http://blog.newyorkjets.com/2012/05/10/teammates-survey-the-locker-room-qb-scene/ Teammates Survey the Locker Room QB Scene Posted by Randy Lange on May 10, 2012 – 4:11 pm It was quite a scene in the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center locker room early this afternoon, a media horde descending on the Green & White on an otherwise average day in May. It was reporters’ first chance to chat with Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow after the quarterbacks have had some time to work together on and off the field. And while No. 6 and No. 15 were put through their paces with questions about starting and locker room chemistry and one offense or two, the QBs’ teammates watched with relative amusement. Only because at this time, in the middle of the offseason, there’s nothing not to like about the new working arrangement. “Problems in the locker room? I don’t think so,” said TE Dustin Keller from half a room away. “If the two two didn’t get along so well, that could be the case. But they have a great working relationship. Tim’s a great guy. You see them joking around, laughing. You’re not going to do that if you’re enemies. They’re getting along in the quarterback room.” “It kind of reminds me of when Brett Favre got here,” said DT Mike DeVito, reflecting on those halcyon days of 2008. “Back then people would ask me, ‘What’s Favre doing now?’ like I lived with the guy. This is about the same. But I’m grateful Tim’s here. He’s a great person, he’s a hard worker — he and Mark and Greg [McElroy] are in the weightroom an hour after the offense is done. He sets a great example on and off the field.” RT Wayne Hunter is another Jet who welcomes Tebow to the mix. “For me, I was really excited about him coming here, for his faith, for one, being a strong Christian,” Hunter said. “And number two, I was really excited about what he’s brought to this team. He brings a whole ‘nother level, a whole ‘nother dynamic.” Darrelle Revis was asked about whether you can have two leaders at one position, or more specifically two leaders at the QB position, on one team, and he replied with an honestly noncommittal answer. “That’s a tough question,” Revis said. “I don’t know. I can’t come up with an answer to that question, as much as I want to. I don’t know. We’re all experiencing the same thing.” But Revis was far from downplaying the impact Tebow can have on that other side of the ball. “These are my teammates. I’m here to support everybody on this team,” he said. “Who starts? It doesn’t matter. Everybody’s going to play on this team. Even if we need some practice-squad player to step up and play one week. We’re getting ready. This is a big year and we’re going to play some awesome football because last year was disappointing. 8-8 and we didn’t make the playoffs.” The experiment in May is to start blending Tebow’s talents with Sanchez’s and all the other components on offense so that such an ending doesn’t happen again. And as these Phase II offseason practices morph into OTAs in a few weeks and then into the full-squad minicamp in mid-June, the Jets seem to like the different ambience in the locker room and the offensive players are eager to take coordinator Tony Sparano’s operation to the field. “It’s been great coming in and learning a new offense,” Keller said. “There’s always going to be some ups and downs. Obviously we want to run the ball, and we’ll see as time goes on how much we pass the ball. But Coach Sparano is very vocal and he’s very honest. Those are things you can really appreciate about him. I think it’ll be good for us. It’s almost similar to college, in your face. He expects the most out of you, and obviously these guys expect the most out of themselves. It kind of pushes you to the next level.” And as we know from the comments from head coach Rex Ryan, Sparano, Mike Tannenbaum and Woody Johnson, Sanchez will be the starter, and Tebow will be a catalyst. “When you’ve got Tebow on the field,” Hunter said, “it’s going to be crazy. And that’s all I’m going to say about it now.”
