Great article in The Star-Ledger this morning: http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/115804093180030.xml&coll=1 Making Sense Of The Madness: Suddenly, Mangini Looks Pretty Smart Tuesday, September 12, 2006 BY DAVE HUTCHINSON Star-Ledger Staff HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- When the Jets traded quarterback Brooks Bollinger to the Vikings the day before the preseason finale, several of his teammates congratulated him with high-fives because he was escaping the wrath of coach Eric Mangini. Mangini, the hard-driving rookie coach and pupil of Bill Belichick, wasn't a popular figure in the locker room this summer, especially among veterans who had grown accustomed to the player-friendly ways of Herm Edwards, who preceded Mangini. But Sunday's 23-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans at LP Field has changed things. Veterans who had been reluctant to buy into Mangini's program are having second thoughts. One victory doesn't earn a trip to the Super Bowl, but it's a start. "Definitely," one disgruntled veteran said emphatically yesterday when asked if the win helped Mangini win over the locker room. Former Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham, in his first season with the Jets, was already on board. But the impact of the victory wasn't lost on him. "Guys know Eric came from this system but they want to see it work with him," said Chatham, who spent six seasons in New England. "They don't think he (Mangini) is Bill (Belichick) and they don't think he's (former assistant coaches) Romeo (Crennel) or Charlie (Weis). "To see Eric win doing the things that he's preaching, I think it's a big thing. It puts a reality spin on it." Added veteran guard Pete Kendall: "I think it's naive to say had we gone three, four, five weeks not getting that first win that it (players buying into Mangini's program) wouldn't have been a story." Against the Titans, several of the things Mangini has been preaching came into play: *Finishing: The Jets benefited from those 2 1/2-hour practices in temperatures approaching 100 degrees when they put together a game-winning drive in the final minutes. *Aggressiveness: Unlike Edwards, Mangini played to win in the final drive. He had vowed to try to take advantage of an opponents' weakness and found that vulnerability in the Titans' secondary. *Discipline: Mangini doesn't try to make friends in the locker room and players know if they don't perform or make mistakes, they're out. *Details, details, details: Players said they weren't surprised by anything in the Titans game because Mangini had worked on every situation in practice. *Every job is open: As promised, Mangini used role players at crucial points against the Titans. "I think this victory is going to help everybody with the transition," safety Erik Coleman said. "We stayed together the whole game. We fought it out. It was a tough win and it brought us closer together as a team." Following the game, quarterback Chad Pennington said the coaching staff "did a good job of attacking and not playing on our heels." The Jets even used their no-huddle offense to perfection. Pennington hit 24 of 33 passes for 319 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He had a 123.2 passer rating. "Coach Mangini said we're going to play our game no matter what," said wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, who had a career-high six catches for 65 yards and a touchdown in his first NFL start. "Even at the end, we're not going to try to be conservative. We're going to try to make plays and go home with a victory." It's a victory the Jets earned despite giving up a 16-0 lead in the fourth quarter. It's a victory they earned by stopping the Titans twice from their 8-yard line in the closing seconds. "It's hot and guys are dying but we're not that tired," said Chatham, citing the marathon training camp practices as the reason why. "We were able to fight and win at the end. I think that's when you're like, 'Okay, I hated that stuff (Mangini) was putting us through but this is why we did it.'"
What a great article. Kendall said it best...if the team lost 4 or 5 in a row to start the season..its a different story. The media would be blasting the theme "Mangini is losing the team". Only one problem with that theory. Magnini/Tannenbaum could give two craps if he lost 50% of the team...because those players would be weeded out over the next year or two. Its still a rebuilding process. The one win bought him 2 or 3 weeks of peace and quiet. If the Jets lose 4 out of the next 5 games..the same guys that would have bitched will start bitching. The only way this season stays calm is if the Jets stay close to 500. Players that didnt buy in to the program will eventually show their true colors..and it wouldnt surprise me one bit if Mangini knows exactly who those players are already.
