Jets Fans Have Some Shopping to Do

Let’s say you are a successful business man. Do other businessmen wear black suits with your name on the back? I would hope not. That wouldn’t exactly be professional.

 

But what does this NFL columnist know about work attire and fashion? Everything.

 

Well, everything about the only kind of clothes that matter.

 

Honestly, I can think of a million reasons to love the spectacle of sports, especially because I know what it means to be a die-hard fan.

 

I understand the allure of being a barbaric supporter, one that screams at the top of his lungs, hangs onto every play for 17 weeks of a regular-season—and if you’re lucky enough, the postseason—and spends more money on tickets than the monthly mortgage rate.

 

The biggest, most interesting aspect of being a fan, however, has to be the fascination of collecting team merchandise and attire. Jerseys, hats, t-shorts, shorts, sneakers, posters, pennants, office decorations, kitchen utensils—they all fall under this category.

 

That’s the beauty of sports: all rules are broken. You can wear someone else’s work clothes and be embraced for it. In fact, you feel fully submerged in an unflappable fraternity for doing so.

 

With Saturday’s preseason contest against the New York Giants looming, the Jets have been busy. They named prized rookie Mark Sanchez the starting quarterback, continued to work toward getting in shape for the regular season and unveiled a new shade of jerseys.

 

On Thursday, the Jets showed off their new, white New York Titans uniforms, which they will wear on Oct. 25 at Oakland.

 

“I like ‘em. They pop,” Jerricho Cotchery said after a brief ceremony at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, according to the team’s web site. “You can’t do anything but just stare at them. They’re nice-looking jerseys. I think they complement the (gold) pants well. I like them better than the blue.”

 

The Jets have worn dark blue Titans jerseys at least once over the past couple of seasons, in honor of their AFL roots. It’s a fantastic idea. Quite frankly, it just got better.

 

“I like wearing the different jerseys. It makes you appreciate all the guys that were before us,” Cotchery said. “You see them around the league, but I love wearing our jerseys. It’s a completely different look than our regular jerseys.”

 

In addition to sporting the white uniforms for two games, the Jets will don the Titans’ blue tops on Sept. 27 against the Tennessee Titans, according to New York’s web site.

 

The Jets, who are celebrating their 50th season this year and will wear a patch on their uniforms all season, will also have an AFL patch on their three throwback weekends. Admit it—we’re all suckers for promotional gimmicks. This one we shouldn’t feel bad for taking part in.

 

It’s remarkable a simple upgrade to a team’s uniform can boost morale around the locker room, too.

 

“It’s a long time and we’ve won only one championship and we want to add to that this year,” Cotchery said.  “We want to make this year special. Fifty years is a long time.”

 

At least they’ve done it in style.

 

There is no denying it would be awesome if the Meadowlands’ seats were filled with fans dressed in the new, upbeat jerseys to create a white-out.

 

Come to think of it, where’s my credit card?

Sanchez Could Become One Of Area’s Sports Beacons

Mark Sanchez, though in the infant stages of what could be a remarkable career, has the rare chance to become an icon in the New York area.

 

The Jets successfully moved up in the draft for chance to acquire Sanchez, a quarterback with enough juice in his right arm and plenty of charisma necessary to blossom into a life-long winner. Now, it’s time to watch and hope.

 

We’ve been lucky enough to witness several exceptional athletes who not only finished, or will finish, as the ultimate masters of their craft but also spent their entire careers with one of our teams.

 

Over the last 25 years, that precious fraternity is occupied by Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Lawrence Taylor and Martin Brodeur.

 

Frank Sinatra gave the New York area quite a label when he sang, “If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere.”

 

To be honest, the fact that Jeter, Rivera, Taylor and Brodeur never made it anywhere else is endearing. It’s something New York sports fans have cherished, are cherishing and should always cherish.

 

Now, do we dare claim Sanchez has the chance to join the club one day, even after just one preseason game?

 

I realize I’m playing with fire because millions of negative factors could derail this dream. But wouldn’t it be something if maybe, just maybe, the Jets found the next one?

