Conferencing with the coach
Have some newspaper duties to fulfill (sounds weighty, I know), but here's a few highlights from Eric Mangini's conference call with beat reporters that just ended:
* Kevin O’Dea is keeping his special teams coach title but not the responsibilities. Or the most important ones. Mangini said that Mike Westhoff, officially welcomed back today, will be the final decision-maker on game days when it comes to special teams.
“Mike will be responsible for that,” the Jets coach said yesterday.
Though on the surface the move seems to indicate the Jets were unhappy with O’Dea, it's not necessarily the case. Westhoff is one of the game’s most respected special teams coaches and his resignation after last season came strictly because of medical reasons. Mangini said that Westhoff was integral in hiring O’Dea – “We really hired him together,” Mangini said – and that O’Dea was on board.
“Kevin understands the situation and is really excited about the opportunity to work with Mike,” Mangini said.
Mangini later said: “Having two guys as good as they are at what they do is only going enhance what we’re able to do on special teams.”
And Mangini stressed Westhoff would have a larger role than special teams.
I made this comparison last week and I'll stick with it: think the football version of what Don Zimmer was to Joe Torre.
* Mangini, like the players we spoke to earlier, spoke glowingly of the new Florham Park facility, which the team used for the first time today.
"The building is amazing," Mangini said. "We don’t officially have our grand opening until tomorrow but we did have the players in today and the reaction has been what I would expect it to be. The energy was great. Just an amazing facility."
* Mangini also answered his first questions of the week - not the last! - about facing Chad Pennington Sunday. I asked him if he would use the word "weird," just as some of his players did earlier, in describing what it would be like seeing a quarterback who had spent the last eight years - up until some three weeks ago, no less – with the Jets in another uniform.
"I think everyone is happy for Chad and excited for the opportunity he has there but when it comes down to the game, it will be the Jets vs. the Dolphins, not Chad vs. the Jets or vice versa," Mangini said, mentioning that players change teams all the time.
Very true.
Still....
Here's the suggested answer for Mangini the next 20 times he's asked about this: "No question, it's an unusual situation, especially when you're talking about a guy in Chad who really was kind of the face of the franchise for a number of years and then the fact he was here within the last month competing for the starting job. He's as familiar with us as we are with him and that makes it kind of unique. Getting Brett Favre meant we had to make a tough decision with Chad but I think both teams are happy with how everything's turned out. As if the first game of the season needed more hype, right?"
Or something like that. I'm available on retainer.
* College football randomness: 24-7 Fresno State. At Rutgers. At least we can do away with the “emerging college football power Rutgers” storyline earlier than usual. And...
* For some reason, I like UCLA, with head coach Rick Neuheisel debuting along with his new offensive coordinating guru Norm Chow, tonight over Tennessee. Long cross-country trip for the Vols and I think they begin to discover how much they’ll miss Erik Ainge. I’ll log back on to change this prediction as the evening wears on if necessary.
E-mail
Facebook
Digg
Delicious
Comments (22)
Are you going to be at the grand opening of florham park tomorrow Erik?
Translation #1: O'Dea follows in the footsteps of Isiah Thomas-- a title with no real responsibilities or job description. No sexual harrassment implied.
Translation #2: Moving to Florham Park now is really an ill-timed move. Right before the first game!? Are you kidding me. Did Jay Cross dream this one up to cause maximum disruption? Did Woody figure out that he didn't want to pay Hofstra any more rent money after August 31? I hope he gets his security deposit back. All this talk--being spouted in identical language by Mangini and numerous players--about the new training facility being wonderful and giving the team a competitive advantage (lol) is obviously a lot of jive. Never made sense to me to move in right before the season--and I bet the facility is far from complete. Why not wait til the BYE week or the end of the season.
Erik, you are the only one we can trust. You are my last hope and the preserver of my ever-diminishing sanity.
I am sure O'Dea was not given permission to speak with reporters. He must feel like Mitt Romney did last week after being passed over for VP. Message to Mr. O'Dea: do not make a down payment on a co-op in Florham Park.
I believe you're doomed then, RC. Insanity and a fan of the Jets is one in the same. In an insane world only the sane are crazy!
I was watching the path of hurricane Ike and it seems to track into Miami on Saturday evening. Erik, could you call up Mr. (regular) T and ask him if they have any contingency plans if Ike plans on domestically abusing Florida on Sunday? Maybe they could move it to the meadowlands as the Giants play on Thursday. I'd call but i don't need another lecture on stalking and harrassment.
Erik:
The whole think is starting to feell a litle strange. I mean its starting to look top heavy. I hope it doesn't tilt.
While Mr. T is fiddling with Lynch the Pats signed a much younger and more talented McNeil.
Please guys wake up, Lynch is done. Wilson is the better choice if you have no confidence in Smith/Elam.
In any case, we need help on the offensive line more than the secondary.
As for Hanna, she will be much closer to NJ than MIA on Sunday, according to Joe Bastardi.
Wayne, it's tropical storm Ike that may track into Miami area Sat. night. Hannah will be gone past by Thursday night. Maybe Ike will fall apart like a Jacob Bender blocking assignment.
Tom, no I won't be there tomorrow. My first look at the new place will be Wednesday.
Wow, RC Meany AND Mr. Green T with posts within 30 minutes of each other. Feeling. A. Bit. Overwhelmed.
