Perception often isn’t reality

There is an old expression – “Perception is reality.” It’s kind of a scary concept because so often, it really isn’t.

And if you are making personnel decisions, you can’t fall into this trap.

I know I wouldn’t.

Cornerback Dee Milliner was picked in the first round of the 2013 NFL draft by the New York Jets.

So it’s assumed he should start for the Jets this year.

He was wildly inconsistent over the course of his rookie season, even down the stretch, when he supposedly turned the corner.

If you look at the film of the play closely over the last month, he was still inconsistent.

Like I’ve said many times, I don’t blame him for his rough rookie season.

I blame the powers-that-be.

As a college player who left school after his junior year (so he was pretty raw), and then missed the entire spring due to a labrum surgery, and then time in the summer due to an Achilles injury, he wasn’t ready for prime time. When you consider all these factors, there is no way this player should have started.

But now in 2014, he missed more important spring reps with a hamstring injury.

So where am I going with this?

The perception is that Milliner should be a lock to start.

Why is that?

If Ras-I Dowling and Dimitri Patterson are the two best cornerbacks this summer, shouldn’t they start?

If Patterson and Dex McDougle are the two best corners, shouldn’t they start?

I know that is an unrealistic view of what is going on there, but I guess I spent too much time covering Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick over the years, and they just start the players who earn the starting jobs.

And I agree with that approach.

But from an ego and PR standpoint, there is no way the current brass is going to open up Milliner’s job for a fair competition. No way.

I will give you another example of the perception-reality dynamic.

You could make a strong argument that Eric Decker and David Nelson are on the same exact level as receivers.

They are both tall receivers, with good hands, who run solid routes, and neither has great speed.

I watched them all spring, and was thinking to myself – “What’s the difference?”

The difference is salary and perception.

I think both Decker and Nelson will help the Jets a lot this year. I think they will both do a solid job.

But to me, they are tantamount.

Some might think I’m a kook for saying that, but as Parcells loved to say, “I go by what I see.”

I also see a situation at inside linebacker, where DeMario Davis really isn’t better than Nick Bellore.

Rex Ryan is always raving about Davis, who is a very hard worker and a tough player, but was he really that much of an upgrade over Bart Scott last year? If he was, I didn’t see it. I could be wrong, but I just didn’t see it.

July 14, 2104

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