 

Jeter has been a fixture at shortstop for the Yankees, and is well on his way toward reaching 3,000 hits. But now we understand why the four-time World Series champion was chosen to close out Yankee Stadium with a speech so meaningful, it will forever be cemented in the hearts of those who called the old place home.

 

Like Jeter, it’s hard to imagine the Yankees without Rivera, arguably the greatest reliever in baseball history.

 

When it comes to football in our town, Taylor is a staple in the Giants’ franchise. He was a 10-time Pro Bowl selection, two-time Super Bowl champion and life-long member of Big Blue.

 

Drifting away from our usual pastimes, it’s a shame our country now views hockey as a niche sport because many are missing out on witnessing the best goaltender to skate on NHL ice. We toss around words like ‘best’ or ‘greatest’ in sports like teenage girls use ‘love’ in the midst of high school crushes but there’s proof Brodeur is second to none.

 

This past year, he surpassed Hall of Fame netminder Patrick Roy for first place on the all-time wins list. In addition, Brodeur needs just two shutouts to tie Terry Sawchuk’s record of 103.

 

“He’s getting records that won’t be broken, in my opinion, and for him to be that great and for me to be a part of it, it’s amazing to be a part of history,” Devils left wing Zach Parise told me after his three-time Stanley Cup-winning teammate notched his 100^th career shutout on March 1.

 

See, everyone can feel it when greatness is present.

 

Jeter, Rivera, Taylor and Brodeur changed our ways of rooting for New York area teams over the past 25 years, and reminding ourselves of the second-tier greats and their asterisks in this town only enhances that group’s allure.

 

Phil Simms was a Big Apple lifer and winner, but was he really superior at his job?

 

Jason Kidd took the Nets and made them contenders before he demanded a trade, triggering a messy divorce.

 

Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky helped shape an era in Rangers history – as did Mike Piazza with the Mets – but they each spent many years with opposing teams.

 

Patrick Ewing, who made it extremely difficult to leave off the list, caused considerable erosion on his legacy when he fled to Seattle in 2000.

 

Needless to say, the list goes on and on.

 

We have some gifted residents with potential to join Jeter, Rivera, Taylor and Brodeur in the next decade or so, too.

 

Maybe David Wright will spend his whole career with the Mets and even, gulp, lead them to the biggest of victories in the fall.

 

Maybe Henrik Lundqvist will play long enough with the blue shirts to sniff Brodeur’s win mark.

 

Maybe John Tavares, the top pick in June’s NHL draft, will flourish as a Sidney Crosby clone with the rebuilding Islanders.

 

Yes, perhaps Eli Manning is closer than any of those aforementioned names to reaching the paramount and becoming a true icon. With a new, hefty contract signed and sealed this offseason, he just needs to hoist one or two more Vince Lombardi trophies.

 

But somehow, the kid with one foot off the start line seems to be the most fun to root for.

 

Sanchez, who always says the right things, began his NFL career with an electric 48-yard completion to David Clowney in last week’s exhibition opener against the Rams. Not a bad start.

 

It gave us a little taste of what may be a routine occurrence for years to come. It opened the door for what all of us in the New York area love most about sports: hope.

 

Hope and continuous execution are two completely different things, though. In fact, that line separates Jeter, Rivera, Taylor and Brodeur from the others.

 

It would be something if Sanchez joins them one day.

 

Wouldn’t it?

Brett Favre’s Latest Comeback Burns Bridge with New York Jets Faithful

Brett Favre fumbled his final chance of retaining a sterling legacy by signing with the Minnesota Vikings this past week.

That much we know. And by now, we should know the drill.

We’ve come to realize Favre monopolizes the headlines in the sports media universe, and at times, it feels like hell to know the hoopla is just beginning—again.

We learned an awful lot about Favre this past week. He, without words, called his brief stint with the New York Jets a time of waiting in purgatory.

He didn’t have to say it. You know he was thinking it.

