Chad Pennington did NOT deserve the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

I stated this BEFORE Miami got trounced by Baltimore, 27-9, in the wildcard playoffs this weekend. A friend who's a big Miami fan said the Dolphins are "for real" after beating the Jets in the last game of the season. I informed him that I didn't think that was true UNLESS Miami made some headwaves in the playoffs. Which they didn't.

So Pennington's the Comeback Player of the Year? He's been in the NFL for 9 years and this is the 2nd time he's received this award. Sort of odd, isn't it? I mean...comeback from what? He did help to lead the Dolphins to a 11-5 season record after being 1-15 last year. So what if he's crappy next year with Miami then revives them the following season? Should he get another comeback award? Isn't that his job to perform well? I don't get it. He hasn't been around the league long enough, in my opinion, to come back from anything. Let alone receive TWO of the these awards.

Pennington has played 9 years in then NFL (he didn't start in 2000, 2001). Of the 7 years he's started he's had only 3 years with over 3,000 yards and played only two complete seasons. He had one TD and 4 INTs in Miami's loss to Baltimore. Flacco, the QB from Baltimore, had 9 complete passes. 9...and no passing TDs.

And people talk about Favre crashing and burning in his last 5 games with the Jets and how it was wrong to trade Pennington away.

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If he looks like a whiner and smells like a whiner, then he's probably Laveranues Coles.

God, it's like having WR Javon Walker all over again (ex-Packer). I hope this isn't going to be an on-going issue for Brett Favre or the Jets.

A September 11th New York Daily News article discusses how Jet WR Laveranues Coles and QB Brett Favre are still searching for chemistry on the football field. Like the "chemistry" Coles had with former Jet QB Chad Pennington.

Keeping in mind that Favre hasn't had time to develop chemistry with anyone let alone Coles, why is the WR Jerricho Cotchery-Favre combination working so well? I'll tell you why - because Laveranues Coles still can't get over (or get over talking about) his relationship with former Jets QB Chad Pennington and Coles is a baby. It's a man-love issue (nothing wrong with those) that's getting in the way of Cole's job.

Take a look at the reader comments on the Daily News article. The overwhelming (95%+) number chastise Cole for his attitude. And I'm assuming most are Jets fans who are more familiar with Cole and the Jets than I am.

I've been told I have a man-love issue for Favre. If liking Brett as much as I and thousands of other fans do - then I've got man-love. But it's not preventing me from doing my job. And this is nothing new for Coles. Back in December 2006, Pennington, Jets Coach Mangini and Coles taped a segment for Sesame Street with the character, Elmo. It took Coles a while to loosen up in front of Elmo. They were all a little nervous starting out, so Mangini turned to Coles off camera. "You need to lighten up the mood," he said, to which Coles replied, "I'll try, but it's hard with you here."

Now what a second - I thought Coles' man-love was for Chad only?

Apparently Coles was mulling over holding out in the beginning of the season due to contract issues. Now, it doesn't seem to be a problem, probably because Coles realized that he was injured for most of last season as the team struggled to a 4-12 finish. It's the exact scenario (money and injuries) that eventually led to mommy's boy Javon Walker being booted out of Green Bay AND then Denver. Walker's with the Raiders and guess what - he's got a hamstring injury...again.

My advice to Coles? Get your shit together. Remember how you left the Jets in 2003-04 to play for the Redskins because you wanted more money? That whole Chad-thing wasn't that important to you then, was it? You're a grown man. Stop talking about your man-love for Chad and catch a ball. Or get out of the NFL.

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Quoth Brett the Jet...

I read somewhere (I think the Jets' site) that the Jets-Dolphins game (1st of the season) will be the first litmus test for Favre’s impact on the Jets. Pennington will almost certainly be the Dolphins’ starter, and the changing of the Jets guard will be complete. At Favre’s first practice, it was clear the Jets’ fans were more than ready. Once the euphoria dies down, they will be faced with a sobering statistic: in two meetings, Favre has never beaten Pennington.

“The knock on him was his arm wasn’t that strong,” Favre said. “So what? I can throw it through a wall, but I don’t win every game I play in. I’d just like to beat the guy for a change.”

When it comes to Favre's ball throwing..."Whatever route you have, you better run it hard because the ball could be coming," wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said Monday. "If you're not looking, you may get hit in the head."

That hasn't happened yet, but Favre's new Jets teammates are doing all they can to get used to the high-speed throws from their rifle-armed quarterback. "Not many people realize how quick his release is," tight end Bubba Franks said. "It's starting to show, the guy can still play football."

Cotchery is doing extra hand-strengthening exercises. Chris Baker and Dustin Keller are spending time after practice catching close-range passes from the JUGS machine, learning that they always need to be ready.

"As soon as you come out of your break, the ball's right here," Keller said. "You just have to have your hands up real quick."

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