Mark Sanchez gives pre-game motivational speech to HS football team

Mark Sanchez swung by a New Jersey high school Friday night to give the local football team a quick pre-game pep talk.  After doing his best Rex Ryan impression, Sanchez watched the game among the crowd in the stands.

The New York Jets quarterback took time out to stop by the Bernards High School locker room before the undefeated Mountaineers faced unbeaten New Providence in a battle for the Mid-State 38 Conference-Union title.

Sanchez's words of encouragement must have fired up the Mountaineers' players.  Following his speech,  Bernards went out and routed their opponents, 42-3, to capture its second straight league crown.

"It was great," Bernards coach Jon Simoneau said.  "He gave a warm, heartfelt speech.  His tagline was, 'Let our dreams be their nightmares.'

"It was moving.  I wanted to go put on a helmet and play."

If the coach knows how to run a pattern and hang on to the ball, the short-handed Jets just might be giving him a call on Sunday.

Sanchez, who lives in nearby Bedminster, became friendly with Simoneau and the team during last summer's NFL lockout.  The Jets quarterback and several of his NFL teammates used the Bernards football field for workouts and even practiced with the high school players.

Around here they ask, Tim who?

"He is a class act and a great motivator," said Simoneau.  "It definitely helped make it a night to remember."

There was some disappointment that Sanchez's main squeeze Eva Longoria didn't show up with her pompoms.