The Jets' training camp situation is complicated
It appears the Jets are ready to hold this year's training camp in an upstate New York location, possibly at Cornell (where, Best, La Monica and Mascaro attended), possibly at SUNY Cortland (where world famous blogger Tony Arnoldine and world famous younger brother Mickey Glauber attended), or possibly somewhere else well north of NYC.
Wherever they go, there are sure to be hard feelings. It's a very complicated issue with many layers and no easy answer. So, rather rip the move outright, I'd rather explain the many facets and go from there. (And if you prefer to read someone who rips the move outright, might I suggest my man Paul Needell of the Star-Ledger.)
* Why not just have training camp at the team's Florham Park headquarters? That was the original plan when the team constructed its gleaming new headquarters in the Jersey suburbs. They'd have an all-inclusive facility that could not only serve as the regular season and off-season training center, but could host training camp as well. It would have given New York area fans a chance to see their team up close, and would have at least taken some of the sting away from the move from Hofstra.
But the whole thing got complicated for one very uncomplicated reason: The Jets lost four of their last five games last season, and the coach who approved the idea of Camp Florham was fired. Enter Rex Ryan, who has his own ideas about where to stage training camp. His daddy would go away every summer to coach whatever team he was with at the time in a training camp setting away from that team's regular season headquarters, so Buddy Ryan's experience surely had an effect on young Rex. The Ravens also spent time away from Bal'more by heading to Westminster, Maryland for their camps.
I can certainly appreciate Ryan's desire to get the team away from the area and dive into the bonding process that is so crucial for football teams. Especially football teams with a new head coach and a bunch of new players.
Ryan surely wants to be a fan-friendly coach, but his idea of fan friendly is winning football games. And if he believes that sequestering the team to a remote location is the best way to do that, then you have to respect his take on the situation. After all, the Giants have used the same idea for the last several years, staging training camp at the University at Albany. And no one is complaining about the two Super Bowls they have been to in that time - including the one that ended with the Vince Lombardi Trophy held aloft.
* Why not Hofstra? I think this would have been a terrific idea, especially with the permanent move away from the Long Island headquarters last year. Fans had four decades to enjoy the team's training camps at the venerable school, and it wasn't easy for anyone to see them leave after last summer's camp.
I would love to have seen Ryan warm to the idea of switching back to Hofstra, and it surely would have been met with the approval of New York fans who hated to see their team leave for Jersey.
But I can also understand Ryan's concerns about staying in the New York metro area. Let's face it: If you want to get a team away from it all, a spot within easy driving distance of Manhattan isn't exactly the best place.
Bottom line here: The location of Ryan's first training camp should be his call, and you have to give him that right.
Teams throughout the NFL routinely take their players away for training camp, and Ryan ought to be afforded the same privilege. Fans have every reason to be disappointed with that decision, but they also ought to realize that Ryan is doing it for the good of the team.
If that means that fans don't have easy access to a few weeks' worth of training camp practices, so be it. And if you really want to get a look at your favorite team's players, then take a few days and take a drive upstate to check them out.
It's a trip well worth taking.
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Comments (3)
it is worth taking the trip. as they say - ithaca is gorge-ous. the wineries are fantastic too. as for peekskill, i met joe namath their when i was a kid. these camps away from it all are the way to go. excellent idea rex!
If the Jets pick Cornell, I think that would a wonderful choice. However, I'm a little skeptical on the logistics. In addition to Schoellkopf Field (the main football stadium), there's only about three or four other fields they could utilize (called the Alumni Fields).
The Cornell team usually begins practice around the time training camp would begin. I suppose they could stagger the practice times, but it could get a little dicey trying to get a pro team to wrap up practice.
Also, training camp would run into the dates when students arrive, which would be a nightmare in terms of congestion on campus.
Living situation is also tricky because the school it was going to accept more students due to increased applicants and the need to offset costs. That wouldn't leave much dormitory space for the Jets.
This is all stuff that could be worked out, but they may need more than three months or so to iron it all out. Should be interesting...
I think going away is a good call on Rex Ryan's part. It looks like they're scouting upstate NY locations, which wouldn't be too long o a drive for fans who want to watch training camp. The Giants seem to do well going away to Albany, as BG mentioned, and I'll wager that a number of fans include some time in Albany as part o their summer vacation plans. Besides, once the pre-season games begin they can break camp and finish the pre-season at Florham Park. This way the team gets used to their game week schedule at the regular training facility.