Monthly Archives: April 2008
This is what the world thinks of Jets fans … enjoy.
I know Keller is a Tight End, but trust me, Johnny Mitchell he is not. For those unfamiliar with KSK, it’s satire, if you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?
A few more players that the Jets are bringing in …
Josh Abrams RB / ST Ohio University Link
Rodrick Johnson LB Oklahoma State Link
Alan Turner WR Southern Illinois Link
For those who are interesting in talking some about the Jets and their moves over the weekend and following, please join us at noon for a chat …
Other than talent and that they grew up in Alabama, one would hope not a lot, but it looks like they are working together to put on a football camp for high schoolers to benefit their foundations, at Rhodes’ college hometown Louisville, KY .
The event takes place Friday May 2, 2008 at the University of Louisville at the Tragger Center from 8am to 1pm for kids in grades 9th -12th only. The lucky 200 registrants will enjoy tips and techniques on behalf of both great football players.
To register online visit www.terrellowens.com.
Some more draft grades for the Jets …
Michael David Smith: FanHouse B+
First pick Vernon Gholston is a stud. No complaints there; Jets fans cheered. Trading up for tight end Dustin Keller at the bottom of the first round was a surprise, and Jets fans booed. But overall this is a very solid draft for a team that’s had a good off-season.
Paul Zimmerman: SI.com (no grades … yay!!)
So what do you do when you’ve picked two of the finest athletes on the board, DE Vernon Gholston and TE Dustin Keller, and people are sneering at them? Great workout warriors, they say. Gholston is on and off and Keller can’t block. Well, if I were Eric Mangini, I’d make sure the clippings all find a place in their lockers. Strange things following consistent nagging –such as consistency, and blocking, and consistently blocking, you understand.
Rick Gosselin: Dallas Morning News C
“The Jets landed the best pass rusher and the best pass-catching tight end in the draft. San Jose State’s Lowery also was one of the best ballhawks available. Ainge could stoke an already-heated quarterback competition.”
If you are itching to get a jersey with one of this year’s draft picks, Randy Lange has a breakdown of who’s wearing what this summer. Links go to the Jets’ Shop pages where you can order them.
56 – DE/OLB Vernon Gholston
81 – TE Dustin Keller
34 – CB Dwight Lowery
9 – QB Erik Ainge
14 – WR Marcus Henry
71 – OT Nate Garner
Lange gives you the heads up on who has worn these numbers in the past, and what the players’ collegiate numbers were. Gholston wore #50 in college, but that now belongs to Eric Barton. I have to wonder if that number will be available for Gholston by next offseason … which would make me hesitant to guy a Gholston jersey straight away.
… I can’t believe that I could be donning a #81 come September, especially after the last couple of years …
In addition to RB Danny Woodhead, RB Jehuu Caulcrick, and DE Bryan Mattison, here’s a list of another nine players that the Jets are bringing in this weekend …
Justin Valentine – FB – Minnesota
Metrics — Height: 6’0″ Weight: 230 pounds 40 Time: 4.69
Analysis: Likely a short yardage specialist, Valentine would have to make the club in that capacity or as a lead blocker. The team is clearly looking for some options with a few other large running back signings in this area. Part-time starter the past three seasons. Seldom-used ball-carrier who totaled 14/42/1 on the ground as a senior after 17/42/4 the previous year. He’s well-built lead blocker with solid size/speed numbers. Quick out of his stance, squares into defenders, and displays good jolt at the point. Breaks down well and plays with good pad level. Displays nice awareness and picks up assignments.
ProFootballTalk more eloquently asks the same question that we did last night about why three players in three years have publicly decried the team for making promises and then not delivering. Pete Kendall, Laveranues Coles and now Chris Baker … seeing a trend?
And so the deeper question, in our assessment, is whether the players think they can trust the team. Three of them clearly don’t; two of them are still in the locker room.
Apparently, the organization made each of these guys believe that something was going to be done for them, and each of them decided that the organization failed to come through.
So what’s happening in New York? Is the left hand making promising checks that the right hand won’t write? Or are players misunderstanding casual comments like “you’re our guy” as commitments to increase their pay?
My hope is that it’s the second, but I wouldn’t put it past this front office to do the first.
Either way, the team now has three separate incidents that look strikingly similar. It’s like that old cliche … fool me once, shame on you … fool me twice, shame on me. We’re now on the third separate incident like this and prominent people in the NY Sportstalk Echo Chamber are still focusing on the player and his selfishness rather than asking the deeper question outlined by Mike Florio above.
What’s that phrase? Insanity is defined by doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. If players are doing this again and again, why does it seem to many fans that they are the ones here who are at fault?
Warren Sapp had some kinds words for his former Raid er teammate (and former Jet) LaMont Jordan.
“After three games last season, LaMont Jordan led the NFL in rushing. But LaMont is like the worst offseason running back I’ve ever been around.”
Wow, that’s high praise from Warren Sapp. Maybe we’re seeing what Herm had such a problem with him over the course of his time in New York …
When asked this morning on Boomer & Carton, Mike Tannenbaum declined saying too much about Chris Baker’s deal, other than that they are expecting to see him in mandatory OTAs.
“Again, Chris will be here for the season, he signed a four year contract and without getting into the specifics, he’s in the third year of a four year deal and we expect Chris to be here for the mandatory parts of the offseason, be it a mini-camp or obviously when we get to training camp and he’s done good things for us in the past, and we expect good things in the future.”
In Tannenbaumese, “come back, and show us you want to stay here, and then we’ll get something done.”
… I just hope that Baker speaks the language …
Here’s a few post draft interviews from the WFAN …
Mike Tannenbaum interview on WFAN (MP3)
Dustin Keller interview on WFAN (MP3)
Vernon Gholston interview on WFAN (MP3)
Boomer on the Jets’ Draft (MP3)
Big thanks to Eric Boland of Newsday for reporting this one. It looks like two Hofstra players that went undrafted last weekend will be visiting with the Jets this weekend, as they were invited to the team’s rookie minicamp. Kareem Huggins, a running back, and Charles Sullivan, a wide receiver, are the two UDFA’s that the Jets will host this weekend, as well as all the other drafted Jets. You can click on the link above for more information on the two. I don’t want to be too over confident about these guys as Eric Boland was, but it’s nice to see two local kids get a chance.
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