By coming out of retirement once again and inking a two-year, $25 million deal with the Vikings, Gang Green’s faithful can officially delete the memory of “Broadway Brett” from their minds, but not before tossing those barely used No. 4 jerseys in the trash. Heck, I might wash the car with mine.

Favre knew from the start where he wanted to be. After Green Bay’s management ended the 16-year relationship with the future Hall of Fame quarterback because it wanted to usher in the Aaron Rodgers era, the 39-year-old Favre began concocting the ultimate revenge plan.

It just took him a year to carry it out.

Minnesota had showed interest in Favre after he officially announced his retirement—the first time—on Mar. 4, 2008. He claimed he wasn’t fully committed to the retirement plan and still had the urge to play for a Super Bowl contender.

Then, FOX Sports reporter Jay Glazer broke the news that the Packers filed tampering charges against the Vikings in mid-June. League commissioner Roger Goodell found no such evidence, and Favre applied for reinstatement. Five days later, No. 4 was back.

And to think we were convinced that was the final lap on the roller coaster.

Instead, it just kept going faster and faster. Favre was traded to the Jets on Aug. 7. Suddenly, the Cheese Heads weren’t as hip as the Cheesecake Heads.

Favre then used strong play in the first half of the campaign to lift the hopes of Jets fans to levels unseen in a decade. That, of course, was before he complained of a bum throwing arm, which turned out to be a huge factor in the team’s 8-3 start transforming into another ho-hum season without a playoff splash.

As the Jets’ hopes shattered into fragments of despair once the Miami Dolphins clinched the division title, everyone knew Favre had worn his last shade of green.

But somehow, some way, we knew he wasn’t done.

At this point, it’s fair to say Favre used the Jets to buy time before his real dream—propelled by revenge—would come to fruition. Now, just like he robbed Kellen Clemens a chance to earn a starting spot at quarterback, he has cost Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson an opportunity to lead a legitimate contender.

“It’s something that wasn’t a total shock,” said Rosenfels, according to the team’s web site. “Obviously this has been three months in the ongoing sort of thing. So for me personally, this wasn’t what I was hoping for. … If the team needs me this year, when the team needs me this year, I’m going to be ready.”

“It’s not a good feeling, but you have to take it for what it’s worth and try and get better from it,” added Jackson.

That’s the only sad song those two can sing at this point.

In addition, it’s puzzling that the Minnesota brain trust invested so much in Favre, whose partially torn rotator cuff is likely to worsen over the course of the season. A medical source stated that “he’s at high risk (for greater tearing) both because of trauma and his style of play,” according to RotoTimes.com.

Nevertheless, this is the dark path that Favre chose. That’s why it’s comical the catchphrase plastered on the front page of Minnesota’s web site reads, “Are you ready for some football?”

So here we are, lost in the silence, torn between rooting for Favre to punctuate a fantastic career and for him to learn a much-deserved lesson the hard way. Like it or not, Favre is back. He dares us to root for him, too.

Once he takes the field in Friday’s preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, you’ll hear a distinct, sarcastic snicker of encouragement from Gang Green nation: Break a leg, Brett.

On The Mark: Sanchez a Big Hit In Jets Debut

In actuality, the kid was already the toast of the evening before it even started.

 

But for good measure, Mark Sanchez kicked off his career as the Jets’ golden boy with a bang.

 

The fifth-overall selection in April’s draft was welcomed by a vociferous ovation when his name was called after Kellen Clemens’ night was over in the first quarter of Friday’s preseason opener.

 

Though the Jets fell short in a 23-20 loss to the St. Louis Rams, the rookie’s rousing debut instilled a sense of hope in the Gang Green universe.

 

“When I ran out, everyone was saying how loud it was and it seemed like (the stadium) was full,” said Sanchez, whose strong effort—not a meaningless loss—resonated with all in attendance. “I said I didn’t hear anything. I was just… making sure we had a good huddle. It was wonderful; I’m really appreciative.”

