A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Excuses, Excuses

Last season, the New England Patriots endured a rash of injuries that decimated their defense. They could have let down a bit, perhaps making the playoffs and having a respectable season before falling to the Colts, and nobody would have criticized them. Instead, they won their third Super Bowl in four seasons.

This season, the Jets have endured a rash of injuries that has decimated their offense. The Jets' injuries are probably even more devastating than those suffered by the Patriots last season, and the Jets were not a Super Bowl champion to begin with. So it can be argued that the analogy is imperfect.

Maybe a better analogy lies in another sport, the NBA. Prior to last season, the Nets gave away starters Kenyon Martin and Kerry Kittles, along with much of their bench. Jason Kidd missed the first part of the season after sustaining a serious knee injury. Richard Jefferson missed more than 50 games after breaking his wrist. Even after acquiring Vince Carter, the Nets were 12-24, with nearly half the roster spots filled by no-names who are now not even in the NBA.

The Nets could not completely overcome their injuries and owner Bruce Ratner's frugality, but they never quit and made things fun, finishing on a 30-16 run to make the playoffs and to open this season on an optimistic note.

The manner of how a team responds to adversity is what is most relevant. Does the front office and coaching staff make excuses or does it find ways to win?

In the case of the New York Jets, excuses are the response of choice. In an interview in today's New York Daily News, GM Terry Bradway comes up with all kinds of contrived explanations for this year's fiasco: Injuries, changes on the offensive line, and injuries again.

Bradway's defense of his poor offseason personnel moves is most amusing. Regarding invisible tight end Doug Jolley, for whom the Jets traded their first round pick (they acquired Oakland's second rounder along with Jolley), Bradway defends the move, by saying: "We knew we had a need for a receiving tight end and, according to all our reports, Doug Jolley fit the bill."

What reports are Bradway referring to? Newspaper reports?

Bradway also makes clear that Herm Edwards will be with the Jets for "a long time." So unless owner Woody Johnson is savvy enough to fire Bradway and Edwards, the current mess won't be fixed anytime soon.

Regarding Edwards, he gets a stinging indictment from ex-Jet cornerback Ray Mickens in today's New York Post. Mickens had the following to say:

- "It seems like a couple of times I've watched them play, the focus wasn't there."

That reflects almost entirely on the coaching staff, particularly Edwards, whose main asset is supposed to be his motivational skills.

- "From talking to some of the guys on the teams, things have changed a little bit with Herm; he's a little more hands off... from what I'm hearing a lot of things have changed — the whole attitude and mentality of Herm, preparation-wise and practices, and the time off they've had. Those are things that never happened when I was there."

Hands off, less practice and less preparation? Sounds like a great plan for a team on the verge of its worst season in nine years.

As for Edwards letting players go home for the bye week, Mickens said:

"You stop practicing 'cause you're banged up? I'd say you have more meeting time. I don't say you just go home."

Maybe when he finishes his NFL career, Ray Mickens should replace Herm as Jets head coach.
posted on 11/02/2005