Jetsfan80 Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 http://www.metro.us/newyork/sports/article/936261--analysis-jets-wrong-to-let-cotchery-go Analysis: Jets wrong to let Cotchery go KRISTIAN DYER NEW YORK Published: August 06, 2011 9:32 a.m. Last modified: August 06, 2011 9:45 a.m. With the news on Thursday that the Jets were parting ways with wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, a team labeled as an “asylum” and “Animal House” by the media has lost one of the quiet leaders of the locker room. Quiet is something that sticks out in the boisterous Jets locker room, but Cotchery’s impact with the team was nevertheless quite loud. There was no one as widely respected in the Jets locker room as Cotchery. Quiet and unassuming, he came to work with his lunch pale and never sought the bright lights. When he spoke, which was rare, his teammates always listened. On a team that is good at talking, the ability to grab the volume above the shouts that made great fodder for the back of the newspaper was a rare ability. It is now an ability that is completely gone from the Jets. He was never a truly great wide receiver, yet the true measure of the seven-year veteran was not in his catches and touchdown grabs. Instead, Cotchery was undoubtedly one of the core players of the Jets and part of their moral backbone; now there is a void where his locker was located. It is a void the Jets will surely fill on the field with the signing of veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason but off the field, there may be no one ready to step up to take Cotchery’s place. To paraphrase Simon & Garfunkel: “Where have you gone Jerricho Cotchery? Jets fans turn their lonely eyes towards you.” It should come as no surprise, however, that the Jets were willing to cut ties with Cotchery as the team has been more than willing to jettison much of its solid-citizen types over the past two years. They have sent the likes of Alan Faneca and Tony Richardson packing during that stretch. The NFL is a tough business and held to a strict salary cap. Faneca last year and Richardson and Cotchery this offseason were victims of the unforgiving cap cuts. It is a near-sighted approach that might win the Jets a battle or two in free agency, but could lose them the war. To get the prize head coach Rex Ryan has been promising for two years, the Jets need to play 16 regular season games and -- if they get a first round bye -- win at least two playoff games to get to the Super Bowl. The Jets have done a good job of stockpiling talent, but where will the leadership come from? And if they get to that Super Bowl, who will be that calming, reassuring voice of reason to keep them focused? We know it won’t be Jerricho Cotchery. The word from Ryan and the Jets players is that leadership abounds in the locker room and isn’t focused in just one spot. Ryan was so impressed with the way Sanchez orchestrated two offseason workouts during the lockout that he named the third-year quarterback a team captain. And then there is the verbose Bart Scott, a natural at one-liners and sound bites. Team owner Woody Johnson praised D’Brickashaw Ferguson for his leadership last summer when he signed the left tackle to a long-term deal. But who will be willing to step up and provide the leadership when the ups and inevitable downs of the NFL season take their toll on the Jets? The Jets have signed two star wide receivers in Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress, both of whom have rap sheets and character issues galore. When the going gets tough, Cotchery is the type who gets going. How will Holmes respond? Will Burress speak up during a tough game to get the team focused? The Jets got the star talent they wanted this offseason, but players who win games don’t always win championships. Can the current talent on this 2011 team not only make plays but make stands on the sidelines and, most importantly, lead by example? It got a bit tougher on Thursday when the Jets cut Cotchery and lost the backbone of their team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 "To paraphrase Simon & Garfunkel: “Where have you gone Jerricho Cotchery? Jets fans turn their lonely eyes towards you.” LULZ. Really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoicsentry Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 We will miss his leadership and toughness this year... mark my words. While Santonio is busy playing his pretty boy routine, Cotch will be working hard to help another team. Plus it was just silly to release him because right now we have no #4 or 5 receiver, let alone a #3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleedin Green Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Wow, that article is pure garbage. Did anyone notice that there isn't even the slightest bit of anything to backup any of those claims whatsoever? Not a single quote or reference of any kind to say this is anything but pure nonsensical conjecture. Not to mention, the entire thing is filled with items that are absolutely incorrect. The comparison to Faneca has to be the greatest, considering he could not have been more the opposite of every single thing that is talking about why Cotchery is so great. Faneca was a loud, trouble-making, locker room douche. Everyone knew that, it was just offset by the fact that the dude was ultra-talented. Once age took that away from him, his a$$ was booted to the curb. That doesn't mean he didn't have a presence in the locker room, but it certainly wasn't of the strong, quiet type. And you know what? The team didn't seem to miss him all that much, now did they? And what the hell, is this nonsense about the Jets allegedly kicking TRich to the curb. They kept the guy for an extra year based almost entirely on his locker room presence, and he's only gone now that he's retiring. What pure nonsense. On top of that, we're supposed to believe Cotchery was the one and only leader in the locker room? What a load of horse sh*t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rillo Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Pats will get'em. Sad to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbatesman Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Quiet and unassuming, he came to work with his lunch pale and never sought the bright lights. Cotchery's lunch: mayonnaise sandwich on white bread, saltine crackers, milk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slats Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 It should come as no surprise, however, that the Jets were willing to cut ties with Cotchery as the team has been more than willing to jettison much of its solid-citizen types over the past two years. They have sent the likes of Alan Faneca and Tony Richardson packing during that stretch. The NFL is a tough business and held to a strict salary cap. Faneca last year and Richardson and Cotchery this offseason were victims of the unforgiving cap cuts. It is a near-sighted approach that might win the Jets a battle or two in free agency, but could lose them the war. A lot of writers are clueless, but this one is particularly good at it. The sad thing is, I like Cotch a lot, too, and think he'll be able to contribute somewhere else for years to come. The writer his hurting his (her?) own case by lumping him in with these two guys. Lol! Not that TR or Cotch were cap casualties, either, nor were there releases even remotely similar for any other reason. Terrible article. Thanks for posting it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 The comparison to Faneca has to be the greatest, considering he could not have been more the opposite of every single thing that is talking about why Cotchery is so great. Faneca was a loud, trouble-making, locker room douche. Everyone