Families should think about parking when planning games

Last year, when I attended a Jets home game, parking was a nightmare. According to the Jets organization, the Xanadu project will be completed in 2010. But, last year was incredibly bad. Really, the only real parking option (meaning a normal experience) is only going to be possible by showing up many hours before the game.

I was talking about this with a friend who is going to a few home games with me during the season. Our plan is going to be something to the tune of showing up at about 7:30 a.m. on game day. We tried showing up three hours early last year. The lot was already over-filled, and parking became a major issue.

There aren't a lot of references about this online right now. But, for anyone interested in attending any games this is going to become a very big deal. Especially where it involves the game as a family event, it can be a strong challenge if the commute to the game and parking is not strongly factored into the plan.

The natural thought is that the organizers at the Meadowlands, or perhaps the teams, would really put a lot of thought into how to avoid this problem. Well, they didn't last year and I haven't seen anything giving me an inclination that there is any planning going into it this year. So, the planning part is going to be left up to those attending. And, as I see it, the only real plan is going to be showing up before the crowd hits. I have to think that means getting there obscenely early. I'll be checking this out more as the weeks click by and will blog more about this.

Click on the headline to go to JetsInsider.com.

Favre to wear Jet green this season

Packer future Hall-of-Famer Brett Favre will presumably be starting for the New York Jets this season. This news was released as the Jets front office announced that former Gang Green QB Chad Pennginton has been notified he will be traded or released from the team. According to the NY Daily News, Pennginton is scheduled to earn $6 million this year.

For Pennginton, this brings an end to a spotty stay in New York. Finally an end to the flashes of brilliance punctuated by the string of injuries from the Marshall University alum. Never decisive enough against the pass rush, in my opinion, Pennington's fate as a good back-up would have been more meaningful than his troubled time in the fermament of the starting spot.

Meanwhile, Favre enters into the "Joe Montana in Kansas City" period of his career. This is not a knock, as Montana elevated the play of the Chiefs of his day and brought them into meaningful contention for the first time in a long time. Perhaps some of Favre's Madison magic can spark the ever-languishing Jets to new heights (or at least crawling out of the cellar of the AFC East).

While Favre is a great, how competitive will he be in the AFC, which many regard as having a more competitive schedule than the NFC? I think it is clear that Favre will be able to produce well -- better than the Jets have seen in many moons. But how far can Favre drive the Jets? That's a good question and it's probably going to make for strong attendance and greater enthusiasm for fans (some of whom I witnessed trying to give away Pennington #10 jersies at the escalators after their first encounter with the Pats last year).

Click on the headline to go to the AP story.