, Turner Broadcasting System

Kevin Plank, Chair, CEO, Under Armour

Pat Riley, President, Miami Heat



Athletic Director of the Year

Bob Bowlsby, Stanford University

Tim Curley, Penn State University

Chris Del Conte, Texas Christian University

DeLoss Dodds, University of Texas

Chris Hill, University of Utah



Best in Sports Media

CBS Sports

ESPN

Fox Sports

National Football League

Turner Sports



Best in Sports Television

ESPN Networks

Fox Sports

HBO Sports

NBC Sports

Turner Sports



Best in Digital Sports Media

CBS Interactive Media

ESPN Digital Media

MLB Advanced Media

Turner Sports



Best in Talent Representation and Management

Boras Corporation

CAA Sports

IMG

Octagon

Wasserman Media Group



Best in Corporate Consulting, Marketing and Client Services

GMR Marketing

GroupM ESP

IMG

Octagon

Team Epic

Wasserman Media Group



Best in Property Consulting, Sales and Client Services

AEG Global Partnerships

CAA Sports

Home Team Marketing

IMG



Best in Sports Event and Experiential Marketing

BaAM Productions

BeCore Promotions

Intersport

The Marketing Arm

Momentum Worldwide

SportsMark



Sports Sponsor of the Year

Papa John’s

Phillips-Van Heusen

Subway

T-Mobile USA



Sports Facility of the Year

Amway Center

Arrowhead Stadium

Consol Energy Center

New Meadowlands Stadium

Red Bull Arena

Target Field



Best in Sports Technology

Daktronics

Fanvibe

IOMEDIA

MLB Advanced Media


Click here to read the original article at SportsHaze.com.

Top Five Lessons New York Jets Should Have Learned This Season

As the sting from a loss in their second consecutive AFC Championship Game gradually subsides, the New York Jets can look back on the 2010-11 season with a mixture of hope, pride and shame.

Thus, similarly to the proverbial game of life, Gang Green, individually and collectively, can glean a myriad of lessons from the occasions where they failed and succeeded, both as players and as men.

So, the offseason presents a prime opportunity for the Jets to reflect and mature, to become better, not bitter, for the euphoric highs and wretched lows that are part and parcel of a grueling 16-game National Football League schedule.

Therefore, it is imperative that the Jets carefully and introspectively look back on a season that could have easily been lost due to self-inflicted wounds, and move forward with renewed perspective on what it truly means to be a winner.

5. Talk is cheap

From their appearance on HBO’s reality documentary series Hard Knocks to cornerback Antonio Cromartie questioning the manhood of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward prior to the AFC Championship Game, the Jets weren’t bashful about speaking their minds.

And with the addition of established stars in Cromartie, LaDainian Tomlinson, Santonio Holmes and Jason Taylor via free agency and trades last year, it was clear the Jets were assembling a team built to win the Super Bowl this season, an observation made known by the team to any and all who would listen.

“Honestly, we’re here for our Super Bowl. If we don’t get there, nothing else matters.” – Kris Jenkins

“Don’t be timid about saying it. That’s your goal. Write it down. Say it. Read it. Talk about it. It’s fine. It’s not false bravado. It’s real, and that’s what we want. I think we have the players to do it.” – Mark Sanchez

“Anything short of the obvious is a disappointment. At the end of the day, to beat the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship or to beat the Saints or Vikings, we have to put it all together. It’s not enough just to have the manpower on paper.” – Braylon Edwards

“This is definitely different than any other year I’ve been in. It’s a true sense of Super Bowl or bust. This team is built for that. It’s been talked about over and over again. Guys understand that.” – Brandon Moore

Ultimately though, for all their braggadocio, the Jets would fall short of punching a ticket to Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium, proving once again that Gang Green’s bark was worse than their bite.

4. Cheaters never win

While in the throes of a two-game losing streak, the Jets became the subject of an NFL investigation for the third time in a three-month span, including the notorious Brett Favre-Jenn Sterger inquest.

During a Week 14 game against the Miami Dolphins, Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi deliberately tripped Dolphins rookie cornerback Nolan Carroll as he was running near the sideline to cover a punt.

In the aftermath of this incident, Alosi issued an immediate apology before being fined $25,000 and indefinitely suspended from the team.

The Jets maintain Alosi acted alone despite player testimony and visual evidence suggesting head coach Rex Ryan and special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff were fully aware Alosi engineered the formation of a wall along the sidelines, leading to the tripping fiasco.

To add insult to injury, the Jets lost the game to their division foes, 10-6, dashing all hopes of winning the AFC East crown.

