Monthly Archives: January 2009
Just like another administration’s first 100 days, so too TJB will be keeping watch over the Rex Ryan administration for the first 100 days … playing it by the numbers if you will. Each day, we’ll try keep the associated day number in play.
Day Ten
Noooooooooooooooo!!!
Add your “tens” in the comments …
Nick Mangold talks with Scott Hanson on Radio Row in Tampa.
Just a warning for those of you for tomorrow …
EVERYONE PANIC!
- Jimmy Raye gets some love from former players.
- Aultman notes the importance of offseason workout programs.
- Leftwich speaks for Pennington and his ‘retribution.’
- Cimini runs down his latest news from Tampa.
- Brenda Warner’s new hairstyle … ahh much better.
- Cassel stunned on the franchise tag number.
Thomas Jones noted that for as thrilled as he is to go to Hawaii this year, it was the unspectacular hard work that he and his teammates ground through in 2007 that is more memorable for him.
Jets fans may have viewed Jones’ season as redemptive following a 2007 campaign in which he rushed for only one touchdown. But many will be surprised to hear that Jones is prouder of ’07 than ’08.
“Just coming to a new team,” he said, “having to adjust to the system, adjust to a new environment and just trying to bring a lot of younger guys along and having to really step into a leadership role, which I’ve always done, but more so last year because there were so many young guys, especially on the offensive line.
“To end up with 1,100 yards – I know I didn’t have a lot of touchdowns, but just the fact that I was mentally tough enough to withstand the whole season, going 4-12, and still finishing in the top 10 in rushing, I think that was probably my best season.”
It’s kind of surprising to hear a running back say that, but I think it shows his character and what he values.
This is why all the guys around him emulate his workout habits, love to block for him and run to congratulate him after a big play or touchdown.
Just like another administration’s first 100 days, so too TJB will be keeping watch over the Rex Ryan administration for the first 100 days … playing it by the numbers if you will. Each day, we’ll try keep the associated day number in play.
Day Nine
Revolution No. 9 — Is Erik Ainge, the Jets current fourth string quarterback a poor man’s Derek Anderson or Joe Flacco? He’s tall, and played at the renowned Tennessee program, facing some of college’s fiercest competition. Ainge was never consistent in his time at UT, and as a rookie struggled to keep his roster spot this fall — eventually landing on the injured reserve and dealing with some suplement issues that had him suspended for four games late in the year.
Nine Win Season — Last year the Jets could have done more with a weak schedule, but winning nine games in the process. Can the Jets do even as well in 2009 with a surging AFC East and facing the NFC and AFC South? Ouch!
Nine Years of Experience – Laveranues Coles, Shaun Ellis, Thomas Jones and David Barrett are all nine year veterans, will three of those players still be on the team by the start of camp?
Add your “nines” in the comments …
Our blogging brethren over at OutSports.com were kind enough to send us their transciption of an interview that Aaron Rodgers did for Michael “Stabby” Irvin’s Show this week.
In brief, Irvin and his co-host, cajole Rodgers into talking about his relationship with Favre. Rodgers notes that it was good up until the championship game last season and then it’s been non-existant since that point. Here’s an excerpt.
Irvin: [On why Rodgers and Favre haven't talked] Why will you not reach out to him?
Rodgers: I did.
Irvin: So you called him and he did not call you back.
Rodgers: Yeah.
Kiley: … I can see Aaron is struggling with this, and if this was television you could see he’s uncomfortable with these questions…. Was he popular on the team, there were reports that he was a little separate from the team, did you feel that when you guys were making that run for the NFC title, that he was separate from the other players?
Rodgers: I really don’t want to go into that.
There’s a reference to Swingers in here somewhere … but I can’t seem to chisel it out of it’s raw form.
Rodgers is trying to avoid being catty, which most anyone can appreciate, but there’s times that non-answers are the same as answers … and this is one of those times. It’s clear that Rodgers is not going to say much about his former teammate or what his teammates think of him. I don’t think that we’re surprised to see any of this, but it does help to triangulate the current situation for how Jets players could feel about their Quarterback.
I am setting the Over/Under on Favre’s repudiation of this news as 3.5 days … long enough for Peter King to get his Monday Column out.
Join us in the TJB Chat at 1:30pm ET, so that you can discuss your predictions for Sunday’s big game, agonize over what might have been and talk about the progress so far of the Rex Ryan Regime along the road to get the Jets to one of these things. I’ll be there just in case.
Continuing our series on the position groupings, today we continue with the Jets Offensive Line.
With four former first round picks starting in 2008, no one is questioning the abilities of the line and the group went from 21st to 4th in run-blocking, and 30th to 18th in pass protection all according to Football Outsiders.
For that improvement, there are still some questions beneath the surface. Can the protection get better? Will it regress with a new QB, much like Matt Cassel caused for the 2008 Patriots? Does the team have the depth required with two starters older than 30? Meaning, are Wayne Hunter and Rob Turner the right backups for this team? Can they target some other players this offseason? Will Rex’s new approach to this offense change the way they do things and perform this fall?
It’s time to hear from you, the readers and commenters!
In light of the Super Bowl and the quiet after the storm, we (meaning me) are going to take a little half-vacation from TJB next week and let you drive the bus. We’ll have a lot of articles and some Pro Bowl stuff lined up, but if you are interested in writing a post for the blog, please email us at thejetsblog@gmail.com with your ideas and we’d be glad to talk to you more about it!
Calvin Pace spoke to the press recently about his reaction to seeing his former team, the Cardinals, end up in the Super Bowl.
“It’s funny when you think about it . . . I played there for five years and never got close to playoffs,” Pace told The Post. “Maybe I was bad luck. But everything happens for a reason. My contract was up. A business decision had to be made. It was time to move on.
“I have no regrets,” Pace continued. “I’m happy for them. I’ve become a Cardinals fan again. I’m cheering them on. Those guys really deserve it. There are guys who’ve been there a long time and haven’t experienced winning.
“I have no ill feelings. I’m kind of living this through them. I don’t have any regrets or feelings of wishing I was there. Hopefully, my time will come. I’m just rooting them on right now.”
More than anything, I’m glad to see that Mark Cannizzaro is recovered and back on the beat!!!
Mike Francesa spoke yesterday to Tony Richardson about his season and looking forward.
[Tony Richardson - WFAN]
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