Surprised?

Yes, I was surprised that the Jets actually went ahead and did it. But I'm not happy about it.

There are lots of reasons to be unhappy about it. There are lots of reasons to be unhappy. I know I don't have to take them all seriously, but there are some tawdry parts of this already tainted draft process that make me even queasier than usual. Mark Sanchez was selected in a gesture of exceptional draft ballet in large measure because the Jets need a "marquee" player to fill their stadium, to justify their PSL's. And if the blather is to be believed, Shonn Greene was picked because his considerable potential will send a message to the unhappy Thomas Jones. Each of these is worthy of George Steinbrenner in its machinations, and because the Jets have never had a front office that works this way (and that may be a good thing) I am vaguely intrigued.

But it's cynical, isn't it? It's about seats and contracts, not about building a team. It's about short-term goals, not in building a future. How can Mark Sanchez, in a couple of years, possibly fulfill the financial aspirations of a limping football team in the most competitive market in America? On the other hand, the Patriots continue to think for the future, imagining the picks they might get in 2010. We worry about a contract dispute.