Training camp reports 31/7

And away we go?
BY Andrew Gross

?OK, so maybe the Jets were able to say that Friday.

Better late than never.

Seriously, as tedious and repetitive as training camp can get, there?s definitely an excitement factor when you watch your first practice of the season (not including OTAs or minicamps).

So, just call me excitement boy today. Actually, it?s a double dose as the Jets were on the field at 8:45 a.m. and have a second practice at 5:45 p.m.

From the morning session?

Disgruntled left guard Pete Kendall, who seems to be getting nearly as annoyed at answering the same questions each day as he is with the Jets (OK, maybe a bit of an exaggeration), did not practice again due to an undisclosed injury (leg? back?). There?s nothing new to report either on Kendall or first-round pick Darrelle Revis, who remains unsigned as the Jets want to lock him up for six years while Revis seeks a five-year deal.

Kendall was joined on the stationary bike by cornerback Andre Dyson (undisclosed), who also missed Monday?s session and rookie offensive lineman Andrew Wicker.

Wicker, by the way, who wears No. 64, looks very similar with his blond hair and beard to Nick Mangold, who wears No. 74. So my very witty colleague, Newsday?s Tom Rock, has dubbed Wicker, ?Fool?s Man-gold.??

That?s camp humor, folks.

Second-year quarterback Kellen Clemens, battling ex-Raider and, now, ex-QB-turned-WR (now turned back into a QB/WR) Brad Smith to be Chad Pennington?s backup, was not so amused during drills this morning. Rookie running back Alvin Banks did not come onto the field with his package, leaving Clemens? unit one player shy.

The normally affable Clemens lost his, well, let?s call it cool, verbally undressing Banks for his mistake. Everybody paid, though, as the entire offensive unit was forced to run a penalty lap. Clemens laughed about it later but admitted at the time he was furious.

It?s the type of fire coach Eric Mangini is looking for out of his leaders, though.

?It?s not OK to have breakdowns,?? Mangini said. ?If somebody gets agitated and you get results, that?s positive.??

In the strange category, Mangini announced right guard Brandon Moore had been excused for personal reasons, though Moore was seen on the field in shorts, just not practicing.

Cornerback David Barrett played with a hard cast protecting his left thumb, though he did step in front of tight end Chris Baker to intercept Pennington on the goal line as the Jets concentrated on red-zone and last-play-of-the-game scenarios. That, of course, led to some nice touchdown receptions, including running back Leon Washington beating linebacker Vic Hobson to a ball at the back, left pylon. Laveranues Coles also made a nice catch at the same spot as Pennington threw the ball over cornerback Hank Poteat. Justin McCareins made a nice leaping catch on the right side.

That?s it for now, more later after the early-evening practice.

However, let me say, as much as I enjoyed covering the Empire State Games (and, honestly, that was an event I looked forward to each year when I covered it regularly in the 1990s), it?s an honor to be back reporting on the Jets. Looking forward to the same give-and-take we had last year.

 

The newest Jet
by Andrew Gross

Out with the old, in this case, running back Tony Fisher, and in with the new.

That would be ex-Texan running back Tony Hollings, signed this afternoon and on the field for the just-completed evening practice, though he did not partake in any team drills.

It was somewhat comical. Hollings walked onto the field shortly after the 5:45 p.m. session began, wearing the same No. 32 that Fisher had been assigned. (For those scoring at home, that?s three No. 32s since Thursday, including Cedric Houston). Hollings introduced himself to a few coaches, then began some stretching exercises as the rest of the team practiced.

?Uh, who?s No. 32??? I asked one of the PR representatives.

A few text messages later, we had our answer.

In three seasons with the Texans (2003-05), the Georgia Tech product rushed 49 times for 149 yards in 23 games, with just one start. Hollings played earlier this year for the Hamburg Sea Devils of the now-defunct NFL Europa. He was Colts? property in 2006 but did not play.

Some other notes from the evening practice?

Right guard Brandon Moore was back practicing after being excused for personal reasons from the morning session.

It was a strong showing for Sean Ryan and the tight ends in general as the Jets continued to work in the red zone. Chris Baker made two nice catches, a touchdown in the right corner of the end zone and one near the goal line as he was on his knees after Chad Pennington scrambled to his right.

Pennington also connected with Ryan on a touchdown over the middle and Ryan also made a nice grab of a Marques Tuiasosopo pass over safety Raymond Ventrone.

Tuiasosopo also found Joe Kowalewski ? the second-year pro out of Syracuse who received some nice praise from coach Eric Mangini today as an example of a hard worker who battled his way onto the practice squad roster last season ? wide open in the left flat for a long gainer.

Kowalewski, however, collided with wide receiver Frisman Jackson just over center as both went in motion along the line.

And for Bruce, who asked a few days back, second-year linebacker Anthony Schlegel was practicing with the third-team defense today. As soon as there?s more to report on his progress, I will.

 

Trickery and Deception

By Tom Rock

Here it is, the final blog post of July. Dog days, here we come!

I was looking at the calendar and realized that in less than a month the preseason will be finished. The Jets close out their faux four on Aug. 30 in Philly. If anyone is planning a road trip, you should know that the Mets play the Phils that day at 1 p.m. and the Jets play the Eagles at 7. The stadia (not stadiums, as you students of Latin will know) are right across the parking lot from each other so you can park once and see two games. Just a thought.

The Jets worked on some trick plays at this evening?s practice, and while I?m not at liberty to tell you what they were, I can tell you they did not work. I can also tell you that the team finished with a hurry-up situation with both the first- and second- offensive units, and neither one could get inside the 30, leaving Mike Nugent to miss a pair of FGAs, one wide right, the other left.

