Another writer shoots down D'Brick

[NIGHT STALKER]

Big tackle means little for Jets

By IAN O'CONNOR

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: April 30, 2006)

Chad Pennington was the face of his team before the draft, and he remains the face of his team after it. That fact is about as soothing to a Jets fan as a tape of Richard Todd throwing the ball to A.J. Duhe in the Orange Bowl mud.

So the Jets grabbed an offensive lineman with the fourth overall pick yesterday, a kid who grew up only a squib kick away from the franchise's base at Hofstra. D'Brickashaw Ferguson comes across as good people. He is a youth minister, a black belt, a true student-athlete

[Matt39]

I've always hated Oconnors articles.

Every point this guy tries to make is blatantly obvious.

[Smizzy]

This will be a 2 yr rebuilding process. This offseason was very,very good for this football team.

[Maxman]

Okay one problem Ian. Who didn't know that the Titans were going to take Vince Young? You make it sound like that was a shock.

[Bugg]

Do we get points for "identity"? Is the business winning football games or something else? This isn't Madden or Blitz. Seems the Pats, Eagles, Steelers and Seahawks in the last few years build teams in the trenches. It's what works.

[PatsFanTX]

This will be a 2 yr rebuilding process. This offseason was very,very good for this football team.

Even the friggn' dumbass makes a good point every once in a while.

I agree.

[Untouchable]

These writers don't have a gram of intelligence in their heads. Ferguson was the ideal pick for us at #4. Our O-line last year is the main reason Pennington is recovering from his 2nd rotator cuff surgery.

We added two blue chip players to our O-line, what the hell is the downside in that? We made the right choice by passing on Matt. This team is more than a star QB away from a championship.

[Jetheelz]

Even the friggn' dumbass makes a good point every once in a while.

I don't recall you making any point.

[PatsFanTX]

I don't recall you making any point.

D'Brick at #4 and Mangold at #29 for the last month?

All the while the majority of Jet fans had a hard-on for the left-handed PennyBoyWonder.

[Jetheelz]

D'Brick at #4 and Mangold at #29 for the last month?

All the while the majority of Jet fans had a hard-on for the left-handed PennyBoyWonder.

I was just finding a creative way to call you a dumbass.

[serphnx]

Why do these writers still have jobs? Our dumb posters write more dumb articles than journalists, and our good posters write articles that these dumbasses could only dream of. I'm convinced that we don't actually need sports reporters.

[Sharrow]

What an idiot, he says that people who use Akili Smith to shoot down leinart are wrong and then he turns around and uses "the Akili Smith of tackles" to try to shoot down Brick. Why do all these people think that having a "face" for our team is so important? Maybe Mangini is the face, maybe the logo is the face, who gives a **** who/what "the face" of the Jets is as long as we find a way start winning again? And is never going to happen until we solidy the line.

[Jetfan13]

D'Brick at #4 and Mangold at #29 for the last month?

All the while the majority of Jet fans had a hard-on for the left-handed PennyBoyWonder.[/quote]

not me Tx..I am very happy we passed on Leinert and went with Ferg.

someone on the draft show said something interesting. He said if Norm Chow pass passed on Leinert at 3, he maybe knows something that the rest of us don't about Leinert and therefore may have scared the Jets and Lions away. Him dropping to 10th after being passed over by the Titans shouldn't be that much of a surprise.

Mumbles and Parcells always have solid lines on OFF and DEF. Mangini learned from them, I am happy with the 1st 2 picks.

[Scott Dierking]

Writers HATE when teams go O-line and pass up the skill players.

When a NY team can draft a Bush, a Lienart, or a Young, writers have material for stories all summer long and into training camp. Sexy stroies. Stories that can write themselves and sell papaers.

They hate it when a team has the gaul to make their job a little tougher and make them dig for a story. Particularly with this new regime.

[mbn007]

Do we get points for "identity"? Is the business winning football games or something else? This isn't Madden or Blitz. Seems the Pats, Eagles, Steelers and Seahawks in the last few years build teams in the trenches. It's what works.

And even tjis year, the Eagles added a lot of beaf in this draft, on both lines.

You win by winning the game in the trenches. Lose there, and you can have the best skill players in the world, it won't help much.

[mbn007]

Writers HATE when teams go O-line and pass up the skill players.

When a NY team can draft a Bush, a Lienart, or a Young, writers have material for stories all summer long and into training camp. Sexy stroies. Stories that can write themselves and sell papaers.

They hate it when a team has the gaul to make their job a little tougher and make them dig for a story. Particularly with this new regime.

