The Rex Rules are the rules, and one rule says that if you get a game ball on Monday for your play on Sunday but then you get a league award on Wednesday, you give the game ball back. Such was the case with Jason Trusnik, who received his second game ball of the season for his special teams play against Tennessee but then was honored earlier today with the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.

And so “after further review,” Ryan and his staff have regifted Trusnik’s game ball to … LB Vernon Gholston.

“I thought Vernon did an outstanding job Sunday. He prevented a touchdown on sheer hustle,” Ryan said of Gholston’s solo tackle of Tennessee’s Chris Johnson 30 yards downfield at the end of a fourth-quarter run that, had No. 50 not been so inclined, was ticketed to become a game-tying 73-yard TD run. Instead the Titans ran three plays and punted and the Jets held their 24-17 lead.

We’ve always contended it would be a long road to get Vernon Gholston ready for prime time, and while some fans have voiced that frustration rather vociferously, Rod Boone reports that the coaching staff is seeing some things that they like in his game of late.

Gholston just plays without a lot of flash, defensive coordinator Mike Pettine said.

“Vernon’s strength is exactly that, his strength, and that’s something we’ve taken advantage of,” Pettine said Thursday. “A lot of times that involves him knocking guys back and taking two blockers, and those are thankless jobs. Those are things that go unnoticed. That’s why we’re high on him because he’s great while he’s doing his job. That’s the whole motto of our defense: Do your job and good things will happen.”

Talk like that was blasphemous under Eric Mangini. Want more heretical statements for Mangini? You got it.

Ryan said that he, unlike his predecessor Eric Mangini, would’ve changed his defense to fit ex-Jets and current Saints LB Jonathan Vilma rather than try to fit the player into an ill-fitting scheme.

Vilma, the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2004 while playing in a 4-3 alignment, couldn’t adapt to Mangini’s 3-4 scheme and was traded.

“I like Vilma,” said Ryan. “He’s a tremendous player. We wanted to draft him when I was in Baltimore. He’s our kind of guy. The scheme wasn’t a great fit if you’re going to play a traditional 3-4 defense like Eric had.

“I will say this, with us we pick our players over schemes. We’re not going to pigeon hole our guys into a system. We’re going to make the system adaptable to the players.”

That’s a ballsy statement, if I’ve ever heard one. Players over schemes? For all Ryan’s bluster, that shows an inherent lack of ego about “his” defense.

Your job was to fit into a round hole if you were a square peg, and if you couldn’t do that, then you were buried on the depth chart, end of story.

Ryan and Pettine seem to be taking a rather grown up approach to the matter and will suit their scheme to the player. Obscene, right? Once Rex was hired (and probably before) we’ve said that if anyone can coax game out of Gholston, it will be Ryan. Gholston’s doing the little things now, and that’s a good next step. Let’s see how he continues to progress from here.

Sorry friends, but it’s soapbox time!

It seems that some fans are ready to cut off their own nose to spite their face because the Jets have relocated facilities over the past year.

Join us, with some quotes from a scorned fan in the Post, after the jump …

Joe Legotti has come to Jets practices at Hofstra University for 30 years. And like most Jets fans, he has nothing to show for decades of faithful service but disappointment.

For the past 40 years, Hofstra has been the training facility for the Jets, and for the past 25 years, it has served as the only thing keeping validity to the New York in their name.

This season, the Jets will complete the abandonment of their Long Island roots for a new facility in Florham Park, but last night, they were in Hempstead for their only practice east of the Hudson River.

“I don’t think it’s right. I’m very upset with it. I thought they were gonna stay here,” said Legotti, 54, a Lindenhurst native. “Now that they’re in Jersey, it’s like … the Buffalo Bills. I’m almost at that point where I’m gonna root for them because they’re the only New York team. I hate to say it.”

I say this with the utmost respect, and I know MANY readers of this site are Long Island born and bred, but Legotti’s statement seems a tad harsh, no? It’s not a personal slight that the team moved, right?

I don’t know the motivation, but when I hear statements like this, I have to assume they’re being said out of spite to make a point, or that the fan in question is just one of convenience if they are so concerned about a team moving 50 miles as the crow flies to the opposite side on the most populous city on the East Coast. What if a fan himselft moved to a different region altogether? Does one then become a fan of that team? Somewhere Michael Tunison’s and his new book are spinning in booktour signing seats at the thought of this.

Personally I have no stake in the matter, other than to say “lighten up.” I grew up in Westchester, and no one there is wringing their hands about how the team never was based in Dobbs Ferry or whatever. As an “upstater” (God I hated that .. is then anything north of Manhattan considered “upstate?”) we’re always left out of the mix, so there’s only so much sympathy I can feel for folks who have had the pleasure of having their favorite team, right in their own backyard for 40 years.

That said, it’s clear that most fans do get it.

For Brian Ward, miles mean nothing.

“When they were here full-time, I’d get here anywhere between five and 10 times a summer,” the 31-year-old Ward said. “I’m upset that they’re not here, but I’m gonna go wherever I gotta go.”

