NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS. June 15, 2014 Table of Contents

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1 NEW YORK JETS DAILY CLIPS June 15, 2014 Table of Contents NEW YORK POST... 1 Serby s Father s Day Q&A with Rex Ryan (Steve Serby)... 1 Geno: This year we ll perfect the offense (Brian Costello)... 6 STAR-LEDGER... 7 Jets quarterback Geno Smith expects 'big things' from the offense (Kevin Manahan)... 7 NEW YORK DAILY NEWS... 8 Geno Smith supports NY Jets teammate Calvin Pryor saying he doesn t like Patriots, NY Giants: There s no friends in football (Seth Walder)... 8 Rex Ryan looking to bolster NY Jets' defense with pair of castoffs from Bill Belichick's Patriots (Manish Mehta)... 9 ESPN NEW YORK Geno Smith: 'I expect big things' for Jets (Jane McManus) Jets notes: Rex's endless pursuit of B&B (Rich Cimini) SATURDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS NEW YORK POST Serby s Father s Day Q&A with Rex Ryan (Steve Serby) New York Post June 14, Jets coach Rex Ryan took a timeout for some Q&A, about his father Buddy, with Post columnist Steve Serby. Q: Describe your dad. A: I would assume most people think, Hey, this guy s kind of a hard-ass guy and all that kinda stuff, which he is. He was a Master Sergeant in the Korean War when he was 18 years old, leading men in a battle for their lives. So I think, obviously, he s got that exterior and all that, and that s part of who he is. But he s also a fair guy and he was a great dad. Him and one other dad, a guy named Bud Abbott, would go to all our baseball games. So you d look up there, and you d see there s two dads in the stands on road baseball games even home baseball games. Because by then, everybody realizes their kid s not Mickey Mantle (chuckle), you know what I mean? In Pee Wee [leagues], they re always there. But my dad would make almost everyone that he could. Q: Did he play catch with you? A: We did all that. Throwing the ball, you name it. Just like any other dad, get you in the backyard. Of course he d probably hit you with the ball a few times, but (smile) toughens you up. The one thing I always knew was Dad would always be there for me. No matter what the situation. Unfortunately, I put him in some bad situations (smile). But it was like I knew he d be there, phone call away, might be pissed at you, but he d be there. 1 P a g e

2 Q: How is he different as a father than you are now? A: I don t know. I try to be a great dad. I don t think there s any doubt, I love my kids. But I m certainly not perfect, not even close. But I try to be a good dad. I hope I m as a good a dad as mine is. Now, the difference is, my folks were divorced, so I never had to see my dad all the time. I think it d be great if I was compared to him as a father. Q: What is the best piece of advice he ever gave you? A: I always say it, and it sounds like nothing: Be true to yourself, I think that s a big one. And then (chuckle) he gave me one piece of advice, he said he never wanted us to fight but he said, Anytime you re in a fight, never walk away a loser. And I think that s part of maybe the mentality that I have. Cause I think I m in a fight. You re fighting for your job, you re fighting for whatever it is or you re in an actual fight. Maybe that s something that resonates with me. Q: Did your dad tell you Korean war stories? A: Not many. Not a whole of em. I did get some. I met a guy that served with my dad as he said, served under my dad, but my dad would never say that, he served with him. He talked about how the other sergeant would ask for volunteers to go on some kind of mission, and nobody would raise their hand. And when my dad would ask for volunteers it could be the exact same mission every hand went up. There s something about him that men trusted, and wanted to follow. Q: One Korean War story you could share. A: My dad traded for a tank machine gun. And his thing was what he hit, he wanted to stay down. He just knew that if he hit ya, he wanted you to stay down. So he took the one with the bigger bullets and all that. Regardless of how much he had to lug, the equipment, how much it weighed and all that stuff. These guys would yell, like Tok Sah G.I. die tonight, and they d come running at you. I said, Well Dad, what did Tok Sah mean? I don t know. Like, how the hell would you not know? If you kept hearing it over and over, why wouldn t you ask? Q: Your dad never bothered to ask? A: Never asked. He just knew that, hey, all right, it s on. And he told me another one about one of his jobs basically was to make sure his guys were fighting the enemy. So when they re dug in, in their holes, that you would assume, like being around guys, there s no doubt we re fighting the enemy, but that s not necessarily the case. He said that he would hop from foxhole to foxhole and make sure his guys were fighting the enemy, and not freezing. And so his job was, no matter what happened, to get his guys fighting. If that means he had to fight you himself, he d rather have you want to fight the enemy than fight him. He had to slap the hell out of some of his own guys, his own men, to get em fighting. Q: Do you remember the day you told him you wanted to be a coach? A: In high school, we wanted to be coaches. He tried to convince [me and my twin brother Rob] to absolutely not go into coaching. Cause he said, all we see are the Super Bowls and all that stuff, you don t see what it s really like. But we did. We loved the game. Q: What did he want you to do? A: Well we had business opportunities, actually go into management almost immediately, and that was because of the way we worked with others, that the company (A.R.E. Foods in Philadelphia) that we were under, was gonna give us managing jobs. And they were like, These guys can motivate people. That they work different around you guys than they do other people. Even the hard-asses, or whatever. That we 2 P a g e

