Boooooooo. Yeah, we needed to overpay a 35 year old because two years ago he could pull and block. We saw his career take a quick dive. "Turnstile Mawae in 2005" is gone. Definately one of the greatest centers to have ever played the game, but we got to keep our heads out of th epast and realize that he is about as productive as Martin (Sorry sunshiners). I would like one season of not hearing "greybeard" being used to describe Jets players...
They wanted to change the attitude in the lockerroom. Mawae, supposedly was too much of a clubhouse lawyer.
Jerome! Jerome! The reason Mawae was released was that he was the clubhouse leader and clubhouse Lawyer. I was trying to explain this to Jet fans for a while now...but Mike Francessa did it best on his show earlier this week. He said (and I concur) that Mawae was the vocal on and off field leader of this team since the Herm regime took over. He was never shy to go to the media or to speak out in the locker room. Mike said it was Mawae's locker room, and he controlled it. At his age, coming off serious injury...a new regime in place decided to take control of the locker room and the team, and Mangini will be the leader...and will eventually install his own leaders. Part of the reason the new FO did this was to clean house mentally and emotionally...no ties to Herm and Bradway, or even Parcells...just the Parcells legacy in Mangini. Mangini doesn't need to be challenged right now, he needs to assume control...and ridding the team of the old leader is a big move in trying to assume control of a team. I think it has more to do with off the field issues than any on field issues.
Mawae who was with the team for 10 years was known as a "Clubhouse Lawyer" something your rookie 35 yr old H/C didn't want to deal with. Mangini wants "Bill Belichek" obedience from his players. This means no questioning the H/C's decisions something Mawae was known for. I'll miss him he is a straight shooter and will be missed especially by the beat writers.
Many great Jets players have been 0-fer they're career bringing a championship to Hempstead; Mawae was a key member of a group that batted .500 when it came to getting in the playoffs and won 2 division championships as well. The last time that happened, the center was John Schmidt and he was snapping to a guy named Joe. Whether Mawae is done or not, or whether the Jets have an answer at center or not remains to be seen, but I agree there's too many people drinking the Kool-Aid when it comes to Mawae's contributions to this franchise. How's this for irony (from this morning's Daily News: Runyan is described as a tough durable leader who's played in 144 games, the kind of player that Mangini values." Remind you of anyway? I
Mawae was the main guy who undercut Al Groh the year he was the coach. If you recall EM worked with Groh on the Jets staff in the late 90's. Something tells me that Mangini may still talk to Groh and maybe he placed a call and asked him what the story was with Mawae? But the bottom line is that Mawae was not worth the risk of having him be here and cause clubhouse problems if he didn't see eye to eye with the front office. We are rebuilding the entire organization and a 35 year old center coming off a torn tricep was never part of that plan.
I think just about everyone has put it all together very nicely. (1) Mawae was an excellent player for many years. (2) Mawae was a vocal clubhouse leader, who had been known to use his power to undercut a coach. (3) Mawae is 35 years old, and coming off a serious injury. (4) Mawae wasn't interested in restructuring his contract. (5) Mangini is rebuilding the team in his own image, and only wants people who are on the same page that he is. (6) The Jets are probably still at least one year from being contenders (I deliberately made that vague to encompass sunshiners to darksiders). Put all that together, and it's very easy to understand why the Jets let him go.
The mistake was not neccessarily releasing Mawae but rather not holding onto him for a few months and shopping him for a draft pick. The youngsters could have learned here from Bradway's shopping of Cowart. Everyone in the league knew for months that the Jets were going to cut Cowart but they held onto him for an extra few months until they could trade him for a draft pick. The same thing could have been done with Mawae. Call it inexpereince, insecurity, lack of patience or just a bonehead mistake. But there was no reason we had to cut Mawae so soon. Keeping Mawae around might not only have yielded a draft pick it would have given the Jets more credibiltiy when attempting to sign FA's. Mawae's departure added more fuel to fire that this team was headed in the wrong direction and not a place where an FA like Kitna or McCown would consider playing.
The Jets did Mawae a favor by releasing him early. He was able to shop himself and get the best deal he could. How would hanging on to him and reducing his options look good to other potential FA's?
so youll miss him because hes a straight shooter even though it may have been detrimental to the team???and who gives a rusty fart if the press misses him...thats all the more reason to get rid of his ass
BINGO! Mangini was HERE when Mawae led the Groh mutiny. The guy was great between the lines, but does not fit the Tangini mold.... they want company men, and Mawae was a rebel. If I'm taking over the ship, the first guy I get rid of is the one most likely to undermine my authority. I don't think the NFLPA rep had much to do with it.... it was a matter of getting rid of guys that would undermine the new regime, and Mawae was the most likely guy to do that. Mangini made him walk the plank..... sometimes, setting an example does have it's place.
Nail on the head! :up: I also agree that he would be nothing but a distraction in the locker room. There's a difference between being vocal in an attempt to motivate your teamates, and just saying whatever you want whenever you want to whomever you want. I think Mawae was one of the guys (along with Fabini) who made those public comments about Chad. I'm also convinced that his mouth would do nothing but create headaces for our young coaching staff.
I just hope all our best players do not become "clubhouse Lawyers" because Mangin will sure ship them out quick, no matter how old they are. Vilma, Barrett, Rhodes etc I hope you are paying attention.If you are outspoken, our 35 year old coach will not tolearet it.We only have to have ONE leader, and that is the coach.
I think Mawae was one of the guys (along with Fabini) who made those public comments about Chad. I'm also convinced that his mouth would do nothing but create headaces for our young coaching staff. And where exactly did you get that information?
