I recognize this guy on the left from serving on the awards committee of the California Alumni Association. Steve's his name. I always see him but he never says hello to me.
He seems to be one of the kind of African American men that don't want to be seen talking to other blacks in a meeting situation. I'm serious. I hate to say it, but everyone else I've served with talks to me except him. Just Steve.
Earl Robinson was a direct contrast to him by far; had no problem talking to me and let's face it -- there were only a handful of us on the CAA so what's wrong with talking? Nothing! Well, this is sure to change all that!
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Monday, January 08, 2007
Disney World's Tigger Strikes Teen In The Face - Video
Well, you do have to see this. It seems whomever was playing Tigger at Waly Disney World in Florida had enough of this particular teenager and hauled off and hit him. I've seen it again and again. Disney can't have this kind of behavior from its characters.
Check it out:
Check it out:
Atlanta Falcons Hiring Louisville Cardunals Coach Bobby Petrino
Hopefully Falcons Owner Arthur Blank THINKS he has the right man for the job now...
see my comment at the end
From the NY Times.....
Louisville’s Petrino to Leave for the N.F.L. and the Falcons
By PETE THAMEL
Published: January 8, 2007
When Coach Bobby Petrino signed a 10-year contract extension last summer at Louisville, he insisted that it include a million-dollar buyout as a sign of his commitment to the university.
Skip to next paragraph
Lynne Sladky/Associated Press
Petrino signed a 10-year contract extension last summer with Louisville, but decided to leave to take the head-coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons.
Division I-A
At the news conference announcing his extension, Petrino said that Louisville was the place where he and his family wanted to be.
“I want everyone to really believe it,” Petrino said in July.
But in what is becoming a familiar trend on the coaching carousel, it did not take long for him to have a change of heart. Louisville announced last night that Petrino was taking the head-coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons. He will replace Jim Mora, who was fired.
The Louisville sports information director, Kenny Klein, said in a telephone interview last night that Petrino informed the athletic director Tom Jurich and the Cardinals team of his decision yesterday.
Klein said that Jurich typically did not put buyouts in contracts, but Jurich did so at Petrino’s request. That was because until Petrino, 45, declared his undying love for the university this past summer, he had been regarded as a flirt in coaching circles.
In the last three years, he talked with Auburn, Louisiana State, Notre Dame and the Oakland Raiders about coaching vacancies. But all of that wanderlust appeared to dissipate with the comments that followed the signing of his 10-year, $25 million contract.
“I know I’ve said it, that this is where my family wants to be,” Petrino said. “This is where I want to be. I want everyone to really believe it."
His words were not unlike those of Nick Saban, who left the Dolphins last week to take the job at the University of Alabama despite multiple denials. Also, earlier this off-season, Dennis Erickson left Idaho for Arizona State despite saying that the Vandals job would be one he would be happy to retire from.
Petrino was 41-9 in his four seasons at Louisville, where he became known as one of the top offensive masterminds in college football. He led the Cardinals to the biggest win in the program’s history last week when they defeated Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl. They finished this season 12-1 and would have been considered a top contender for the national title in 2007 if the junior quarterback Brian Brohm and the junior tailback Michael Bush had returned for their senior years.
Instead, Louisville will be looking for a new coach. The top name on the list will most likely be Tulsa Coach Steve Kragthorpe, whom Jurich has long admired from afar.
“I certainly appreciate all the hard work he did in elevating this program to where it stands today,” Jurich said in a statement last night. “I wish him and his family all the best. We’re going to move quickly in hiring our next coach to keep our momentum going.”
It will be interesting to see how Petrino’s low-key personality meshes with N.F.L. life.
He could struggle with the media scrutiny and dealing with the egos of N.F.L. players. He’ll also have the challenge of trying to maximize the talents of quarterback Michael Vick, who despite his talent and promise, has not been able to win consistently in Atlanta.
Petrino’s hiring came as something of a shock in N.F.L. circles; his name had not come up as a possible candidate.
So no one knew this was coming?? I don't buy it! Somewhere someone had to know... I believe that when the other "usual" suspects were not called-or in the case of Bears D-Coordinator Ron Rivera, called back. you had to know something weird was going to happen. Not that Petrino isn't a good coach, Quite the opposite, he is a very good coach. but as stated above, will he "mesh" with the pro style of "getting things done"....
