Manginis' Latest role model visits Jets

Discussion in 'New York Jets' started by gustoonarmy, Aug 5, 2007.

  1. gustoonarmy

    gustoonarmy 2006-2007 TGG.com Best International Poster of the

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    Great motivational move this. The feel good factor is back , if it ever left.


    Jets star-struck as Jerry Rice visits, talks about team and personal successes

    By DENNIS WASZAK Jr., AP Sports Writer
    August 4, 2007

    HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) -- Eric Mangini gathered his team into a room on the Hofstra campus and started running down the career accomplishments of his mystery guest.

    Laveranues Coles figured out who it was immediately.




    "It doesn't take much when you start talking about Mississippi Valley State and 20-something touchdowns in a season, and Bill Walsh's name came up," the New York Jets wide receiver said Saturday. "So, I was like, 'Oh, it's Jerry Rice."'

    Arguably the NFL's greatest receiver, Rice showed up to speak with the Jets on the team's day off from practice Friday.

    "It's a big deal," receiver Justin McCareins said. "It's a privilege to listen to not only a guy who played 20 years in the league, but he's Jerry Rice. He holds all the records you could imagine. He's the ultimate professional."

    Since becoming coach last season, Mangini has made a habit of bringing in guest motivational speakers, such as boxing trainer Teddy Atlas, college basketball coach Jim Calhoun and Olympian Dan O'Brien. It's to the point where the team isn't sure who might show up on any given day.

    "I just believe in the value of letting players hear how successful people became successful, or how their teams became successful," Mangini said. "The ingredients are really the same, regardless of whether it's football, baseball, basketball, hockey or whether you're at Johnson & Johnson. I mean, it's all the same core characteristics."

    The Jets had a team cookout Friday, followed by Rice speaking to the team and the players -- along with Rice -- sitting through a screening of the movie, "300." Then, the players got a chance to meet the 13-time Pro Bowl receiver and one-time "Dancing With the Stars" contestant.

    "For me, early on, that's who I watched," receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "That's who I learned how to play wide receiver from. That's who I learned how to stay inbounds and tap my feet on the sideline and catch balls over the shoulder from. That's who I emulated."

    Coles was thrilled when Rice asked to meet him specifically.

    "I just shook hands and said, 'I'm not going to talk your head off. Can I just have your autograph?' Coles said. "I was just excited to shake his hand. If you ever shake his hand, his hands probably came all the way up my arm. That's how big his hands are."

    Among the things Rice spoke to the players about was his practice methods and offseason training habits: his infamous six-day-a-week regimen of running 5 miles up a hill, combined with vertical wind sprints.

    "One thing I can tell any kid is that you can try to emulate some of the things he's done, but I don't think there will ever be another Jerry Rice," said Coles, who said his intense workout program is nowhere near what Rice's was. "You can try to take small parts of his game and try to apply some of them to your game, but Jerry Rice himself, you can never try to put yourself in that category, compare to him or even come close."

    Rice, still in remarkable shape at 44, was asked by Mangini to stick around for practice Saturday.

    "I thought it would be good to have him come run some routes and work with the receivers, that type of thing, work against the defensive backs," Mangini said. "He just had some other stuff going on, so he couldn't come out."

    Maybe that's a good thing anyway.

    "Even at his age, I bet he could still school us," McCareins said. "It was a pleasure to hear him, but I would have loved to watch him live."

    Rice won three Super Bowls as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, and also played for Oakland and Seattle. After a failed attempt to continue his career with Denver in 2005, Rice signed a one-day contract the following year with San Francisco so he could retire a member of the 49ers. Among the NFL records he set included most receptions (1,549), yards receiving (22,895), touchdown receptions (197) and total touchdowns (207).

    "The guy had over 13 miles of receiving yards," Mangini said. "It's incredible."

    While the Jets receivers can strive to be like Rice on the football field, they'll let Rice do the dancing on TV.

    "No, that's something you won't see me do," Cotchery said with a laugh. "I can dance, but I won't step into that field."


    http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-jerrythejets&prov=ap&type=lgns
     
  2. glenn212

    glenn212 New Member

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    Eric Mangini is unbelievable..This dude thinks of everything and anything that he thinks will make the New York Jets a better football team..The message keeps repeating itself..good work ethic, good character, focus on the little things, be competitive..There's a big difference between walking the walk and talking the talk..EM walks it all day..I know it comes down to W's and L's but this guy's approach is consistant and methodical in what he believes will make the NYJ's a champion..
     
  3. MayoGate

    MayoGate Active Member

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    I wonder when he'll bring in Bill Beli for a visit:breakdance:
     
  4. gustoonarmy

    gustoonarmy 2006-2007 TGG.com Best International Poster of the

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    He wants positive role models
     
  5. Attackett

    Attackett Well-Known Member

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    Maybe next year when Belicheck walks away from the Pats and they reconcile?
     
  6. CurtisMartin 28

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    i wish i was there.................................™
     
  7. wonderboy24

    wonderboy24 Member

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    I think he should have brought in Michael Irvin
     
  8. CurtisMartin 28

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    or joe namath...............™
     
  9. MayoGate

    MayoGate Active Member

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    Please provide a link.. Mangini has a better chance on coming back to the Pats as a DB coach than that.. lol:rofl2:
     
  10. wonderboy24

    wonderboy24 Member

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    Bellicheck's name is already being floated out there for different jobs next year.
     
  11. MayoGate

    MayoGate Active Member

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    Mangini's name is being floated as well.. He's coming back to the Pats..:)
     
  12. ScotsJet

    ScotsJet Active Member

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    "please provide a link"?? What, so if someone else has said the same thing you'll believe it?? :grin:
     
  13. MayoGate

    MayoGate Active Member

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    LOL.. That's my point .. No one really knows what the HC of NEP is going to do.. Hopefully he stays for awhile..
     
  14. TampaJet

    TampaJet Member

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    I'll say it again. In my life I have never felt so proud of this organization then now. This coach will be with us for a long time. He is special at an early age. Like shula, madden, johnson, cowher. We will one day be thankful of this man.
     
  15. CurtisMartin 28

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    i think he will def. lead us to a champ. within 10 years................™
     
  16. wonderboy24

    wonderboy24 Member

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    I heard bellicheck name for the Giants next year
     
  17. Pam

    Pam TGG.com Friendliest Poster Fourpeat!!

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    I thought that was pretty cool Coles asking Rice for an autograph. Even stars have heros. :beer:
     
  18. KJet84

    KJet84 Member

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    Yeah i thought the same thing, then I remembered one of you saying that Coles wouldn't sign autographs for adults. That struck me as pretty ironic as Coles is a favorite player for not just kids but adults too, then refuses to sign for them. Its one thing when jerk adults shove kids out of the way to get autographs, but to just ask for one doesn't seem like a big deal to me, especially if Coles wants them from his heroes.
     
  19. allan1

    allan1 Active Member

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    Belichicken will be with the Smurfs next season, Coughlin is a lame duck. This year counts for nothing, they're tankin it for better picks.
     
  20. gustoonarmy

    gustoonarmy 2006-2007 TGG.com Best International Poster of the

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    Good for him (Coles) If there is a crowd of adults and kids as a star I would hope that all the kids got their autographs first , hes just cutting to the chase.
    LC may have other reasons too. His choice.
     

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