(Long Island, NY) When you look back at the regular season, there are games that jump off the page that stand out as the ones that either killed or salvaged the campaign. After one of the most wild and wacky two-game sets all year, the Mets and Phillies played to a stalemate.

The Mets answered an 8-7 extra-inning loss with a 6-3 victory on Wednesday night. An unlikely come-from-behind win was made possible by Carlos Delgado’s two home run performance, including the tying solo shot to the opposite field in the eighth inning.

How enormous the win was cannot be measured when you think of what could have been. Turn-about is fair play, and the usually reliable Philadelphia relievers – including closer Brad Lidge – allowed a 3-2 lead to disappear. Rookie Daniel Murphy and light hitting, but hot of late Brian Schneider had key hits to break the tie. The bullpen that opened the floodgates 24 hours earlier slammed the door and a split was the result.

“You know that one game could determine who wins and loses (referring to the division),” Mets manager Jerry Manuel told reporters. “Every game is important – it’s a must-win.”

Heading into Citizen’s Bank Ballpark clinging on to the slimmest of leads in the National League East in Game One, the Mets seemed to be coasting with a 7-0 lead in the fourth inning. They had their former ace, Pedro Martinez, on the hill cruising and had knocked around the ancient Phillies southpaw, Jamie Moyer.

These are the type of games that championship clubs put away, even in a bandbox stadium. But the Phillies chipped away at Martinez and a porous Met bullpen, coming all the way back to tie the game with two out in the ninth inning and finally winning it in the 13th.

What could have been a one and a half game lead for the Mets ended up being them trailing the Phillies by one half game and the Milwaukee Brewers in the wild card hunt. That is how close the race for the postseason is in the senior circuit.

With the Mets’ win, the roles were reversed and the Mets occupied the penthouse and the Fightin’ Phils were on the outside looking in. It would behoove either team to ensure their place in the October dance by winning the division outright. The Brewers are playing well and had 77 wins heading into Wednesday night, compared to the Mets’ and Phillies’ 73. With a pitching staff consisting of a pair of aces in C.C. Sabathia and Ben Sheets, the Brew Crew look poised to break their playoff drought. The former American League franchise has not enjoyed the extra cash since 1982, when they lost the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, four games to three.

Perhaps Martinez had a vision after the first game. “Today, they won,” he said to reporters in the locker room. “Tomorrow, maybe we’ll return the favor, and everything will be back to normal.”

In a Topsy-turvy season such as this, abnormal is normal.

(Long Island, NY) It almost read like “A Tale of Two Cities.” New York and Green Bay. If things had gone differently during draft day of 1991, the Jets could have been a perennial playoff team with a slam-dunk Hall of Fame quarterback. Needing to trade up to do so, their war room knew they had to move up two spots in the second round to select a quarterback they had their eyes on.

The Atlanta Falcons were heavily rumored to want Brett Favre of Southern Mississippi, so the Jets had to make a deal with the then-Phoenix Cardinals for the 32nd overall pick to leapfrog them. When it appeared that a deal was in place, the Cards became nervous that they would lose out on the player that they were focusing on – the infamous Mike Jones, defensive end from NC State.

Needless to say, Phoenix stood pat, selected Jones – who recorded 27.5 sacks for four teams over nine seasons – and Atlanta gladly grabbed Favre. The Jets? They settled for Browning Nagle, who may have finally found his niche playing in celebrity golf tournaments.

Ron Wolf, who was the Jets assistant general manager back then, had Favre rated as the best player in the entire draft, but the Jets surrendered their first round pick by taking wide receiver Rob Moore in the supplemental draft. When Wolf was hired as the GM of the Packers, he was able to trade a first round pick and obtain Favre, who the Falcons reportedly “soured” on in a year’s time.

A franchise quarterback was found, while the carousel has gone around for 15 different starters in New York. Packer fans had been able to wear their number four jersey for 16 straight years, while Jets fans have been forced to change anywhere from Rick Mirer’s number three, to Bubby Brister’s six, to Quincy Carter’s 17. Of course, there were a few good ones since then such as Vinny Testaverde and Chad Pennington, but they won’t be fitted for a bust in Canton.

