Competition?

Competition has been scant over the last year and change, but you know what, that really doesn’t matter, as long as the Jets win. That is the bottom line – we will see what happens.

This is a bottom line business. You generally get judged by wins and losses. So we will see how John Idzik does in that area. So far he’s 8-8.

But I’m telling your right now, there is a powder keg issue developing in the press room.

The next time Idzik pushes his competition mantra in a press conference, I wouldn’t be surprised if a reporter or two really goes after him.

The man has been preaching this since he arrived, and there is little evidence it exists.

Have you guys and gals seen it?

And I’m not even going to focus very much on the Vick-Smith thing. We have talked about that plenty this week.

I could not make the OTA practice this week. I had a family obligation.

Aside from Vick-Smith story being a big story, there was another story, that got some attention – the right guard situation.

It came out that Willie Colon had a knee scope, so he missed practice and will likely be sidelined until training camp.

So Oday Aboushi was at right guard.

I just checked with another writer, asking the question, “Was Aboushi starting?”

The response from the writer, “Yes – competition – Idzik.”

That response was a shot at Idzik.

This a college offensive tackle, who struggled mightily last summer, but spent the season on the regular roster, which was a surprise. He was a practice squad player based on training camp. He had issues with speed rushers.

Idzik also put Will Campbell, a college defensive lineman, on the end of the roster, along with a waiver claim, Ben Iljalana. Three offensive linemen, who were inactive all year, taking up three roster spots.

Caleb Schlauderaff, a four-year starter at guard at Utah, is still on the team, along with a former first-team All-American center, Dalton Freeman, who over the last year has working a ton at guard and center, on the practice squad.

So from all these players, Aboushi, who was only a tackle in college, is the guy they plug into fill in for Colon?

They have two other guard/tackles on the roster in Markus Zusevics and Patrick Ford. Zusevics spent two years getting some excellent training up in New England under line coach Dante Scarnecchia who just retired.

Perhaps Aboushi has a bright future at guard, but how does this fit in with the competition mantra?

I’m tell you right now Freeman is a better guard technically than Aboushi is right now. He is very smart, assignment-savvy player, a technician.

Zusevics spent two years getting some excellent training up in New England under line coach Dante Scarneccia who just retired.

Look, some of you are probably thinking I’m making a mountain out of a mole hill.

But I’m telling your right now, from the field of players I mentioned, Aboushi isn’t the top candidate to take over for the injured Colon.

However, as an Idzik draft pick, boom, he’s in there after an injury.

Just like the five rookies who started last year when four weren’t ready when they were anointed.

There seems to be a lot of anointing around here.

And you know what, that is fine.

If that is how you want to run your program that is your right.

Because the bottom line is winning, and perhaps Idzik will do a lot of that.

I just have one request.

Please stop with the non-stop talk about competition.

Start doing it, and then talk about it.

May 30, 2014

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