3 just had a natural way of leading, apparently. But I don t know anything about business. All I wanted to do was coach. Q: Did you call your dad when you learned the Jets were hiring you? A: That was when he said, Don t screw it up. That was his team. (Chuckle) The Jets are his team [he was a defensive line coach from ]. But he was so proud and everything else. But shortly thereafter, he got really sick, where he s in the hospital, he had encephalitis. And that s something that kills a lot of people, but it can t kill him. It was like, Here, I ve got this great opportunity, and now it s like, Damn, this guy s fighting for his life, you know what I mean? But I remember having those conversations with him right after I took it, he was so proud. Q: Did he give you any advice then? A: No, he knew. I worked all my life to get that position. And I was ready. And I think that was the deal where I knew it, nobody else did. Now what I didn t know (chuckle) is everything that comes with this job. You know you think you know and I was ready. Like, I knew my team was gonna be a certain way, and by gosh, the league was gonna pay that I had to wait this long. I was gonna hire great people, which I did. And we were gonna do it, and we were gonna play with a certain style, and we did, and we do. But all the things, man, you gotta learn. You can t buy that experience. That s why you see some of these coaches are better the second time around at other places. Now, I m fortunate. I ve been here, this is my sixth season. Jim Caldwell s gonna get a second opportunity, watch, I betcha he ll learn from that. Pete Carroll guys are different. But the first time you go in, it s all new. Q: What is the happiest you ever saw your dad? A: Obviously things that jump out at you, when he was given that opportunity to be a head coach, he gets the job with the Eagles [in 1986], knowing he s got this sitting there for him. [And the 1985 Bears, for whom he was defensive coordinator] have that dominant performance in the Super Bowl [XX], from a professional standpoint, and he s carried off, that s probably as happy as I ve seen him on the football field. But other times he s happy with little things. He sees you hit a home run, he s happy about it. He sees his kids do something, that makes him really happy. And I get it now, where before I really wouldn t understand it because, for me, as a father, my sons Seth s gonna go into coaching. And I m just the opposite of my dad that way, I m encouraging him. Heck yeah, if that s what you want, do it. My kids are different one of em [Payton] is more academic and all that. Hey look, whatever field it is, I don t care what you do, just be happy. I don t care. I don t care how much you make, how much you don t make. Just be happy. Q: Describe the day you found out he had cancer. A: His first cancer was right here in New York, he was a coach with the Jets. He just got a job, thinks he s on top of the world coaching with the Jets, and he s got melanoma, and they cut that out [of his right forearm]. But the second time, he finds out he has melanoma again and it s on his back. And we were seniors in high school, my brother and I, and he s gotta go up to New York, and then wait to get everything worked out. Meanwhile, we re playing baseball and taking care of ourselves. Man, that was tough. You re going through school and all that, but you re worried about your dad. My stepmom went to New York with him, but we were there by ourselves. Q: The angriest you ever saw your dad? A: I remember I got a ticket or something he was pissed off about one time (chuckle), I don t know if that was the maddest I ve ever seen him. I saw him pissed off at my brother one time. We were in the basement and like kids would do, you re throwing baseballs at each other or something (chuckle), and I 3 P a g e

4 think I had like a tennis ball or something and I hit him in the face with it, and he had glasses on. It knocked the lens out, he couldn t find it. He kept bitching, kept bitching about it. Finally, my dad had had enough of the bitching (chuckle), bellyaching. And he kicked him right in the butt or something like that, it was great (laugh). I think that was kind of a funny one, but he was ticked off. Q: What is he like on the Kentucky horse farm? A: We always call him The Owner (laugh). Q: He s at peace there. A: Oh man, no question. And he s the boss. And that s the way he s been all his life. You re 18 years old and you re Master Sergeant? It s probably not comfortable for him to be in a different role. But being in a role of a leader and all that stuff I think is probably natural for him. He knew what the hell he was doing, he taught us everything. We can string a fence together. We built every running shed on that property. You name it, we did it. And hard work s nothing for my brother and I. We just never knew what we were doing (chuckle), so he had to teach us. Q: How did he become so fond of horses? A: He was always that way. He owned, I think, three or four quarter horses before he ever owned a car. Q: What would you want your sons to say about you? A: That I was always there when they needed me. They can always count on me for being there. Q: Describe the birth of your sons. A: When Payton was born, I think the first thing and I m sure most dads have this it s like, Oh my god! Like it s almost overwhelming a little bit. And you re like, This little guy s counting on me, you know what I mean? So it s like, Holy cow. And I remember telling my mother-in-law that he ll never have to fight a day in his life. That I m gonna fight his fights. And unfortunately, that s probably not a good thing. Q: It seemed like people either loved your dad or hated him. Why was that? A: I have no idea. If you re going against my dad, you probably never liked him. If he was on your team, I would assume that you love him. Q: A quote from Bill Parcells when he coached the Patriots: Buddy Ryan is a Neanderthal and he attracts Neanderthal players. I think he meant it as a compliment. A: I think so. Q: Do you agree with that? A: Yeah, I would. Because you want to be physical for him. I think there s no question about that. That s what he d ask of you. That he thinks that you win with physical play. Q: A Gerry Philbin quote: I ve never seen anyone better at bringing the animal out of you. That doesn t surprise you, does it? A: No, I think that s great. What a great compliment that is to a coach, especially a football coach. This game s a physical game, and for him to get that out of em, was great. I think it s interesting, without Gerry Philbin [a defensive tackle for the Jets during Buddy s time with the team], my dad s never coaching with the Jets. Gerry Philbin s the one who recommended him to Weeb [Ewbank, head coach]. 4 P a g e

5 Q: A quote from your dad: Five minutes in a room with a player, that s all I need to know if he can play for me. I can see it in their eyes. Are you that way? A: I think I am a little bit, but I ve been wrong before. I m not saying I have all the answers, but I sense if a guy really fits us. Q: How would you say your coaching style differs from your dad s? A: I was fortunate to be under my dad. And there s a ton of things that I learned from my dad what to do. There s probably a few things I learned what not to do (chuckle). But, I know for me, I have to be myself, and part of me is the environment that I was brought up in. And so obviously, a ton of what I do is gonna be what I saw through my dad. Q: What was it like coaching in Arizona with him. A: Oh, the greatest thing ever. There s no way I d be sitting here today if I didn t get that opportunity. I learned so much football from my dad. And, without question, the greatest influence I ever had, and I ve been around good coaches since that time, but nobody like him, not even close. The way he attacked protections, the way he studied the game everything. Q: How proud of he is of the 85 Bears? A: No question he s proud of that team. Q: Does he still talk about them a lot? A: Yeah, he does. I was with that 2000 Raven team. Arguably, statistically, that was probably the best defense in the history of the National Football League fewest points allowed, fewest rushing yards, all that type of stuff. And I know that wasn t as good a defense as the 85 Bears. Because the 85 Bears, you were beat before you ever played the game. You were thinking about survival. Where in 2000, people thought they had a chance against us, and then they realized they had no chance. Q: What should his legacy be? A: Probably recognized as one of the greatest defensive coaches in the history of the game. It might not say he s one of the greatest head coaches because he never won the Super Bowl and all that, and I get it. But he was a great coach, period. But probably one of the greatest defensive coaches that s ever coached. And just a guy that was he was true to himself. You didn t want to play against him. And I think that s something that s huge, man. And the thing is, I try to get guys and John and I, Idzik and I talk about this all the time I want the guy that you don t want your kid playing against. That s the guy I want. Q: Are you more like him, or is Rob? A: I don t know. I think we re who we are, but we re individuals. But I think we both take a huge part of our dad with us, there s no question about that. I love the fact that if there s some comparisons and things like that, I think that s great, cause I admire my dad more than anybody. But again, I know I m not near as tough as my dad. Had I grown up the same way he did, maybe I would be. Q: The way he grew up was how? A: You re in Frederick, Okla., they had no money, they had nothing. He s fighting in a war, and he s a Master Sergeant in a war at 18! If I grew up that way, I promise ya I d be different right now. Q: Is your dad the toughest guy you ve known? A: Oh yeah. It s not even close. Not even close. He s without question the toughest guy. I mean, this guy s had like eight bouts with cancer. He s had encephalitis. He ll fight his ass off till the day he dies. No 5 P a g e