What Did Miss Nevada 2007, Katie Rees Do To Lose Her Crown? Take A Look!
What did 2007 Miss Nevada Katie Rees -- pictured in the red blouse -- do to lose her crown and yet be given no second chance, unlike Miss USA Tara Conner? Well, she was partying a bit too much and was captured on camera. What she did could be described but the photos are not X-rated, but R-rated and some of the tame ones are included here.
Why would she, or any young girl, do this? I'll explore that in a future post because it's a good question.
Who is Katie Rees? According to Wikipedia...
Katie Rees (born 11 August 1984 in St Petersburg, Florida) is a former American beauty queen who has held the Miss Nevada USA title. She was to compete in the Miss USA 2007 pageant but was dethroned in December 2006 following the release of pictures of her semi-naked, kissing, sucking the nipples of other women, and simulating cunnilingus at a Florida nightclub three years prior.
Rees won the Miss Nevada USA 2007 title in a state pageant held in Las Vegas on 8 October 2006; it was her first attempt at this title. Rees was crowned by outgoing titleholder Lauren Scyphers. Her "sister" titleholder, Miss Nevada Teen USA 2007, was Danielle Hashimoto.
Controversy
On 20 December 2006, allegations of Rees exhibiting raunchy behaviour in a Florida nightclub were made, and several photographs of Rees exposing her breasts, kissing and licking other women, and simulating sexual acts were released to the media.[1] This followed a scandal involving Miss USA 2006 Tara Conner, in which news reports claimed Conner had been drinking underage; Conner was allowed to retain her title.
On 21 December 2006, Rees was stripped of her crown by the Miss Universe Organization,[2] with the approval of pageant co-owner Donald Trump. She was succeeded by pageant first runner-up Helen Salas, who will represent Nevada in the Miss USA 2007 pageant in March.
Becca Manns Picks Up Where Texas High School Cheerleaders Leave Off - Litterally
Not to be out-done in the young-white-girl-gets-naked-has-picts-taken-which-are-on-Internet storyline is Becca Manns. Becca Manns is the University of Louisville Cheerleader who had her sexy pics spread all over the Internet. Some say it was the fault of a jealous boyfriend, but whatever the reason Manns was kicked out of college entirely and her parents are fighting to get her back in. This is far worse than anything Britney Spears has done, but given the buzz on this, she may start later on.
Time Out! Click here to buy or sell NBA home tickets online!
I've got to wonder why it is that the woman of focus is always white and blonde? Why? I mean it's not as if there aren't Black women out there shakin it for the camera, right? But the ones that are always mentioned are blonde. That's weird. It can be this or some teacher-sex scandal, but the one constant is the woman is a hot blonde.
I don't think that's the fault of hot blondes, but rather a kind of racial and sexual discrmination commonly practiced. But what seems to make this just fine with the people in charge is how many women-of-color are going to step-up and claim equal time with horny white chicks?
I am waiting for the one who does. It could happen with the right backing. Meanwhile, Ms. Manns should consider the sex industry.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
The Apprentice LA: Resting In Its Own Tent City
I'm watching The Apprentice LA now and as a person who's not missed one of these segments, I've got to write that I'm not really down with the LA style. OK, I like the women -- who would not?
But look, the relocation to LA was just plain stupid. New York's the center of commerce, so either keep it there or if Donald Trump's going to try a new city, it should have been Chicago.
But LA? It's not working for me.
The other aspect of the problem with this show is that by placing one group in a mansion and another -- the losing group -- in a kind of tent city, the drama and interplay of the people as a whole is totally destroyed. There's no rivalry to really sink one's teeth into at all. Whoever came up with that idea may have doomed Apprentice LA to a tent city of its own, right at the bottom of the ratings.
Finally, while his daughter's certainly good-looking, I can't see her as a viable replacement for Carolyn. She just does not have "it." What she has is a bitch-approach that she thinks passes for being a woman in business. It's played. I know far too many women who are not like her and get the job done just as well.
I'm not sure this is the right formula..
Time will tell.
But look, the relocation to LA was just plain stupid. New York's the center of commerce, so either keep it there or if Donald Trump's going to try a new city, it should have been Chicago.
But LA? It's not working for me.