 

On his first NFL snap, Sanchez connected with David Clowney for a 48-yard completion along the right side of the field. From there, the 22-year-old Sanchez looked the part, the image of a quarterback better suited than Clemens to lead a winning club.

 

“I was stunned at the play call,” Sanchez said. “They wanted me to shoot three-pointers cold, but it was great. It’s just so exciting to be playing here.”

 

Sanchez continued to scan the field and unleash bullets that chronically punctured the vulnerable Rams’ secondary. The former Southern California standout hooked up with tight end Dustin Keller twice in his series, giving fans a glimpse of what could be a fruitful friendship on the offensive end.

 

The chains kept moving, as they do when things are going well on the field, and Sanchez eventually handed off to Thomas Jones on the goal line for a touchdown and 10-3 advantage at 3:20 of the second quarter.

 

What did coach Rex Ryan like about his new $50 million-dollar man?

 

“You name it—everything,” Ryan said on the field at halftime. “He has poise; he made great decisions mid-range and long range. He looked great.”

 

Sanchez completed 3-of-4 passes and racked up 88 yards, causing fans to quickly forget a ho-hum cameo from Clemens.

 

“You just take it in stride; I wasn’t the fifth pick in the draft,” Clemens said. “I came in hoping to challenge Chad Pennington for a job and now I’m doing it with Mark.”

 

A second-round pick in the 2006 draft, Clemens absorbed a hard hit from Leonard Little in his first series and lost a fumble at 2:42 of the first quarter. That gaffe paved the way for St. Louis to eventually claim a 3-0 lead on Josh Brown’s 48-yard field goal.

 

In his second and final set, Clemens looked much more comfortable and even connected with Keller on an impressive 12-yard completion after scrambling through a suffocating pocket.

 

Nevertheless, it appears Sanchez has clearly tipped the scales in his favor to start the regular-season opener in Houston on Sept. 13.

 

“We’re really making it tough for the coaches to decide on a starter,” Sanchez said. “That’s what we’re supposed to do.”

 

Clemens, who completed all four of his passes and recorded 24 yards, realizes his grasp on the outside chance of starting under center is slipping.

 

“Mark did a good job,” Clemens said. “He’s been doing a great job so far with fitting in. This is a friendly competition, but only one of us can play on Sundays.”

 

Clemens did a valiant job offsetting a depleted offensive line, ravaged by minor injuries to Damien Woody (head), Alan Faneca (broken finger) and center Nick Mangold (knee).

 

That, however, is not what the fans came to see. They flocked to East Rutherford to witness the beginning of something special.

 

Turns out, they got their money’s worth—even if it was for just one series.

 

 

 

Rex Ryan and Steve Spagnuolo Set To Begin New Chapter As Head Coaches

One defensive coordinator was rumored to take over as the new Jets’ head coach, while the other actually was hired.

 

One is known for being a hard-nosed drill sergeant, while the other believes in laying back and watching his celebrated X’s and O’s on the defensive side of the ball translate into victories.

 

One is a 49-year-old with a Super Bowl ring, and the other is a 46-year-old also boasting some shiny jewelry on his finger.

 

One is Steve Spagnuolo. The other is Rex Ryan.

 

When Spagnuolo’s St. Louis Rams and Ryan’s Jets clash in Friday’s preseason opener (7:00, WCBS), prognosticators will focus on the training-camp subplots growing by the minute. It will be interesting to see how the Mark Sanchez/Kellen Clemens race pans out, and how young—or old—Steven Jackson’s legs look.

 

The real story, the one we should all celebrate, is how Spagnuolo and Ryan finally get to see their extensive resumes pay off. You would be hearing lies if they each claimed butterflies won’t be dancing in their stomachs prior to their NFL head coaching debuts.

 

Spagnuolo spent eight years as an assistant to Jim Johnson in Philadelphia before taking over as defensive coordinator for the New York Giants in 2007. And we all know how he anchored “The Little Blue Engine That Could,” which sacked Tom Brady five times—the most he’d been taken down in a game that season—and generated the “18-1” chants as the Super Bowl XLII clock dwindled to zeros.