Leon Washington made a pair of sweet catches out of the backfield today, one in each practice. And FB Darian Barnes made a nice catch and run. I?d hate to be standing in front of that guy.

Pete Kendall wasn?t the only o-lineman wheelin? and dealin? on the exercise bike today. Andrew Wicker, who?s been there for a few practices, and Ed Blanton joined him in the infirmary area. I was watching Pete pedal that exercise bike this evening. He was pedaling so slowing, the thing didn?t need to be bolted down to be stationary.

Andre Dyson missed another practice, though he is dressing for the affairs and does participate in some of the stretching and calisthenics. He made a play a few days ago and came up shaking his hand, so that might be the issue. Makes sense because it would allow him to do the lower-body work and balancing acts the team focuses on in the beginning of each workout.

I?ll have to scrap my big Tony Fisher feature. The veteran RB was waived by the Jets today, less than a week after they brought him in to replace Cedric Houston. Replacing Fisher is former Texans RB Tony Hollings. He?s the third player in training camp so far to wear No. 32, following Houston and Fisher. Not a good luck number. The Curse of Barlow lingers!

One practice tomorrow at 2 p.m. Be there or be fined $14,000.

 

Clemens Might As Well Jump
By Randy Lange

07/31 ? There was a little different flavor to the camp practice early Tuesday evening. Early on it was physical, as blocking was being emphasized on kickoff returns. Midway through, the Jets shed some pads and finished the rest of the workout in shells. And the defense continued its yapping at the offense, with Justin Miller vocal and Eric Barton at one point (playfully) spiking the ball at Chad Pennington's feet.

And it was also different because a few less visible players came up with some big plays, led by QB Kellen Clemens on the practice's last drive.

Clemens, running a two-minute drill (actually a 1:03 drill with his team trailing, 16-15), hit one of the prettiest passes of his short tenure as a Jets QB. It came with 27 seconds to play on fourth-and-10 at the 50. He dropped back and then threw a jump pass that found WR Frisman Jackson open in the middle of the defense for a first down.

Clemens also hit Jackson and Wallace Wright on previous pinpoint throws.

Early on, TE Sean Ryan came up big, making a couple of receptions that included a short TD from Pennington in team drills. After that period, O-coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, unhappy with his unit's limp play early in the morning practice, shook every offensive player's hand.

One of those Ryan completions came from Marques Tuiasosopo, but Tui also slightly overthrew Chansi Stuckey, who turned around too soon, with the ball nestling in the outstretched hands of safety Raymond Ventrone.

The two two-minute drills ended the same way, with 49-yard missed field goals by Mike Nugent, who just hasn't found the groove kicking at those Arena League-width goalposts.

I watched the practice beneath a stained baseball cap that has significance for a lot of Jets fans, since it bears the name of a state on the front: Mississippi. "Lange, you know how old that hat is?" asked my good friend Rich Cimini of the Daily News. Indeed, I do. In 1995 and again early in 1996, the Green & White traveled to Jackson, Miss., for preseason games during Rich Kotite's two years at the helm.

Both were losses, 13-10 to the Eagles in '95, 31-13 to the Houston Oilers the next year. But what I remembered most about both games was the smothering heat and humidity, the sweat dripping down my back even in the unconditioned pressbox.

I may have jumped the gun on my message hat today, since the evening weather in Hempstead was actually pleasant. But the hat could return today (one practice at 2 p.m.) through Sunday, when the temps are projected to reach 88, 88, 88, 89 and 87.

 

Jets Waive Fisher
By Rich Cimini

The Tony Fisher era is over -- after only four days of practice.

The veteran running back, who signed last Saturday to replace departed third-stringer Cedric Houston, was waived today. To replace him, the Jets signed veteran free agent Tony Hollings, formerly of the Texans. Hey, when a guy like Hollings becomes available, you have to pounce on him.

Fisher finished his Jets career 14,101 yards behind Curtis Martin on the team's all-time rushing list.

Pardon me if I'm in a punchy mood, but I just got finished watching the late afternoon/evening practice, which was filled with a lot of trick plays. There was enough razzle dazzle to leave your head spinning. It looked like O.C. Brian Schottenheimer ripped out the last few pages of his playbook and told his players, "Let's try these today."

I'd love to describe in detail some of the razzle-dazzle plays, but that would be violating one of the team's media rules:

Thou shall not help Belichick by posting Xs and Os on a blog.

Sorry, you're just going to have to show up in person to see the good stuff.

Some practice nuggets:

? RG Brandon Moore returned to practice after missing the morning session because of personal reasons. Adrien Clarke returned to left guard.

? CB Andre Dyson sat out again. Ditto, LG Pete Kendall and RT Ed Blanton, who seems to have a left-arm injury. Only guessing there, folks, because Mangini doesn't discuss injuries.

? My favorite play of the evening session: In the hurry-up drill, QB Kellen Clemens, making like Johnny Unitas, threw a jump pass over a crowd of pass rushers and blockers. Hey, it worked, as he hooked up with WR Frisman Jackson, who continues to have a solid camp. Keep an eye on Jackson; he could be a sleeper.

? Offensive-line tutor Lomas Brown made his debut on the field today, offering instruction to the tackles, D'Brickashaw Ferguson in particular. I'd love to tell you what Brown, a seven-time Pro Bowler, thinks of Brick's game. That would be some real good insight, right? Alas, the powers that be put the kibosh on that interview request. There's only one thing I have to say about that: Yeesh.