3. Women should be treated with respect

Prior to the start of the season, the Jets embroiled themselves in controversy when Inés Sainz, a reporter for Mexico’s TV Azteca, became victim to a hostile and unprofessional working environment as she attempted to interview quarterback Mark Sanchez.

In accounts provided by the New York Post, Jets defensive backs coach Dennis Thurman purposely overthrew footballs to players during a drill for defensive backs so that the passes would land near Sainz on the sideline.

This was followed by defensive lineman Jason Taylor, a husband and father of three children, volunteering to take part in the drills even though he isn't part of Thurman’s unit.

Rex Ryan, a husband and father of two sons himself, also got involved when he had Thurman run a pattern near the sideline and intentionally overthrew him in Sainz's direction.

If this wasn’t enough, Sainz was greeted by catcalls and hooting in the Jets locker room at the conclusion of practice to which defensive tackle Kris Jenkins declared, “This is our locker room!” when Sainz was asked if she was OK.

"I die of embarrassment!" Sainz wrote in Spanish on her Twitter account. "I am in the locker room of the Jets waiting for Mark Sanchez while trying not to look to anywhere!"

As a result, the NFL launched an investigation in the wake of a complaint made by the Association of Women in Sports Media against the Jets.

Needless to say, this was inexcusable and egregious behavior from grown men, many of whom are husbands and fathers, including the head coach.

2. Friends don’t let friends drink and drive

Less than two weeks after the Inés Sainz scandal, enigmatic wide receiver Braylon Edwards was arrested for driving while intoxicated (DWI).

Police officers initially stopped Edwards for excessive tinting on his white Land Rover but Edwards’ bloodshot, watery eyes and the strong smell of alcohol in the vehicle prompted further investigation.


Subsequently, Edwards consented to and failed a breathalyzer examination, where it was determined his blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit, leading to his arrest.

Among the four passengers in Edwards’ vehicle at the time of the arrest were teammates D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Vernon Gholston.

Fortunately, this error in judgment on the part of all three Jets players did not result in anyone getting hurt, but the potential alone should have been reason for pause on the evening in question.

1. The future looks bright

In the past 31 years, the Jets have not enjoyed a more successful two-year run than they have experienced under Rex Ryan, whose résumé now consists of 20 regular season victories, two consecutive playoff appearances, four road playoff victories in six games and two consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances.

And with an aggressive front office committed to making the moves necessary to keep them in title contention, the Jets will be a force to be reckoned with for several years to come.

So, Gang Green does have reason to hold their heads high, especially after they clawed back from a 24-0 deficit against the Steelers to pull to within one touchdown of completing an improbable comeback.

The Jets can learn from this experience, as well as the mistakes they made throughout the season to sabotage themselves.

If they do grow from these trials and tribulations, Rex Ryan will have pulled off his most masterful coaching job yet.

Click here to read the original article at SportsHaze.com.

The Intruiging Possibilities For Super Bowl XLV

Just how intriguing can this year’s Super Bowl be? Let’s now look at what are some of the match ups and scenarios that could be possibilities after the AFC/NFC championship games end:

Green Bay Packers vs Pittsburgh Steelers

Two historic franchises could frame the ultimate David and Goliath-type of match up if they have their way in their conference finals.

The Steelers would be the out-right favorite as the stronger team on both sides of the ball that could brew up headaches for the Packers coaching staff. Pittsburgh is a team that has seen it all, done it all, and facing a potent Green Bay offense will not scare their defense.

After playing through two road games though, the Packers could surely enhance their confidence going into the Super Bowl if they could knock off the Bears in Chicago.

Key Match Up: Aaron Rodgers arm vs Troy Polamalu’s Defensive Instincts

Chicago Bears vs Pittsburgh Steelers

If you are a fan of old school football, bone-crunching tackles, and an all out war between two sides, pray that this will be the two teams that come out of championship week successful.

Both teams have strong beliefs that they have the best defense in the league; but can you blame them? They both play in divisions that require top notch, smash mouth hitters on the defensive side of the ball. Toughness is the identity both defenses wear on their sleeves like tattoos.

Yet, despite having the ability to stop their opposition from scoring, putting up points will be more of a problem for both squads. Both are capable of making plays on offense, but that will be a more difficult task to accomplish against the other’s defense. So if you like high scoring and big offensive plays, you better hope this isn’t how the Super Bowl ends up when the dust clears on championship weekend.

