Jets Confidential's Leberfeld piece on Barlow

[NIGHT STALKER]

Niners may rue the day Barlow was dealt to Jets

Aug 24, 2006

Cedric Houston can handle the Jets' starting tailback job.

But Kevan Barlow can handle it better.

Houston is a power back who is very good at running between the tackles. But he will be the first to admit he has limited speed.

Barlow is also a power back. He actually outweighs Houston by 17 pounds (234 to 217). But he's also got terrific speed, and a better ability to turn the corner on sweeps. Houston runs in the 4.6 area, Barlow is more like a 4.5 guy.

The Jets' trade last Sunday of a middle-round draft pick to the San Francisco 49ers for Barlow was a solid move.

The first reaction of many, including myself, was that Barlow doesn't fit the character criteria coach Eric Mangini has set up for his team.

Structure put in place by Eric Mangini may suit the colorful Barlow. (AP)

After all, while with the 49ers, Barlow got into a pair of fistfights with his fullback, Fred Beasley, and also made insulting comments about his offensive line to the media (among other controversial statements over his four-year stay by the Bay).

But upon further review, you get the sense that Barlow just needs a change of scenery.

Barlow arrived in San Francisco as an immature 21-year-old who needed guidance and structure. He got none of that. Instead, he got four years of dysfunction and non-stop losing under the poor leadership of Dennis Erickson and now Mike Nolan. It was a terrible spot for the kid to land.

Now this isn't to make excuses for his immature behavior. But if he had been drafted by the Bill Walsh 49ers, it's highly unlikely we would have heard about all these indiscretions.

He's been sailing on a rudderless ship since arriving in the NFL.

Now Barlow comes to a program where there are a lot of rules and structure, where he probably has a better chance of realizing his enormous potential.

He could turn out for the Jets like Corey Dillon did for the New England Patriots.

Remember, Dillon was considered a bad actor in Cincinnati, but then when he got out of that unstable situation and joined Team Belichick, his career turned in the right direction and the bad stories stopped.

While it remains to be seen if the Jets' program is going to turn out like New England's, they are certainly trying their best to go in that direction. The new Jets brass has structured their operation just like New England's with two Belichick disciples, Mangini and Mike Tannenbaum, at the helm.

But aside from the nature of the Jets' program, there is another factor that should allow Barlow to play great football for the green and white.

His name is Curtis Martin.

It's unclear whether Martin is going to play this year for the Jets, as he continues to battle a knee ailment. But whether he's on the PUP list or the injured reserve, he needs to be around the team full-time if this Barlow experiment is going to work.

Martin is like a big brother to Barlow. They are both from the wrong side of the tracks in Pittsburgh and starred for the Pitt Panthers.

They have known each other for a long time, and Martin, as good a mentor as you will find in football and life, is going to have a tremendous influence on Barlow.

And you get the sense that Barlow doesn't want to let Martin down. The Jets consulted Martin prior to making this trade, and he gave Barlow a thumbs-up.

Now it's up to Barlow to make Martin look good.

The mentoring started the second Barlow arrived in New York on Monday.

"As soon as I walked in, he took me under his wing, he embraced me," said Barlow. "Curt was a guy I looked up to as a kid growing up. There was no [one] bigger than Curtis Martin in Pittsburgh. To be out here, to be up under him and learn under Curt, is a wow to me.

"I was sitting in the locker room," Barlow continued, "we were talking before I came out here, and I was in awe, like, 'man, I've got Curtis Martin, Hall of Fame running back, sitting next to me, and I'm excited about it.' Curt's a great guy on and off the field, a great character guy, and I'm looking forward to just being under him and learning how he does things."

Enigmatic LaMont Jordan learned how to do things right under Martin, and now Barlow will.

He's not a bad kid. He just tends to shoot his mouth off too much -- just like he did the day after the trade, ripping into Nolan in the Contra Costa Times.

"Nolan just doesn't know what he's doing," said Barlow. "He's a first-time head coach with too much power. He has too much power as a first-time head coach. He walks around with a chip on his shoulder, like he's a dictator, like he's Hitler. People are scared of him. If it ain't Nolan's way, it's the highway."