John Pellegrino, 48, wasn’t concerned with his state as much as he was with the team’s.

“I live in East Meadow, so I like them here, but I think [the move] is better for the team,” Pellegrino said. “They have more state-of-the-art facilities for them to train in and go win the Super Bowl.”

Perhaps a sense of resentment will linger with some Long Island fans, but most seemed to share the sentiments of Bob Ward.

“You feel a little disappointed, but what are you going to do?” Ward said. “Once you’re a fan, you’re a fan for life.”

Thank you for being the voice of reason Ward family and Mr. Pellegrino.

Count the team’s moving to newer, more pimped out facilities in the region as a blessing and better than the alternative the “potential” (*cough* *cough* strong arming tactic *cough*) move to L.A. for instance. How could most anyone from NY make it to practice then? I get it, being a fan of a team is a raw, emotional, downright visceral experience, but sometimes I’ve got to step back and check priorities.

This would be one of those times.

Corey mentioned and opined on Mike Florio trotting out another tired takedown piece on the Jets. In Florio’s article, he continues to say what he’s already been saying since last summer, that Tannenbum is going could be fired this year … just like he did last year. But this time he’s serial. (Super serial?)

Let’s let loose the blogger invective and fire it up for Mike Florio, FJM Style.

New York Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum likely isn’t sleeping all that well these days.

Is it the humidity? The humidity is keeping me up some too, that and my wife’s incessant covers stealing. Did he try adding a fan to his bedroom? Sometimes still air makes it hard for me to sleep. Maybe melatonin tablets. Or a typical Mike Florio retread article on the Jets about how the team’s GM is doomed yet again this year.

The long-term employee of the team, who has worked his way up the ladder into a position of ultimate authority – and thus accountability – now has nowhere to go.

Except out the door.

Not true, Tannenbaum could still yet be named Supreme Overlord of the Jets, that or maybe Caesar.

Last year, Tannenbaum behaved like a desperate man, spending millions of dollars on a variety of free agents, while ignoring the quarterback position.

Until Brett Favre became available.

There’s nothing quite as insipid as one sentence paragraphs by writers and so far we’re just four graphs in and he’s already used the tactic three times, with the shorter ‘to the point’ capper that inevitibly starts with some connector word like ‘but,’ ‘except,’ or ‘unless’ …

But just kill me now.

Yes, Tannenbaum was acting like a demented loon last season. Who is crazy enough to try and better their team with gobs of cap room to do so?! What an abject disaster it was to add a handful of former Pro Bowlers, three of whom re-shaped their units (Faneca, Woody & Big Jinx) and one whom added stability to the lead blocker role that had been a revolving door since Jerald Sowell left the team? And don’t forget to add in Calvin Pace who warped the team forward from Victor Hobson’s terrible play with FIVE forced fumbles and 80 tackles.

By gum! It’s clear that Tannenbaum has no idea what he’s doing!!!

My contention last spring was that it didn’t matter who won the QB battle, because the line and running game could support whoever took the snaps. To say that the team ‘ignored’ the QB position is irresponsible. They had a young QB who was thought to be on the upswing in Clemens, and a then-again healthy (though undeniably questionable) Pennington.

So, the team misevaluated Pennington and his health & leadership status, and swung the pendulum too far the other way to a guy who has been called “The Iron Man” during his career. Ultimately, they were looking for someone who might help the team and give them something they didn’t have in Pennington. Favre didn’t work out, but you can’t knock the Jets for taking a chance. I was afraid that the Favre acquisition would be the straw that broke the camel’s back, and that turned out to be true.

And if success is determined by whether the Jets made it to the playoffs, the various moves from a season ago fairly can be regarded as a massive failure.

Yes, let’s assign a value that makes your point valid and any other argument invalid. This is the logic that someone with a J.D. uses. I thought law school was supposed to make you critically think.

Two most useless people with law degrees, GO!

Star Jones & Mike Florio?

When I read things like the ones I read from Florio above, there’s little wonder in my mind he’s writing about football rather than working on complex tort litigation for a presitigious national firm. Intellectually, it’s easier to lap someone in the same pool when you have flippers and a kickboard and they’re a senior citizen … as opposed to going head to head with Michael Phelps.

Tannenbaum, however, didn’t shoulder the blame for the misadventures. Instead, coach Eric Mangini was fired, after only three years on the job.

You got that right, at least. He’s been the Teflon Don of the Jets, and has clawed his way over more than one person to get to his current place of prominence. Still it’s not without some merit. There was a rift that started at the draft. The rumor is that Mangini wanted Gholston, the scouting staff did not. Some say it was the beginning of the end for Woody.

The next time owner Woody Johnson decides change is needed, Tannenbaum likely won’t be quite so lucky.
In the wake of Mangini’s departure, Tannenbaum has continued to throw the ball deep. This year, he traded up 12 spots in the first round of the draft, via a deal with Mangini’s new team, to land quarterback Mark Sanchez.

