The Jets, This Coming Sunday
The Jets are set to play the Pats at Foxboro on Sunday at 1PM. The NYC media has chosen for today's theme: The Belichick--Mangini Feud. Check out the articles here and here. (Shoot, in the latter article Wallace Mathews described it as "Oedipal.") The controversy? Belichick supposedly urged Mangini not to go to the Jets as head coach. After Manging took the job, Belichick has repeatedly snubbed him. The most notable occassion was the last game at Foxoboro where the Jets won. It would usually be the case that a reunion of mentor-student coaches would result in a huggfest at the end of the game, regardless of the result. Not the case here. Belichick reportedly gave him a milisecond cold-fish handshake. Top this off with the fact that Belichick refuses to use Mangini's name at press conferences. This has even ticked off some of the players. Mangini for his part has mostly taken the high road--not that he isn't pissed off, who wouldn't be?--but rather because he would rather bear the brunt of the playoff distraction rather than having it on the team. It even yields a little motivational push. C'mon, let's win one for Eric. Mangini, at least to my kowledge, has never said a bad word about Belichick.

It is kind of petty. Belichick has become the modern day Bill Walsh launching the careers of many of the best coaches of our generation. (See Charlie Weiss and Nick Saban and Romeo Crenell and, of course, Mangini). He should be proud that it happened. In keeping up this little bit of nonsense, Belichick may be overplaying his hand if he's trying to use this as a motivational tool.

In other news about the game, star CB Rodney Harrison will likely be out due to an MCL injury sustained on Sunday. Harrison may miss the rest of the season as well. While I wish a speedy recovery for Mr. Harrision, the Pat's loss is our gain.

For his part, Steve Serby predicts that the Jets will beat the Pats but tank to the Ravens in the next round, the Giants will tank to the Eagles in the first round and the Cowboys will win the Superbowl. While I hope the first part is correct, I have serious doubts about the last part.
- posted by Base10 @ 11:48 AM