How true.

Have you been reading what Serby has been writing in the NY Post lately? Since Friday, he has been pushing for Bush, and that is the primary goal, etc.

Fool.

[SoFlaJets]

serph is right we almost have made the beat writer an obsolete entity-we get news in real time and by the time their article comes out we're already on to the next days' news.I read that article yesterday and that guy certainly didn't seem like a fan of the Jets no matter who we would have taken.

If we had taken Leinart he would have had some article ready with a "well who is going to protect him?" slant...

[Sperm Edwards]

Big tackle means little for Jets

By IAN O'CONNOR

THE JOURNAL NEWS

But a left tackle can't alter the fate of a franchise the way a quarterback can, not even close. If the Jets were planning to take an offensive lineman with their late first-round pick (they took Ohio State center Nick Mangold at No. 29), wouldn't it have made more sense to address a need at the sport's most critical position, quarterback, with the fourth pick?

Having a crappy OL can alter the fate of a franchise QB and, hence, the franchise.

Did this guy not watch the Jets "franchise QB" from 2003 preseason-2005?

An injured Matt Leinart would lead us nowhere.

Drafting a lower-tier guy at OT and C can certainly pay dividends. There are lower-drafted guys who turned out to be more than adequate for the job. But to EXPECT it is another thing altogether. Expecting it with a fast learning-curve in year 1-2 is more wishful thinking than thinking Clemens could turn into a franchise QB with stellar LT/C on the line.

Ben in Pittsburgh is the only top-ranked QB (on draft day) to lead the team who drafted him to a SB since John Elway (15 years after he was drafted). Was it because he's so lights-out great? Maybe. Would he be just as lights-out great behind the Jets 2005 OL or our current line with lower draft picks? To assume yes is to ignore history. Same with their RB's. How would Willie Parker have fared behind a crappy OL? He racked up all those yards b/c he went untouched until he reached the 2nd level, as he isn't much in terms of breaking tackles.

I do question their picks after Clemens except for their two 4th-rounders who I like. We'll see what type of NFL players these prospects turn into before long. Since there were higher ranked guys - MUCH higher ranked - at those spots in the draft, Mangini/Tannenbaum are going to look like either geniuses or fools. If it's the latter they'd better go back to conventional wisdom by draft day 2007.

[rajensen088]

Do we get points for "identity"? Is the business winning football games or something else? This isn't Madden or Blitz. Seems the Pats, Eagles, Steelers and Seahawks in the last few years build teams in the trenches. It's what works.

The Pats drafted Tom Brady, the Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb, the Steelers drafted Ben Rothlisberger and the Seahawks traded for Matt Hasselbach... What's your point?

[Bugg]

What's your point? Hasselbach wasn't a top pick, nor was Brady. McNabb was though you could say he's the whole reason the Eagles advance. Rothlisberger was a top pick and did a great job this year. Those teams were built by taking Alan Faneca, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Walter Jones, Chris Hutchinson, et al. Was Ian O'Connor all upset wehn Walter Jones was picked over a skill guy? And as to Leinart, do we need another waek-armed guy to have his ducks get wounded late in the year in the northeast? You're analysis is as bad as O'Connor's.

I posted this yesterday; still true-

Understand-this team is doing business very differently that the prior regime. It's substance over style. And not everyone in the media understands.And some in the media will be hostile. It will be reflected in how our team is covered. So when you read coverage over the next several days and weeks, don't forget it.

Two things really heartened me yesterday. First, I heard Lupica, Michael Kay, Mike Greenberg, Gary Myers and many others all say that Jets fans would burn down Radio City if the Jets passed on Leinart should the choice present itself. Not only didn't the fans riot, they heartily cheered Brick.

Second, I saw an NFL coach on the big screen of Radio City nattily-attired in suit and tie talking to Chirs Berman, all ready for an empty pointless softball draft day interview. That coach was not Eric Mangini, but Herman Edwards, who was practically booed off the broadcast by the Radio City crowd.

The fans understand what this regime is trying to do. After 5 years of Edwards, we know that nonsense and BS gets you nowhere, while media-indifferent Bellichick was stealing our lunch. Bellichick made no appearances; Parcells made no appearances; and other than some perfunctory comments in today's papers to beat writers, our head coach(edit-until just now, but he said practically nothing!) and GM made no appearances.

I suspect the war room at Hofstra is popluated by a bunch of tieless, unshaven, coffee-addled but very prepared guys who couldn't care less what the media thinks. They will do the bare required minimum by the NFL with the media-that's it. Sal Palantonio seemed pretty lonely, other than Brick giving him a few polite minutes.

