JETS ARTICLES - THURS

[Sperm Edwards]

Belichick taught Mangini well

Thursday, September 14, 2006

By ADRIAN WOJNAROWSKI

RECORD COLUMNIST

If Eric Mangini's intention was to deepen the divide between Deion Branch's decaying relationship with the Patriots, nudging the holdout receiver and New England closer to critical mass, Bill Belichick shouldn't have been so much angry with his protege, as proud. Mangini learned his lessons well under his old boss, including the most important of all: Anything for an edge, anything to win.

"It's just business," Mangini said Wednesday.

That's all the events inspiring Belichick to file tampering charges against the Jets with the NFL is, the Jets' coach was saying. That's all that it ever comes down to in this cutthroat sport. Yes, Belichick taught Mangini and he taught him well.

Between Belichick throwing him out of his Foxboro office for considering the Jets' offer in January, and the arrival of Sunday's Patriots-Jets game at the Meadowlands, Mangini smartened up: If Mangini planned to continue honoring Belichick with his X's and O's and organizational stonewalling playbook, it's become clear Mangini isn't interested in kissing his mentor's behind to hold on to a relationship that is largely obsolete for them anyway.

If you're a Jets fan, you have to love that Mangini and general manager Mike Tannenbaum have been accused of leaking their trade offer to Branch to arm the Super Bowl MVP receiver with some leverage in his negotiations with the Patriots.

The Jets won't land on bowl and television probation for this suspected violation, but Mangini won respect inside and outside Weeb Ewbank Hall. He's shown that he hasn't come to the Jets to bow down to Belichick, but pull that sweat shirt hood over his head and beat him.

Mangini was talking far more pleasantly about Belichick on Wednesday, than Belichick did of him. Surprise, surprise. Belichick could barely bring himself to say a kind word about the kid who started as an errand boy for him in Cleveland and elevated to defensive coordinator in New England. When tossed an easy one to start his news conference in Foxboro on Wednesday, asked if he could see "Mangini's stamp" in the Jets' resourceful victory over Tennessee, Belichick sniffed, "I don't know. I'm sure there's a lot of people, a lot of forces, at work down there."

Someone else tried with Belichick, "When did you know Eric could be a head coach?"

"I don't know," he said. "That's not any kind of decision that I have to make."

Kind of sounds like New England hasn't had this kind of a teacher-student relationship since "Good Will Hunting.''

No matter, it sure seems this relationship ended months ago, when it's believed Belichick tried to talk Mangini out of taking the Jets' job.

And if you're Mangini, you had to wonder: Did Belichick want me to turn the job down because the then-GM, Terry Bradway, was overmatched, the franchise was reeling and the Jets could've been a career-killer? Most likely, Belichick's intentions were much more self-involved. Maybe he found it disloyal for his coordinator to leap to a division rival with baggage in Belichick's own past, maybe he thought this was too close of an opponent to bring the Belichick blueprint.

Nevertheless, Mangini was 35 years old and never daring to assume that there would be too many more of these offers in his life, that his father's early passing taught him that you don't pass up an opportunity today assuming that it will be there again tomorrow.

So, Mangini lives with the consequences, the appearance of a break with Belichick, the way Belichick broke with Bill Parcells. It's the nature of the cutthroat beast and there's no need for Mangini to sell everyone on something different. They haven't spoken in months. And probably won't speak at length again for the foreseeable future. If Belichick wouldn't think twice about eliminating Super Bowl heroes Branch and Adam Vinatieri out of his life, how much hesitation do you think there would be doing it with Mangini? There's a reason a coach wins three Super Bowls. He never lets his heart enter into any football matter.

Mangini did everything ever asked of him under Belichick, including turning down big raises to become defensive coordinator elsewhere to stay for less in New England. Nevertheless, Belichick couldn't even bring himself to leave a voice mail to congratulate Mangini on winning his NFL debut Sunday. Mangini kept trying to frame the relationship as something akin to hibernating now, but you get the idea this thing ceased to exist even before the Jets messed with Branch.

Just remember, these relationships are always on the mentor's terms. Always. Until, anyway, the pupil passes the mentor (See Coach K and Bob Knight).

"There were points my mom was mad at me because I had not returned a call,'' Mangini said. "I just think that sometimes that happens where you're extremely busy and you're trying to get the things done that you need to get done.

"I don't necessarily put any guidelines on friendships."

As it turns out, it looks like Belichick does.

In New England on Wednesday, they kept trying to get Belichick to show some kind of affection for Mangini.

He was asked, "Do you want to see Eric do well in his career?"

"Really, I don't sit around the league cheering for everybody else," Belichick said. "Everybody else is on their own, just like I'm sure we're on our own."

If nothing else, Belichick taught Mangini that the moment he barred him from the Patriots' offices in January. The only way that Belichick will ever let them get close again is if Mangini loses and keeps losing to him. With the way that Mangini gave Belichick a little shove last week over Branch, well, Mangini gives you the idea that he doesn't care if they ever speak again.

So Sunday, Eric Mangini can escalate everything.

He can beat Bill Belichick.

[Sperm Edwards]

Jets' Pennington honored for his Week 1 effort

By ANDREW GROSS

agross@lohud.com

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: September 14, 2006)

HEMPSTEAD — One game certainly does not a season make, but quarterback Chad Pennington answered a lot of critics by passing for an NFL-best 319 yards in the Jets' 23-16 season-opening win at Tennessee.

Pennington yesterday was named the AFC offensive player of the week.

"I think it shows the complete team effort we had offensively,'' said Pennington, who is back after rotator cuff injuries the past two seasons. "To be honest, I'm just focused on the next game. It never really crossed my mind whether I would receive the honor. I think the win means the most, that's what I try to focus on most.''

