Erik Boland: Inside the Jets

By Ken Berger

In response to Burf's post, I just wanted to lay out for everyone how it came to be that all the beat writers interviewed Schottenheimer at the same time and wrote the story on the same day.

Before I do that, I want to say that Burf's premise is not at all out of line. It frustrates me, especially during the season, when many of the beat writers have the same angles day after day. More on that later.

In this particular instance, a little background: Several writers, myself included, have been requesting to speak with Schottenheimer for months but have been told that he wasn't available. Many of us covered all or most of the three-day minicamp last week and didn't have access to any assistant coaches.

The Jets decided that with minicamp over and Schotty's schedule opening up a bit, yesterday would be a good time to trot him out, have him meet the writers, take questions, etc. Given the access restrictions, the only fair way to do this was to invite everyone to sit down with him at the same time.

Now if you're a Jet fan who reads Newsday and the other papers, too, I would imagine you would be quite puzzled if I decided not to write Schottenheimer yesterday and instead came up with an offbeat feature instead just to be different. We're still in the news business, and the news of the day was Schottenheimer discussing his offense, his quarterbacks, his personal history, etc., so Jet fans could get to know him a little bit. There was never any question in my mind, from a news judgment and fan standpoint, that Schottenheimer was the story.

In a perfect world, media access to your team wouldn't be so tightly controlled -- especially during the season. But as a student of journalism, you should know that reporters get 45 minutes of locker room access four days a week to the players. Unfortunately, more often than not one of two things occurs: There is a no-brainer news angle that day that everyone feels compelled to write, or the writers have access to only a handful of players and wind up writing the same story.

I can say with full honesty that everyone on this beat works extremely hard to find nuances or get interviews that no one else has. The balance between reporting the news, dealing with access restrictions, and trying to be different is a difficult one to strike. But we try.

By Ken Berger

The Jets' second consecutive offensive coordinator with four syllables and the word "Heimer" in his last name sat down with the beat writers today, our first chance to get a feel for him and fire questions his way about his offensive philosophy and search for a quarterback.

I like Brian Schottenheimer already, and not just because he's an engaging and quotable interview subject. Such attributes will quickly become irrelevant because I am sure this will be the last time we get to speak with him. Head coach Eric Mangini's access policy will soon take effect, making assistant coaches off-limits to the media.

Schottenheimer is smart, driven, enthusiastic, and from what I hear, extremely tough on his quarterbacks. My guess is he'll have a little Steve Spurrier in him -- he wants to call plays like a quarterback would -- and a little of his father, Marty. When he mentioned the words "ball security," he sounded an awful lot like Paul Hackett.

Don't panic, but Schottenheimer coached tight ends for Hackett at USC in 2000. Today he praised Hackett's attributes as a quarterbacks coach and said he still uses some of Hackett's methods in teaching footwork and other fundamentals of playing quarterback. My impression is that he will be nothing like Hackett as a play-caller. Hackett was too system-oriented. Schottenheimer seems to be player-oriented.

First, Schottenheimer has to find a quarterback to run his quarterback-friendly plays, and according to him, the four-man competition could drag into training camp. Personally, I'd like to see the field narrowed to two by the time training camp starts. Whoever is going to be the starter will need all the reps he can get.

From what I can gather of Schottenheimer's approach, I like the fact that he appears not only willing to give his quarterbacks input, but insistent upon it. While Chad Pennington still has a long way to go in his comeback from another right shoulder surgery, I believe that in a perfect world he can thrive in a system that takes advantage of his ability to read defenses and change plays at the line based on his pre-snap reads.

Despite what Schottenheimer says about his willingness to start a rookie quarterback if he's the best player, I think it would be a terrible career move for a 32-year-old rookie coordinator to place the offense in the hands of a rookie QB. Schottenheimer says he is looking for leadership first from his QB, and I don't think there's any question he will find it in Pennington. To steal a phrase from Pennington, if I'm a betting man, I'm betting on No. 10 to be Schottenheimer's first opening day starter.

