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Today TIME magazine announced its Person of the Year award. A prestigious award that some of the Worlds' greatest individuals have claimed. Gang Green Nation isn't quite as prestigious as TIME, well not yet anyway, but that doesn't stop us from giving you the opportunity to vote on your Jets person of the year.
We'd like this to be based on two factors:
- The individual who has represented the Jets in the best manner over the last 12 months, whether that be in the community or through charity work. The person who constantly strives to improve the Jets organization for the fans and takes time to engage with the Jets community as a whole.
If you believe that someone other than the individuals listed below are worthy, please vote "(other)" and specify who in the comments. Voting will be closed on the 31st of December and the winner will be announced at the start of January.
If this goes well, I'd like to make this an annual tradition here at GGN. So I'm going for a semi-serious vote here.
Here are the 2015 nominations for the award
Woody Johnson - Jets Chairman & CEO
Johnson started the year by firing both John Idzik and Rex Ryan, admitting his own mistakes. He followed this by taking a very pragmatic approach to finding their replacements, bringing in industry experts and respected football analysts to spearhead the search. Johnson then decided to employ a young, hungry coach in Todd Bowles and pair him with a talent evaluator in Mike Maccagnan. Finally, he opened up the wallet to allow the GM to put a team on the field that was capable of winning in this league. I would say Woody has had quite the year for the Jets.
Mike Maccagnan - Jets General Manager
You can't judge a GM by his first year on the job, but we're evaluating the last 12 months, and the last 12 months only. Maccagnan enjoys a very positive relationship with head coach Todd Bowles and acted quickly to cut IK after the Geno incident. He drafted the best player available, and the early results on Williams overall play are very positive. Verdict is out on the draft class, but it was packed with talent. He practically stole Brandon Marshall from the Bears and Fitzpatrick from the Texans. The signing of Revis energized the fanbase and he was wise enough to construct the Cromartie contract so the Jets can escape it if there is an obvious decline. He continues to churn the bottom of the roster to try and unearth talent, a key attribute for most successful GM's. He also revamped a lot of the scouting department employing Rex Hogan and Brian Heimerdinger. A good manager surrounds himself with talented individuals.
Todd Bowles - Jets Head Coach
Bowles is a man who doesn't pander to the media. Hired as a first time head coach, he has continuously said the right things without giving away too much. A happy medium between a Rex Ryan and an Eric Mangini. There have been some small issues, but Bowles has dealt with any uncomfortable situations quickly and with class. The players largely love and respect him and he has brought respectability back to the Jets. He's led them into a play-off race, never getting too down after losses or too high after wins. He made the decision to stick with Fitzpatrick once Geno returned, he benched one of his best players, following through on his commitment to accountability.
Ryan Fitzpatrick - Jets Quarterback
It's hard to win in this league without having a good Quarterback, the Jets know that more than anyone. Ryan came over from the Texans and did everything right from the start. He took his initial status as the #2 well, and was prepared once his chance came. He has been a little up and down, but he's made some fantastic plays to either keep or help win the game. His work ethic is never in doubt and he's constantly in touch with his wide receivers, all indications are he's a film-room fiend and will spend a lot of time looking for weaknesses, not taking his spot for granted. Ryan may break several Jets records this year and he's been one of the most, if not the most important player to the Jets this season.
Brandon Marshall - Jets Wide Receiver
Marshall has been exemplary since coming over from the Bears in an off-season trade. He has reached 1,000 yards already and has come up with big catch after big catch. With 10 TD's on the season, he's almost certainly going to become the most productive single season receiver we've had in decades. He came with a reputation for off the field problems, but we've seen none of that. He's constantly working in the community to raise awareness for mental health using Project 375, which he founded with his wife. He's entertaining, he's productive and he gives back. That's someone you want in the building.
Neil Glat - Jets President
The Jets are a business, and Neil Glat takes care of the business side of the organization. He has introduced a number of community initiatives to bring the fans closer to the team, including introducing a year-round fan engagement calendar as well as organizing intimate gathering with Woody Johnson for season ticket holders As well as launching the Jets reward program. He also helped introduce flexible and variable season ticket pricing. He has brokered several partnerships for the Jets to ensure they remain a profitable business capable of generating revenue. Glat often takes the time to join Jets player in charitable endeavors such as working at a food-bank for Thanksgiving.