The Boone Docks

By Tom Rock

OK, I’m back. Thanks for waiting.

Here’s the exchange I’m waiting for this training camp.

Reporter: “How distracting is the Pete Kendall situation?”

Player: “I’m sorry, can you repeat the question? I was distracted by the Pete Kendall situation.”

If any of the players or coaches who read this care to hijack that comment, feel free. We won’t tell.

I spoke with Eric Hicks for a story yesterday and we got to talking about the differences between training camp under Herm in KC and here under Eric. He said that although the practices are longer here (this morning’s workout, at 2:26, was the longest of camp), the meetings in KC were longer. And with the Jets, he said, there is more free time for players to be off their feet and resting (i.e. studying).

Hicks also spent the entire interview holding a small pug Webkin, the exact same one that my son has. The Webkin didn’t belong to Eric, of course, but one of his kids who were here visiting. We shared a fatherly roll of the eyes at the Webkin phenomenon. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’re way out of touch with the 5-10 year old demographic. Get hip, people!

As my friend Tom F. once told me while I was pulling my kids in a Radio Flyer wagon: "What happened? You used to be cool."

Still no Darrelle Revis, and now no Andre Dyson. The veteran was sidelined with an injury for this morning’s practice and also missed yesterday’s workout. That means that the two projected starting corners on the Jets defense are both out. Good thing David Barrett, playing with a ligament injury to his left hand, is starting to play well. He had a second interception in two practices this morning. Starting RG Brandon Moore was excused from this morning’s practice for personal reasons.

This was a pretty hard-hitting practice, with the defense (especially LB Eric Barton) very spirited and chirpy. The offense was pretty out-of-synch and even had to run a penalty lap as an entire unit after some personnel glitches left them without enough players on the field. Mangini was pretty steamed, but he was excited that Chad Pennington was able to refocus the group and perform well in a red-zone drill. Chad even scored a TD on a keeper and spiked the ball with enthusiasm.

“We’re going to have to work on his celebration a little bit,” Mangini said of the awkward spike, “it was not that impressive.”

Finally, in the It’s a Small World category, some connections that are surfacing in Jets camp. Turns out that the team’s new PR guru, Bruce Speight, was an intern with the Browns early in his career. The guy who followed him in that role in Cleveland? Eric Mangini. Also, one of the Jets staffers was telling us about how he knew Wantagh native Joe Villani when he was growing up. This guy was friends with Villani’s older brother Dom, and he recalled picking on and teasing little Joe. Now that Villani is 6-4, 300 pounds and a professional football player, there’s not much teasing going on.

Just for the record, regarding Stephen the Intern's post yesterday, I never made any man-boob jokes. There are two things I'm in no position to ever tease anyone about: hairlines and waistlines.