Archive for the ‘Jets’ Category

Confessions of a Jet Fan

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

Please don’t tell me these aren’t the Same Old Jets. Because they are.

I’ve been watching this team since I was a kid in the 70s. I can tell you where I was watching Richard Todd get intercepted by Bill Simpson in the Wild Card game. I can tell you where I was for the Mud Bowl. I can tell you where I was when Mark Gastineau was called for roughing the passer against Cleveland.

Any tried and true Jet fan in my age group can recite the same information. And that is why the events of this week around the Jets just smack of Same Old Jets.

After the season opening stinker against the Ravens, Jet fans were euphoric when Gang Green beat the hated Patriots on Sunday. But the pall around the team, despite the on field ups and down, continues to grow. Rex Ryan and the gang can be as positive as they want, but this morning’s arrest of Braylon Edwards for DUI is enough to club a Jet fan into submission.

Let’s look at what we have already this season, just two weeks into things…
–The Darrelle Revis holdout
–The fallout from the Jets’ behavior on “Hark Knocks”
–The preseason injury to Calvin Pace
–The Ines Sainz fiasco
–The season ending (and probably career ending) injury to Kris Jenkins
–The injury to Darrelle Revis
–The Edwards arrest

That is an awful lot of bad things to happen to one team before September has even come to a close. And it is starting to feel like that other shoe is about to drop. The big one this time.

Don’t get me wrong. I still think this team can go a long way. Pace and Revis will be back by the beginning of October, if not earlier. Santonio Holmes’ suspension has two weeks remaining. The Edwards brouhaha will blow over. I’m still going to wear my jersey on game days, and root like hell. But I’ve got that strange feeling that something bigger than all of this is still to come.

Why? Because this team just cannot make things easy. Because karma is a bitch, and many people feel Ryan has some bad karma on its way to bite him in the ass. Because where there is smoke, there is fire, and the Jets organization is billowing smoke.

Because at the end of the day, these are still the Same Old Jets.

Posted in Braylon Edwards, Darrelle Revis, Jets, Rex Ryan | No Comments »

Much Ado About Nothing

Thursday, September 16th, 2010

The sports media seems to be engulfed in two New York based sports stories the last few days that are really non-stories that the media, as usual, has decided to blow completely out of proportion…

–Ines Sainz and the sexual harassment situation that isn’t. Seriously, while I don’t condone what the Jet players and coaches did, and while there is never a good excuse to behave the way they did, and while I agree that Sainz should dress much more appropriately, it has become more and more clear that this has turned into nothing more than an attention-grab by the Mexican reporter. Let’s look at the facts…Dressing in tight and/or skimpy outfits has been Sainz’s claim to fame for years. She has the body to do it, and takes full advantage. The magazine spreads, the measuring of players biceps, all of the stunts are nothing more than ploys to get attention for herself, and her entire career has been nothing more than that. However, her credibility goes right out the window as she does her media tour, when she shows up to discuss the alleged harassment in a blouse that is so low-cut and unbuttoned that it makes her tight jeans at Jet practice seem demure.

Unfortunately, this whole mess has set the “women in the locker room” argument back ten years, and is damaging the credibility of all of those hard-working women reporters that get by on hard work and knowledge, regardless of what they look like. The real shame of it, of course, is that over the last two days, Sainz has gotten more publicity than many more deserving women will get in their careers. That is where the real damage lies. And the sooner we all stop talking about this, the better off we will all be, and the sooner women working in the sports media can get their reputations back.

–Why is anyone making a big deal out of Derek Jeter faking getting hit by a pitch against Tampa Bay on Wednesday? He had the chance to take advantage of a situation, and did it. Every single ballplayer in the majors would have done the same thing given the same opportunity. He wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t. For those who call him a cheater, simply because he got away with something, I challenge you to defend every catcher that makes a phantom tag, or every middle infielder that turns a double play with an “in the neighborhood” touch of second base, or any other similar play. We are not talking about steroid cheating here. We are talking about something that takes place in the flow of competition, and that is simply part of the game.

