Endorsements are fine, but must have good record

It was the right thing to do at this time . . .

but might not mean a darn thing if they have a bad season.

Talking about Joe Douglas’ high praise for Adam Gase during the GM’s Monday press briefing.

“I especially believe in Coach Gase: I feel he is the right coach to lead this team,” said Douglas. “Having watched him work last year. Having seen his staff overcome a 1-7 start and finish the way they did, I feel really good about where we are with him and his leadership.”

This answer wasn’t in response to a question. It was part of Joe’s opening statement. So clearly he wanted to get that out there to help Adam, after Jamal Adams trashed him to Manish Mehta, claiming he’s not the right leader for the Jets. Adams was traded a day after these comments, but the comments weren’t what precipitated the trade, but more Pete Carroll blowing them away with an amazing offer.

But still, Douglas felt he needed to throw Gase a life-line, because that story, which went viral like a lot of the writer’s blockbusters, was read by a lot of people.

Douglas had a second quote praising Gase during his press conference. It came after an eclectic question from Mehta, where the writer was wondering why the GM isn’t listening to Adams’ criticism of Gase.

Here is the question:

Manish Mehta –  Daily News: Joe, you alluded to your opening statement, yet Jamal was explicit in saying that he didn’t think Adam was the right leader to take this team to the Super Bowl and you have described Jamal as a leader and Adam himself has described Jamal as an elite player, so what specifically about Adam that you see leads you to believe that he does have requisite leadership skills to take you guys to a title?

Douglas: I have seen Adam this year go through a 1-7 start, he was a coach who never lost patience who never waivered from his beliefs, a guy who would get up and have the tough conversation with players and have great communication with the team in team meetings. Everything I have witnessed in my year with Adam, I have been impressed by. Again, I can’t speak for other people.

Kind of an esoteric theory that Douglas should listen to Adams’ assessment of Gase because Adams is a good leader.

But here is the deal folks: While Douglas’ praise of Gase might help him a little with the fans and media right now, it probably will have no bearing on his fate if the team has a bad year.

So just like Douglas saying he wanted Adams to be “a Jets for life,” in the NFL, things can change quickly. Now Douglas saying he wanted Jamal to be a “Jet for life” wasn’t a case of him misleading anyone or telling a half-truth. Not at all. Whenever he said that, he always followed it by statements like, “but I have to do what’s in the best interest of the New York Jets.” He never said he wouldn’t trade the player.

But the bottom line is if the Jets go 4-12, 5-11, something like that, Gase will likely be on the hot seat.

Landscapes, scenarios, can change quickly in the National Football League, so preseason votes of confidence end up meaning little if a season goes by the wayside.

And theoretically, Douglas isn’t Gase’s boss. They both report to Christopher Johnson, so Gase isn’t getting an endorsement from his boss here, but from a colleague.

The bottom line is Gase needs a strong season, and for Sam Darnold to take the next step as a QB. Gase was hired, in large part, due to his reputation as a developer of quarterbacks.

July 29, 2020

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