Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 RUNS IN THE FAMILY NY POST BROTHERS FACE OFF IN HOLIDAY BATTLE By MARK CANNIZZARO THOMAS JONES November 21, 2007 -- The Jets and the Cowboys will spend much of their Thanksgiving Day match-up at Texas Stadium trying to keep up with the Joneses. The Jets will be chasing Julius Jones, the Cowboys' running back whose speed and elusiveness have led to his 428 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The Cowboys will be chasing Julius' older brother, Thomas Jones, who leads the Jets and is sixth in the AFC with 723 rushing yards and is coming off perhaps his best performance as a Jet with 117 yards in Sunday's upset win over the Steelers. After spending time with their family and friends at Julius' Dallas home today, the Joneses will embark on a unique professional sports experience - two brothers, playing the same position on opposing teams playing on the national spotlight of Thanksgiving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Rookie cornerback Darrelle Revis has made some big plays for the Jets, but apparently he still has a ways to go in terms of name recognition. This was Cowboys star receiver Terrell Owens' response when asked for his impressions about the Jets' 2007 first-round pick yesterday on a conference call from Dallas: "Who? I don't know who that it is," Owens said. "Once I step on the field it doesn't matter who's out there. I don't pay attention to numbers or names. I go out there and I focus on what I'm supposed to do. That's not a slight on him, or whoever he is. I just go out there and play football." Revis, fellow corner Hank Poteat and the rest of the Jets' secondary certainly know plenty about Owens, who claimed to be playing "out of my mind" after torching Washington for four touchdown passes from Tony Romo last Sunday. Owens, who didn't bite on questions about his relationship with former Dallas coach Bill Parcells, is second to Randy Moss in the NFL in receiving yards (1,028) and touchdowns (12) this season. "He's playing great, they move him around a lot, the slot, outside, and they look for him to make plays," Revis said. "You never know with T.O. He can get loose in coverage and I think some teams lose track of where he's at. That's the one thing we need to focus on, where he's at, at all times." For the record, Dallas coach Wade Phillips praised Revis and said the Cowboys "really liked him" coming out of Pitt last spring. INJURY REPORT: WR Laveranues Coles (sprained ankle) dressed for practice but didn't do much and still appears no better than questionable for tomorrow. ... DL Dewayne Robertson (knee) and DB Eric Smith (concussion) also were limited in practice. IRVING, Texas - Cowboys receiver Patrick Crayton missed practice yesterday because of a sprained left ankle and may miss the Thanksgiving game against the Jets. Crayton was hurt in the first quarter on Sunday against Washington, but didn't miss much time, catching two passes and returning punts. His ankle was still sore Monday and bad enough yesterday that he didn't work out, even though coach Wade Phillips described the practice as being not very strenuous. "I'm worried that he may not be able to play," Phillips said. "With the game coming this quickly, it could be a problem. I think if this was a normal week, he probably would be fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 For Thomas Jones and Julius Jones, Thanksgiving provides food for thought BY PETER BOTTE DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Wednesday, November 21st 2007, 4:00 AM Antonelli/News Thomas Jones Weissman For News Julius Jones Thanksgiving Day in tiny Big Stone Gap, Va., usually followed the same formula for brothers Thomas and Julius Jones. Check out some football, then head to the backyard to emulate the running backs they'd been watching intently all afternoon. Once again, tomorrow will be a day for family and football across America, and it will provide an interesting backdrop for those looking to keep up with the Joneses. For the second time in their NFL careers, the two brothers - Jets running back Thomas and Cowboys rusher Julius - will be on opposite sides of the field instead of across from each other at the Thanksgiving table. "It's just a special time and a special occasion. My family is really excited," Thomas Jones said. "It's special to be able to play against your brother on Thanksgiving. It is something that rarely happens, especially with both of us playing the same position. "More than anything, it's another opportunity for us to go out and play well against a good team and try to showcase our talents and abilities in front of the country." Thomas Jones, an eight-year veteran out of Virginia, has been running the ball in the NFL four years longer than Julius, in his fourth season out of Notre Dame. But it was Julius who had a national coming-out-party the previous time their teams clashed on Turkey Day, running for 150yards in a 21-7 Dallas win over Chicago on Nov. 25, 2004. "He got the best of me that day," said Thomas, who rushed for 46 yards on 14 carries for the Bears. "I didn't sit down the whole game because I was watching him. I still kind of get butterflies and nervous watching him because I want him to do well, so badly. "It's a weird