In The N.Y. Times: Mangini Says He Plans to Be Tougher in 2007 By KAREN CROUSE Published: January 9, 2007 HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Jan. 8 ? In the second-floor meeting room where Eric Mangini was introduced as Jets coach 51 weeks ago, he addressed his players Monday for the final time this season. The bashfulness that had characterized Mangini?s first trip to the lectern was gone, replaced by the blunt speech of a commander. Mangini told his players that he was proud of their 10-6 record and their playoff appearance against the New England Patriots. Then he reminded them that nothing they achieved this season would matter when they return in the spring for off-season training activities. His message: If you think you worked hard this year, wait until next season. ?You saw the hard work it took for us to get to this point,? Mangini said. So if the goal is to advance beyond the first round next season, he added, ?You?re going to have to go back at it even harder next year.? For the players, most of whom had trouble getting comfortable in their seats because of a season?s worth of aches and pains, Mangini?s parting words were like a warning shot fired into the air. This season, the 35-year-old Mangini introduced the Jets to punishment laps and pop quizzes. He also assigned oral reports and long practices in the broiling sun, the pelting rain and the bitter wind. He turned every week into an open competition for playing time. He molded ? and scolded ? the Jets into one of the least-penalized teams in the league (third). Their self-discipline and a soft schedule ? only one of their victories came against a team (New England) with a winning record ? were key factors in the Jets? return to the postseason after an injury-riddled 4-12 season in 2005. ?When you have a coaching change, sometimes it takes a lot of getting used to,? receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. ?But we grew as a team and we bought into everything that he was trying to get accomplished. In the end, that paid off for us.? Expectations will soar next season. After a season in which they made sweeping personnel changes, the Jets could return relatively intact. Of the 37 players who started at least one game this season, only three are free agents (right tackle Anthony Clement, fullback B. J. Askew and cornerback Hank Poteat). Five players drafted last year spent at least some time in the starting lineup ? offensive linemen D?Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold, running back Leon Washington, receiver Brad Smith and cornerback Drew Coleman ? reflecting well on the drafting acumen of Mangini and the first-year general manager Mike Tannenbaum. Quarterback Chad Pennington will be back, and for the first time in two seasons he will not be rehabbing from a major shoulder injury in the off-season. ?The one thing that feels good on my body right now is my shoulder,? said Pennington, who completed 65 percent of his passes during the regular season for a career-high 3,352 yards, with 17 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. One area the Jets must address in the off-season is their running game. Of the six American Football Conference teams that qualified for the postseason, only the Baltimore Ravens had fewer rushes (for fewer yards) than the Jets (491 carries for 1,738 yards). They could also use help at cornerback. Kerry Rhodes, a Pro Bowl-caliber safety, was asked what he would tell free agents about playing for the Jets. ?I?d tell them the truth,? he said. ?It?s not going to be easy. The 2007 training camp may be a speck on the horizon but it is already looming large in the mind of Laveranues Coles, who led the team in receptions (91) in the regular season while battling injuries to his calf, wrist, back, jaw and head. ?I thought about that all year,? he said. ?Like man, will I be able to make it through another one of these camps? I guess we?ll see.? As merciless as Mangini could be, his methods received an unsolicited endorsement Monday from running back Curtis Martin, a probable Hall of Famer. Martin, who did not play in what would have been his 12th season after having a knee injury that was slow to heal, said: ?He made a huge difference, especially the mentality that was here before he came. The thing that I was most impressed with about him is he stuck to his guns even when a lot of us didn?t agree with the way things were changing so rapidly. But it was that change that got us this far.? He added: ?Not to speak against any other coaches, but the Jets got the best coach that was out there. If I owned a team, Eric would be my head coach.?
He's going to be a great coach for a long time. It's amazing that at 35 years old he is not afraid to challenge vets.
I don't see what the big deal...Seeing the schedule as its been laid out, and projecting how much talent we may or may not be able to infuse the one way to be successful next year is to be 10 times more prepared for anthing...he's going to work the team harder but he's also going to have to work harder...the book was already out on our players now there's a book on Mangini....so his job is that much harder.....
I'm not going to say that it is a big deal but some of the veteran players could get disgruntled with a tougher offseason. Personally, I don't believe that is goin to happen because of what Mangini was able to accomplish this season. I believe if we had a bad year this season we would be lookin at a different situation
Good to hear, although I expected it. Mangini needs to have 2-3 years of grueling camps at a minimum to toughen up the team after Herm's picnic camps. Then he can back off a little bit.
You think the Mon Nighnt Miracle was our greatest win since SB III????? not even close but you are right w/o his incompetent coaching style we never get down 30-7 and have achance to pull of a miracle.
