E-Boland & Gang Green

By Tom Rock

NFL Network just aired an interview with Eric Mangini. Here are all of the important points he made:

1.

2.

3.

And that's about it. Basically, Mangini refused to answer any direct questions about the draft or the team. He opened up a little when asked about his second draft as a head coach, saying that he has an understanding about who the players are on the roster and that he and Mike T. are learning from what they did last year.

At one point the interviewer asked Eric which direction he was leaning toward with the sixth- and seventh-round picks. A chuckle came from those of us in the press room, as if Eric would leak something. Basically he turned the question into a direct plea to undrafted free agents who might be watching around the country, touting the Jets as a team where people are given chances. With only four draft picks, the Jets will need a lot of those undrafted players to fill in their rookie camp.

Funniest moment: The interviewer follows it up with a "Great answer!" to Mangini.

By Tom Rock

The good news is that Chad will get to see one of his best buddies twice a year. The bad news is that the Jets will get to see Randy Moss twice a year. I hope Darrelle Revis is ready.

After some weeks of speculation, the Raiders shipped Randy Moss to the Patriots for a fourth-rounder. Both I and Andrew Gross – the only two in the press room hours before the Jets make their first scheduled second-day pick – agree that the move is further evidence that Belichick’s time in New England is limited and he’s trying to put together a one-year champ without regard for the future impact on the franchise. Of course, winning a Super Bowl does have an impact on a franchise as well.

I wonder if Parcells, fresh off his experiences with T.O., had any advice for Belichick.

The good news might be that the Patriots won’t be able to keep all of the WRs they have stockpiled. If they wind up cutting some of them, they could fall a few hundred miles south to the Jets (if they are interested).

A few thoughts off Day One of the draft, now that I’ve gotten some sleep:

I couldn’t help but think that Brady Quinn, with his incredulous glances at the cameras in the Radio City green room yesterday, reminded me of Jim from “The Office.”

It became clear that the Jets were not impressed by the talent level in this draft and decided to grab whatever value they could find. Why hold onto picks that the team believes to be near worthless when you can snowball them together to get at least two decent picks in the first day.

That said, don’t expect much wheelin’ and dealin’ from the Jets today. If anything, they might package their two remaining picks for a veteran player or to move up a little in the order.

The first round is so long, JaMarcus Russell could have been selected first, done his press conferences in New York, flown to Oakland and had a press conference there before the whole thing was finished.

The Jets released their new roster this morning and Darrelle Revis will wear No. 24 and David Harris will wear No. 52. Feel free to pre-order those jerseys.

By Tom Rock

Here’s a funny little anecdote that didn’t quite make it into the paper:

Tannenbaum said it wasn’t a deciding factor, but he did receive a scouting report on Revis from an unlikely source. The Jets general manager was riding into the city for dinner and happened to have the same car service driver who had picked Revis up from the airport and brought him to Long Island that evening.

“I asked him what he thought of (Revis) and he said great things about him,” Tannenbaum said of the driver’s recommendation. “That’s not why we picked him, but that was a nice piece of information to have. Eric and I believe how you treat other people when people aren’t around is important and it was just another test he passed.”

Now that he's a first-round pick, Revis will not only be nice to his drivers, he can also be a more generous tipper.

As a matter of formality since you likely already know this, the Jets did trade up in the second round as well and grabbed Michigan LB David Harris. An interesting selection that certainly puts the heat on other LBs such as Eric Barton, Matt Chatham, Brad Kassell, Cody Spencer and, to a certain extent, Jonathan Vilma. The thinking here was that Barton would be dealt for picks and Hobson would move inside next to Vilma with David Bowens moving to OLB. Now, I'm not so sure what the Jets have in mind. Certainly if Harris plays, he'll be able to take on the straight-ahead responsibilities that seemed to slow Vilma last season. Training camp will be fun, or at least fun to watch from the outside. If I'm a veteran linebacker or cornerback on the Jets, it will certainly not be much fun.