feeling, but it's fun. ... And to have my family involved is something I will always remember." Thomas Jones claims he inherited his strong work ethic from his parents, Betty and Thomas, but especially his mother, who worked the midnight-to-8 shift in Virginia coal mines for 19 years before retiring in 1999 with a back injury. Some of Thomas' friends lost parents in the mines, where his grandfathers also toiled for more than 40 years. The Jones parents, who will join both sons and five daughters at Julius' Dallas home tonight for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner, will wear specially designed jerseys tomorrow depicting each of their son's names, numbers and team colors on either side. "We realize this might not happen again... so we'll make the best of it," Julius said. Thomas Jones, who sports a tattoo that reads Coal Miner's Son, appears on target for his third straight 1,000-yard season, ranking 10th in the NFL with 723 yards through 10 games. Julius Jones, whom the Jets nearly acquired in a trade in April of 2006, has 428 yards on 111 carries while sharing time with bulldog Marion Barber, barely exceeding his brother's 3.8-yard average (3.9). Thomas rushed for 117 yards on a season-high 30 carries in the Jets' OT win Sunday over Pittsburgh, something Julius referred to as the Jets "finally giving him an opportunity to do what they paid him to do." "But I don't know if he can get 100 (yards) on our defense," Julius said. Dallas receiver Terrell Owens told New York reporters yesterday that Julius has been "hollering at the defense all week, "Y'all better wrap Thomas up.'" The same goes for the Jets' defense against his brother. "When we were in Chicago, a lot of guys were saying, 'We're going to beat your brother up this week,'" Thomas Jones said. "I was like 'okay.' The next thing I know, he had 150 yards and two touchdowns and was player of the game. "The guys (on the Jets) haven't really said much like that around here, which is pretty good because you don't want to bring that kind of karma on you." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Jets sack creeps at Gate D BY LEO STANDORA DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Wednesday, November 21st 2007, 4:00 AM The Jets blasted the dimwits of Gate D Tuesday and vowed to end their notorious halftime custom of peppering women with obscene suggestions and insults. "This type of conduct on one of the stadium spirals is outrageous and unacceptable," the Jets brass declared. The club said it had demanded the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which operates and provides security at the facility, "take steps immediately to ensure that it does not happen again." The unsavory activity turned truly ugly at Sunday's Jets-Steelers game when one woman appeared ready to oblige the hooligans' lewd requests to bare her breasts, but then changed her mind. As she walked away, the denizens of Gate D pelted her with plastic beer bottles and spit at her. Meadowlands Sports Complex authorities said offenders could be booted from the stadium or, if necessary, arrested by New Jersey state police. lstandora@nydailynews.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Rowdy Jets fans may lose tickets Wednesday, November 21, 2007 By WILLIAM LAMB STAFF WRITER Fans who are caught participating in a lewd halftime ritual on the pedestrian ramps at Giants Stadium could pay for their bad behavior with their season tickets, the president of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority said Tuesday. George Zoffinger, the authority's president, was responding to news reports that some fans at the Jets' Sunday home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers spent halftime chanting at women from the Gate D pedestrian ramp to get them to expose their breasts. Zoffinger, who is stepping down at the end of the month, said the behavior was "boorish" and "totally unacceptable." "What we're doing is going to these groups of people and requesting that they stop," he said. "And if they don't stop, we're going to find out where they're sitting and get the teams to work on their season tickets -- to take them away from them." So far this season, Zoffinger said, 148 Jets fans have been ejected from the stadium and an additional 35 have been arrested. Among Giants fans, 174 have been ejected and 44 arrested, Zoffinger said. Those figures include eight women ejected from Jets games for indecent exposure and one woman ejected for flashing fans during a Giants game. "We don't tolerate it," he said. "Where we can identify [offenders], we certainly eject them or arrest them, depending on the flagrancy of the activity. ... People should act more respectful, you know? It's just got to the point where people think they can do whatever they want at these games, and they can't." Matt Higgins, the Jets' senior vice president for business operations, called the behavior "outrageous and unacceptable." "We have spoken with NJSEA officials and demanded that they take steps immediately to ensure that it does not happen again," Higgins said. On game days, 280 unarmed security guards and 90 New Jersey State Police troopers patrol Giants Stadium, Zoffinger said. "They have indicated to me today that they will help out in terms of making people aware that this is not going to be tolerated," Zoffinger said. "And believe it that after the next game you'll find that it's going to go away." E-mail: lamb@northjersey.