But New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Pennington's grit and determination have won him added respect around the NFL.

Jets running back Kevan Barlow is also suitably impressed.

"I probably haven't experienced the leadership qualities of a quarterback like Chad,'' the ex-49er said. "I got to play with Jeff Garcia, he's a great quarterback. But the way Chad takes control of that huddle and the way he is as a person, it's unbelievable. He wants to get better, and he wants to prove the people wrong.''

It marked the fourth time Pennington has been so honored.

Nugent's safe, for now: Coach Eric Mangini, who brought in three kickers for a tryout the day before, gave kicker Mike Nugent a slight vote of confidence yesterday by announcing he would be kicking "this weekend.'' Left unsaid, of course, was that another outing like the one he had Sunday, when Nugent missed an extra point and two field-goal attempts, from 30 and 34 yards, might change the equation.

Ex-Viking Paul Edinger, ex-Giant Owen Pochman and one-time Redskin Tyler Jones reportedly were at the Jets' facility Tuesday. So was Nugent, working on his own on the team's day off.

"If you lose confidence in yourself and you kind of start worrying this is not going to be mine next week, that can really be a downfall for any player,'' said Nugent, a second-round pick out of Ohio State in 2005. "I am really looking forward to getting on the field today. Not just to show myself, but show everyone, yeah, it happened, it's over, it's not something I'm thinking about anymore.''

Injury report: Left guard Pete Kendall, who left Sunday's game with an injured left hamstring, was listed as questionable while safety Kerry Rhodes, who hurt his left ankle on the last play of the game, was listed as probable. Both practiced yesterday. Wide receiver Tim Dwight (thigh), who was out Sunday, and cornerback David Barrett (hip) are also questionable. Center Trey Teague (ankle), who has yet to practice, was upgraded to doubtful. Linebackers Matt Chatham (foot) and Trevor Johnson (neck) and safety Derrick Strait (chest) are also probable.

For the Patriots: Linebacker Tedy Bruschi (wrist), wide receiver Chad Jackson (hamstring), tackle Nick Kaczur (shoulder) and tight end Garrett Mills (flu) are questionable. Quarterback Tom Brady (shoulder) and wide receiver Doug Gabriel (hamstring) are probable.

[Sperm Edwards]

It's all business for Jets' coach

By ANDREW GROSS

agross@lohud.com

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: September 14, 2006)

HEMPSTEAD — There are plenty of times in Eric Mangini's busy life when his mother or wife get a little ticked at him for not picking up the phone quickly enough.

So the first-year Jets coach finds nothing strange about not having talked to his mentor, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, since the summer.

Nor does he think their friendship will be affected by the Patriots filing tampering charges over the Jets' conduct in trying to trade for ex-Patriots wide receiver Deion Branch. Business is business, both of them said yesterday.

In fact, Mangini is fairly amused at the tight focus on the two coaches' relationship as the Jets prepare to host the Patriots Sunday.

"I think it's pretty funny,'' said Mangini, who first worked with Belichick in 1995 and was his defensive coordinator last season. "I've seen us both play football and it's not pretty. Nobody wants to watch that. For Bill and I, there won't be any passes thrown or balls caught or tackles made.''

Not surprisingly, for a coach with a reputation for being a near-Belichick clone, in conduct if not in success thus far, Mangini's answer echoed Belichick's.

"My focus is just on our team and the New York Jets,'' Belichick said. "I don't think you're going to see us squaring off out there on any one-on-ones, passes rushes or anything.''

Still, plenty of animosity exists between the two organizations, and Branch has provided the latest flashpoint. The Patriots contend the Jets irreparably harmed Branch's relationship with his ex-team by informing the wide receiver what they were offering to New England for him.

The Jets reportedly offered a second-round pick, and the Patriots wound up trading Branch to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday for a first-round pick. Both teams are referring questions on the matter to the NFL office, which so far hasn't issued a statement.

"I think when you're in the same division, you're in direct competition,'' Belichick said when asked whether the dispute could strain his relationship with Mangini. "My favorite team is the Patriots and his favorite team is the Jets. We're going to put our energy into our respective organizations.''

In many ways, this is getting old for Belichick, who also has to face Nick Saban twice a season now that his former assistant is coaching the Miami Dolphins. Plus, Romeo Crennel is coaching the Cleveland Browns.

But there were widespread reports Belichick tried to talk Mangini out of pursuing the Jets' opening. After all, Belichick wanted no part of the Jets' job he was supposed to inherit in 2000.

Asked about that yesterday, Mangini said Belichick was always good about giving advice, adding, "I think that's always important in my friendship, to be able to get objective advice.''

Belichick was more blunt, pointing out he had no say in what offers are made, nor does he have any control over other people's choices.

So while it ended a successful professional relationship — and it might appear their personal friendship has cooled — perhaps the truth is they are too busy to care.

The two will have a chance to chat prior to Sunday's kickoff, as NFL opposing coaches almost always do.

"I can tell you, with all honestly, I have not even remotely thought about the pregame deal,'' Mangini said. "It's really today, what's happening now.''

And right now, the two are not speaking.

"I just think that sometimes that happens when you're extremely busy,'' Mangini said. "I don't necessarily put any guidelines on friendships.''

[Sperm Edwards]

NO-BUDDIES BUSINESS

By MARK CANNIZZARO

September 14, 2006 -- If you really want to know about the state of the relationship between Eric Mangini and his mentor, Bill Belichick, read between these lines:

Question: "Eric, did you hear from Belichick after you won your first game?"