If you don’t like it, too bad. This is a story that should not even need to be discussed.

Now, can we move on to more important things? I think I hear Rex Ryan cursing again.

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Posted in Derek Jeter, Jets, Media, Sports, Yankees | No Comments »

Jets Might Have Too Many Options

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

I had my first chance on Friday night to watch the 2010 Jets in personal and, unfortunately, being a big Jets fan, came away a little wary of the upcoming season.

I have been right there at the forefront this summer as one of those with the highest expectations of Gang Green. There were too many top line acquisitions brought in as supplementary pieces not to be. LaDainian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor, Antonio Cromartie and the rest are all perfect additions for a team that finished where the Jets did statistically in 2009. However, after watching the team last night, it dawned on me.

We can talk all we want about the Darrelle Revis holdout (and it is a huge piece of the puzzle). We can talk about the injury Calvin Pace suffered Friday (a big, but not irreplaceable piece). The defense will be fine – with a guy like Rex Ryan in charge, I think that goes without saying. The return of Kris Jenkins in the middle also will be an enormous boost. And with Pace hurt, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if the Jets finally go out and bring Adalius Thomas in after resisting all summer. No, the defense is just fine.

The offense is another story, though. And that offense will only go as far as one man can take it…Mark Sanchez.

The Jets running game, like the defense, is just fine. The loss of Thomas Jones and Alan Faneca, frankly, are going to be overblown. Shonn Greene is more than fine as an every down back and, in the role of change of pace, third down back, Tomlinson will be able to keep the life in his legs and should be able to stay healthy more than he did in San Diego. The addition of Santonio Holmes after the fifth game of the season will be a boon to the receiving corps. The loss of Faneca might take a while to get used to, but whether it is Matt Slauson or Vladimir Ducasse in that spot, having a Pro Bowler on each side of him will make that transition a whole lot easier.

And that brings us to Sanchez.

I’m on the bandwagon. I am a believer in him. I think he is going to be a star. However, what I saw last night makes me question whether it will be this year or next, or the one after that, before he is. It won’t be that noticeable on first and second down. With that running game, when he throws on that down, it won’t be “expected”, so teams won’t be able to cheat. On third down, however, he scares me.

Go back and watch last night’s game again. There were three third and long plays in particular that raised red flags. On all three, the Jets had what should be their third down team on the field…Jerricho Cothcery, Braylon Edwards and Holmes all at receiver, Dustin Keller at end, Tomlinson either in the backfield or split out as a receiver. Just saying that brings excitement to any Jet fans eyes – three No. 1 receivers, one of the best receiving tight ends in the league and maybe the best pass catching running back in NFL history all on the field at one time. And Sanchez killed all three plays. On the first, he was almost picked off and, if he was, it would have gone back for six. On the second, he threw way behind an open Holmes. On the third, he was picked off and it almost was returned for a TD. And on all three throws, it was Sanchez’s fault.

I’m going to throw a theory out there that is going to sound strange. Is it possible that the Jets have TOO MANY weapons on the field on third down? Hear me out for a second. It was blatantly clear throughout the game, not just on those plays, that Sanchez was always a second or two late in his decision making. I will contend that having five elite options on the field at one time is causing Sanchez to think too much, to take too long to make his decision, and then to telegraph what he is doing when he makes that decision.

Remember last season, when the Jets opted to simplify the offense with the color coded wristband for Sanchez? I am not going to suggest going to that extreme this time around. And with no Holmes for the first four games, it might give Sanchez some time to get accustomed to four options first, before going to five (it remains to be seen how Brad Smith and Laveraneus Coles fit into the equation at the start of the season). But it just looked to me that he was a little overwhelmed with what he was surrounded by last night. With those five guys all in single coverage, someone is going to be open. Maybe more than one guy. But that needs to be recognized earlier than when Sanchez is seeing it. Is he looking, or trying to look, at too many options before making his decision?

I was working in the booth for the Redskins broadcast last night, and posed that question to Joe Theismann, who was the color analyst on the broadcast. He was looking at it from a broader perspective, that the Jets are confused right now about whether they are a running team or a passing team. Having LT on the field for third down can very easily cause that sort of confusion. But I think it is a little more refined than that.