This will be a big-time transition year for the Jets' offense, and Schottenheimer deserves the benefit of the doubt going in. When he came here to interview a few months ago, with no prior connection to Mangini, he thought it was just a courtesy interview. But the two hit it off, and now Schottenheimer is in charge of an offense that has a starting tailback, Curtis Martin, older than he is.

I wish him luck.

By Ken Berger

Some thoughts and observations on day two of minicamp:

* Though Kellen Clemens has impressed through four practices, Chad Pennington doesn't appear to have much to worry about so far. Patrick Ramsey struggled with his accuracy this morning in his turn with the starting offense. In the two-minute drills late in the afternoon session, Clemens was intercepted twice, Brooks Bollinger once, and Pennington once -- all in the red zone.

* While no one has jumped out in the QB competition in terms of unseating Pennington -- least of all, Ramsey, whose performance has been the most uneven -- Pennington still looks to me like he has a long way to go. I don't know how to interpret the fact that Pennington, the only playoff-tested, experienced starter in the competition, hasn't been head and shoulders above the other three through four practices. I'm not seeing a drastic dropoff in velocity on his throws -- if any -- but I'm also not seeing the decisiveness and confidence I'm used to seeing from him. One obvious reason for this is the fact that he's still trying to get back to 100 percent physically, and doing that in competitive drills with a new system is extremely difficult. The other factor is something that never in a million years would've happened under Herm Edwards: Pennington is spending a significant portion of his practice time with the second-team offense. I'm not sure how this is going to help his timing and grasp of the new offense. But I understand that it's only June, that this is the early stages of the offensive installation, and that Mangini is trying to stay true to his word by dividing the reps equally among the four quarterbacks. By the time training camp starts, this derby will have to be narrowed down to the best two, and if Pennington is one of them -- I can't imagine he won't be -- he will need all the reps with the starters he can get in order to prepare himself.

* I am not a fan of charting field-goal kickers in practice. But for those who have asked for this information, Mike Nugent struggled late in the morning practice, missing 3-of-5 attempts with two bouncing off the left upright. He rebounded in the afternoon, making 7-of-8.

* Yesterday, I mistakenly referred to TCU cornerback Drew Coleman as an undrafted rookie. He's a sixth round pick. At least I was right that his name would keep coming up. He had another interception today.

* Kerry Rhodes had the play of camp this morning, coming over from his safety position and leaping high for an interception in the middle of the field on a pass by Ramsey.

* Center Trey Teague's injury apparently is a broken left ankle, and he may not be ready for training camp. That means the Jets could have two rookie starters on the offensive line: left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold.

* Jonathan Vilma brushed off questions today about his new role in the 3-4 defense and how taking on 300-pound guards could hinder his ability to run sideline-to-sideline and make plays. He was reminded that his fellow Miami alum, Ray Lewis, complained bitterly in Baltimore when he was forced to play in a "two-gap" scheme similar to what the Jets will be running. In the previous 4-3, one-gap defense, offensive linemen who might try to peel off to the second level and block Vilma were "covered up" by the defensive linemen -- or at least they were supposed to have been (see James Reed). In a two-gap defense, a linebacker may have to take on blocks from offensive linemen, which doesn't seem to me to be the best use of Vilma's talents -- especially considering his size. This is something that will bear watching when the actual competition begins in preseason.

By Ken Berger

I'm back. So is the blog. More importantly, so is Chad Pennington.

It's only June 15, but today is a significant step in Pennington's return from right shoulder surgery in October. For the first time since training camp last August, Pennington is expected to practice twice in the same day.

I just got finished watching the first practice, and Pennington looked smooth and in command -- but as expected, most of what the offense is working on at this point is the short passing game. Pennington's longest completion by far was a 35-yarder on a post route to Laveranues Coles -- on a blown coverage by Derrick Strait. Everything else was 15 yards or less.

The biggest surprise was that it wasn't Pennington or Patrick Ramsey who strode to the line of scrimmage first with the starting offensive line. That honor went to rookie Kellen Clemens.

To the media members in attendance, it certainly seemed significant that Clemens was getting the starter's reps in the rotation with Pennington, Ramsey, and Brooks Bollinger. Pennington scoffed at the notion, bristling at one point to a TV reporter who brought it up. Pennington explained that the rotation changes every day, and today it was Clemens' turn to get most of the reps behind the starting line in team drills.