Mangini: "You know, we missed each other a couple times throughout the summer."

Huh?

"This probably won't be the week that we'll be chatting too much," Mangini added. "Our relationship is the same as it's been. He's always been a good friend."

To that we ask: How good a friend is a mentor who doesn't find the time to even have his secretary send a congratulatory e-mail Mangini's way?

If a little bit of bad blood is what you're looking for in Sunday's Jets home opener against Belichick's Patriots, then you've come to the right place. Let the Border War re-ignite.

Mangini never has acknowledged it, but it is fact through rock-solid sources in New England: Belichick, who has a complete disdain for the Jets and little respect for their owner, Woody Johnson, did not think Mangini should take the Jets job to the point where he tried to talk him out of it.

Once Mangini went off to interview and subsequently had the job offered to him, was it an accident that both he and his assistant, Erin O'Brien, were locked out of their Foxboro offices when they returned to work?

Their codes to get into the building apparently had been deactivated.

What was that? A wardrobe malfunction? Does that sound like a coincidence? Support?

Not exactly.

How about the fact that, according to some insiders in New England, the Patriots actually are withholding a couple of boxes of Mangini's office belongings from him, much to his disdain?

How about this softball question posed to Belichick yesterday: "Do you want to see Eric do well in his career, except this week against you?"

Belichick: "I'm more concerned about us doing well. Really, I don't sit around the league cheering for everybody else. I cheer for the Patriots. That's my team. Everybody else is on their own."

Mangini, who privately has been irked by the fact Belichick hinted to some people in the offseason that Mangini did not make the defensive calls during his season as defensive coordinator in 2005, has done everything he can to say the right things about Belichick so far this week, done everything he can to deflect the attention from him and Belichick.

Yesterday, Mangini even resorted to some humor, calling it "pretty funny" that the Manning vs. Manning hype of last week has shifted to Mangini vs. Belichick.

"I've seen us both play football and it's not pretty," Mangini quipped. "Nobody wants to watch that. It's not about Eric and Bill. It's Jets-Patriots. Bill and I are great friends."

Asked yesterday when the last time he spoke to his "great friend" was, Mangini said he couldn't remember the "exact date."

Asked if he thinks it's odd he and Belichick are hardly in touch with each other, Mangini said, "I wouldn't call it odd. There were points my mom was mad at me because I had not returned a call. And [with his wife] Julie, there's some nights where she's a little frustrated because I don't get to the phone quite early enough.

"I just think that sometimes that happens where you're extremely busy and you're trying to get the things done that you need to get done. I don't necessarily put any guidelines on friendships."

Finally, when Mangini was asked if Belichick encouraged or discouraged him about taking the Jets job, he said, "We talked about a lot of different things, and Bill is very good at just being objective and presenting information. At the end of the day, you have to make a decision for yourself."

That decision, despite anyone's politically-correct attempts to tell you otherwise, did not sit well with Belichick at the time and probably still doesn't. That's as good a reason as any for him not to have congratulated Mangini on his first victory as an NFL head coach.

It should make for an interesting pre-game hello between the two Sunday at Giants Stadium.

mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com

[Sperm Edwards]

HONORED CHAD PASSES THE ACCOLADES AROUND

By MARK CANNIZZARO

September 14, 2006 --

JET NOTES

Chad Pennington yesterday got more good news regarding his long road back from two shoulder surgeries: The Jets quarterback was named the AFC's Offensive Player of the Week for his standout performance vs. the Titans on Sunday.

Pennington, who threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns on 24-of-33 passing in the Jets' 23-16 win, heaped all the praise on the players around him and those people who helped him get back.

"The support system you have around you is the most important thing," he said. "Whatever we accomplish in life, none of us can say we've done it by ourselves. I want to use this [comeback] as a inspiration to others."

Eric Mangini said, "That's a great recognition of his efforts, and the things that he's done and to a large degree an effort of the whole offensive unit and the way they played together and gave him time to throw the ball. I was just really pleased for him and pleased for the group."

*

Mangini, asked if he had any plans to sign a new kicker after working a couple out Tuesday following Mike Nugent's nightmare opener, said, "We bring a lot of guys in for workouts and that's part of the process that [GM] Mike [Tannenbaum] and I go through to evaluate what's available, whether it be a kicker or any other position, and Mike's our kicker. He'll be kicking this weekend.

"Just like anybody, there were some things we all want back from last week's game, and that's really not important anymore. What's important is taking away something from that, learning from it, and now once they get the next opportunity, capitalizing on it."

*

Mangini downplayed the Patriots' tampering allegations against the Jets with regard to WR Deion Branch. "It's a league matter and I think they have to operate in their best interests and we need to operate in our best interests," he said. "Business is business. " Asked if he was surprised New England would accuse him of cheating, Mangini said, "I think that each week, we'll do what's best for the Jets and every team will do what's best for them."

Speaking of business, Jets LB Matt Chatham, who played for New England until last season, is renting his house in Massachusetts to WR Doug Gabriel, whom the Patriots recently acquired from Oakland.

Injury report: Jets - OL Trey Teague (ankle) doubtful. CB David Barrett (hip) practiced yesterday but is questionable. WR Tim Dwight (thigh) didn't practice yesterday and is questionable. G Pete Kendall (thigh) also practiced but is listed as questionable.

[Sperm Edwards]

Mangini starting to make it on his own

Shaun Powell

SPORTS COLUMNIST

September 14, 2006

The teaching doesn't stop. The lessons keep coming. Eric Mangini discovered this when his former mentor, a guy Mangini admired his entire professional life, basically accused the former star pupil of being a shady, dishonest, conniving and sneaky cheat.

