Hey folks, like Jay-Z and MJ from retirement (twice), I’m back from a much-needed respite. Sorry for the absence, but it’s a one-man show around here and unlike certain organizations (*cough*JetsCentral*cough*), I don’t have the funds to outsource talent.

I’ve been quite busy with things in the world, errands, a job search, work, and certain social appointments.

Anywho, I’m getting back into the swing of things, so today will be the first return and then as things pick up after the bye weekend we’ll get back into all-out mode.

Monday I still had company from the weekend and Tuesday was a busy day. Then yesterday I had no service to post what I had written so I’ve got a bit of catch up to do.. I won’t be doing links (at least until maybe I get home from work) but I will be posting some original content like a recap of the game and my analysis of the Jets QB situation.. Sorry again folks, won’t happen again.

• Jonathon Vilma wants some Ws.
• It’s going to be a tough week for the Jets offensive tackles.
• This is a big week for pretty much everyone in green and white, especially the secondary, which faces a tough task in the Giants’ vertical passing attack.
• Check out Wednesday’s player interviews and Mangini’s press conference.

Alright folks, with that post, that marks the end of my week as I’ll be leaving for Buffalo in roughly 6 hours. It should be a hell of a time and I hope to have a report from the tailgate party for you guys on Monday along with the usual recap. Hopefully some pictures too.

Enjoy your weekend and Let’s Go Jets!

There was a lot of postgame reading this afternoon so I haven’t gotten a chance to finish my postgame recap.. it’s almost done so I’ll have it up tonight when I get home from work.

Also, I’ll be traveling to Buffalo this weekend for the game and will be documenting the tailgate party and game. It should be quite the time. Look for that on Monday night along with my postgame thoughts. Alright, take it easy people and see you around 10.

Forget Fireman Ed (who was absent at the first game, I noticed)! The Jets have a new mascot!

As the Jets embark on their 2007 season, one of the franchise’s historical figures takes a look back at his amazing career with the team. “Off Broadway Joe Dunkin’” is the legendary cup of coffee that led the Jets to the heights of glory. In the movie, which can be viewed at www.offbroadwayjoe.com, Joe talks about his youth as a small coffee, his career with the Jets, and those memorable panty hose commercials.

The role of “Off Broadway Joe” is played, not by a hired actor, but one of Dunkin’ Donuts most successful franchisees, Mitch Baker. Baker owns eleven stores in northern New Jersey, and is an active member in his local community as a board member for the Hackensack University Medical Center.

An edited 30-second version of the movie will be shown on the Jumbotron at each Jets home game this season.

Good stuff, people. Good stuff.

Sorry about the two-day absence folks, I got a couple days off from work and I used them to push my resume and try to get some interviews and what not. Of course, while I’m gone, TapeGate and the Backup Bowl erupted, so I’ll have my take on those (Including why Sean Salisbury is dead to me).

Alright, so the Link Machine, Roll Call and NYJ.com N&Ns should be up within the hour then after that I’ll have my takes on the week’s happenings and some transactions and what not.

Well, I got called into work 2 hours early today. So, as I was updating I have to go in.. Apologies around.. I’m hoping to update when i get home from work.. there’s a lot of content that I haven’t gotten up.. here’s a look at what’s coming:

•  My college buddy Justin Haag, a Patriots fan, gives his view in From The Other Side
• Chris and Amy Hood of the Patriots blog here on Sports Cartel and I are working an email exchange on the game, giving our thoughts back and forth on the game. I’m hoping to have that up by tomorrow night.
• My weekly: What I’ll Be Looking For
• And I’m trying to come up with an original running series previewing the other team but I’m stretched for ideas so any help would be appreciated..

All of those will be weekly (I hope) features. From The Other Side will be written by someone I know who is a fan of the team the Jets are playing, the Sports Cartel series will be with every blogger on the Jets schedule that I can get a hold of.. I’m sorry I’m not fully prepped for this week.. i’m going on like 12 days in a row or something like that.. i’ve lost count. Sorry again, folks.

Well, seeing as Revis pretty much took up all the coverage, there was really only two other pieces of news..

• Man, that Eric Mangini is a smart guy. All summer the beat reporters have been waiting to talk to the assistants and he  makes them available the day Revis signs after the long holdout. Now that’s smart. Well, the big interview was obviously with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. After his flirtation with the Miami Dolphins, Schottenheimer said he didn’t take the job because he was happy to be a Jet. Now, it all depends on who you like to read because Pelzman, Cimini and Costello all covered it.
• And on the same day that Revis signed and assistants spoke to the media, a Jets source let it be known to the media that the Jets have no intention of letting DLG/DC Pete Kendall go. Any other day and this story would be all over the papers, but today, it’s third on the pecking order. Dave Hutchinson reports Kendall had no idea the Jets were serious about keeping him. After the bleeding sieve the Jets became during the Herm/Bradway era, you’ve got to admire how smart the Jets are with their “inside” information.

As part of Judge’s visit, he listed five things for Jets fans non-Jets fans to know and you can bet your ass he mentioned Brad Smith…

“4. I’m sorry, but you can’t help but fall in love with the play of Brad Smith. He’s a wide receiver. No, he’s a running back. No, he’s a quarterback. There isn’t much the former University of Missouri star can’t do. He returns punts. He covers kicks. He makes outstanding catches. He runs through traffic. He finds the open receiver. A year ago, he was listed as a wide receiver. Now, he’s listed as a quarterback. I don’t know what that means other than this: The man is invaluable and will help the Jets at a variety of positions.”

I couldn’t say it better myself.

Judge also has a prediction Jets fans should take heed to:

“3. Mark it down: Safety Kerry Rhodes and center Nick Mangold make this year’s Pro Bowl. Rhodes should have made it last year, and Mangold is one of the game’s best offensive linemen anywhere. If justice is served, their postseason schedule includes a week in Honolulu.”

Rhodes should have been Honolulu-bound last year. Period. There’s no argument. John Lynch stole Rhodes’ spot, but Judge is right, this year there will be no debate. Mangold was a revelation in his rookie year and Judge is higher on Mangold than most, but not by much. The scruffy-haired woodsman-lookalike Mangold is going to be the man at center for a long time.