I think this is a rare case of too many options and not enough time for a young quarterback to figure out what to do. And now, there might not be enough time for the Jets to figure out how to adjust that before the season starts.

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Posted in Darrelle Revis, Jets, Mark Sanchez | No Comments »

Contract Sports

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

There are two major contract situations dominating New York sports headlines today, both involving contracts. And in both cases, applause should be directed at specific parties.

Thank you, NHL. It is about time you put your foot down on ridiculous super-long contracts that are clear salary cap circumventions. While the Twitterverse and Internet explode with outrage about the decision to invalidate Ilya Kovalchuk’s 17 year contract with the Devils, I applaud the decision. Contract loopholes are closed in big business all the time, and it is about time this loophole has been closed.

When this deal was signed, the mockery of the system was blatant. But since there were precedents set on contracts like this, from Alexei Yashin to Marian Hossa and more, the belief was that this was OK, as well. Never mind how ridiculous the terms, with $92 million of the $102 million being paid out in the first seven years, terms that are silly even by past contracts of this type. Never mind that Kovalchuk would be in his mid-40s and long retired when the deal expired. Similar deals were done before, so why shouldn’t this one be accepted?

So it is a breath of fresh air that the NHL, a league widely ridiculed for doing the wrong thing, whether that is the case or not, finally did something correct. The bonus is the investigation of other contracts that are similarly structured, some of which were extensions that have not yet taken effect. In an age where sky high contracts are the norm across sports, making teams act within the spirit of the rules, rather than exploiting a quirk in the system, is a welcome change.

Thank you, New York Jets. While I am a huge Jet fan, I also am a believer that contracts that should be honored by both sides. Remember…it takes two parties to sign a contract. Darrelle Revis had three years remaining on his rookie contract (I say “had” because the last two years are no longer guaranteed now that he is holding out). Three years. I understand that there are higher paid players at his position. I also understand that Rex Ryan is perpetually naming Revis as the best at his position. However, that does not overrule the fact that Revis was handsomely paid before he ever stepped foot on a football field.

In his rookie deal, one that Revis signed with a smile on his face, this was the “down year” as far as pay was concerned. He made a hell of a lot more than $1 million each of the first three years, and if he did not hold out, next year was $5 million, the year after that $15 million. So, in return for the Jets paying him an above average salary in five of the six scheduled seasons, he opted to take the one “down year” and remove the context in which the contract was signed.

The Jets have offered to pay him handsomely. There is no argument from either camp on that stance. But Revis’ insistence on being the top paid player at his position, while making sense on the surface, is also a little skewed. When a team like the Raiders overpays a player, as they did with their own corner, Nnamdi Asomugha, it completely destroys the salary structure for others. The Raiders also overpaid for their first round pick in 2009, Darrius Heyward-Bey, a guy that no one felt should be drafted as high as the Raiders picked him. There is a track record of bad contracts in Oakland, and now the Jets are being paid to force the price. Revis’ people need to start incorporating common sense into their negotiations. Revis will get his, if they simply take a step back and get reasonable.

As a Jet fan, I am looking forward to the coming season as much as anyone. This is a Super Bowl contender, with or without Revis. Now, it is time for Revis to remember that in football, team comes ahead of individual more than in any sport. There very well could be a ring waiting for him if he simply gets off his high horse and gets into camp. It is that simple.

Allow me to indulge in a story. I remember walking up to Revis at the Knicks-Lakers game this past January at Madison Square Garden. It was the Friday night before the AFC Championship game, and numerous Jets were populating the front row. I was working stats for MSG Network that night and was seated no more than 30 feet away from him, and walked over to him at halftime to wish him luck that weekend. He was humble and down to earth and very easily approachable, and while there, I was part of a conversation with him, Kenny Albert, Jeff Van Gundy and a couple of others about who the best QBs in the league were, a conversation in which he was more than happy to oblige. When the players were shown on the scoreboard during the game, the Garden exploded, with Revis getting the loudest ovation.