The other aspect of the problem with this show is that by placing one group in a mansion and another -- the losing group -- in a kind of tent city, the drama and interplay of the people as a whole is totally destroyed. There's no rivalry to really sink one's teeth into at all. Whoever came up with that idea may have doomed Apprentice LA to a tent city of its own, right at the bottom of the ratings.
Finally, while his daughter's certainly good-looking, I can't see her as a viable replacement for Carolyn. She just does not have "it." What she has is a bitch-approach that she thinks passes for being a woman in business. It's played. I know far too many women who are not like her and get the job done just as well.
I'm not sure this is the right formula..
Time will tell.
NFL Superad - Vote At http://www.nfl.com/superad/vote
Today's the day -- and the last day -- to vote for your favorite Super Bowl ad. The winner gets a trip to Super Bowl XLI in Miami. You can see all of them at Super Bowl Ad
Zennie Returns!
Yep. I'm back. It was just a long layoff and much needed rest, not to mention a landlord controversy. But I'm back!
mnhsfabfive2007's photos - Texas High School Cheerleader Scandal Pt 2
More of her or as she put's it "Me." As to the rest of the story...
From MSNBC...Jan. 2, 2007 - The pictures posted on MySpace.com looked like the latest installment of "Girls Gone Wild." In them, cheerleaders from McKinney North High School in Texas exhibited all variety of bawdy behavior. One shot showed a bikini-clad girl sharing a bottle of booze with a friend. Another featured a cheerleader and several other girls in risqué poses offering glimpses of their panties. But the most infamous photo of all was taken in a Condoms To Go store. Five smiling cheerleaders dressed in uniform posed with large candles shaped like penises. At least one of them appeared to be simulating fellatio. "It would be an overstatement to describe any of the photographs as pornographic, but it would be an understatement to describe them as harmless high jinks," wrote Harold Jones, a lawyer hired by the school district to investigate the incident. "Quite frankly, I personally found it 'creepy'."
From MSNBC...Jan. 2, 2007 - The pictures posted on MySpace.com looked like the latest installment of "Girls Gone Wild." In them, cheerleaders from McKinney North High School in Texas exhibited all variety of bawdy behavior. One shot showed a bikini-clad girl sharing a bottle of booze with a friend. Another featured a cheerleader and several other girls in risqué poses offering glimpses of their panties. But the most infamous photo of all was taken in a Condoms To Go store. Five smiling cheerleaders dressed in uniform posed with large candles shaped like penises. At least one of them appeared to be simulating fellatio. "It would be an overstatement to describe any of the photographs as pornographic, but it would be an understatement to describe them as harmless high jinks," wrote Harold Jones, a lawyer hired by the school district to investigate the incident. "Quite frankly, I personally found it 'creepy'."
mnhsfabfive2007's photos - Texas High School Cheerleader Scandal Pt 1
To me, this is just a normal photo, but it seems to be part of a set from a girl that's the ring-leader of a group of high school white girls who acted like "The Heathers": totally out of control and in control of the school. I don't know why this is so fascinating to everyone, but it is. So let's take it away...
Also, check out our new blog "San Francisco's Sexiest!"
Here's a video on the story from Fox Television:
Also, check out our new blog "San Francisco's Sexiest!"
Here's a video on the story from Fox Television:
Friday, January 05, 2007
Giants Playoff coverage#2
NY Times Reporter David Picker tells us the difference between Vishante Shiancoe and Jeremey Shockey
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Jan. 4 — There is nothing subtle about Jeremy Shockey. His hair is surfer-dude blond, his arms are emblazoned with tattoos, and he barks at opponents and officials when things do not bounce his way.
Shockey’s teammates would not change him one bit.
“He’s our emotional leader,” center Shaun O’Hara said before practice Thursday. “Sometimes for good, sometimes for bad. But you know you’re going to get the same thing from him every time, and I love him for it. I wouldn’t want anybody else out there.”
There is a chance the Giants will have to play with the backup tight end Visanthe Shiancoe instead of Shockey in Sunday’s wild-card game in Philadelphia. Shockey, who practiced Thursday for the first time since injuring his left ankle against the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 24, was listed as questionable. Coach Tom Coughlin said Shockey was making progress.
When Shiancoe has started in place of Shockey, the Giants’ offense has changed considerably. Shiancoe is widely regarded as a blocking tight end; Shockey led the team this season with 66 receptions.