Clemens looked poised and in command, but he looked a lot better in individual drills and 7-on-7 than he did in full-squad drills. After consecutive passes that were intercepted by Eric Barton and batted down at the line by Bryan Thomas, one of the Jets' starting defensive players barked at Clemens, "I told you, rook, it's gonna be ugly for you."

While I didn't come away with a strong opinion one way or another about Pennington's progress, I can say this without equivocation: this is a truly open competition for the starting job, and Pennington looks to me to be in for the fight of his career.

I'll be back later to discuss the afternoon practice. Feel free to weigh in.

By Ken Berger

    I know you're hungry for information -- some of you are starving, judging by your posts -- so you'll be happy to know that I stopped by Mangini's youth football camp in Hartford today. It was an impressive showing of more than 700 kids who got a chance to learn from NFL coaches and players. And it was for a good cause; all proceeds go to the Carmine & Frank Mangini Foundation, which raises money for under-resourced youth.  The foundation is named for Mangini's late uncle, Frank, and late father, Carmine, who died of a heart attack when the Jets' coach was only 16.

Also of importance to you was an update from Chad Pennington on his four practices this week in the Jets' voluntary passing camp. Even the usually talkative Pennington, who helped coach the quarterbacks at Mangini's camp today, was tight-lipped on specifics of his first live drills since shoulder surgery in October. After getting a very positive vibe from him at the Taste of the NFL benefit in Manhattan three weeks ago, I came away today thinking Pennington seemed much more guarded about his progress and the road ahead. It'll all be in my story in tomorrow's paper, so check it out. As always, comments are welcome.

I know a lot of you are eager to keep this blog going all the time, and I welcome that. I just hope you understand that it is extremely difficult -- if not impossible -- for me to give you the kind of informed analysis I expect from myself when I'm not even allowed to watch the team practice. This is not whining; I'm merely explaining why I can't observe what I can't see.

The good news: A new NFL rule requires all teams to hold one mandatory offseason minicamp
that is open to reporters. So I'll actually be able to see for myself what Pennington looks like in the June 15-17 camp and report back to you. Be well.

By Ken Berger

    I know you all know Wayne finished with 580 receptions, second only in team history to Hall of Famer Don Maynard (627). Here are some stats you might not know (courtesy of the Jets):

Chrebet’s Milestone Receptions: Timeline

 Catch No.  QB, Yards, Date, Opponent

 1  Boomer Esiason, 27 yards, Sept. 3, 1995, at Miami

 100  Frank Reich, 11 yards, Oct. 13, 1996, at Jacksonville

 200  Neil O'Donnell, 30 yards, Nov. 30, 1997, at Buffalo

 300   Ray Lucas, 18 yards, Nov. 21, 1999, vs. Buffalo

 400  Vinny Testaverde, 20 yards, Dec. 24, 2000, at Baltimore

 439  Vinny Testaverde, 21 yards, vs. Cincinnati, Dec. 16, 2001, vs. Cincinnati (passed Wesley Walker and Mickey Shuler)

 500  Chad Pennington, 22 yards, Dec. 15, 2002, at Chicago (Champaign, Ill.)

 518  Vinny Testaverde, 1 yard, Sept. 14, 2003, vs. Miami (passed Al Toon)

 580  Brooks Bollinger, Nov. 6, 2005, vs. San Diego (final catch)

Chrebet's Career Receptions by Quarterback

By Ken Berger

    Obviously, there's not enough room in the paper for all the quotes from around the league about Wayne Chrebet. Here's an unedited collection of comments collected and distributed by the Jets today:

Jets Owner & CEO Woody Johnson: “His story is one of that has been told countless times, but bears repeating. He overcame the doubters with persistence and hard work and talent and he followed his dreams. He represented the Jets with class and dignity. We are thankful he is part of our franchise’s fabric.”

Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum: “Wayne Chrebet was a one of a kind player. I spoke a few months ago about turning over every rock in an effort to find the types of players we want on our team. In 1995, that kind of player walked across Hempstead Turnpike and had to convince Harry Fisher, our security guard at the time, to let him into Weeb Ewbank Hall as a rookie free agent. And here we are 12 years later, celebrating a wonderfully productive football career, entirely with the New York Jets. I hope that we are able to find more ‘rocks’ from the likes of which produced Wayne.”

Jets head coach Eric Mangini: “He’s inspiring to players, coaches and fans. He was a fun player to cheer for because of how he came into the league and how much he appreciated his opportunities. As a coach, you hope that all of your players have his level of dedication, toughness and professionalism. You are always grateful to have a player of his caliber on your team, but as an opposing coach, you’re disappointed to have to face him. When I personally coached against him, we spent countless hours and reps trying to stop Wayne Chrebet and were rarely successful. I wish him nothing but happiness and success in his future endeavors.”

Charlie Weis, Notre Dame head coach, Jets assistant coach 1997-1999: “Wayne’s two greatest strengths as a player were as a slot receiver and as a blocker. You could line him up in the slot and no one could cover him. He was also a dominating and willing blocker and as tenacious as they come. Wayne could play on my team any day.”

Boomer Esiason, Studio Analyst, CBS Sports, Jets quarterback 1993-1995: “He is a testament to what hard work and desire can do for somebody. His career has been fantastic and although he’s never been to a Pro Bowl, in my eyes he’s a Pro Bowl teammate. When he arrived at Hofstra I didn’t know who he was. I thought he was a ball boy. I think he was probably 10^th on the depth chart at wide receiver. What I do remember is how eager he was to learn, how eager he was to work, and how hard he worked because he wanted it more than anybody in the room. In my estimation he will go down as one of the greatest Jets of all time because he did it for the little guy and the little guy showed what a big heart could do. He had a wonderful career that nobody believed that he could accomplish. He did it with dignity, he did it with class, and he’s been a great friend, and I know nothing but good things for him will happen in the future.”

Bill Parcells, Dallas Cowboys head coach, Jets head coach 1997-99, Jets director of football operations 2000: “Wayne was a player any coach would have been happy to have. He proved year after year that size is not really a prerequisite. He certainly is to be listed among the all-time New York Jet players and among the best I have been fortunate to have coached.”

Don Maynard, Jets wide receiver and Hall of Famer: “He came to play. He’s a winner and always will be a winner.”

Ray Mickens, Jets cornerback 1995-2004, Cleveland Browns 2005, Jets 2006: “He was the toughest football player and competitor I have ever been associated with, that I’ve ever seen. That guy right there is the epitome of what football means to me.”

Phil Simms, CBS lead analyst, former Giants quarterback: “I used to get upset when I saw articles that said Wayne Chrebet is an overachiever. I felt it did him a major disservice. He is a man with talent and toughness and he took it on the field and achieved. He got as much out of his talent as about any player I have seen in a long, long time. He’s an achiever. He reached his potential, something we all strive to accomplish. He can go and retire and feel good that he gave it his best and it was damned good.”

Marty Lyons, Jets radio analyst, former Jets defensive lineman: “I remember after he had that huge game against Delaware as a senior [at Hofstra]. I remember speaking to his parents and telling them that I thought he could play at the next level. When he came in as a rookie free agent, I recall that he caught everything that was thrown his way and he quickly became a fan favorite. After looking back at his accomplishments after 11 seasons, I truly believe he is the most beloved Jet to ever put on a uniform. He is the blue-collar hero for the people that work hard, the guy who represented all the people that were told they couldn’t do something, and more importantly, he played the game the way it was meant to be played. He played hard every week, he competed hard and played to win, every single week, every single game. He’ll be missed; but never forgotten.”

Romeo Crennel, Cleveland Browns head coach, Jets assistant coach 1997-1999: “Mr. Clutch. Small in size, big in heart, effort and toughness. If you didn’t double him, he’d make the play. He took great pride in his job and the fact that he was a Jet. He was a Hofstra free agent who walked across the street and became a star.”