Key Match Up: Chicago’s Offense vs Pittsburgh’s Offense

Chicago Bears vs New York Jets

This is quite an intriguing match up for teams whose offenses are like old, rundown cars: sometimes they have trouble starting and often end up stalling towards the end of the ride.

While the Jets defense is not on an elite level as the Bears or Steelers are, their resume during this post season run says otherwise. If you can contain a Colts and Patriots offense (led by Peyton Manning and Tom Brady) from scoring more than your offense that is questionable in terms of when it will show up, then you should have that swagger of feeling elite. Yet, both New England and Indianapolis don’t have defenses like the Bears do.

The key on both sides will be special teams, as each have weapons that can make big splashes in the return game (Devin Hester for Chicago and Antonio Cromartie for New York). Field position will be the ultimate key in a game where both offenses need as much help as possible.

Key Match Up: Chicago Bears Special Teams vs New York Jets Special Teams

Green Bay Packers vs New York Jets

Who wouldn’t want to see these two storied franchises, who combined to win the first three Super Bowls ever played, go up against each other for a title for the first time ever?

This match up would have the most common playing field in terms of talents and strength if these historic teams were to face off against each other. Both have young quarterbacks that are looking to prove they belong in the discussion as elite talents. Their offenses are similar in that they are stronger at one facet of the game (Jets running game and Packers passing ability) than the other (Jets passing game and Packers rushing ability).

Both defenses are exceptional, especially against the pass, but it is the Jets that have the advantage on stopping the ground game than the Packers are. It would also be an intriguing match up on the sidelines with Ryan’s abrasive, boisterous personality against coach Mike McCarthy’s calm, serene demeanor.

Key Matchup: Packers Run Defense vs Jets Run Offense

Anyway you look at it, the potential battles that the Super Bowl may entail is exciting to imagine. Aside from the great match ups, this year’s game or winner could give a refreshing new look for one of the most watched sports events every year. Of the remaining teams, only the Pittsburgh and Chicago are also the only teams of the last four that have played in the game since 2000 (and only the Steelers have won a title since the turn of the new decade).

Intriguing…isn’t it?

An Unexpected Final Four For The 2011 NFL Playoffs

We are inching ever so close to Super Bowl 2011 and just trying to figure out who will play for the Vince Lombardi trophy is puzzling. The NFC and AFC Championship games will feature four teams who many had no belief would make it this far, let alone the playoffs.



Who could have ever seen this coming?



The NFC side will showcase the sixth seed Green Bay Packers, who stormed through Phildelphia and Atlanta, against their division rival and second seeded Chicago Bears, who dismantled Seattle with ease after a first round bye. The boastful New York Jets, who shocked both Indianapolis and New England in their house, will battle the enduring Pittsburgh Steelers, a team fresh off a hard fought victory over the Baltimore Ravens, for the AFC title game.



This is definitely a season where betting on the underdog could churn a hefty pay out. It is stunning to see a playoff picture with notable absences in the playoffs over the past few years (those usuals include New England, Indianapolis, New Orleans and Philadelphia). Even more surprising is how they were all shocked by teams most gave no chance to win.



How could these franchises be just one step away from the professional football title game when they were never in the discussion to reach this far at any point this season?



Let’s look at the 2010 journey for these four squads.





Chicago Bears





Prior to the start of the season: The Bears are like the old, historical pirates that people hear stories about: lost at sea with no compass to direct them, yet somehow they find their destination. It was only five years ago that this team made it to the Super Bowl, only to lose at the hands of Peyton Manning and his Colts. Since then, they have had only one winning season and no playoff appearances. It looked like it would be another season of watching from home with the Vikings loading up again and Green Bay looking ready to take the next step.



During the season: That outlook on the season was very much a skewed according to the Bears. With Cutler’s improvement and a defense that looked like the one from five years ago, the Bears appeared back to their winning ways. They started out hot, winning their first three and taking top billing over the NFC Central, but sputtered a bit as they entered their bye week losing three of four. They would recover to rip off five straight wins and they would lock up the division, as well as the second seed of the playoffs.





Green Bay Packers





Prior to the start of the season: For the cheese heads, it was all about taking down their rivals Minnesota Vikings and their former messiah Brett Favre after they watched him march the Vikes to the 2009 NFC Championship game. Aaron Rodgers finally got a taste of the playoffs in 2009, and he revived faith in an organization that he could begin a new chapter in the Packers history book.



During the season: The franchise and its fans rode that same hope as the Packers would go on to a 6-3 record to start the season. As the year progressed, it was obvious that the Vikings ship was sunk and the only barrier that stood between Green Bay and the division title were the Bears. They would remain neck and neck with Chicago after their bye week, but a Rodgers concussion quickly halted their chance to take over the division. They would win the last game of the season, luckily securing them the final spot in the playoffs.





