July 28, 2006 Chad Shaky, Still the Frontrunner Finally, a real practice to cover. Let?s talk football. My impressions on the morning practice, the first under new coach Eric Mangini: Chad Pennington really struggled, throwing two interceptions. One was a bad throw, the other a bad throw and a bad read. Pennington received most of the first-team reps, but there will be rotation in camp. My opinion is that he has the fourth-best arm in camp, but arm strength isn?t everything. I still think he?ll win the starting job. The practice started with a spirited, one-on-one tackling drill - with real contact, a foreign concept for the holdovers from the Herm Edwards regime. Practice lasted nearly 2? hours. Herm rarely hit the two-hour mark. Goat of the day: WR Justin McCareins was placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list because, Coach Mangini informed us, he failed the conditiong test on Thursday. How does a wide receiver, a guy who makes his living by running, fail a conditioning test? Welcome to the doghouse, Justin. This is how much the new regime is cracking down on the media: One scribe was chided by a staff member for drinking coffee on the sideline. The artificial surface is too ?expensive? to risk a spill, the scribe was told. Puh-leeze. Catch you later, have to take a coffee break. http://blogs.nydailynews.com/jets/archives/2006/07/chad_shaky_still_the_frontrunn.php
I bookmarked Cimini's blog, I think it's a great idea and that he's a solid reporter. Love the coffee crack.
This is better than a lot of other things I've read, but if this is an open competition, theoritcally, Chad can't be the frontrunner after his performance today. Bad reads and bad throws, while the other QBs performed up to par or above par. I guess we'll see. It's just one day, but even the passes he completed were ugly!
You'd think with Chad struggling like that Ramsey would sieze the opportunity to impress and grab the starting spot. He's 100% as opposed to whatever Chad is operating at right now. Clemens obviously isn't ready and Brooks has no shot. I know Ramsey didn't exactly light the league on fire in Washington but I seriously thought he was better than this.
Its just the first day but I think you can remove the obviously not ready from in front of Clemens name due to the early reports. If he proves in camp that he is by far and away the best QB in camp then there is a very good chance that he will be the opening day starter.
You do have a point, but I'd rather Clemens sit for a year and learn by watching and from practice rather than being thrown into the fire right away. Its still obviously really early though, I just expected more from both Chad and Ramsey, but theres plenty of time.
How do you learn by carrying a clipboard? You learn nothing. During the season you get very few reps. Play the best player. I dont' care how old he is.
This article demonstrates how much of an A-hole Cimini must be. I've personally watched McCareins closely at camp... saw him on more than one occasion last year. He's a lot of things, but one thing he's not is a slacker when it comes to conditioning. In the 102-degree heat last August at Herm's Camp Marshmallow, McCareins was the ONLY guy to do correct windsprints and really pour it on. Several times he was there earlier than the rest of the team, running windsprints, and stayed later than the rest, running routes with a guy throwing him the ball sideways. What I am saying is, I highly doubt McCareins failed the conditioning test because he's out of shape (which Cimini is intimating). He probably failed the test because he pulled something or is having a slight reoccurrance of his injury. Neither would put him in the "doghouse," IMO, and certainly not in Mangini's doghouse. It's proposterous that this arrogant writer gets away with this kind of inaccuracy... total supposition on his part and not based on fact. And totally unfair to Justin McCareins. These writers need to get a grip and concentrate on watching TC and reporting what they see, like MM and TBird did, not what they conjure up just to sell their rag.
It all depends on the QB. Some it is better to put right into the fire like, Big Ben, and they are successful. Others need a year or two to learn behind someone. You just have to trust the CS to be able to read the QBs well enough to see which category Clemens falls into.
I'd be willing to bet Chad Pennington himself learned plenty "carrying a clipboard" his first few years. It does depend on the player, but some qbs benefit a lot from sitting and learning the first year before making the transition from college to the nfl. Being thrown in right away can really mess with some rookies' heads and damage them irreparably. Anyone remember Ryan Leaf?
The Ryan Leaf counter is Peyton Manning. I believe that whomever has the best camp will start, rookie or vet. I also believe that if for whatever reason that isnt Clemmens, he will be starting by at least half way through the season. Learning by clipboard is a nice luxary if you can afford it but there is nothing like actual game experience. See Eli Manning/Kurt Warner.
after what has happened to Chad would you really expect him to come into camp on day 1 looking like a pro bowler?
according to Tannenbaums' interview on WFAN - McCareins came into camp out of shape. You can only judge by what you hear so far...so don't shoot the messenger.
So let me get this straight... after Chad's two major surgeries on his throwing shoulder, and after seeing three other QBs -- two with NFL starts and the third a recently signed draft pick -- Cimini sez Chad will probably be the starter? I don't know whether to cry... or cry! (IMO, I hope it is a typical training camp of the past for Chad. They weren't the prettiest things in the world, as I recall.)
Well, just because it's Cimini's opinion doesn't mean it's set in stone. I'd be surprised if Chad starts opening day if he keeps up the poor performance so far in camp...especially if one of the other QBs out plays him.
I don't think Clemens has to be far and away the best QB to win the starting job, he just needs to be the best. I get the strongest feeling that the new regime is going to want to put some separation between itself and the things that hamstrung the Herm era. Chad's injuries are certainly right up there on that list. If I were Mangini I'd make Chad have far and away the best camp before I gave him the job.