I don’t exactly know how giving up a third round pick for Brett Freaking Favre constitutes an unfounded risk, but yes, I guess he did ‘throw the ball deep’ again this year … at the request of his new coach Rex Ryan, just like he did with Mangini a year ago with Gholston. Rex Ryan isn’t exactly filled with guile, so when he said he told Tannenbaum the team needed to get Sanchez, exactly who are we blaming for that move and how is that all squarely Tannenbaum’s fault/credit? He agreeing with and carrying out the request of his coach.

But serious potential problems remain.

But you’re still using that cliche stylistic technique.

Groan.

Tannenbaum allowed veteran receiver Laveranues Coles to give up $6 million in guaranteed money in exchange for a free-and-clear release, and Coles ended up with a better deal in Cincinnati. Meanwhile, the Jets haven’t replaced Coles’ skill and production.

27th, 39th and 32nd. Those are the numbers of Coles DYAR Rank at Football Outsiders over the last three seasons. 34th, 13th and 16th. Those are the numbers of Cotchery of his DYAR Rank at Football Outsiders over the last three seasons. Cotchery was already the better receiver of the two for two of the last three seasons on a catch-by-catch basis. The Jets wanted the cap room, didn’t want to re-do deals for vets that didn’t justify the money and felt like they wanted to move on from the Coles era.

Also note how Florio uses “pretzel-logic” to the fact that the Jets didn’t pay Coles, a guy who was as effective on his team as Domenik Hixon and Isaac Bruce were for their respective teams in 2008. So … which is it? Should the team overpay for veterans or not?

Although I don’t know his particular team that he roots for, but I’d have to imagine that it’s the Bengals, purely based on the number of times he’s written that Coles will be better than Housh was in Cinci. He can’t seem to get off the subject. Housh has played worlds better than Coles over the course of the past three seasons, so we’ll see how Coles does with the Bengals. I’m sure he’ll produce, but to think he’ll be better than T.J. seems laughable.

Lastly, the team wanted to make sure it was clear (they told me expressly, emphasizing that he was a free agent, not a cut) that Coles walked out the door. In return (rather than cutting him), they will likely get a pretty good compensatory pick out of it next year, but let’s not let facts get in the way of our argument, right?

Last year’s first-round draft pick, a much-hyped workout warrior named Vernon Gholston, had a grossly substandard rookie season – and word recently has surfaced that Gholston didn’t look so good in offseason underwear practices.

Most recently, one of last year’s high-priced free agents who performed well in 2008 potentially performed well in 2008 due to the ingestion of performance-enhancing substances. Defensive end/linebacker Calvin Pace consequently will miss the first four games of the coming season, putting even more pressure on Gholston to fulfill his potential.

So, the team outspent their means, but Pace played well and earned his value … right? So does that mean he was overpaid? It must be nice to have it both ways.

And, these reports, don’t come from Florio who hasn’t watched a practice, but are thirdhand, via Adam Schefter via unnamed sources, as best I can tell. I’ll rely on reports from beat writers who were there for the duration rather than Schefter (whom I infinitely admire) and his unnnamed sources here.

Then there’s the looming question of whether Sanchez will beat out the guy who was deemed to be sufficiently unfit to hold the job, fueling last year’s pursuit of Brett Favre. Last month, coach Rex Ryan called the battle between Sanchez and Kellen Clemens a “dogfight” (not the best choice of words, even if the Jets plan to sign Mike Vick).

Sometimes Florio but can’t help to set himself up to make poor jokes, it’s like asking Peter King to not waste 200 words on why there was no coffee at 6:17AM in the lobby of the Marriott Laguna Cliffs on a weekend.

“I have to do what’s best for our football team,” Ryan said at the time. “If that means we play a rookie, so be it. If we play Kellen Clemens, so be it. The guy is going to have to earn that job.”

Let’s assume Ryan is being truthful, and he isn’t merely hoping to ensure that Sanchez’s sudden money and fame doesn’t go to his head. What if Clemens legitimately wins the job? It would be disastrous for Tannenbaum.

It’s been well documented that Sanchez has spent most of his offseason in Jersey, bonding with his new teammates and other NFL rookies at minicamps, the NFL symposium, and much more. Sanchez has been focused on studying and settling in Jersey and attending some events in the New York area. It’s not like the guy is going Tony Montana on us … at least not so far.

AJ Smith still has his job in San Diego after the Flutie/Brees/Rivers era, so I don’t see how Clemens winning the job doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road for Tannenbaum. The team wants to put their best foot forward and set Sanchez up to succeed long-term, Palmer and Rivers sat out as rookies, why would things be so different for the Jets? Even if Sanchez does play and doesn’t send the team to the playoffs (Florio’s self-created and administered level of success).

The guy he disregarded a year ago (but at least didn’t cut so that he could lead a division rival to the playoffs) will have outperformed the man whom Tannenbaum made a big splash to fill the void created after Favre “retired.”

