By Ken Berger
I know you're hungry for information -- some of you are starving, judging by your posts -- so you'll be happy to know that I stopped by Mangini's youth football camp in Hartford today. It was an impressive showing of more than 700 kids who got a chance to learn from NFL coaches and players. And it was for a good cause; all proceeds go to the Carmine & Frank Mangini Foundation, which raises money for under-resourced youth. The foundation is named for Mangini's late uncle, Frank, and late father, Carmine, who died of a heart attack when the Jets' coach was only 16.
Also of importance to you was an update from Chad Pennington on his four practices this week in the Jets' voluntary passing camp. Even the usually talkative Pennington, who helped coach the quarterbacks at Mangini's camp today, was tight-lipped on specifics of his first live drills since shoulder surgery in October. After getting a very positive vibe from him at the Taste of the NFL benefit in Manhattan three weeks ago, I came away today thinking Pennington seemed much more guarded about his progress and the road ahead. It'll all be in my story in tomorrow's paper, so check it out. As always, comments are welcome.
I know a lot of you are eager to keep this blog going all the time, and I welcome that. I just hope you understand that it is extremely difficult -- if not impossible -- for me to give you the kind of informed analysis I expect from myself when I'm not even allowed to watch the team practice. This is not whining; I'm merely explaining why I can't observe what I can't see.
The good news: A new NFL rule requires all teams to hold one mandatory offseason minicamp
that is open to reporters. So I'll actually be able to see for myself what Pennington looks like in the June 15-17 camp and report back to you. Be well.
Comments (15)
hey ken. are you kidding us? you need to watch pennington in practice to get a feel for how he is doing? why do all the jets reporters need everything handed to them on a platter. are you telling me you can't find a player who would tell you how chad threw during practice? what ever happened to investigative journalism. herm spoiled you guys good.
We know you're trying, but . . .
I would think the coaches would be less stressed during the offseason. How about a short interview with some of the assistant coaches? It also would be interesting to hear Schottenheimer's take on his offensive plans. How about talking to some of the recently released players, like Kingsbury? I bet he could share some of the buzz among the players about Pennington. Remember at the end of the season, when all of those anonymous sources were saying how Pennington was perceived to be fragile? It would be good to hear if those hushed comments have changed.
I see Ken's point. Nobody really knows how Chad will be until they see him in live action. But the good thing here is he has had more time to rehab and his last surgery was less serious. He has added bulk and still has 2 full months before training opens. If Chad is or gets to 100% he will be our starting QB on opening day. That would be a great comeback and would give the Jets the best chance to win.
IRA
WAHHHHH!!! just kidding ken. although i do question if you know what a blog is. i mean you write blogs when essentially what you write can be used in print.
i think you should just write in a blog what comes to your head and not neccesarily what you see on the field (i.e. pennington in training camp).
i am still looking for the blog/article comparing mangini's style to herm's and from there telling us which style will bring us fans a championship. why not give us some inside stories about herm, he's a goner so i am sure he won't care or even read it. no offense but you're not on espn.com, so what you write in a blog won't garner national attention. don't get me wrong because we are glad to have.
oh and if you write the story i suggested i want a job as an editor! :)
Don't pay attention to the haters on here. I would hate to see this blog go away due to people complaining. Anyway- any Chrebet anecdotes or anything else to out of Chrebets retirement press conference would be nice to hear. I will miss #80!
Ken this is a critical comment, both good and bad, about this blog.
A blog is more of a living thing, unlike newspapers, that feeds off of continuous exchange. Repeating what was said in your article, which I'm sure everyone on this blog already reads, is redundant. You don't have to put up "newsworthy" posts either, just saying hi or replying to comments should be sufficient. For example, if all of the rookies were at Mangini's camp, you could comment on their impressive, or unimpressive, presence and social skills or overall personalities. That is supposing you met them.
All I'm really suggesting is that you view the blog as more of the entertainment source and the article as the information source. Clearly Newsday wants you to put news in the paper so the blog is your opportunity to loosen the tie and just chat.
It is a good blog, and the fans are already here, just stop by once or twice a week, even though it is the offseason, and say hi. Most blogs live off of more interaction than that. You just have to add some kindling to get the fire started here and there. And you can do it without leaving your home, office, whatever.
Thanks for blogging!
Ken: Write whatever you want. Just not at the expense of the team. If you write something that Mangini would have preferred to keep inside Weeb Ewbank hall, I will not be grateful.
Hey Ken – think of it this way. We are all in a bar having a beer. You are the reporter that covers the Jets. Everyone in the bar wants to know what you THINK (not the article you are going to hand in to the editor). That’s blogging my friend. Oh miss…another round, Ken's buying!
Max
Ken;
I agree that the Jets are going overboard in not providing real news and information to the local beat writer's. The only informative 'news' and 'analysis' is coming from the Jets web site on NFL.COM. Here's one from the Jets Web Site discussing the QB situation. QB troubles? What QB troubles. The article gives the impression that the Jets are Super Bowl bound with any of the four QB's. The author is not identified.
http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/articles/show_article?short_name=news&article_id=729
After the draft they announced that Real Football Services will be contributing the the Jets Web site. Have you seen the articles? It would make a PR Department blush with the glowing appraisel of the Jets from the draft through the analysis of the position players.
Real Football Services isn't even on the internet so I can assume it is a Jet funded PR firm that gives glowing assessments of everything Tangini.
The Jet's Spin-glish is a disservice to Jet fans everywhere, especially since a cone of silence has fallen over Hofstra.
Can you tell us who owns or funds Real Football Services? The author of these articles is anonymous (alhough it isn't a stretch to consider Mike Tannenbaum) but sounds like Armstrong Williams who got into a heap of trouble when it was learned he received payment for pimping the Bush adminstration's No Child Left Behind policy under the guise of an impartial journalist doing his job.
Ken,
Chad's interview with Ray Lucas was excellent. He really tells you how well Mangini is getting his points across to the players. They will buy into his system and will be a lot better then most people think. It should be real interesting to see how Chad does this week at MiniCamp.I think he will do just fine. GO JETS!
IRA
isn't mangini fat great example. hey guys get in shape but its ok for me to be a fat shit.
Does anyone else think our RB from Florida State might be the steal of the draft? He had a great workout at the combine and is now hungry, because so many teams passed on him. I think he might be the answer to replace Curtis in a year or two.
Real Football 365
http://www.realfootball365.com
Real Football 365
nothing else matters.our coach is fat if he doesn't lose the jets will lose.
departmental Jackie radars implementor monotonousness,Hollister season .