June 1 2016 - Jets town hall summary (Bowles, Maccagnan Q&A with fans)

[Sperm Edwards]

June 1, 2016 - Jets town hall - summary

Jets had a town hall event last night at Westbury Music Fair (or whatever it's called now). Tickets were free but you still needed a ticket.

(Note, I didn’t record it & don’t have a photographic memory, so any quotes I make are not exact quotes and am doing this off the top of my head).

Whole thing was about 2 hours start to finish. Half the seats were empty. Most of it was boring, I’ll start off with that. They out the flight crew, who did a number, so no complaints there. They're pretty hot, swinging the long hair around. Mmmff. Then one by one the guy who calls the games on the radio comes out (I just forget his name but recognized the voice), then Neil Glat, then Bowles, Maccagnan, and finally Woody. Then they show some prepared videos, etc. They did a little Jets trivia (maybe 3-4 questions) and if you were called on & got it right you got a signed ball. First kid got a signed Revis ball. Pretty sweet. Another guy got a signed Darron Lee ball. Don't know what the others were. One question was an a/b/c or all of the above (think it was which Jet went to Louisville). First guy says Pryor. They say that's partially right, hint-hint. Then the next person gives another name, and again, "Uh, that's also partially right..." (facepalm).

Woody didn’t say much, and what little he did say was a little incoherent & mumbly-ish, but he’s not rich because of his public speaking prowess. In truth I barely remember what he talked about, but nothing good nor bad; just not noteworthy. Then he sat next to a little kid (grandson?) for the rest of the time off stage.

Bunch of mikes placed around the hall (it's in the round, for those who have never been), with lines forming behind the mikes. Standing on stage is the radio guy, kind of emceeing the whole thing, and seated on stage are Glat, Bowles, and Maccagnan.

Some of the questions, I'll just say it, were meathead-level stupid. Half of the questions asked were preceded by the person giving his resume of just how wonderful of a fan he (or she) is, even if it took 2-3 minutes to describe their worthiness as loyal Jets fans. “I always wear at least something green every day even if it’s my underwear…” (no I'm not kidding) and going on and on until getting shouted into finally asking some pointless question. A few others were gripes and comments more than questions. Like someone waiting in turn for some 30+ minutes, then finally “asking” that he thinks the special teams was lacking last year and helped contributed to some losses and that it needs to get better this season. That was the question. Really, what’s Bowles supposed to say? “Well, uh, we really have no plans to improve in that area. We're into coasting.” Well, ever the polite guy, Bowles answered anyway. Yes, he wants to improve the special teams play this year. So now we know. Now you all know. Great question.

Which brings up something else, and this is as good a place as any. Much like on camera, and as anyone else who’s met/seen him in person can attest, Bowles is a super nice fella. Like impossibly nice and polite and courteous. It may be a little bit of a nervous smile he wears a lot, but it is a smile nonetheless and you really can’t help but like him personally. 

Maccagnan gave a little intro, talked about the draft. Nothing any GM wouldn't say (spoiler alert: they like the players they just drafted). Laughs about how he's not a good public speaker. He did fine, though. 

Most of the best questions were asked by children, largely because the adults were either incoherent or because those that weren't would have been too embarrassed to ask/comment in this form: “Why the hell haven’t you brought Ryan Fitzpatrick back yet?”

For me, the cutest moment came from a kid wearing a Shaun Ellis jersey. Maybe he was 5 years old, I don’t know. Gets up to the nearest mike and asks, in this little voice, “Is Nick Folk coming back soon, and...and is he feeling ok?” It was unbelievably cute. Bowles gave him a nice reply, that Nick is practicing with the team and he’s pretty much healed up and he's feeling better. 

One fan griped to Glat about the lack of lottery tickets from years ago when we got so close. Glat replied that “Well that’s a good problem for us to have.” Not the best answer, and as you might expect, it didn’t appease the fan, who reiterated the question - “I could buy tickets for the Colts but not for the Jets”(?) - and Glat gave the same reply again, adding that the league is reducing the number of lottery tickets as another bonus. The fan tried asking more about it and got shouted down. There was a good amount of shouting down the questioner (totally justified in every case lol) for running at the mouth wasting the limited time allotted. 

Another asked Glat about the sh*tty commute in & out of there. That it took him less time to fly to Denver or something (the fan didn’t say if he was accounting for time zone differences lol). In fairness, there really wasn’t much for Glat to say. Yeah, it’s like super-crowded near NYC where they built a stadium, and there are only so many roads out of there. They’re working on doing more for public transportation (buses in particular, it sounds like), and there was apparently a problem or road work with one of the exits/ramps last year causing delays, which will be fixed up this season, so that should help. 

There were I think in the neighborhood of 20 questions total asked (would have been more but, again, those asking the questions felt they needed to show their Jets street cred by detailing just how great of a Jets fan each is). Lots of questioners getting shouted down by the crowd to get on with their f***ing question already. 

Between 1/2 and 1/3 of the questions were (or seemed to be) different questions/ways about Fitz. Maccagnan answered it first from the outset by saying he can’t really comment on an ongoing negotiation. Understandable, and I don’t know who thought he’d blurt out details, but while it couldn’t hurt to ask, he honestly cannot answer. Same with a question and some comments about Mo. Fluff with no content, which he kind of has to do. Didn’t stop 7 more people from asking the same question. It was only cute when the kids - one of them wearing a Fitz jersey - asked.  One of the last ones asking that same question did get up there and at least do it in a creative way. Wearing a Fitz jersey, he asked what he should do with it. Bowles reply (something like): “If we re-sign him, keep wearing it, if not, you’ve got yourself a nice collector’s piece.” Again, delivering it all soft-spoken with his usual big smile. It was pretty funny on the spot, and frankly, about as good an answer as could be given. 

