Bird Cage Liner: week of 17 June 2007

[Box_O_Rocks]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2007/06/17/2007-06-17_short_gain-1.html

There are 84 days before the Jets open at home against the Patriots, and the Giants open in Dallas. Plenty of time for Terrell Owens to walk all over easy-going new Cowboys coach Wade Phillips and for Randy Moss to destroy the chemistry in New England.

A New Yawker prayer if I ever read one.

 

[patriotsdynasty12189]

Yeah whatever. They can hope but we all know the best team in NY this year will be the Yankees

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

You number crunchers will enjoy this article.
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/sports/17382486.htm

Weis is No. 3 on Irish payroll

Notre Dame is paying Charlie Weis a lot of money to run its football program, though the number is not as much as one might think.

The school paid Weis $565,566 in salary from July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006, along with $53,113 in deferred compensation and benefits and a $55,100 expense account. The figures are from the latest tax form the school and other non-profit groups are required to submit to the Internal Revenue Service. The forms are open to the public.

The salary listed encompasses Weis’ first season in South Bend.

 

[gomezcat]

It's good to see that you are using the correct order for writing down dates.

I guess that Weis must bring real value if they are willing to pay half a mill for him. It would be interesting to see what profit they make from the Football side of things.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

It's good to see that you are using the correct order for writing down dates.

I guess that Weis must bring real value if they are willing to pay half a mill for him. It would be interesting to see what profit they make from the Football side of things.

It's all that Military log keeping upsetting my rebel date recording method. I'm content to say good for Charlie.

 

[gomezcat]

It's all that Military log keeping upsetting my rebel date recording method. I'm content to say good for Charlie.

Military?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Military?

Ja, 20 years of fun and frolic in combat boots.

 

[Michael]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2007/06/17/2007-06-17_short_gain-1.htmlA New Yawker prayer if I ever read one.

True dat. And if the team was resting on Moss's performance he may have a point but, the truth (as we know) is if he performs, awesome and if he doesn't they got him cheap enough to dispose of him no problem. The Pats wil not be revolving around Moss.

 

[Mainefan]

Right. We got Moss because he was available, NOT because we needed him. If he disappears, we're still in fine shape.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Military?

Not to worry you, but where did you think all those surveillance skills came from?

 

[Mike the Brit]

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2007/06/17/2007-06-17_short_gain-1.htmlA New Yawker prayer if I ever read one.

The more I think about it, the more I think that BB is exactly the right coach for Randy Moss. He will treat Moss with respect as a man and as an athlete, but he doesn't need Moss to boost his ego (or save his job).

If Moss still has the talent and will to succeed, BB will help him do it, if anyone can.

 

[fgssand]

Please cite one example of a player from any team that played with Moss saying he was a bad influence in the locker room.

Unlike, TO, Moss is a good team mate and the only knock on him from a team perspective is that he hates to lose so much that he shows it - not a bad thing IMHO.

Dillon was also supposed to wreck our team chemisty...worked out pretty well I would say and RM will as well, as long as he can stay healthy.

I really would like to know how the Jets plan to cover him - if anything like the way NE did when we last played Oakland, that will create mismatches all lover the field for Romany other WR's & TE's.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Please cite one example of a player from any team that played with Moss saying he was a bad influence in the locker room.

Unlike, TO, Moss is a good team mate and the only knock on him from a team perspective is that he hates to lose so much that he shows it - not a bad thing IMHO.

Dillon was also supposed to wreck our team chemisty...worked out pretty well I would say and RM will as well, as long as he can stay healthy.

I really would like to know how the Jets plan to cover him - if anything like the way NE did when we last played Oakland, that will create mismatches all lover the field for Romany other WR's & TE's.

Moss may not be a "good" teammate, but as long as he isn't expected to fulfill a leadership role he should be fine working within the structure of an established team - particularly under a coach who won't baby him.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Kirwin expects the Raiders to improve turnover & sack numbers
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/10226836

For now, I'll focus on two critical areas for any football team -- turnovers and sacks -- and take a realistic look at what the worst teams in 2006 can do to turn things around. I spent a lot of time talking with members of the Oakland Raiders team and coaching staff this week while they were at a Raiders function to support the Special Olympics. Coincidentally, the Silver & Black was the worst team in the league last season in sacks allowed (72) and turnovers (minus-23 differential).