6 question. Never complains. Never complains. Like doctors have told me, said they ve never seen anything like it. * They ll * tell you he s the toughest sucker they ve ever seen. Q: How often do you speak with him now? A: All the time. But the bad thing is he can t hear. So it s like, he ll get on, and he s so frustrated with you, he gets pissed off, and everything else (laugh). But he just doesn t hear well, so that s the worst part. His mind s sharp still, but he just can t hear. Q: What does Father s Day mean to you? A: Obviously I ll be calling my dad, and things like that. But I think Father s Day s almost every day anyway, you know what I mean? I know it s a special day, and these days aren t gonna how many more you re gonna have, I m not sure. But just be thankful for the fact that you got another one. Geno: This year we ll perfect the offense (Brian Costello) New York Post June 14, Geno Smith was on the other side of the coaching Saturday. The Jets second-year quarterback conducted his ProCamps football camp in Scotch Plains, NJ, on Saturday afternoon. Instead of getting instruction from the Jets coaches, Smith was the one doing the instructing to more than 300 kids in grades 1-8. For Smith, it was a break from his routine with the Jets. They just completed OTAs and now have their three-day minicamp this week, with training camp beginning at the end of July. Smith feels like he has improved greatly since last year when he was trying to find his way as a rookie. There s no comparison, Smith said. Last year I was a rookie. I was learning. I m still learning, but I was learning the offense. I know the offense. Now, it s about perfecting it. There s really no comparison. It s completely night and day. The Jets hope so. It has become clear Smith will be the team s starting quarterback entering training camp and it will take a lot for him to lose the job. The Jets brought in Michael Vick this offseason, but it was to serve as Smith s backup, providing some insurance if Smith stumbles. If you listen to Smith talk, he is confident he is past the problems that ailed him last year (25 turnovers being the biggest). He also likes what he sees from the new-look Jets offense that has brought in free agent wide receiver Eric Decker and running back Chris Johnson and drafted tight end Jace Amaro. I expect big things from us, Smith said. We all expect the same thing. We re still growing. We re still competing with one another. Right now I can see us just jelling really like a team that s going some places in the future. Could they be one of the top offenses in the NFL? That s our goal, Smith said. We have that goal. We have high expectations for one another. We always set high expectations. Ultimately, it s about the production on the field. When we get on the field against an opposing defense, then we ll see. But our goals are set high. Smith said he and his receivers have been building chemistry during OTAs, something that was tough for him to do as a rookie. 6 P a g e

7 I tried last year but I was just so engulfed in trying to learn the playbook and getting my steps down and all the little things, that it s kind of difficult to develop that exact chemistry that we want, he said. I can see it this year. It s night and day because I can coach guys up on where I need them to be. That s what quarterbacking is. It s about being the coach on the field. That s the position we re in right now. We re still building. We re still developing that chemistry, but as of right now, we re levels ahead of where we were at this time last year. Smith will conduct another football camp in a few weeks in his hometown of Miami. Just a few years removed from being a kid himself, Smith seemed to genuinely enjoy working with the kids. It s very fulfilling to come out here and be able to talk to the kids, see all the great parents, see the way these kids interact with one another, Smith said. It s about them, not me. Really [I m] just giving back to the community. They always see us with the helmets on, so to take the helmet off and interact with them is kind of what it s all about for me. STAR-LEDGER Jets quarterback Geno Smith expects 'big things' from the offense (Kevin Manahan) Star-Ledger June 15, e_offense.html It doesn't take much -- a running back with some tread worn off his tires, a wide receiver who might not play up to his pay check and a rookie tight end who is lost in the playbook -- and suddenly Jets quarterback Geno Smith starts talking crazy. He's not worried about learning the playbook, he's focused on "perfecting" it. He believes the Jets might have one of the best offenses in the NFL. And after committing 25 turnovers last season, he now sees himself as a coach. Smith hosted his ProCamps football camp in Scotch Plains on Saturday and hung out with roughly 300 kids in grades one through eight. When he took a break from schooling the little ones, he spoke about his expectations for There s no comparison, Smith said via the New York Post. Last year, I was a rookie. I was learning. I m still learning, but I was learning the offense. I know the offense. Now, it s about perfecting it. There s really no comparison. It s completely night and day. I expect big things from us. We all expect the same thing. We re still growing. We re still competing with one another. Right now I can see us just jelling really like a team that s going some places in the future. Despite a late start to the offseason, the Jets added running back Chris Johnson and wide receiver Eric Decker. They also grabbed tight end Jace Amaro in the draft. Those additions lead Smith to believe the Jets could have one of the league's most potent attacks. We have that goal," he told the Post. "We have high expectations for one another. We always set high expectations. Ultimately, it s about the production on the field. When we get on the field against an opposing defense, then we ll see. But our goals are set high. Smith -- who is the likely starter over Michael Vick, another offseason acquisition -- will use the minicamps to continue to build chemistry with his receivers, something he tried to do last year, "but I was just so 7 P a g e