Access equals favorable coverage. In fairness, every beat writer story today is pretty even-handed(edit-still true). But as the days pass between now and training camp, watch how this team is covered. While Edwards would have been out front talking his head off, there won't be much news out at Hofstra. The priority will be signing these players within the cap framework, gettting them situated and in the conditioning program and touching base with possible undrafted FAs and veterans.

The job of the media covering the Jets has become more difficult if you think talking to the HC and GM are really important. I get the sense most fans understand that substance and winning are a style that works.But the void that may be left compared to the last five years will be filled by media types who may not be happy with the change in MO from Edwards and Bradway to Mangini and Tannenbaum.And you may hear some things that are more a reflection of that than whether this team is moving forward.

Yes , there's the chance that 10-20 years from now we may look back on yesterday as a disaster for not taking Leinart. But having seen Meadowlands, Foxboro and Orchard Park wind turn the similarily-armed Pennington's passes into wounded ducks, I think the Jets did just fine.

[JoeWillie]

What's your point? Hasselbach wasn't a top pick, nor was Brady. McNabb was though you could say he's the whole reason the Eagles advance. Rothlisberger was a top pick and did a great job this year. Those teams were built by taking Alan Faneca, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Walter Jones, Chris Hutchinson, et al. Was Ian O'Connor all upset wehn Walter Jones was picked over a skill guy? And as to Leinart, do we need another waek-armed guy to have his ducks get wounded late in the year in the northeast? You're analysis is as bad as O'Connor's.

I posted this yesterday; still true-

Understand-this team is doing business very differently that the prior regime. It's substance over style. And not everyone in the media understands.And some in the media will be hostile. It will be reflected in how our team is covered. So when you read coverage over the next several days and weeks, don't forget it.

Two things really heartened me yesterday. First, I heard Lupica, Michael Kay, Mike Greenberg, Gary Myers and many others all say that Jets fans would burn down Radio City if the Jets passed on Leinart should the choice present itself. Not only didn't the fans riot, they heartily cheered Brick.

Second, I saw an NFL coach on the big screen of Radio City nattily-attired in suit and tie talking to Chirs Berman, all ready for an empty pointless softball draft day interview. That coach was not Eric Mangini, but Herman Edwards, who was practically booed off the broadcast by the Radio City crowd.

The fans understand what this regime is trying to do. After 5 years of Edwards, we know that nonsense and BS gets you nowhere, while media-indifferent Bellichick was stealing our lunch. Bellichick made no appearances; Parcells made no appearances; and other than some perfunctory comments in today's papers to beat writers, our head coach(edit-until just now, but he said practically nothing!) and GM made no appearances.

I suspect the war room at Hofstra is popluated by a bunch of tieless, unshaven, coffee-addled but very prepared guys who couldn't care less what the media thinks. They will do the bare required minimum by the NFL with the media-that's it. Sal Palantonio seemed pretty lonely, other than Brick giving him a few polite minutes.

Access equals favorable coverage. In fairness, every beat writer story today is pretty even-handed(edit-still true). But as the days pass between now and training camp, watch how this team is covered. While Edwards would have been out front talking his head off, there won't be much news out at Hofstra. The priority will be signing these players within the cap framework, gettting them situated and in the conditioning program and touching base with possible undrafted FAs and veterans.

The job of the media covering the Jets has become more difficult if you think talking to the HC and GM are really important. I get the sense most fans understand that substance and winning are a style that works.But the void that may be left compared to the last five years will be filled by media types who may not be happy with the change in MO from Edwards and Bradway to Mangini and Tannenbaum.And you may hear some things that are more a reflection of that than whether this team is moving forward.

Yes , there's the chance that 10-20 years from now we may look back on yesterday as a disaster for not taking Leinart. But having seen Meadowlands, Foxboro and Orchard Park wind turn the similarily-armed Pennington's passes into wounded ducks, I think the Jets did just fine.

Nice post.

[stormshadow19]

The Pats drafted Tom Brady, the Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb, the Steelers drafted Ben Rothlisberger and the Seahawks traded for Matt Hasselbach... What's your point?

Sixth round pick, third quarterback taken, third quarterback taken, and was a sixth round selection. I'm not really sure what your point was. The Jets did draft a QB.

Oh, and what did the Eagles draft, this year? Oh yeah... a whole bunch of offensive and defensive line... thanks for playing.

[Phinsuck]

The bottom line is and I agree with the article, you need a franchise QB. You can always find quality offensive linemen in Rounds 2-7 and there were plenty taken in this draft.