Certainly, Curtis Martin will have Kevan Barlow's attention at Hofstra. (AP)

Barlow called the writer shortly after making the comments to take back the Hitler remark, but the scribe ran it anyway.

And that is the only thing Barlow should have taken back. That was obviously out of line. But the rest of his comments were right on target.

"Coach Nolan could be a good head coach, but he's not going to be because he has too much power," continued Barlow. "He calls all the shots. He needs somebody above his head. He doesn't know what he's doing."

Agreed. Nolan's resume prior to going to the 49ers didn't merit him getting all-consuming powers. He was an assistant coach for two decades. He was lucky to get a head coaching job.

Nick Saban earned his dictator role in Miami. Nolan has no business being the football czar in San Francisco. Barlow is right.

He should have a GM over him who he is working for.

Nolan has made a lot of bad personnel decisions in his short time in San Francisco. And they include his latest move -- the trading of Barlow.

Granted, the 49ers' new starting tailback, Frank Gore, has a lot of talent, but he's also playing with two reconstructed knees and a pair of surgically repaired shoulders.

Even if you think Gore deserves to be the starting tailback, you don't dump an extremely talented back like Barlow when Gore's body is like a house of cards.

And you especially don't trade Barlow after you told him a week before the transaction that he wasn't going to be dealt.

Barlow called Nolan to apologize for his inflammatory remarks in the newspaper.

But is Nolan going to call Barlow and apologize for lying to him?

You could see Nolan changing his mind if a team had blown him away with an offer. But the Jets sent what is believed to be a fourth-round pick to the 49ers for the runner. That doesn't sound like a mind-changing offer.

And the feeling here is that Nolan is going to regret the day that he made this trade. The Jets have done a lot of homework on Barlow, and feel very comfortable having him in their locker room.

"With everybody that we bring in, we do a lot of research on their background and we talk to a lot of people that have worked with them -- whether they be coaches, players, front-office people," said Mangini. "When we brought Bryan Cox here in

[bitonti]

agree with the thesis

people talked crap about the move but if what this author says is accurate Cedric Houston is slower, smaller and less talented version of Kevan Barlow.

if that's the case there's probably not a way Houston stays on 53 man long term... why keep a player like that around? that's basically Curtis' spot if comes off of PUP

The CuMart Pitt connection is a real one and i agree that Curtis had to have vouched for him - these Jets won't let a true "bad apple" in the locker room...

league wide players like RB, WR, DB tend to get their own set of rules

in the NFL, at those positions a great 40 time means more than great on paper character.

the Bellichek model isn't 53 non descript dudes who look like a frat house it's 40 of them and about 6 to 10 ballas.

Barlow is a balla and you need that to win games, i've liked this move from the outset. Barlow can get the 25-30 carries early on and if the Jets play well it (a big if i know) that theoretically sets the stage for the resurrection of Curtis - a more media friendly story than even Chad's shoulder.

Barlow/Martin RRBC would be a nice combo with Blaylock and Wash as the speed back KRs.

[#27TheDominator]

I think Barlow is a nice pickup and will catch a ton of passes this year. I don't think he'll be rushing for too many yards, he's kind of a stop gap, but I think he will catch around 40 swing passes. Especially if Chad is QB. I think this whole "Curtis Martin-big brother" thing is way overrated. I don't think that Martin will have any big hold over the team if he's not able to play. Was he a big brother and great influence on Lamont Jordan? It's all overblown. Barlow isn't good enough to act like TO, so the coaching staff can stay on top of him and not let him get out of hand anyway.

[JetCane]

Real good article. Thanks for posting that JFF.

bit great insight in that post.

Martin is like a big brother to Barlow. They are both from the wrong side of the tracks in Pittsburgh and starred for the Pitt Panthers.

Hanging around with CuMar could be the best break Barlow has had. Err-ickson is a terrible role model and rudderless is a good way to describe his leadership.