By Tom Rock

Just finished speaking with Tannebaum, Mangini and Revis. The rookie CB is already a master at Jets-speak. When asked if he felt any disappointment that the Steelers, his hometown team, didn;t get a chance to select him, his answer was pure blah. "Whatever team picked me was the best situation for me."

Of course, first-round draft picks aren't judged on quotability (at least not outside this press room). All signs seem to point at this being a good, aggressive move by the Jets. Tannenbaum spoke about cornerbacks being a "premium position" on the free-agent market, and that a common element on successful NFL teams is depth at cornerback.

The Jets made it clear that Revis was the guy they wanted, and they were even in discussions earlier to move up and snag him. Mangini said the team liked Revis on tape but really fell in love with him during their meetings in New York. Tannenbaum said that the Jets acquired the 14th pick to select Revis and there were no negotiations with other teams about trading the pick they had just traded for. The team took the full 15 minutes to make the pick so they could make one final check and get everyone in the war room on board.

So, who's happy about this move? Well, special teams coach Mike Westhoff has to be first on the list. He's got himself a player with the potential to become a premier punt returner. That special teams versatility was one of the things that endeared Revis to the Jets. And Mangini, whose background is in coaching secondaries, certainly had a lot of pull. With the 14th pick, the Jets had their choice of every cornerback available and bypassed Michigan's Leon Hall as the first CB to go. The Jets LBs will also like Revis; according to draft information handed out by the Jets, 60 percent of Revis' tackles have come on run support.

Who's not happy? Well, Hank Poteat, who was the starting CB at the end of the 2006 season. But when the Jets re-signed him to a one-year contract for the minimum amount of money, he had to know there would be comeptition in his future. I think the guy who really takes this hard is Justin Miller, who was supposed to be the Jets' CB of the future. Miller had a Pro Bowl season in 2006 -- but as a kick returner -- and has never lived up to his potential at corner. Maybe this will spark him. Or make him expendable. Put the Steelers on the list of no happy as well. They had their eye on the kid who played at Pitt.

Miller, taken in the second round in 2005, was the last CB taken on the first day of the draft by the Jets. The only other CB to be selected by Gang Green on Day One in the last 10 years was Derrick Strait in the third round in 2004. Before that you have to go back to Ray Mickens in the third round of 1996. Revis is the first first-round CB for the Jets since they took Aaron Glenn in 1994.

By Tom Rock

Perhaps sensing that the elite cornerbacks at the top of their board could be about to dry up, the Jets made the first dramatic move of the draft when they traded up to the 14th selection and grabbed Pitt's Darrelle Revis. The trade gives the Panthers the Jets' first-round pick (25th overall), second-round (59) and fifth (164). The Jets will receive the Panthers' sixth-rounder (191).

More to come ...

By Tom Rock

Not quite. Even though one Internet site has "sources" reporting that the Jets are in serious negotiations with the Lions to trade up for the No. 2 pick in the draft (and competing with the Falcons and Bucs if it's true) and ship LB Jonathan Vilma to Detroit, I just got off the phone with Vilma's agent who said he has not heard anything that would lead him to believe that Vilma will not be playing for the Jets this season.

Is that a flat-out denial? No. But it's pretty strong. And there's a chance that the Jets are testing these waters without Vilma's knowledge -- while it would be nice to think that they take a player's opinion into account they are certainly not required to. Fact is it just doesn't sound Jets-like, throwing a cornerstone defender and a bucket of other draft picks to the Lions for the second overall pick (And who would they take? Calvin Johnson? Alan Branch? Adrian Peterson? Brady Quinn a year after taking Kellen Clemens?).

More than likely this Internet report was generated from somewhere within the Lions organization in an effort to drive up the price of their selection.

Still, I wouldn't go out and buy any more No. 51 jerseys until this whole draft blows over!

