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Florham Park – All day on ESPN they were talking about the 6-8 Jets – Tim Tebow, Mark Sanchez – the leaked info about future of both. Let’s take a look . . .
In nutshell, here are the two angles making a lot of news –
“The Jets will explore all options with Sanchez, including a trade, and the team plans to part ways with Tebow after the season, league sources said Wednesday,” wrote Rich Cimini.
Let’s start with Tebow.
Why would anybody from the Jets, let the whole world know, the team intends to part ways with Tebow after the year?
How do I know the info came from the Jets?
While it could have been leaked to the media by one of Tebow’s reps, where do you think the news initially emanated from?
If the Jets intend on moving on from Tebow after the season, how would somebody from the outside know, unless they told them?
And why would the Jets let anybody know their intentions now?
I’m not saying the trade market would be great, or even exist for Tebow, but why tell the football world you intend on moving on from him after the year. That probably kills any market that might have existed.
Why would any team trade for a player who is going to be released anyway? They wouldn’t. They would just wait for the release.
For this to leak out right now is foolish.
Who cares if Tebow wants to be released. He’s a backup quarterback with flawed mechanics. Who cares what he wants? What is the next story to come out – Lex Hilliard wants out? Antonio Allen wants out?
All these leaks show you the culture is messed up.
And that agent Jimmy Sexton has way too much influence in the Jets organization. Sexton represents Rex Ryan, Tony Sparano, Tim Tebow and Jets scout Aaron Glenn.
Many suspect the leaks are coming from the Sexton side.
The Jets need to put a stop to these leaks.
How do you stop agents, who don’t work for you, from leaking stuff?
Do what Bill Belichick does, and Bill Parcells used to do – tell the agents, if you leak stuff about your clients, we aren’t signing your clients, or we are signing less of them.
It works. When Parcells was running the Jets, I talked to some agents who were scared to divulge info because “The Big Tuna” had them scared.
And honestly, this cross-pollination in the agent world, where certain agents represent coaches, players, and even broadcasters (who break a lot of stories), is bad for sports. There are conflicts of interest galore.
I saw Sexton being whisked through the locker room, and into a back room, after an early season game at MetLife Stadium. It was like Elvis entered the building (by the way, Sexton, like Elvis, is from Memphis).
There are people around the league shocked at all the leaks around the Jets.
It’s out of control, and it must stop.
It’s tearing at the seams of the organization, and creating myriad dysfunction.
As for the Sanchez rumor – why would you circulate that one, right after he was benched? Give the decision a little breathing room.
Maybe it came from his agency Athletes First because they were pissed at the Jets for benching him, and want out.
But as Rex Ryan said today, “Those discussions are for after the season, I’m focused on Buffalo.”
As he should be – this stuff is for the off-season, not now.
And all these leaks are creating more distractions the Jets don’t need.
As one NFL executive said to me this week, “an organization needs one voice.”
And right now, the Jets have way too many voices, with too many different agendas.
Even a smaller story, like Stephen Hill going to IR, and Antonio Allen being promoted, was leaked to a reporter before it was announced.
This has to change.
There is no fear in the building, or in the agent word (in relation to the Jets).
Leakers need to feel there is a price to pay, or they want stop . . .
Pictured above – New York Post reporters’ Brian Costello, George Willis and Mark Cannizzaro having a skull session outside the Jets press room.