The New York Jets are a mess. 

Peyton Manning stayed away from them like a prospective house buyer stays away from land on a radioactive waste site.

The Jets wanted Manning but they couldn’t even get a sit-down with him. Then on the same day that Manning spurned them, they announce a hastily arranged three-year contract extension for a quarterback they don’t even believe in.

But to cover their tracks, Jets owner Woody Johnson went on national television and embarrassed himself and the organization even more. 

During an interview with Neil Cavuto on Fox Business channel, Johnson predicted a "growth spurt" from Mark Sanchez.

When Cavuto asked Johnson if his club "passed" on Manning, the Jets owner replied, "We passed on him. Absolutely."

[Hysterical laughter]. 

Then, two weeks later, after the man they wanted signs with the Broncos, news comes out that Tim Tebow is now on the market. They immediately jump in with both feet, offer a fourth-round pick for a specialized quarterback who can’t run a traditional NFL offense.

Then, they find out hours after they rushed to tweet the great news to Jets fans, that there was a $5 million payback clause in Tebow’s contract since he didn’t have guaranteed money – only base salary – for 2012, ’13 and ’14. He was given a $6.2 million advance before the 2011 season by the Broncos – according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter – and the Jets were required to pay $5 million.

Seriously? Who does that? 

The incompetent Jets, that’s who.

They even tried to back out of the deal, complaining about Tebow’s payback owed to the Broncos on a payroll advance last year. So, in the end, they got an additional seventh round pick and Tebow out of the deal while giving up a fourth and sixth round pick.

Jets spinsters will point to the fact that they “rescued” the deal by offering to pay just over $2.5 million and adding in an extra draft pick to get the man they wanted.

What they should really do now is trade Sanchez to Jacksonville. Then, at least, getting Tebow makes sense and they won’t have an insecure, timid quarterback constantly looking over his shoulder – a quarterback made that way in part because of the dysfunction in the Jets’ organization.

Only the Jets bumbling of the Tim Tebow trade could force Roger Goodell’s historic punishment of Gregg Williams and Sean Payton off the solo spot on sports pages across the country.

Williams suspended indefinitely and Payton – a Super Bowl winning genius of a head coach – suspended for a full season.

Then the Jets had to go out and trade for Tebow, rushing to get the deal done – and just as significantly in New York – get the news out before checking the fine print. 

For two months, Tebow was the hottest name in sports. He was the Jeremy Lin of November and December.

Apparently, that’s all that mattered to the Jets. The had visions of back-page heaven in New York instead of looking back at the three extra years they just gave the quarterback they really don’t want calling the shots. Forget for the moment that Tebow – while clearly proving he’s a winner and can’t handle the spotlight – is a unconventional quarterback who has inferior arm strength and can’t throw deep or to the sidelines consistently.

Of course, disorganization is nothing new to the Jets. As a matter of fact, it spawned the greatest era in Patriots history.

Remember Jan. 3, 2000? That’s when Bill Belichick handed in a piece of paper that read “I resign as HC of the NYJ.”

He saw the dysfunction in the Jets then that we all see now. 

He got out while he still had a career in front of him.

Speaking of Belichick, could things be any better? He is sitting back and watching as two of his three AFC East rivals bumble and stumble through the offseason again. The Jets are the Jets and the Dolphins – thanks to missing out on the Peyton sweepstakes as well – are hanging their hopes on Matt Moore.

The Bills just might be the leading contender to challenge the Patriots next year. With bookend pass rushers Mario Williams and Mark Anderson in the fold, they all of a sudden look to be very formidable on defense to go with an offense that proved it can move the ball with Fred Jackson and Ryan Fitzpatrick leading the charge.

As for the Jets, maybe Tim Tebow can sit down calmly with Santonio Holmes and explain how things will be different now that he’s in town.

There, that’s really why the Jets got Tebow, to babysit Holmes on the sidelines so he doesn’t pout anymore. It’s about the only good football reason why I can think Tebow in New York makes sense.

To the Trags Bag where Tim Tebow to the Jets is the gift that just keeps on giving:

Before he was traded to the Jets, I wondered what purpose Tebow to the Patriots could possibly serve.

