Link: Silver Ranks Woody Johnson 20th on Owners List
Michael Silver writes a ranking of NFL owners, and after praising Woody Johnson for some of his moves, he had this to say:
I just get the feeling that he’s in a bit over his head. Give Johnson points for a bold plan to auction off personal seat licenses at the new stadium; take points away, however, for overpricing the minimum bids and putting too much volume on the market, resulting in disappointing revenues. Speaking of disappointments, Johnson, after firing coach Eric Mangini, left the country while general manager Mike Tannenbaum searched for a successor, reportedly causing former Steelers boss Bill Cowher to reject the team’s overture. Smoooooooth. And while I’m rooting for Rex Ryan, the guy the Jets ultimately hired, because smack-talking coaches are good for columnists and reporters, there are a lot of NFL owners who think Johnson is a weak leader for not muzzling his most visible employee.
Looking back, I think it’s a bit of an overstatement to say Johnson’s absence was the only reason Cowher didn’t come … but it was certainly the reason Cowher gave via the media. Cowher wanted personnel control (something I don’t think he had in Pittsburgh) on top of a lot of money and Lord knows what else .. and that’s something the team wasn’t willing to assent to. As far as the “in over his head” statement, I can see why someone would say that. The only remedy for that is for him to put out a product that wins. No one was fêting Robert Kraft when his coach decided to pull a first round veteran QB for a rookie, but we all know how that worked out.
What say you?
20 Responses to Link: Silver Ranks Woody Johnson 20th on Owners List
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igs says:
Just a cut above all the total losers like Al Davis and the owner of the Bengals?
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sec108 says:
I’m supposed to take an evaluation of him seriously when the one positive statement in the analysis is:
“Give Johnson points for a bold plan to auction off personal seat licenses at the new stadium”
Umm, excuse me, I see this as a HAAAYUUUGE negative, he botched the whole stadium process from the get go, shooting for the real estate deal of the century in manhattan when he easily could have landed a deal in queens where the teams roots are. We embarked on this whole mission because the Jets “need their OWN stadium”, well, after the West Side deal collapsed for political reason where are we now? Right back in NJ sharing a stadium with the same team we do now, just at much higher prices, awesome how that worked out.
As for the put a muzzle on the coach stuff? Ridiculous. Ryan may be a blowhard, but he is genuine, this is not an act, its who he is, and if you hire a guy knowing who he is, then you let him do it his way, can’t say, “Rex, we love ya, think you’re gonna be great, love how you relate to the players, you got the job”, and then say, “Oh, by the way, tone it down a bit, coach like Rex, but try to act like Mangini publicly.” Doesn’t work that way, stupid premise.
As for the Cowher stuff, I was against him at the time and I still am, nothing like a watered down cast of characters to make him look like a prize, did he win a Superbowl? Yes. How many years did it take him? Would we give him that many years here? Doubtful. Plus I tired of this conservative coaching style under Herm, lest you forget, him and Cowher both learned at Schotty seniors feet.
Bottom line, I don’t care where this clown ranks my owner, to me a good owner is someone who hires a good football staff (jury is still out on that obviously) and lets them run the team unfettered (it appears this is the case, but many posters here would disagree, see Favre, Brett acquisition), and supply’s enough funds to keep the team the competitive, check. I don’t love the guy, but after suffering decades of Leon Hess’ ineptitude and indifference I’ll take Woody any day.
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GREENBLOOD says:
20th ???? Mr. Woods has done more for our franchise than any other owner in the league. I called him out for being “cheap” two years ago, and I RECANT. He pluged all of the leaks we had with the best of corks and not bubble gums. Here is a list;
Bad D-line – got Jenkins
Bad O-line get the best guard in the world – Faneca
QB situation weak – get Favre
LB’s need help – get best available – Bart Scott
Secondary weak – Lito Shepard
QB left us hanging, get the best Kid available – Sanches -
DaveTN says:
Proof is in the pudding- and it’s not ready yet.
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TOON2388 says:
oooooh, I am going to lose sleep because some hack who majored in communications ranked my owner lower than I wanted….how will I continue to live?
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oscarfactor says:
Best things about Woody are not things he initiates. Hiring Cowher (especially giving him personnel control) would have been a huge mistake – overrated coach, as proven by the fact that Mike Tomlin has as many Super Bowl Rings as Cowher. Getting Ryan may or may not prove to be a great move, but so far it tops the alternative of giving Mangini another year or more. The PSL debacle is a PR nightmare, but Woody is covered because he is not the only owner that has moved in that money-making direction.
Remember, in the rarified air of the rich and well-off in sports circles, it really isn’t about wins/losses so much as it is about how a franchise makes a positive return on investment.
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John R says:
Greenblood is correct. The last couple of years he has given his GM the financial flexibility and freedom to help the team. That’s all an owner has to do, now it’s up to Tannenbaum and Ryan to win. I am one of the season ticket holders being knocked out because of PSL’s. I hold that aginst him but it’s a separate issue now that he is spending money to get players.