knew that, it was just offset by the fact that the dude was ultra-talented. BUT HE'S LUNCH PAIL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleedin Green Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 We will miss his leadership and toughness this year... mark my words. While Santonio is busy playing his pretty boy routine, Cotch will be working hard to help another team. Plus it was just silly to release him because right now we have no #4 or 5 receiver, let alone a #3. LOL. What? Are you freakin' kidding me? I can get not liking the Cotchery release (even though he specifically asked for it), but this is beyond overly dramatic. The Jets don't have a #4 or #5 receiver? Seriously, just stop already. Who was the Jets #4 WR last year again? Oh, that's right, Brad Smith with his FOUR catches on the year. Oh man, I don't know how anyone on the roster can possibly replace that production. What about their #5? Oh right, that was Patrick Turner, who's still on the roster. Weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 The Jets got the star talent they wanted this offseason, but players who win games don’t always win championships. Questioning Holmes on the leadership tip shows the cluelessness of this chick, you don't even need to be a beat writer for that one, all you need is HBO and the NFL Network, or access to ******* YouTube. On top of that this line above is one of the most retarded things ever written to criticize a roster move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 Cotchery's lunch: mayonnaise sandwich on white bread, saltine crackers, milk. Action failed: You have reached your quota of positive votes for the day Nice catch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 Terrible article. Thanks for posting it! It was so unbelievably bad I had to share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefjetE Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Get over the release already... The poor baby must of been afraid of the competition... maybe insecure of his abilities.. He wanted out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barcs Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Even the media dumbasses are whining about Cotch. Get over it. He wanted the damn release, the Jets didn't just drop him.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bitonti Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 back injuries like Cotch's don't heal easily. maybe he will be some stud with another team, I'll believe it when I see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#27TheDominator Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 There was no one as widely respected in the Jets locker room as Cotchery. Quiet and unassuming, he came to work with his lunch pale and never sought the bright lights. It was a light lunch? It got a bit tougher on Thursday when the Jets cut Cotchery and lost the backbone of their team. OMG!! We have no backbone! The 2011 season will be be spent floundering around like a jellyfish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I like Cotchery too but he was not ready to play and asked for a release-he was not a salary cap victim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugg Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Questioning Holmes on the leadership tip shows the cluelessness of this chick, you don't even need to be a beat writer for that one, all you need is HBO and the NFL Network, or access to ******* YouTube. On top of that this line above is one of the most retarded things ever written to criticize a roster move. When they bring up "leadership" and intagnible nonsense, it's a tipoff the writer has no idea WTF they are talking about. The Jets have a leader; his name is Rex Ryan. The idea that a 3rd WR, a guy who plays half the offense's snaps on a good day and catches 35-40 balls a season is a "leader" is ridiculous. People like Cotchery because he was OUR 3rd WR, which is a byproduct of likeing what you know. He's replaceable. And if Ryan and tannebaum decide Cotchery can be replaced by Mason or someone else, I'll trust them. Might not have been the case under Herman Edwards, but this regime seems to know what it's doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klecko73isGod Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 The author of that article put back the cause of female sports journalists 20 years by writing that. If you don't know what you are talking about, STFU. Ryan, Sanchez, Mangold, Brick, LT, Scott, Harris, Holmes. The Jets have plenty of leadership, quiet and otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 The author of that article put back the cause of female sports journalists 20 years by writing that. If you don't know what you are talking about, STFU. Ryan, Sanchez, Mangold, Brick, LT, Scott, Harris, Holmes. The Jets have plenty of leadership, quiet and otherwise. She would have done better for her cause by discussing baby names for some Jets player who's having a kid than this garbage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 We will miss his leadership and toughness this year... mark my words. While Santonio is busy playing his pretty boy routine, Cotch will be working hard to help another team. Plus it was just silly to release him because right now we have no #4 or 5 receiver, let alone a #3. Slap yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larz Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 yeah, because the teams at the top always use sentimentality as a guide to player decisions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HessStation Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Holy over the top drama. Loved J-co but ah well, seriously it's not 1994 anymore. Fans get over it much more quickly now, you know the whole loyalty thing. See ya and good luck Cotch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason423 Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I dont think this is really going to lead to a loss in leadership for the team. This is Sanchez' team on the field. I think the one thing that helps having a player like J-Co that the young guys know has been around the organization so long is that they might listen if he was to stand up and speak similar to Shaun Ellis' effect at times. But those are once a year moments. They aren't all season and game long things. Anyway here was my take on why the Jets may have dumped him, the issues he seemed to be having with a more vertical game, and why they might like Mason. http://nyjetscap.com/cotcheryreplacement.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE ILK Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 To paraphrase Simon & Garfunkel: “Where have you gone Jerricho Cotchery? Jets fans turn their lonely eyes towards you.” Change Jets fans to Blackout, and he may have something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoFlaJets Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I dont think this is really going to lead to a loss in leadership for the team. This is Sanchez' team on the field. I think the one thing that helps having a player like J-Co that the young guys know has been around the organization so long is that they might listen if he was to stand up and speak similar to Shaun Ellis' effect at times. But those are once a year moments. They aren't all season and game long things. Anyway here was my take on why the Jets may have dumped him, the issues he seemed to be having with a more vertical game, and why they might like Mason. http://nyjetscap.com/cotcheryreplacement.php What an asset to this board you are Jason-THE best we have...beating out even my buddy slats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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