About Hackenberg’s last 2 seasons, which were less then awesome. (Maccagnan): liked what he did as a freshman playing for Bill O’Brien (he didn’t let on anything O’Brien may have said about Hackenberg while the two were employed by the Texans). Then came the coaching switch and all the other difficulties, and he didn’t have as many good plays (Maccagnan's nicer way of saying what everyone else says about Hackenberg’s 2014 and 2015 seasons). Lots of fluff, which is what we’re going to get about a player they just drafted, who hasn’t done anything yet. They want to give him time, not rush him onto the field etc. Petty’s name came up, that they were both similar in that he needed to learn a lot. He has potential. Petty has potential. They have potential together. 

Bowles was asked if it helps to use VR glasses for the backup QBs. He said yes. (lol). Then they got him to elaborate, and he said it’s an extra opportunity for the backups to see what the starter is seeing, since they don’t get reps with the starters. So basically they use VR glasses with the backups as part of their practice/training. They will continue to because it is good and stuff.

One asked - or maybe it was all part of the same Q/A from just above this; I can’t recall - about the team's plans should they be sans-Fitz (if they were thinking of bringing anyone else in, who’s leading so far among the other 3). Maccagnan’s reply was unsurprising and appropriate, that he can’t reply as to anyone else at QB they might or might not be looking at. That there’s competition among other teams for players, and it would only make his position more difficult by showing his hand (plus he can't mention other players on other teams anyway). But that among the 3 practicing so far, the leader and so far the presumptive starter, is Geno. This was instantly met with a large/loud series of BOOS.

A question was directed to Bowles about Mo returning, as it pertained to Sheldon, Williams, and McLendon also being there. Bowles reiterated that they would be doing a lot of 4-man fronts (which they did a good amount of last year).  There will be some 3-man fronts as well, and it seems situation will dictate (as it should).

A kid moves up to the mike to ask his question and asks Bowles if he can sign his football for him. Really cute. He asked a Jets question but I don't remember which of these was his. Maccagnan answers the kid's question while he joined them on stage for Bowles to sign his ball. Maccagnan still talking, and Bowles stands up and has the kid sit down in his chair while Bowles stood. Like I said, he's just impossibly nice & just has a pleasant way about him. Then Maccagnan turns to him after he's done (I think Bowles started talking) and asks the kid if he wants him to sign the ball, too. Like anyone wants the GM's autograph. But the kid was polite and handed the ball & pen to Maccagnan. The whole thing was really cute, though.

Question about D. Lee’s role. He will be taking Demario Davis’s role at ILB. He badly wanted to get faster at LB. They REALLY liked Lee. Maccagnan said a lot about all the things he likes (nothing that wasn’t mentioned in an online scouting report), in particular his character. He made a big deal about the character of each of these guys, and how it factored into the selections (or more correctly, how it factored into how highly they ranked the prospects, from 1 to 350 or whatever he said the total number was). They did put some film up on the screens while Maccagnan was talking so we could see the footage they use to evaluate the players. Was pretty cool, but personally I found it difficult to focus on that and listen to Maccagnan talking about something different. Y-chromosome brain can’t multitask or something. Anyway it was a cool thing to put up there.

Then a kid comes up and, as I mentioned, asked a question only a kid could/would ask, even if all the adults wanted to. He blurts out: “How could you pass on Paxton Lynch in the draft?” lol. Maccagnan skirted the question for the most part, by saying he really can’t comment on players that are on other teams, but that he liked Lynch very much, had him ranked highly but they also liked Darron Lee. He went into how they also liked all the things that Hackenberg brings - smart, good character guy, big, very strong arm, etc. - and that, like Petty, he liked Hackenberg’s potential (he used that word a few times), and he can sit. At one point he was concerned Buffalo was going to take Lee, and there were other players they liked who got taken ahead of Lee as well (duh, but most GMs will pretend the guy they got was the only guy they wanted).  Same in round 2. They had an opportunity to trade down with Dallas in round 1, but Dallas was really looking for a “deal” (i.e. not good trade value to the Jets in return) to move up to #20. 

At some point after Maccagnan finished answering, Bowles kind of let out their philosophy in this regard. It did bear relevance to Lynch vs. Hackenberg. Hackenberg can sit if needed, and it’s ok because he’s a 2nd round pick. They do not want their first round picks to sit as rookies, and they felt Lynch would need to be on the bench so therefore they wouldn’t take such a player in round 1. Lee will definitely play a lot as a rookie and that’s what they’re looking for in a round 1 pick vs anyone later. Ultimately, Lynch wasn’t really considered because they didn’t think he could start in 2016. 

So Bowles put it right out there, for right or wrong, they won’t draft someone in round 1 who wouldn’t likely start as a rookie, even if it’s a QB. It also infers more, since Maccagnan did try to trade up to #1 and then to #2, that either of those 2 would be starting as rookies. So it would seem there is no general philosophy of sitting rookie QBs as a rule.

Last one I’m remembering offhand - and I’m surely messing up the sequence but it doesn’t really matter - was a question with regards to CB opposite Revis. Bowles took the answer. Right now the starter opposite Revis is Skrine. Williams seems the most likely to challenge him (though Bowles did mention other names, like Dee). As things stand today, Bowles said when we go with 2 CBs it will be Revis and Skrine. When we put 3 CBs out there, Skrine will slide in to nickel. (All of it subject to change and how camp goes blah blah blah). 

So there you have it. If anyone else was there and remembers something I missed, please add it in. If there's room left on the JetNation server after I post this.

[RutgersJetFan]

We won't draft a quarterback in the first round because first round picks have to start from day one. Definitely the successful formula used by all teams with franchise quarterbacks. 

[Beerfish]

Macagnan has totally bought into every excuse that the Hackenburg groupies have put up as to why he sucked the last two years.  Oh woe are us.

[Sperm Edwards]

10 minutes ago, RutgersJetFan said:

We won't draft a quarterback in the first round because first round picks have to start from day one. Definitely the successful formula used by all teams with franchise quarterbacks. 

Yeah all the likability stuff aside, I couldn't believe Bowles let that slip out (or frankly, that it was even in there to slip out in the first place). Maccagnan was more careful with hiding the reason why, but hidden or not that doesn't change it.