The Jets overall record since 1992 is 113-143, which includes five playoff berths. Up in Green Bay, a 161-95 mark with 11 postseason appearances, two AFC championships and one Super Bowl win made Lambeau Field the place it once was when Vince Lombardi patrolled the sidelines, and that can be attributed to one player.

A player that has finally made his way to New York, albeit it many regimes later. By acquiring Favre from Green Bay for a conditional fourth round draft pick, the Jets may have arrived at the party a little late, but hopefully there is a dance or two left in those 38 (soon to be 39) year old legs.

OFFENSE

The new gunslinger in town could see the possibilities from his first day practicing with the team. “There are some very talented players, very good mix of veterans as well as some young guys,” said Favre, who was also honest about his lack of knowledge about his new employer. “I didn’t know the Jets were 4-12 last year until I got up here,” he added.

While Favre cannot make the Jets a contender alone, the organizations’ offseason shopping spree won’t make that necessary. A big part of that were the upgrades on the offensive line, with Alan Faneca and Damian Woody being signed as free agents, and finding the cohesiveness between the new parts will be important.

“There is definitely a heightened sense of awareness for everybody to get on the same page,” Faneca said. “Everything from the grand scheme of a play, to the snap count, to the little nuances of what kind of defenses we are trying to get certain plays to.”

In the backfield, Thomas Jones should be more effective and improve on a good, 1,000-yard season. Leon Washington became a nice option and averaged five yards on 71 rushing attempts. Tony Richardson was signed and will become the first true Jet fullback since Lorenzo Neal.

Favre will make friends fast with the wideout crew, and a player such as Jerricho Cotchery may be able to take that next step after a productive 2007 (1,130 yards on 82 receptions). Laveraneus Coles was nearly let go after the season, but returns and should benefit from having a strong-armed quarterback. All three tight ends (Chris Baker, Bubba Franks and Dustin Keller) bring a downfield threat to the table, which will become even more lethal with Favre on board.

DEFENSE

The money was spread out on both sides of the ball, with Kris Jenkins being acquired from Carolina to play nose tackle and Calvin Pace signed to become the right outside linebacker. Vernon Gholston should beat out Bryan Thomas from the other side by the time the season opener comes around.

Both Jonathan Vilma and DeWayne Robertson were traded away, with head coach Eric Mangini sticking with the 3-4 defense rather than having the caliber of player dictate the system. Similar to when Bill Parcells sent Hugh Douglas packing, Mangini is sticking with three down lineman and jettisoning anyone who cannot conform. David Harris needs to avoid the sophomore jinx to make Vilma’s mail being forwarded to New Orleans something that will not cause ‘agita’ in the Meadowlands parking lot.

The secondary has always been a position that has given the Jets fits, but with Darrelle Revis establishing himself as a rookie, the team may have a shutdown corner for years to come. Kerry Rhodes has become the Jets’ ‘big play’ guy on defense, with five picks and two forced fumbles last season.

Keep your eyes on rookie Dwight Lowery, who may end up taking over the other corner spot from Justin Miller before it’s all said and done. The fourth round pick out of San Jose State can also return punts.

OVERALL

With a favorable schedule, new impact players and a coaching staff in its third campaign, it would seem that the stars are aligned for the Jets to make some noise in 2008. While that may be possible, it will take 10 wins to get into the playoffs in the AFC. No game is out of reach with Favre, so they may be able to sneak into that second tier in the conference after New England, Indianapolis and San Diego. Are they that much worse than Denver, Tennessee and Jacksonville? Probably not, so the head-to-head match-ups on consecutive weeks (November 23 at Tennessee and November 30 versus Denver) may decide the outcome of the season for the Jets before December rolls around.

(Long Island, NY) If your team had the opportunity to acquire a Super Bowl-winning quarterback who is also a nine-time Pro Bowler and sure first-ballot Hall of Famer, there wouldn’t be many scenarios where you would want to turn that offer down. Especially when heading into training camp, your quarterback situation is not settled, and the two battling it out for the job are not exactly headed to Canton unless they buy a ticket.