I’m not so sure either of those things would occur given his stance today.

Posted in Darrelle Revis, Devils, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jets, The Mirl | No Comments »

Ranking the New York Coaches

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

New York has long been home to some of the biggest names in managing and coaching. However, if you look across the sports landscape here these days, you don’t see any of those larger than life personalities. No Bill Parcells, or Red Holzman, or Al Arbour, or Joe Torre. What does exist, though, is a mixed breed of coaches, bringing with it a mixed level of success.

So, without further ado, I want to present the first Mirl On Sports ranking – the head coaches in New York Sports…

1. JOE GIRARDI
Hired: October 30, 2007
Biggest Plus: Ability to manage big personalities
Biggest Minus: Lame duck status
Girardi comes in first in this ranking by a landslide. Other coaches on this list have won championships, but none have had to do it under the microscope that the Yankee skipper has to operate under. Whether it is ownership, the media or the fans, everyone analyzes every facet of every move Girardi makes, both good and bad. And with the roster Girardi is tasked with managing, the expectations will always be sky high. The fact that he immediately followed one of the most beloved managers in Yankee history, Joe Torre, also could have held Girardi back. Instead, he went out and won a title, and has the Yankees on track to make the postseason yet again. Unfortunately, his contract is also up at the end of the season, and, as per Yankee policy, there will be no talk of an extension until after the season, putting Girardi’s future with the club in limbo. His name has already been attached to the opening with the Chicago Cubs, and it remains to be seen whether this issue starts to rear its head as the season hits the homestretch. Either way, nothing less than another World Series is expected in the Bronx. And with the makeup of this team, Girardi remains the perfect man for the job.

2. REX RYAN
Hired: January 21, 2009
Biggest Plus: Defensive pedigree
Biggest Minus: His mouth
When the Jets hired Rex Ryan, the bravado started immediately, and has not stopped since. That has its positives and negatives, of course, but to this point, Ryan has done made almost all of them positives. His outspoken demeanor instantly made him a media darling and fan favorite, and keeps a team that normally plays second fiddle on the football landscape to the Giants square in the mix for the tabloid back page all year. The only real time his mouth has gotten him in any trouble is with the Darrelle Revis situation, but only from the point of Revis’ agents, who are using Ryan’s open love of Revis against the team in negotiations. His mouth is also the only thing that could really get him in trouble, since his defensive system and ability to relate to his players immediately turned the Jets into the top defense in the NFL, and, if Revis gets to camp, will most likely keep them in that position, not to mention a serious Super Bowl contender. He has brought Mark Sanchez along at a great pace, and rolled with the inevitable rookie mistakes that the QB made last season, putting Sanchez in an ideal position to grow in his second year. The sky is the limit for Ryan as a coach, if he doesn’t do anything to get himself in the way. This is the guy, of all everyone on this list, that has that chance to become that larger than life presence.

3. SCOTT GORDON
Hired: August 12, 2008
Biggest Plus: Mentorship of young players
Biggest Minus: Lack of overt personality
Stop laughing and hear me out. Gordon has earned this ranking. Look at his roster over the time that he has been running the Islanders. All you will see are young players with lots of potential, fringe NHLers, past their prime role playing vets and a tenuous goaltender situation that was not created by him. But Gordon has taken that mishmash, installed a system that he believes in and has gotten his players to believe in, and actually overachieved (if that is possible given where the team has finished in the standings the last two seasons). To get to the next level, though, Gordon needs to continue to grow with young stars like John Tavares, Kyle Okposo and the rest. He needs to start loosening up a little and let his personality come out. No one questions his intensity, but sometimes a smile during the press conference carries just as much weight as a terse answer. He also is entering the final year of his contract, an issue which appears to be one the Islanders are in no rush to address. Gordon has tons of potential as a head coach, which is a perfect fit for a team that has a lot of potential in a year or two. If Charles Wang and Garth Snow are serious about the long term rebuild, they need to keep their coach as part of it. No one wants to see him turn into another Peter Laviolette, who the Islanders introduced to the league, then let go, only to see him win a Stanley Cup elsewhere.

