All except the part about Twitter/celebrity is fair. What he does off the field is his business, as long as it doesn't interfere with his ability to perform on the field. Personally, I don't see any of his off-field activity as his problem. I see his problem as him having believed his own hype, where he's thought all along that he's been playing to his talent level, while the entire rest of the planet can see he isn't. I think he'll learn from this and be a great football player in 2010-11.
Fair enough re: the Twitter stuff. But it does sound like the Jets are asking him for MORE participation in the off season program, and it sounds like he's mulling it over. If that assumption is correct, why would he not have already agreed to do whatever Rex and the CS are asking of him? Does he just want a break from footbal, does he think he's too busy with off field life style stuff? He's been challenged. He hasn't gotten off the stool, and the bell has sounded. I think he has to do a complete 180 in terms of how he approaches football, and I just don't see that happening.
That's not the impression I got from the SNY interview. He seemed to me that he was being honest in that he wants to be here. Honestly, what I inferred (and I admit it's just inference) is that he didn't know if he was still wanted, but as long as he is, he isn't going to pursue a trade. I'd really love to know exactly what was said between he and Rex. That would probably kill all the arguments once and for all. EDIT: You don't feel he improved his play after being benched? Trust me, I was frustrated by things like the fumble celebration, and some blown coverage, but I think he played significantly better after his punishment. That tells me he learned a lesson, and hopefully he'll continue on that path into next year.
If the guys they get improve the secondary, then 100% of the fans will accept it. That whole first part about the QB situation is all over the place. We like Clemens and want him to stay. We will trade Clemens if the opportunity presents itself. We like Ainge. We like O'Connell. We have O'Connell in case we trade Clemens. It's business as usual comments from the GM. You are not going to condemn your own players and hurt their value.
It did improve, but that fumble dance was very disappointing to see. In interviews after the game, he talked about the sack and bragged about how he must have done a 41" vertical on the on sides kick. He never did mention having his head up his butt on the sack-fumble play. Or how he had deep middle on SD's first TD pass to TE Williams and blew it. This is what bugs me most. He has the ego of a TO without the play to back it up. He can talk about being humbled, but it doesn't show. On the SNY interview he had a chance to win people back over... IF he had said I have to work on my game, and that is what Rex wants from me, and I've committed to do that. Instead he talked about how he isn't a big hitter, like Ed Reed, he's a play maker and he will get the ball carrier down. One or two big hits over the middle on Garcon and Collie could have changed that game against Indy. Hey look... I was wrong about Sanchez, and I am not ashamed to admit it, and I thank God I was wrong. I HOPE I am wrong about Rhodes, because he has the talent to be a pro bowler again. He needs to get his head on straight. He needs to buy into what Ryan is spoon feeding him. The benching wasn't enough, or we wouldn't even be discussing this. Ryan is obviosly still unhappy with his play after the benching. How much his off field activities interferes with that is something we collectively can only guess at. Like I said, nothing short of total committment now from Rhodes will ensure his return for 2010. I just don't see it based on his comments so far. Crap, if I were him, I would have followed Rex to the pro bowl practices to suck his left nut and ask "What do I have to do?" I don't think Rhodes' ego could handle that.
Even though my main problem with Kerry happens on the field, I think all of the extracurricular activity definitely has bearing on this, and is up for discussion. This isn't like the old days when it was just quotes being taken out of context by beat writers to stir controversy and make fans angry at the team.. Kerry has given fans direct access to himself via NFLN segments, uStream, Twitter, and interviews with a lot of different sources. People will make different interpretations of how he comes off, that is a given - but when I hear Kerry talk, it is always 100% about himself. To call him a shameless self-promoter would be an understatement. Hell, I have even heard him speak seriously about himself in the third person. And that's all fine, since his image makes him money. But I seem to remember many people on this board before the 2009 season being huge fans of Rhodes, and then he opened the floodgates of Kerry Rhodes Access and people were turned off by him. A lot. I tried to resist having knee-jerk hate toward him, but I began to dislike him, too. His language suggested in a couple of interviews like he felt he was too good to even talk to his secondary coach. His language suggested that he didn't feel like he needed to improve. He pretty much said that verbatim, in response to Ryan's comments about the benching. You may see a genuine, humble, honest guy in that SNY interview. I see someone that is basically telling Jets fans, in the most self-serving way possible, that he's trying to decide if he really wants to commit himself to being a professional football player in New York. With the ability that he has? Really? That makes me fucking sick.
I'm not sure we need some of those high $ FA's. We have a pretty good team as is and along with a coaching staff that brings out the best in a player i think we'd be better served, like the Pats have, bringing in guys who are lesser known high motor guys willing to run through walls.