@hurricanept No, and a serious distraction. 

@Ajkornberg Taking snaps from Tom? Not a very good idea. Tom is way too good to waste snaps on Tebow.

@stacky88 Just throwing this out there josh mcdaniels is a coach in waiting so when BB walks out the door with TB he has his QB #TragsBag

@Sportsgal1972 He can lead the team in prayer. Other than that- [useless] in NE.

@CMFoster23 That would be the best way to make sure they get [Matt] Barkley next season.

Hyperbole for sure but I’m with that line of thinking. With Tom Brady running the show, I see absolutely no reason to have Tebow on the sideline just taking up space, waiting for an injury to happen so Belichick can run a wildcat. That, and Belichick and the Patriots aren’t about to give up draft picks and $5 million for a back-up.

@Mlodi3430 Tim Tebow is a downgrade for any team in the NFL including the Jaguars

Which is the most puzzling part of all of this for the Jets. You go from an average but still accomplished quarterback surrounded with great defense to a below average quarterback who had an offense changed to fit his skills because he couldn’t handle a traditional offensive system. At least in New England, he would’ve had Josh McDaniels.

March Madness hits Boston this week as Syracuse, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Cincinnati are in town. What do you think and will you be paying attention?

@WayneJenness I would have been more interested if tickets were available. Instant sell out when they went on sale. #NotEnticing

@Sportsgal1972 How much interest do you have in #MarchMadness coming to Boston this week? #TragsBag” // Love it!

@mrronhutchins  Could #kentucky beat the nba #bobcats?

@Sudikoff I'd love to attend but wouldn't want to spend more than $50. Would have been awesome if Harvard made it through.

Expenses aside, those inside the TD Garden this weekend are in for a treat. They’ll be witness to the two best schools left in the tourney with a chance to beat Kentucky – Syracuse and Ohio State. If Syracuse didn’t lose Fab Melo to ineligibility at the start of the tourney, they’d be right there with John Calipari’s Wildcats as a favorite to cut the nets in New Orleans. Ohio State has a future lottery pick in Jared Sullinger. He and Cincy’s Yancy Gates will be throwing the beef around on the Garden floor – which by the way IS NOT the parquet the Celtics play on. The floor is a traditional hardwood maple imported by the NCAA to conform to the regulations of NCAA competition. If it sounds like this is out of a handbook, it is. Everything about the tournament is rigid and strict but all participants know that coming in and still it’s one of the five biggest sports spectacles in America every year.

This week, Bobby Valentine made news again by publicly critiquing his players when they don’t meet expectations, like when Mark Melancon got lit up in his relief appearance on Monday. Will Bobby V’s managerial style – public comment, etc. – wear thin inside the Red Sox clubhouse?

@coopersam For a couple of years and then it will wear thin like it always does. This is MLB not a country club.

@CraigMacCormack If they win early, yes. If not, no. I'm not fan at all RT @Trags Will #BobbyV direct style get thru to #RedSox? What do you think? #TragsBag 

I think that may be the most important point to consider here. If the Red Sox get off to a reasonably good start, Bobby V’s opining to the media will come off just as an extension of his personality. If they don’t, the players could easily use it a bone of contention with management. Either way, Red Sox management has thrown its significant weight behind Valentine and that’s not changing anytime soon.

What’s fascinating to watch to these eyes is how they handle Daniel Bard. Because Bard wanted the chance to start – and earn big time dollars - the team gave him a chance to earn it in spring training. The results have been mixed. He has proven to be a dominant set-up man but he and his agent went to the Red Sox and asked for a chance to earn a spot in the rotation. If Valentine and the team agree that he best serves the team in the bullpen, then no one should have a problem with that. But once he goes back to the pen, that’s where he should stay. The Red Sox have plenty of arms who can vie for the No. 5 spot in the rotation. They don’t have as many power arms in the bullpen that have proven they can handle late-game situations like Bard has in the past.

My feeling – Bard winds up back in the pen. It’s a lot easier to make the transition from set-up to closer (if that’s needed) than it is to go from hard-throwing reliever to a 200-inning starter.