Pretty cool article from the Asbury PP on Barnes

[SoFlaJets]

NEW GOALS: Toms River native hopes to prove his true fullback capability

Barnes aspires for more with Jets

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 03/11/07

He's already surpassed the average career expectancy of an NFL player. There's a Super Bowl ring in his jewelry box, a legacy as a ferocious lead blocker and a vesting in the league's pension plan thanks to five years of service, while he and his wife, Becky, have a financial nest egg for the future.

But Darian Barnes wants more. So much more.

He craves the stability of a multi-year contract and an opportunity to shake his journeyman image, and the Toms River native would like nothing more than to do it close to home.

Most of all, however, he wants the damn football.

When he sat down with Jets coach Eric Mangini on Wednesday before signing a one-year free agent contract, he was offered an opportunity to reinvent himself. To possibly cast off the shackles his ability to obliterate middle linebackers has placed on him.

"If they do what they say they are, this guy will be a Jerome Bettis. Teams will have to get an elephant gun to stop him," said Monmouth Beach's Jim Garrett, the longtime NFL coach and scout who has been close with the Barnes family since coaching Donald, Darian's father, in New Orleans.

The reason Barnes has been typecast is that he's so good at what he does

[VilmaForPrez]

great read....i hope he really thrives in new york, and gets a chance to absolutely batter the dolphins and zach thomas when we play them ha

[Jet Moses]

Great article. Darian Barnes sounds like a good guy, and he's a bruiser- a much needed addition to the Jets backfield.

[mangenious420]

Great article. Darian Barnes sounds like a good guy, and he's a bruiser- a much needed addition to the Jets backfield.

Exactly.