A brief report of the first practice is up on the main site. http://www.newyorkjets.com/blog/posts/mangini-kendall-address-situation 06/14 ? Head coach Eric Mangini was asked a number of questions at the start of his news conference, which began at 1:15, regarding the status of veteran guard Pete Kendall, who is in a contract dispute with the club but returned to practice at the Jets' mandatory minicamp, which began with meetings and the first practice this morning. The coach's message: "I think this situation isn't unique to the New York Jets. Coaches go through it, players go through it. It's the business side of the NFL. We've all experienced that. "I've been very happy with Pete as a player. He's done some good things. He's here working. He's treating this process the same way he's always treated it, as a professional." Kendall didn't work all the time with the first offense at the morning practice with the twos all the time. He was kind of a 1?. He started the day with the second team behind Adrien Clark, then would move in with the first offense for a while and be replaced by Clark. When the practice ended around 12:15, the expected scene unfolded as Kendall walked to the sideline of the practice facility's upper grass field and was immediately surrounded by about 30 reporters with at least four TV cameras in the background. Kendall, who decided to stay away from the team during the off-season strength program and OTAs in a contract dispute, said he would "never say never." But in response to two questions from Jets beatwriters, he showed where he felt his situation was. Are you prepared to come to training camp? "I'm not prepared to say that right now." Do you want to be released or traded? "Yes." Eric Allen will have a news story on the Kendall matter on newyorkjets.com later this afternoon. Guard wasn't the only position involved in some first-team rotations. Nick Mangold started out at center but Wade Smith also played with the ones. Kimo von Oelhoffen and Kenyon Coleman both worked at right end on the first defense. Justin Miller and top draft choice Darrelle Revis rotated in behind Andre Dyson and David Barrett at corner. Kerry Rhodes was not in attendance at the practice, so Eric Smith was at safety alongside Erik Coleman on the first defense. The defense had some strong moments. Early on, Smith blitzed ? remember, these are no-pads practices ? for a backfield tackle of Thomas Jones on a draw. Free agent Leonard Peters made a nice diving breakup of a low Brett Ratliff pass for Chansi Stuckey. Coleman had a nice rush that forced Kellen Clemens into a hasty incompletion. In the battle of the twos, David Bowens at RDE beat Adrian Jones at LT to force another hurried pass. In the two-minute drive to end practice, Rashad Washington made a nice breakup of a Chad Pennington pass for TE Chris Baker, swatting Baker's hand and forcing the ball loose. But Pennington responded with a scramble and heave to Brad Smith, who double-snatched the ball away from Smith for the TD with 0:00 on the clock. Mike Nugent finished by adding the tying PAT, then going 3-for-5 (hitting from 44 and 45, missing from 44 and 46) into a fair crosswind on field goals. During the practice, Brian Mulligan ? Dr. Bri, I like to call him ? cranked up some different sound, alternating the usual rap and rock numbers with Mozart and, for the first time, actual downloaded crowd noise and stadium sound effects.
Wow...he openly said he does not want to be a New York Jet...get him the fuck out of here...I hate this bullshit when it happens around the league and especially with regards to the Jets. I don't know how this makes other Jets fans feel, but this really ticks me off.
He's saying all the right things. Now the Jets need to do the right thing and not cut him because that's exactly what he wants.
This just made me think of something: How is it going to look to prospective incoming players that we refused to a) pay him more b) trade him and c) refuse to release him? If I was a player thinking of signing with the Jets I'd certainly think twice since this could potentially look like they don't care about their players. Not to mention Kendall is supposedly a well-liked and pwerful guy within the ranks.
Isn't there something in a contract about insubordination or something? At this point I think it would be great to suspend him without pay for conduct detrimental to the team. That way you get him away from the rest of the team and you don't have to pay him. I know, it can't/won't happen, but given what he said it ought to.
Doesnt this happen quite often around the league though and teams usually just do nothing not really that big of a deal. Its really hard for us to give him what he wants, he is to old to give him an extension but he is also to valuable to us to just release.
If you play well you'll get your money like Cotch and BT. I'd be much more concerned to see them giving in to contract demands and setting a bad precedent to the players that are already on the team. Kendall's basing his whole argument on a season that was little more than average. His leadership won't be missed nearly as much this season as it would have with rookies to his left and right.
agree 100% i'd like to see a trade even if its for a 5th or 6th rounder just to get him out as fast as possible