But hey, it wasn't personal.

"It has nothing to do with our relationship," Bill Belichick insisted.

Not really. When Belichick and the Patriots reported Mangini and the Jets to the league office for tampering with holdout receiver Deion Branch, who has since been traded to Seattle, it was purely business. Even though the tampering, in this case, was frivolous, the equivalent of squeezing an orange at a produce stand, Belichick thought he had enough evidence to haul the Jets to NFL court and just maybe get a low draft pick as compensation.

Basically, Belichick was telling Mangini he'd do anything for an edge.

Just one more pearl of wisdom for Mangini to string.

The tampering charge makes for a weird situation, given how weak it is, given the history between Mangini and Belichick and given Sunday's Patriots-Jets game, the first between the two coaches. It makes you wonder if coach Belichick and coach Belichip were all that close to begin with, or even on speaking terms right now. It sheds a strange light on a guy who gave Mangini his first job more than 10 years ago, then put him on the fast track to become an NFL head coach at age 35. But it all makes sense once you understand that in the cutthroat world of pro football, where winning is all Belichick knows, winning must be pursued at all costs. Even a relationship.

Well, this is as good a time as any for Mangini to take this latest lesson and move on, far from the imposing shadow of a three-time Super Bowl winner, and carve his own identity.

In a sense, three days before teacher vs. student, this process has already begun. Mangini made the absolutely shocking revelation (for him, anyway) that he - gasp! - couldn't recall his last conversation with his mentor.

"Uh, at some point over the summer," Mangini said. "Can't say exactly when." And then Mangini made a point to downplay, if slightly, the impact Belichick had on his football education.

"I took away a lot from him," Mangini said, before adding, "but I also took things from some other coaches." He then listed those coaches, and all their Super Bowl victories together couldn't match Belichick's.

Anyway, this is good. Mangini wanted to be known as a Belichick clone when the Jets interviewed him for the job, and now that he has it, he'd like to be Eric Mangini, a coach with his own philosophy and way of running a team. Mangini was his own man the day he walked into Weeb Ewbank Hall and shook up the place. He declared that no one's job was safe. He announced all starting positions had to be earned, not on reputation, but on sweat. He put his team through hell in training camp, not to exhaust them, but to weed out the weak and the pretenders.

He kept players in the dark about many things, especially their statuses, which was good, because a paranoid player most often is a motivated player.

Did you notice how Chad Pennington threw in the win over Tennessee, as if his job depended on it? No, Mangini probably wouldn't have benched Pennington in the event of a poor performance. Still, Pennington took nothing for granted and delivered a stirring if early showing from another shoulder surgery, winning AFC offensive player of the week honors.

Mangini says little of significance to the media, but his best performance should come in practice and on Sundays, not in his weekly news conferences. He's trying to change the culture around the Jets, a franchise that even in good times seems to screw up, and that's his only goal, his only purpose.

"I've been very consistent as to why we do things around here," he repeated yesterday. "There's no hidden agenda, no secret to it. Our goal is to get better. That simple."

From a few hundred miles away, a ruthless, win-at-all-cost mentor feels he's about done giving Mangini advice. "Based on last week," said Belichick, "he's doing fine."

Email: shaun.powell@newsday.com.

Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.

[Sperm Edwards]

Allies become rivals

Mangini hasn't had any phone calls lately from mentor Belichick

BY TOM ROCK

Newsday Staff Writer

September 14, 2006

Eric Mangini said there have been times when his mother has complained that he was slow in returning her phone calls. He said his wife sometimes becomes frustrated if he doesn't call her by a certain point each night.

The Jets coach used those examples to illustrate his belief that there is nothing odd about the fact that he and his mentor, Patriots coach Bill Belichick, have not spoken in recent months. When Mangini won his first game as an NFL coach Sunday, he received congratulatory messages from Ron Erhardt, Kirk Ferentz, Joe Erhmann and Jim Mora, among others.

But not a peep from Belichick.

"Sometimes that happens where you are extremely busy and you're trying to get the things done that you need to get done," Mangini said. "I don't necessarily put any guidelines on friendships."

To a certain extent, Mangini and Belichick are no longer friends but rivals. When Mangini left the Patriots staff to join the Jets in January, the two men who played at Wesleyan, won Super Bowls together and had so much in common in terms of football philosophies were suddenly at cross purposes.

"When you're in the same division, you're in direct competition," Belichick said yesterday. "My favorite team is the Patriots, his favorite team is the Jets. We're going to put our energy to our respective organizations."

This week that included the filing of a grievance in which the Patriots claimed the Jets tampered with wide receiver Deion Branch during the holdout's search for a trade. Branch wound up with the Seahawks. It is the latest salvo in what has become a bitter rivalry between the franchises on and off the field.

"It's just business," Mangini said. And Belichick. And Abe Vigoda's Salvatore Tessio in "The Godfather."

Answering questions about facing former colleagues is nothing new to Belichick. Dolphins coach Nick Saban was, like Mangini, a defensive coordinator under Belichick. So was Browns coach Romeo Crennel, though the Patriots have yet to face Cleveland. Belichick is on the other end of those teacher-pupil discussions when it comes to Bill Parcells.

"It's the same questions and the same answers every year," Belichick said. "The names are different but it's the same situation."

What might be old hat to Belichick is new for Mangini, who has been answering questions about Belichick since he arrived in New York. Those questions have intensified this week in the lead-up to the game between the teams. Mangini has continually said he learned a lot under Belichick, and his style of coaching is certainly derivative of the New England Method.

It's a system that relies heavily on communication, something that has strangely been missing between the two head coaches.