I wish they would put names on these guys. My guess would be Coles, but its not like this is anything so disparaging that the name needs to be hidden.
I don't need anyone from the "beat guys" to tell me how smart EM is, the people on this board have known it for month's
Yeah, I agree. Coming from "Hutch," it's got to be Coles that he's referring to. Hutchinson had to sneak that in there.... he had to add "disgruntled" veteran. But if you think about it, the sentence makes no sense, so the laugh is on Hutchinson. In replying "definitely," whoever this "disgruntled veteran" is, he doesn't seem very disgruntled at all. Had Hutch said "previously disgruntled" it would make more sense. But that's Hutch and he won't do that... gotta keep the Coles thing going and get that zinger in there. Coles, if he reads it, will know who Hutch is referring to.
It is a darn good thing Mangini came when he did because if Herm and Bradway were still callin' the shots I do not think we would have addressed the needs as efficiently as Mangini did. I think there would be many open holes. I think we would still be in cap hell with a garbage O-line. We would have lost our 1st game of the year and I think we would be headed toward a 1-15 or 2-14 season.
It looks like Mangini being really tough on these guys in practice is paying off.If we can beat the Patriots I think he will really win his players over.ats_suck:
weeding out the lazy slackers - the undisciplined self promoters - that's the way to build a real TEAM! I read all the crap from Mawae after the game, and I understand why he had to go. Regardless of the record this year, things are already headed in the right direction.
Realistically, I don't think we'll beat the Patriots, but I suppose anything's possible. What I really want to see though, is us continue to "play to win the game" and for our players to continue playing well. I want to see an aggressive Schotty and Mangini, even (and particlarly so) if we're down 27-3 at halftime. I want to see our DEF put pressure on Brady and go after him and his passes and I want to see our O-line and Penny push the Patriots around a bit. If we lose, I want us to go down playing as well as we can. That's probably the most I can ask for on Sunday. Of course, if we win, that will make me ecstatic.
I think the subtitle is Hutchinson's subtle dig at Coles. He's got to keep the sh*t alive. One unfortunate statement by Coles and he needs to make it last a lifetime. He'll be referring to Coles as a "disgruntled" player no matter what Coles says from here on to try to erase it.
the media is just swallowing their foot this week, for each victory will come some piece where the writers sound more like us. and with each loss we'll hear about how Mangini isnt his own coach and the Bellicheck/Parcells school of thought should be left to the Professors. Or how nobody is buying into Mangini. nevertheless its one of few good articles I've seen son him without things I've mentioned above.
Very nice article- having "team first" players like Martin, Pennington, and Vilma will definately make the transition easier.
I love how the media (not naming anyone into particular, but the whole as a group) are all screaming "I told you so" now after the entire preseason they did nothing but shred the Jets and predict a gloomy, 3-13, 4-12 season in which they will be the worst team in the NFL, with our only brightness being the "progress" we make.
I think you are dead on. I refuse to get too excited about how now everything is wonderful in Jetland, because there will be losses down the road, including perhaps in 5 days. If the only reason players are "buying into" things is because they beat a poor Tennessee team, then they're not really buying in at all. I expect plenty of bumps in the road this season, and in addition to evaluating talent, I have no doubt that Mangini and Tannenbaum will be evaluating attitude as well as it goes along. That's as it should be - they have the right to put together the team they want, and then sink or swim with it.
True, only one win, but we must consider the style points of the coaching staff. There was a definite aura projected last weekend that I have not seen here since Parcells and also possibly Al Groh. Yet, it had a Mangini trademark to it that was unique. Will we lose some games? Absolutely. This weekend? Maybe. But, I can guarantee we will be prepared for the game and come to play hard heads-up football.
If you remember, Mangini called Hutchinson when Hutch was in the hospital recently. Looks like the dividends are paying off...who says Mangini doesn't know how to treat the media????
