good question. hes an analyst for the NFL Network other than that maybe hes looking for a job? i HIGHLY doubt it. we'll see.
Hey, 227, no problem, I saw your email before I left, so I didn't waste any time looking for you. I didn't see any Tampa Bay specific stuff, so I don't think they were using these short jersies (which go over their regular ones) for that reason... the numbers were 88, 53, 57 and.... at least one more, maybe two. When they are in shells, it's hard to say how the linemen look. Kassel also stood out today though. I feel pretty good knowing we have Shclegel and Kassel for depth at the ILB spots. I was focusing on the offense today.... formations, how the snaps got split up between the RB's.... and watching Pennigton. Hutchinson and I saw the same things today, eh? I wouldn't know Butch Davis if he punced me in the nose.
Tom Rock (the new Ken Berger) gives his views as well. Interesting quotes from Coles and Blaylock, not sure what to make of them.. August 08, 2006 Back to work By Tom Rock After a weekend in New Jersey and a day off on Monday ? or at least a day without practice, more on that later ? the Jets went back to the grind of training camp at Hofstra today. Eric Mangini said this begins the ?next phase? of readiness for the season, as the Jets continue to install their offensive and defensive schemes but also start preparing for Friday?s preseason opener in Tampa. Mangini said he hasn?t decided on a starter for the Bucs game yet. Dollars to donuts it?ll be Pennington, though. He?s really the only one who has shown any progress with the system. Today he played with the first team on offense ? he and Ramsey took all of the 11-on-11 snaps ? and looked sharp. His one gaff was an interception, but it was a pass thrown to Justin McCareins that was dropped right into the hands of waiting DB Andre Dyson. Pennington followed the flub with a pair of strong throws to Coles on each sideline. I?m thinking that the direction of those passes is a good sign about Pennington?s arm strength. I?ve been told that the easiest pass when returning from a shoulder injury is the one down the middle but turning to a sideline and throwing against the body can be taxing. Chad seemed to have little difficulty with those passes today, and the offense as a whole seemed to attack a longer field than it had been. As for Coles, he spoke with the media and made some interesting remarks about the feedback he gets from the coaching staff. Turns out the reporters aren?t the only ones groping around for information. Coles said it is difficult to find out where you stand as a player because the coaches are so tight-lipped with praise and commentary, even to their own players. That?s similar to what Derrick Blaylock said last week, about there being no official depth chart on which to gauge progress. Interesting, especially at positions such as WR and RB where a host of players are competing for only a few spots on the roster. Someone asked Mangini if he is paranoid. If he is, I suspect that question will only add to his condition. I don?t think he?s paranoid. And I don?t think his ultra-secretive atmosphere comes from a competitive streak, which he claimed. I think he?s just a first-year coach mimicking the systems he?s been involved in and I think the shroud will be raised (somewhat) as the year and years progress. You get the sense that a guy like Belichick is the same 24-7, that when a familiar face paces him in the parking lot and asks innocuously ?How?s it goin??? he gives a stern ?no comment.? I don?t think Mangini is like that. I think he has a football coach?s front but once he gets away from the podium he?s a charming guy with a sense of humor. His exchanges with reporters today were probably the most heated they?ve been so far (not ?play to win the game? or ?it?s a privilege to cover this team? heated, but a bit contentious nevertheless), and he never budged from his stern line of withholding the info he thinks he should. But he also didn?t let the interaction fluster him or anger him. At least he didn?t let on that it might have. He played things pretty cool. Which, I suppose, is what you?d want to see from an NFL head coach.
baamf, interesting article from Rock.... but I have a different take on why he coaches aren't handing out depth charts. They want every guy on the roster to play 100% all the time. It would be human nature to let up after one sees their name at the top of the depth chart. Mangini always says he has a plan. I think he does. Why has he let up on how tough practice is? He set the tone last week. He's establishing not only his authority, but what the competitive culture of what this team will be. He doesn't want any players to know where they stand... he wants them on edge, feeling a little threatened. He keeps telling them every job is open. Maybe these guys should begin to take him at his word. Having said that, at some point I think Mangini will make them more comfortable, like how he toned the practices down, but it isn't time to let up on everything all at once. BTW, I DO hear the coaches handing out atta boys at TC..... it's not like the players are getting zero feedback either.
Great job tbird..and I totally agree with your above post. Break em down..build em back up. Thats exactly what he seems to be doing. Pretty amazing with all Chad has been through for him to be so far ahead of Ramsey. Pretty much confirms that this "Ramsey was dealt a raw deal in Washington" was not accurate at all.
I like this guy Rock. The fact that throws to the sidelines are particularly taxing on an injured shoulder isnt exactly a mindblow, but to hear from somebody watching practice that Pennington is making those throws, and that the offense seems to be stretching the field a bit more... i feel like a lot of the reporters were used to wouldnt have said those things, maybe wouldnt have even noticed them.
I mentioned that Dyson had an INT today.... he's been a solid pick up. He and Miller may have some trouble with the big tall WR's in the league though, they are both smallish. It really isn't the defense that worries me.... this offense may be very bad though, at least early on. Mangold needs to get stronger and Moore hasn't looked good to me. Morely and Blanton might be able to step up though. Teague will eventually come back too. Stu, I like this guy Rock too. He brings a fresh perspective. He also seems to be less critical than the fat boy and the whiner. Like I said earlier.... and I have the shades off.... Pennington hasn't looked this strong since the first shoulder injury. I also saw him pull Washigton over to the side after a bad series that was run by Ramsey. He was obviously coaching the kid up. With Martin off the field, Chad is the only guy besides Kendall that can do that.
Also from todays press conference... When asked about Andre Dyson, Mangini said the veteran defensive back has made strides even if he hasn?t completely escaped the coach?s ire. ?The last couple of days he has had a couple of leverage issues, in off man coverage that I wasn?t real happy about. Overall, he has really made strides from when he has got here. I have been really happy with where he is.?
Another cheery post from Mr. Sunshine himself. You completely ignore that teams in today's NFL turn from losers to winners in a season or two. Have you forgotten that the Rams went from 6-10 to SB champs in a season, or that the Jets went from 1-15 to 12-4 in two years? The list of such turn arounds in recent years is long. I'm not saying or expecting the Jets to compete for a SB this year or even post a winning record, but who's to say that the Jets will not compete for years (except you)?
