Pity poor Mark Sanchez, the All-American quarterback from USC with the matinee idol looks who is about to learn how heavy the weight of unreasonable expectations can be.
In Sanchez's first day as the new saviour of the New York Jets, the following was written about him in one major New York area newspaper: "Sanchez certainly looked the part of a franchise quarterback on his first day as a Jet. And afterwards, head coach Rex Ryan made it clear he would have no trouble starting a rookie.
"Playing before a packed media contingent on the first day of the Jets' three-day rookie mini-camp, Sanchez threw tight hard spirals (no worries about his arm strength here), was extremely accurate and appeared to be a natural born leader.''
This was written about a kid who started just 17 college football games before turning professional after one NFL practice session in shorts with no contact and no one on the field who had ever played a down in the NFL.
In other words, Sanchez was playing catch with a bunch of kids and the New York media concluded he is a natural born leader whose suspect arm strength was overlooked because he could throw a spiral. He's been a quarterback since he was 10. One would hope he could throw a spiral.
This is the kind of pressure Sanchez will be under all season after the Jets traded three veteran players and two draft choices to move up in the draft's first round to grab him with the fifth pick. That is the highest the Jets have selected a quarterback since they took the legendary Joe Namath with the draft's second pick in 1965.
He is also the 19th quarterback drafted by the Jets since, a string of failures in a search that has cost the Jets millions and broken their fans' hearts so many times they have become dark and hard as coal. Now all those years of failure and frustration fall upon the slight shoulders of a 6ft 2ins California kid who has no idea what the East Coast demands of its athletes.
Perfection would be the best way to describe it, but that would be understating the expectations.
"I didn't grow up dreaming of being a back-up,'' Sanchez said in one of his first public statements after the Jets drafted him. It was the kind of bold comment they love in New York until you've thrown a few interceptions and lost a few games.
Sanchez noted the rookie success a year ago of Matt Ryan, who led Atlanta from the doldrums to the play-offs. He said he thought it showed the possibilities, which is one way to look at it.
"I think that raised a lot of other people's expectations of a rookie quarterback,'' Sanchez conceded this week. "But for me to be successful this year - for this team to be successful - it's about the defence playing well, playing well on special teams and the return game and the offence moving the ball efficiently. It's not just on the quarterback.''
Technically Sanchez is right but that was the analysis of a rational man. American football fans, especially in New York, are the farthest thing from rational. They are ravenous. They want to win now.
If he doesn't, and frankly it seems unlikely the cast around him is good enough in a division with the Patriots and Dolphins, then Sanchez is going to learn a difficult lesson. He's going to learn the only thing laid back about New York is the way the critics lay back and wait for you to slip. Maybe none of that will bother him. Maybe his smile and cocky confidence will carry the day. Those things worked for Namath but only because he won. Nineteen other guys were smiling after their first practice too. Anybody remember them?
@Email:rborges@thenational.ae
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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More on Quran memorisation:
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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