Joe Benigno at WFAN Needs to Find a New Shtick Beyond the 'Same Old Jets'

Joe Benigno, the co-host of WFAN's Benigno and Roberts midday call in show, needs to tone down his shtick when it comes to his favorite team, the New York Jets. His latest overreaction came today when it was announced that Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has an injured shoulder and that his playing status for the 10 and 4 Jets is uncertain for this Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears.

Benigno, 57, seems like a likeable enough guy. But his constant whining and moaning about the New York Jets and the supposed cursed nature of the franchise is growing old fast. He is on the verge of becoming a caricature of himself.

Benigno plays the role of the beaten down Jets fan. He constantly brings up the 'same old Jets' term and makes a big deal out of the fact that bad things seem to always happen to the Jets.

Benigno ignores the fact that in the modern day NFL, year to year, and most certainly decade to decade, results have little correlation with one another. The average player on the New York Jets has little if any knowledge of team collapses in previous eras. There is an entirely different roster, coaching staff and front office. There is bound to be repeated patterns across the league, and it's inevitable that some franchises will repeat similar patterns of results from previous eras.

The bigger problem with Benigno, though, is that his perspective on the Jets simply isn't true.

While the Jets have never had a dynasty, they have never been a particularly remarkable franchise, neither in a positive nor a negative way. In the 43 seasons (including this one), since the Jets won the Super Bowl following the 1968 season, they have finished the season at least .500 twenty four times; more than half the time. They have made the postseason during the same time twelve times, and will almost certainly make it for the thirteenth time this season.

The Jets have won one Super Bowl. Ten franchises have never won a single one. There are eleven franchises with more than one Super Bowl championship. Historically, the Jets are middle of the road.

Today, when news broke that Sanchez is hurt, Benigno again went into a rant. Never mind the fact that the Jets are going to the playoffs, and will, at worst, end up 10 and 6. Never mind the fact that injuries are just a given in the NFL. Never mind the fact that Sanchez's injury may not keep him out of the game on Sunday, and may very well prove to be a non-issue.

Benigno seemed determined to start with the drama; his co-host Evan Roberts, and guest Carl Banks both seemed exasperated. Banks pointed out that Green Bay has lost their quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, for last week's game against the New England Patriots.

Benigno has to come up with something else besides the 'woe-is-me', 'same-old-Jets' themes. They are not aging well.

Source:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2010/12/jets-should-injury-might-keep-mark-sanchez-from-playing/1

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/audio-on-demand/joe-and-evan/

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nyj/2010.htm