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“I just get the feeling that he’s in a bit over his head” chock full of facts & figures.
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Harlan Lachman says:
WHY THERE WILL BE A STRIKE/LOCKOUT
“there are a lot of NFL owners who think Johnson is a weak leader for not muzzling his most visible employee”
Muzzle a person?
Or how about this article from one of the league’s most influential (i.e., loud mouth) owners: End revenue-sharing, “Dallas owner says”
http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/57423092.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiU9PmP:QiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUrThe poor millionaire JJ has already emasculated his championship team by meddling with the likes of Bill P. Now he is gunning to kill the most successful sport in the US.
Harlan
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Bent says: “chock full of facts & figures.”
Haha.
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Marc says:
Greenblood points to the success that the team has had in free agency, and I feel they have also had a lot of success lately in the draft since he promoted Mike T. Woody delegates responsibility, which can be a tough thing to do for a billionaire, and I applaud him for that.
On top of that, it wasn’t his fault the West Side stadium fell through, he still managed to land a new stadium, and he built what’s supposed to be a state of the art training facility for his team…
I’m exceptionally happy with Johnson as the team’s owner, and I could care less what this guy thinks.
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ramble914 says:
This guy Silver has the whole Cower thing wrong!
I heard it straight from Woody’s mouth on an interview with Mike Fransessa on the Fan. Cower’s representatives were on record as saying Cower would not be coaching in 2009, as evidenced by the fact that he is not coaching now. Cower did say that he would like to sit and talk with Woody, but Woody felt if Cower wasn’t going to coach then why meet? Which I agree with. Why waste time meeting with someone who won’t take the position?
As far as “Muzzling” Rex…did this idiot Silver ever think that maybe Woody likes what Rex has said and even encourages it? Just because some owners may not like it doesn’t mean that the Jets don’t. Silver is undoubtedly not a Jet fan!
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cannot pin the west side stadium debacle on Woody – chalk that one up to Silver and his band of fascist socialists
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J. says:
Screw Woody Johnson and his damn PSLs. I’m supposed to shell out $10,000.00 for the privilege of buying two of his tickets? In a field of 32, I’d rank him 33rd.
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Who is the dumbest Silver?
A) this hack
B) Sheldon Silver
C) Lone Ranger’s mount -
RAJ says:
I’d rate him 32nd. He is worse than Leon Hess who at least at the end hired Bill Parcells who gave the Jets a few years of respectability.
I attended my first Jet game when they were the Titans, but am no longer a fan until Woody Johnson sells the team.
I had some hope a few years ago when Woody was hauled before a Senate committee for tax cheating:
http://www.forbes.com/2006/08/01/tax-cheats-havens-cx_jh_0802tax.html
He escaped a criminal indictment by pleading stupidity, an excuse not without merit, and having been George Bush’s biggest financier in his political campaigns Attornet General Albert Gonzalez refused to look at a possible criminal indictment.
I will be rooting against the Jets until he sells the team.
my hope is for a Chad Pennington vs Brett Favre Super Bowl. -
jp losman says:
i love this statement -
“there are a lot of NFL owners who think Johnson is a weak leader for not muzzling his most visible employee.”
*what % of owners is alot
*is this specualtion
*did this guy hear it first hand or is it hear sayis this kind of like 3 out of 4 dentists recommend ______?
the author certainly seems to use some of his info out of context to better prove his point, well atleast in this portion that is seen
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Harvlis says:
Woody is at the bottom of my list, for not bringing the Jets back to NY. The Jets playing in the same stadium as the Giants gets me sick. NY would have given him a sweetheart deal, to put the stadium back where it belongs. At this pont, the team should change it’s name to the Jersey Jets. The only reason they stay with the NY name is to rope in the NY fans. It is not a NY team, face it.
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EastSide says:
Woody’s commitment to getting the FAs and draft prospects his coach and GM request is without a doubt his greatest strength. He does covet big names which has been a mixed blessing during his tenure.
One of his weaknesses has been his inability to establish a good post-Parcells personnel. HC Groh, GM Bradway and HC Edwards were all mixed bags that struggled to find success. Mangini was, I believe, a great talent evaluator (Brick, Mangold, Leon, Harris, Revis and Keller) and game planner but lacked the personality and in-game coaching flexibility that is required to win.
His biggest weakness is the business side of the operation. His promise to build us our own home stadium in NY has gone unfulfilled and is seen by many as a betrayal of trust. Hard to not find it strange that the organization attempts to foster a rivalry with the Giants while forcing it’s fans to share a venue. Many, including myself, perceive his decisions as a way of reaching a richer fan base which furthers the rift between the team and its roots.
The rating is right on target, best thing about Woody is deep pockets.
Still believe he sells this team in 2011 after maximizing the PSL revenue.