234 and runs a 4.5 is impressive.

27 great point about the swing passes. I saw as many of them run in tc as any other type of pass play. It will be a staple of this offense.

[Bugg]

"I think this whole "Curtis Martin-big brother" thing is way overrated."

For better or worse, I agree. The idea that an injured player, even with HoF stature, will by mere presence or osmosis simply rub off on anyone is pretty suspect. Martin isn't playing nor working out with the team. It's more the wishful thinking of Leberfeld trying to come up with a story angle. Which doesn't preclude Barlow from at this stage of his career seeing the light-this might be his last chance to be a feature back and to get paid like one. If he was an RB coach, different story. Certainly Martin wouldn't be a negative presence. But Barlow is going to sink or swim on his own.

[JetCane]

I hope Martin travels with the team, and rooms with Barlow.

He'd rub off plenty good on him.

[jetophile]

"I think this whole "Curtis Martin-big brother" thing is way overrated."

For better or worse, I agree. The idea that an injured player, even with HoF stature, will by mere presence or osmosis simply rub off on anyone is pretty suspect...

I disagree in this way. I think Curtis Martin could be more of a moron deterrent than a game time mentor. As in do your talking on the field, keep your temper in check, keep your yap shut. Martin's history of leading by example in just that way could shame a guy into acting respectable and keeping a handle on himself, help Barlow channel his agression into his play. That's far more how I'm looking at it.

As far as Barlow sinking or swimming on his own as to his production, yes, of course that part of the equation is true enough. Still, I'm not saying anyone should be "humble" insofar as their belief in their talent. It's how a talented player carries himself that speaks volumes louder than some Big Mouth. And there are certainly a lot of those. We'll see if Barlow has the goods, if he can make a positive statement with the ball instead of a negative statement with his mouth.

[Jack Straw]

I agree that the move was a good one, but Dan Leberlisp doesn't need to blow smoke up my @ss to make the point. The facts are simple:

1) Barlow hasn't been a good running back the past three seasons

2) Saying he has "character isssues" is an understatement.

Fighting your fullback twice and calling out your offensive line and head coach aren't "misunderstandings." Barlow is a punk - when things are going good for him, he's happy; when things are going bad, he's a cry baby b*tch, just like everybody's best friend, Terrell Owens.

Some food for thought: If Barlow averaged 4.5 YPC in San Francisco, would Mike Nolan still be an "idiot with too much power"? IMO, he'd be singing a different tune. The idea that Curtis Martin is going to save this guy from self-destruction is silly. The dude is a few months away from being 28 years-old. If he hasn't grown up by now, he never will. Curtis might help him out this season, but what happens when Curtis isn't around in 2007?

[Tinstar2]

Here's my problem with this entire situation.I will preface this by saying that i would have preferred Duckett over Barlow.

Our HC preached good character as the focal point in any player he wanted to add to his team since taking over.That same HC then went out and traded for Kevin Barlow with the knowledge of what he had said to the media upon leaving san fran and before this player took and passed his physical that made the trade official.

This HC is having his troubles with the media in NY,and what does he do.He brings a guy to NY who compared a football HC to Adolf Hitler.Talk about buying the rope for your own hanging.

I like Mangini,because I think he shows promise.If the Jets don't win,the media in NY is going to hang him from a street lamp.He will have no one to blame but himself.As a Jet fan,i hope this team wins,because i have no wish to endure what will be mangini's fair trial followed by his 1st class hanging.

Yea,I stole that last line from the movie Silverado.

[Boozer76]

This HC is having his troubles with the media in NY,and what does he do.He brings a guy to NY who compared a football HC to Adolf Hitler.Talk about buying the rope for your own hanging.

Troubles with the media? Troubles like that can only surface if said coach actually gave a spit about what the media writes. It certainly doesn't seem that way with Mangini. If you think the media can hang him within a year or 2 your out of your mind. Assuming Barlow is a mistake (which neither of us can attest either way), Mangini will have alot more passes to go before he starts feeling the fire of the hot seat. At least half as many as Herm did, which quite frankly I don't see many other coaches making that many mistakes in a 5 year period. The media will have nothing to do with it, winning or losing will. Plain and simple.