By Tom Rock

First, a note on full disclosure. While I've been a life-long fan of the NFL and football in general, I've never been one to get revved up by the draft. I know there are guys who consider this coming Saturday and Sunday to be two of the greatest sports days on the calendar. They plan parties, invite friends, order food, and watch Mel and Mort and the gang for a dozen or so hours. That's not even considering the people who wait in line to attend the draft in person. I never was one of those guys. I let the offseason proceed without much notice and then refocused my football attention sometime around the Hall of Fame Game.

Now, of course, it's my job to pay attention to the draft. And I have to say, I'm a little juiced about it. I even have a little party of my own to attend: the Jets beat writers will be in the press room at Hempstead all day Saturday and Sunday watching and eating (and writing and working phones). Of course we'll be focused on the Jets, who they pick, what moves they make, instigate, or turn down. But I'll also be watching as a fan, particularly for the first few hours since the Jets are unlikely to make many moves before the first round is decidedly underway. In other words, I wouldn't bet the ranch that the Jets trade up for JaMarcus Russell.

With that out of the way, here's the business. I was dragged into the office earlier this week to tape a webcast for newsday.com discussing the Jets and the upcoming draft. They tell me the thing will appear right here:

Today is the day the Jets Blog hits the one year mark. Ken Berger was first in the saddle on April 24, 2006, talking about the upcoming draft. I thought it'd be interesting to remember what was being said at this time last year, when the Jets had that No. 4 pick, were coming off a 4-12 season, and thought that their running back would be healthy and their quarterback would not. So, with the confidence that a blog cannot plagerize itself, here's what Ken had to say 365 days and 174 blogs ago:

By Ken Berger

In less than 120 hours, we will know how the fearless new regime running the Jets will use the fourth pick in the NFL draft. The pressure is on Mike Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini to get this one right. And to a much lesser degree, the pressure is on me to make this blog a go-to source for you, Jets fans and Newsday readers, for all the pre-draft rumors, innuendos, and sometimes even facts that pertain to one of the most critical drafts in this franchise's history.

Why is it so important? You may not know much about Mangini and Tannenbaum -- I know and like Tannenbaum but know next to nothing about Mangini -- and that's precisely the point. You've seen enough coaches and GMs come and go in Hempstead to know that all the flowery prose written about them often means nothing a few short, painful years later when they leave or are shown the door.

I don't know what it is, but I have a feeling it's going to be different this time; I fell victim to the Herman Edwards charm machine as often as the next guy, but I never really got the feeling that everyone was on the same page when he was here. Too often there were conflicting agendas within the walls of Weeb Ewbank Hall, and in the end, the health of the only thing that ultimately mattered -- the football team they were running -- suffered.

Mangini and Tannenbaum think alike. Both are obsessively committed to succeeding. Most importantly, they want the same thing -- players who fit their philosophy. And for the first time in quite a while, the people making the decisions have the same philosophy.

Think about it: When Herm and Terry Bradway were hired in 2001, the Jets were supposed to run a Tampa-style cover 2 defense. Then came the hybrid scheme between Herm's Tampa defense and Ted Cottrell's Buffalo scheme. Then came Donnie Henderson. Offensively, it was three years of Paul Hackett, followed by one year of Hackett playing philosophical tug-of-war with Edwards, followed by one year of Mike Heimerdinger.

How can an organization develop any sort of continuity in terms of acquiring players through the draft and free agency when the coaches and systems change as often as they did under Edwards?

If the Jets' methodical approach to free agency was any indication, some of the most highly regarded draft prospects won't get an iota of consideration from this new regime, and players who wouldn't get more than a cursory glance from other teams will have their names called by the Jets on Saturday and Sunday. I'll just say this: Don't put too much weight on any one pick, including the No. 4 -- if they don't trade it. With five picks in the top 100, two third-rounders and two-fourth rounders, this draft will be about stocking the roster with so-called "Mangini guys," which essentially means "Belichick guys." Give them time. I think they're on the right track.