But in terms of confidence and self-promotion, Shiancoe and Shockey appear to be on equal footing.
“Look, man, I’m 6-5, 255 pounds,” said Shiancoe, who is listed as 6-4 and 250 pounds in the Giants’ media guide. “I run a 4.5. I’m strong as — excuse me — hell. So I can basically do anything the coaches tell me to do, and they know that.”
He added, “If Shockey is not able to go, of course I could get 100 yards.”
That would be a first. Shiancoe had a career-high 12 catches this season for 81 yards and no touchdowns. He has never caught a pass longer than 17 yards in his career.
But Shiancoe might be a better blocker than Shockey, who was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl this season. And he certainly seems to be more durable. Shiancoe has played in every game since being drafted by the Giants in the third round in 2003, while Shockey has missed 11 games in five seasons.
The swollen ankle forced Shockey to miss last Saturday’s regular-season finale in Washington.
“I just felt like I couldn’t compete as hard as Visanthe Shiancoe and the other guys,” Shockey said Wednesday when asked about not playing against the Redskins. “They got an opportunity and they did very well.”
Shiancoe started in Washington and had 1 reception for 8 yards in the Giants’ 34-28 victory. Tiki Barber rushed for a club-record 234 yards on 23 carries. Coincidence? Shiancoe said he did not think so, and he may have had a point. The Giants appeared to stick with the running game longer than they would have had Shockey been available.
The Giants also did not miss a beat when Shockey was limited by an injured right ankle at the start of the season. They won six of their first eight games with Shiancoe occasionally filling in. With Shockey sidelined in the overtime of the Giants’ 30-24 victory in Philadelphia on Sept. 17, Shiancoe wrested away a 9-yard pass from safety Brian Dawkins, sustaining the game-winning drive.
But Shockey is clearly a better fit in the offense. When Barber was asked Tuesday about the impact Shockey’s absence had in Washington, he said: “We were forced to run the ball. It hurts our intermediate pass game, and this is not a slight on Shiancoe at all. But he’s inexperienced in there.”
Barber, who ran for touchdowns of 15, 55 and 50 yards against the Redskins, added that Shiancoe was a good blocker.
“I try to maul people, man,” Shiancoe said about the subtleties of blocking. “Tiki’s all over the place, man. You don’t know where he’s going to go. And usually, for some reason, he follows behind me.”
Even if Shockey is healthy enough to play Sunday, Shiancoe will likely work up a sweat. He started three games in which the Giants opened with dual tight-end sets, and he is a fixture on special teams, playing on most kickoff returns and field-goal attempts.
But if Shockey is on the field, Shiancoe’s role will be limited at best. Still, he insisted he was not bothered by being overshadowed by Shockey.
“Everyone thinks that they’re starters,” Shiancoe said. “Nobody wants their whole career to not be really a strong part of the offense. But it’s my role here — the backup tight end.”
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Jan. 4 — There is nothing subtle about Jeremy Shockey. His hair is surfer-dude blond, his arms are emblazoned with tattoos, and he barks at opponents and officials when things do not bounce his way.
Shockey’s teammates would not change him one bit.
“He’s our emotional leader,” center Shaun O’Hara said before practice Thursday. “Sometimes for good, sometimes for bad. But you know you’re going to get the same thing from him every time, and I love him for it. I wouldn’t want anybody else out there.”
There is a chance the Giants will have to play with the backup tight end Visanthe Shiancoe instead of Shockey in Sunday’s wild-card game in Philadelphia. Shockey, who practiced Thursday for the first time since injuring his left ankle against the New Orleans Saints on Dec. 24, was listed as questionable. Coach Tom Coughlin said Shockey was making progress.
When Shiancoe has started in place of Shockey, the Giants’ offense has changed considerably. Shiancoe is widely regarded as a blocking tight end; Shockey led the team this season with 66 receptions.
But in terms of confidence and self-promotion, Shiancoe and Shockey appear to be on equal footing.
“Look, man, I’m 6-5, 255 pounds,” said Shiancoe, who is listed as 6-4 and 250 pounds in the Giants’ media guide. “I run a 4.5. I’m strong as — excuse me — hell. So I can basically do anything the coaches tell me to do, and they know that.”
He added, “If Shockey is not able to go, of course I could get 100 yards.”