Except there’s this ozone over Antartica sized hole in Florio’s argument. Ever consider that Clemens wasn’t ready last year and maybe now he will be? Clemens didn’t play as much as he needed to in his senior year of college to prep him for the show, and he’s needed the time to digest the playbook. If you had paid attention to the training camp reports, Clemens was an interception machine last summer. It didn’t go well for him. Pennington outplayed him by a longshot, Favre seemed a better option at the time … and so the team was faced with the situation they were with Favre in the offseason.

And that brings us to Favre. Adding Sanchez made it easy (at the time) to release Favre from the reserve-retired list. But if Favre goes to Minnesota and has a season much more successful than his year with the Jets and if Sanchez’s game-day headgear is a baseball hat and not a helmet, Tannenbaum’s entire handling of the quarterback position will be undermined.

So we’re banking our entire article on the facts that 1) Favre will have a better year in Minnesota then he did in New York and 2) Sanchez will ride the pine? Maybe one doesn’t learn statistics in jurisprudence school, but that’s 4-1 odds.

Significantly.

Are you serial, Mike Florio? How about super serial?

Through it all, Tannenbaum is a very smart guy. And he’s smart enough to realize that he enters the 2009 season under more pressure than ever to perform – and that the dots leading to Tannenbaum being terminated come January aren’t all that difficult to connect.

… at 4-1 odds.

Change in Coaching Dynamic? — Mangini used to plod around, chew gum incessantly and hold a clipboard and look generally sullen. How does Rex Ryan’s demeanor on the field compare? Is he energetic, is he excited? Also how do new coaches like Henry Ellard, Mike Pettine and Doug Plank (etc.) interact with the players?

Not So Newcomers — It will be interesting to see how players like Bart Scott, Brian Leonhard and Marques Douglas, all newcomers but veterans to Ryan’s scheme, interact with their fellow players. Do they help transfer and teach?

A Vacuum Just Creates Space — We know that Thomas Jones won’t be there, but who else gets reps? Will Marcus Mason take advantage of this time to make an impression? Do they try to use Jehuu Caulcrick in a Le’RonMcClain-esque role?

Tight at Tight End? — Intrepid reporter Lisa Zimmerman broke the news last week that DL Kareem Brown might now be TE Kareen Brown. How does he look? Is he out of position? Any miscues (false starts, missed alignments) by him?

Is the Ferrari Still in the Shop? — Reminder, Harris was injured in the finale, and apparently it was a broke his ankle against the Dolphins. Is he back to full speed? Harris has played just two years and already had a host of injuries he’s battled, dating back to training camp of last year when he had a back issue, then a groin pull during the season, then the broken leg. No one questions his talent, but was it just a run of bad luck? How do the twos (Trus & Cummings, I imagine) look behind him?

Go Go Gholston!! — Where’s he lining up? How are they using him? Are any of the typical OLBs lining up inside on some plays? Adalius Thomas does it for the Pats, will one of the Big Three (Thomas, Pace, Gholston) with some injury concerns connected with David Harris?

Sheppard-ing in a New Era — I have to be honest, I liked the trade and extension the Jets gave Sheppard, but I’m just not convinced that Lito Sheppard is the tonic that this team needs long-term. How does he look in practice, how does competitor Dwight Lowery look in comparison?

The Open “Slot” — Who ‘starts’ opposite Cotch? Who looks good and is anyone using the time to convince the team they don’t need to draft a first day receiver?

Favre Watch — Sorry, couldn’t resist. How do the young guns look? Is anyone making a solid impression early?

As we head towards the draft, we’re going to look the position groups to assess the current roster, before determining who the team should look at in the draft.

Jets Wide Receivers

Jerricho Cotchery — The current number one, it still remains to be seen what Cotchery can do without Laveranues Coles lined up on the other side of the field from him. Cotchery has been decently productive, but he’s a tough possession receiver, not a speedy home-run threat.

Chansi Stuckey — After a rookie year on the IR, Stuckey came on as a surprise to many in his second season. Although his targets drastically decreased as the season went on, it was because Dustin Keller was taking snaps at slot, where Stuckey had earlier in the season. It remains to be seen whether Stuckey is a starter level player in the NFL,

Brad Smith — Now into his fourth year, many expected to see more progress from the young player on offense. With the size and speed that you’d hope could have translated to receiver by now, Smith might be gone after this season with the Jets. A special teams standout, Smith has been invaluable to the Jets coverage units.

David Clowney — The real quandry, Clowney is an upside player, who has buckled down but might be too brittle to play on special teams. So either he needs to become a starter or get out of the way for more effective players on specials.

Wallace Wright — Wright’s never been worked in much on offense, but his real value is his special teams ability, where he’s one of the league’s best coverage players.

Marcus Henry — Henry is a tall possession receiver who doesn’t play to his 4.56 40 time. Raw because he came out of Kansas early as a Junior, Henry struggled to keep a roster spot for the Jets last season, and ended the year mostly on the practice squad. Henry has upside, but he needs to contribute on special teams to stay on this roster.