Think of all the round 1 QBs who "needed" to sit as rookies (or any who their teams intended to sit as rookies but was bumped up due to starter injury or something similarly unforeseen as of draft day). Maccagnan (or Maccagnan/Bowles) would have drafted none of them. It was a hard thing to hear, even if it didn't come out that quite that way.

[Sperm Edwards]

Oh just remembering something else about Darron Lee not being signed (not a big deal but someone asked). Maccagnan's reply is it's just the fine details of guaranteed money with the total deal amounts slotted now. So lower guys tend to wait until those ahead of them sign, lest the earlier pick makes less than the later one (or maybe it's the teams waiting to see what the player ahead got in guaranteed $; Maccagnan didn't let on if he was the one holding it up). So Lee was pick #20. Maccagnan said if you look at who else is unsigned, it's #21, #22, #23, etc. They wait to see what the prior pick got so they can get as close as they can to that number, and so on.

[JetsFanatic]

I was there also, you gave a very good synopsis of what occurred. One kid asked about  Devon Smith's knee, Bowles answered that he hoped he could be ready sometime during TC. I loved when Bowles said that Geno was far ahead in the QB competition minus Fitz. He smiled when he answered as he knew what the fan reaction would be. Bowled comes accross as a genuine guy. I am very impressed with him. 

[batman10023]

1 hour ago, RutgersJetFan said:

We won't draft a quarterback in the first round because first round picks have to start from day one. Definitely the successful formula used by all teams with franchise quarterbacks. 

the whole no talking about other players is kind of wierd when it comes to draft players.  i wish they could talk a little more freely...

[FidelioJet]

2 hours ago, RutgersJetFan said:

We won't draft a quarterback in the first round because first round picks have to start from day one. Definitely the successful formula used by all teams with franchise quarterbacks. 

Seriously, am I reading that properly?  That the Mac Jets won't draft a QB in the first round that they think needs a year to mature, even if they love him?

So their foresight when drafting the 1st round is only year 1?  That's F-in insane.

In year 2...Lynch could be tearing it up and the Jets excuse will be - "our bad, he couldn't start in the 1st year - so we drafted Hack instead"

[cant wait]

2 hours ago, Beerfish said:

Macagnan has totally bought into every excuse that the Hackenburg groupies have put up as to why he sucked the last two years.  Oh woe are us.

You really think he would have drafted hackenberg if he didn't believe his last 2 years were a result of a bad situation? or were you going to whine no matter what he said?

[JetsFanatic]

2 hours ago, Beerfish said:

Macagnan has totally bought into every excuse that the Hackenburg groupies have put up as to why he sucked the last two years.  Oh woe are us.

Give the kid a chance before you kill him. He's only 21, a couple of years on the bench (something Geno should have gotten) to learn and transition the NFL is beneficial to development.

[Maxman]

Excellent recap, thanks!

[Rangers9]

4 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

June 1, 2016 - Jets town hall - summary

Jets had a town hall event last night at Westbury Music Fair (or whatever it's called now). Tickets were free but you still needed a ticket.

(Note, I didn’t record it & don’t have a photographic memory, so any quotes I make are not exact quotes and am doing this off the top of my head).

Whole thing was about 2 hours start to finish. Half the seats were empty. Most of it was boring, I’ll start off with that. They out the flight crew, who did a number, so no complaints there. They're pretty hot, swinging the long hair around. Mmmff. Then one by one the guy who calls the games on the radio comes out (I just forget his name but recognized the voice), then Neil Glat, then Bowles, Maccagnan, and finally Woody. Then they show some prepared videos, etc. They did a little Jets trivia (maybe 3-4 questions) and if you were called on & got it right you got a signed ball. First kid got a signed Revis ball. Pretty sweet. Another guy got a signed Darron Lee ball. Don't know what the others were. One question was an a/b/c or all of the above (think it was which Jet went to Louisville). First guy says Pryor. They say that's partially right, hint-hint. Then the next person gives another name, and again, "Uh, that's also partially right..." (facepalm).

Woody didn’t say much, and what little he did say was a little incoherent & mumbly-ish, but he’s not rich because of his public speaking prowess. In truth I barely remember what he talked about, but nothing good nor bad; just not noteworthy. Then he sat next to a little kid (grandson?) for the rest of the time off stage.

Bunch of mikes placed around the hall (it's in the round, for those who have never been), with lines forming behind the mikes. Standing on stage is the radio guy, kind of emceeing the whole thing, and seated on stage are Glat, Bowles, and Maccagnan.

Some of the questions, I'll just say it, were meathead-level stupid. Half of the questions asked were preceded by the person giving his resume of just how wonderful of a fan he (or she) is, even if it took 2-3 minutes to describe their worthiness as loyal Jets fans. “I always wear at least something green every day even if it’s my underwear…” (no I'm not kidding) and going on and on until getting shouted into finally asking some pointless question. A few others were gripes and comments more than questions. Like someone waiting in turn for some 30+ minutes, then finally “asking” that he thinks the special teams was lacking last year and helped contributed to some losses and that it needs to get better this season. That was the question. Really, what’s Bowles supposed to say? “Well, uh, we really have no plans to improve in that area. We're into coasting.” Well, ever the polite guy, Bowles answered anyway. Yes, he wants to improve the special teams play this year. So now we know. Now you all know. Great question.

Which brings up something else, and this is as good a place as any. Much like on camera, and as anyone else who’s met/seen him in person can attest, Bowles is a super nice fella. Like impossibly nice and polite and courteous. It may be a little bit of a nervous smile he wears a lot, but it is a smile nonetheless and you really can’t help but like him personally. 

Maccagnan gave a little intro, talked about the draft. Nothing any GM wouldn't say (spoiler alert: they like the players they just drafted). Laughs about how he's not a good public speaker. He did fine, though. 

Most of the best questions were asked by children, largely because the adults were either incoherent or because those that weren't would have been too embarrassed to ask/comment in this form: “Why the hell haven’t you brought Ryan Fitzpatrick back yet?”

