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New Jersey – The Jets officially hired Mike Maccagnan as their GM today. However, the press conference will not be on Wednesday. Why is that?
One of the reasons this press conference isn’t on Wednesday is because a number of reporters, who cover the Jets, are going to Buffalo, to cover the press conference of a coach who know longer coaches the Jets, perhaps, stir things up a little in Western New York.
I have no interest in that.
You know what, let the Buffalo media have the access. Let the people of Buffalo have their day.
I just thought it was interesting that the Jets decided not to have the presser tomorrow because some of the writers were going to Buffalo. Maybe they would be better off without some of these guys at the Maccagnan presser. Just kidding.
A big question is who will have final say over personnel – Maccagnan or the coach.
The set-up will be Maccagan has final say on the roster and the coach decides who plays.
But coach and GM need to be more on the same page than the last two years.
Also, the coach needs to be less passive aggressive than Rex. A GM could sign Jimmy Fallon to play safety, and Rex wouldn’t make a stink. Obviously, I’m exaggerating, but you get the point. Rex is so non-confrontation, it actually hurt the personnel department a little.
If you GM is about to pick a 5-11, 225-pound linebacker like Jeremiah George, you have to say, “John, dude, he doesn’t fit our system.”
So while Maccagnan has the final say, he needs to always be on the same page as the coach, and the coach needs to be blunt with him at all times, not tell him what he wants to hear, which Rex might do.
Rex doesn’t like confrontation, but honestly, sometimes with personnel decisions, there needs to be some animated debates. Not fights, not vitriol, but spirited conversations.
If somebody wants to pick Scotty McKnight, somebody needs to get animated in opposition.
As we speak, the Woody, Charlie and Ron are dining with Todd Bowles. Perhaps at Roots Steakhouse in Morristown, which seems to be a common spot for big Jets dinners.
Bowles is likely torn. The Jets and Atlanta are very interested. New Jersey is home (he’s from Elizabeth – 25 minutes from Jets camp – it’s where I park my car long-term for Newark Airport), but Atlanta has the all-important answer at QB.
Surely we will find out the deal with Bowles later in the next few days. He’s every bit the candidate Dan Quinn is, and he can start immediately. The Jets won’t have to wait.
Jets need a coach who is going to hold players more accountable. Bowles is a Parcells/Arians disciple – two guys who pull no punches.
The Jets need more discipline, accountability and better game management. There is no way around it.
Tim Graham wrote a story for the Buffalo News today quoting Buddy Ryan, the headline read – “Rex got a raw deal with Jets, but will coach Buffalo with a vengeance.”
I understand that is his father speaking, so respect him having his son’s back.
But Rex didn’t get a raw deal with the Jets.
As SNY’s Chad Cascadden said late it the year, “This is a poorly coached football team.”
It was time for a change.
As for Maccagnan, some people wonder if he can handle the big job, New York?
“Can he handle the big chair? asked ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “Maccagnan wasn’t on anybody’s GM hot list. Eleven teams have replaced their GM over the past three offseasons, and the only team that interviewed Maccagnan was the Jets. One longtime personnel executive said of Maccagnan last week, “He’d last five minutes. They’ll be flying ‘Bring Back Idzik’ signs.” The criticism could stem from his quiet demeanor. He’s not a self-promoter and he doesn’t command a room. He’s a grinder, a guy who enjoys the scouting. But there’s more to the job than that. He must galvanize an organization that was split by a front office/coaching disconnect. It’ll take an aggressive and innovative approach to repair a team that has gone four straight years without a winning record.”
Perhaps the “longtime executive” is bitter he didn’t get the job. That is a ridiculous statement.
This should not be about the media. I’m so tired of this. This isn’t about us (the media), this is about finding players. If the Jets are smart, they rarely make Maccagnan available – around the draft, maybe in training camp and at mid-season. That should be it. Let the guy focus on finding players.
The Jets didn’t need a media rock star, they needed a pure personnel guy with a high-level understanding of scouting football players, which can be a lot more involved then some might realize. This guy knows how to do that. Let him focus on that. If some reporters complain he’s not available for them enough, tell them what Bill Parcells used to say, “The complaint department is on the third floor.” It’s a two story building.
January 13, 2014
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