OH RIGHT, THE DRAFT

I have been less than enthused about the NFL off-season. The Jets' late-season fade left a really bad taste in my mouth, and the frustrations over the years have slow-cooked to a boil right about now.

I'll be excited again in September, but I didn't really follow closely what had been going on this off-season.

But today's draft might change that a bit.

I didn't really think the Jets would go into the season with Kellen Clemens as their most likely option at quarterback. But it was looking more and more desperate if they didn't do anything at the draft.

I'm happy to report they did.
The Jets gave up a lot - but it should be worth it, drafting Mark Sanchez out of USC.

They traded their first and second round picks in this draft along with Kenyon Coleman, Abram Elam, and Brett Ratliff to Eric Mangini and the Cleveland Browns for the fifth pick, which they used to land Sanchez.

Here's why I'm confident:

1) If at no other position, USC quarterbacks have found success in the NFL....no matter how much playing time they got in college.

2) Sanchez seems to have a good head on his shoulders. The Jets, under Rex Ryan, will just be looking for him to make smart plays and not screw things up. Just manage the offense. Sanchez, probably the highest-profile draft pick in an otherwise drab personality year, handled himself very, very well throughout the process the past few weeks, and didn't screw it up for himself. I think that's pretty microcosmic of the job he'll have to do with the Jets.

3) It's not Kellen Clemens.

Listen, I'm sure Kellen Clemens is a decent guy. But I'll always hold it against him that he was the one pitted against Chad Pennington when Pennington should have been given a better deal than he was given with the Jets. And he didn't do well during that time, so I was not looking forward to that day when he eventually took over. Now we won't have to worry about that.

One final note - another reason I'm excited about this season is the coach, and the fact that it's not a Bill Belichik disciple taking over the team. Rex Ryan has not been afraid to speak his mind in the few months since he took over, and I like that. That was part of what made Herman Edwards fun as the coach of the Jets (when he wasn't telling bold-face lies).

Ryan has yet to steer the team wrong with any personnel moves, and I like what he's had to say.
I won't be saying much about the NFL between now and...I don't know...August? But I'll be thinking happy thoughts about the Jets and their new franchise quarterback between now and then.

WHILE I WAS AWAY...

It's one of the immutable laws of my blogging life - if I don't write for a while, lots of things happen. I've been busy with school and life, but the Jets and Mets (and related issues) have been in the news. Here's what we missed:

A COACH NAMED REX: You have to like the way Rex Ryan talks, as a Jets fan. Anyone who talks about winning Super Bowls and says things like, "Watch out, because the Jets are coming", makes you think good things are bound to happen. It also makes you think he hasn't read a sports page in 40 years, but in this case, ignorance is bliss.

Maybe a guy named Rex can make the Jets a tougher team...a force. Maybe things will change.

Or maybe he'll just keep the seat warm for someone else in 3 or 4 years.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR: Aaron Heilman has been unhappy the past few years with his role with the Mets. He wanted to start, and as a result wanted to be traded. This off-season, he was part of the trade with Seattle where the Mets got J. J. Putz. Now, only a little more than a month later, Heilman has been traded again, to the Cubs. He'll be fighting for a number 5 starter job there. He would have started easily in Seattle. (Incidentally, if the Mets face Heilman as a member of the Cubs, bet heavily on the Cubs that day. That's the way things go for the Mets.)

LOL :-): Did you hear the one about Dwight Gooden, responding to steroid allegations with a "LOL" text message? I don't believe any of these athletes who deny steroid use anymore, really....especially the ones with the significant career rebirths after looking totally washed up.

MANNY/MANUEL: Mets manager Jerry Manuel says he wouldn't mind having Manny Ramirez in his lineup. Omar Minaya says he has no interest in adding him to the team. So help me God, I'm already on the precipice with the Mets after the past two Septembers. Adding Manny would push me right off the edge.

That's all I have for now. Thanks to the Southern Bureau for keeping this from being a totally stagnant place the past few weeks. I'll be back at least with a Super Bowl pick, but hopefully posting more regularly as spring training fast approaches.