For me, the cutest moment came from a kid wearing a Shaun Ellis jersey. Maybe he was 5 years old, I don’t know. Gets up to the nearest mike and asks, in this little voice, “Is Nick Folk coming back soon, and...and is he feeling ok?” It was unbelievably cute. Bowles gave him a nice reply, that Nick is practicing with the team and he’s pretty much healed up and he's feeling better. 

One fan griped to Glat about the lack of lottery tickets from years ago when we got so close. Glat replied that “Well that’s a good problem for us to have.” Not the best answer, and as you might expect, it didn’t appease the fan, who reiterated the question - “I could buy tickets for the Colts but not for the Jets”(?) - and Glat gave the same reply again, adding that the league is reducing the number of lottery tickets as another bonus. The fan tried asking more about it and got shouted down. There was a good amount of shouting down the questioner (totally justified in every case lol) for running at the mouth wasting the limited time allotted. 

Another asked Glat about the sh*tty commute in & out of there. That it took him less time to fly to Denver or something (the fan didn’t say if he was accounting for time zone differences lol). In fairness, there really wasn’t much for Glat to say. Yeah, it’s like super-crowded near NYC where they built a stadium, and there are only so many roads out of there. They’re working on doing more for public transportation (buses in particular, it sounds like), and there was apparently a problem or road work with one of the exits/ramps last year causing delays, which will be fixed up this season, so that should help. 

There were I think in the neighborhood of 20 questions total asked (would have been more but, again, those asking the questions felt they needed to show their Jets street crew by detailing just how great of a Jets fan each is). Lots of questioners getting shouted down by the crowd to get on with their f***ing question already. 

Between 1/2 and 1/3 of the questions were (or seemed to be) different questions/ways about Fitz. Maccagnan answered it first from the outset by saying he can’t really comment on an ongoing negotiation. Understandable, and I don’t know who thought he’d blurt out details, but while it couldn’t hurt to ask, he honestly cannot answer. Same with a question and some comments about Mo. Fluff with no content, which he kind of has to do. Didn’t stop 7 more people from asking the same question. It was only cute when the kids - one of them wearing a Fitz jersey - asked.  One of the last ones asking that same question did get up there and at least do it in a creative way. Wearing a Fitz jersey, he asked what he should do with it. Bowles reply (something like): “If we re-sign him, keep wearing it, if not, you’ve got yourself a nice collector’s piece.” Again, delivering it all soft-spoken with his usual big smile. It was pretty funny on the spot, and frankly, about as good an answer as could be given. 

About Hackenberg’s last 2 seasons, which were less then awesome. (Maccagnan): liked what he did as a freshman playing for Bill O’Brien (he didn’t let on anything O’Brien may have said about Hackenberg while the two were employed by the Texans). Then came the coaching switch and all the other difficulties, and he didn’t have as many good plays (Maccagnan's nicer way of saying what everyone else says about Hackenberg’s 2014 and 2015 seasons). Lots of fluff, which is what we’re going to get about a player they just drafted, who hasn’t done anything yet. They want to give him time, not rush him onto the field etc. Petty’s name came up, that they were both similar in that he needed to learn a lot. He has potential. Petty has potential. They have potential together. 

Bowles was asked if it helps to use VR glasses for the backup QBs. He said yes. (lol). Then they got him to elaborate, and he said it’s an extra opportunity for the backups to see what the starter is seeing, since they don’t get reps with the starters. So basically they use VR glasses with the backups as part of their practice/training. They will continue to because it is good and stuff.

One asked - or maybe it was all part of the same Q/A from just above this; I can’t recall - about the team's plans should they be sans-Fitz (if they were thinking of bringing anyone else in, who’s leading so far among the other 3). Maccagnan’s reply was unsurprising and appropriate, that he can’t reply as to anyone else at QB they might or might not be looking at. That there’s competition among other teams for players, and it would only make his position more difficult by showing his hand (plus he can't mention other players on other teams anyway). But that among the 3 practicing so far, the leader and so far the presumptive starter, is Geno. This was instantly met with a large/loud series of BOOS.

A question was directed to Bowles about Mo returning, as it pertained to Sheldon, Williams, and McLendon also being there. Bowles reiterated that they would be doing a lot of 4-man fronts (which they did a good amount of last year).  There will be some 3-man fronts as well, and it seems situation will dictate (as it should).

A kid moves up to the mike to ask his question and asks Bowles if he can sign his football for him. Really cute. He asked a Jets question but I don't remember which of these was his. Maccagnan answers the kid's question while he joined them on stage for Bowles to sign his ball. Maccagnan still talking, and Bowles stands up and has the kid sit down in his chair while Bowles stood. Like I said, he's just impossibly nice & just has a pleasant way about him. Then Maccagnan turns to him after he's done (I think Bowles started talking) and asks the kid if he wants him to sign the ball, too. Like anyone wants the GM's autograph. But the kid was polite and handed the ball & pen to Maccagnan. The whole thing was really cute, though.

Question about D. Lee’s role. He will be taking Demario Davis’s role at ILB. He badly wanted to get faster at LB. They REALLY liked Lee. Maccagnan said a lot about all the things he likes (nothing that wasn’t mentioned in an online scouting report), in particular his character. He made a big deal about the character of each of these guys, and how it factored into the selections (or more correctly, how it factored into how highly they ranked the prospects, from 1 to 350 or whatever he said the total number was). They did put some film up on the screens while Maccagnan was talking so we could see the footage they use to evaluate the players. Was pretty cool, but personally I found it difficult to focus on that and listen to Maccagnan talking about something different. Y-chromosome brain can’t multitask or something. Anyway it was a cool thing to put up there.