That would be a first. Shiancoe had a career-high 12 catches this season for 81 yards and no touchdowns. He has never caught a pass longer than 17 yards in his career.
But Shiancoe might be a better blocker than Shockey, who was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl this season. And he certainly seems to be more durable. Shiancoe has played in every game since being drafted by the Giants in the third round in 2003, while Shockey has missed 11 games in five seasons.
The swollen ankle forced Shockey to miss last Saturday’s regular-season finale in Washington.
“I just felt like I couldn’t compete as hard as Visanthe Shiancoe and the other guys,” Shockey said Wednesday when asked about not playing against the Redskins. “They got an opportunity and they did very well.”
Shiancoe started in Washington and had 1 reception for 8 yards in the Giants’ 34-28 victory. Tiki Barber rushed for a club-record 234 yards on 23 carries. Coincidence? Shiancoe said he did not think so, and he may have had a point. The Giants appeared to stick with the running game longer than they would have had Shockey been available.
The Giants also did not miss a beat when Shockey was limited by an injured right ankle at the start of the season. They won six of their first eight games with Shiancoe occasionally filling in. With Shockey sidelined in the overtime of the Giants’ 30-24 victory in Philadelphia on Sept. 17, Shiancoe wrested away a 9-yard pass from safety Brian Dawkins, sustaining the game-winning drive.
But Shockey is clearly a better fit in the offense. When Barber was asked Tuesday about the impact Shockey’s absence had in Washington, he said: “We were forced to run the ball. It hurts our intermediate pass game, and this is not a slight on Shiancoe at all. But he’s inexperienced in there.”
Barber, who ran for touchdowns of 15, 55 and 50 yards against the Redskins, added that Shiancoe was a good blocker.
“I try to maul people, man,” Shiancoe said about the subtleties of blocking. “Tiki’s all over the place, man. You don’t know where he’s going to go. And usually, for some reason, he follows behind me.”
Even if Shockey is healthy enough to play Sunday, Shiancoe will likely work up a sweat. He started three games in which the Giants opened with dual tight-end sets, and he is a fixture on special teams, playing on most kickoff returns and field-goal attempts.
But if Shockey is on the field, Shiancoe’s role will be limited at best. Still, he insisted he was not bothered by being overshadowed by Shockey.
“Everyone thinks that they’re starters,” Shiancoe said. “Nobody wants their whole career to not be really a strong part of the offense. But it’s my role here — the backup tight end.”
Jets Playoff coverage#2
NY TIMES Jets Beat Reporter Karen Crouse's take on this weeks Wildcard game-My Slant at the end...
Punishment Laps Help Jets Kick Penalty Habit
By KAREN CROUSE
Published: January 5, 2007
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Jan. 4 — The realization came during training camp. The Jets’ owner, Woody Johnson, was watching a practice from the sideline when his franchise quarterback, Chad Pennington, jogged past while running a punishment lap for making a rare mental error. It was then that Johnson knew that his new coach, Eric Mangini, would be a stickler for correctness.
Under Mangini’s predecessor, Herman Edwards, the Jets did a good job when it came to self-discipline. They led the N.F.L. in fewest penalties during Edwards’s rookie season, in 2001. And last season, despite a 4-12 record, the Jets inflicted relatively little harm on themselves, finishing with the fifth fewest penalties in the league.
But this season has been even better, with the Jets ranking No. 3 in the league in fewest penalties (70) and No. 2 in penalty yardage (560). Of the 12 teams in the postseason, no one has better penalty numbers than the Jets, a testament to their self-control and a clear factor in their surprising success.
In a season in which the Jets were breaking in a rookie head coach, using coordinators who had never called plays in the N.F.L. and relying on a backfield bereft of Curtis Martin, there was virtually no margin for error, no way for the Jets to succeed if they tripped themselves with repeated penalties. They didn’t.
Mangini’s message of playing smart was reinforced through the running of extra laps for practice infractions that fell under the category of self-destruction, like turnovers, penalties and mental errors. All those laps later, the Jets are getting ready for a first-round playoff game on Sunday against New England.
“Those laps have a lot to do with it,” safety Rashad Washington said Thursday with a wry laugh. “Those things get tiring, especially after you’ve been practicing twice a day and you end up having to run a lap in the middle of practice, then come back and jump right back in. You try your best in practice not to make dumb penalties so you don’t have to run, and it carries over to the game.”
