For whatever reason, somebody at ESPN is a HUGE fan of fake pep talks.  We've seen them from Lou Holtz and now with the NFL season approaching, we're seeing them from former Jets and Chiefs coach Herman Edwards.  Maybe it's because I've never been in a football locker room to get "pepped up" but I don't quite understand the appeal.  The fake pep talk idea seems like just a different way to talk about the same things.

But this particular pep talk caught my eye because it features former Jets coach Herm Edwards playing the role of current Jets coach Herm Edwards.  (He's also done a fake pep talk for the Saints, who at least are without a head coach this year.)  A little… odd, wouldn't you say?  Seeing as how Herm Edwards was traded away from the Jets after five years on the sidelines?  Would ESPN give Kurt Rambis a chance to give a pep talk to the Timberwolves?  Or Terry Francona a pep talk to the Red Sox?  It's just an awkward sight, but then again, there's a few other notes to take away from this segment….

"It's time for us to get back to Jets football!"

Jets football as in the quarterback bouncing passes into the ground, the excellent defense, the yearly Super Bowl predictions, or are we going back to the days of Herm's clock management?  That's not clear.

"This offseason, the media has questioned our leadership, chemistry in the locker room, EVEN OUR ACQUISITION OF TIM TEBOW!"

Of course, it all comes back to Tebow.  You didn't think ESPN was going to give you themed NFL segments and not find a way to sneak in TebowMania?  Why do you think Ron Jaworksi just happened to have his 30 NFL QBs countdown begin with the Jets backup QB while sacrificing quarterbacks for three teams?  

Do you think Rex Ryan is really going to psyche his team up by shouting "PEOPLE ARE DOUBTING OUR BACKUP QUARTERBACK, MEN!!" in between his encouraging of snacks?

And finally, do you think the real Jets pep talks also have dramatic tunes as background music?  Do NFL coaches reach over and turn on a boombox that softly plays the soundtrack of The Patriot before they give their speech?  Are there also soundbytes of ESPNers talking about Tim Tebow?  No?  That's just this.  Hmm… all righty then.

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