Then a kid comes up and, as I mentioned, asked a question only a kid could/would ask, even if all the adults wanted to. He blurts out: “How could you pass on Paxton Lynch in the draft?” lol. Maccagnan skirted the question for the most part, by saying he really can’t comment on players that are on other teams, but that he liked Lynch very much, had him ranked highly but they also liked Darron Lee. He went into how they also liked all the things that Hackenberg brings - smart, good character guy, big, very strong arm, etc. - and that, like Petty, he liked Hackenberg’s potential (he used that word a few times), and he can sit. At one point he was concerned Buffalo was going to take Lee, and there were other players they liked who got taken ahead of Lee as well (duh, but most GMs will pretend the guy they got was the only guy they wanted).  Same in round 2. They had an opportunity to trade down with Dallas in round 1, but Dallas was really looking for a “deal” (i.e. not good trade value to the Jets in return) to move up to #20. 

At some point after Maccagnan finished answering, Bowles kind of let out their philosophy in this regard. It did bear relevance to Lynch vs. Hackenberg. Hackenberg can sit if needed, and it’s ok because he’s a 2nd round pick. They do not want their first round picks to sit as rookies, and they felt Lynch would need to be on the bench so therefore they wouldn’t take such a player in round 1. Lee will definitely play a lot as a rookie and that’s what they’re looking for in a round 1 pick vs anyone later. Ultimately, Lynch wasn’t really considered because they didn’t think he could start in 2016. 

So Bowles put it right out there, for right or wrong, they won’t draft someone in round 1 who wouldn’t likely start as a rookie, even if it’s a QB. It also infers more, since Maccagnan did try to trade up to #1 and then to #2, that either of those 2 would be starting as rookies. So it would seem there is no general philosophy of sitting rookie QBs as a rule.

Last one I’m remembering offhand - and I’m surely messing up the sequence but it doesn’t really matter - was a question with regards to CB opposite Revis. Bowles took the answer. Right now the starter opposite Revis is Skrine. Williams seems the most likely to challenge him (though Bowles did mention other names, like Dee). As things stand today, Bowles said when we go with 2 CBs it will be Revis and Skrine. When we put 3 CBs out there, Skrine will slide in to nickel. (All of it subject to change and how camp goes blah blah blah). 

So there you have it. If anyone else was there and remembers something I missed, please add it in. If there's room left on the JetNation server after I post this.

I wish I had known about it because I live not too far from there. I remember years ago going to a few events after games (like on a Monday night) I think at the hotel next to the Nassau Coliseum. I won a goody bag at a trivia contest for answering Joe Namath to whatever the question was so not exactly (like here) the swiftest group of Jets fans . 

[SAR I]

Thank you for the recap, I had tickets but my son had a conflict and we could not go. I don't know why they moved this from Florham Park, I think that would've been more intimate and more special for the fans.

[GimmeShelter]

Thank you SE for taking the time to write that up.

[32EBoozer]

12 hours ago, FidelioJet said:

Seriously, am I reading that properly?  That the Mac Jets won't draft a QB in the first round that they think needs a year to mature, even if they love him?

So their foresight when drafting the 1st round is only year 1?  That's F-in insane.

In year 2...Lynch could be tearing it up and the Jets excuse will be - "our bad, he couldn't start in the 1st year - so we drafted Hack instead"

My question is this.

If you select a QB like Lynch(Day 1) who won't start yr. 1 you still have a 5th yr. option. So you have a starting QB for 4 yrs.

If you select a QB like Hack(day 2) who sits a yr. you only have 3 yrs. left before he's a FA

I hope they just screwed up their talking points because they liked Hack intangables(smarts, system)  better than Lynch

[Sperm Edwards]

10 hours ago, SAR I said:

Thank you for the recap, I had tickets but my son had a conflict and we could not go. I don't know why they moved this from Florham Park, I think that would've been more intimate and more special for the fans.

It was intimate enough. The stage is right there and everyone is close. Plus stadium seating means everyone can see, including the kids. 

[Dcat]

They held this at FP last year and I attended.  This year they made it more accessible for Queens/Bklyn/LI based fans.  fair enough

[Ohio State NY Jets fan]

Thanks for the post Sperm Edwards (had to put the last name in there or it just did not sound right, LOL)

Good insight and it sounds like there was good discussion in the war room between Lee and Lynch, Lee getting the nod since he will have impact this year, and for a team developing starters, I would agree that first round picks should contribute right away - an established team can take more risks but the Jets had too many holes to fill, will be interesting to see if that draft strategy hold true 

also like the idea of VR glasses to show how the "veteran" QB see's the field, it would be fun to check out some of that tape...

[sourceworx]

14 hours ago, FidelioJet said:

Seriously, am I reading that properly?  That the Mac Jets won't draft a QB in the first round that they think needs a year to mature, even if they love him?

So their foresight when drafting the 1st round is only year 1?  That's F-in insane.

In year 2...Lynch could be tearing it up and the Jets excuse will be - "our bad, he couldn't start in the 1st year - so we drafted Hack instead"

The Jets were reportedly trying to move up for Jared Goff prior to the Rams trade, so this really doesn't make sense. 

[JETSfaninNE]

18 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

June 1, 2016 - Jets town hall - summary

Jets had a town hall event last night at Westbury Music Fair (or whatever it's called now). Tickets were free but you still needed a ticket.

(Note, I didn’t record it & don’t have a photographic memory, so any quotes I make are not exact quotes and am doing this off the top of my head).

Whole thing was about 2 hours start to finish. Half the seats were empty. Most of it was boring, I’ll start off with that. They out the flight crew, who did a number, so no complaints there. They're pretty hot, swinging the long hair around. Mmmff. Then one by one the guy who calls the games on the radio comes out (I just forget his name but recognized the voice), then Neil Glat, then Bowles, Maccagnan, and finally Woody. Then they show some prepared videos, etc. They did a little Jets trivia (maybe 3-4 questions) and if you were called on & got it right you got a signed ball. First kid got a signed Revis ball. Pretty sweet. Another guy got a signed Darron Lee ball. Don't know what the others were. One question was an a/b/c or all of the above (think it was which Jet went to Louisville). First guy says Pryor. They say that's partially right, hint-hint. Then the next person gives another name, and again, "Uh, that's also partially right..." (facepalm).

Woody didn’t say much, and what little he did say was a little incoherent & mumbly-ish, but he’s not rich because of his public speaking prowess. In truth I barely remember what he talked about, but nothing good nor bad; just not noteworthy. Then he sat next to a little kid (grandson?) for the rest of the time off stage.

