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A couple of things to get into in our Friday Night Whispers . . .
Christopher Johnson deserves a lot of credit.
With the whole National Anthem controversy swirling around the NFL, and impacting locker rooms, he’s kept the Jets’ seas very calm.
The new Jets’ owner has been very involved with his players on this issue, meeting with them, and also locking arms on the sidelines during the anthem (while standing).
This has become a non-issue with the Jets and not a distraction, like it has with the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
I’m not sure if things would have been exactly the same with Woody Johnson.
This isn’t meant as a shot at Woody Johnson, but he and his brother are very different.
I like Woody a lot. He’s a nice man, but he’s got a little more of a quirky personality than his brother; Christopher is staid.
Also, Woody is pretty overt with his politics; we all know he’s very active with Republican politics. In this last election cycle he worked with the Jed Bush presidential campaign, and then with Donald Trump. And now, as we all know, he’s the Ambassador of the United States of America to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. He was appointed by President Trump.
Christopher is a lot less political.
Before I continue, I want to make it clear this isn’t a political post. It’s just dealing with the reality of the situation.
The anthem controvery was an issue last season and early this season, and really exploded when Trump, during a speech in Alabama, called out the kneelers using the term “SOB.”
A lot of players got upset at this and the protests went to another level.
Can you imagine if Woody was still involved with the team, and he was the one trying to keep the Jets’ locker room calm, with many players knowing he is friends with Trump? Could have been a tough situation.
Christopher doesn’t have those connections and is very calming influence, with his personality – he’s a very cool, laid-back customer.
This is the closest, most-unified Jets team I’ve covered in some time. Aside from their personnel department doing a nice job of re-working the roster to make this happen – I also thing Christopher has helped. He has really connected with the players.
And has done a really nice job of handling the anthem situation, which is certainly a third-rail issue these days . . .
Todd Bowles showed some ankle today in regard to player personnel.
I was somewhat critical of the coach throughout this week about his Mo Wilkerson comments which seemed a little out of sorts to anybody watching the games.
But today, Bowles was asked why cornerback Juston Burris isn’t playing much in the secondary.
“(Darryl) Roberts has been playing better, so Roberts plays,” Bowles said.
Fair, straight-forward personnel answer.
Roberts is a faster, looser athlete who covers more ground that Burris, who had a rough game in Oakland the last time we saw him play extensively.
This is the kind of answer I like. To the point and steeped in reality.
Unlike saying a $17 million defensive end, who made one tackle last week, is doing everything they are asking him to do.
Look, if Wilkerson injuries are taking away from his game, that is fine, but perhaps sitting him for a game or two and get him healthy.
But let’s not play pretend on that topic.
October 20, 2017
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