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The New York Post’s Jets Joke Would Be Funnier If It Weren’t A Ripoff Of An Old, Already-Done Gag

As we’ve discussed here, the Jets have had trouble scoring points this preseason – so much trouble, in fact, that they’ve failed to score one touchdown through three preseason games. Well, the New York Post this morning, in addition to suggesting the Jets make Tim Tebow a running back, decided to have a little fun at the expense of the team’s offensive ineptitude. Specifically, the Post did this:

Harsh, but again, not inaccurate, so everyone had a good laugh. But I sensed an issue with the joke: namely, that I’d seen it before, via a post from August 22 on an NFL-meme/image-macro-centric Facebook page that I’d happened to see because a Facebook friend shared it. That version of the joke is below:

As you can see, the only differences between the two are a few-switched around words and the fact that the one directly above makes fun of the Cowboys instead of the Jets. Of course, given their well-publicized struggles, the Jets make way more sense as a joke target (which is echoed by a few people who commented on the Facebook posting). But the Jets joke is pretty clearly not new – and neither was the Cowboys joke; Snopes points out that this bit resurfaces about a new team every year and has examples dating back at least a decade.

We contacted the Post’s sports desk for comment, and we’ll update if we hear back. But until then, we say: Post, we know you’re clever. We’ve written plenty on your endlessly-creative-bordering-on-insane cover/headline work. Hell, even your subhed today, “Hard to give Gang benefit of drought.” That’s good. Recycling some bit that’s been seen before? We still love you, Post sports page, and you’ll probably win us over with another wacky Photoshop/pun soon enough, but for now: you’re better than that.

Getty photo, by Jeff Zelevansky

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