Paul Raymond — The speedy track star from Brown, Raymond was bumped on and off the practice squad much of last season. Raymond has the slight build like a DeSean Jackson type, so would struggle other than as a punt returner to find a place on special teams.

Huey Whittaker — Camp fodder. Whittaker has the size (6-2 220), but not the speed (timed in the 4.6s a few years ago).

Analysis: Brian Schottenheimer loves to work defenses on three levels in the passing game often on the same side of the field, short (RB into the flat), intermediate (TEs or short WR routes) and long (crossing deep WR, or straight WR routes). To fit that dynamic, the roster has the guys for the short and intermediate routes, but the component that is missing is the legitimate deep threat. A deep threat can pull a safety away from where the action is, keep a defender from crowding the box against the run, and provides a level of honesty to defenses from an offense that relies on a steady dose of running plays.

The roster has some upside guys, but the only truly vertical threat that the team has is David Clowney. If the team is as settled on their QB situation as they’ve seemed to be letting on, they need to add another dimension to the offense. A smaller burner with good hands or a taller option with decent speed would be the right players to grab in the draft.

Players like Darius Heyward-Bey have shown incredible speed, but his hands are suspect. Percy Harvin can stretch the field, but really projects to me more of a physical possession player. Kenny Britt might be an interesting choice, but most folks see him as a possession receiver as well, something that the team already has strength in between Cotchery, Stuckey and Keller.

Suggested Best Fits: Jeremy Maclin, Brian Robiskie, Derrick Williams

Although I don’t have the particulars, it seems that the “auction has been called off” according to someone with information on the matter, you’ll see here that you can no longer bid, although it was to run until 8PM tonight.

I don’t know specifically what transpired, but I know enough to know that those in Florham Park were aware of it and although nothing’s been confirmed yet one way or another, it seems that someone (or someones) stepped up to the plate to help out Mr. Grantham.

For those of you who were kind enough to donate, thank you. From what I hear, for as much as the ring means, our money will likely go to something far, far better … it sounds like it will go to help Mr. Grantham pay off some of the medical bills he’s accrued. So Grantham gets his ring and can help to defray the costs of his medicine, and we all feel good about helping out a former Jet that deserves our thanks.

For all the headscratching PR moves that the Jets have made over the last month with the coach switch (and again, I don’t know that they did intervene, but if they did …) they deserve all the credit in the world for helping out. Well done Woody & Company!

Well done Jets fans! Well done Freedom House! Well done beat reporters! Well done Jets (unconfirmed) organization!! It’s a good day!

More to come … we’re sure …

UPDATE: NJ.com is reporting that the owners of the memorabilia firm pulled Grantham’s ring because they’re recovering alcoholics and were “moved to tears.” (Thanks SD99!)

HUGE tip of the cap to the good folks of Hugging Harold Reynolds who made me aware of this …

BIG ups to Freedom House for championing this.  Beyond our generosity to Larry Grantham, they can still use our help to empower the less fortunate to break their addictions.

With the hiring of Doug Plank, commenter nyckage noted that he wasn’t all that familiar with what the 46 defense was. So, we thought it would be a good idea to explain a little bit about the enigmatic 46 to TJB readers. Since the 46 defense is, in a way, the “half-brother” of our new Head Coach, it’s clear that the same blood that courses through the 46, courses through the veins of the Jets new coach. Even though I don’t think you’ll see the Jets lining up in this formation predominantly in 2009, it will help us to understand the principles and history behind the Ryan family’s defensive philosophy.

History

The 46 defense came from the desire to stop run-heavy teams by 1980s Chicago Bears’ Defensive Coordinator Buddy Ryan (Rex’s dad) who later became coach of the Eagles and Cardinals. The ’85 Bears team is considered by many to be one of the most dominant defensive units ever in the history of the NFL and most great defenses are measured by that stick. The defense was distinctly Ryan’s invention. Ryan has been widely regarded as one of the league’s greatest minds in terms of defense. Ryan started in the league in the 1960s with the New York Jets helping with Jets’ Super Bowl III defense and then moved to Minnesota to help create the “Purple People Eater” defense of the 70s.

In the late 70s, Ryan moved to Chicago as the defensive coordinator for the Bears. Once in Chicago, Ryan began developing the 46. The name of the scheme is not based on the personnel like the 3-4, but based on the jersey number of one of Buddy Ryan’s favorite (who now works for Ryan’s son Rex in New York) players, Safety Doug Plank. Plank was “all out” hard-hitting safety, and Ryan relished his style of play. As an honor to the player he respected so much, the system was named after Plank.

Next up, we’ll write about scheming the 46 …

Filip Bondy of the Daily News wrote today about how the Jets and Favre might be stuck with each other but let’s look at the heart of his column, FJM style:

The unraveling was painful to watch, sure. But Favre’s biceps tendon apparently was torn, and nobody was forcing Mangini to keep the guy out there, throwing downfield.