 

Following interviews with the Lions, Browns, Broncos, and Jets, Spagnuolo agreed to a four-year, $11.5 million contract to guide St. Louis. The Rams finished 2-14 in the awful NFC West and yielded 465 overall points last season.

 

The daunting rebuilding project is underway in a loud manner, ever since full contact and going all-out have become staples at Camp Spags.

 

“It is definitely quite a shock,” Jackson, a running back and victim of the hard hits, told the Sporting News. “It’s something that is not routinely done. I understand the benefits of it, and I am just trying to go with the flow.”

 

The other Rams clearly see the profit as well, as they reportedly have taken a liking to an ultra-intense workout.

 

“That’s encouraging,” Spagnuolo told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “If you had it the other way, I’d be a little concerned about people not wanting to be physical. But the guys have been tremendous. I walk in (the huddle) now and say it’s not live, and they’re all, ‘C’mon! c’mon! How come it’s not live?'”

 

Meanwhile, Ryan, who spent several years helping the Baltimore Ravens transform into one of the most feared defensive clubs in decades, brings a fresh attitude to a team in desperate need of one.

 

“I always wanted to be on the sideline. I always wanted the feel of the game,” Ryan said, according to the Jets’ web site. “When I was a coordinator, even a position coach, I was up in the box one year and couldn’t take it. I did much better on the field.

 

“I always thought you got a better feel for the game, what your guys were like, just the feeling that you would get down there.”

 

Ryan, whose team is armed with a potent defense and electric running game, respects his first two assignments.

 

“You have Spagnuolo’s defense this week, and you have the Ravens next week. There are probably some easier games to open up preseason with, but it’ll be great because the competition will be fantastic,” Ryan said.

 

“I can honestly say, I can’t tell you a single preseason game score that I’ve ever been involved in, and that’s a bunch of them. Win, loss—we all know it doesn’t really matter.”

 

You can bet this one will mean a little bit more to Spagnuolo and Ryan, the new guys learning on the job.

Chansi Stuckey Could Emerge as a Key Contributor for the New York Jets

Rex Ryan has been pressed into admitting Jerricho Cotchery is on an island that holds no other viable option at wide receiver and one too many quarterbacks.

 

The Jets’ first-year head coach is reportedly disappointed no one has emerged as the clear-cut second wideout to complement Cotchery, and went as far as suggesting receiving coach Henry Ellard, 48, is the best option out there according to the New York Post.

 

Whether he’s trying to spark a fire or simply exercise more of his humorous tactics, Ryan does, in fact, have a wild card waiting in the wings ready to join Cotchery and tight end Dustin Keller as trusted targets for whoever wins the starting quarterback job.

 

He just has to give Chansi a chance.

 

Chansi Stuckey was impressive in the 2007 pre-season by catching 11 passes. The rookie’s first dip in NFL waters was a success, but also irrelevant considering other receivers named Brent Celek, Paris Warren, and Delanie Walker hauled in more receptions.

 

And we all know it’s a fool’s game to pass any judgment on players or teams before the regular season commences. The 25-year-old Stuckey further validated that adage as he went on to sit out the entire 2007 campaign with a broken foot.

 

A year later, the former Clemson standout benefited from a healthy recovery and shined in the first three games of the following regular season, registering 12 catches, 122 yards and three touchdowns.

 

Stuckey’s production, however, slowed considerably the rest of the way. He finished with 32 catches, 359 yards, and three scores for an offense that also went down the tubes in the second half.

 

Just days away from the pre-season opener against the St. Louis Rams (Friday, 7:00 pm; WCBS), Stuckey is hoping to take the next step in his career with the help of Ellard—a former receiver who surpassed 1,000 yards four times during a 16-year tenure in the league.

 

“He lets you figure out a lot of things on your own and then he coaches you,” Stuckey said, according to the team’s web site. “Me being a young guy—it’s only my third year—I look to him for a lot of wisdom. Every question I have, he always has an answer for it or an example that he’s had in his playing years.”

