07/21 — The wait is pretty much over! The Jets begin their 2008 Capital One Bank Training Camp Thursday at Hofstra with two practices open to the public. ESPN — the self-proclaimed worldwide leader in sports — unveiled its precamp NFL Power Rankings Monday and the Jets were placed 23rd overall.

“Eric Mangini plans to go heavy on the run this year, but will there be enough offense to make a playoff run? The big question is at QB,” wrote John Clayton.

Ten panelists ranked each club and the Jets scored an average of 22.5, falling right between the 22nd-ranked Broncos (22.4) and the 24th-ranked Bengals (23.6). No pundit ranked the Jets higher than No. 18 overall and Matt Williamson handed out the Jets' lowest ranking at No. 27.

We all know these rankings mean absolutely nothing, but they’re kind of addictive. I don’t know about you, but I still read tons of preseason prognostications for college and pro football. While vacationing on the North Carolina Outer Banks a couple of weeks ago, I had a stack of preview magazines and couldn’t put them down.

Let’s not beat around the bush here — the Jets aren’t getting a lot of love nationally. We didn’t need ESPN’s latest rankings to confirm the obvious. ESPN is also letting the public rank the teams in a SportsNation Poll and the Jets were ranked 25th there as of 3:10 p.m. EDT.

Fortunately none of these rankings mean a damn thing. It’s not my job to predict outcomes, but I find a lot of the talk about the Jets a little comical. Many people think the Jets had a terrific off-season, but they keep on dwelling on the quarterback situation as a negative.

The last time Mangini held a QB competition? His team won 10 games. And there are other teams that face questions at quarterback. Paul Zimmerman, who has forgotten more football than I know, has already forecast a Super Bowl victory for the Minnesota Vikings. While Tarvaris Jackson might turn into a fantastic signalcaller, he is hardly a proven commodity.

There will always be uncertainty with young quarterbacks because development takes time. The talented Kellen Clemens will be better this year than he was last year, but that doesn’t mean this is his job to lose.

Chad Pennington, albeit a polite Southern gentleman, is mentally tough and one of the greatest competitors I’ve even been around. He wants to win and he has gained so much respect in that locker room over the years because he’s a battler.

Mangini, a bright head coach whose commitment to winning is unquestioned, wants one man to step up and take the reins. He’s going to let them compete on the field and give the ball to the top performer. If I’m a fan, it’s all I can ask for.

A couple of years back, the “experts” said Penny’s shoulder was shot and then he went out and captured Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2006. To count him out is nothing less than foolhardy.

The young Clemens was uneven (as almost all young quarterbacks are!) last season, performing on a team that struggled for much of ’07. He is talented and he is smart, and he’s got that cowboy confidence that you like.

So while everyone sleeps on the Jets, you know Mangini and company are going to set the alarm clock early. The cupboard isn’t bare, ladies and gentlemen.

Alan Faneca, one of the best offensive linemen in football, is going to be stationed between Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson on Thursday. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are waiting to hit the ground running, Tony Richardson and Bubba Franks still have some tread on those tires, and I’m still waiting for someone to name me a tougher receiving duo that Coles and Cotchery.

Calvin Pace has the ability to fire around the edge. The earth is shaking but that’s no earthquake — just 360-pound Kris Jenkins at the nose. Darrelle Revis and David Harris are young studs and Kerry Rhodes is a fine playmaker.

“There are quite a few free agents I am excited to see in pads,” Mangini said last week. “I love to see the young guys, in year two, where they go. ... I love watching that evolution and seeing what happens.”

We’re about to find out.