Bunch of mikes placed around the hall (it's in the round, for those who have never been), with lines forming behind the mikes. Standing on stage is the radio guy, kind of emceeing the whole thing, and seated on stage are Glat, Bowles, and Maccagnan.

Some of the questions, I'll just say it, were meathead-level stupid. Half of the questions asked were preceded by the person giving his resume of just how wonderful of a fan he (or she) is, even if it took 2-3 minutes to describe their worthiness as loyal Jets fans. “I always wear at least something green every day even if it’s my underwear…” (no I'm not kidding) and going on and on until getting shouted into finally asking some pointless question. A few others were gripes and comments more than questions. Like someone waiting in turn for some 30+ minutes, then finally “asking” that he thinks the special teams was lacking last year and helped contributed to some losses and that it needs to get better this season. That was the question. Really, what’s Bowles supposed to say? “Well, uh, we really have no plans to improve in that area. We're into coasting.” Well, ever the polite guy, Bowles answered anyway. Yes, he wants to improve the special teams play this year. So now we know. Now you all know. Great question.

Which brings up something else, and this is as good a place as any. Much like on camera, and as anyone else who’s met/seen him in person can attest, Bowles is a super nice fella. Like impossibly nice and polite and courteous. It may be a little bit of a nervous smile he wears a lot, but it is a smile nonetheless and you really can’t help but like him personally. 

Maccagnan gave a little intro, talked about the draft. Nothing any GM wouldn't say (spoiler alert: they like the players they just drafted). Laughs about how he's not a good public speaker. He did fine, though. 

Most of the best questions were asked by children, largely because the adults were either incoherent or because those that weren't would have been too embarrassed to ask/comment in this form: “Why the hell haven’t you brought Ryan Fitzpatrick back yet?”

For me, the cutest moment came from a kid wearing a Shaun Ellis jersey. Maybe he was 5 years old, I don’t know. Gets up to the nearest mike and asks, in this little voice, “Is Nick Folk coming back soon, and...and is he feeling ok?” It was unbelievably cute. Bowles gave him a nice reply, that Nick is practicing with the team and he’s pretty much healed up and he's feeling better. 

One fan griped to Glat about the lack of lottery tickets from years ago when we got so close. Glat replied that “Well that’s a good problem for us to have.” Not the best answer, and as you might expect, it didn’t appease the fan, who reiterated the question - “I could buy tickets for the Colts but not for the Jets”(?) - and Glat gave the same reply again, adding that the league is reducing the number of lottery tickets as another bonus. The fan tried asking more about it and got shouted down. There was a good amount of shouting down the questioner (totally justified in every case lol) for running at the mouth wasting the limited time allotted. 

Another asked Glat about the sh*tty commute in & out of there. That it took him less time to fly to Denver or something (the fan didn’t say if he was accounting for time zone differences lol). In fairness, there really wasn’t much for Glat to say. Yeah, it’s like super-crowded near NYC where they built a stadium, and there are only so many roads out of there. They’re working on doing more for public transportation (buses in particular, it sounds like), and there was apparently a problem or road work with one of the exits/ramps last year causing delays, which will be fixed up this season, so that should help. 

There were I think in the neighborhood of 20 questions total asked (would have been more but, again, those asking the questions felt they needed to show their Jets street cred by detailing just how great of a Jets fan each is). Lots of questioners getting shouted down by the crowd to get on with their f***ing question already. 

Between 1/2 and 1/3 of the questions were (or seemed to be) different questions/ways about Fitz. Maccagnan answered it first from the outset by saying he can’t really comment on an ongoing negotiation. Understandable, and I don’t know who thought he’d blurt out details, but while it couldn’t hurt to ask, he honestly cannot answer. Same with a question and some comments about Mo. Fluff with no content, which he kind of has to do. Didn’t stop 7 more people from asking the same question. It was only cute when the kids - one of them wearing a Fitz jersey - asked.  One of the last ones asking that same question did get up there and at least do it in a creative way. Wearing a Fitz jersey, he asked what he should do with it. Bowles reply (something like): “If we re-sign him, keep wearing it, if not, you’ve got yourself a nice collector’s piece.” Again, delivering it all soft-spoken with his usual big smile. It was pretty funny on the spot, and frankly, about as good an answer as could be given. 

About Hackenberg’s last 2 seasons, which were less then awesome. (Maccagnan): liked what he did as a freshman playing for Bill O’Brien (he didn’t let on anything O’Brien may have said about Hackenberg while the two were employed by the Texans). Then came the coaching switch and all the other difficulties, and he didn’t have as many good plays (Maccagnan's nicer way of saying what everyone else says about Hackenberg’s 2014 and 2015 seasons). Lots of fluff, which is what we’re going to get about a player they just drafted, who hasn’t done anything yet. They want to give him time, not rush him onto the field etc. Petty’s name came up, that they were both similar in that he needed to learn a lot. He has potential. Petty has potential. They have potential together. 

Bowles was asked if it helps to use VR glasses for the backup QBs. He said yes. (lol). Then they got him to elaborate, and he said it’s an extra opportunity for the backups to see what the starter is seeing, since they don’t get reps with the starters. So basically they use VR glasses with the backups as part of their practice/training. They will continue to because it is good and stuff.

One asked - or maybe it was all part of the same Q/A from just above this; I can’t recall - about the team's plans should they be sans-Fitz (if they were thinking of bringing anyone else in, who’s leading so far among the other 3). Maccagnan’s reply was unsurprising and appropriate, that he can’t reply as to anyone else at QB they might or might not be looking at. That there’s competition among other teams for players, and it would only make his position more difficult by showing his hand (plus he can't mention other players on other teams anyway). But that among the 3 practicing so far, the leader and so far the presumptive starter, is Geno. This was instantly met with a large/loud series of BOOS.