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots head coach, Jets Assistant Coach 1997-1999: “Just the whole background on him: not drafted, coming into the NFL as pretty much an unknown guy, and really establishing a great role for himself as a slot/third down receiver. One of the best at it that I've coached for or against. He was just a hard guy to cover. … He's a very competitive guy. Good, smart player that I think every quarterback that has ever thrown to him, and there have been a lot of them, had a lot of confidence in him because of his ability to get open and catch the ball. … Until the end, he was still the guy, when was out there, he was still the guy that you have to get, even deep into his career. Part of that is him, but a big part of it is the confidence that the quarterbacks have in him and they continued to go to him even though he was doubled and he still got open. He was a real pain in the neck. He was simply a hard guy to cover.”

Bruce Harper, Jets running back, 1977-1984: “I really admire Wayne and the things he was able to accomplish as a player. Quite a few times people made the comparisons between my career and his career and the fact that we both came from small schools and were told we were too small to play. What Wayne had were gifts: great hands, great anticipation and the ability to beat zones, presses and find ways to make plays. He was, and always will be, fun to root for.”

Ray Lucas, Jets quarterback, 1997-2000, Miami Dolphins 2001-2002, Baltimore Ravens, 2003: “First and foremost, he’s a Jersey guy. We had similar paths into the league. I will always be loyal to him and can’t say enough good things about him. As a quarterback he was exactly what you are looking for. You’d go through all your progressions and reads and but you knew that Wayne would there and he’d do anything he could to make a play for you. In my opinion, he’s the best third-down receiver to ever play the game. He would do anything for his quarterbacks and anything for his teammates. It didn’t matter if it was going over the top of people to make plays, sliding across the field. He played the game like it was meant to be played.”

Pete Kendall, Seattle Seahawks guard 1996-2000, Arizona Cardinals 2001-2004, Jets 2005- : “What always stood out to me about Wayne, as both a competitor and as a teammate of his, was his tenacity. He was a true bulldog. He would stick his nose in there and take on guys going twice his weight and fight them for every inch. He never had any back down in him. He’s the kind of guy you love to have on your team each week because you knew you could depend on him.”

Herman Edwards, Kansas City Chiefs head coach, Jets head coach 2001-2005: “Wayne Chrebet is the ultimate competitor. He played the game of football with great passion, toughness and enthusiasm. He had the unique ability to make the clutch play when the game was on the line. He epitomized the New York fans with his great work ethic and his never-quit attitude. I am honored to say that I coached Wayne Chrebet. I would also like to thank everything that Wayne has done in his professional career to represent the National Football League on and off the field as an example to all of those that follow him. I wish Wayne and his family the very best.”

Jets quarterback Chad Pennington: “He’s a classic. You here the personnel people talk all the time about how they are looking for the big, fast receivers. But ask any quarterback that ever played and they’ll all tell you that they’d love to have played with Wayne Chrebet because he was smart, tough and would do whatever it took to make a play. He understood the game so well and he understood what it took to win. He was a tireless worker and supported his teammates to the fullest degrees. I am truly blessed to have been a teammate of his and I wish him the best of luck. We will always be friends and I cherish our friendship.”

Jets running back Curtis Martin: “He inspired me every day. I loved the way he played and how he never backed down from anything. He was an incredible teammate. He was a warrior; and I always felt you’d have to kill him to get the upper hand on him. If every player in the NFL had as much heart and desire as he had, football would be illegal.”

Jets receiver Laveranues Coles: “We came from different backgrounds but the day I walked in here, he took me under his wing and taught me how to be a professional. He knew that I was playing pretty much the same spot on the field, but he pushed me everyday. He is an amazing friend and I love him like a brother.”

Jets linebacker Jonathan Vilma: “I feel cheated that I only got to play two years with him. People say he was undersized, and I have heard the same thing said about me, but you can’t measure heart and desire, which he is all about. I am really going to miss him. He was an unbelievable player and teammate.”

Giants defensive end Michael Strahan: “Regardless of what team you are on, whether it is in college or in the NFL, everyone always roots for the underdog and that is what Wayne Chrebet always was. He always played with a chip on his shoulder and gave his best. He never had an excuse and that is why he is one of the most respected players of this era. I really consider it an honor to be one of his best friends. Honestly, he’s like a brother to me.”

