flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 Vinnie Iyer Thursday, May. 27, 2010 - 11:23 p.m. ET color:#111; } #snt_promo .clear { clear:both; } This article appears in Sporting News Today, the world's first sports digital daily. When the New Orleans Saints hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in South Florida last February, it meant their leader and MVP, Drew Brees, had joined an exclusive club. Brees, after Kurt Warner's decision to retire this offseason, is one of six active quarterbacks to have won a Super Bowl. Key to Tony Romo's title crusade is the time and efforts he puts into development. Brett Favre is the dean, Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger are multiple inductees, and the Manning brothers round out the list. That's a pretty impressive group, but with driven young passers emerging around the league, you can expect the company to expand soon. Here are six ringless QBs who have the best chance to join the Super Six soon: 1. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys Brady and Big Ben set the bar high for winning early in a career. But, remember, it took quarterbacks as great as Peyton Manning and Brees nine seasons to get their rings. Manning was 30 and Brees 31 when they became champions. Romo, 30, is entering his fourth full season as the Cowboys' unquestioned starter. He has steadily progressed from athletic gunslinger to well-rounded quarterback. Getting his first playoff win after his best regular season to date could be a springboard to something special in 2010. A major factor in Romo's development is the increased time and effort he is putting into becoming a better player -- something his teammates have noticed. "He's much more focused as a student of the game," Cowboys nose tackle Jay Ratliff said. "He's always learning, asking questions." That puts Romo on the verge of coming up with the ultimate answer to silence his critics. 2. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets Sanchez has some of the wunderkind appeal that Brady and Roethlisberger both had. As a rookie, Sanchez went to the AFC championship game, showing quick improvement in the playoffs after going through the typical struggles of inexperience during the regular season. Because of their strong finish last season, the Jets enter 2010 with great expectations. Supported by the NFL's best defense and running game, many observers think Sanchez will deliver the goods this season. "This will be a big year for him, and that will come with a lot of attention on him," ESPN analyst and former NFL defensive end Marcellus Wiley said. For Joe Flacco, a great supporting cast is supplemented by anchor Ray Lewis. Count on Sanchez to reduce his big mistakes and to provide more big plays by feeding off the run and getting the ball downfield to wide receivers Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards. He proved he could handle the pressure of being a much-hyped draft pick last season, and that confidence will go a long way in Year 2. 3. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens Like Sanchez, Flacco is fortunate to have a strong supporting cast. He has a great feature back (Ray Rice), an excellent young left tackle (Michael Oher) and a new big receiving target (Anquan Boldin) to work with. On defense, the Ravens still have their trademark tough front seven, with inside linebacker Ray Lewis as the familiar anchor. It has been 10 years since Lewis led the Ravens to their only Super Bowl title, but he likes what Flacco brings as a young leader heading into 2010. "When they talk about what about made Joe Montana great, the kid gets it," Lewis said of Flacco. "It's like if he were playing basketball, it wouldn't matter if he missed once; he would keep taking the next shot." 4. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers Statistically speaking, Rivers has been the most consistent and impressive of the 2004 first-round QB class. But Roethlisberger and Eli Manning have rings and he doesn't. The Chargers will remain a playoff shoo-in in the weak AFC West, so Rivers figures to get several more chances at a deep run. The team is working to become more defensively sound, and the addition of rookie power back Ryan Mathews will help rebuild the rushing attack as a complementary force. 5. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers It turns out that team officials were right when they thought Rodgers was ready to take the reins from Favre two years ago. Now that Rodgers has broken out as a prolific passer, the next step is delivering another championship to Titletown. He has the talent to at least match Favre's one Super Bowl victory -- and it helps that the team has surrounded him with skilled receivers and is building a strong 3-4 defense. As good as Rodgers has looked, he can still refine his game and grow into a better decision maker. The Packers are working to give him better protection, and he would also benefit from his backs being more productive in the screen game. 6. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons For a quarterback who has already been nicknamed "Matty Ice" and hails from Philadelphia, it might work out nicely that Super Bowl 48 will be held on a cold day in New Jersey. Atlanta is on the right track to building a championship team, but it might take a little while. Ryan has drawn early comparisons to Manning and Brady, and his calm, collected demeanor in the pocket should make the Falcons feel great about their franchise's long-term future. This story appears in May 28's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only digital sports daily, sign up today. Vinnie Iyer is a staff writer for Sporting News. Email him at viyer@sportingnews.com. 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flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Coach Rex Ryan thinks quarterback QB Mark Sanchez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Is it Super Bowl or Bust for the Jets? Posted by Chris Cipriano under New York Jets Super Bowl or bust. That statement has been associated a lot with the Jets this offseason. And it easy to see why evidenced by their offseason acquisitions. The Jets are clearly gunning for a Super Bowl. Despite making the AFC Championship Game last year, Mike Tannenbaum realized this team was still only 9-7 and had holes to fill in order to be a legitimate contender for the Super Bowl. And so Tannenbaum aggressively filled those holes. He signed Jason Taylor to help the pass rush and LaDainian Tomlinson to form a 1-2 punch with Shonn Greene. He traded for Antonio Cromartie to lock up receivers opposite Darrelle Revis and Santonio Holmes to give Mark Sanchez a big play threat. As previously stated, these moves have the Jets thinking Super Bowl and rightfully so. But if the Jets don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 N.J. Authority pays $1M for season tix Giants Blog POST WIRE SERVICES Last Updated: 5:13 AM, May 28, 2010 Posted: 3:36 AM, May 28, 2010 Comments: 0 | More Print TRENTON -- The New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority spent almost $1 million to lock up season tickets for the Giants and Jets, seats that will be used by VIPs including elected officials. The state agency secured 142 season passes in the NFL teams' new $1.6 billion stadium in East Rutherford by paying an $854,000 one-time license fee and $221,600 for actual tickets to 20 games set for 2010. The agency also paid $275,000 for a luxury suite. The costs were provided in response to a public records request by Bloomberg News. Business partners, politicians and others associated with the agency will be able to buy the tickets from the authority, which plans a service fee to recoup costs, said John Samerjan, a spokesman. The agency, which neither owns nor manages the new stadium and is supposed to operate without taxpayer help, is asking lawmakers for $32.8 million to make up a funding shortfall at a time when state social services are being cut. "These are the kind of shenanigans we need to guard against," said Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono, a Middlesex County Democrat who is seeking an audit of the authority's budget. "It seems not only an unnecessary and unwise expense, but wholly inappropriate given the amount of money they are seeking from the state." Dennis Robinson, the authority's president, said the purchases were made so the agency could keep tickets it controlled in the old stadium. "In 2008 the Authority was forced to make a decision -- either give up your seats forever potentially, or continue to purchase a reasonable amount of seats for business purposes," he said. "The decision had to be made on the spot." The authority reserves the seats for use by sponsors of its other facilities, high-stakes horse bettors and people who are valuable to its business, Robinson said Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/giants/authority_pays_for_season_tix_spxAuzIVkcqxCuNQ30YwgN?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=#ixzz0pDxj45B8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Hundreds of unionized workers from Giants Stadium need Hail Mary to get jobs back Juan Gonzalez - News Friday, May 28th 2010, 4:00 AM Denver for News Estime Kens, a member of Unite Here Local 100 and a worker at the old Giants Stadium, joins protest outside new stadium yesterday in Meadowlands. The Giants and Jets have snared our city's first Super Bowl for their new Meadowlands Stadium, but hundreds of unionized workers from the old stadium are being left out in the cold. Only about 200 of some 1,200 food and beverage vendors at Giants Stadium last year have been rehired by Delaware North, the new company selected to operate concessions at the glittering, $1.6 billion sports palace. With all those new luxury suites and restaurants, Delaware North will need 2,000 workers in all. The company has lowered the average pay for food-counter employees from $13.80 to $10 to $12 an hour. The company also has done away with seniority rights and refused to honor the old contract that Aramark, the former stadium