As you'll see later this week in Newsday when I join my colleagues, Bob Glauber and Arthur Staple, in projecting the first 10 picks in the draft -- Glauber has to mock the whole first round -- I am convinced that Mangini and Tannenbaum will NOT select a quarterback with the first pick. I haven't decided whether it's going to be D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Mario Williams, Vernon Davis, or A.J. Hawk, but I feel pretty good that it's far more likely to be one of them than a quarterback.

Which brings me to a few words I want to say about this blog. The whole point of doing this is that I want to know what you think. I want to know what rumors you're hearing and reading about as you're trying to school yourself up for what figures to be one of the most interesting first rounds in recent memory. When you think I'm wrong, I want you to tell me. When you see or hear something you want me to address, I want to know about it. This blog, and by extension what I write in the paper, is for you -- nobody else. I want to know what's on your mind.

So go ahead, jump in and get things started. Other than the playoffs, with which you're unfortunately not recently familiar, this is the most exciting week of the year for the NFL fan. Post your comments, check back for my responses, and by all means give me your feedback on what I'm writing in the paper. Yes, I'm writing it because I have to, but I'm writing it for you.

Along the way, I'll let you know when something you won't want to miss will show up in the paper the next day. If I could, I would give you the heads up on exactly what the Jets will do when they're on the clock Saturday. Then again, if I knew that, I wouldn't be blogging.

By Tom Rock

Well, the deadline to present an offer to restricted free agents is closing in, and it doesn’t appear that the Jets will be making any moves. As a refresher, the team brought in OL Stacy Andrews from the Bengals and CB Randall Gay from the Patriots early last week.

Rich Moran, Andrews’ agent, said “there was interest from both parties” but things just never worked out and his client will be re-signing with the Bengals for a 1-year deal. There’s as pretty good chance the Jets will revisit the Andrews situation next offseason when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Andrews didn’t play competitive football until his senior year at Mississippi (he was one of the blockers for Eli Manning, by the way) and has been a developing project since. Teams see his 6-7, 342-pound frame and drool over the possibilities. It seems to be a good move for the Jets to wait this situation out. Rather than hand a second-round pick over to the Bengals, they’ll let him gain another year of experience in the league and see if he improves at a decent enough clip. If he does, he could be wearing Green and White at right tackle in 2008.

As for Gay, who also would have cost the Jets a second-rounder, that may just be a poke at the Pats. Like Andrews, Gay will be an unrestricted free agent next year. It might actually help Gay to stick with the Pats for another season; if he can stay healthy enough in 2007 to dismiss concerns about his injury-plagued career, he’ll hit the market as an even better commodity and probably wind up with a better deal than any RFA contract would have given him.

As a side note, I’m covering the Islanders in Buffalo today. After the morning skate, a bunch of us notebook jockeys were in the changing room talking to players and in walked coach Ted Nolan. He proceeded to hop on an exercise bike in the middle of the room and started pedaling. No one seemed to think this was odd. In fact, the casual conversation turned quickly to the movie “300” then segued to baseball and the Yankees-Red Sox series.

I guess that’s part of the charm of hockey, the informality and the access. I couldn’t imagine being in the Jets locker room and having Eric Mangini hop on a treadmill without 20 or so reporters swarming him. And we wouldn’t be asking him about what movies he’s seen lately. Can you imagine what would happen if Joe Torre came into the Yankees clubhouse and started doing push-ups or jumping jacks? Hockey is a different world. Not always better, not always worse, but certainly different.

P.S. -- Just by way of a hockey update, I walked into HSBC Arena here in Buffalo and almost got clunked in the head as Isles goalie Rick DiPietro and F Arron Asham were have a baseball catch in the hallway. Apparently they both thought to bring their gloves with them on the trip. What an odd league.

