I actually think, to some degree, Mangini and Tannenbaum recognized this was a very flawed team, and made a conscious decision that this would be a transition year. They saw the flaws in players such as Pennington and Vilma, but knew they might lose the locker room if they ripped away the team captains. So, instead they took a conservative offseason approach, drafting young talent and signing some stop-gaps. This enabled them to build their core talent, spend down some of the cap bloat from the vets and prepare for a more significant turn-over this season. I think we will see multiple vets sent packing this offseason (Penny, Vilma, and some of the d-line). I would be surprised if they are not selectively aggressive if free agency (I don't expect Faneca or Samuels), getting a couple of younger quality players. If they can add a few draft picks by trading vets, then I think they can bring in enough players to put this team back in a respectable position for next season. We are still a few years away from making a run, but it will come. I believe these guys have a plan.....this season was worse than the plan predicted, but I think they will remain on their overarching strategy for building this team.
Ok, but I defintitely will be very much off of the Mangini/Tannenbaum band wagon and I will have a very sound reason if they do not hit the FA market hard for our O-line. Drafting and O-line is very, very difficult - it's kinda like picking out the strong salmon from the ones that won't be able to make it up river. By going to the FA market, you are picking off the ones that have fought there way up-river and are the strongest of the species. By going to the draft you always run a huge risk of getting a fish that has some good size but has no sex organs at all.
The Jets have NEVER signed a big money free agent under Woody's ownership. 7 years and counting is a long time to sit on your hands every offseason while the top talent sifts away. Barrett, McCareins, Barton, Coleman, a host of 32 year old offensive linemen, these are the free agent signings the Jets have made. They've lost a few doozies, but they've never signed one. I think the Woody is cheap argument is becoming very defensible at the moment. If the Jets were doing this and winning there's no problem but their record since 2002 is now 33-46. Open the wallet already and go get a couple of the players this team desperately needs to stabilize.
They planned to lose, maybe badly? That's a kind of unique strategy probably never successfully employed in the NFL before. Seriously, you play to win the games. As many of them as you can. You absolutely cannot hold your locker-room together through a terrible season, but if you do then you need to chain the doors and burn the place down with everybody inside because you don't want players who will submit to losing and to a losing coach.
Why do so many people think Belichick sucked in Cleveland? Okay, he went 20-28 his first three years, but then he took them to the playoffs with an 11-5 record in 1994 and beat a Bill Parcells-coached Patriots team. You should throw out the following season due to the massive distraction that was Art Modell announcing the team was going to move to Baltimore the following year. I thought Belichick was a good coach with the Browns. Because of this, I was ecstatic when the Jets signed him in early 1997.
I totally agree with this. To the people who are pumping this "playing hard" thing, isn't this what players are supposed to do?
You know JC, I think you're a good poster, I have no problem with debating opinion with you. I happen to enjoy your contribution most of the time. I'm sorry to see you going to this level on a consistent basis.
Well....Its gonna take 3 years with all the help the Jets' need. All there weaknesses can't be fixed in 1 year.
Jets fans are not patient. If there is not marked improvement next year, Mangini will be done. The next coach will be in and the destructive cycle starts all over again. Not to say the right coach cannot right the ship quickly, Parcells in 2 years had the team ready for a SB run. The Jets just have a horrible history of drafting and signing big name free agents. The #4 pick seems to be a curse the last few years. Hopefully the Jets, who seem desperate on being like that Pats, but far from it, open up the checkbook some next year.
You know there is a poster who has been saying what you just posted for many years now & who has been totally abused by most on this board for having the courage to post his observations which now coincide with yours.
There are many other reasons why we abuse you champ. Gonna reply in your thread while you're here? :wink:
You are absolutly right WB Mangini is not the problem..Vilma got exposed and thank God we have Harris. Chad is done as a starter..enter Clemens for experience..Revis is money as is Mangold,Washington.and yes Brick..Poueha looks great the last 3 weeks..Itd not baseball, ya can't run out and spend WHATEVER..Thomas is a bust at NE and they are WAY overpaying that dude! This team is being built correctly through the draft with contracts that allow us to add all the parts to be a consistent play off team. Some of the posters here have the patience of a 2 year old..Don't give me the long suffering Jet fan sob story..I'm done with that..These two guys will get the job done..I just know it!!:jets: :jets: :jets:
I just keep thinking of Romeo Crennel through this season. Crennel began his tenure in Cleveland in 2005 and had two losing seasons in his first two years as head coach. This season he has a team on the verge of potentially making the postseason and improving more next season. Mangini has had one bad season in his two years here. Gotta give the guy some more time. Mangini is a second year head coach that does have a lot of potential. We need to give him at least one more season to truly see what he's got. At the end of the day everyone on the NYJ wins or loses as a team. That goes for us fans, too. We win or lose together. Let's just hope that we have a good offseason and we aim to please in 08!
No, I didn't say that they planned to lose. What I said is that they realized this would be a transition year. They didn't try to lose, but they didn't make a push to bring in high priced free agents and address every team need for the long term. I don't think it is unusual for a team to knowingly take a step back before moving forward. Their issues are more personnel, than attitude. No one on this team is submitting to losing.
Herm - Are u kidding me? Would you offer a salary increase for that inept coach? Woody was not happy with Herm, and Herm wanted to go to his beloved Chiefs. Herm may have wanted more money, but he didn't deserve it. Woody wasn't being cheap, he didn't want to give more money to a coach he wasn't happy with, and why should he? We have one of the lowest paid staffs in the league because we have a first time HC and GM. Yeah lets pay these guys 6 mil a year without a proven track record. Woody wanted to roll the dice on Mangini and Tanny because of their ties to Parcells and/or the Pats. He was hoping for the same success and took a chance. Now that decision is certainly debatable, but hiring a new head coach and GM had nothing to do with money. Would u rather have had Mike Tice? I also recall not too long ago hiring a certain OC away from the Titans by offereing a substantial contract. Remember him? Parcells and BB - Woody would have given Tuna any amount he wanted to stay here, and if I recall correctly initially offered 6 mil a year and that was 6 years ago. Hardly cheap. But the Tuna wanted to retire for the 90th time. How's that Woody's fault? BB wanted to leave because he didn't want to be in Tuna's shadow anymore and Kraft offered him a powerful position. It had nothing to do with money. Come on - you know that. Real Estate, parking, etc. - First let me state that when I'm disputing "cheap" I'm taking it in the context of players and FO salaries and bonuses, i.e. football related. Stadium and ticket issues are an entirely different matter and not releveant to the success on the field IMO. But I'll still address them. Real Estate - If I recall correctly, the Manhattan project fell through because of politicians and legislation, not because of money. Also he's dumping a lot of money into the venture with the Giants. I guess we should call the Mara's cheap as well? Tixholders, parking, etc. - This same stuff goes on with 3/4 of the league. Here in the Carolinas they charge anywhere from $2,000 to over $7,000 and up for a PSL last time I checked and parking goes anywhere from $25 to $35 -and that is for a small market team. I guess we could call 3/4 of the owners cheap as well. No - it's called greed, a common trait among sports team owners. I'm not saying that Woody is a great owner or will bring us a championship. I'm just disputing when people call him cheap when it comes to football matters (not stadium and ticket issues which I believe a lot of this criticism is coming from) and I haven't seen any evidence to the contrary.
I would say pin it on both Manny and Tanny, they are the ones making the football decisions. You could also fault Woody for not firing these guys if that's the case, or for not being a "hands on" owner.