8 engulfed in trying to learn the playbook and getting my steps down and all the little things, that it s kind of difficult to develop that exact chemistry that we want, he said. I can see it this year. It s night and day because I can coach guys up on where I need them to be. That s what quarterbacking is. It s about being the coach on the field. That s the position we re in right now. We re still building. We re still developing that chemistry, but as of right now, we re levels ahead of where we were at this time last year. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Geno Smith supports NY Jets teammate Calvin Pryor saying he doesn t like Patriots, NY Giants: There s no friends in football (Seth Walder) New York Daily News June 14, Calvin Pryor recently drew some attention for saying the Jets hate the Patriots and Giants before even playing a single game for Gang Green. Rex Ryan supported Pryor this past week and said disliking opponents can be helpful, an idea Geno Smith agrees with. Quite honestly, when I m on the field, I ve always believed there s no friends in football, Smith said Saturday at a ProCamp for kids at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in New Jersey. When you re on the field, whoever that opposing team is, if they re not wearing the same logo that I m wearing there s obviously some form of I wouldn t say hatred, that s a hard word to use but you don t like that team, Smith added. Smith is entering his second year with the Jets. While his starting job isn t secure with Michael Vick on the roster, Smith is the most likely quarterback candidate to start when the team opens the season in September. It s been more than a year since Smith slipped to the 39th overall pick in the 2013 draft, and the quarterback said he s in an entirely better place than he was a year ago in terms of learning the offense. That familiarity has allowed him to build relationships with receivers, something that took a backseat a year ago. I tried last year, but...i was just so engulfed in trying to learn the playbook and get my stuff done and doing all the little things that it was kind of hard to develop that exact chemistry that we want now, Smith said. I can see it this year, like I said it s night and day, because I can coach guys up on where I need them to be and we know exactly the schematics and the plays we want to run. This will be the Jets second season under Marty Mornhinweg s West Coast offense, and Smith believes the experience in the system should aid the team. The quarterback said the Jets are aiming to have one of the best offenses in the league. That s our goal, he said. We have that goal, we have high expectations. The most important thing to change in 2014? More wins (from 8-8), he said. The future s very bright. 8 P a g e

9 Smith helped coach more than 300 boys and girls Saturday at the ProCamp, which was run in partnership with Verizon. Smith said his advice for the kids was, Never be complacent. No matter what it is, try and give your best every single time. Rex Ryan looking to bolster NY Jets' defense with pair of castoffs from Bill Belichick's Patriots (Manish Mehta) New York Daily News June 14, Bill Belichick may have given up on outside linebacker Jermaine Cunningham and cornerback Ras-I Dowling last August, but Rex Ryan couldn t care less whether the Patriots castoffs didn t live up to the expectations of football s preeminent genius. He thinks they can revive their careers with the Jets. I don t believe the one guy up in New England s got all the answers, Ryan told the Daily News. I worry about ourselves, what we think of a player and how we evaluate a player. Do I respect the hell out of Bill? Absolutely. But if we think a player can help us, we don t care how we get him. In some ways, Cunningham and Dowling are outliers, former second-round picks discarded so quickly by the team that once coveted them. In other ways, they epitomize the unforgiving NFL culture that routinely pushes former college standouts to the margins if they can t stay healthy. Cunningham and Dowling s careers have been plagued by injuries and inconsistency, a deadly blend in an ultra-competitive environment with a shrinking margin of error for players. You can t take anything for granted in this league, Dowling said. Anything can happen. Ryan, of course, isn t giving Cunningham, the 53rd overall pick in the 2010 draft, and Dowling, the first player selected in the second round in 2011 (No. 33), another chance simply out of the goodness of his heart. He needs help at outside linebacker and cornerback, and isn t concerned by the perception that Belichick wouldn t have cut the cord on the high draft picks unless they weren t good enough to play at this level. You had the same perception of a Ryan, Ryan said. If you let a defensive player go, why pick him up if he can t play for you?... It could have been a logjam at (the position). Maybe they were looking for something else. You really don t know. But again, I don t care. Cunningham, who was a sack machine for the two-time national champions at the University of Florida, had just 3 ½ sacks in three seasons for the Patriots, hampered by a hamstring injury and sprained MCL before he was cut. He spent one month with the 49ers last year before the Jets signed him in November. Sometimes change is good, said the 25-year-old Cunningham, who played two games for the Jets last season. Every day my mentality is to just play up to the ability that everybody knows I have. Ryan has challenged the 6-3, 255-pound Cunningham at the backup SAM (strong side) linebacker spot, testing him mentally to do a variety of tasks like stopping the run, dropping into coverage and shadowing tight ends. I ll be shocked if he s not a contributor for us, Ryan said. 9 P a g e