The discipline displayed by the Jets received mostly lip service from the playoff-bound Giants. Despite having a coach, Tom Coughlin, with a reputation for being a disciplinarian, the Giants were among the most penalized teams in the league this season. They ranked No. 22 in fewest penalties, with 101, and were 23rd in fewest penalty yards (881). Last season they were even worse.
In fact, each New York team has been a reflection of its coach, with the Jets playing with the dispassionate poise of the poker-faced Mangini and the Giants (8-8) playing with the questionable composure sometimes displayed by Coughlin.
The Giants were called for 18 personal fouls in 16 games this season, the worst number of any team. The Jets had five, which was tied for the second-fewest in the league with five other teams.
The Jets were also one of five teams that did not incur an unsportsmanlike penalty during the regular season. Jets tight end Doug Jolley was called for one in a preseason game against the Giants, when he head-butted defensive back Sam Madison.
After that game, a 13-7 loss, Mangini talked about Jolley’s foul being “really unacceptable” and “selfish.” Within days, Jolley was gone, traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a seventh-round draft pick.
If the laps did not drive the message home about penalties, Jolley’s banishment probably did. “The coaches emphasize not making stupid penalties,” Washington said, “and being focused and committed to what we’re trying to get done.”
There are at least two people with officiating experience at every practice, and at Mangini’s behest, they call practice as tightly as any game crew. “It is a significant emphasis,” Mangini said.
Erik Coleman, the Jets’ third-year safety, gave an assist to the practice officials for the feat the Jets pulled off of going nearly eight games this season without drawing a defensive pass-interference penalty.
The streak was snapped when safety Kerry Rhodes was called for interfering with Oakland tight end Courtney Anderson in the fourth quarter of the Jets’ 23-3 victory last Sunday. “I didn’t think it was pass interference,” Rhodes said, smiling.
Corwin Brown, the Jets’ defensive backs coach, said during a chance encounter in a hallway Wednesday that he was not aware of the streak. His players are positive that his fingerprints are all over their success.
“Corwin’s been working with us on being patient and calm when the ball is in the air and just looking at the receiver,” the rookie cornerback Drew Coleman said. “We call it not losing your moxie.”
What does the moxie mantra cover? “Playing with a little poise instead of getting rattled when stuff goes bad and getting all out of whack,” Washington said. “Just calming yourself.”
Moxie by proxy: it is the Jets’ way. The question to be answered Sunday is if the Mangini-mirroring Jets are disciplined enough to defeat a team that is heavily favored to beat them.
EXTRA POINTS
Eric Mangini tried to make light Thursday of the cold-fish handshakes that he and his mentor, Patriots Coach Bill Belichick, exchanged after each of their regular-season meetings. “We do a lot of self-scouting after the game: what we did well, what we did poorly,” Mangini said. Breaking into a smile, he added that he thought his handshake was strong and firm. “I’ve experimented with a couple other different kinds that haven’t worked for me,” Mangini said with a laugh. ... Center Nick Mangold did not receive any votes for offensive rookie of the year despite making 16 starts and few mistakes. But, Mangini said, “He got center of the year for us.”
So Karen Is Right: The Jets are one of the Least Penalized teams in pro football. When we attended Training camp in July, They ran 2 laps in the 90+ degree sweltering heat(that made my wife pass out after a panic attack) for every Penalty incurred.
Punishment Laps Help Jets Kick Penalty Habit
By KAREN CROUSE
Published: January 5, 2007
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Jan. 4 — The realization came during training camp. The Jets’ owner, Woody Johnson, was watching a practice from the sideline when his franchise quarterback, Chad Pennington, jogged past while running a punishment lap for making a rare mental error. It was then that Johnson knew that his new coach, Eric Mangini, would be a stickler for correctness.
Under Mangini’s predecessor, Herman Edwards, the Jets did a good job when it came to self-discipline. They led the N.F.L. in fewest penalties during Edwards’s rookie season, in 2001. And last season, despite a 4-12 record, the Jets inflicted relatively little harm on themselves, finishing with the fifth fewest penalties in the league.