It was a “damned if you do” situation for Mangini but he should have had the stones to head it off at the pass rather than scream obscenties from the sideline as he watched Favre sink the ship for him. Mangini was somewhat blindsided, or he would have sent us a message like Lane Kiffin was kind enough to with his 76 Yard Kick decision.

It would have been a bloody coup to bench Favre, and let’s be honest, Woody was looking for any reason to fire Mangini as it was … what with Woody’s “decision tree” and all.

For Mangini to have benched Favre, the hue and cry for Mangini’s noggin among fans would have been even more amplified. Mangini seemingly hoped to have Favre hoist himself on his own petard, but what Mangini wasn’t planning on was being hoisted himself from a management that cut his legs out from under him in midst hoist.

Favre tried his hardest,

Seriously?

Tried his hardest to throw the ball to opponents? Tried his hardest to look stupefied on the sideline? Tried his hardest to make us feel sorry for an injury that he told us wasn’t an excuse? Tried his hardest to tell his team that he didn’t give a crap in the CBS miked pre-game huddle before the Dolphins game? Tried his hardest to create the “distant” nature around him and shroud himself from his teammates? Tried his hardest to be petty about buying into Mangini’s system after the team went out of their way to revive his career? Need I go on?

and here’s the truth that you don’t want to hear: The Jets probably can’t do better right now. Favre is their best bet for 2009, until they maneuver themselves out of this high-stakes gamble that they lost in 2008.

False. I don’t call 24 turnovers from “one player in 53″ the best they can do. The Jets took the ball away 30 times in 2008, that was good enough for fourth in the league. How many times did they give it away? 31, good enough for fourth worst in the league. Of those 31 giveaways, Favre threw 22 INTs and lost two fumbles, so that’s 24/31 giveaways for which Favre was directly responsible.

You can cry foul on that one. Any QB is going to create turnovers, because he touches the ball so much. But how did Brett perform so badly and Bondy still thinks he’s the best option?

Rookie QB Joe Flacco who was playing against teams like Monmouth and William and Mary just a year ago, started 16 games like Favre and accounted for just 14 turnovers. Rookie QB Matt Ryan? 12. Kerry Collins? 8. Chad? 8. OK, maybe not the best examples. But even David Garrard, who had a lackluster season, allowed only 16 turnovers, eight less than Favre.

Don’t kid yourself. If the Jets thought Kellen Clemens was a starter, he’d be starting.

Clemens didn’t have a great camp last summer, and that was a big part of the reason the team went for Favre in the first place. I don’t know what the future holds for the kid, but his 2007 numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt compared to what he had around him. With a better line and running game, Clemens would be improved, just like Chad would have been. Clemens had a ton of picks in 2007, but could it possibly have been worse than Favre was in 2008? At least you could have dictated to the kid what to do.

If they thought they could get a younger, stronger, cheaper version of Favre, they would have done that.

It doesn’t exist. Favre is one of a kind, we get it. But no feet-on-the-ground team wants anyone who will turn the ball over as much as he does. Smart teams want a QB who knows that interceptions kill teams, and learn from their mistakes.

Almost anything is better than Favre. The uninspired play of a middling QB like Garard would be better suited to the team, and would have allowed the defense to do it’s job and snuck a couple more wins out of the season. Half Favre’s 24 turnovers (12) puts the Jets into the elite class (+11) of the 2008 NFL, with only Miami (+17) Tennessee (+14) and Baltimore (+13) with a better differential.

But what am I saying? Favre is the best guy for the Jets, right Filip? Favre was at his best when he stuck within the “game manager role” during the season. It was the time of the Jets wildest successes, but we had to let Favre be Favre, and as he has shown throughout his career he refuses to learn from costly, even ball-kickingly painful mistakes.

Interestingly, Mangini said that he wants Favre back, but the truth is that it’s a politic answer by Mangini … there’s no other way to answer that question and not incite a John Madden / Peter King led riot.

On his reaction to Coach Mangini saying he wants Favre back next year …

We haven’t really discussed it.  My focus is Miami.  The little bit that we have talked about was that more or less we’ll talk about it once the season’s over, which, in fairness to the rest of the team, is the best way to handle it.

On whether he will come back next year …

I came into the season, as I’ve said numerous times this year, with the thought of taking it week by week.  It’s a different situation.  But I’m 39 years old.  This is 18 years for me.  It’s a totally new situation.  Obviously, the odds were not only against me, but against this team from the start.  There were high expectations.  I wanted to focus solely on this year.  There’s no way I could focus on next year or would focus on next year.  I didn’t think I’d be here to begin with after everything that had taken place during the off­season.  There’s still one game left.  Do I see myself playing here next year?  I didn’t see myself playing here this time last year.  There are some things that the team probably needs to think about as far as next year’s concerned and some things that I need to think about and we need to discuss amongst ourselves. It’s way premature to think about that when we have the Dolphins coming in. I have no idea.  I know some things need to fall into place for us to make it.  Most importantly, we need to win this football game.  We obviously have struggled here lately. They brought me in here to lead this team and win football games, and that’s what I’m trying to do. I don’t want to focus on what’s going to happen next year.  This very well could be my last game.  I’m aware of that.  I’d like to make it a memorable one.