Pittsburg Steelers





Prior to the season: After winning another title during the 2009 season, the Steelers looked ready to return back to the promise land. With QB Ben Roethlisberger still under center, and defensive beasts Troy Polamalu and James Harrison making big plays, it seemed inevitable. The Ravens would erase those happens after taking the last spot of the playoffs away from them. Then, prior to the start of this season, Roethlisberger was suspended for the first four games of the season and it looked like 2010 had a high probability of replicating the 2009 season.



During the season: Lucky for the Steelers, Dennis Dixon and Charlie Batch were able to keep the team afloat with three wins in the four games Roethlisberger was suspended for. After their bye week and Roethlisberger’s activation, the team continued floating higher and higher in the standings. They would go on to win nine of their last twelve games of the season and only trailed behind the Patriots for the best record in the AFC.





New York Jets





Prior to the season: If anyone selected the Jets as one of the participants in the AFC title game in 2009, then give yourself a round of applause. What the achieved that season was miraculous, despite the bellowing from their rambunctious leader Rex Ryan that this team was a Super Bowl contender. That success led to their own reality show, in which those same prophecies that Ryan had been loudly protesting became the moniker of the show. Despite the hype, most felt that his bantering was nothing more than hot air and that the team would not be able to duplicate their overachieving success from 2009.



During the season: Those J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets! would show off early that coach Ryan’s boldness was felt throughout his players. They would start the season 5-1 and looked to finally prove the naysayers wrong in that they were an elite team. Then, after winning four of their next five after their bye week, the Jets would stumble by losing back-to-back games and concerns were raised that QB Mark Sanchez may be starting to choke. They would go on to win two of their last three, eventually capturing the final playoff spot.



It’ll be interesting to see how the final two stages of the season play out and what scenarios will be brought up for the Super Bowl. Both conference championship games will be exciting when they are played out and will produce a participant for the NFL title that no one expected.



Unforeseen endings will most likely be the theme heading into the final game, just as it has been for the first two rounds of this year’s playoffs.

New York Jets Must Keep Mark Sanchez Clean in AFC Championship Game

When the New York Jets and the Pittsburgh Steelers take the field in the AFC Championship Game, among the main goals for both teams will be to place the opposing quarterback under constant siege and ensure their own signal caller remains as comfortable in the pocket as possible.

In the Divisional Playoffs, the Jets demonstrated how the brilliant execution of this stratagem can alter the outlook of a game from the opening kickoff to the final whistle.

Coming into the playoffs, the New England Patriots ranked second in the AFC (fifth in the NFL) on the New York Life Protection Index, the authoritative measure of a team’s aptitude in pass protection, while Gang Green narrowly finished outside the top five in the conference, coming in at No. 7 (11th in the NFL).

However, the roles were dramatically reversed in the third clash between the heated division rivals last week.

The Patriots defense didn’t register a sack or a single quarterback hit during the entire contest, allowing Mark Sanchez, the Jets’ second-year field general, to enjoy the best game of his young career.

Sanchez tied a franchise single-game postseason record by throwing three touchdown passes, joining Chad Pennington, Joe Namath, Pat Ryan and Vinny Testaverde, and registered a sparkling quarterback rating of 127.3 in guiding the Jets to their second consecutive AFC Championship Game.

And Sanchez’s glowing success can primarily be attributed to an offensive line charged with the duty of keeping his uniform squeaky clean, an assignment that has truly been taken to heart in the postseason.

During the regular season, the Jets tied for 4th in the conference in fewest sacks allowed. But in the playoffs, the Jets not only lead the AFC in this category, they rank first in the league.

Surprisingly though, the Patriots offensive line, who were second in the AFC in fewest sacks allowed, was uncharacteristically porous against the Jets, surrendering five sacks and seven quarterback hits.

As a result of an unstable pocket and solid coverage in the secondary, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was never able to get into the rhythm that made him the overwhelming favorite to win the NFL’s MVP Award.

The rest is Jets history.

But the Pittsburgh Steelers will be the Jets’ stiffest challenge to date.

The modern-day Steel Curtain recorded a league-high 48 sacks this season, a key ingredient to an AFC North Division-winning 12-4 campaign.

Pittsburgh’s second-ranked defense sacked opposing quarterbacks 44 times in their 12 wins, an average of 3.67 sacks/game and 91.7 percent of their sack total, while registering only four sacks in their losses.