By Tom Rock

From the tone of today’s pre-draft press conference with three Jets decision makers, the guy they are highest on might actually be Larry David. The “Seinfeld” creator, Jets fan and sometimes contributor to the Green Think Tank (solicited or otherwise) was mentioned just as often as cornerbacks Darrell Revis, Aaron Ross and Chris Houston, some of the players the Jets could take with a first-round pick.

In talking about the prospects with poker-faced solemnity, I couldn’t help but think that the Jets had taken David’s advice to heart: Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Interestingly, the player who drew the most visceral response from Joey Clinkscales, director of college scouting, came in regard to tight end Greg Olsen from Miami. It interesting because tight end would not appear to be a need for the Jets (Chris Baker had a pretty solid 2006 season). But Clinkscales said Olsen is in the mold of other vertical threats from Miami like Winslow and Shockey. “Can he fit? He would fit into a lot of programs,” Clinkscales said. The one knock against Olsen is his blocking. “He can block,” said Clinkscales with a less-than-convincing grin.

As of this moment, the Jets have the 25th pick in the 1st round), 27th and 31st in the 2nd round, and 26th in the third for a total of four Day One selections. They won’t pick on Day Two until the 27th selection of Round Five and then have their last scheduled pick as the third in the 6th round. GM Mike Tannenbaum said he is pleased with the flexibility the Jets have heading into next Saturday, giving them the ability to trade up, trade back, or stand still. He also admitted that picking so late in the first round leads to a lot of hypothetical conversations and speculative deals, but any possible deals will not really take shape until the wheels start spinning at noon next Saturday. Terry Bradway said there are 18 to 20 guys the Jets would feel comfortable picking with the 25th selection.

It was interesting to learn how the Jets interview their prospects (there are, according to Terry Bradway, around 380 players the Jets consider “draftable”). Bradway said Mike Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini often ask the questions that probe into a player’s personal and intellectual depth (what book did you last read? what music do you listen to?). The real glimpses, Bradway said, come when they sit down to watch film with a player and ask him not to evaluate his performance but to talk about a teammate or a guy across the line. That, he said, shows how a player thinks and analyzes.

The only other tidbits that were interesting came from comments on current Jets players. Tannenbaum dismissed trade rumors regarding Jonathan Vilma, but would not go so far as to call him “untouchable.” He said if a team came in with a tremendous offer for Vilma, they would listen. But Tannenbaum was clear that refraining from the word “untouchable” is more philosophical than practical. It’s akin to Mangini not naming Pennington the starter for 2007 at the end of 2006, something the coach later did anyway.

Tannenbaum said he has not given permission for Justin McCareins to seek a trade from other teams. That was in response to an item in a Nashville paper that quoted McCareins’ agent as saying he had been talking to several teams. Even so, it’s pretty clear McCareins is on the way out and he could be heading for his old team, the receiver-hungry Titans. Tennessee has the 19th pick in the first round, so if the Jets feel that their player of choice might not be available at 25, they might put together a package for the Titans.

By Tom Rock

Here’s what my editor gasped when I told him the Jets-Giants game is scheduled for Oct. 7: “That’s the first weekend of baseball playoffs!” Six months away and we already have a schedule crisis and a space crunch! The million-dollar question: Where will Bob Herzog be on Oct. 7, covering baseball or football? At least it’s a 1 o’clock game, gives us plenty of time to put the stories together. Plus, having the NY/NJ-NY/NJ game in early October should mean decent weather for the second Writer’s Cup match between the Jets and Giants beat writers. The first will take place before the preseason game between the two teams.