A question was directed to Bowles about Mo returning, as it pertained to Sheldon, Williams, and McLendon also being there. Bowles reiterated that they would be doing a lot of 4-man fronts (which they did a good amount of last year).  There will be some 3-man fronts as well, and it seems situation will dictate (as it should).

A kid moves up to the mike to ask his question and asks Bowles if he can sign his football for him. Really cute. He asked a Jets question but I don't remember which of these was his. Maccagnan answers the kid's question while he joined them on stage for Bowles to sign his ball. Maccagnan still talking, and Bowles stands up and has the kid sit down in his chair while Bowles stood. Like I said, he's just impossibly nice & just has a pleasant way about him. Then Maccagnan turns to him after he's done (I think Bowles started talking) and asks the kid if he wants him to sign the ball, too. Like anyone wants the GM's autograph. But the kid was polite and handed the ball & pen to Maccagnan. The whole thing was really cute, though.

Question about D. Lee’s role. He will be taking Demario Davis’s role at ILB. He badly wanted to get faster at LB. They REALLY liked Lee. Maccagnan said a lot about all the things he likes (nothing that wasn’t mentioned in an online scouting report), in particular his character. He made a big deal about the character of each of these guys, and how it factored into the selections (or more correctly, how it factored into how highly they ranked the prospects, from 1 to 350 or whatever he said the total number was). They did put some film up on the screens while Maccagnan was talking so we could see the footage they use to evaluate the players. Was pretty cool, but personally I found it difficult to focus on that and listen to Maccagnan talking about something different. Y-chromosome brain can’t multitask or something. Anyway it was a cool thing to put up there.

Then a kid comes up and, as I mentioned, asked a question only a kid could/would ask, even if all the adults wanted to. He blurts out: “How could you pass on Paxton Lynch in the draft?” lol. Maccagnan skirted the question for the most part, by saying he really can’t comment on players that are on other teams, but that he liked Lynch very much, had him ranked highly but they also liked Darron Lee. He went into how they also liked all the things that Hackenberg brings - smart, good character guy, big, very strong arm, etc. - and that, like Petty, he liked Hackenberg’s potential (he used that word a few times), and he can sit. At one point he was concerned Buffalo was going to take Lee, and there were other players they liked who got taken ahead of Lee as well (duh, but most GMs will pretend the guy they got was the only guy they wanted).  Same in round 2. They had an opportunity to trade down with Dallas in round 1, but Dallas was really looking for a “deal” (i.e. not good trade value to the Jets in return) to move up to #20. 

At some point after Maccagnan finished answering, Bowles kind of let out their philosophy in this regard. It did bear relevance to Lynch vs. Hackenberg. Hackenberg can sit if needed, and it’s ok because he’s a 2nd round pick. They do not want their first round picks to sit as rookies, and they felt Lynch would need to be on the bench so therefore they wouldn’t take such a player in round 1. Lee will definitely play a lot as a rookie and that’s what they’re looking for in a round 1 pick vs anyone later. Ultimately, Lynch wasn’t really considered because they didn’t think he could start in 2016. 

So Bowles put it right out there, for right or wrong, they won’t draft someone in round 1 who wouldn’t likely start as a rookie, even if it’s a QB. It also infers more, since Maccagnan did try to trade up to #1 and then to #2, that either of those 2 would be starting as rookies. So it would seem there is no general philosophy of sitting rookie QBs as a rule.

Last one I’m remembering offhand - and I’m surely messing up the sequence but it doesn’t really matter - was a question with regards to CB opposite Revis. Bowles took the answer. Right now the starter opposite Revis is Skrine. Williams seems the most likely to challenge him (though Bowles did mention other names, like Dee). As things stand today, Bowles said when we go with 2 CBs it will be Revis and Skrine. When we put 3 CBs out there, Skrine will slide in to nickel. (All of it subject to change and how camp goes blah blah blah). 

So there you have it. If anyone else was there and remembers something I missed, please add it in. If there's room left on the JetNation server after I post this.

Thanks for the summary.  I guess nobody asked Woody whether they would consider dropping the price of concessions and maybe parking passes if it is successful in Atlanta?

[Sperm Edwards]

23 minutes ago, JETSfaninNE said:

Thanks for the summary.  I guess nobody asked Woody whether they would consider dropping the price of concessions and maybe parking passes if it is successful in Atlanta?

Nobody asked Woody anything. He wasn't among those taking questions. 

[slats]

4 hours ago, 32EBoozer said:

My question is this.

If you select a QB like Lynch(Day 1) who won't start yr. 1 you still have a 5th yr. option. So you have a starting QB for 4 yrs.

If you select a QB like Hack(day 2) who sits a yr. you only have 3 yrs. left before he's a FA

I hope they just screwed up their talking points because they liked Hack intangables(smarts, system)  better than Lynch

I think/hope that's the case, too. 

They don't want to put down Lynch (we liked him, too!), because he's obviously landed in a place where he can have a lot of success. And they don't want to compare him to Hackenberg (we liked Lee better), because they recognize that Hack was a controversial choice. They want to bring Hack along slowly and quietly.

It's probably the biggest upside for the team In regards to the Fitzpatrick impasse. If not for that, Hackenberg probably would've been the biggest story of the offseason. Instead, he's getting extra reps outside of the spotlight. 

[Kleckineau]

18 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Yeah all the likability stuff aside, I couldn't believe Bowles let that slip out (or frankly, that it was even in there to slip out in the first place). Maccagnan was more careful with hiding the reason why, but hidden or not that doesn't change it.

Think of all the round 1 QBs who "needed" to sit as rookies (or any who their teams intended to sit as rookies but was bumped up due to starter injury or something similarly unforeseen as of draft day). Maccagnan (or Maccagnan/Bowles) would have drafted none of them. It was a hard thing to hear, even if it didn't come out that quite that way.

The fact that Bowles is a likeable guy is nice and all that but I think Jets fans wouldnt  mind a very successful prick of a HC ala you know who.

Also, I tend to agree with the 1st round picks should start philosophy as long as they are not so dogmatic to exclude the obvious one a generation exception ala Andrew Luck and such.