So what would make anyone say that Brett Favre to the Jets wouldn’t end in confetti being blown into the Tampa Bay night sky come February? Before we start booking the flight to Disneyland, it will make more sense once it is broken down.

While Favre is obviously on a decline, he did have a very productive season in 2007. Leading the Packers to the NFC Championship Game, he may have thrown his worst pass of the year on his last attempt, which snuffed out a Super Bowl berth for the Pack and sent the Giants en route to Arizona. During the regular season, Favre threw for 4,155 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, good enough for a 66.5 completion percentage. He has been a tough out and has started all 16 games in each season dating back to 1993. His leadership skills have never been questioned – for the most part – and playing with that little kid grin has made him the face of the NFL for quite some time.

The Mississippi native will turn 39 in October and has been on the bubble of retiring for two years now. Even in Green Bay where he can walk on water, Favre began to wear out his welcome by taking forever to make up his mind. When he finally held his emotional press conference during the offseason and walked away gracefully, the story seemed to have a great ending. His number four jersey was going to be retired by the organization during the Packers’ home opener on a Monday night versus the Vikings.

But Favre couldn’t let go. Give him credit for being such a gamer, but take some of it away for selfishness. He began to bad mouth the Packers front office by saying that they made him rush his decision, which he now regrets. Regardless of what Favre claims, he is his own man and could have told them that he wanted to think about it a little more. By flip-flopping his decision, Favre is throwing a monkey wrench in not only the Packers’ plans, but also that has trickled down to possible teams vying for his services.

Alex Rodgers was anointed Favre’s successor on more than one occasion, and that still is not written in stone. Green Bay seems to be saying all the right things that it is the youngster’s job, but if Favre shows up to training camp, how could they seriously sell that to anyone? That’s where the Jets come in.

According to NFL sources, the two teams that figure to be involved in trade talks with the Packers are the Jets and Buccaneers. Eric Mangini, the third year head coach of the Jets, is not very informative during his daily press conferences, and usually refutes something like this. But his sheepish grin in tiptoeing around questions about the quarterback spoke volumes once he didn’t say anything that the team wasn’t looking to make a deal.

“We still keep that internal,” said Mangini. “That’s been consistent, too. Mike’s (general manager Tannenbaum) the combination guy. He likes to talk different combinations.”

Draw your own conclusions from that, but if you know Mangini at all, he is not a giggly-type, by any stretch of the imagination. He was openly laughing when asked abut Favre and could have put the entire matter to rest. Could that be part of his plan to push his two signal callers, Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens – in their head-to-head battle for the top spot?

“The bottom line is that sooner or later the organization has to make a decision one way or the other,” Pennington said. “I hope it’s sooner than later. I think for our team to be able to move on and accomplish the things we need to accomplish, the things that coach Eric Mangini and Mike Tannenbaum want to get accomplished, we have to make a decision and the sooner the better.”

The nine-year veteran is absolutely correct, and seems even more determined to prove to his naysayers that he is the right man for the job – even if that group includes Favre. Hypothetically speaking, for the Jets to bring Favre in, reports are that Green Bay wants at least a first round draft choice. That is a lot to give up for someone who may only play one year, even if that person is Favre.

Working with that scenario, Pennington would become an ex-Jet via trade or being waived with Favre in the fold. Unless he delivers a Super Bowl ring, how much is it really worth? You would lose an important draft pick, your 32 year-old quarterback that has been successful and then possibly have to start all over in 2009.

Older quarterbacks that have left their long-time team for greener pastures have mixed results. For every Joe Montana – who was traded from San Francisco and led Kansas City to the 1993 AFC Championship Game the following year – there have been situations like Joe Namath’s, who didn’t want to hang it up even though he was obviously through. Broadway Joe forced a trade from the Jets to the Rams and limped away from the game in 1977 after throwing five picks in only four starts.