In case you missed it (and there's a clip 'n save cut-out version in Newsday's Thursday edition), here’s the Jets’ schedule:

• 9/9 vs. NE, 1 p.m.
• 9/16 at BAL, 4:15 p.m.
• 9/23 vs. MIA, 1 p.m.
• 9/30 at BUF, 1 p.m.
• 10/7 at NYG, 1 p.m.
• 10/14 vs. PHI, 1 p.m.
• 10/21 at CIN, 4:05 p.m.
• 10/28 vs. BUF, 4:05 p.m.
• 11/4 vs. WAS, 1 p.m.
• 11/11 Bye week
• 11/18 vs. PIT, 1 p.m.
• 11/22 at DAL, 4:15 p.m.
• 12/2 at MIA, 1 p.m.
• 12/9 vs. CLE, 4:15 p.m.
• 12/16 at NE, 1 p.m.
• 12/23 at TEN, 4:15 p.m.
• 12/30 vs. KC, 8:15 p.m.

A lot of attention is being paid to the tough opening stretch, but I’m noticing that the Jets play only two home games in the final month and a half. Now, they are home for a long stretch that includes the bye (nicely placed smack in the middle for the second year in a row). They’re at Cincy on Oct. 21, then aren’t the visiting team again until the Thanksgiving game in Dallas on Nov. 22. And the traveling isn’t bad in terms of mileage; they don’t leave the Northeast Corridor until Week 7 at Cincy and the furthest trip is to Big D. That’s probably a concession because in 2008, the Jets are already scheduled to play at Oakland, San Diego, San Fran and Seattle plus whoever they are paired up with from the AFC South (a third straight year visiting Nashville, perhaps?). Who knows, maybe one of those cross-country flights will turn into a trans-Atlantic one. I could see the NFL putting the Jets and Raiders in Europe.

So, your thoughts on the schedule?

By Tom Rock

Both of the restricted free agents who visited the Jets today left without an offer from the team. According to Richard Moran, the agent for Bengals OT Stacy Andrews, the Jets are “doing their homework.” But they have yet to turn in any term papers.

As for Randall Gay, the Patriots cornerback has departed from his visit with the Jets without signing or being presented with an offer sheet. That doesn’t mean one won’t be forthcoming from the Jets, but it could mean that the Jets are simply getting a jump on next year’s business for when Gay becomes an unrestricted free agent. Then again, the Jets may have just been poking the Patriots with a stick for a few days. Don’t forget, this story broke in a Boston paper.

By Tom Rock

Just another late update that I haven’t seen discussed much: The NFL announced the 2007 preseason schedule (the regular season schedule is, well, behind-schedule but should be announced soon). This year the Jets play four games and will not have to board a plane. The host the Falcons and the Vikings in the first two weeks, “visit” the Giants in Week 3 and travel to Philly to play the Eagles in Week 4.

Those last two games are traditional preseason rivalries; the Jets have closed the make-believe portion of the program with the Giants and Eagles for the last few years. But here’s the question for you: What do you feel about playing two preseason games against two teams that are on the regular-season schedule? I mean, the Jets could conceivably play the Eagles on that first weekend of September, then again on a Sunday in September when it counts for real. It’s an especially tough scenario with the third preseason game, always the most “realistic” in terms of starters playing and gamesmanship.

Your thoughts?

By Tom Rock

The Jets will be visiting with several players today, two of them restricted free agents and the third a potential first-round draft pick who could add even more depth to the defensive end stockpile.

Notre Dame’s Victor Abiamiri, who is projected as a late-first round or early-second round pick later this month, is scheduled to be in Hempstead for some interviews with the Green and White. Abiamiri would likely be another candidate to move to an outside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme. He had 10.5 sacks last season. He’s listed at 6-4, 267, but the word is he’s packed on a few pounds of muscle leading up to the draft.

Abiamiri might get a look at some of the NFL-sized talent he’ll be up against in September when he’s at the complex today because the Jets are reportedly also entertaining OT Stacy Andrews, a restricted free agent from the Bengals. Like Patriots CB Randall Gay, Andrews was given a one-year, $1.3-million tender by Cincy, meaning the Jets would have to fork over a second-rounder if they sign him to an offer and the Bengals don’t match it. Gay is also expected to be strolling the corridors of Weeb Ewbank Hall today.