"I really don't see it that way," Mangini said. "There's really nothing to read into that."

When the Jets play the Patriots, everything is read into.

Notes & quotes: The Jets held workouts Tuesday for free-agent kickers Paul Edinger, Owen Pochman and Tyler Jones, but Mangini said Mike Nugent will be his kicker Sunday. Nugent missed an extra point and two short field goals that nearly cost the Jets the win at Tennessee ... G Pete Kendall (hamstring) practiced yesterday but was listed as questionable on the injury report, which means second-year man Norm Katnik could play again this week ... Other Jets listed as questionable are WR Tim Dwight (quadriceps) and CB David Barrett (hip). OL Trey Teague (ankle) has been upgraded to doubtful. LBs Matt Chatham (foot) and Trevor Johnson (neck) along with DBs Kerry Rhodes (ankle) and Derrick Strait (chest) were listed as probable and practiced ... Chad Pennington was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Pennington's two long passes to Laveranues Coles marked only the second time in his career he completed two passes that traveled more than 30 yards beyond the line of scrimmage in the same game. He did it against the Redskins in 2004.

ABOUT THE PATRIOTS

Coach: Bill Belichick, seventh season (74-34)

Last week: Beat the Bills at Foxboro, 19-17.

About the offense: Tom Brady is still the quarterback, but his targets have changed substantially. In his first game without David Givens and Deion Branch, Brady completed only four passes to wide receivers for 51 yards. And the Patriots had to come from behind, so it wasn't all because of conservative play-calling. Brady did use tight ends Benjamin Watson and Daniel Graham for a combined 73 yards and completed important passes in the second-half comeback, but the Patriots may be on the verge of becoming a run-first team. Rookie Laurence Maroney dashed off 86 yards while Corey Dillon added 73 against the Bills. For another wrinkle to the "ground" game: Brady is 15-1 as a starter on artificial turf, which is featured at the Meadowlands.

About the defense: Like the offense, the defense has lost some of its marquee value. LB Willie McGinest went to the Browns as a free agent and LB Tedy Bruschi missed the opener with a wrist injury (he's listed as questionable for the Jets game). But there are still quality players, and Jets rookie LT D'Brickashaw Ferguson will have his hands full taking on Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel. The Patriots lost their defensive coordinator for the second consecutive season - the kid who ran things last year wound up as a head coach somewhere - but the Bill Belichick System has always been about interchangeable parts with more focus on schemes than on players. If the Jets can't establish a running game, the Patriots should be able to blitz Chad Pennington with reckless abandon. Don't forget that the Pats' winning points Sunday came from a fourth-quarter sack and a safety by DE Ty Warren.

Bottom line: The Patriots may not be head and shoulders above the AFC East as they were in the past few years, but they are still the benchmark. The dynamic between Eric Mangini and Belichick will generate some interesting cat-and-mouse decisions as they try to figure each other out. It's still early, but the winner certainly gets a nice head start toward a division title.

- TOM ROCK

Sunday

Patriots at Jets

4:15 p.m.

TV: Ch. 2

Radio: WEPN (1050), WABC (770)

[Sperm Edwards]

http://www.courant.com/sports/football/hc-jets0914.artsep14,0,388818.story?coll=hc-headlines-football

Mangini: Belichick `Great Friend'

By ALAN GREENBERG

Courant Staff Writer

September 14 2006

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Nearly every NFL pundit has picked his Jets to finish last in the AFC East. But the Jets beat the Titans 23-16 in Tennessee in their opener Sunday, part of why new coach Eric Mangini was in a good mood during his conference call with Patriots beat writers Wednesday.

Some of the Jets, accustomed to the more easygoing ways of former coach Herman Edwards, initially complained about Mangini's harsher methods, but winning cures a lot of ills. The former Bulkeley High and Wesleyan player, who toiled on the staffs of the Browns, Jets and Patriots before the Jets made him the NFL's youngest head coach at 35, says he can't wait to get to work each morning.

Mangini said when he first took the job, someone told him, "`Every day you're going to come in and there are going to be five things that you didn't anticipate that you're going to have to address.' To me, that has been a great part of the job. It's exciting to get up every day."

Mangini's mentor, Bill Belichick, was reserved when asked about him Wednesday.

In looking at video, could Belichick see Mangini's stamp on the team?

"I don't know," Belichick said. "I'm sure there's a lot of people, a lot of forces that work down there. They have a big staff. They have a lot of people. They're going to develop their own style, whatever that is. So far, it looks pretty good."

Mangini said he understood Belichick's unwillingness to focus on their relationship.

"It isn't about Eric, it isn't about Bill, it's about the Jets and the Patriots," Mangini said. "I think Bill is a great friend and will be for a long time."

But what about the tampering charges the Patriots filed with the NFL Monday? They claim the Jets, in negotiations with Deion Branch, compromised the Patriots' ability to get the best possible deal for Branch, who was traded to the Seahawks.

"I view it as just business," Mangini said. "Each team is going to operate in its best interests. We're going to do that here, and we'll always do that. I think it's important that's the approach that we take. That's just the way it works."

Despite the friendship, Mangini said he and Belichick haven't talked for months, and he doubts they'll be talking this week.

"The friendships that I have will always be the friendships," Mangini said. "When it comes time to play, you are going to do whatever you can to beat those friends."

Contact Alan Greenberg at

agreenberg@courant.com.

Copyright 2006, Hartford Courant

[Sperm Edwards]

Bruschi lends a hand again

Third practice in row for linebacker

By Mike Reiss, Globe Staff | September 14, 2006

FOXBOROUGH -- Linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who missed last Sunday's season opener after making a late push to return from his broken right wrist, participated in the Patriots' full-pads practice yesterday.

