Hosting the Giants, Jets in the twin conference title games would be a dream come true

Is this a fever dream? Of course it’s a fever dream.

But then, a lot of real-life things that happen to us in sports start out as fever dreams, don’t they? The best moments, even though they’re happening, are the ones that make you shake your head in wonder.

And ask, “Did that really happen?”

And the odds? Forget the odds. Don’t bother looking at FanDuel or Caesars. But that’s part of it, isn’t it? The probability What were the odds of the US hockey team beating the Russians? What were the chances of the ball going through Buckner’s legs? Who were David Tyree to catch a football against the helmet?

However, these things happened.

Although you asked yourself, “Did that really happen?”

You can’t want these things to be like this, we know that, we understand that. But what if we could? The possibilities would be endless. But this weekend, this last Sunday in January, let’s narrow it down to a certain fever dream. Two conference tournaments will be played this weekend, and as with all Championship Weekends dating back to the first in January 1967, they will be held in multiple cities.

One in Kansas City.

One in Philadelphia.

And that Philly… well, damn it. It’s so close to Lincoln Financial Field you’ll be able to hear the hustle and bustle going up the Turnpike. Close enough to dream. Close enough to ask…

During Super Bowl Season, we played three championships in Greater New York. The Jets beat the Raiders in December 1968. The Giants beat the Redskins in January 1987, then the Vikings 41-0 14 years later. That’s it. That’s all.

The way soccer is bouncing around here, both teams have had few chances to organize a title game. The Giants have been the top seed in the NFC twice (and missed the title game once, in 2008); The Jets never have. Heck, even the three times it’s happened here, teams needed luck twice – in 1968, it was just the turn of the AFL Eastern Division host (the Raiders went 12-2 that year, the Jets 11-3). In 1986 the Giants needed Washington to knock off the Bears to get that game in East Rutherford.

It’s not an easy road, just having a team host the Big Game.

It is so really funny to wish a year when both teams go far.

But hey, like we said before: This is about fever dreams. This is like making a wish on a star and seeing what happens.

And honestly, if you let yourself and dream about it… what a wonderful weekend it would be. There have already been whispers that at some future date the NFL could split the championship games, moving them to Monday nights. That, of course, would force that hand. For argument’s sake—let’s turn up the heat a little—let’s say it happens this coming season.

It will be the AFC’s turn to host the “opening” game, so that means the Jets would get MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Jets fans have — so far — attended seven home games in the team’s 63-year history. Imagine all that frustration as locals unleash their 6 1/2 decades of angst against poor leaders, bengals or bills….

And then Monday night — Monday night! Prime time in the Big Apple! – MetLife would magically change from green to blue, and Giants fans from every suburb and county and surrounding township would declare it a local civic holiday, and the anticipation would begin after breakfast and… well, good luck to the Eagles or Cowboys. or the 49ers he would have to face that that night at 8:15 or so…

We had a Super Bowl here. We’ve had a Subway Series in baseball. We had a perennial Rangers-Islanders series, and a perennial Rangers-Devils series, memories of which still reverberate through the decades. All of these would be dwarfed by a Championship Weekend at MetLife…

That, of course, would almost certainly never happen.

Still…

There is no crime in daring to dream. Am I right?

Vac’s Whacks

Maybe you’re looking forward to Aaron Rodgers’ press conference with the Jets in 2023. Me, I can’t wait to see what they have in store for Jordan Love in 2038.

First Adam Rich and now Lance Kerwin? Couldn’t 2023 find a better way to deal with the teenage angst TV I used to watch as a kid?

U2 have reworked “Pride (In the Name of Love)” and several of their other hits, and while I’m glad the new version has changed the lyrics to describe the grim events that take place on the evening of April 4th and not. in the morning…good luck getting this far into the song. Was anyone really asking for this?

The Knicks are so bad at closing, it wouldn’t surprise you to learn that they confiscated all of their coffee machines.

Whack Back in Vac

Alan Hirschberg: San Juan gave up 104 points on Creighton the other day. That’s 40 minutes of hell.

Vac: Things are getting rough on the Union Turnpike.

Bob Flintstone: So for the past six years, the City of Brotherly Love has brought its fans plenty of excitement, including two Villanova national championships, the Phillies NL championship and a possible second Super Bowl championship. I think it’s time to start calling the city Thrilladelphia.

Vac: Cancel my NYC Sports Guy card if you must… but it’s not wrong.

@jeff_am_105: Although I’ve been a Jets fan since ’67, I have to take issue with one of your hypothetical tweets in Wednesday’s column: There’s no way in hell Johnny U. is going to throw Don Shula under a bus, train, kayak or anything. Another transport, it does not happen!

@MikeVacc: What was the point of coming up with such an absurd fake tweet, but it’s 100 percent true.

Tom Kiley: Sometimes the wild card team is completely overpowered. It doesn’t matter. The Giants’ coaching staff and Joe Schoen are well on their way to rebuilding this team. Time to be happy, Giant fans. Wait until next year!

Vac: Too few seasons end with the majority of fans happy. That could be the bottom line for the Giants this season.