GM Mike Tannenbaum had said he’d like to have the roster in place BEFORE the draft, and that going into Radio City without any glaring needs provides the team with the most flexibility. It’ll be interesting to watch these next few days to see how the pre-draft gamesmanship heats up and if the Jets are truly interested in these players or just creating diversions.

By Tom Rock

Sorry I was away from the switch for a good portion of the day, but as many of you have heard by now (it was reported in the Boston Globe today) the Jets have been meeting with Randall Gay this evening and, according to a person I spoke with, are scheduled to continue with some meetings on Tuesday. If the Jets pursue Gay – and having the guy in for a few laps around Memory Lane with ol’ Coach Mangini isn’t the same as an offer sheet – it would be the first time during the off-season that the Jets address their secondary. They did resign Hank Poteat just prior to free agency, but that was a status quo move and not a status melior (pardon my Latin).

Anyway, they’d have to give the Pats a second-round pick if they sign Gay. While Gay may be more talented than any of the CBs the scout gang has seen heading into this draft, and he has a familiarity with Mangini’s systems, handing a draft pick to an arch-rival is never a good idea. The draft is enough of a gamble, you don’t want to shift the odds in favor of the Patriots any more than you need to. A second-rounder taken by the Pats could wind up haunting the Jets for years. Besides, Gay hasn’t finished either of the last two seasons healthy and has played in only eight games the last two seasons.

Your thoughts? Is it worth giving the Patriots a second-round pick for a cornerback with terrific speed and knowledge of the schemes but a record of injuries?

While I'm still technically on vacation this week, I thought I'd pass along this notice sent out by the Jets. I just cut and pasted it, so if there are any typos, don't come knockin' here!

JOIN PLAYERS, ALUM AND FELLOW JETS FANS TO CELEBRATE DRAFT DAY EXPERIENCE AT ONE OF THREE TRI-STATE PARTIES

ENTER DRAFT SWEEPSTAKES AT WWW.NEWYORKJETS.COM FOR VIP EXPERIENCES AND ONE OF A KIND PRIZES

On Saturday, April 28th the New York Jets will host three Draft Parties sponsored by Coors Light, the Daily News, Sprint and Toyota. Join your fellow fans for food, fun and a chance to win great prizes at one of three Dave & Buster’s locations throughout the tri-state area.

The radio voice of the New York Jets, Bob Wischusen, will host the party at Dave & Busters in New York City’s Times Square. Jets TV personality Karen Keyes will host the party at Dave & Buster’s in Farmingdale, L.I., and Joe Pardavila a.k.a. Monkey Boy, of Scott and Todd in the Morning on 95.5 WPLJ, will host the party at Dave & Busters in West Nyack.

Doors will open at each location at 11 am and each party will feature contests, interactive games, and free giveaways to the first 1,000 fans at each location.

And starting Monday, April 9th, fans can win one of several VIP prizes by entering our draft sweepstakes on www.newyorkjets.com. This year’s grand prize includes a SHARP 26” AQUOS LCD Flat Panel TV as well as a private VIP party for you and 9 of your closest friends at one of the three Draft Day party locations. Other sweepstakes prizes include an autographed jersey of the team’s first 2007 draft pick and 5 sets of VIP tickets to 2007 Jets Training Camp.

In addition to our draft sweepstakes, the Jets website will also feature a contest for fans to choose their Top 10 draft picks. For those fans who submit their top 10 list in the correct order, a winner will be selected at random to receive a Jets Merchandise Gift Pack.

“The three separate draft day parties have become a tradition in which Jets players, alumni and fans can celebrate the Jets immediate future,” said Jets president Jay Cross. “There is no better way for a Jets fan in Long Island, New Jersey or New York to be a greater part of the draft process than with their favorite team.”

For more information on the New York Jets draft day parties and to enter our VIP sweepstakes and Top 10 contest visit the official New York Jets website, www.newyorkjets.com.