On how his retirement after last season changed his perspective on this season …

I do soak it all in.  Win or lose, however the season plays out, I think back to last year, that whole year for me, it was obviously a great year.  I would have liked for it to have been a little bit better.  But I remember every moment.  I remember every game.  I remember the guys I played with and different places we played.  I think as a young player, you think about a lot of different things.  Being your last game, you really don’t think about, or your last season.  You grow to appreciate the game itself and how quickly it goes by, because it does.  No different than you think back to high school, grade school.  I always use that as an example.  ‘Man, can I ever get out of here.’ Move out of this town, go to college, get away from my parents.  You get away and you go, ‘this wasn’t quite as bad as I thought it was.’  Well, here it is 18 years later.  It’s been a great career.  This year was a gamble, I guess you could say a risk, whatever you want to call it.  I can honestly say I’m thankful I was given the opportunity here.  It’s been a lot of fun.  It’s been good and bad at times as far as our season has gone, but I’m glad I came.  I made the right decision.  Hopefully we win this football game and see what happens.  I’m sure a lot of people are not saying good things about us, but it’s been fun fighting with these guys.  Whatever happens after this, happens.  But I think I’m way more aware of the situation I’m in, the surroundings, appreciating it.  It’s hard to play 18 years.  Most of the time they run you off way before that.  So I’m thankful for the opportunity not only this year but the ones I’ve had.  I just try to enjoy it.  If you ask most of those guys in the room, they would tell you I enjoy it as much as anyone.  It’s not fabricated.  I’m hoping this one goes in our favor.  I don’t ever want to look back and think, ‘What if I would have just did this or that?’  I can honestly say I don’t think I would ever look back and say that.

On whether he will feel “butterflies” this game the way he felt before the first game …

I really feel that before every game.  I think that’s a good thing.  The game never gets old ­ although we do (smiling). That’s why the game itself is loved by a lot of people. You never know.  You never know.  Here I am as a New York Jet.  You never know. To withstand all the things I’ve had to go through throughout my career to me is impressive.  Before every game I get those butterflies.  I get nervous. I get excited.  It becomes tougher as you get older to go through the weekly stuff, but the game has never gotten old to me.  This game will be no different.  I’m well aware it could be my last game, but I’m going to go out, play as hard as I can and prepare as well as I can.  That’s all you can do.

On whether he has a timetable in making a decision about next year…

Mike Tannenbaum and I, and I’m sure Eric (Mangini), we may talk about it some this week, just more or less set a time. If we’re not in the playoffs, (we’ll) talk about it the first part of next week.  Mike has said to me numerous times, ‘whenever the season is over, take a little time. We’ll talk about it.’ Unless I just go in there today and say, ‘That’s it’ ­ which is not going to happen. I don’t want to go through what happened last year, for me and for everyone else.  Physically that has something to do with it, as well.  I played every game since ’92.  That’s not to say that some things don’t bother me.  That will play a part in this decision, as well.

On speculation that he feels “fatigued” …

Well, fatigue, I wouldn’t disagree (smiling).

On his arm …

It feels okay.  It does.  There’s some throws I personally think I can make, but at times I haven’t.  I still think there’s some throws I make that other guys, maybe their arm strength is not as strong, but I’m talking about me specifically. I don’t run like some quarterbacks do, but some quarterbacks don’t throw like I do.  It’s all basically my expectations of myself and what I can do. I attribute some of that to age.  I think the pending physical that every player goes through after the last game will shed some light on some things, but we’ll see.

On whether he or Chad Pennington need to justify their value to their new teams …

I don’t think I need to justify anything.  I don’t think Chad needs to, as well.  I don’t know Chad that well personally.  I played against him numerous times.  I don’t know the stats and all those things, and not that that really matters.  The most important thing is winning and losing. I would bet, if you ask the Miami Dolphins, they’re thrilled to death that they have Chad Pennington.  He’s done an outstanding job for them, he really has.  He’s worthy of everything that’s being said about him.  Great pickup for them.  Probably a big difference in their season, as well as (Bill) Parcells, their head coach (Tony Sparano) and some other players.  It goes without staying the type of leader he has been for them and for this team.  I haven’t found one person in this building that has said one thing negative about Chad Pennington. It’s not about me and Chad Pennington, although that is what basically plays out most of the time, especially when we’re playing against them, the fact that they’re where they are and we have kind of fallen to where we are.

