Yes, dysfunctional teams do dysfunctional things.
To their credit, the Jets have performed an about-face regarding the most recent dysfunctional thing they did.
After the New York Post reported that the Jets had decided not to let Ashley Castanio-Gervasi participate in $100,000 field-goal kicking contest at halftime of Sunday’s game against the Patriots due to a technicality, the Jets decided to allow her to proceed.
Castanio-Gervasi had said the team was aware she’d previously played college soccer, at the Division I level. The team disqualified her because she’s a high-school soccer coach.
“This is life-changing money for me,” Castanio-Gervasi told the Post. “I was confident I could have made it. . . . This was the first time I was hearing of any of these [coaching] questions.”
The story was published by the Post on Thursday. On Friday, the Jets decided to let her participate, along with three other finalists in a “Kick for Cash” competition.
“We realized there was an unfortunate misunderstanding regarding Ashley’s eligibility for the contest,” the Jets said in a statement to the Post. “In an effort to remedy the situation, we are allowing her to kick this Sunday for an opportunity to win the prize. We value the passion and loyalty of our fans and are committed to creating memorable experiences.”
The Jets had informed Castanio-Gervasi on Monday that she wasn’t eligible, citing rules that prevent recent players and coaches from Olympic, college, and high-school soccer, rugby, and football teams. She had previously qualified for the contest by making a 20-yard field goal at a tailgate event in October.
The kicking distance for the final competition isn’t currently known. Regardless, the Jets have restored her opportunity to try to win the money.