Which Joe will Favre be compared to when he ultimately decides that he is going to take his rightful place next to the other greats in Ohio? If it is the latter of the two, the Jets will have undone a smart football move made 31 years ago.

(Long Island, NY) According to a report in the New York Daily News, Roger Clemens’ worst nightmare may have come true. All through his public denials of what everyone else believes to be true, it has mostly been word against word. Lacking documentation, it came down to whom you believed.

Kirk Radomski, a major steroid supplier who eventually cooperated with investigators, recently discovered shipping receipts from 2002 or 2003 for two kits of human growth hormone that he sent to Clemens at his Houston home. While this is no great revelation to anyone other than Clemens himself, it does put another nail in the former pitcher’s coffin.

The report further stated that the package was addressed to “William Roger Clemens (his actual full name), in care of Brian McNamee,” and that Clemens’ former trainer did not sign for it. The unnamed source added that dates coincide with when Debbie Clemens used HGH to prepare for a Sport Illustrated pictorial with her husband.

Some of this new evidence seems to corroborate McNamee’s claims of Clemens being aware of his wife’s drug use, which he has denied. Clemens has testified under oath that he never used any performance-enhancing drugs or that he knew that his wife intended on using HGH. Having a shipment of that exact substance sent under your name would make that difficult on either end.

Rusty Hardin, who has miraculously remained as Clemens’ lawyer even though he has proven time and time again to be completely incompetent, told reporters that he was unaware of the receipts.

“I can’t imagine that there’s any truth to that at all,” said Hardin. “We’ll find out one day Roger never received or took the stuff.”

If there was a poll taken, perhaps the only lawyers ranked lower than Hardin would be the prosecution team in the O.J. Simpson trial. He has publicly admitted that he is unable to control Clemens, who appears to enjoy challenging the obvious. Any lawyer worth his weight would not allow his client to talk enough to hang himself, this the reason why they have been nicknamed their client’s ‘mouthpiece.’

The United States Justice Department is investigating whether to bring Clemens up on perjury charges, and the discovery of written documentation can only make that happen. What the Daily News report did not state was who did actually sign for the package. Depending if it was Clemens or his wife, that would make a difference in rebutting against Clemens’ earlier testimony.

As the evidence mounts up against the Rocket, it is becoming harder and harder for him and his constantly surprised lawyer to deny this. If you’re expecting either or both to reverse course and admit what we all know to be true, it will be a cold day during August in Texas before that happens.

(Long Island, NY) Willie Randolph deserved to be fired. Make no mistake about that. Any manager that presided over the 2007 September collapse and then had been unable to exorcise those ghosts from his clubhouse cannot continue in this town. To wash all that bad karma away, a complete fresh start was necessary. But that did not take place.

Nothing against Jerry Manuel, who was named interim manager on June 17 and did a good job in six seasons as the White Sox skipper, but by him being Randolph’s right hand man as the bench coach is basically the same voice. And also one that would probably not be raised to the octaves that is called for with this team.

Randolph’s refusal to show any sense or urgency over the end of last season and the first three and a half months of the current one may not have been a reason for his firing, but should have been. At the press conference announcing Randolph’s firing, general manager Omar Minaya said that he made the move because “right now, the team is under-performing.” While that was certainly accurate, the team was performing just as bad for a much longer period of time.

How many times in Randolph’s post-game press conference did he say one of the following three things: “I’ve seen it all before,” “This is not last year,” or “I’m not concerned just yet,” when being asked if and when things will improve? His complacency may have sealed his fate.

That same complacency may be a trait of the new field boss. That is exactly what this team does not need. Will a soft-spoken, religious man like Manuel give a player such as Jose Reyes a swift kick in the pants when he needs one? The Mets have been atrocious with the fundamentals of the game, such as base running, and Reyes has probably been the biggest culprit. Getting picked off, thrown out attempting to steal when trailing, and getting caught off base for a rally-killing double play have not only taken place, but became common place.

