Laveranues Coles in best shape of his career

[nj meadowlands]

Coles heats up his workouts

BY RICH CIMINI

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Monday, July 30th 2007, 4:00 AM

The day after the Jets' playoff loss in New England, Laveranues Coles, his body battered from a grueling season, created headlines by claiming he was "getting pretty close to the end" of his career. It wasn't the kind of comment you'd expect from a 29-year-old wide receiver, coming off one of his best seasons.

Was Coles going to pull a Tiki Barber?

Upon reporting to training camp, Coles admitted he contemplated his football mortality, but those thoughts were long gone by the time he began his unusual, off-road training regimen last month near his palatial home in the rural outskirts of Jacksonville. Instead of working out at a posh gym with highly paid instructors, he ran alone through swampy, wooded areas, battling suffocating heat, mud and angry insects.

Result: Coles, who finished third in the AFC last season with 91 receptions, believes he's in the best shape of his career.

"All I do is put on my shoes and run," he said during a break at Hofstra yesterday, explaining his Spartan method. "I don't run on the street. I go in the ditches and run until my legs say I can't run anymore. Then I turn around and try to run back home, as far as I can.

"I don't bring a cell phone, so I can't cheat and call a cab," Coles continued. "I leave everything at home and just run. That's helped me: I think it builds the muscles in my legs. It's so hot, you've got insects flying and you're in the mud. You never know what's out there."

Coles has encountered snakes, aggressive raccoons, even an armadillo. He's willing to deal with nature's elements because, "The older you get, you have to come back in a little better shape each year. You need that edge."

The irony, of course, is that no one complains during camp more than Coles, no fan of Eric Mangini's relentless style. But Mangini always lauds Coles as one of the hardest workers and toughest players on the team, so go figure. A year ago, Coles suffered a variety of ailments, including a concussion-like injury, but he didn't miss a game. In fact, he's the only receiver in the NFL that started every game from 2001 to 2006.

"He's pretty impressive," quarterback Chad Pennington said.

But how much punishment can one body take?

"You can ask the guys that have more years under their belt than me: After going through last year, and coming back this year, you truly ask yourself, 'Is this something I can do again?'" Coles said. "Being in a tough system like this, it definitely comes across your mind."

Coles was knocked cold during a game last Christmas in Miami and, although the club refused to call it a concussion, he was woozy for two weeks. But he played on, teaming with Jerricho Cotchery to form the most prolific wide-receiver tandem in Jets history. Concussions are a hot-button issue in the NFL, but Coles said he's not worried about possible long-term effects.

"If my family is able to have a better life, and my kids, so be it," he said. "Whatever happens, I won't have any regrets about it. It's part of the game."

When he wasn't running in ditches, Coles was trying to clean up one aspect of his game: Route running. He knows he's not getting any faster, so it's imperative that he not waste any steps.

"He's really embraced that," Mangini said. "He's a good route runner as it is, but now he's working at those things and it was really effective in the spring."

Coles apparently wasn't spinning his wheels in the mud.

BACK IN CAMP: RB Leon Washington returned after missing a day for personal reasons.

[ECURB]

Now if he would stop dropping the deep passes from Chad... lol

[nj meadowlands]

I love this guy. Total player. I just hope he doesn't get eaten by an alligator on one of his jogs!

[SoFlaJets]

LC is right up there with my favorite Jets players-I was very disappointed when he left and rejoiced on his return

[RSJ]

Nice article. Coles is a great player.

[Smizzy]

In fact, he's the only receiver in the NFL that started every game from 2001 to 2006.

[joewilly]

we seem to have a teamfull of warriors in camp in tip top shape. with this cerebral coaching staff & fit players , i'm looking for good results this year