 

So here we are, asking a question more important to the Jets’ upcoming season than most care to admit: Should Ryan and the team’s braintrust turn to Stuckey’s small sample of brilliance for a hint of confidence, or worry about how he dropped off?

 

“Talk is talk. They can talk all they want,” Stuckey said of his naysayers. “But you have to do your playing on the field, so when the season comes all we are trying to do is come out and win games.”

 

It turns out the Jets have no choice but to hope Stuckey can become more consistent with more playing time now that Laveranues Coles is vapor. A seventh-round pick in the 2007 draft, Stuckey is up for the challenge.

 

“Every year, you have to take your game to a new level,” Stuckey said. “I’m just trying to do the outside as well as still doing the inside stuff and be a versatile receiver.”

 

According to the team’s web site, Stuckey worked out with former Jets receiver and 13-year NFL veteran Terance Mathis in the off-season.

 

“I picked up a bunch of things as far as route-running and body language and little tricks of the trade that I learned from him that are going to be very useful this season,” Stuckey said.

They’ll come in handy when the time comes to rise above David Clowney, Wallace Wright, Brad Smith, and Marcus Henry in the depth chart.

 

They’ll also be on display Friday, when the new and improved Stuckey takes the field and Chansi gets his first chance.

Rex Ryan Taking Full Control at First Training Camp

Rex Ryan is making sure no stone goes unturned in Cortland, New York, where the Jets and their first-year head coach began training camp on Friday.

 

Needless to say, the 46-year-old Ryan is forced to iron out a myriad of issues.  Fans are familiar with the most pressing problems surrounding the Jets, such as the stagnant contract negotiations with running backs Leon Washington and Thomas Jones, the looming four-game suspension for linebacker Calvin Pace, and the quarterback race between Kellen Clemens and rookie Mark Sanchez.

 

Ryan is taking charge of even bigger concerns, though.

 

“It is my first day on a diet,” Ryan said in a transcript provided by the Jets after Friday’s practice. “We’ll see how long that goes. You guys may want to have a bet with each other. It’s all liquid or something like that for five days. It’s going to work great.

 

“I feel good. [I had] oranges, lemons, and all that stuff to squeeze in there. It was a great breakfast. I’m looking forward to the vegetable thing that they have for me today.”

 

A married father of two, Ryan claims he weighed about 300 pounds at the conclusion of last season, when he was a defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Apparently, he decided to make a life change once he stepped on the scale and saw 340 stare back at him recently.

 

“I think it stemmed from the entire organization. They saw I weighed 340, I was like, that’s enough,” Ryan said. “I think I hit that spot I was looking for. Now I have to go back down in the other direction.”

 

Ryan, clearly expressing his self-deprecating humor, realizes he has more worries than having to consume a bad-tasting shake.

 

Known for concocting rabid defensive schemes for the hard-hitting Ravens over the last four seasons, Ryan was brought in to help an already strong defensive core reach its potential. Even in the wake of Pace’s setback, Gang Green’s defense should prove to be one of the league’s best thanks to entities such as Kerry Rhodes, Darrelle Revis, Bart Scott, David Harris and Jim Leonhard.

 

However, an uncultivated offense has already hinted it could be a weakness for Ryan and the Jets.

 

“The thing I was disappointed with today’s practice, if you want to go from a negative [standpoint], it would be [that] we had way too many guys jumping early on offense,” Ryan said. “I don’t even want to say the number [of times], but obviously we have to get that corrected.

 

“Some of that is expected. You have guys moving around and they’re itching to go. They’ve been away from it for a little bit and it’s certainly expected but it’s not going to be accepted. We have to make sure we get that done.”

 

Obviously it’s too early to label the offense as an Achilles’ heel, especially coming off a season during which the Jets ranked third in total scoring among AFC teams. That club, however, boasted the likes of veterans Brett Favre and Laveranues Coles.