concessionaire, signed with Local 100 of Unite Here, the local's president, Bill Granfield, said. Retired teacher Diane Sierchio, who worked at the stadium for 25 years, can't believe how she and her co-workers are being treated. Sierchio served team players and management in Giants Stadium locker rooms. "We fed them like they were family," Sierchio said. "I personally served Wellington Mara and the Tischs. "All those years, it was us workers who gave fans a good experience at the stadium." After Giants Stadium closed, all employees were told they would have to reapply for their jobs - without so much as a letter of thanks from the teams. "Delaware North didn't give us the courtesy of separate interviews," Sierchio said. "We had to line up with all new applicants at a big job fair." Sierchio and many workers she applied with were never called back. Say what you will about the Yankees and Mets, but they kept their old workers when moving into new ballparks. Alice McGillion, a spokeswoman for Meadowlands Stadium, says the stadium has been a "100% union operation," from construction to ongoing operations. McGillion conceded that "this one contract was not completely signed." The Jets and Giants have "encouraged Delaware North to continue negotiations" with Local 100, she said. Union leader Granfield says he has been able to identify only 200 of his members among the 1,200 workers already hired by Delaware North. A company spokesman disputed that number. "To date, we have offered positions to 90% of those former employees who have actually [applied and] been interviewed," spokesman Glen White e-mailed. White did not reveal the number; the company has declined to tell Granfield how many union members applied. It's almost impossible to believe that, in these tough economic times, 1,000 Giants Stadium employees would simply pass up the chance to keep their jobs. White declined to talk about union negotiations except to say that company policy "is always to give consideration to current employees when we assume operations at a new location." In the nearly 15 months since the Giants and Jets chose Delaware North, the company has agreed to talk with the union officials only three times, Granfield said. "If they were talking in good faith, they'd tell us, 'We want to keep the old workers and respect their seniority rights.' They haven't done that." jgonzalez@nydailynews.com Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/05/28/2010-05-28_need_a_hail_mary_to_get_jobs_back.html?r=sports%2Ffootball%2Fjets&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fjets+%28Sports%2FFootball%2FJets%29#ixzz0pDyLONdq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 After position switch, early signs are encouraging for Gholston By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger May 28, 2010, 5:30AM Noah K. Murray/The Star-LedgerThe Jets had high hopes for Vernon Gholston when they drafted him No. 6 overall in 2008.Rex Ryan spoke carefully. After a year of striving to unlock Vernon Gholston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Cummings Making Strong Bid as ILB Backup Published: 05-28-10 By Randy Lange change font email article Editor-in-Chief Two consecutive days this week, Jets head coach Rex Ryan went out of his way to mention his new man in the middle. "The guy that's really jumped out at me is Kenwin Cummings," Ryan said in the last question of his live chat with Jets fans from his Atlantic Health Jets Training Center office on Wednesday. "He's put on about five pounds of muscle and looks more athletic. He's a 255-pound linebacker who's really moving around. We need to have that third inside linebacker right now and it looks like he's got a foothold on it." Cummings, who isn't all that new Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Transcript: RB LaDainian Tomlinson, 5.27 Posted on May 28th, 2010 by Bassett On Jet players labeling him as the most impressive during the OTA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LWC611 Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 Is it Super Bowl or Bust for the Jets? Posted by Chris Cipriano under New York Jets Super Bowl or bust. That statement has been associated a lot with the Jets this offseason. And it easy to see why evidenced by their offseason acquisitions. The Jets are clearly gunning for a Super Bowl. Despite making the AFC Championship Game last year, Mike Tannenbaum realized this team was still only 9-7 and had holes to fill in order to be a legitimate contender for the Super Bowl. And so Tannenbaum aggressively filled those holes. He signed Jason Taylor to help the pass rush and LaDainian Tomlinson to form a 1-2 punch with Shonn Greene. He traded for Antonio Cromartie to lock up receivers opposite Darrelle Revis and Santonio Holmes to give Mark Sanchez a big play threat. As previously stated, these moves have the Jets thinking Super Bowl and rightfully so. But if the Jets don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slats Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 The company has lowered the average