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Tim Tebow still is three months away from taking his first snap in a game, but he already has called an audible as a member of the New York Jets. He changed the name of his dog. Say hello to Bronx, the Rhodesian ridgeback formerly known as Bronco. Yep, the Jets' new backup quarterback is all in, trying to embrace life in New York after two seasons with the Denver Broncos. Speaking to the media on Thursday for the first time since his Super Bowl-sized introductory news conference in March, Tebow said he's having a blast with his new team, downplaying the brewing quarterback controversy with Mark Sanchez. "It's been great, just working together, pushing each other, learning from each other, spending time in the film room, talking about our college days," Tebow said. The Sanchez-Tebow relationship -- it's not a competition, the team says -- will be the most scrutinized dynamic on the Jets. From all indications, they're getting along well. In fact, they dined together recently in Manhattan. But Tebow's presence, and his enormous popularity, has fueled speculation about Sanchez's job security, his recent contract extension notwithstanding. The Jets acquired Tebow, in part, to run a wildcat package, but he has taken only quarterback reps in the early stages of the offseason program. Tebow said he hasn't been introduced to any specific plans regarding the wildcat. His entire focus, he said, is on playing quarterback and learning Tony Sparano's system. Tebow deftly avoided questions about his desire to be a No. 1 quarterback again, saying his only goal is to help the team. But Sanchez isn't naïve. "I hope every backup quarterback wants the job of a starter," he said. "That's the way you have to prepare. I've been in those shoes in college, anticipating the game like I'm the starter, and then getting to the game and not playing. "Fortunately for Tim, he has the ability to do other things, and that's why he's on board. He's a backup quarterback first, and then he'll do plenty of other stuff." The Jets haven't revealed too much about Tebow's non-quarterback role, except to say he could play anywhere from one to 20 plays. No doubt, there will be times when Sanchez comes off the field, creating a potentially awkward situation. Asked how he'd feel about that, Sanchez said cryptically, "That remains to be seen." He said he didn't want to respond to questions about hypothetical situations, mentioning that a few times during an interview at his locker. Sanchez spoke positively of Tebow, saying he's having "fun" in what he called "an ongoing, working relationship." "Tim is going to support me when I'm in there," he said. "I'll be rooting for Tim when he's in there." Tebow said they have a "good friendship," insisting they won't let outside distractions fracture their relationship. Considering the locker-room turmoil from last season, the last thing the Jets need is a full-blown quarterback controversy. "I'm just a little piece, trying to help the team win a few games," Tebow said. According to teammates, Tebow is a hard worker, always one of the first to arrive in the morning. He's routinely spotted in the weight room at 6:15 a.m. He likes to joke around, teammates said. "What surprised me the most is how down to earth he is," guard Matt Slauson said. Sometimes, Tebow and Sanchez kid each other. Said tight end Dustin Keller: "You don't do that with your enemy." Keller admitted that "a lot of people were scratching their heads" when the Jets traded for Tebow, wondering how he'd fit in, but the transition has been smooth. Keller said Sanchez and Tebow know their roles, and he doesn't expect any problems. "Mark is the starting quarterback, and he knows that," said Keller, one of Sanchez's closest friends on the team. "Tim isn't trying to slide in and make everybody think he's the guy. ... I guarantee, you go around this whole locker room, there won't be anybody who has anything negative to say about Tim."
It'll all be fun and games until Sanchez gets taken out at a time he doesn't want to or struggles and the crowd starts calling for Tebow.
Just joined the Jets forum. I thought it was interesting the chaos of the Jets lockerroom yesterday and how all the reporters were staked out around Tebow's locker and Mark was all but ignored save for being questioned ... about Tebow. You can either embrace Tebowmania, or get swallowed up by it, but fighting it, you'll just get more and more bitter. I thought Dustin Keller was blown away by the impact of it all, and this was just the first real taste. I am one of those who think Mark's days are numbered. Anyway, just thought I'd drop my first line.
I don't think anybody, the media included, would call yesterday chaos..in fact I think the media was bitterly disappointed that there wasn't any.
As a former sports reporter, I was always looking for a headline, always looking for a story. Tebow gives the media a constant source of story......if folks can't handle it, it's because they don't understand big time sports and big city media. If fact Tebow trancends big city.....it's national.........everybody and everyone wants part of this one. It's just started. Get ready.....................
Reasons Mark Sanchez might get taken out of a game: 1.) Tebow package of plays. 2.) He struggles. If they go to #1, it might be at a time Sanchez disagrees with, which could lead to strife. If they pull him, this will definitely lead to strife. If Mark struggles (before they take him out, if they do), the crowd will call for Tebow, which could lead to strife. None of these situations will or even can happen until the bullets start flying, is my point. Until/unless any of the above conditions are met, things should all be hunky dory. The question is not what's going on right now, but what's going to happen if any of the above comes to pass.