[Dcat]

2 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Nobody asked Woody anything. He wasn't among those taking questions. 

Geez. He did so happily last year.

[JetBlue]

19 hours ago, JetsFanatic said:

Give the kid a chance before you kill him. He's only 21, a couple of years on the bench (something Geno should have gotten) to learn and transition the NFL is beneficial to development.

[JETSfaninNE]

9 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Nobody asked Woody anything. He wasn't among those taking questions. 

Ah bummer, I really want to know his take on the Falcons concession pricing.

[Sperm Edwards]

11 hours ago, Kleckineau said:

The fact that Bowles is a likeable guy is nice and all that but I think Jets fans wouldnt  mind a very successful prick of a HC ala you know who.

Also, I tend to agree with the 1st round picks should start philosophy as long as they are not so dogmatic to exclude the obvious one a generation exception ala Andrew Luck and such.

Let someone else draft Aaron Rodgers -- what we need is an instant starter at kicker!

[Kleckineau]

8 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Let someone else draft Aaron Rodgers -- what we need is an instant starter at kicker!

Sure of course....If we had an all time great for our " Rogers"  to sit behind for a couple of seasons ok cause we know how often that happens.☺

[flgreen]

On 6/2/2016 at 6:23 PM, FidelioJet said:

Seriously, am I reading that properly?  That the Mac Jets won't draft a QB in the first round that they think needs a year to mature, even if they love him?

So their foresight when drafting the 1st round is only year 1?  That's F-in insane.

In year 2...Lynch could be tearing it up and the Jets excuse will be - "our bad, he couldn't start in the 1st year - so we drafted Hack instead"

This is June 3rd coach speak

 

[NYs Stepchild]

On 6/2/2016 at 4:19 PM, Beerfish said:

Macagnan has totally bought into every excuse that the Hackenburg groupies have put up as to why he sucked the last two years.  Oh woe are us.

I'm pretty sure Mac drafted him before the excuses started...so it would be kinda weird if he didn't. 

[NYs Stepchild]

On 6/2/2016 at 6:23 PM, FidelioJet said:

Seriously, am I reading that properly?  That the Mac Jets won't draft a QB in the first round that they think needs a year to mature, even if they love him?

So their foresight when drafting the 1st round is only year 1?  That's F-in insane.

In year 2...Lynch could be tearing it up and the Jets excuse will be - "our bad, he couldn't start in the 1st year - so we drafted Hack instead"

This is just another way of saying they won't draft a project in the 1st which is pretty universal. You don't waste firsts on unknowns. 

If someone is not ready to play then they are missing something from their game which they may or may not ever develop. 

Sounds smart to me. 

[FidelioJet]

1 hour ago, flgreen said:

This is June 3rd coach speak

 

I just really hope they had Hack higher on their board than Lynch.

I know we'll never know but if they didn't it's a problem. 

[32EBoozer]

5 minutes ago, FidelioJet said:

I just really hope they had Hack higher on their board than Lynch.

I know we'll never know but if they didn't it's a problem. 

Agreed .... an ILB over a possible Franchise QB because he might not start for 1 yr. is beyond foolish.

The fact that they passed on Lynch would probably mean that they did like Hack better.

[Sperm Edwards]

7 hours ago, Kleckineau said:

Sure of course....If we had an all time great for our " Rogers"  to sit behind for a couple of seasons ok cause we know how often that happens.☺

An all-time great was required to be the starter ahead of him? My understanding is that Favre didn't help one bit, and was a total douche to Rodgers.

Why is it assumed that because things happened the way they did, that this was the only path that would have led to the same heights? Maybe Rodgers would have led the team to another SB win (or more) if he wasn't parked behind chuck & duck. Here's an example: let's say Russell Wilson was drafted behind Brett Favre, then came on 3-4 years after he was drafted, and was a good/great QB. Your comment presumes that was the only path to Wilson's success, when in fact he would have been great out of the gate. 

Rodgers wasn't likely going to be great as a rookie, as he admittedly needed some work off the field, but that doesn't therefore mean a completely not-helpful starter ahead of him was required. Quite the contrary; I think it's likely he'd have matured faster were he parked behind a smart, nice-guy, but a just-ok QB like Fitzpatrick. 

And since you mention the "all time great" ahead of Rodgers, would it have been a worthwhile pick for someone to draft Favre in the bottom half of round 1? Or would it have been a bad pick because he couldn't start right away, and draft a presumed start-now LB or DB instead?

I don't think it's a terrible idea for most positions, but QB - especially in today's game - is not one of them.

[NYs Stepchild]

17 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

An all-time great was required to be the starter ahead of him? My understanding is that Favre didn't help one bit, and was a total douche to Rodgers.

Why is it assumed that because things happened the way they did, that this was the only path that would have led to the same heights? Maybe Rodgers would have led the team to another SB win (or more) if he wasn't parked behind chuck & duck. Here's an example: let's say Russell Wilson was drafted behind Brett Favre, then came on 3-4 years after he was drafted, and was a good/great QB. Your comment presumes that was the only path to Wilson's success, when in fact he would have been great out of the gate. 

Rodgers wasn't likely going to be great as a rookie, as he admittedly needed some work off the field, but that doesn't therefore mean a completely not-helpful starter ahead of him was required. Quite the contrary; I think it's likely he'd have matured faster were he parked behind a smart, nice-guy, but a just-ok QB like Fitzpatrick. 

And since you mention the "all time great" ahead of Rodgers, would it have been a worthwhile pick for someone to draft Favre in the bottom half of round 1? Or would it have been a bad pick because he couldn't start right away, and draft a presumed start-now LB or DB instead?

I don't think it's a terrible idea for most positions, but QB - especially in today's game - is not one of them.

Rodgers was a much better prospect. Bowles doesn't mean a 1st round pick has to be able to start on every team. 

Obviously the Packers had him high on their board and when he dropped they traded up to nab him. If rookie Rodgers was on the Jets right now he would start. He would have thrown a ton of picks but he would not have to sit and learn the basics of the game the way Lynch will.