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Jets' news
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2007/06/17/2007-06-17_vilma_playing_risky_hand.html

To the Jets, Vilma is an ace in the middle of their defensive deck. He's the brains of the outfit, a film-room fanatic known for spending hours in front of the DVR. But for all his smarts, his reputation took a hit last season with a sub-par performance.

Undersized for Mangini's 3-4 defense, Vilma made few impact plays, finishing with no sacks, no forced fumbles and one interception. He produced only 68 solo tackles, down from 143.

After an offseason of rampant trade speculation, none of it confirmed, the former AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year (2004) is eager to return to his old form. If he has another mediocre year, the Jets could put him on the trading block for real. This could be a crossroads season for the former first-round pick, but he says he's ready to tackle the pressure.

"It's good to know what people expect of me and how people perceive me," he says. "They expect the big plays and they expect the big hits and 200 tackles. Whether it be in a 4-3 or 3-4, those expectations aren't going to change for me. For me, it's good to hear that, and it's a little bit of a motivating factor."
-----
Vilma is determined to succeed in the 3-4 scheme. And that is no poker bluff.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

More Jest news
http://www.newsday.com/sports/footb...17,0,3595432.story?coll=ny-football-headlines

The Jets brought in a load of new bodies to help the defense during the offseason, from the free-agent signings of Kenyon Coleman and David Bowens to the first-round selection of cornerback Darrelle Revis. But during the OTAs and this weekend's minicamp, coach Eric Mangini hardly used any of them with the first unit. Instead, when the Jets lined up during these summer workouts, it was more often than not with the same starting group that played all of last season ... and ranked 25th in the league.
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Last year's defensive captain, Jonathan Vilma, said having 11 returning starters allows the unit to "evolve," but he added that the addition of veterans helps the entire group, even though they're not with the starters.

"They bring a lot of maturity and NFL experience, which is good for us," Vilma said. "You can never go wrong with that."

 

[Gunnails]

Jets' news
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/2007/06/17/2007-06-17_vilma_playing_risky_hand.html

===========================
If Vilma does not improve this year I hope the Jets do trade him, He should be worth a 1st. Last year he was learning a new system and had a poor D line in front of him (Ellis and DRob where learning also), if the Jets d line performance improves so should Vilma's. Definetly more of a 4/3 guy.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Jest again
http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1182055495124720.xml&coll=1

While new Jets running back Thomas Jones has the upper body of Mr. Universe, displaying his bulging biceps by rolling up the sleeves of his jersey, he has the nimble feet and soft hands of a game-breaker.

Jones, the former Bear, was impressive during the Jets' minicamp last week and figures to be the spark plug for the entire offense, much like Curtis Martin once was.
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It's a job description in a multidimensional offense that suits Jones just fine, one that is night and day from what he played in Chicago the past three seasons.

"It (the Jets' offense) is different than Chicago," said Jones, who wore a play sheet on his wristbands during minicamp. "In Chicago, we ran the ball so well that we had a certain amount of plays that we ran on.
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Jones, whose workout regiment is already the stuff of legend around the Jets complex, also feels good about quarterback Chad Pennington. He likes what he sees on and off the field.

"The fact that he's a smart guy who comes to work every day," said Jones, who isn't easily impressed. "As a leader, he shows that he has a presence in the huddle. I have known him for a long time. I have watched his career because we came out in the same year of the draft. I'm just fortunate to be able to play with him."
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The Jets don't feel they overpaid for unrestricted free-agent DE Kenyon Coleman (five years, $20.5 million, $6 million guaranteed) because it's hard to find quality defensive linemen with experience in the 3-4 scheme, and when you do, you have to pay those players top dollar.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

===========================
If Vilma does not improve this year I hope the Jets do trade him, He should be worth a 1st. Last year he was learning a new system and had a poor D line in front of him (Ellis and DRob where learning also), if the Jets d line performance improves so should Vilma's. Definetly more of a 4/3 guy.

Sshhh! You'll upset those who swear small linebackers are a good fit for the Pats' 3-4.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Titans Close To Re-signing Chris Brown Last Update: Jun 16, 2007 6:57 PM
http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/con...ntent_id=c8c4ade1-179a-4d75-9515-f773a858242a

The Titans continued contract talks Friday with free-agent running back Chris Brown. General Manager Mike Reinfeldt said he would like to have a deal completed by Tuesday when the team begins its final minicamp.

On Thursday, Brown's agent, Wynn Silberman, said the fifth-year pro had narrowed his picks to Chicago or Tennessee. Brown, a third-round pick by the Titans in 2003, is from Chicago.