4. MIKE D’ANTONI
Hired: May 13, 2008
Biggest Plus: Style of play
Biggest Minus: The roster…which is not his fault
D’Antoni has been hamstrung during his tenure as Knick coach, in which he has brought the fun back into the on court play of the team with his run and gun style. First, he was trapped under players that Isiah Thomas brought into the organization. Then, while that weight was lifted, he became trapped under the deadweight of players that were just there to fill out the roster while the organization waited for the big free agent haul of Summer 2010. Now, he is caught somewhere in the middle, since we all know how greatly the Knicks failed in their pursuit of LeBron James. Amar’e Stoudamire is a great player, but not the guy you build a championship team around, and the team’s best player over the last couple of seasons, David Lee, has been jettisoned in the roster overhaul. If D’Antonio can coax a playoff spot out of the current roster, he easily moves up this list. But as has been the case since he started with the Knicks, he still isn’t being given a roster that fits his style of play.

5. TOM COUGHLIN
Hired: January 6, 2004
Biggest Plus: Intensity
Biggest Minus: Intensity
The calls for Coughlin’s head were loud and strong after the Giants collapsed in 2009 following a 5-0 start. The team resisted making a change, however, and is now presenting Coughlin with his biggest test as a head coach. Can he reinvigorate the roster, much of which remains the same from last season, and get winning back into their minds? He has butted head with a few of his big names and his intensity can sometimes be interpreted as stubbornness. He has won a title in New York, though, so he knows just how the media and fans can get when things are up, as well as down. It remains to be seen if the team can finally rebound from the departure of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, which they failed to do last season. More of that responsibility falls on Coughlin now, because his job most likely is resting on exactly the results.

6. JOHN TORTORELLA
Hired: February 23, 2009
Biggest Plus: Intensity
Biggest Minus: Tendency to overwork players
Tortorella is a polarizing figure. You either love him or hate him. That goes for his players, as well, as it is no secret that some players have tired of playing for him and his outspoken style both with the Rangers and in Tampa Bay. He is as intense a coach as there is in sports and, given the right mix of players, that intensity can result in a championship, as it did when he was in Tampa Bay. However, the Rangers roster has proven to be thin at forward and unimposing on defense, and Tortorella has used that as a reason to shorten his bench in games early and often. That only works to a point, though, and might be one of the reasons the Rangers fell just shy of a playoff berth last season. The top end of the team’s roster has not changed dramatically from a year ago, so it will be interesting to see if that same issue raises itself in 2010-11. If it does, and if the Rangers do not respond to their coach’s yelling and screaming, Tortorella might find himself out of work before 2011 hits.

7. JERRY MANUEL
Hired: June 17, 2008
Biggest Plus: He’s a nice guy
Biggest Minus: His managing ability
The clock is about to run out on Manuel’s time as Mets manager, as it seems to be a foregone conclusion that he will be let go following the season, if not before. Once again, the team has fallen apart in the second half, despite the return of Carlos Beltran from his serious knee injury. As New Yorkers know, though, his departure should be only one piece of a team overhaul that should start with GM Omar Minaya. It is time for huge changes in Queens, and Manuel really does not deserve to shoulder all of the blame. While his moves are often questioned, and rightfully so, given the team’s starting rotation, it actually could have been worse this year. One thing Manuel does deserve some credit for how he has handled the situation, though. Many managers in New York have not carried themselves with the class that he has under these circumstances.

These rankings are obviously subjective, and are only one man’s opinion. New Yorkers routinely witness a wide variety of coaching styles and results, and as we all know, it is the results that carry the most weight in this town. It is quite conceivable that almost everyone on this list could be replaced by this time next year (Ryan is clearly the safest bet), but that is New York sports for you.

Feel free to let me know how you rank the coaches. Maybe we’ll make this into an unscientific poll if I get enough replies.