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 NFL chooses to see no evil Wallace Matthews November 21, 2007 'We are committed to providing an enjoyable game-day environment for all of our fans," said the statement out of Jets headquarters, which was obviously written by someone who never has seen the team play. It only got worse from there. To read the official positions cranked out by the Jets and the NFL yesterday, you would be led to believe that the team found out only yesterday, and from the New York Times, of all places, that one of their exit spirals was being turned into a strip club runway at halftime by Scores fans, I mean, scores of drunken fans. And that the league, which polices everything down to the length of a player's socks, considers matters such as fan behavior outside its realm of control. Wallace Matthews E-mail | Recent columns Actually, the only ones who have a legitimate excuse not to have known about Ramp-gate are the writers and broadcasters who cover the team, because none of us would consider leaving the sanctity of the press box at halftime. That's when they bring out the free hot dogs. Everyone else, it seems, knew - or damned well should have known - that the ritual taunting of women on the exit ramps at Giants Stadium had been going on for years. Lately, it has gotten so bad that a couple of fans I spoke to said they no longer will bring wives, girlfriends, or especially, daughters to a Jets game. As one fan told me: "There's no control in the stands. The language, especially toward opposing players, is just unbelievable. Security does nothing about it and you just know that if you complain [to an offensive fan], your day is going to end badly, not his." "It was a lot more fun in the old days," one fan, who identified himself only as Scott, told me. "We used to do the same thing at Giants games, only with some class. We'd all smoke pot, then we'd throw some coins and maybe a couple of dollars down on the floor. When the kids would run out, pick 'em up, we'd throw pretzels or a hot dog or maybe half a beer on 'em. Nothing that could hurt anyone." Then came the Jets fans and there went the neighborhood. One day, a smart kid ran out carrying an umbrella for protection and a Jets fan, thinking quickly, dropped a bottle of Jack Daniels on him. "That was the end of that," Scott said ruefully. Going from dousing a kid with half a beer to braining him with a whiskey bottle is evidence of the de-evolution of our society. So, too, is the coarsening of our dialogue with the opposite sex, which has degenerated from playful, if crude, flirtation to demands for public nudity. It is an overall breakdown in manners and civility that the NFL has done nothing to impede. After all, the league has recast Football Sunday into a day of nationwide hedonism, when all of us have a free pass to return to adolescence in the name of cheering on our favorite team. That shield promotes an atmosphere of machismo - beer, pickup trucks, girls in bikinis, men in war paint - that would be considered anachronistic, and even campy, anywhere else but at a pro football game. One day a week, we are all exhorted to come out to the stadium, get loaded, dress up, fall down. We are encouraged in this endeavor by the NFL's greatest enablers, the networks. It's never the quiet, bespectacled, Burberry types who get singled out by the cameras during NFL telecasts. It's the boozed-up, stripped-down loonies who paint their bodies in the team colors that get all the face time. Now the league is shocked, shocked to learn that some of its fans don't know where to draw the line between common stupidity and criminal misconduct. Worse than that, what it said yesterday is, "It ain't our problem." Of course not. After all, the league has some real issues to deal with today, namely the shocking news that some teams might actually be rewarding its players for stopping their opponents. That would be a violation of the league's "bounty rule," which purports to limit the on-field mayhem to only that which is absolutely necessary. Meanwhile, fans in the league's largest media market and the site of the league's headquarters have for years been indulging in behavior that would get them thrown out of any strip club in town and nobody seems to know what to do about it. Yesterday, I asked a league spokesman if he still considered NFL football to be family-friendly entertainment. "Oh, yeah," he said. "What happened the other day is very unusual." Only if you've been lounging in the warmth of the press box eating the free hot dogs. To everyone else, it's a jungle out there, and the animals are winning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Bad reputation can be a bad rap Tom Rock | tom.rock@newsday.com November 21, 2007 Terrell Owens has been a model citizen this season, and it's no coincidence his stats have inflated while his ego seems to have deflated. He'll have another chance to show his skills to a national audience against the Jets tomorrow. One question floating around the Jets' facility yesterday was how they planned to slow down the man with 1,028 receiving yards