Mistakes such as these are a direct reflection on the manager and his coaching staff. Last anyone checked, the bench coach is not only directly involved, but an integral part of that. Unless Manuel has a drastic change of personality and can somehow instill a much-needed spark, a clubhouse full of followers will remain status quo. A leader is needed. One with a strong voice. Especially with the lack of one amongst the players, a shouting session emanating from the manager’s office would seem like a breath of fresh air. That will not be the case for the rest of the summer.

Seeming to step with caution, Manuel’s comments at his introductory press conference was similar to Minaya’s. “We are somewhat under-performing” and “We need to freshen up the everyday players” were gross understatements. The lack of emotion and lackluster play has been the only consistency with this team, dating back to the final month of last season.

Since taking over, Manuel’s record has been 7-7, not much different than what Randolph was doing. Much of the same nonsense that went on before is still happening, even worse with Reyes, who has been producing but is throwing actual temper tantrums in public during games. Another reflection on the manager for not ending actions such as these.

Anything short of a playoff berth will mean that the search for a full time manager will take place in the offseason. The success that Manuel had on the South Side of Chicago will need to be duplicated and eclipsed for this to work.

Nice guys finish last, they say. Manuel needs to find his mean streak to shake up this group to change that perception. If not, the Mets will finish closer to last than first.

(Long Island, NY) When a baseball player is looking for a second – or even last – chance, a place that has been a good springboard back to a major league organization has been Long Island. What may seem like a last resort to some people is a world of opportunity to others, and Jay Gibbons is merely the latest player to hope to get noticed while playing in the independent baseball circuit.

A lifetime .260 hitter over seven seasons in Baltimore, Gibbons was one of the many players named in the Mitchell Report, which could not have helped his chances of catching on with another team following his release by the Orioles in March. The investigation into performance-enhancing drugs in baseball stated that Gibbons received six shipments of human growth hormone and two shipments of testosterone, and received a 15-day suspension from the Commissioner’s Office. He made a public apology and hoped to move on.

The 31 year-old outfielder had an extremely slow start in spring training, hitting .189 with no home runs and only four RBI. The Birds said goodbye to one of their regulars and Gibbons began looking for a job.

After receiving no offers, finding a spot with Long Island is not a bad consolation. Ducks Principal Owner and Atlantic League Founder/CEO Frank Boulton welcomed Gibbons to the fold. “Through our first 11 seasons, the Atlantic League has returned over 350 players back to affiliated organizations and 45 players to the major leagues,” he said. “We’re hopeful Jay can help us win while proving that he’s healthy and ready to contribute at the major league level.”

In his first game with the Ducks on Tuesday night, Gibbons started in left field and went 2 for 4, driving in and scoring one run in a 9-6 victory over Lancaster.

Gibbons’ best season as an Oriole came in 2003, when he hit .277 and hit 23 long balls while driving in 100 runs. This also happened to be the same year that he began using the illegal substances.

Whatever the connection is, Gibbons was a good player and is still young enough to bounce back. He has to prove that he is clean and able to play at a high enough level to get back to the big leagues. A good showing here and he will find himself back in Double or Triple-A before his Ducks uniform gets washed too many times.

It is a low-risk, high-reward move for a team looking for a bench player. Signing a Gibbons-type, putting him in the system for a month, and bring him up to take the place of an injured or departed player. A second-division club is the most likely landing spot, due to the economical contract that these players sign just to be back to where they once were.

In the meantime, the Ducks have picked up a talented player that could be a special one. Before his time on Long Island is done, he should be able to give them a much-needed boost, offensively and in the clubhouse.

Going from a $5 million salary and a starting job in the majors, Gibbons has a lot of incentive to play well and return. The better he performs on Long Island, the benefit is two-fold. For Gibbons and the Ducks.

(Long Island, NY) Some players just bring ‘it’ to a team. That certain flair and air of confidence. The rest of the clubhouse can just feel it when that type of player is in their midst. All winning teams need this player to not only be healthy, but to be a major contributor.

Although the Mets have a plethora of talent, Pedro Martinez is that guy on this team. When he went on the disabled list in 2006, missing him may have been the difference between losing Game 7 of the National League Championship Series and the Mets winning their first pennant in two decades.