pay for food-counter employees from $13.80 to $10 to $12 an hour. The company also has done away with seniority rights and refused to honor the old contract that Aramark, the former stadium concessionaire, signed with Local 100 of Unite Here, the local's president, Bill Granfield, said. One more reason I'm glad I'm not spending a dime in the New Giants Stadium. They're screwing the fans and their workers. Got it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxman Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 I didn't know that about the workers. That sucks, they charge more and more and squeeze the little man. I know it is all about the bottom line but every once in awhile doing the right thing would be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Jets', Tequipment's SMART Gifts to PS 46 Published: 05-28-10 By Special Contributor change font email article NewYorkJets.com special contributor from outside the club. Real Player Not Found Sorry. You do not have RealPlayer installed or your version is out-of-date. Click here to install the latest RealPlayer so you can enjoy Jets multimedia. The New York Jets and Tequipment announced today the donation of 13 SMART Board interactive whiteboards to PS 46 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Add to favorites Examiner Bio New York Jets news and notes May 28, 7:14 AMNew York Jets ExaminerTyson Rauch Subscribe ShareThis Jets working out on Thursday Mel Evans/AP Over the past couple of days the New York Jets held their off-season training activities at their complex in Florham Park, New Jersey. Outlined below are some notes from those sessions. 1) Folk rebounds - Kicker Nick Folk, who was heavily criticized for a poor performance in an earlier camp, rebounded with a 4-4 performance (47,33,36,43 yards) on Thursday. Meanwhile kicker Clint St!tser had another sub par performance and was subsequently released. 2) Jenkins ready - Defensive tackle Kris Jenkins continues to make progress with his rehabilitation and has said he will be ready for mini-camp which begins June 14th. One can only wonder how much better this defense will be with Big Jenks causing havoc in the middle of it. 3) Camp stars- Rex Ryan named Braylon Edwards and Kenwin Cummings as two players that have really caught his eye during the activities. This should come as no surprise with Edwards, as he is essentially playing for a new deal. As for Cummings this is excellent news as the Jets need depth at the linebacker position in addition to help on special teams. 4) Sanchez continues to impress- Quarterback Mark Sanchez continues to move forward with his rehabilitation and is reportedly ahead of schedule. Sanchez has been active in drills and is slated to participate in the June mini-camp. 5) Gholston improving? According to Rex Ryan, Vernon Gholston made some positive strides playing at the defensive end position. Gholston made his way to the quarterback several times in drills, which is something he has yet to officially do in the NFL. Keep your fingers crossed on this one Jets fans. For the transcript from Rex Ryan's Thursday press conference click here. Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 The Case for Albert Haynesworth by Crackback on May 28, 2010 11:57 AM EDT 8 comments I have long been a proponent of exploring a trade for Big Al. It is my belief that having two very large and completely dominant defensive tackles would not only take our defense to the next level, but it would transform this defense into the greatest of all time. Now there seems to be empirical data which would lend some support to my theory. KC Joyner of ESPN Insider writes: "In the two seasons prior to signing with Washington, Haynesworth posted point of attack (POA) win totals of 32.3 percent (2007) and 23.8 percent (2008)," writes Joyner. "Those totals are the baseline against which Haynesworth's 2009 run-stuffing performance should be gauged. "Let's check out his POA numbers from last season. He had 81 POA attempts and 27 POA wins. That equates to a 33.3 percent POA win rate, or a total that was actually higher than both his 2007 and 2008 figures." "There is one overwhelming compelling reason [Haynesworth] should be kept as an under tackle -- he is nigh near unblockable in a one-on-one situation," writes Joyner. "To illustrate this, consider that he was single team blocked 49 times and won 22 of those blocks, or a single team win rate of 44.9 percent. That by far is the highest single team POA win rate I have seen thus far (the double team blocking review is my summer tape watching project). To put it in perspective, consider that it ranks higher than Casey Hampton (17.1%), Vince Wilfork (29.6%) and Kris Jenkins (44.4%). Teams simply cannot leave Haynesworth in a one-on-one situation if they want to run the ball his way." Pairing Haynesworth with Jenkins would give us two players that dominate the point of attack and who are both virtually unblockable in one-on-one situations. They each can play in the interior in 4-man fronts, or they can move out to DE in 3-man fronts (with Pouha playing the nose). As some have said before, having two guys like that, that can tie up blockers the way those two could, would allow backers and blitzers to run to the ball freely. They would obliterate opposing offensive lines. Detractors will claim that Haynesworth isn't worth the trouble he would bring. They will claim that he will be too expensive without knowing what Washington is willing to take to be rid of him. They will claim that he's a distraction and a cancer, but I think he would be a much bigger headache for his opponents, especially if paired with Big Jenks. They will say he's a 2-down player that fatigues easily; I believe that we can keep him in a rotation to keep him fresh, along with Jenkins, and pick our spots to play the two of them together. They will say he's old and will only be a short term solution, but we're in win now mode anyway. Who would I use to get him? Off the top of my head: Ellis, DeVito, B Thomas, plus picks (or any combo thereof). To me, its worth it. We could possibly have the most dominant defense in history for the next 2-3 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 28, 2010 Author Share Posted May 28, 2010 Westhoff rebuilds Jets' kicking teams Jets Blog By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. Associated Press Last Updated: 2:46 PM, May 28, 2010 Posted: 2:45 PM, May 28, 2010 | Mike Westhoff was in midseason form, growling at his players and using some choice words to stress his point. It Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aec4 Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 Hundreds of unionized workers from Giants Stadium need Hail Mary to get jobs back Juan Gonzalez - News Friday, May 28th 2010, 4:00 AM Denver for News Estime Kens, a member of Unite Here Local 100 and a worker at the old Giants Stadium, joins protest outside new stadium yesterday in Meadowlands. The Giants and Jets have snared our city's first Super Bowl for their new Meadowlands Stadium, but hundreds of unionized workers from the old stadium are being left out in the cold. Only about 200 of some 1,200 food and beverage vendors at Giants Stadium last year have been rehired by Delaware North, the new company selected to operate concessions at the glittering, $1.6 billion sports palace. With all those new luxury suites and restaurants, Delaware North will need 2,000 workers in all. The company has lowered the average pay for food-counter employees from $13.80 to $10 to $12 an hour. The company also has done away with seniority rights and refused to honor the old contract that Aramark, the former stadium concessionaire, signed with Local 100 of Unite Here, the local's president, Bill Granfield, said. Retired teacher Diane Sierchio, who worked at the stadium for 25 years, can't believe how she and her co-workers are being treated. Sierchio served team players and management in Giants Stadium locker rooms. "We fed them like they were family," Sierchio said. "I personally served Wellington Mara and the Tischs. "All those years, it was us workers who gave fans a good experience at the stadium." After Giants Stadium closed, all employees were told they would have to reapply for their jobs - without so much as a letter of thanks from the teams. "Delaware North didn't give us the courtesy of separate interviews," Sierchio said. "We had to line up with all new applicants at a big job fair." Sierchio and many workers she applied with were never called back. Say what you will about the Yankees and Mets, but they kept their old workers when moving into new ballparks. Alice McGillion, a spokeswoman for Meadowlands Stadium, says the stadium has been a "100% union operation," from construction to ongoing operations. McGillion conceded that "this one contract was not completely signed." The Jets and Giants have "encouraged Delaware North to continue negotiations" with Local 100, she said. Union leader Granfield says he has been able to identify only 200 of his members among the 1,200 workers already hired by Delaware North. A company spokesman disputed that number. "To date, we have offered positions to 90% of those former employees who have actually [applied and] been interviewed," spokesman Glen White e-mailed. White did not reveal the number; the company has declined to tell Granfield how many union members applied. It's almost impossible to believe that, in these tough economic times, 1,000 Giants Stadium employees would simply pass up the chance to keep their jobs. White declined to talk about union negotiations except to say that company policy "is always to give consideration to current employees when we assume operations at a new location." In the nearly 15 months since the Giants and Jets chose Delaware North, the company has agreed to talk with the union officials only three times, Granfield said. "If they were talking in good faith, they'd tell us, 'We want to keep the old workers and respect their seniority rights.' They haven't done