E-Boland & Gang Green

By Tom Rock

After biting his tongue for most of training camp, Eric Mangini began dropping names today. Not only did he single out DE/LB Bryan Thomas and TE Chris Baker for their play this week, but he said Brooks Bollinger will probably be the starting QB for the Philly preseason game. That’s quite a look behind the curtain compared to the usual feedback we get. Too bad the news didn’t filter down to the players.

Thomas seemed stunned to have a flock of reporters around his locker after the Mangini press conference, and when asked what he had done to deserve the coach’s praise he shrugged and (force of habit?) directed that question back to Mangini. Bollinger seemed equally surprised by the attention granted him, especially since he said he hadn’t heard anything from anyone about starting on Friday. Baker was only at his locker for a few minutes early and late in player availability.

So Mangini was willing to toss the names of those doing well, but it remains to be seen how he will handle it when the opposite is true. Cuts need to be made by Saturday afternoon, and Mangini said he and Mike T. are still working out the logistics of how those will be announced and whether or not the coach and GM will be available for comment. The first three preseason games were pretty standard in terms of availability – the day after the game was without access to players and coaches and we had to wait until the following day to get Mangini’s impressions. That’s fine, but when the team makes so many cuts, there should be some availability. Hopefully that’ll be worked out. It sounded like it would be.

Just a few notes: Mangini didn’t rule out the possibility of carrying 4 QBs, but that seems odd considering how many players the Jets need to have at other positions. Plus, WR Brad Smith played QB in college so if it gets so bad that the Jets need a fourth-string emergency QB, they can throw him under center … Pennington will not play on Saturday but the rest of the starters will see time. The Eagles traditionally do not play their starters in this final preseason game, and Mangini said he spoke with Andy Reid this morning (more name dropping!) … Jets PR man Doug Miller is leaving to become Sr. Director of Media and PR for the Saints. Congrats to him. His was always a friendly face … AP writer Andrea Adelson is also on the way out, joining the Tribune Family at the Orlando SunSent. She keeps crying about leaving and I don’t know why, I’ve only known her for about a month … A Dave Hutchinson update has him possibly getting out of the hospital in a day or two. Get better, Hutch!