Content available exclusively for subscribers
Plenty of intrigue around the Jets today – what is going to happen to Tony Sparano, what is going on with Tom Gamble, what is going on with Mike Pettine?
Tony Sparano reported back to work today in Florham Park. This, eight days after Adam Schefter reported – “According to sources, the Jets do not plan to bring back offensive coordinator Tony Sparano.”
So what happened?
It’s clearly a money issue. Woody Johnson had to eat Mike Tannenbaum’s contract (which had two years left), so do you think he also wants to eat Sparano’s deal?
The economy stinks, the Jets are struggling selling tickets, do you think Woody and Ira want to just eat contracts left and right?
“The Jets may be pulling a page out of the Tannenbaum playbook, seeing if someone else comes calling for him, like the Schottenheimer deal” said one league executive.
So if another team wants him, his contract with that new club could off-set some of the buyout money the Jets would have to give him.
Also, another strategy could be at work, that I’ve seen before – force him report to work, even though he’s not in the plans, to the point where he’s so miserable, he agrees to a reasonable buyout.
I saw Bill Parcells do that to somebody. He wanted a guy out, but his contract was too hefty, so Parcells gave him demeaning jobs, and finally the guy couldn’t take it anymore, and they worked out a settlement.
Whatever is going on, Sparano isn’t going to be here – it’s just a matter of working out his exit . . .
As for Tom Gamble, it’s pretty obvious what is going on here.
He’s the front runner, but he and his agent probably don’t like the offer, so they promote a San Diego interview to the press.
He is reportedly going to meet with San Diego about their GM opening on Tuesday.
But there is only one problem, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the most plugged in Chargers writer in the country, reports, according to team sources, the GM job is down to two candidates – “Jimmy Raye, the Chargers’ Director of Player Personnel, or Tom Telesco, the Indianapolis Colts’ Vice President of Football Operations, will likely be named as A.J. Smith’s successor in “a day or two,” according to a team source.”
So that Gamble interview in San Diego is clearly not a very serious one.
And think about it. Gamble cancelled an interview with the Jacksonville Jaguars over the weekend, because he wanted to focus on the Jets’ job.
This seemed like a smart strategic move by Gamble, showing the Jets he’s not messing around – he wants their job, not the other openings.
So after doing that, why would he interview with San Diego?
So it looks there is a money issue here.
Gamble clearly is still the leading candidate, but both look like they are trying to make the other sweat . . .
The Bills are reportedly interested in Mike Pettine, whose Jets contract expires at the end of this month.
Doug Marrone likely got a good review of Pettine from Rich Cimini. Marrone and Cimini are close.
Rex Ryan is very close to Pettine. He was his right hand man in Baltimore, and that remained the case in New York.
Taking Rex’s defensive playbook to Buffalo isn’t a good for the Jets.
But, after Mike Francesa accused Pettine of being Manish Mehta’s top source, it’s going to be tough to bring him back.
January 7, 2013
Premium will return by 9:30 pm on Tuesday.