But this season has been even better, with the Jets ranking No. 3 in the league in fewest penalties (70) and No. 2 in penalty yardage (560). Of the 12 teams in the postseason, no one has better penalty numbers than the Jets, a testament to their self-control and a clear factor in their surprising success.
In a season in which the Jets were breaking in a rookie head coach, using coordinators who had never called plays in the N.F.L. and relying on a backfield bereft of Curtis Martin, there was virtually no margin for error, no way for the Jets to succeed if they tripped themselves with repeated penalties. They didn’t.
Mangini’s message of playing smart was reinforced through the running of extra laps for practice infractions that fell under the category of self-destruction, like turnovers, penalties and mental errors. All those laps later, the Jets are getting ready for a first-round playoff game on Sunday against New England.
“Those laps have a lot to do with it,” safety Rashad Washington said Thursday with a wry laugh. “Those things get tiring, especially after you’ve been practicing twice a day and you end up having to run a lap in the middle of practice, then come back and jump right back in. You try your best in practice not to make dumb penalties so you don’t have to run, and it carries over to the game.”
The discipline displayed by the Jets received mostly lip service from the playoff-bound Giants. Despite having a coach, Tom Coughlin, with a reputation for being a disciplinarian, the Giants were among the most penalized teams in the league this season. They ranked No. 22 in fewest penalties, with 101, and were 23rd in fewest penalty yards (881). Last season they were even worse.
In fact, each New York team has been a reflection of its coach, with the Jets playing with the dispassionate poise of the poker-faced Mangini and the Giants (8-8) playing with the questionable composure sometimes displayed by Coughlin.
The Giants were called for 18 personal fouls in 16 games this season, the worst number of any team. The Jets had five, which was tied for the second-fewest in the league with five other teams.
The Jets were also one of five teams that did not incur an unsportsmanlike penalty during the regular season. Jets tight end Doug Jolley was called for one in a preseason game against the Giants, when he head-butted defensive back Sam Madison.
After that game, a 13-7 loss, Mangini talked about Jolley’s foul being “really unacceptable” and “selfish.” Within days, Jolley was gone, traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a seventh-round draft pick.
If the laps did not drive the message home about penalties, Jolley’s banishment probably did. “The coaches emphasize not making stupid penalties,” Washington said, “and being focused and committed to what we’re trying to get done.”
There are at least two people with officiating experience at every practice, and at Mangini’s behest, they call practice as tightly as any game crew. “It is a significant emphasis,” Mangini said.
Erik Coleman, the Jets’ third-year safety, gave an assist to the practice officials for the feat the Jets pulled off of going nearly eight games this season without drawing a defensive pass-interference penalty.
The streak was snapped when safety Kerry Rhodes was called for interfering with Oakland tight end Courtney Anderson in the fourth quarter of the Jets’ 23-3 victory last Sunday. “I didn’t think it was pass interference,” Rhodes said, smiling.
Corwin Brown, the Jets’ defensive backs coach, said during a chance encounter in a hallway Wednesday that he was not aware of the streak. His players are positive that his fingerprints are all over their success.
“Corwin’s been working with us on being patient and calm when the ball is in the air and just looking at the receiver,” the rookie cornerback Drew Coleman said. “We call it not losing your moxie.”
What does the moxie mantra cover? “Playing with a little poise instead of getting rattled when stuff goes bad and getting all out of whack,” Washington said. “Just calming yourself.”
Moxie by proxy: it is the Jets’ way. The question to be answered Sunday is if the Mangini-mirroring Jets are disciplined enough to defeat a team that is heavily favored to beat them.
EXTRA POINTS
Eric Mangini tried to make light Thursday of the cold-fish handshakes that he and his mentor, Patriots Coach Bill Belichick, exchanged after each of their regular-season meetings. “We do a lot of self-scouting after the game: what we did well, what we did poorly,” Mangini said. Breaking into a smile, he added that he thought his handshake was strong and firm. “I’ve experimented with a couple other different kinds that haven’t worked for me,” Mangini said with a laugh. ... Center Nick Mangold did not receive any votes for offensive rookie of the year despite making 16 starts and few mistakes. But, Mangini said, “He got center of the year for us.”
So Karen Is Right: The Jets are one of the Least Penalized teams in pro football. When we attended Training camp in July, They ran 2 laps in the 90+ degree sweltering heat(that made my wife pass out after a panic attack) for every Penalty incurred.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)