Bill Parcells was always able to find good linemen in the later rounds. Fabini, Mackenzie, Ryan Young etc.

No one is arguing that a good offensive line is not important. What they are arguing is that using two picks in Round 1 on offensive linemen is perhaps a bit hasty especially in a draft with a lot of quality talented Offensive Linemen.

[MasonJet]

I read this idiotic article in my local paper. I wonder if he could explain to me how Leinart would have helped us so much considering he would be spending more time on his back than throwing the ball with the OL we had.

[GM]

The Pats drafted Tom Brady, the Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb, the Steelers drafted Ben Rothlisberger and the Seahawks traded for Matt Hasselbach... What's your point?

Brady was a 6th round pick....Hasselback was a 6th round pick....What's your point?

[stormshadow19]

Brady was a 6th round pick....Hasselback was a 6th round pick....What's your point?

Already said that! But, points for agreeing with me

[stormshadow19]

The bottom line is and I agree with the article, you need a franchise QB. You can always find quality offensive linemen in Rounds 2-7 and there were plenty taken in this draft.

Bill Parcells was always able to find good linemen in the later rounds. Fabini, Mackenzie, Ryan Young etc.

No one is arguing that a good offensive line is not important. What they are arguing is that using two picks in Round 1 on offensive linemen is perhaps a bit hasty especially in a draft with a lot of quality talented Offensive Linemen.

Yeah... if there's a franchise QB there. And there wasn't.

[NIGHT STALKER]

You have to remember something here too that a lot of fans seem to be ignoring. Yes, perhaps we could have picked an O lineman or two in later rounds, but this is a first year GM and HC...I think they felt more comfortable with the odds that a first round and second round pick had good chances of success.

Maybe in a couple of years or so, they'll get into that comfort zone for picks in the later rounds.

[JetsMan57]

Having a franchise LT isnt sexy, but it sure is important. Its a position fans take for granted until your QB is layed out for the year like Penny last year... I wouldnt have minded Leinart at all, I actually wanted him a tad more than dbrick at the 11th hour, Im a big fan of his, and I just think he has "it." But there is more than one way to skin a cat, Tangini chose another way and Im behind it 100%.

[Tinstar2]

Having a franchise LT isnt sexy, but it sure is important. Its a position fans take for granted until your QB is layed out for the year like Penny last year... I wouldnt have minded Leinart at all, I actually wanted him a tad more than dbrick at the 11th hour, Im a big fan of his, and I just think he has "it." But there is more than one way to skin a cat, Tangini chose another way and Im behind it 100%.

The Jets had a franchise LT already playing.All they had to do was give him the chance to further his development which in my estimation has been going well thus far.This team needed a QB more than any other player in the draft.I hope we found one in Kellen Clements.

I gotta say this about this arguement thou.If the choice was between Leinart and Ferguson,I'm 100% happy the Jets chose Ferguson.

[GM]

Already said that! But, points for agreeing with me

Sorry, I guess great minds think alike...even if 1 of them is being lazy and not reading ALL the posts..

[F Miami]

I stopped reading it after he said Vince Young would have been the perfect fit.

[DeathMetalJetsFan]

One thing this article fails to acknowledge is exactly how good of OL prospects both Mangold and Ferguson are.

These arent your everyday 1st round line prospects. Ferguson is literally the best pass protector to come out of the draft since Walter Jones. What the media fails to recall is that last year, he almost left school early and was considered a top 5 pick. At that time he was a mere 270 lbs and badly needed to add some weight.Even so, his athleticism and upside pegged him as a prized player. But instead, he went back to school from another year, further proved his ability, and added 30 quality lbs to his frame. That's awfully impressive and states just how highly thought of he was within the NFL scouting circle.

You compare that to a pampered QB who was surrounded w/ obscene amounts of talent during his college career, which padded his stats, who has questionable physical skills...and I'm not sure It's any contest. The only people who will argue so, are people who play too much Madden, are media darlings, or don't understand football. The bottom line is, position aside, Ferguson was a far superior prospect than Leinart.

[SoFlaJets]

That's the 2nd article I've seen written by this obviously anti-Jets writer.Bottom line;screw him friggin A-hole

[JetCane]

They took a blocker instead, the best blocker in college football. At Radio City Music Hall, Leinart looked positively stunned. His cool California tan suddenly displaced by a ghostly New York pallor, Leinart had his big-city ambitions shattered. He wanted to play Broadway, and ended up in Tempe instead.

No doubt.

His reaction was one of the more interesting moments of the draft, in a Schadenfreude kind of way.