Just one of the many attractions at the Jets stadium today.
So, I was supposed to go to the Jets-New England game today. I had my digital camera ready. I was going to regale you with a blow-by-blow recap of the highly anticipated rivalry game. Ah, but the best laid plans of mice and men...
Little did I know that the Jets, the Meadowlands and the NFL by association, hate handicapped people. It's true ya know. I read a lot of history books, right. And did you know, the Nazi's, the most evil group in human history, used to euthanize their handicapped citizens. I think the Jets would approve of that.
These were the meadowlands employees that helped us today.
Here's the deal. My dad turned 61 on Friday. He's handicapped. Got a 30 inch carbon titanium rod in his leg. Cancer survivor. Anyway, he hasn't been to a football game since Stemkovsky was a pup. So, my dad and I sojourned over to the Meadowlands to enjoy an AFC East slobberknocker.
At this point, let me say this:
Under Title III of the Americans With Disabilities Act, no individual may be discriminated against on the basis of disability with regards to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation by any person who owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation. "Public accommodations" include most places of lodging (such as inns and hotels), recreation, transportation, education, and dining, along with stores, care providers, and places of public displays, among other things, which includes NFL stadiums.
Also, a perusal of the NY Jets website has these two wonderful gems:
For the 2009 season, only ticket holders with a pre-paid parking permit will be allowed to park at the Meadowlands Sports Complex. No parking permit, no parking spot. (This INCLUDES handicapped people by the way - in direct violation of the ADA.) Also:
There will be parking available for fans with disabilities in the satellite lots. To park in this designated area, a state issued accessible parking plate or placard must be visible on your vehicle.
ADA vans will be provided for fans with special needs and disabilities.
Now, for those of you who don't know....NO WHERE was any of this posted anywhere near or on the way to the stadium. Second of all, the closest satellite lot was over two miles away from the stadium and there were no vans. Fans were WALKING to the stadium. My dad can't walk. The whole handicapped thing y'know. He's got two special permits, one issued by the state of NY. The other issued by the City. The state permit is your typical handicapped parking pass that most disabled Americans get. The second is for those so severally disabled that they are entitled to park anywhere in New York City - including diplomat spots. But that wasn't good enough for the Jets or the Meadowlands.
Another sign welcoming my dad to Jets stadium.
Oh, I should point out, the Jets website also mentions this:
"With construction of our new stadium well underway, there are some changes for you to be aware of..."
Oh, really? The construction of "OUR" new stadium? Last I checked, it was gonna be called "Giants Stadium." Not Jets stadium. Not the stadium for the Giants and Jets. Not Jets-Giants stadium. No, it's called Giants stadium. Because the Giants are a professional team with a profound and distinct identity. Not a sad sack losing franchise that hasn't won anything relevant in over 40 years. But I digress. Back to how the Jets hate the handicapped.
Yes, the horse is dead. But the Jets still hate the handicapped.
So, as I said, none of my dad's state issued handicapped tags and placards were good enough for the Jets. We arrived at the stadium at around noon, a little over an hour before kickoff and as we approached the stadium, we were directed to the "Non-permit" parking. No one told us how far away it was, that it wasn't even in the Meadowlands, or anything else. Just, go west young man! So, we went with the rest of the lemming crowd, crawling along in our car.
After about forty minutes, we finally came around a bend and found ourselves...right smack in front of the stadium. We went in a big semi-circle. Ok, fine. Annoying. But at least we're headed back towards the park. Now, this is where it gets crazy. As we drove, various stadium and city employees (wearing cute orange vests) saw the handicapped placards in my car and waved use towards the "permit" parking inside the Meadowlands. I kept saying, "But I don't have a special permit." Didn't matter they said. Just go that way. So I went. Then I got to a payment booth. The 'charming' princess in that booth 'graciously' informed me that I had no permit and I had to turn around and leave the Meadowlands and take "route 120" to some place that issues these permits, then come all the way back to the Meadowlands. What? I 'politely' asked her why everyone else directed me to her, and she 'cordially' replied that she didn't know and everyone else was wrong. Nice.