 

Though the identity of New York’s offense has changed a bit, Ryan already established its creed: no mental gaffes.

 

“With this football team, if you’re going to beat us, I want you to try to beat us not because we’re making mistakes, and that’s something we always talk about,” Ryan said.  “We’re going to be a tough team to beat physically, so let’s eliminate the mental errors and the dumb penalties and make a team have to try and beat us physically and I think we’ll be in great shape.”

 

Several hours into training camp, the rookie coach seems to have it all figured out.

 

Ryan is definitely talking the talk. The countdown of him having to walk the walk has commenced.

 

Rex Ryan Taking Full Control at First Training Camp

Rex Ryan is making sure no stone goes unturned in Cortland, New York, where the Jets and their first-year head coach began training camp on Friday.

 

Needless to say, the 46-year-old Ryan is forced to iron out a myriad of issues.  Fans are familiar with the most pressing problems surrounding the Jets, such as the stagnant contract negotiations with running backs Leon Washington and Thomas Jones, the looming four-game suspension for linebacker Calvin Pace, and the quarterback race between Kellen Clemens and rookie Mark Sanchez.

 

Ryan is taking charge of even bigger concerns, though.

 

“It is my first day on a diet,” Ryan said in a transcript provided by the Jets after Friday’s practice. “We’ll see how long that goes. You guys may want to have a bet with each other. It’s all liquid or something like that for five days. It’s going to work great.

 

“I feel good. [I had] oranges, lemons, and all that stuff to squeeze in there. It was a great breakfast. I’m looking forward to the vegetable thing that they have for me today.”

 

A married father of two, Ryan claims he weighed about 300 pounds at the conclusion of last season, when he was a defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. Apparently, he decided to make a life change once he stepped on the scale and saw 340 stare back at him recently.

 

“I think it stemmed from the entire organization. They saw I weighed 340, I was like, that’s enough,” Ryan said. “I think I hit that spot I was looking for. Now I have to go back down in the other direction.”

 

Ryan, clearly expressing his self-deprecating humor, realizes he has more worries than having to consume a bad-tasting shake.

 

Known for concocting rabid defensive schemes for the hard-hitting Ravens over the last four seasons, Ryan was brought in to help an already strong defensive core reach its potential. Even in the wake of Pace’s setback, Gang Green’s defense should prove to be one of the league’s best thanks to entities such as Kerry Rhodes, Darrelle Revis, Bart Scott, David Harris and Jim Leonhard.

 

However, an uncultivated offense has already hinted it could be a weakness for Ryan and the Jets.

 

“The thing I was disappointed with today’s practice, if you want to go from a negative [standpoint], it would be [that] we had way too many guys jumping early on offense,” Ryan said. “I don’t even want to say the number [of times], but obviously we have to get that corrected.

 

“Some of that is expected. You have guys moving around and they’re itching to go. They’ve been away from it for a little bit and it’s certainly expected but it’s not going to be accepted. We have to make sure we get that done.”

 

Obviously it’s too early to label the offense as an Achilles’ heel, especially coming off a season during which the Jets ranked third in total scoring among AFC teams. That club, however, boasted the likes of veterans Brett Favre and Laveranues Coles.

 

Though the identity of New York’s offense has changed a bit, Ryan already established its creed: no mental gaffes.

 

“With this football team, if you’re going to beat us, I want you to try to beat us not because we’re making mistakes, and that’s something we always talk about,” Ryan said.  “We’re going to be a tough team to beat physically, so let’s eliminate the mental errors and the dumb penalties and make a team have to try and beat us physically and I think we’ll be in great shape.”

 

Several hours into training camp, the rookie coach seems to have it all figured out.

 

Ryan is definitely talking the talk. The countdown of him having to walk the walk has commenced.

 

Jets Need to Pay Leon Washington

 

The New York Jets and electric running back Leon Washington have been playing tug-of-war for too long now.

 

With training camp set to start on Friday in Cortland, New York, it’s imperative first-year head coach Rex Ryan has his most dynamic playmaker not only in attendance, but satisfied.

