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1. 2003 ALCS GAME 7Originally Posted by Mez 0ne
Originally Posted by onewearz
Jets safety Kerry Rhodes happy to be out of Eric Mangini's defensive system
CORTLAND, N.Y. - Kerry Rhodes is a fledgling actor who already has appeared in two movies, but perhaps his best performance occurred last season: He acted happy.
Even though he never complained publicly, Rhodes was miserable in Eric Mangini's defense, which made him a one-dimensional safety. He was used primarily in deep coverage for the Jets, restricted from flowing to the ball. His big-play production, once the hallmark of his game, almost disappeared.
"For me, inside, it was burning me up," Rhodes said yesterday at SUNY-Cortland, revealing that he twice went to Mangini to request an expanded role - and was denied both times. Asked if the meetings were contentious, he said, "It wasn't heated, per se, but I tried to get my point across."
Rhodes won't have to lobby anymore.
In Rex Ryan's defense, the system made famous for safeties by Ravens ballhawker Ed Reed, Rhodes will have the freedom to ad-lib based on his pre-snap reads. With Reed's former sidekick, Jim Leonhard, starting alongside him and calling most of the signals, Rhodes has everything in place to have a bounce-back season.
"I'm Kobe; I'm the shooting guard," said Rhodes, who described himself as the point guard of last year's secondary. "I don't have to take 100 shots, but I can pick my spots within the flow of the game."
To use another sports analogy, he was the setup man, not the closer, the way he used to be.
Rhodes was an emerging force in 2006 and 2007, with nine interceptions, seven sacks and five forced fumbles. His big-play numbers dropped to two, one and zero, respectively, last season. The frustration got to him around midseason, when he noticed "the plays weren't coming my way."
He requested a private audience with Mangini, who explained his reasoning behind the strategy. Rhodes declined to give the juicy details, but it seems obvious: With problems at right cornerback - rookie Dwight Lowery started the season and was replaced by graybeard Ty Law - Mangini wanted Rhodes to be a safety net, so to speak, providing deep help.
"Me and Eric talked because I wasn't happy about it," said Rhodes, who also had another sitdown with Mangini late in the season when everything was crumbling.
Rhodes made this point to Mangini: When he makes big plays, the team wins. He's right. The Jets are 11-1 when Rhodes intercepts a pass. Though Ryan cautioned not to judge Rhodes strictly on his interception total, the former Ravens defensive coordinator has high expectations.
"I definitely think he's going to have a big year for us," Ryan said. "I don't want to really flat-out compare him to Ed Reed because I don't think that's fair - there's only one Ed Reed out there - but I think he can definitely be a playmaker for us."
In Ryan's scheme, safeties are allowed to read and react. Example: Instead of being stuck in the deep center in a three-deep zone, as he would be Mangini's scheme, the safety can jump a shallow crossing route if he reads it and directs another player into his vacated spot.
"He's so athletic and he can cover a lot of ground, and this defense gives you more freedom to roam around," Leonhard said of his new partner. "Kerry is licking his chops. He's ready to go make plays."
All this talk, of course, is putting more pressure on Rhodes to deliver a Pro Bowl-caliber season, an honor that has eluded him. He welcomes the extra attention.
"I want that on me," he said. "There will be no excuses, no talk. It'll just be me, doing what I do."
this has me way to amped to watch football right now, if the dude can thrive in this system like ed reed did then this will be one helluva year.
mangini was an idiot for not using kerry the right way, this dude is a playmaker and hopefully we'll see big things this year ...........
Originally Posted by DeadsetAce
Originally Posted by onewearz
this has me way to amped to watch football right now, if the dude can thrive in this system like ed reed did then this will be one helluva year.
Originally Posted by onewearz
jets didn't need ty law last year, not like he made much of a difference when he came. should've just let dwight develop ..........
same here brotherOriginally Posted by onewearz
yanks , jets , knicks ... rare breed ..........
Originally Posted by PauliePeppas
same here brotherOriginally Posted by onewearz
yanks , jets , knicks ... rare breed ..........
[h1]Jets up contract offer to disgruntled RB Leon Washington[/h1]
BY Rich Cimini
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Wednesday, August 12th 2009, 4:00 AM
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CORTLAND, N.Y. - When the Jets made their initial contract proposal to RB Leon Washington, believed to be around $2 million per year, he found it so insulting that he skipped some of the offseason workouts.
They've increased their offer considerably. According to sources, the Jets have an offer on the table that averages $4.5 million a year. Washington is believed to be seeking $6 million per year. Thing is, if the Jets go higher than $5million, they'd be paying him more than Thomas Jones, the starting tailback.
Washington is due to make $535,000 this season. The two sides continue to talk, although nothing appears imminent.
Are the Jets shopping Jones?
NationalFootballPost.com is reporting that the Jets called an NFC West team to gauge interest in Jones, who is unhappy with his contract. (Jones' brother, Julius, plays for the running back-needy Seahawks.) But the trade talk isn't true, according to a person familiar with the Jets' thinking.
HAPPY RETURN: The Jets will return to their old stomping grounds, Hofstra, for a one-night-only appearance. Practice starts at 5:45 p.m. at Hofstra Stadium. From there, the team will head to its headquarters in Florham Park, N.J., to make final preparations for the preseason opener Friday night against the Rams at the Meadowlands. After the game, they head back to Cortland for another week of camp. ... RT Damien Woody, who suffered an apparent concussion Monday, missed practice. He won't play against the Rams. Neither will C Nick Mangold (knee), NT Kris Jenkins (calf) and CB Darrelle Revis (hamstring). None of the injuries is believed to be serious. FB Tony Richardson (hip) might suit up....David Clowney and Wallace Wright were excused from practice for personal reasons.
CATCHING ON: Rookie WR Britt Davis made the catch of camp, a spinning, one-handed grab on a two-point conversion. It was thrown by Kellen Clemens, who recovered a high shotgun snap, rolled to his right and found Davis.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...2009-08-12_leon_washington.html#ixzz0O0JHzmBF
Pay that man what he wants
Good looksOriginally Posted by onewearz
yeah cbs