(but Mr. Green T, I will check on your question, but with the league. A decision like that isn't the Jets to make). And RC Meany, agreed on the timing of the move but let's see how Sunday goes before targeting the move!
Hank/Naples, you going Sunday?
Jane McManus is saying that the beat writers had pool going on, on who would be on the 53 man roster "On the roster front, Rich Cimini over at the Daily News did a little preliminary tabulation of all the beat writer guesses on the 53-man roster and I am currently tied for 2nd place". OK Erik fess up, please don't tell me that a woman is beating you on this. I may lose all respect for you if it is true :)
Erik you better check on Glauber I think this blog stuff is getting to him.
He wants to call his blog "The Schmuck Stops Here" and he posts this:
The Schmuck-Putz meeting made for quite a blog post.
Schmuck ends the post like this:
"While we're on the subject, what's your favorite funny sports name? I'm partial to NASCAR driver Dick Trickle, who is one of the very few people who make me count my name-related blessings."
Really Erik since the Dolans took over I think Isiah Thomas is running the sports blogs with all this sexual innuendo.
Man, some of you guys are cynical sons-of-bitches. Full disclosure: so am I but not in this instance. Westhoff's their guy and O'Dea kept his seat warm. What should they do, toss him back in the street? The Jets should be congratulated for treating a coach better than they treat their fans...
JayM, I'm glad you recognize my efforts to keep this blog at a certain standard for decent behavior (some might point to me covering the Flight Crew tryouts as undermining my case but I just don't see it).
As for Glauber's post today, I felt I had to wash thoroughly after reading. There's really no other way to put it.
As for Jane McManus, she is a roller derby-ist and could take me. Really. So I am proud [yes, I said proud, Jane] to be one of those tied with her in that pool. Winner to be determined this weekend. And down the stretch they come...
"You feel like you're part of the NFL now," said one player, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he wasn't one of the four players the team made available to the media Monday during a conference call. "Hofstra had to be the worst facility in the league."
Who said it erik?
Comment Submission Error
Your comment submission failed for the following reasons:
Too many comments have been submitted from you in a short period of time. Please try again in a short while. Invalid Security Code entered. Please go back and enter correct code. Note to Internet Explorer users: After going back, please be sure to refresh the page before attempting to submit your comment again. Thank you.
Let me try again.
Erik, Thanks for mentioning me in the same sentence as Mr. Green T. GT's comments on Bender going to the Pat made me lmao. (I hope I spelled lmao correctly.) They should not go unnoticed.
Dan Leberfeld, however, should be paid by the Pats and other teams for using Jets Confidential to provide secret intelligence on each player's favorite cereal. No wonder they played us like they had our game plan.
Jake, not sure. The player didn't say it to me but it could have been one of a bunch of different guys. I heard a player call Hofstra a a "dump" last week in an interview. The warm and fuzzy memories of Hofstra were provided by former players, not current ones.
Eric in your opinion what is your feeling about Lynch:
1. Does he having anything left.
2. Will he sign with the JETS
3. Are the JETS better off with what they have
4. Sign back with the Patys
Erik;
Nah, can't make it but my son and his friend are. I'll be doing the second best thing : High Def., sorround sound full blast and lots of XX's (dos equiz beer) and praying that Chad doesn't ruin Bretts parade. I don't knowwww.....Erik.
Defense, defense, defense. That is what this Sunday will come down to. I can't see Favre and the offense having to much trouble putting up at least 3 touchdowns against the fish D without J Taylor, and a gimpy Porter. The defense must step up right from the get go. No more waiting to the BYE week to make adjustments. Stop Ricky Williams, take away Chad's underneath routes and apply pressure. For too many years we have heard that the Jest don't have the right personnel for the 3-4, well now they do, or so they say. The defense, and not the offense will be the difference this year one way or another. Let's go Jets!!! Squish those Fish!!!
Erik,
Again, thanks for all your work. I have terminated my Jets Confidential. 2 week late NEWS, really isn't.
Also, I can't remember who keeps kidding you about Mangini having a sister, but if I remember Mangold's sister loves football!!
GO JETS!!
And I agree, defense will win this game, our O will be fine!!
upstatejetsfan08, Mangold's sister is a handsome woman, but would break Erik in half. She's definitely an upgrade over Bender.
Mike, no I don't think he has much left but to jump ahead to your No. 3, I think he could help moderately based on the fact the Jets are currently so weak at the position.
Ira asked yesterday which way I'd go - if the Jets were going to sign a safety - between Lynch and Wilson and I'd go with Wilson on age alone. The Jets are - still - trying to steal him away but ultimately, I don't think they'll get him. Based on how he and Belichick talked when they released him, I believe he'll end up at some point back with the Pats.
Hank/Naples, I don't think Chad will ruin the parade but he'll make everyone sweat I think.
upstatejetsfan08, you're welcome in regard to your first comment and, um, haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Yeah, that's as far as we'll go with the second.
Upstate and T, Not only is Mangolds sister a handsome woman who loves football, She plays football with the boys on her High School team! And she plays well...Plays line and goes at it like her big brother!
I hope this hurricane stays away on Sunday. I'm taking my old man to the game for his 77th birthday...tuff enough without bad weather, plus I wan't to see these guys light it up, not just hand off.