In addition, the Steelers averaged 4.92 quarterback hits per game in their wins and 3.75 hits per game in four losses.

So, as evidenced, in order for Pittsburgh to be successful, one of their primary goals will be to generate a tremendous amount of pressure on Mark Sanchez, which they failed to do against the Jets (one sack, two quarterback hits) last month in a 22-17 loss.

This is where the Jets must duplicate their success in Indianapolis and New England, a task much easier said than done.

On the opposite side of the ball, the Jets defense tied for fourth in the AFC with 40 sacks, but the Steelers offense was second in the conference in sacks allowed (43) and ranked 26th in the league on the New York Life Protection Index.

But although pass protection isn’t high on the list when gauging Pittsburgh’s success this season, it still doesn’t change the Jets’ defensive goal to make it as long of a day for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at Heinz Field as they made it for Tom Brady in Foxborough.

Essentially, the game will boil down to the battle in the trenches, especially between the Jets offensive line, in concert with their pass protection schemes, and the Steelers defensive line, combined with the blitz packages they will bring to the table.

Who will win?

Any guess is as good as the flip of a coin.

Click here to read the original article at SportsHaze.com.

New York Jets Quarterback Mark Sanchez Comes of Age in Foxboro

It was only fitting that quarterback Mark Sanchez had the ball in his hands to conclude the AFC Divisional Playoff game between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots.

In two seasons as the Jets signal caller, Sanchez’s visits to Gillette Stadium have ended in such disappointment and failure it could be easily argued the Patriots home field had become his personal house of horrors.

As a rookie in 2009, Sanchez had his most forgettable game of the season in Foxborough, completing only 8-of-21 passes for 136 yards, one touchdown and four debilitating interceptions.

Sanchez’s quarterback rating for the game was an appalling 37.1, and not surprisingly, the Jets lost a 31-14 laugher to their heated division rivals.

This season, Gang Green’s second trip to Gillette Stadium in the Rex Ryan era culminated in the team’s worst defeat in 24 years, as well as the poorest performance in the young career of the 24-year-old Sanchez.

With Sanchez completing 17-of-33 passes for 164 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions to earn a dreadful quarterback rating of 27.8, the Jets received the same 45-3 lambasting from New England they did in 1986 at the hands of the Miami Dolphins.

So as the Jets prepared for their third meeting with the Patriots in Foxboro, this time with a trip to the AFC Championship Game on the line, the onus was on Sanchez to finally exorcise those demons in what his head coach called the second biggest game in team history.

However, whether inadvertently or purposefully, Rex Ryan and starting cornerback Antonio Cromartie created the smokescreen needed to deflect pressure away from the Jets second-year quarterback, allowing Sanchez to focus on improved ball security and executing the game plan formulated by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

And on a glorious Sunday afternoon in Gillette Stadium, Sanchez lived up to every bit of the potential that was seen, when the Jets selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Sanchez didn’t just play turnover-free game; he outplayed and outshined Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in leading New York to a 28-21 upset victory and clinching the Jets’ second consecutive trek to the AFC Championship Game.

In the type of performance that should inspire profuse praise from Joe Namath, Sanchez completed 64.0 percent of his passes (16-for-25) for 194 yards and three touchdowns, including a picture-perfect seven-yard touchdown toss to wide receiver Santonio Holmes to give the Jets a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

It certainly helped that the Jets’ offensive line didn’t allow a sack and kept Sanchez from getting hit during the entire game, a stark contrast to Tom Brady’s day at the office.

During the regular season, New England ranked fifth on the New York Life Protection Index, a measure of a team’s aptitude in pass protection, while New York came into the playoffs with the 11th best rating.

However, Brady was sacked five times and hit seven as the Jets pass rush made him extremely uncomfortable in the pocket throughout the game.

On the other side of the ball, Sanchez was afforded a clean pocket to throw in and, as a consequence, figuratively grew up before the nation’s eyes.

Among his accomplishments on the day, Sanchez became the first quarterback since 2000 to throw for three touchdowns against the Bill Belichick-led Patriots in the postseason (Donovan McNabb, Jake Delhomme).

In addition, Sanchez tied a franchise single-game postseason record when he threw his third and most impressive touchdown of the game, joining Chad Pennington, Pat Ryan, Vinny Testaverde and Joe Namath in Jets lore.

More importantly though, Sanchez proved, without a shadow of a doubt, he can be counted to shine on the grandest of stages.

It can also be said, with no equivocation, Rex Ryan, Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets, individually and collectively, exorcised the demons that had been haunting them in Foxboro.

Click here to read the original article at SportsHaze.com.