Welcome to the Meadowlands! Free parking for all!*
At this point, I am gritting my teeth and trying to remain calm. Thanks to this total clusterf*ck of a parking situation, we're assured of missing kickoff, but hopefully we won't be too late. So, I attempt to get to one of these satellite lots, but then several more employees of the New Jersey Department of Transit as well as several Meadowlands employees begin to direct me to a new lot. Little did I know at this point it was just a cruel trick by the Jets to make fun of a handicapped person. Because, follow this one if you can, we did what these people implored, we headed to this new lot. I even rolled down my window and asked an official looking guard, "Excuse me, I don't have a permit." He responded, "It's okay, you got the handicapped tag. You can park in that lot. Tell'em I said it was okay." Great. Except he didn't tell me who he was. So, I get to the gate and this time an older princess tells me to back up. I explain the whole situation to her and how I was directed here. I told her how my dad was 61. How he was severely handicapped and couldn't walk. How I had money and would gladly pay whatever the parking rate was, just please, I have to pee, for the love of God, let me park. She smiled and said, "No. Everyone else that told you to park here was wrong. You need to go to Route 3." Route 3? I thought it was Route 120? No one knows what the hell is going on apparently.
These people had a better shot at seeing the game today, than I did.
Then, to cap everything off, as I back up, I almost plow down three New Jersey State Troopers. Needless to say, they were less than amused. After getting a...uh..."stern lecture" (and the bruises I now have are completely unrelated. I walked into a door. Several doors. Repeatedly.) they sent me on my way. As I was driving away, I asked yet another Jets/Meadowlands employee and he told me I had to go to Lyndhurst. So...we have Route 3, Route 120 and Lyndhurst. Wonderful. Then, as I am attempting to get to an auxiliary lot, a final employee told us that we could go to "Lot C" and they would let us park there. I asked how to get to Lot C and he said make your next right. Which I did. And that's how I ended up on the New Jersey Turnpike. What a card.
These three guys weren't that happy when I almost ran them over.
So, my dad and I never did make it to the Jets game today. And, as if handicapped people didn't have enough to worry about, the Jets and the Meadowlands today made them feel even more ostracized and more of an outsider. It was a complete and total joke. The most frustrating part of it all was that NO ONE knew what was going on. No one could tell us where to go, where to park, what to do. We got twenty different answers from twenty different people. Some people sent us into the lots, while others then refused to let us into the same lots we were sent in to. The Jets, the Meadowlands and the NFL/Roger Goodell should be absolutely ashamed of themselves today. Rest assured, in addition to this article, I will be contacting the ADA, the Federal government and anyone that will listen to me. This is not over, Jets!
Nothing is over until we decide it is!
On the plus side, I now have a new most hated team in any professional sport. I will now root with every fiber of my being against the Jets. I want them to lose every single game, but not just lose, no, I want them to get destroyed, humiliated and crippled.
The Jets = a bucket of spit.
Yes, crippled. Let me pray.
Lord, I know you are a just and vengeful God, and please, I know you see the injustice the Jets and their lackeys perpetrated on America's handicapped today. Please, smite them with your wrath. Please cripple the likes of Thomas Jones, Mark Sanchez, Rex Ryan and any other Jet player to see fit. Cripple them Lord, so that they too may know the pain of trying to get into the Meadowlands if you are handicapped. Lord, hear my prayer. Thank you Jesus.
Praise Jesus.
Alright. So, in addition to that prayer, I will be actively campaigning for the complete contraction and dissolution of the Jets as a franchise. I mean, they don't even have their own stadium or city to play in. They might as well be simply called the "little Giants" or "the Jerkasses". That works too.
Jerkasses.
Well, at least I can look forward to the playoffs and Superbowl, because I know the Jets won't be there.