[bitonti]

"I think this whole "Curtis Martin-big brother" thing is way overrated."

For better or worse, I agree. The idea that an injured player, even with HoF stature, will by mere presence or osmosis simply rub off on anyone is pretty suspect. Martin isn't playing nor working out with the team. It's more the wishful thinking of Leberfeld trying to come up with a story angle. Which doesn't preclude Barlow from at this stage of his career seeing the light-this might be his last chance to be a feature back and to get paid like one. If he was an RB coach, different story. Certainly Martin wouldn't be a negative presence. But Barlow is going to sink or swim on his own.

the X factor that makes me believe is background

not only is Curtis and Kevan both from Pittsburgh but they both are Pitt Panthers

there just aren't that many Pitt Panther RBs in the NFL

they have to had some kind of relationship before this and it wouldn't surprise me if it had a big brother/little brother flavor

[#27TheDominator]

Here's my problem with this entire situation.I will preface this by saying that i would have preferred Duckett over Barlow.

Our HC preached good character as the focal point in any player he wanted to add to his team since taking over.That same HC then went out and traded for Kevin Barlow with the knowledge of what he had said to the media upon leaving san fran and before this player took and passed his physical that made the trade official.

This HC is having his troubles with the media in NY,and what does he do.He brings a guy to NY who compared a football HC to Adolf Hitler.Talk about buying the rope for your own hanging.

I like Mangini,because I think he shows promise.If the Jets don't win,the media in NY is going to hang him from a street lamp.He will have no one to blame but himself.As a Jet fan,i hope this team wins,because i have no wish to endure what will be mangini's fair trial followed by his 1st class hanging.

Yea,I stole that last line from the movie Silverado.

I think your premise is a little far fetched. Do you honestly think Mangini could have voided the trade based upon statements the kid made? The deal was already done. It wouldn't be legal and the team would not be able to pull off failing every back by their physicals, let alone the complete loss of credibility we'd suffer. Good coaches aren't afraid of "problem" players, but you don't want a team full of them or the inmates can end up running the asylum. If it's only Barlow, then it will be easy enough to keep him under control. If it's Barlow, Abe, Mawae, etc, etc. maybe you lose control of the team.

Not to belabor my prior point, but... Duckett can't catch. Barlow has pulled in over 30 for the past 3 years. That's nothing to sneeze at. I've seen him, he's athletic and he can catch. Duckett might have been better in a year or two when we have our "real" back as a short yardage or change of pace guy, but I think I prefer Barlow for our "rebuilding" year when our developing OL and weak armed QB forces dump offs to backs and TEs.

If the media is going to hang Mangini for not winning he shouldn't have taken the job because a winning season in 2006 is a long shot. 8-8 would be an awesome job. If he does better than Herm's 4-12 the media should STFU.

[Sperm Edwards]

Here's my problem with this entire situation.I will preface this by saying that i would have preferred Duckett over Barlow.

Our HC preached good character as the focal point in any player he wanted to add to his team since taking over.That same HC then went out and traded for Kevin Barlow with the knowledge of what he had said to the media upon leaving san fran and before this player took and passed his physical that made the trade official.

This HC is having his troubles with the media in NY,and what does he do.He brings a guy to NY who compared a football HC to Adolf Hitler.Talk about buying the rope for your own hanging.

I like Mangini,because I think he shows promise.If the Jets don't win,the media in NY is going to hang him from a street lamp.He will have no one to blame but himself.As a Jet fan,i hope this team wins,because i have no wish to endure what will be mangini's fair trial followed by his 1st class hanging.

Yea,I stole that last line from the movie Silverado.

At least you picked a good one.

[Tinstar2]

Boozer,if you believe that last statement you wrote,then you are the one who's out of their mind.Sure Mangini will be judged by his winning percentage,but i have already heard more than 1 mdia member who says they will blast him if the Jets suck.What's worse is i know you people will help them.