Jets quarterback Brooks Bollinger: “He loved the game more than anyone I have ever played with or against. Passion, toughness, dedication and a guy that you loved to have in the huddle. He was amazing. Simply amazing.”

Jets defensive end Shaun Ellis: “Wayne is one of the players I will tell my grandchildren about one day and how lucky I was to have met him and played alongside of him. He is a champion. I always loved it when other teams would underestimate him because he thrived on it and would hurt them. He practiced liked he played: full-tilt.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin: “The thing that says it all for me is that he was a guy who was told he was too small and too slow and he played 11 years in this league, and he didn’t just play. He made the key catches when his team needed them. He was extremely reliable, and he was their go-to guy.”

By Ken Berger

I was chatting with Wayne Chrebet during training camp a couple of years back when he turned the tables on me.

He asked me a question for a change.

"How long have you been doing this?" he asked.

I explained that I've been covering the Jets since the 2000 season, and he shook his head, as if to say, "Time flies ..."

"Wow, you missed it," Chrebet said.  "I used to be good before you got here."

True, I had left my native Long Island and was off covering SEC football and the Cleveland Indians when Chrebet famously walked across the street from the Hofstra campus, made the Jets as an undrafted free agent, and began carving out one of the most remarkable careers in the team's history.

But he still gave me plenty of memories, plenty to write about. I was in the press box the night he helped the Jets erase a 23-point deficit in a 40-37 OT victory over the Dolphins -- the "Monday Night Miracle." I was in the press box in Tampa, staring straight down into the corner of the end zone where Chrebet caught Curtis Martin's  game-winning TD pass against the Bucs that same season.

I was also in the press box for each of Chrebet's frightening concussions in recent years, and I have to say one of my saddest moments covering sports was watching Chrebet sit helplessly at his locker after his final concussion last season against San Diego. A man who could somehow always find a way to get open, who could take a hit from players outweighing him by 70 pounds and still hold onto the ball, couldn't even undress himself. I knew that was the end.

But the end officially came today, when Chrebet announced what everyone knew for months he would announce. His retirement leaves a void in the Jets' locker room and in a league that still has too many self-promoters and too many egotists who believe playing in the NFL is their right. Chrebet never believed that. Yesterday, I could see that he was still just happy that he made the team back in 1995.

I'll leave you with a list I've put together of Chrebet's five most memorable moments. Feel free to comment, offer suggestions, or slap me around for leaving something out. It won't change the fact that I feel lucky to have watched him play as long as I did -- even though I missed the best part of the story, the beginning.

Here goes:

1) Oct. 23, 2000 vs. Miami: In the famous “Monday Night Miracle” game, Chrebet had two touchdowns, including a 24-yarder from Vinny Testaverde that tied the score at 30-30 and capped the Jets’ comeback from a 30-7 deficit. Chrebet then set up John Hall’s game-winning 40-yard field goal in overtime with a 28-yard catch as the Jets won, 40-37.

2) Oct. 13, 1996 at Jacksonville: In a 21-17 loss, one of 15 losses that season under Rich Kotite, Chrebet had 12 receptions for 162 yards and five third-down conversions – all career highs.

3) Dec. 29, 2002 vs. Green Bay: In the game Chrebet describes as his most memorable, he had three receptions for 37 yards and two touchdowns as the Jets blew out the Packers, 42-17, and clinched their first AFC East title since 1998 after starting the season 1-4.

4) Nov. 15, 1998 at Indianapolis: In a 24-23 loss, the last game the Jets lost before the AFC Championship Game in Denver, Chrebet had four receptions for 112 yards including a 63-yard touchdown from Testaverde. It was the longest touchdown of Chrebet’s career and also the longest first-down conversion (second-and-29).

5) Dec. 15, 2000 at Chicago (in Champaign, Ill.): On his 500^th career reception, a 22-yard catch-and-run from Chad Pennington, Chrebet tried to hurdle a defender near the goal line and lost a fumble, seemingly costing the Jets a shot at the playoffs with a 20-13 loss. They rallied to win their final two games and won the AFC East.