A quick link to all of my work at the FanHouse today:
Jets Woes Go Well Beyond Pennington
Bears Owe Ed Hochuli a Game Ball
Running Away From McGahee Costs Ravens was quickly followed by McGahee Was Dehydrated Not Ignored by Billick Yesterday
Price Check on Dontrelle Willis
As reported far and wide last week, the Jets asked quarterback Chad Pennington to take a pay cut down to a $1 million guarantee with incentives in order to straighten out the salary cap mess in Hempstead. Over the weekend Pennington's agents sent back word that the Eggman would sooner lose his yolk than give back any of the money coming his way so it seems that the end of the briefly good, mostly painful Chad Pennington era may well be upon us. Good riddance says I. Pennington started out brilliantly, but the 2 years since his debut have been filled with injury, unmet expectations and giant steps backward for the entire organization. If he isn't willing to get on board for the rebuilding, send him on his way. Yes, it's a monster cap hit and one the Jets can ill afford, but this is a time to draw a line in the sand and it should be drawn right behind wherever Pennington is standing.
In comments to reporters today Jets offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger said he was hesitant about Chad Pennington's likelihood of being the team's starting QB in 2006. His most telling thoughts about hopes for the Jets future were revealed later in the discussion:
"I don't even know if there's a foundation there right now. I keep looking for the bright spot. A couple weeks in a row we did some good things. Last night it really stepped way back. We stunk it up...We're about a million miles away after last night. In any offense in this league, you need a quarterback who can make plays, you need a quarterback that's got some mobility. Or you need a running back who can dominate the game and take pressure off the quarterback. We lost both."
The Jets will have a chance to take one or the other when the draft comes around, these comments lead me to believe that if not Reggie Bush the Jets will take a quarterback. It's not what I'd do; if the Jets don't get Bush I would shop the pick down to a QB needy club and try and patch as many holes as possible on a rapidly leaking offense.
A man was stabbed at the Jets-Saints game on Sunday night, allegedly because he was wearing a Chad Pennington jersey. From the Post:
"The incident occurred Sunday night at the Jets- Saints game when Thomas Conwell, 21, of Bensonhurst, spotted Shawn Hundley in the men's room and shouted to him that he was "a f- - -ing p- - sy" for wearing the No. 10 jersey of the injured Jets quarterback.
Conwell and Hundley continued to argue outside. Conwell then pulled out a knife and slashed Hundley on the face, neck and ears, according to New Jersey Trooper Sgt. Stephen Jones. "
As full disclosure, I own a Chad Pennington jersey myself and have worn it to Giants Stadium, so from a self-preservation viewpoint I am strongly against this behavior. I also think it's being a bad fan to go around stabbing other fans because they like certain players. A lot of us believed in Chad Pennington once upon a time, his boyish charm caused us to dream of championships and victories to come. Unfortunately his girlish arm couldn't be overcome, so as Jet fans we must shake our heads and move on. Just as we did after Blair Thomas, Neil O'Donnell and Browning Nagle so shall we do again. Should I be stabbed for believing that Doug Jolley would diversify our offense into an indefensible passing attack? For calling Anthony Becht the next Mickey Shuler? Perhaps I should be instructed to think about things beyond the tight end position, but stabbed? No. My sympathies to Mr. Hundley for the wounds suffered on behalf of all who have put their faith in the Jets.
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