The only thing I can say is I’m glad I got an opportunity here.  I hope from a leadership standpoint I’m everything and then some that they wanted me to be.  I can assure you the Dolphins will say the same thing. There are two different styles of play between the two of us, but you can say that about guys across this league wherever, at whatever position.  It just so happens it played out that way:  I’m here and he’s there.  I’d like to think it’s been a good pick for both teams. Both teams are obviously better than they were last year.  That’s not because of Brett Favre and it’s not because of Chad Pennington, but I do think we’ve helped out some. I have nothing but the utmost respect for him.  I said this before I played in the first game, I don’t think I’d ever beaten him.  If you want to say that quarterbacks get wins and losses, which I still think is unfair, I finally got one against him.  In that game, he played exceptionally well also.  I hold him in the highest regards.  I think a lot of him.  People in that (Jets locker) room think a lot of him, but it’s the Dolphins versus the Jets.  I don’t feel like I have to justify anything, nor does he.

On the theater of the Jets playing the Dolphins in the season finale …

I don’t make the schedule; I don’t make the trades.  I just know that Chad probably would love to get this one for a lot of reasons ­ most importantly where their team will end up.  The fact that it will be, ‘Hey, Chad, beat your old team.’ I’m aware of all that stuff. I don’t pay a whole lot of attention.  I really don’t.  I guess it does make for a good script.  It is what it is.

On sounding like he is leaning toward not coming back next season …

I’m disappointed, as everyone else in this building is disappointed.  The opportunities that were presented to us, we couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity.  I’m disappointed because we didn’t capitalize on that, as our fans are, and as everyone else is.  That’s what you’re seeing right now. We’ll have practice today.  I’ll go out there and try to be the leader I’ve been from day one, from the first game I played in (in 1992) against Cincinnati.  That’s all I can do.  When the game is over Sunday, we’ll know more.  We’ll just go from there. I’m not going to sit up here and be happy­go­lucky.  I came here, it was whatever and then got out of here. I’m just being honest with you.  I’m disappointed, like everyone else.

On whether ending on a bad note might effect his decision …

I could be playing for 10 more years and end on a bad note.  I have no idea.  Last year was about as bad as it could end.  As wonderful as last season was, it was disappointing the way we ended.  Every year there’s only one team that can walk away and say it ended pretty good.  There’s only one team.  I know that for a fact, because I was fortunate enough to get a Super Bowl ring in ’96, early in my career. I thought, ‘This is not that hard.’  Kind of like (Dan) Marino.  He goes his (second) year, (he’s thinking) ‘I’ll be back.’  He never went back. I don’t want to be chasing ghosts.

I feel like at certain times during this year, I thought, ‘Hey, we might be back there.’  I could be sitting here telling you five years from now, ‘Hey, we’ll get back.’  You’ll be dragging me on the field, but we’ll get back (smiling).  As I said last year and the year before, I think it’s been a wonderful career.  Believe me.  You name it, I’ve got it, good and bad.  I got every good record and I’ve got every bad record.  Individual honors, they’ve come my way.  Believe me, for a kid from Southern Mississippi who wanted to dress out in a pro football uniform and dreamed of playing for the Saints, it’s been a pretty good run. Whether I walk away today, three years ago, I can’t look back and say, ‘Boy, that’s one thing I wanted to do.’  It’s been outstanding.  So one play, one season is not going to make a difference.

On the Jets still having a chance to make the Playoffs …

We do.  I’m trying to tell you guys that, too.  We have to get ready for the Miami Dolphins.  I’m sure you sat in their press conferences last year for the Giants, you had written those guys off, just like everyone else had.  I use those guys as an example.  We played them early in the year and we beat them pretty soundly.  I didn’t even think playoffs (for them) were in my mind.  I said ‘This team’s done.’ They were outstanding at the end of the year. Now, we could play outstanding this week and not get in.  We have no one to blame but ourselves.  I know that.  The guys in the building know that, but we do have a chance.  We’re doing ourselves an injustice if we don’t go play this game and play the only way we can, and that’s to win the football game.  If we don’t make it, then everyone can say whatever.  They’re saying it now, but we have to win this football game.

On whether he thinks there is something physically wrong with him …

I’m sure if we MRI’d enough, we’d probably find something (smiling).  During the course of the year, there were numerous times where I had been asked about my shoulder.  It had been hit a couple times.  I don’t know.  Just knowing my body, there may be something, but there’s no test yet to reveal anything.  I’m able to go out.  I practiced yesterday.  I know you don’t stay around for the whole practice, but I threw the ball.  I felt pretty good yesterday, considering it was a Tuesday. I have had my moments.  I think it will reveal one way or another if there is something wrong.  I don’t want to make a big deal of it.  I don’t want to make excuses because I feel like I can make every throw.

The 2008 Brett Favre World Tour came crashing to a halt in Seattle tonight.

But even though Favre’s still throwing crossfield backfooted interceptions, and even though Schottenheimer refuses to ride his true horse, and even though Coles seemingly dropped more passes than he caught, and even though the Jets punted instead of kicking a crucial field goal, and went for it instead of punted, and even though the defense couldn’t get off the field, there’s still a false hope that the Jets could conceivably sneak into the playoffs …

But seriously, is there any reason to watch this team an extra week after the way that they’ve played since they thought they won the Super Bowl by beating Tennessee?

I thought they were a 9 win team going into this season, and it brings me no joy to be proven right.