And during the infamous September collapse last season, Martinez had just come back from his long layoff following shoulder surgery and was the only effective pitcher on the Mets, starter or reliever. Even he couldn’t do it alone.

If you still need more proof, look at how the Mets have been so inconsistent without their number two starter. Since going down in the second game of the season with a pulled hamstring, Martinez has had to watch from afar as the clubhouse – his clubhouse – was in complete disarray, especially during the third week of May as the Willie Randolph situation nearly came to a head.

Making his first start in over two months this past Tuesday in San Francisco, Martinez did more than bring a presence to the team. He pitched six innings of seven-hit ball, surrendering three runs but getting key outs, stranding Giants on the basepaths when it appeared that they may get to him. The Mets won the game, 9-6, to erase the blowout loss the previous night.

Staff ace Johan Santana realizes the difference when Martinez is here. “It’s good to have him back,” the lefthander told reporters. “It’s a big plus. We need him.”

With every start, the Mets brass has to hold their breath and hope that Martinez will walk away unscathed. So far, so good with this one. “I came off the field in the same shape I went on,” Martinez said to reporters after the win, the 210th of his career against only 93 losses.

If the Mets are to turn things around before the season slips away any further, they will need Martinez to stick around the rest of the way. Through the dog days and stretch run. He is a money pitcher, regardless of how old he gets and how many injuries he sustains. The 36 year-old is in the final year of a four-year free agent deal that he signed with the Mets in 2005. After winning 15 games in his first campaign in Flushing, the wins have dwindled down to nine and three in each of the following seasons for Martinez.

At the beginning of the year, the Mets were looked at as a strong contender for the top spot in the NL East, along with the Phillies and possibly Braves. The Marlins have surprised everyone by maintaining either first or second place most of the way. The Mets have hovered around the .500 mark in third or fourth place. With June upon us, it is time to put up or shut up. There is no clear-cut runaway for either the division or the wild card, for that matter. Either is definitely winnable, especially with the strong staff the Mets have when all are healthy. Santana and Martinez top it off, and John Maine and Oliver Perez can be counted on, with Maine more consistent than the lefty Perez. The fifth and final spot has been interchangeable all year, and as long as the Claudio Vargases and Mike Pelfreys of the world can give the team a shot in the arm when needed, the Mets should be able to correct their mistakes of the first third of the season and get back to where they should be.

But it all may hinge on the surgically repaired shoulder of a 17-year Dominican hurler with the million-dollar smile.

(Long Island, NY) It could have been worse. That may be the best way to view the 2008 NBA Draft Lottery for the New York Knicks. Rebuilding takes time under any circumstances, and with the shackles that the new regime of president Donnie Walsh and head coach Mike D’Antoni already are wearing due to the inept Isiah Thomas, catching a break early on would have been nice, but it didn’t happen.

With a 7.6 chance of having their ping-pong ball drawn for the number one pick in next month’s draft, no one expected things to go that good. But the Chicago Bulls, who had only a 1.7 chance, had the lucky bounce go their way and will have their pick of the two top players entering the draft, guard Derrick Rose from Memphis or forward Michael Beasley of Kansas State.

With no clear-cut pick for them, the Knicks will certainly look to trade down, with the main intention to package the pick with one of the Knicks’ salary cap killer contracts. A year ago at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Thomas made a bold move in acquiring Randolph from Portland, who were too happy to say goodbye to his long-term contract and bad attitude. The honeymoon period ended before it began in New York for the mercurial big man, and Walsh would like nothing better than freeing up cap space at the same time as ridding himself of a malcontent.

“I think we’ll look at everything,” Walsh said to reporters when asked if he will look to make a deal. Another player that would be better served suiting up for someone else this season is point guard Stephon Marbury, but unloading his expiring contract may not be easy. Expect Walsh to either buy him out or just let him walk after one more rocky season in his hometown.