10 I don t know what happened to him in New England, veteran outside linebacker Calvin Pace said. But I do know a lot of people come and go up there. It could be anything but the talent is there. He s welcomed here. I know he can help us. Dowling s NFL resume has been littered with hip and thigh injuries that limited him to only nine games in two seasons with the Patriots, but Ryan, who covets physical corners and desperately needs help at the defensive position he values the most, is intrigued by his 6-1, 210-pound frame. Ryan gave the 26-year-old Dowling, who was signed to the Jets practice squad last October, plenty of reps during OTAs this offseason, but his true test begins this week at minicamp when corners to will be allowed to play press coverage. Here s a guy who s clearly built like a press corner, Ryan said. He s done a good job up until this point. His thing is going to be how he is as a press corner. We ll start to find out. Failure isn t an option for the former Virginia star. Every day my motivation is high, Dowling said. Everybody doesn t have the talent that we re given. There s a lot of people that would kill (to be) in this league. So, I m here and every day I just work. Ryan insists he won t get additional satisfaction if he succeeds with players that Belichick rejected. Sometimes what might not be good for you looks good for somebody else, Ryan said. You know what? Guys make mistakes. He hopes the guy up in New England made two of them. ESPN NEW YORK Geno Smith: 'I expect big things' for Jets (Jane McManus) ESPN New York June 14, SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. -- With the Jets mandatory minicamp this week, quarterback Geno Smith already thinks he knows what to expect from the New York Jets offense this season, and that s early returns on an investment he started making last year. I expect big things from us, Smith said, citing acquisitions like RB Chris Johnson and WR Eric Decker in addition to returning roster-mates. And we all expect the same thing because we re still growing we re still competing with one another. But right now I can see us gelling really like a team that s going places in the future. With camp starting Tuesday, Smith was at the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School leading about 300 kids through drills in his first football camp, the Geno Smith Football ProCamp. Proceeds from a fundraiser are earmarked for Verizon s HopeLine, to combat domestic violence. It s a Saturday we ve got off and I could probably be doing a million things, Smith said and smiled, but it s not about any of that. We ve got a minicamp coming up and that s all good. I m very focused on that but today it s about these kids and having fun with them. Smith -- or coach Smith to the kids -- said there was no comparing this year to last in terms of where he is in his development. 10 P a g e

11 There s no comparison. Last year I was a rookie, I was learning -- I m still learning but I was learning the offense. I know the offense now it s about perfecting. There s really no comparison it s complete night and day. As WR David Nelson said earlier in the week, Smith had a tough time getting to know his wide receivers last year -- and Smith acknowledged as much. I tried last year, Smith said, but I was just so engulfed in trying to learn the play book and get my steps down and trying to do the little things that it was kind of hard to develop that exact chemistry that we want now. And I can see it this year. Smith said he wasn t concerned with the addition of veteran quarterback Michael Vick, who has a fan base from years in Philadelphia and Atlanta, as well as vocal detractors. Smith maintains the addition has been helpful. It s not going to phase me no matter who s brought in, Smith said. The two knew each other before the Jets acquired Vick during the offseason. We ve always had positive conversations, Smith said. He s a very positive guy, a 10-plus year veteran in this league. He s a guy I ve always looked to for advice. He s given me that good honest competition. We re competition with one another we re trying to make each other better we re trying to make our team better. And overall it s been really fun to be with a guy that s as humble as Mike. Smith was also asked, in the wake of comments from Calvin Pryor and Rex Ryan about the rivalry between the Jets and their AFC East rival, if he too hates the Patriots. I definitely feel however my head coach feels, Smith said. But seriously. I ve always believed there s no friends in football, Smith said. When you re on the field, whoever that opposing team is, if there s not wearing the same logo there s some form