Although Bruschi remains questionable on the team's injury report -- giving him a 50-50 chance of playing Sunday against the Jets -- he has now taken part in the last three practices.

As he did in practices last Thursday and Friday, Bruschi wore a cast over the wrist, although the cast he had yesterday appeared to be thicker.

Meanwhile, defensive lineman Richard Seymour missed practice because of an illness in his family. Rookie tight end Garrett Mills was the only other player not dressed for practice, as he is ailing with the flu and questionable on the injury report.

In addition to Bruschi and Mills, the injury report includes receiver Chad Jackson (questionable, hamstring), offensive tackle Nick Kaczur (questionable, shoulder), quarterback Tom Brady (probable, right shoulder) , and receiver Doug Gabriel (probable, hamstring).

Former Patriots receiver Tim Dwight (questionable, thigh) and linebacker Matt Chatham (probable, foot) were among eight players on the Jets' injury report.

Friendly foes

Bill Belichick gave Eric Mangini his first NFL coaching job in 1995 with the Browns, and the two remain friends. But friendship only goes so far. When Belichick was asked yesterday if he hopes Mangini, the Jets' new head coach, does well except when he faces the Patriots, Belichick's competitive side surfaced.

``I'm more concerned about us doing well. Really, I don't sit around the league cheering for anybody else," Belichick said. ``I cheer for the Patriots. That's my team. I want to see us do well and I want to do everything I can to help us do well, and that's where my focus is. Everybody else is on their own, just like we're on our own."

Belichick said he does cheer for some of his former assistants, such as Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, or Pat Hill at Fresno State.

``We're not in competition with them," Belichick said. ``In this league, it's not tough. I root for the Patriots every Sunday."

Mangini understands.

``The friendships that I have will always be the friendships," Mangini said via conference call. ``When it comes time to play you are going to do whatever you can to beat those friends, and when it comes time to be able to enjoy the friendship side of it, that's the way I view it as well."

On Deion

The six-year, $39 million contract Deion Branch signed with the Seahawks includes a $7 million signing bonus. Branch's base salary for 2006 is $2.1 million.

The deal also includes an option bonus of $6 million in 2007 and a roster bonus of $660,000 in 2008. The base salaries are $3.38 million in 2007, $3.5 million in 2008, $4.94 million in 2009, $5.47 million in 2010, and $5.95 million in 2011.

Due to the structure, the deal could be a one-year, $9.1 million package, although that's unlikely. Branch's salary cap number is $3.3 million this season and jumps to $6 million next season. Branch practiced yesterday but Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren has not decided if Branch will play Sunday vs. Arizona.

Linebacker Mike Vrabel was asked about the atmosphere in the locker room in the wake of the Branch trade and said, ``We've moved on past that."

Some players, though, were moving on faster than others, noting it was hard to accept Branch wasn't coming back.

``As a human being, you get personal ties with people, friendships. It's like you lose a family member," said cornerback Ellis Hobbs.

Added tight end Daniel Graham: ``We really don't have a choice, but it's what we have to do, move on. It's a business. I learned that at an early time in my career with Lawyer [ Milloy in 2003]."

Shadow company

Hobbs wasn't tipping his hand. After shadowing Bills receiver Lee Evans last Sunday and limiting him to two catches, Hobbs wouldn't reveal if the same plan was in the works against the Jets' Laveranues Coles, who had eight catches for 153 yards in the Jets' 23-16 season-opening win. But Hobbs did acknowledge he has been watching plenty of videotape of Coles. ``With his speed, he has a great burst down the field," Hobbs said. ``He can go the distance, has great hands, and great ability after the catch, too. He works hard all the time. His motor never stops." . . . Jets third-year linebacker Jonathan Vilma played in his first Pro Bowl last season, but he's not resting on his laurels. With the Jets switching to a 3-4 defense under Mangini, Vilma requested video of Bruschi to study in the offseason. ``You can tell he is a veteran of the game," Vilma said. ``He knows how to adjust to the things you can't coach."

On the fast track

Quarterback Tom Brady is seeking to tie the mark for fewest games started to reach 60 regular-season victories in the NFL's Super Bowl era (since 1966). Brady has 59 wins in 79 regular-season starts, and with a victory against the Jets will tie Ken Stabler and Roger Staubach for the record . . . Mangini on the tampering charge filed by the Patriots against the Jets: ``That issue is a league issue and that's where it will be addressed. At all times I expect every team to do what's in their best interests and give them the best chance to succeed. We're going to operate like that here and every team is going to do that around the league. It's just business." . . . Linebacker Rosevelt Colvin said the Jets' offense has an abundance of personnel groups and formations, so ``we have to make sure we're on our p's and q's as far as where we're lining up and what we're reading." . . . The Patriots re-signed receiver Bam Childress to their practice squad after he cleared waivers . . . Following two plays last Sunday in which quarterbacks were hit while sliding, the league sent a notice to all teams reiterating the importance of player safety and the rules to protect quarterbacks.

[Sperm Edwards]

[New York Times] - Patriots Disheartened by Branch’s Departure

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/14/sports/football/14patriots.html?ref=football

(I don't feel like registering. Someone else can post it if you want.)

[SouthernJet]

Belichick taught Mangini well

Thursday, September 14, 2006

By ADRIAN WOJNAROWSKI

RECORD COLUMNIST

If Eric Mangini's intention was to deepen the divide between Deion Branch's decaying relationship with the Patriots, nudging the holdout receiver and New England closer to critical mass, Bill Belichick shouldn't have been so much angry with his protege, as proud. Mangini learned his lessons well under his old boss, including the most important of all: Anything for an edge, anything to win.