If the Knicks hold on to their selection, a few in interesting names have been thrown around. Danilo Gallinari, a 6’9 swingman currently playing in Italy. At 19, he can remain in his native country for at least two years as property of the Knicks and then be brought overseas when he is groomed. That may be a hard sell to the fans and media, so an immediate contribution seems to be in the cards.

If the Knicks decide to pick a guard, Indiana’s Eric Gordon and USC’s O.J. Mayo are two interesting names. The marquee one would be Mayo, who was one of the top prep players who decided on Southern Cal, a strange move to spend your lone NCAA campaign at a school better known for football.

Although he is very raw, Mayo can become a popular player in a place like New York. Of late, there have been reports that the player’s agent, Bill Duffy, and his agency provided money and gifts, which is not allowed while in college. Regardless of these allegations, Walsh told reporters that these events would not make a difference if Mayo was available and the Knicks decided to select him.

Still not acclimated with the Big Apple, D’Antoni remained vague – with a touch of a bad joke – when asked by reporters what the team’s needs are. “Guards, forwards and centers, probably. I don’t know, you usually get the best guy available.” Pretty obvious, and not a Watergate-style leak.

The Knicks’ brass now needs to decide if keeping or dealing the pick would better serve the team. It will be a slam-dunk decision for Walsh if he can get another GM to feel that Randolph would improve with a change of scenery.

Either way, it will be a slow process getting a winner on the court. The “second stage” of the rebuilding process, as Walsh called it, will take place next month at the NBA Draft. At least Knick fans can feel confident that their new boss will do what he can to lower the salary cap instead of taking on more.

(Long Island, NY) One week can make a world of a difference, especially if you happen to be one of the players selected at the NFL Draft. The whirlwind of hearing your name read on stage, to getting on the practice field for the very first time as a professional can be exhilarating, to say the least. For the six players selected by the New York Jets, it became business as usual.

Last weekend, the team held their first mini camp of the offseason at Hofstra University. Vernon Gholston, the Jets’ first round pick and sixth overall, tried to keep his expectations in perspective at this early juncture. “Just to learn the system,” the former Ohio State defensive end said. “Obviously, being at rookie camp, we’re all rookies here. Some guys are fighting to make the team. The thing is to just learn and grow and to take everything you can from this.”

Besides the draftees, there were 10 undrafted free agents, 34 in for tryouts, and seven veterans from the active roster participating in the two-day event. Two of those players were quarterbacks – one being the team’s fifth round draft pick out of Tennessee (Erik Ainge) and Brett Ratliff, who has been with the team before and is listed on the roster. Both do not figure in the team’s plans for the starting position, which will be decided over the summer in training camp between Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens.

The rookie Ainge, who appears to be the frontrunner for the third string job, knows enough even as a rookie where to get tips. “If I can be a good worker and I can learn how to work like Chad (Pennington) and like Kellen (Clemens) and like Brett (Ratliff) do right now, if I can learn how to do that at the NFL level with the coaching staff and everything else, all that stuff will take care of itself.”

One of the players that had many eyes focused on him was Dustin Keller, the tight end out of Purdue. Because the Jets traded up to draft him with the 30th pick in Round One, much is expected from the converted wideout.

“I was surprised by the trade,” Keller said. “I was on the phone as the trade was going on, so I did not know they were going to move up. I had an idea that in the second round they might pick me.”

Chris Baker, the incumbent at the position, has been outspoken of late regarding his contract and should be on his way out of New York. Although he is a talented player, head coach Eric Mangini is not one to accept one of his players talking to the media about what could be done behind closed doors. (Example: Pete Kendall during 2007 training camp.)

With Bubba Franks signed as a free agent, there are three players at tight end right now. According to Mangini, the numbers give the team different options. “All those guys will just have to see how it works out during the course of OTAs (Organized Team Activities) and training camp and what the different roles are,” he said. “We’ve developed packages in the past where you may have different combinations of those guys in (the game) based on what you’re trying to get done offensively. You just try to see where they best fit, what the best combinations are, and how you want to use them most effectively.”

Sort of a microcosm of mini camp itself.