Article from today's NY POST about Miller, Kendall

[jetfuel]

TWO PLAYERS CONCERN JETS

MILLER, KENDALL HAVE ISSUES

By MARK CANNIZZARO

June 1, 2007 -- As Eric Mangini's Jets took part in a 90-minute organized team activity (OTA) practice yesterday at Weeb Ewbank Hall, it looked like a lot of fun in the sun.

Quietly and behind the scenes, however, Mangini and the Jets are dealing with a couple of unsettling issues that don't seem to have any resolution in sight.

One involves cornerback Justin Miller, who practiced despite recent off-the-field legal problems stemming from an alleged late-night altercation two weeks ago.

The other involves a player who's not at these offseason workouts, starting left guard Pete Kendall, who's staying away as a protest over a contract he believes isn't fair.

Kendall, who's due to make about $2 million this season, feels he's underpaid and his absence is a statement to express his disdain.

"He's extremely frustrated and disappointed and unhappy over the economic status of his contract," Kendall's agent, Neil Schwartz, told The Post yesterday.

Schwartz said he believes the Jets should "make it right" with Kendall, who's been a good soldier as a Jet, changing positions in 2005 when center Kevin Mawae was injured and helping to tutor D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold.

"It's easy," Schwartz said. "What we're asking for is extremely fair. It's not like we're asking for something that's unconscionable."

Mangini did his best to downplay the situation yesterday, saying, "All these camps are voluntary."

The coach was quick to add, "To me, the offseason program is extremely important. These OTA days [practices] are extremely important. They give us a chance to get a lot of work done to really set the groundwork leading to training camp.

"But these are voluntary days. The players do have the right to choose whether or not to be here."

Truth is, in this NFL, particularly under the leadership of a disciplinarian head coach, these offseason camps are voluntary in semantics only. The reality is, they're as voluntary as paying taxes by April 15 every year. Every Jets player except Kendall and RB Curtis Martin, who's retired but simply hasn't announced it yet, is participating.

Miller, arrested May 21 for allegedly taking a punch at a woman outside a West Side nightclub before fleeing from cops, practices but knows some form of disciplinary action, whether by the team, NFL or judicial system, is coming.

Miller, a dangerous kickoff returner who was the only Jet voted into the Pro Bowl, sounded contrite yesterday.

"It's an unfortunate situation," Miller said. "Right now, it's a legal matter and I can't discuss it. I'd just like to reiterate my apology to my team, the organization and my fans."

Miller said he's "talked to the league," but was intentionally vague about whether he spoke to commissioner Roger Goodell, who has forged a reputation for having zero tolerance for off-field transgressions.

"Character is extremely important to us, and personal conduct is extremely important to us," Mangini said. "Justin, Mike [Tannenbaum, the GM] and I met and discussed that with him. He understands exactly how we feel. We've had very clear discussions.

"There is a process here, a legal process that's in place. We'll let that process go through the full course."

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The Jets will hold their 2008 training camp at Hofstra University, not at the team's future headquarters in Florham Park, N.J., a source told the Associated Press. It was widely believed this summer would be the Jets' final camp at Hofstra. mark.cannizzaro@nypost.com