"It's just business," Mangini said Wednesday.

That's all the events inspiring Belichick to file tampering charges against the Jets with the NFL is, the Jets' coach was saying. That's all that it ever comes down to in this cutthroat sport. Yes, Belichick taught Mangini and he taught him well.

Between Belichick throwing him out of his Foxboro office for considering the Jets' offer in January, and the arrival of Sunday's Patriots-Jets game at the Meadowlands, Mangini smartened up: If Mangini planned to continue honoring Belichick with his X's and O's and organizational stonewalling playbook, it's become clear Mangini isn't interested in kissing his mentor's behind to hold on to a relationship that is largely obsolete for them anyway.

If you're a Jets fan, you have to love that Mangini and general manager Mike Tannenbaum have been accused of leaking their trade offer to Branch to arm the Super Bowl MVP receiver with some leverage in his negotiations with the Patriots.

The Jets won't land on bowl and television probation for this suspected violation, but Mangini won respect inside and outside Weeb Ewbank Hall. He's shown that he hasn't come to the Jets to bow down to Belichick, but pull that sweat shirt hood over his head and beat him.

Mangini was talking far more pleasantly about Belichick on Wednesday, than Belichick did of him. Surprise, surprise. Belichick could barely bring himself to say a kind word about the kid who started as an errand boy for him in Cleveland and elevated to defensive coordinator in New England. When tossed an easy one to start his news conference in Foxboro on Wednesday, asked if he could see "Mangini's stamp" in the Jets' resourceful victory over Tennessee, Belichick sniffed, "I don't know. I'm sure there's a lot of people, a lot of forces, at work down there."

Someone else tried with Belichick, "When did you know Eric could be a head coach?"

"I don't know," he said. "That's not any kind of decision that I have to make."

Kind of sounds like New England hasn't had this kind of a teacher-student relationship since "Good Will Hunting.''

No matter, it sure seems this relationship ended months ago, when it's believed Belichick tried to talk Mangini out of taking the Jets' job.

And if you're Mangini, you had to wonder: Did Belichick want me to turn the job down because the then-GM, Terry Bradway, was overmatched, the franchise was reeling and the Jets could've been a career-killer? Most likely, Belichick's intentions were much more self-involved. Maybe he found it disloyal for his coordinator to leap to a division rival with baggage in Belichick's own past, maybe he thought this was too close of an opponent to bring the Belichick blueprint.

Nevertheless, Mangini was 35 years old and never daring to assume that there would be too many more of these offers in his life, that his father's early passing taught him that you don't pass up an opportunity today assuming that it will be there again tomorrow.

So, Mangini lives with the consequences, the appearance of a break with Belichick, the way Belichick broke with Bill Parcells. It's the nature of the cutthroat beast and there's no need for Mangini to sell everyone on something different. They haven't spoken in months. And probably won't speak at length again for the foreseeable future. If Belichick wouldn't think twice about eliminating Super Bowl heroes Branch and Adam Vinatieri out of his life, how much hesitation do you think there would be doing it with Mangini? There's a reason a coach wins three Super Bowls. He never lets his heart enter into any football matter.

Mangini did everything ever asked of him under Belichick, including turning down big raises to become defensive coordinator elsewhere to stay for less in New England. Nevertheless, Belichick couldn't even bring himself to leave a voice mail to congratulate Mangini on winning his NFL debut Sunday. Mangini kept trying to frame the relationship as something akin to hibernating now, but you get the idea this thing ceased to exist even before the Jets messed with Branch.

Just remember, these relationships are always on the mentor's terms. Always. Until, anyway, the pupil passes the mentor (See Coach K and Bob Knight).

"There were points my mom was mad at me because I had not returned a call,'' Mangini said. "I just think that sometimes that happens where you're extremely busy and you're trying to get the things done that you need to get done.

"I don't necessarily put any guidelines on friendships."

As it turns out, it looks like Belichick does.

In New England on Wednesday, they kept trying to get Belichick to show some kind of affection for Mangini.

He was asked, "Do you want to see Eric do well in his career?"

"Really, I don't sit around the league cheering for everybody else," Belichick said. "Everybody else is on their own, just like I'm sure we're on our own."

If nothing else, Belichick taught Mangini that the moment he barred him from the Patriots' offices in January. The only way that Belichick will ever let them get close again is if Mangini loses and keeps losing to him. With the way that Mangini gave Belichick a little shove last week over Branch, well, Mangini gives you the idea that he doesn't care if they ever speak again.

So Sunday, Eric Mangini can escalate everything.

He can beat Bill Belichick.

Belly seems to be slowly unraveling

[Sperm Edwards]

Jets notebook

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Not guilty

D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Vince Young weren't the only NFL novices in Nashville, Tenn., on Sunday. Fourth-year official Tony Steratore was an NFL referee for the first time -- and it showed.

Forget about the Titans' assistant coach mouthing the words "You stink!" after one of Steratore's debatable calls. He and his crew did a disservice to Jets right guard Brandon Moore, who was identified as the culprit on three penalties.

Moore was guilty of only one, a second-quarter false start when he barely beat the snap. The two others that "No. 65" was announced for in the fourth quarter -- a holding that was declined and another false start -- actually were committed by his next-door neighbor, tackle Anthony Clement. The zebras got the number wrong.

"Nobody likes to be known as somebody who's stalling the offense," said Moore, whose mom was in the LP Field stands. "But that's OK. I don't worry about it."

Especially if he can get a steak dinner out of it from Clement.

