De la Hoya May Spar with the Jets Today

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De la Hoya May Spar with the Jets Today

Published: Wed, October 1, 2008 - 2:10pm EDT
Randy Lange

By Randy Lange

Lange is editor-in-chief of newyorkjets.com. He covered the Jets for 13 years for The Record of Hackensack, N.J.


File Under: Allen, Eric Mangini, Teddy Atlas, Brett Favre, Oscar de la Hoya

10/01 — Today is getaway day for the Jets. It's their last practice of the bye week before four days away from the Atlantic Health Training Center, so you'd want to stand far enough to the side that you don't get any windburn from the players as they leave the facility.

But head coach Eric Mangini has a way of keeping his players around a little longer after today's practice ends in about a half-hour. A special guest is scheduled to arrive at the complex in a short while: Oscar de la Hoya, the six-division world boxing champion who is in the area to kick off the promotion of his Dec. 6 non-title fight with Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas.

"I know he's going to be busy this afternoon with a press conference," said head coach Eric Mangini, a big boxing and mixed-martial arts fan. "But he's supposed to come out and I appreciate that. I know the guys are excited to talk to him and I've always admired him so hopefully that'll be able to happen."

Mangini, of course, continues to list Teddy Atlas, the legendary boxing trainer and TV analyst, as "special assistant—boxing" on his coaching staff. He values the input that top boxers, or football players or Olympians, can provide to his players.

"It's not going to be Oscar specifically addressing the team," Mangini said. "But anytime you have a chance to talk to a great champion, a great athlete, someone who's been as successful as he's been for as long as he's been, in terms of his discipline and training habits, regardless of what sport you're in, there are common themes, common threads.

"Just those conversations I hope have value. I don't know what each guy will ask him or how those conversations will go, but anytime you get a chance to bring in someone like him, it's a good opportunity."

Update: As it turned out, de la Hoya was not able to make it to the Jets' training facility today. No word on if his visit will be rescheduled for after his fight with Pacquiao.

Brett Gets First Awards as Jet

Not surprisingly, Brett Favre has garnered his first NFL honors as the Jets' quarterback following his performance against Arizona on Sunday. Favre was named the AFC's Offensive Player of the Week for his personal-best, team-record-tying six touchdown passes. (Later in the day, he was also named AP's NFL Player of the Week.)

This was also his first award as an AFC player. Favre won the league's O-POW award 12 times as the Packers' QB, most recently after Week 4 last season. He's also the first Jet to take Offensive Player of the Week since Chad Pennington was selected after the opening weekend of the 2006 season.

The Offensive Player of the Week award is part of the league's weekly award system and is not related to the three sponsored, league-sanctioned awards I passed on to you Tuesday, in which fans can vote online for Favre as FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week, CB Darrelle Revis for GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week and TE Dustin Keller for Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week.

Favre Also Guests on Jets Radio

No. 4 also took time out from his always busy week to make his first appearance with Eric Allen and me on our weekly "Jets Two-Minute Drive" show that will be on newyorkjets.com a day earlier than usual, Thursday at 3 p.m.

We sat along the sideline in the team's new fieldhouse to tape our show. Favre came along shortly after his morning meeting was done, bearing a few smoothies from the team cafeteria, and sat down with us for more than 10 minutes.

I tried to make Brett feel a little more at home with a prop I brought in just for the taping. What that prop is will be apparent if you watch the video of our session produced by multimedia director Rich Gentile that will be on the site soon after the radio show goes live. But if you listen to the show, you may be confused by what the prop is.

It's a white baseball cap with MISSISSIPPI on the front. I swear I didn't buy it this past Aug. 7 when Favre, one of the most famous Mississippians of all time, was traded to the Jets. As Brett correctly assessed: "It looks pre-Katrina." I bought the hat when the Jets played two preseason games, one in 1995 and the other the next season. I've worn the hat only rarely since, as the sweat stains on the bill of the hat will attest.

Favre talked about some of the usual stuff and some less than usual matters with us — about his growing comfort level with the team, tying Joe Namath's franchise record for TD passes in a game, what he's going to do for the upcoming bye weekend, and the story on those shoulder pads with the yellow lining he wears that some fans have asked about.

Thanks to Favre and all who helped get this special bye-week "Drive" show up and running. We hope you will enjoy the show.

Flight Crew Featured

Members of the Jets Flight Crew have been on center stage after this season's two home games in the NFL Cheerleaders slideshow on Sports Illustrated.cnn.com. Click here to see eight shots of our Flight Crew in action during the Arizona game.

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Fans Respond

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Frank Said:

Sun, October 5, 2008 - 8:48pm EDT

"Drew don't tell me you didn't watch the game? I know you did you closet Giants fan...Mangini should do a case study on the Giants this week they do look good and I would prefer that the Jets were doing better than they but I enjoyed the game no less. Let's hope the time off will turn things around here. By the way you owe Whisenhunt an apology since he helped us immensely this week."

Offensive Comment?

Ray Said:

Sun, October 5, 2008 - 10:52pm EDT

"mike ex jet, let me make sure I get this right. Because miami won today Mangini needs to be fired? But miami got killed by Az who we handled and they just beat Buffalo soundly. Let me guess, the euphoria of that win over the cards has worn off. I don't judge this team by how other teams do when they aren't playing the Jets. Sorry mike ex, can't agree with your assessment once again."

Offensive Comment?

Drew Said:

Mon, October 6, 2008 - 11:48am EDT

"Ex Jet fan?? How does what Miami did against SD have anything to do with Mangini?? Didnt we beat Miami... and the Cardinals who slaughtered Miami 3 weeks ago?? The AFC is balanced as much as ever. We have already established that you're cluless, at least Frank makes me laugh with his complaints against Mangini. Thanks to Whisenhunt,Frank? I will thank A Wilson for knocking out Edwards though!!"

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