and 12 touchdown catches (including four against the Redskins on Sunday). But another question crept in. Would the Jets, with their emphasis on character, ever consider bringing in a player with the extra baggage T.O. carries? "The important thing is to get to the truth," Eric Mangini said of the extensive research the franchise does before committing to a player through the draft or free agency. "I think anybody has the ability to change. You always want to make sure that you're going through the process and really understanding where they are and who they are." Owens' incidents are well documented, from his fallout with Eagles teammates to clashes with Bill Parcells in Dallas. But players understand those things can be blown out of proportion in the media, and public perceptions are often different from locker room realities. Former Cowboy and current Jet Kenyon Coleman said Owens was a "great teammate" and said: "When you get to know that guy, he's just a good guy, a good team player." Cowboys coach Wade Phillips echoed those thoughts yesterday. "I don't know if anyone knew it, I don't know if I knew it before I came here, he's a great worker," Phillips said. "He's the kind of player that you like to be around." Still, teams tend to shy away from troublemakers, perceived or otherwise. Thirty teams probably could have traded a fourth-rounder to Oakland for Randy Moss. Only the Patriots took that chance. How's that working out for them? The Jets under Mangini and general manager Mike Tannenbaum have a brief but convincing history of avoiding rabble-rousers. One of their first moves was to rid themselves of outspoken Kevin Mawae, and they weren't crying when they parted with Pete Kendall. Laveranues Coles was a bit of a wavemaker, but instead of getting rid of him - he's too good a player for that - they made him captain (he was elected by teammates despite running a "Don't vote for me" campaign). The added responsibility has forced Coles to stay more in step with team philosophy with his public comments. The front office may be interested in character, but for the players, it's all about helping you win. "They evaluate everything, but the most important thing needs to be, 'Are you a productive player?'" Chris Baker said. "I'm not sure how that would work out [with Owens and the Jets], but that's a guy I wouldn't mind having on my team." Matt Chatham said he tries not to look at the reputation of a teammate before getting to know him. "Really, unless a guy's killed someone, which hasn't happened in this league, I think you come with an open mind," Chatham said. "It's rare when you find a guy who is a bad teammate. I personally haven't been around any." Jerricho Cotchery said he wasn't sure if the Jets would ever consider a player such as Owens or Moss or Chad Johnson, even though Cotchery said he's gotten to know Johnson and that he's "a real good dude." Cotchery also said he has never had someone he would consider to be a bad or selfish teammate. "I'm lucky," he said. "And I know as long as I'm a part of this organization, I won't have to worry about anything like that." Storylines A quick look at the top stories this week Coles unlikely Laveranues Coles, who suffered a sprained left ankle Sunday, dressed for practice yesterday but hardly participated during the 30 minutes the media is allowed to observe. Officially, the Jets listed his participation as "limited" on their practice report, but it seems likely that after playing in 107 straight games, Coles will miss his second game in the last three. On Sunday, with Coles sidelined for most of the game, Jerricho Cotchery had only one catch, ending his streak of 15 games with at least four receptions. Cowboys do some talkin' At 9-1, it's certainly the Cowboys' prerogative to throw some verbal jabs at the 2-8 Jets before their meeting tomorrow. In a conference call with the New York media yesterday, Terrell Owens was asked about Jets rookie CB Darrelle Revis. "I don't know who that is," he said, admitting he doesn't pay attention to who covers him. "That's not a slight on him or whoever he is." Dallas RB Julius Jones, younger brother of Jets RB Thomas Jones, was asked if it would be ideal for Thomas to run for 100 yards but have the Cowboys still win. "Yeah," he said, "but I don't know if that's going to happen because I don't know if he can get 100 yards on our defense." Ricky back to work David Bowens, who played for the Dolphins, said he was happy to see former teammate Ricky Williams back in the NFL. "It's good for him," Bowens said. "He's a great running back and I'd like for him to play. You don't like to see wasted talent." Williams is expected to begin practicing with the Dolphins today. Although he will be eligible to play Monday night against the Steelers, that seems unlikely. A more plausible debut would likely be Dec. 2 when the Jets head to Miami. Statlines The franchise has a 3-2 record on Thanksgiving, and the wins came in the first three years, when the team was known as the Titans. A look at the Jets' history on Turkey Day: Date Result Nov. 28, 1985 Lions 31, Jets 20 Nov. 23, 1972 Lions 37, Jets 20 Nov. 22, 1962 Titans 46, Broncos 45 Nov. 23, 1961 Titans 21, Bills 14 Nov. 24, 1960 Titans 41, Texans 35 Tomorrow Jets at Dallas 4:15 p.m. TV: Ch. 2 Radio: WEPN (1050), WABC (770), WRCN (103.9) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Report: Women ritually harassed during Jets halftime THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 8:43 AM EST, November 20, 2007 Some Jets fans don't head to the food concessions or bathrooms during halftime at Giants Stadium. The New York Times reports they gather on a pedestrian ramp at Gate D and engage in an obscenity-laced chant for women to expose their breasts. What should the Jets do about rowdy fans? What should the Jets do about rowdy fans who congregate to harass women during halftime of home games? Anyone who harasses a woman should be immediately arrested and barred from the stadium The Jets should issue a warning, and fans should be arrested if they don't comply Season-ticket priveleges should be revoked, but no one should be arrested Kicking unruly fans out of games is enough punishment The Jets should forbid tailgaiting and stop alcohol sales as punishment Nothing. It's a harmless ritual that is being blown out of proportion View current results At Sunday's Pittsburgh game, the gathering lasted about 20 minutes. The newspaper says there was a roar when at least one woman complied. The Times said that one woman who did not comply had plastic beer bottles and spit hurled at her from above. One clip posted on YouTube shows a woman being groped by a man. The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority says it's aware of the behavior. But security vice president Patrick Aramini was unsure how he could discourage the behavior. "The problem is, you got to watch four or five hundred people sometimes in the one particular spiral," Aramini said. "What do we do, arrest everybody that starts chanting?" The newspaper says a reporter who tried to interview two security guards was detained, threatened with arrest and asked to hand over his tape recorder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 N.J. senate president wants crackdown on unruly Jets fans THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 3:29 PM EST, November 20, 2007 New Jersey Senate President Dick Codey wants a crackdown on the rowdy behavior of Jets fans at Giants Stadium. The New York Times reported Tuesday that some fans gather on a pedestrian ramp at Gate D at halftime and engage in obscenity-laced chants for women to expose their breasts. When a woman obliges -- as one did on Sunday during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers -- the crowd roars in approval. Codey says Gate D apparently stands for "drunk and disgusting." Related links Report: Women ritually harassed during Jets halftime What should the Jets do about rowdy fans? What should the Jets do about rowdy fans who congregate to harass women during halftime of home games? Anyone who harasses a woman should be immediately arrested and barred from the stadium (1744 responses) 39.9% The Jets should issue a warning, and fans should be arrested if they don't comply (1048 responses) 23.9% Season-ticket priveleges should be revoked, but no one should be arrested (301 responses) 6.9% Kicking unruly fans out of games is enough punishment (477 responses) 10.9% The Jets should forbid tailgaiting and stop alcohol sales as punishment (87 responses) 2.0% Nothing. It's a harmless ritual that is being blown out of proportion (719 responses) 16.4% 4376 total responses (Results not scientific) It's also a designated smoking area, which draws fans seeking a halftime cigarette. Codey wants the heads of the state police and state Sports and Exposition Authority to investigate the reports and end the gatherings. State police Sgt. Stephen Jones said troopers and security guards are already doing their jobs. "Where people have been caught exposing themselves, they have been evicted from the stadium and often arrested. Where other fans exhibit dangerous or illegal behaviors including harassment, they have been dealt with in similar fashion," said Jones. During Sunday's halftime, about 10 security guards in yellow jackets stood at the bottom of the circular, multilevel ramp, but did not move to stop the crowd of fans, the newspaper reported. The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which provides security during professional football games at Giants Stadium, knows about the raunchy halftime show, the newspaper said. Patrick C. Aramini, the authority's vice president, said anyone could be expelled and even turned over to the New Jersey State Police to be arrested for their participation. "The problem is, you got to watch four or five hundred people sometimes in the one particular spiral," Aramini said. "What do we do, arrest everybody that starts chanting?" Codey said there's no place at sporting events for fear, intimidation and obscenities. The Senate president said violators should have their tickets taken away and be removed from the stadium. Video clips of rowdy moments at the stadium can be found online. "This IS the game," said Patrick Scofield, 20, from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., in Tuesday editions of The New York Times. The state police staffs all home games. Jones said the state police's emphasis is "certainly not general security." "Something like you're describing, the stairwell behavior, is a matter that the security would handle," he said. "Now if they come up with something where somebody needs to be arrested, the troops will go out there and affect the arrest." Jets officials declined comment about the bawdy halftime tradition. "We expect our fans to comply with all rules at the stadium, and the vast majority do," the team said in a statement. It said it expected NJSEA security "to take appropriate action" when necessary. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello deferred comment to the stadium authority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 No more unhappy returns for Dallas Cowboys? Cowboys seek better coverage play, but face stiff test against Jets 03:17 AM CST on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 By ALBERT BREER / The Dallas Morning News abreer@dallasnews.com IRVING Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Clemens, Jets will have their hands full with Cowboys By DENNIS WASZAK JR. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Original publication: November 21, 2007) HEMPSTEAD - Kellen Clemens can't seem to catch a break. The Jets' quarterback is making his fourth NFL start tomorrow at Dallas, and each has come against defenses ranked in the top half of the league. "It's been a great challenge for us each week, especially offensively," Clemens said yesterday. "There are a lot of good defenses that we have on the schedule. We always embrace that challenge." Clemens' first start came in Week 2, when he replaced the injured Chad Pennington against the always tough Baltimore Ravens. Since being given the starting job three weeks ago, Clemens has faced Washington, top-ranked Pittsburgh and now Dallas. "They have a lot of talented people on their defense," Clemens said. That's putting it lightly. The Cowboys are ranked ninth overall and fourth against the run. They like to go after the quarterback, too. DeMarcus Ware is tied for third in the league with nine sacks, while Greg Ellis has 6 1/2 . Dallas is also tied for second in the NFL with 15 interceptions, including five by Anthony Henry. "Defensively, they're able to generate a lot of turnovers," coach Eric Mangini said. "They're very opportunistic back there. They generate a lot of pass rush with their outside linebackers and stop the run. Those things combined always make it challenging." The Jets fared well against Pittsburgh's stout defense Sunday, using Thomas Jones and the running game to stun the Steelers 19-16 in overtime. It might be a bit much to ask the offense to do it again four days later. And the Jets might have to do it without wide receiver Laveranues Coles, who was limited in practice yesterday with an ankle injury after he was injured early in the game against the Steelers. Clemens could use Coles. The quarterback's numbers aren't eye-popping - 50.2 rating, 50 percent completion rate, three touchdowns and five interceptions - but he's been able to give the Jets a chance late in each game he's started. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Zoffinger vows crackdown on rowdy Jets fans By ANGELA DELLI SANTI THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Original publication: November 21, 2007) EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Giants Stadium will bolster security in an effort to crack down on rowdy Jets fans who chant obscenely at women during halftime. George Zoffinger, president of the agency that runs the stadium, said yesterday he would increase the 370-member stadium security force for all remaining Jets and Giants home games. "This boorish behavior should not be tolerated," Zoffinger told The Associated Press last night. Earlier, a top New Jersey lawmaker demanded a crackdown after The New York Times reported that Jets fans gather on a pedestrian ramp at halftime urging women to expose their breasts. When a woman obliges - as one did at Gate D on Sunday during the game against Pittsburgh - the crowd roars in approval. New Jersey Senate President Dick Codey called for an investigation by the heads of the state police and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. Codey said in a statement that Gate D apparently stands for "drunk and disgusting." He added that intimidation and obscenities have no place at sports events, and violators should have their tickets taken away and be removed from the stadium. Codey was at Sunday's game, Zoffinger said, but didn't complain about the bad behavior before issuing his statement. The Jets termed the behavior by the fans as "outrageous" and demanded the authority take steps to make sure it doesn't happen again. The authority "has assured us that they will address this conduct at all Meadowlands events," Matt Higgins, the Jets' senior vice president-business operations, said in a statement. "We will not allow a small minority of people to ruin the experience for our fans and will be monitoring the situation." NFL spokesman Greg Aiello called the conduct by the fans "unacceptable" and said the league was confident the authority will take "aggressive and appropriate" measures. Zoffinger noted that bad behavior at sports events is nothing new, and state troopers and security guards at Giants Stadium deal with rowdy fans every week. During Sunday's halftime, about 10 security guards in yellow jackets stood at the