Mangini Fluffed by Hartford Courant

vilmatic · Jun 4, 2007

For all you haaard-core Jets fans:

http://www.courant.com/sports/footb...04,0,6029515.story?coll=hc-headlines-football

Harry Bellucci remembers sitting in the nosebleeds at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in 1995. The seats were incredible, he thought, a perfect view, a striking atmosphere.

He would try to pick out Eric Mangini on the Browns sideline. Mangini was coach Bill Belichick's towel boy, ball boy, you name it. Mangini worked countless hours, eventually gaining an internship and ultimately a job on the coaching staff.

Bellucci took special pride in this for several reasons. He had coached Mangini at Bulkeley High and maintained a strong friendship with him. And he was about to marry Mangini's sister, Brenda. To think that his former player and future brother-in-law was taking baby steps toward a career in the NFL meant much to Bellucci, now the coach at Hartford Public.

"We would sit up there and just say, `This is great!' We couldn't believe it," Bellucci recalled Saturday during Mangini's Football Fundamentals Mini-Camp at Bulkeley. "We would point, `There's Eric! There's Eric! Look what he's doing!'"

The seats, as Bellucci joked, are a bit better now.

Mangini, 36, is about to enter his second season as coach of the Jets. Because of his age - he was hired two days shy of his 35th birthday - Mangini's arrival in New York was met with some degree of skepticism. And the Jets, experts said, would get no more than four or five victories.

They finished 10-6 and made the playoffs.

"I learned something every day and every day was different," Mangini said. "A lot of coaches told me coming into the job that there would be five things that come up each day that you hadn't scheduled, you hadn't anticipated and you've just got to react to. There are a lot of things we were able to do that were positive. The message to the team at the end of the season was the same as any other season - respect the things that did take place, but each year is a new year, and we're focused on a new year."

The Jets lost to the Patriots in the first round of the playoffs last season.

"There are a lot of things to be encouraged by, but we can get better," general manager Mike Tannenbaum said. "I think we're heading in the right direction but there's a long way to go."

Tannenbaum is also entering his second season. He, too, was with the Browns in the 1990s as a player personnel assistant. He befriended Mangini in 1995. Tannebaum has been in the Jets organization for 10 years. Mangini has bounced around, mostly working under Belichick. Mangini has worked for the Browns, Ravens, Jets and Patriots.

"Eric's been the same guy I've known for a long time," Tannenbaum said. "He's always prepared. And in the NFL, that's all you can do - work hard to be prepared."

The right players help, too. Mangini believes in quarterback Chad Pennington. Plagued by rotator cuff injuries, Pennington played just three games in 2005 but returned to start all 16 last season, setting career highs in yards (3,352) and completions (313).

"Coach has done a very good job of coming in with a precise plan and a great attitude," Pennington said. "He's a very detailed, thorough person who cares about his players, understanding not only what to do but how to do it, how to act and how to be professional."

The Jets open training camp in late July - this time with a positive buzz surrounding the team. Mangini, who lives on Long Island, loves the energy of New York, being able to spend time in the city and being so close to Hartford. The Big City, however, comes with its share of chaos.

"You deal with it, focus on what you can," he said. "I couldn't ask for a better situation."
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glenn212 · Jun 4, 2007

12 years later..Mangenius

the_wanton_song · Jun 5, 2007

glenn212 said: ↑

12 years later..Mangenius
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Let's not get carried away.

LWC611 · Jun 5, 2007

the_wanton_song said: ↑

Let's not get carried away.
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Agreed........

glenn212 · Jun 5, 2007

Carried away about what?? 12 years after he was a ballboy in Cleveland he is now the Head Coach of the Jets and the press nicknamed him 'Mangenius'. Those are the facts so how am I getting carried away rookie!

DACHUMS · Jun 5, 2007

I agree with Glenn, 12 years ago he was probably playing madden video games like the rest of you jabonies!

glenn212 · Jun 5, 2007

Ya damn skippy Dachums. You got my back bro..mad love

Miamipuck · Jun 5, 2007

So Mangini has a fluffer..............from TV star to Porn star.

abyzmul · Jun 6, 2007

So what's worse? The Penguin or The Hedgehog? Bonus points for anyone who has any idea what I am talking about.

vilmatic · Jun 6, 2007

abyzmul said: ↑

So what's worse? The Penguin or The Hedgehog? Bonus points for anyone who has any idea what I am talking about.
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The Hardest (Working) Man in Showbiz takes his pub where he can get it.

Miamipuck · Jun 6, 2007

abyzmul said: ↑

So what's worse? The Penguin or The Hedgehog? Bonus points for anyone who has any idea what I am talking about.
Click to expand...

The HedgeHog FTW! :lol: Very sad that I know this................................

Mangini Fluffed by Hartford Courant

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