that." jgonzalez@nydailynews.com Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/05/28/2010-05-28_need_a_hail_mary_to_get_jobs_back.html?r=sports%2Ffootball%2Fjets&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fjets+%28Sports%2FFootball%2FJets%29#ixzz0pDyLONdq WAHHH.. nothing worse than hearing union people whine. "They didn't even say thanks." DID THEY SEND YOU A PAYCHECK FOR THE WORK YOU DID? If so, then they said thanks, now shut it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogzilla Posted May 28, 2010 Share Posted May 28, 2010 WAHHH.. nothing worse than hearing union people whine. "They didn't even say thanks." DID THEY SEND YOU A PAYCHECK FOR THE WORK YOU DID? If so, then they said thanks, now shut it. Get real, dude. These people, making a whopping $13 an hour, were not given the opportunity to retain their jobs. They have every right to be pissed. And btw, i'm sure it was the writer that made the thank you comment. Do you seriously think these people expected anything like that? All they want is their jobs. Again, get freakin real. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 29, 2010 Author Share Posted May 29, 2010 Darrelle Revis: A Comparison to The NFL's Best Ever Cornerbacks by Zach Berger Written on May 28, 2010 Is Darrelle Revis the best cornerback ever? If he plays at the level he played last season for five more years, will his name forever be ingrained in the books as a legend? Will he go down in football mythology as the most dominant cornerback to ever play the game? Well, what better way to find out than to compare him to the likes of Deion Sanders, Mel Blount, Rod Woodson, and Dick Lane? Lets's take a look at Revis' opponents last season first: I'll give you a few seconds to let that sink in. That isn't just an impressive season, that is probaby the best season that any cornerback has ever had. Maybe even the most dominant performance by a football player ever. Remember 4,806 yard, 50 TD season in 2007? I'm sure you do. Well what Revis did this past year is the defensive equivilant of that. There have been cornerbacks who have had seasons that can rival that, but none that will simply follow the best receiver on the other team around all game, frustrating him more than he has ever been frustrated before. Even Nnamdi Asomugha just covers one side of the field. Darrelle Revis covers one player. The best player. The Andre Johnson's of the league. I couldn't find a game-by-game breakdown of Deion Sanders' opponents' stats past the ninth game of the 1994 season. Sanders won the defensive player of the year award during that season and it has often been regarded as one of the best seasons ever... (read the rest on Jets Jive by clicking the link below) This article is also featured on Jets Jive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 29, 2010 Author Share Posted May 29, 2010 Jets aim to maintain special teams success despite personnel changes By The Associated Press May 28, 2010, 3:25PM Andrew Mills/The Star-LedgerJets receiver David Clowney will have an increased role on special teams this season.Mike Westhoff was in midseason form, growling at his players and using some choice words to stress his point. It's only May, but the Jets' special teams coordinator needs to be intense. He's rebuilding a unit that lost several key members from last season, including the kicker, long snapper and special teams ace. "There are some big, big challenges," Westhoff told The Associated Press, at Jets offseason workouts in Florham Park. "We all have challenges, but I probably have the biggest. Yet, I have no lack of confidence thinking that I can't do it. It can be frustrating, but I think I see the whole picture." The NFL is a business, and teams lose significant players every season because of financial decisions or changes in philosophy. Roster turnover is just part of it, something Westhoff has experienced quite a bit in nearly 30 years coaching in the NFL. "I'm used to it," Westhoff said. "It's part of the system. We probably have a smaller pool from which to draw because of some of the moves we've made. And, that's okay. I think for the most part, most of the guys, I feel pretty good about." For coach Rex Ryan, having Westhoff means he doesn't need to worry about special teams -- no matter what the roster looks like. "There's no better guy in the league to have than Westy," Ryan said. "It's great as a head coach (when) you can lay your head on that pillow knowing you're going to be able to protect the punter, knowing you're going to be able to cover kicks." Adversity is nothing new for the 62-year-old Westhoff, who has battled back from cancer in his left leg and several subsequent operations. He's in his 10th season with the Jets and 28th in the NFL, and has long been regarded as one of the league's special teams gurus. "He's pretty straightforward and holds nothing back or sugar coats anything," linebacker Lance Laury said. Westhoff said the Jets' special teams unit ranked fifth last season and could have been No. 1 if not for two 100-yard returns by Miami's Ted Ginn Jr. "It's only two plays," he said, "but they still bother me." The biggest