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Posted in Giants, Islanders, Jets, Knicks, Mets, Mirl, Rangers, Yankees | No Comments »

The State of New York Sports

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

I was driving home from last night’s New York Sports Exchange, wracking my brain trying to figure out what to write about today. I’m not the type that let’s things happen naturally. I have a tendency to force things a little bit…as regular Twitter followers of mine know when they see me sending out tweets asking people to follow me.

And then I heard the Yankees lost and the Rays won.

Yes, the Yankees. The team that, according to fans, experts and Mike Francesa, didn’t need Cliff Lee, now sits in second place in the AL East. Ironically, if the standings hold as they are right now, the Yankees would most likely face the Texas Rangers, featuring Lee, in the first round of the playoffs. If you are a Yankee fan, how happy are you about that prospect?

Let’s call things what they are. There is a sense of entitlement with Yankee fans. It is something that, quite frankly, the fans and the organization have earned. The track record in the Bronx over the last fifteen years is sparkling, so we can forgive the fans for feeling that way. And yes, the Yankees will most likely earn a spot in the postseason, where anything can happen. But that is also my point. In the playoffs, anything can happen. And the guy that Yankee fans didn’t want, who only happens to be one of the best pitchers in the game, might just be the guy to send them packing come October.

That sense of entitlement, however, is not limited to Yankee fans. Sports fans from New York, in general, have that same attitude. We are New Yorkers, of course. This is what we know. It stretches well beyond sports, but the stadium or arena is the easiest place to allow this feeling to manifest itself. Unfortunately, beyond the Yankees, history shows that fans of the other New York teams might want to ease up just a hair. Let’s visit those teams:

The Mets, as has been the norm the last few years, started nicely, but with a smoke and mirrors pitching staff and the disastrous signing of Jason Bay, will once again miss the playoffs. A major housecleaning of the front office and manager spot are long overdue, and it is time to break it all down and put it back together. Hello, rebuild.

The Knicks saw their master plan of the last two years go up in smoke when LeBron James shunned New York and went to Miami. Now, hopes are being pinned on NEXT summer and the longshot of Carmelo Anthony coming to the Garden. Knick fans will have to keep waiting for return to the playoffs.

The Rangers have not addressed their glaring needs for a guy to run shotgun for Marian Gaborik, not the need to get bigger, stronger and tougher on the blueline. With many of the Eastern Conference teams getting better this summer, it is going to be a tough road for the Blueshirts to get back into the playoffs.

The Islanders? The red headed stepchild of New York sports is not far off. But with a team payroll that will barely clear the league’s salary floor for another year, the team’s strong core of youth is at least a year away, probably two, from making any noise in the NHL. The talent base is growing rapidly, though, and this is a team that, if they grow together, will be very very good. Garth Snow doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves, and until they do something in the postseason, he will unfairly be known as the “backup goalie turned GM”. Too bad the arena situation, not to mention the terrible Rick DiPietro contract, will continue to be an albatross around the organization’s neck until it is resolved.

A hunch tells me it could be a down year for the Giants. Many New Yorkers live and breathe Big Blue, of course, and can’t wait to see the new stadium. But after last year’s collapse, it might be tough to turn things around this year. It is always fun when the team is good, so let’s hope I’m wrong on this one. My gut just tells me that slide in ’09 is going to stretch through another season.

Of course, the entire city is abuzz about the Jets, and for good reason. On paper, this is a team that is truly loaded on both sides of the ball. It is the Jets, however…a team that has not been to the Super Bowl in my lifetime for a reason. Until they actually do get back to the Super Bowl, most fans are forced to take all of the buzz with a grain of salt. I bleed green and white as much as the next guy, but all of the talk only gets you so far. With camp off to a start that is clouded by the Darrelle Revis holdout, is this a team that can live up to expectations?

And it is exactly that last word, expectations, that every New Yorker has for the teams in this town (I did not list the Jersey teams because I live on Long Island…those teams are not New York as far as I’m concerned, despite playing closer to New York than the Islanders). That just comes with the territory of playing in a town where we all think everything should be ours.

Posted in Giants, Islanders, Jets, Knicks, Mets, Mirl, New York Sports Exchange, Rangers, The Mirl, Yankees | No Comments »