bottom of the circular, multilevel ramp, but did not move to stop the crowd of fans, the Times reported. State police Sgt. Stephen Jones said troopers and security guards already are doing their jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Owens is having a ball Wednesday, November 21, 2007 BY JENNY VRENTAS Star-Ledger Staff With Terrell Owens, very little is ever blas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Short week becomes a challenge Wednesday, November 21, 2007 BY DAVE HUTCHINSON Star-Ledger Staff HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- This week, the Jets can't get enough of the hot tub, the cold tub, the whirlpool and massages as they desperately try to rejuvenate their bodies following a physical game against the Steelers and a short turnaround for tomorrow's Thanksgiving Day clash with the Cowboys in Dallas. "I've just been watching the veteran guys," said second-year WR Brad Smith. "It's a lot of tubs and a lot of massages and stuff going on." Ironically, however, several veterans who have played in the Thanksgiving Day game insist the mental preparation involved in a short work week is more strenuous than the physical preparation. Some said the bumps and bruises go away as kickoff nears and you're on the big stage playing before your peers. The Jets were given their new game plan on Monday and had a brief walk-through practice the same day. Yesterday, they practiced in helmets, shells and shorts, trying to compact two days of rigorous practices into one non-contact workout. They travel to Dallas today and there are no plans for a workout. "This week is much more mental than physical," said LB Matt Chatham, who has played in two Thanksgiving Day games. "You have to do your homework in a short amount of time." LB/DE David Bowens, who has played in three Thanksgiving Day games, agreed. "That's going to be the challenge for both teams -- which team can make the adjustments going into the week and then be able to apply it during the game," he said. "We're doing a lot of cramming. It's kind of like studying for your finals (in college)." The Jets catch a break in that they play the 4 p.m. game and not the 12:30 p.m. contest. Those extra four hours are huge, said Chatham. And so is the excitement surrounding the game, he added. "The one thing that helps the process is that there's a buzz around the game," said Chatham. "It's as close as you get to a playoff game during the regular season. With all the hype around the game, you could really care less what the calendar says." WR Laveranues Coles (high left ankle sprain) did virtually nothing during the 30 minutes the media was allowed to watch practice yesterday and won't play against the Cowboys. The Jets continue to employ gamesmanship and not make an announcement on Coles' status. He may not even travel with the team. During the light workout, Coles, who dressed for practice, didn't participate in any light drills and moved gingerly on his ankle, which was wrapped in what appeared to be a soft cast. Before practice, he refused to comment, saying only, "We'll see how it goes." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 Senator Decries Behavior at Jets Games By DAVID PICKER Published: November 21, 2007 Richard J. Codey, the president of the New Jersey Senate, did not witness fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kentucky Jet Posted November 21, 2007 Author Share Posted November 21, 2007 The Jets finally tasted victory Sunday, for the first time since they beat Miami on Sept. 23. Too bad they have so little time to savor it. The Jets (2-8) were back on the practice field Monday. Not for a full workout, but a walkthrough as they get ready to face Dallas (9-1) on Thursday at 4:15 p.m. in the Cowboys' traditional Thanksgiving Day game. Coach Eric Mangini said the Jets would "compact a couple days together," adding that "we did some work (on Dallas) during the bye (and) did some work late last week, so that helps. I've been involved with two of these games in the past and have a little feel for that." When Mangini was an assistant with New England, the Patriots twice visited Detroit on Turkey Day. The Lions won, 34-9, in 2000, but New England beat Detroit, 20-12, two years later. Mangini also noted that Jets secondary coach Mike MacIntyre was an assistant with the Cowboys from 2003-06. Defensive end Kenyon Coleman, an offseason free-agent signee of the Jets, was with Dallas during that same span, in which the Cowboys went 2-2 on Thanksgiving. Dallas has won three of its last five Thanksgiving games, but has lost six of its last 10. Still, the Cowboys should have more than the usual home-field advantage in this case. "Because they do it every year," Coleman said, "they know how to prepare, so they have that kind of edge." But he added, "We've got a lot of veterans on this team. We've got guys who have played on Thursday and on Thanksgiving. I think guys know what it's going to take and they're going to make the most of the short week that we have." "They're going through the same thing too," defensive end Shaun Ellis said, "so it will be who prepares the best on short notice. ... You have to cram everything in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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