question Westhoff faces might be whether Nick Folk will be able to replace Jay Feely, who went to Arizona after not being re-signed by New York. Folk was a Pro Bowl pick as a rookie in 2007, but struggled through last season after he had a torn labrum in his right hip repaired in the offseason. "Nick has been a guy who we've made a couple of adjustments, not with his technique, but his alignment," Westhoff said. "I feel very good about that. He's coming off not a great year, but we'll see. So far, he's done okay." There's also the issue of long snapper after veteran James Dearth was not re-signed. Dearth was consistently good in his nine seasons with the Jets, but the team opted to go younger at that spot and signed Tanner Purdum. "He's a very good snapper," Westhoff said of Purdum. "He can snap. Now, will he hold up under the pressure and is he strong enough? We're going to find all those things out. He's got some basics. We're going to put him in that position and let him compete for it." One mostly overlooked move during the offseason was the Jets allowing Wallace Wright to sign with Carolina as a free agent. Wright was a spot player on offense as a wide receiver, but played one of the most important roles on special teams as the flyer or gunner. Westhoff is looking at using speedy wide receiver David Clowney as Wright's replacement. "I know I can do it," Clowney said. "That's not a question. I come from a special teams college at Virginia Tech. I started at flyer for my last two years of college. It's something I'm not new to." It could mean the difference between being cut or remaining on the roster. With Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes and Brad Smith ahead of him on the depth chart, Clowney needs to show he can be versatile. "I'm giving him every opportunity," Westhoff said. Westhoff said punter Steve Weatherford is kicking the ball the best he's seen. He's also excited about the prospect of having Smith return kicks on a regular basis after averaging 30.1 yards on 10 returns last season. First-round pick Kyle Wilson, a Piscataway native, also is expected to have a large role on special teams, as are Laury, Eric Smith, James Ihedigbo, Dwight Lowery and Marquice Cole. Speedy cornerback Antonio Cromartie also might be used by Westhoff. "I've got my work cut out for me," Westhoff said. "But, I think we have a chance with the guys we've got." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 29, 2010 Author Share Posted May 29, 2010 Big Jinx Getting Itchy to Practice Posted on May 28th, 2010 by Bassett Jenkins is itching to get back on the field, and while he was able to be out on the field shortly Thursday, [url=http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/jets/2010/05/kris-jenkins-to-participate-in.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+nydnrss/blogs/jets+%28Blogs/The+Jet+Stream%29&utm_content=Bloglines]it wasn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted May 29, 2010 Author Share Posted May 29, 2010 Sports Business New Stadium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sperm Edwards Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 Get real, dude. These people, making a whopping $13 an hour, were not given the opportunity to retain their jobs. They have every right to be pissed. And btw, i'm sure it was the writer that made the thank you comment. Do you seriously think these people expected anything like that? All they want is their jobs. Again, get freakin real. The job pays $10-12/hour now. If they can't find enough people at that rate they'll offer more money at that time. No company hires someone for $14/hour when you can hire someone for $10 to do the job. They're pouring beers and sodas and handing out pretzels and hot dogs. And the lines didn't move so fast when these blobs of molasses were making more $ with little fear of losing their union-protected jobs. To say nothing of how much an employer has to deal with a union boss telling the employer what tasks they can and cannot tell their own employees to do. When you buy a football team for $600M you can hire who you want. Seems they hired a couple hundred of them who were willing to take market rate money over being unemployed. When there's over 10% unemployment and underemployment and you tell your employer to overpay everybody or you're all walking, you have to be prepared for that employer to tell you to stick it. $14 per hour (plus who knows what other unmentioned benefit goodies they had to throw in to all union workers). These aren't skilled, licensed contractors. They're unskilled labor to pour sodas and direct parking traffic like mongoloids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorGato Posted May 29, 2010 Share Posted May 29, 2010 It really is Super Bowl or bust. There's alot riding on this season...it's exciting...They really want to do it big this year...Tell me that there's another way to do it and I'll tell you that you are crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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