 

Cast in the shadows of Thomas Jones, Washington is asking for an extensive contact worth around $30 million, and could hold out until an agreement is reached.  His wishes are a bit drastic considering the 26-year-old has recorded just 1,451 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in three seasons as a part-time player.

 

However, according to Peter King of SI.com, the former Florida State standout could register up to 300 carries this season, which would easily surpass his career high of 151, set in his rookie year in 2006.

 

“He had six touchdowns on 73 carries last year.  That number has to go up—drastically. And it will,” Ryan told King in a published report.

 

Washington appears ready to handle an increased workload, too.

 

“Talking to Rex Ryan and the coaches, they are going to try and expand my role; get me the ball more,” Washington told the Associated Press.  “I am a competitor and I want to help the team win, so hopefully I get the ball more and put us in a position to win games.”

 

Washington, who is scheduled to earn the minimum salary of $535,000 in the fourth and final year of his rookie deal, touched the ball 200 times—123 from scrimmage—last season en route to being selected as the AFC’s kick returner in the Pro Bowl.

 

“This is where I want to be,” Washington told the AP.  “You look at my career—I believe that I did all the things I had to do on and off the field to have this contract extension.”

 

Perhaps the numbers don’t suggest that, considering he’d be making significantly more money than Jones, who led the AFC in rushing yards last season.  There’s no doubting Washington’s potential, though, and that alone should have been enough for New York’s brain trust to extend the contract before this conflict began.

 

With Jones set to turn 31 on August 19, Washington represents a safety net for an already questionable Jets offense.

 

After all, he’s more likely than Jones to join rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez as the joint face of the franchise once the Jets move into a new, lavish stadium next year.

 

Also unhappy about his contract, Jones is entering the third year of a four-year, $20-million deal, and had missed two weeks of his team’s workouts in the spring before deciding to show.  He is scheduled to make just $900,000 this campaign, despite coming off the best season of his nine-year career.

 

When it comes to prioritizing, general manager Mike Tannenbaum has an easy decision to make.  Would you rather extend the contract of a young, promising lightning bolt with enormous potential, or brush that problem aside and pony up for a worn, aging running back who has likely hit his ceiling?

Perhaps Tannenbaum has realized this already, since the New York Daily News is reporting Washington and the Jets want to reach an agreement by Friday.

Prior to last season, the San Diego Chargers made the mistake of putting all their eggs in the basket of the 30-year-old LaDainian Tomlinson, while letting an unhappy Michael Turner walk out the door.

Maybe Washington will never rush for 1,700 yards or become a finalist for the AP NFL MVP award like Turner did for the Atlanta Falcons last season, but it’s scary to think of letting a diamond in the rough escape.

The ball is in the Jets’ court. It’s time they convert this lay-up.

Report: Plaxico Burress Won’t Be a New York Jet

It appears the New York Jets will not be the team to give troubled wide receiver Plaxico Burress a second chance in the NFL, according to a published report.

 

Citing ESPN’s John Clayton, The New York Post on Monday reported that the Jets are not likely to sign the former Giants star.

 

“The Bears are pretty much all but ruled out the possibility of bringing (Burress) in and the Jets are almost in the same boat,” Clayton said. “Nobody is going to bring him in before the start of training camp, it looks like.”

 

Over the past few weeks, the Jets publicly voiced their interest in Burress, most likely because he would have given rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez a proven target to throw toward.

 

Burress, who shot himself in the thigh November 29 in a Manhattan nightclub, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and faces up to three and a half years in prison.

 

Burress made an appearance in court early last week, where Judge Felicia Mennin adjourned the case until Sept. 23, enabling the former Super Bowl hero to continue negotiations with several NFL teams.

The 31-year-old receiver recorded 35 catches, 454 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games last season.

 

Perhaps first-year head coach Rex Ryan and the Jets will turn their attention to figuring out a way to land Denver Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall, who requested a trade last week.

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