of, I wouldn t say hatred that s a hard word to use, but you don t like that team for obvious reasons. Jets notes: Rex's endless pursuit of B&B (Rich Cimini) ESPN New York June 15, A few thoughts on the New York Jets as we head into the final week of the offseason: 1. Song remains the same: Rex Ryan's remarks the other day about the New England Patriots (in response to Calvin Pryor's "hate" quote) triggered a memory. Ryan's comments -- "[Pryor] knows who the enemy is" -- came almost five years to the day in which he uttered his famous line: "I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick's rings." The takeaway: Five years later, not much has changed. No one knows how the rest of the Ryan era will play out, but it's quite possible he could be remembered one day as a good coach who failed to rise above also-ran status because he was in the same division as the winningest coach-quarterback combination in history. Ryan hasn't been able to conquer Belichick and Tom Brady. No one has, as the Patriots have won the AFC East every year since Ryan took over the Jets in and a whole bunch of years before that. The same thing happened to the New York Knicks in the 1990s; they had some terrific teams, but couldn't get past Michael Jordan. 11 P a g e

12 The Jets have been respectable under Ryan (42-38), the eighth-best record in the AFC over that span, but the Patriots are a league-best The Jets finished four games behind the Patriots last season, and there's no reason to think they will overtake their longtime nemesis this season. With Brady expected to play a few more years, Ryan could be playing catch-up for the rest of the Brady-Belichick era -- if he lasts that long. Lousy timing for Ryan? Yeah, you could say that, but he also knew what he was signing up for in ' Misplaced criticism: Ryan's decision to cancel the final OTA practice in favor of a trip to a bowling alley fueled some mild backlash on social media. Actually, it's not unusual for a coach to skip the last day. Belichick, of all people, canceled his final OTA practices in 2012 and He also took the Patriots to the movies late last season. The criticism of Ryan is off base. It's June, for crying out loud! It's not like he took the team to Dave & Buster's on the eve of a big game. Oh, wait A delivery of Flowers?: Despite all the happy talk from the Jets about their cornerback situation, I think they should explore the possibility of signing Brandon Flowers, who was released Friday by the Kansas City Chiefs. The question is, will they? As of Saturday morning, they hadn't reached out to Flowers, according to a league source. Then again, John Idzik isn't a hurry-up kind of general manager, so you never know. In the end, I'd be surprised if the Jets show serious interest despite a need (in my opinion) at the position. Despite a Pro Bowl appearance, Flowers is coming off a disappointing season in which he was demoted to nickelback. He was rated 87th out of 110 cornerbacks last season, according to ProFootballFocus. That he struggled under former Jets defensive coordinator Bob Sutton, whose system is similar to that of Ryan's, is worth noting. We also know Idzik is reluctant to spend significant money for another team's trash. But we're also talking about a 28-year-old player with a substantial body of work, someone who could benefit by a change of scenery. If they paid $3 million for the injury-prone Dimitri Patterson, why not make a run at Flowers, who would be an upgrade? They have about $21 million in cap room. 4. Goodson's future: Flowers may have sealed his fate by not attending OTA practices, which are voluntary (wink, wink). The Jets' Mike Goodson did the same, prompting some fans to wonder why the Jets haven't cut ties with the troubled running back. Goodson's situation is complicated by his legal problems and perhaps personal issues. Remember, he was slapped with a four-game suspension last year for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. I find it hard to believe he'd deliberately stay from the team, jeopardizing his roster spot, unless there's an extenuating circumstance. His agent hasn't returned calls or s seeking comment, and the Jets have been tight-lipped, except Ryan saying he hasn't heard from Goodson. Ryan said he expects Goodson to attend next week's mandatory minicamp. 5. New kid on the block: Right tackle Breno Giacomini has spent his entire career on zone-blocking teams -- the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks, his most recent team. The Jets run a mix of zone and gap blocking schemes, which will require a transition for Giacomini. Before signing him as a free agent, the Jets studied tape of how he fared against common opponents, and they came away convinced he could adapt to the specific style they use against certain teams. 6. Big Mike: To improve his oft-questioned durability, quarterback Michael Vick added four pounds of "solid muscle," he told The Daily Press of Newport News, Virginia, his hometown. He told the newspaper he felt great throughout OTAs, proudly noting he scored a rushing touchdown last week. "Still can move," Vick said. "Doesn't seem like any of my skills have diminished. I still feel like I can play at a high level. That may be tested at some point this season, and I look forward to it." 12 P a g e