TBird, abyzmul, good posts, and there's not much I can dispute in what either of you wrote. Obviously I give more "second chances" to players than most people around here. The only two Jets I can recall honestly never liking or giving any leeway to were Mike Nugent and Doug Jolley. And I gave Nugent an opportunity to show me something, he just never did. I'm okay with people feeling like his extracurricular activities could be affecting him in-game. I'm not sure if I'm expressing myself clearly enough. While I don't think they're having the effect you guys do, I'm not denying that those actions serve to detract from his image when his play is lackluster. My problem isn't with opinions like you're writing. My problem is simply with people who think we'd be lucky to get a 4th rounder for him and we'd be better off without him, simply because he doesn't play with "heart." My argument is against people who come up with ridiculous arguments to support their "I hate Sherry Rhodes" campaign. I'm not blind. I see Rhodes blowing coverage. I watched him jump like he just passed his math final after that strip sack. I've screamed at the tv and even tweeted during games that I wonder why I continue to support him against his naysayers. In the end though, I think he learned a lesson from the benching. I understand if people don't believe it themselves. I just think he did, and that if he did, we're a much better team with Rhodes than without him. If it turns out that I'm wrong, Rex will send him on his way and I'll pack his bags to speed the move.
Seconded. Honestly dude, being a big fan of an individual player is fine, but if you've been following the sport for any length of time, you should have a much better idea of how this sport functions. Somebody mentioned the other day the way Vilma went out of town. There was some speculation that things weren't all going well for him in Jetsville. He appeared on the radio and said, I'm going to be here, absolutely. And no coaches ever said anything to the contrary, all official signs were that Vilma would be in green until the day he died. At this point, somebody like you would be on here tossing around 'I told you sos' and smiley faces. A few minutes past midnight that same day, Vilma was traded to the Saints. Tannenbaum said that unless something changes, they expect Rhodes here. A trade would certainly count as something changing; of course they expect him here for the moment, given that he's under contract. The fact that he spoke about Rhodes' lack of consistency and needing to come in and have a strong, committed offseason clearly shows that there is some substance to the idea that the Jets aren't happy with him, despite your persistent denial that Rhodes is anything other than an under-appreciated superstar.
Thing is with respect is that its built up over time, not awarded. To lose it takes seconds and even longer to regain it. IMO Rhodes will be gone,and have a fantastic career elsewhere,learning form the mistakes he made in NY, unfortunately.
So, after all of this back and forth, in substance, we weren't even in disagreement. :drunk: I know we are better off with a totally committed Rhodes on this team. The guy has all the skills, and I think that is what drives me (and others) so nuts. He could be sooo freakin good. Very frustrating, and probably for Ryan as well. I still don't get the impression that Rhodes has learned anything. Again, I hope I am wrong. Maybe he is a guy that plays better under a Mangini type of disciplinarian approach, although his play fell off in 2008 under Mangini too. I just think his limited success went to his head. Ryan held the mirror to his face. Let's see what he does with that.
Yeah, honestly, I don't know why I'm so often misunderstood. I really do try to be clear on the intent of my arguments, but given how often this happens, I'm obviously not good at it. *shrug* I think it's pretty easy to point to his swollen ego as the root of all his problems. The key question, and the only one where I seem to split from guys like you and abyzmul is "Can he be 'fixed'"? I believe the answer to be yes. I can understand others not having that same faith though. EDIT: Yeah, that's fair too. I usually give people the benefit of the doubt though. And I put a lot more weight on the things people actually say than my own interpretation of what they say. Maybe he'll be gone, and that would suck if he becomes great. That's why I'd like him to get fixed here.
I think how they did Vilma was dirty and was the biggest mistake the franchise has made in a loooong time. Imagine how great we would be if Vilma was still here. Damn..
I believe I've heard the coaching staff say that his extra-curriculars are hurting his prep for the games. He is not putting in the after practice time preparing for the next game that the staff expects from him. This seemingly has soured his relationship with his position coach to the point where multiple meetings with the head coach are required. I want to see a big love-in between Rhodes and Thurman. I don't understand why that hasn't happened yet. There have obviously been more than 7 weeks of football since he got 'demoted' and the Jets are still asking him to make nice with his position coach.
There you go again. Vilma's talent set and his sideline to sideline ability is well suited to a 4-3 defense. He doesn't shed blocks very well, and needs to play behind a 4 man DL to shield him from blocks so he can use his athletic ability to play side line to side line. He never bought into the 3-4, and pretty much didn't try to hide his unhappiness with the scheme. Vilma was ineffective in the 3-4. If he were stil here, he still would not be effective in Ryan's scheme. To make Vilma out to be a victim is lame. His attitude went downhill. He had as much to do with getting traded as anything beyond his control did. He was a great fit in Herm Edwards' Tampa2, a defense that funneled RB's towards the MLB. He was lost as an ILB in the 3-4. This post of yours seals it for me. You really don't understand defensive schemes very well, and how different players are and aren't well suited to them respectively. The best thing for both Vilma and the Jets was to trade him to a 4-3 team. Now go on another Rhodes rant. Now I know just how little you understand about NFL football. Sorry if that seems harsh, but it's the bottom line. Vilma is better off in N.O. and the Jets are better off with Scott and Harris in this scheme. There was nothing "dirty" about it.