Chad honored

Sunday was like 2002 for Chad Pennington in more ways than one. Wednesday, the Jets quarterback was named the AFC's Offensive Player of the Week for his stellar performance at Tennessee. It was the fourth such award of his career but his first since winning it three times in '02.

"I think it shows the complete team effort we had," Pennington said. "Everybody came together to allow me to have a brilliant game."

He also joined Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb and Arizona's Kurt Warner as finalists for the FedEx Express NFL Player of the Week award. Fans can vote for one player on nfl.com through 6 o'clock tonight.

Briefs

C Trey Teague (ankle) is still not practicing with the Jets, but he's making progress if his "doubtful" status for Sunday's game is an indication. ... WR-KR Tim Dwight (thigh) is questionable for a second week and was limited in practice. ... G Pete Kendall (hamstring) and CB David Barrett (hip) are also questionable but practiced. ... Patriots LB Tedy Bruschi's broken wrist still has him listed as questionable and not yet doing team drills.

-- Randy Lange

[Sperm Edwards]

Jets' receivers catching on quickly

Thursday, September 14, 2006

By RANDY LANGE

STAFF WRITER

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Jerricho Cotchery doesn't know Deion Branch, and he said he "kind of" understands what New England's No. 1 wide receiver went through before getting his wish: Monday's trade to Seattle and a huge new contract.

"But I've never thought about how much money I can potentially have," the new No. 2 wideout said Wednesday in the days before the Jets' home opener against the now Deion-less Patriots. "I've just always wanted to be playing football. That's pretty much how I feel and how I approach everything. Playing football is what I love."

Cotchery is not Branch -- Laveranues Coles is still Gang Green's go-to guy, as he demonstrated Sunday at Tennessee -- and the Jets' wideout corps is not what the Patriots' group used to be. But those wouldn't be bad goals for both the individual and the unit.

"The group they had together seemed like a good group. I'm pretty sure they worked hard. And they made plays," Cotchery said. "That's what we're striving for, to become a group that's reliable, can make plays and has a presence in the running game."

This subject is relevant not only because the Pats are coming to town, but because the Jets' wideouts showed against the Titans that they may be better than the preseason perception, which is that they are a collection of good but not great possession receivers.

Coles collaborated twice downfield with Chad Pennington against the Titans' porous pass defense and added six shorter receptions for a total of 153 yards. Justin McCareins, his role redefined, added an excellent 27-yard catch-and-run.

And Cotchery, the third-year man finally making his first start in the base offense, had a career-high six catches for 66 yards. He had the Jets' second touchdown and almost their third with a great leap and fancy footwork in the end zone corner, only to have D'Brickashaw Ferguson's first pro holding penalty wipe it out.

Add rookie Brad Smith, whose role can only expand, and Tim Dwight, who missed the opener with a lingering thigh bruise, and maybe these Jets wideouts do damage. They all line up as split ends, flankers and slot men. They all go in motion. They all block.

"I think the success of your passing game is based on the versatility of your guys," Pennington said. "I've always believed in our guys. Each of them brings something special to the table."

Tell Tom Brady about it. Super Tom has watched his own band of average looking, tough, clutch pass-catchers drift away -- first David Patten to Washington last year, then David Givens to Tennessee this year.

And he said the recent Branch bitterness "wasted a lot of my time and a lot of my energy" and led to a rare off-day in the Patriots' 19-17 survival against visiting Buffalo on Sunday.

"You always like to keep the continuity," Brady said. "One thing I've realized is that when you win, people come in and take your coaches and your players. We're doing everything we can to combat this, which is to bring in high-caliber, high-character guys who enjoy playing football and want to fit into the scheme we have here."

Brady's new group of wide receivers features old reliable Troy Brown plus unknown quantities such as Reche Caldwell, Doug Gabriel and rookie Chad Jackson.

So it sounds as if the Jets may even be ahead of New England in rebuilding a Patriots-like receiving corps. They have their star in Coles and they think they have their up-and-comer in Cotchery.

"I sure hope so," Pennington said. "I sure hope we continue to take our chemistry to the next level."

That's what the Jets are hoping and planning. It will take a few years to see if they've succeeded -- and how much money it'll cost.

E-mail: lange@northjersey.com

[Sperm Edwards]

By Tom Rock

Eric Mangini said he is looking forward to the Jets’ first home game. He said having a stadium loaded with Jets fans will be beneficial. He said it quickly, however, and it almost sounded like he said “a stadium with loaded Jets fans.” He clarified his remarks with a chuckle and moved on. “Please make that distinction,” he said.

Mangini also backtracked on his stunning statement earlier this week that Wesleyan does not play good football. He apologized for the remarks and encouraged all students who are considering Williams or Tufts or Bowden to give deep thought to Wesleyan.

As you can tell from these hard-pressing issues, there’s a pretty light-hearted atmosphere here in Jets-land. A lot of smiles after the 1-0 start. Mangini does not want the team to get too full of themselves after just one game, so he had Public Enemy’s “Don’t Believe the Hype” played during stretching at today’s practice. Of course, it could have been directed toward the media, this medium included, which has grabbed onto the Mangini-Belichick storyline. But since he followed Chuck D and Flava Flav with Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down,” I suspect the tunes were pointed more toward the players.

Mangini said Mike Nugent responded well at practice on Wednesday, even though he did his best to rattle the young kicker with loud music and game-like conditions. He may have also tried to rattle Nugent by bringing in three veteran kickers for a look-see on Tuesday. Kickers more than any other football position survive on a what-have-you-done-lately precipice. If he kicks a few through against New England, he’ll kill this story … for now.