13 Vick described himself as a "trendsetter," saying the mobile quarterbacks of today are continuing the style he brought to the league more than a decade ago. He added: "I was kind of the originator. That's something I can take to the grave." 7. Sheldon wants 'Mo money for Wilkerson: Muhammad Wilkerson is taking a low-key approach to his looming contract negotiations, refusing to make public demands. Teammate Sheldon Richardson is doing the talking for him, telling the New York Post, "Hopefully, they do the right thing and pay the man." Oh, they will. The question is when. After exercising a fifth-year option, the Jets have Wilkerson under contract through 2015, so there's no sense of urgency. Richardson has a personal stake in the matter because in two years, he'll be in the same boat as Wilkerson. If the Jets renegotiate with Wilkerson before his fourth season, it'll set a precedent for Richardson and other former first-round picks. 8. Picture of the week: Here's soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo receiving a throwing lesson from wide receiver David Nelson. No Tebow jokes allowed. 9. The anti-rex: Can there be two coaches more dissimilar than Ryan and Jurgen Klinsmann? Klinsmann says it's not possible for his team -- the United States -- to win the World Cup. Ryan goes into every game telling his team they will win -- and I honestly think he believes it. Call me traditional, but I like Ryan's approach. Klinsmann might be right, but no one wants to hear that jive. It's a good thing we didn't have a guy like him coaching the 1980 U.S. hockey team. 10. Farewell to a champion: The NFL lost a legend Friday night with the passing of former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Chuck Noll, who won four Super Bowls. Two Noll disciples became important figures in Jets history -- the late Bud Carson and retired personnel director Dick Haley. Carson, the Jets' defensive coordinator from , ran the defense for Noll during the iconic Steel Curtain era. Haley, who worked for the Jets from , was one of the architects of the great Steeler drafts in the 1970s. SATURDAY S SPORTS TRANSACTIONS Associated Press June 14, BASEBALL American League BOSTON RED SOX Sent OF Shane Victorino, RHP Clay Buchholz and 3B Will Middlebrooks to Pawtucket (IL) for rehab assignments. CHICAGO WHITE SOX Agreed to terms with RHP Henry Rodriguez on a minor league contract. CLEVELAND INDIANS Agreed to terms with RHP Jared Robinson on a minor league contract. HOUSTON ASTROS Optioned LHP Rudy Owens to Oklahoma City (PCL). Recalled RHP Josh Zeid from Oklahoma City. TAMPA BAY RAYS Optioned RHP Angel Sanchez to Montgomery (SL). Sent OF Brandon Guyer to Durham (IL) for a rehab assignment. TORONTO BLUE JAYS Optioned OF Darin Mastroianni to Buffalo (IL). Reinstated RHP Sergio Santos from the 15-day DL. National League CHICAGO CUBS Optioned LHP Zac Rosscup to Iowa (PCL). 13 P a g e

14 CINCINNATI REDS Placed LHP Sean Marshall on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Wednesday. Reinstated RHP Mat Latos from the 60-day DL. COLORADO ROCKIES Assigned RHP Wilton Lopez outright to Colorado Springs (PCL). LOS ANGELES DODGERS Placed INF-OF Chone Figgins on the 15-day DL. Recalled INF Carlos Triunfel from Albuquerque (PCL). Agreed to terms with OF Colin Hering on a minor league contract. MIAMI MARLINS Agreed to terms with SS Brian Anderson on a minor league contract. MILWAUKEE BREWERS Optioned INF Irving Falu and OF Logan Schafer to Nashville (PCL). Recalled UT Elian Herrera to Nashville. Reinstated LHP Tom Gorzelanny from the 15-day DL. Agreed to terms with LHPs Kodi Medeiros and Carlos Leal, SS Jacob Gatewood, OF Monte Harrison and C Matt Martin on minor league contracts. NEW YORK METS Sent OF Eric Young Jr. to Binghamton (EL) for a rehab assignment. Agreed to terms with RHP Josh Prevost and LHP Kelly Secrest on minor league contracts. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES Sent 3B Cody Asche to Lakewood (SAL) for a rehab assignment. Agreed to terms with LHP Matt Hoffman on a minor league contract. PITTSURGH PIRATES Agreed to terms with SS Nelson Jorge, OF Eric Thomas, 3B Chase Simpson and RHPs Eric Karch, Frank Duncan, Palmer Betts, Trey Supak, Mitch Keller and Michael Clemens. Called up RHP Vance Worley from Indianapolis (IL). ST. LOUIS CARDINALS Sent LHP Tyler Lyons to Memphis (PCL) for a rehab assignment. SAN DIEGO PADRES Placed LHP Troy Patton on the 15-day DL. Recalled RHP Jesse Hahn from San Antonio (TL). American Association AMARILLO SOX Released RHP Michael Nannini. GARY SOUTHSHORE RAILCATS Released LHP James Giulietti. SIOUX FALLS CANARIES Signed LHP Joe Testa. Can-Am League ROCKLAND BOULDERS Released RHP Bo Budkevics. Traded C Justin Dalles to Windy City (Frontier) for a player to be named. TROIS-RIVIERES AIGLES Signed OF Michael Hernandez. Frontier League RIVER CITY RASCALS Signed LHP Tommy Organ and INF Matt Reida. WINDY CITY THUNDERBOLTS Released C Matt Scioscia. FOOTBALL National Football League INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Agreed to terms with S Mike Adams. HOCKEY National Hockey League DETROIT RED WINGS Signed LW Tomas Nosek to a two-year, entry-level contract. MONTREAL CANADIENS Signed coach Michel Therrien to a four-year contract extension. Traded F Louis Leblanc to Anaheim for a conditional 2015 fifth-round draft pick. SOCCER National Women's Soccer League WASHINGTON SPIRIT Acquired M Kerstin Garefrekes on loan from FFC Frankfurt (Germany) for the remainder of the season. COLLEGE LIMESTONE Named Sam Holmes women's assistant soccer coach. 14 P a g e