Walk this way

Fans handle their annoyingly good division opponents in different ways. Some write funny songs. Some publish rants on youtube. Some file class-action RICO suits. As a Jets fan, Carl Mayer falls into the latter group. He just filed suit seeking $184M in damages from Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots for “deceiving customers”. As you remember, earlier this month Bill Belichick was fined $750,000 for illegally videotaping the Jets’ signals. Mr. Mayer and his attorney, Bruce Afran, are not as crazy as Jonathan Lee Riches–of Michael Vick fame–but this lawsuit is pretty crazy. This suit actually has method to its madness: The lawsuit maintained that because other teams found illegal videotaping by the defendants, Jets ticket holders should be compensated for all games played in Giants Stadium between the Jets and Patriots since Belichick became head coach in 2000. The two calculated that because customers paid $61.6 million to watch eight “fraudulent” games, they’re entitled to triple that amount — or $184.8 million — in compensation under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act and the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. Both Mayer and Afran consider themselves to be public interest lawyers. As a member of the public, I hope they eventually increase their efforts on continuing to produce thoroughly entertaining headlines. If this suit ends successfully they should go after the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints for producing so many fantasy busts this season.