Thoughts of a Pats Fan: Santonio Holmes Has Got to Go
by Middlesex on Jan 3, 2012 10:05 AM EST
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PrintIf I wanted the Jets to have another season like this next year it'd probably be in my interest to not say anything or to say the opposite of what I'm going to say.
Fire Santonio Holmes. The old adage that defenses win championships is bull, it's lockerrooms. It's a collective feeling amongst the players that everyone around you is going to do their job to the best of their ability.
I know it's going to cost a lot of money. I know he's arguably the most talented WR on the roster. I know he sells a lot of jerseys and all, but I just don't see how the Jets passing-game can survive with him. "Cancer", "10 year old", "gave up", whatever he is and whatever exactly he did do, he is clearly a detriment to his team.
The Jets lost lockerroom leaders between last year and this year. Rex named his stars as the captains, and one of them was of course Santonio Holmes. Rex Ryan has admitted that this was a mistake and has flirted with the idea of not having captains at all. Why not do what the other 31 teams do and let the players choose their own captains? Why should they not have captains at all, because Rex screwed up?
Rex is a popular coach amongst players. He tells his players they're the best and he takes pressure off of them by being so upfront. Imagine if widely-respected LT was a captain in that huddle instead of highly-paid Holmes, who basically got his pay day and stopped playing. Imagine if the captains were selected because the guys taking the field and carrying the load respected them, instead of the guys signing the checks?
My team took on a project earlier this year by the name of Albert Haynesworth. The thinking was that he would reform on a winning team and that his bestfriend, who lives here, would be a positive influence. We also thought that his incentive-laden contract would motiative him. We went 5-3 with Albert on the team, and then came the game against the Giants when he literally stopped moving his feet after the snap and put together the most pathetic playing time I've ever seen a DT put together. He gave up on his team and got cut immediately as he should have been. The Pats have gone 8-0 since then. As for the Tampa Bay Buccanneers, who took on Fat Al, they're 0-8 with him.
It's going to hurt a lot but it's better now than later. Keep him on and the Jets will be further-indebted to Holmes for 2013. He'll have no incentive to reform as his contract makes him damn near uncoachable. The Jets will only allow the toxic environment in their lockerroom to fester if they don't do something about him. Captain or no captain, highly-paid or not highly-paid, he brings more harm than good to his team and the sport of football.
Even if firing Santonio forces the Jets into a rebuilding year, they probably won't go far with him dragging the team down,
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Wayne Hunter was one of the Jets to call him out
And Wayne Hunter is trash. You must be a reaaaaaaaaal bad teammate for Wayne Hunter to call you out.
"Chrebet is magic!"
I will say this
Its all about over-reaction right now. Things are a little up-ended, sure. Pats fans have come to the Jets site to offer (what i assume is true-feeling) advice. Holmes is apparently a schmuck. Rex is apparently clueless and confused.
Its been a year and 1 day since the Jets have NOT been to the playoffs. The New York media and the ESPN types that love to follow Rex are firing this thing up. Sure there are problems. There are obviously problems when you don’t make the playoffs. But the team was 8-8. They didn’t lose. They were just, well, even. So they have some things to fix. The media hopefully will calm down. Rex hopefully will pull in the reigns.
Its so early.
If not Holmes, what else would you 'fix' with the Jets?
Do you think getting a new OC and/or QB is going to make Holmes a team player?
It is what it is
Its like this...
The Dude: I dropped off the money exactly as per… look, man, I’ve got certain information, all right? Certain things have come to light. And, you know, has it ever occurred to you, that, instead of, uh, you know, running around, uh, uh, blaming me, you know, given the nature of all this new shit, you know, I-I-I-I… this could be a-a-a-a lot more, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, complex, I mean, it’s not just, it might not be just such a simple… uh, you know?
The Big Lebowski: What in God’s holy name are you blathering about?
The Dude: I’ll tell you what I’m blathering about… I’ve got information man! New shit has come to light! And shit… man, she kidnapped herself. Well sure, man. Look at it… a young trophy wife, in the parlance of our times, you know, and she, uh, uh, owes money all over town, including to known pornographers, and that’s cool… that’s, that’s cool, I’m, I’m saying, she needs money, man. And of course they’re going to say that they didn’t get it, because… she wants more, man! She’s got to feed the monkey, I mean uh… hasn’t that ever occurred to you, man? Sir?
by CervezaVerde on Jan 3, 2012 10:48 AM EST up reply actions
Having a real offense that is built around actually trying to score points...
will fix Santonio’s problems.
WTF is the point of paying a receiver that kind of money when you’re just going to use him as a GD decoy???
Mason, Burress, and Holmes have been in successful offenses before coming to the Jets’ pathetic excuse for an offense. When they all went to Rex and complained about the “offensive” that BS runs, Rex should have listened.
Instead BS stays and the Jets will be horrible on offense next year as well.
Holmes will always be a diva.
That said, I don’t think that makes Holmes incurable. The dust up between him and Sanchez during the WR/QB meeting last week sounded like it had more to do with the offensive game plan that Schotty had worked up…with Holmes saying, paraphrased, “if this is what we’re going to do, what is the point of my even being here?!” Sanchez probably defended Schotty because he’s a good soldier and he doesn’t know anyone but Schotty at the NFL level, and Tone lashed out.
But that doesn’t make him an incapable receiver or teammate. It doesn’t let him off the hook, but – just as people have been saying about Sanchez – I’d be curious to see what he does with a new OC and a new approach to the gameplan.
I think it was the lack of veteran leadership that was removed after last year.
Jenkins[well he was IRed after the first snap], T-rich, Jason Taylor, Trevor Pryce, Shaun Ellis, all of these guys may have lacked talent or were aging badly but they all had the leadership of that room and could swing Holmes around by the neck to keep him in line. We removed too much leadership hoping whatever we had would step up while at times trying to get younger. I personally think this year was a psuedo rebuilding year, no the better term would be a rearming year, a new #3 receiver [a pair of them in Mason and Kerely], a new #2 in Plax, and Holmes becoming a #1, he needed a burner to go with him and without that he was in more coverage cause no one took Plax’s speed seriously. A new DE to replace Ellis on the starting line, a new RT. Not to mention we went three games without our Pro Bowl Center, or his 2nd String Backup, we went with a third man we picked up randomly off the street.
I think the Jets did fine, they were 2 games less than my prediction for the season.
And the home of the .... JETS!!!
Now lets get a G-D snack!!!
"You might not like that. You might be very cynical about that. Well, f**k it, I don't care what you think."-Roy McDonald
Patriots saw it in 2009
A lot of veterans left, replaced by free agents who weren’t buying into the team concept for whatever reason. But Tannenbaum is smart enough to reverse the trend.
Keep the faith!
I’m really surprised that Nick Mangold didn’t just bitch slap Holmes. Holmes was a diva in College (both went to Ohio State together).
by Revenge of the Fallen on Jan 3, 2012 10:39 AM EST reply actions
Where are our leaders.
You stated why didn’t he get bitch slapped by Mangold. Well how about Scott,Harris,LT,Brick,Keller any one of them could do it, I just think the team as a whole should get on the practice field, and have it out, an airing of the grievance’s. If fists start flying let it happen, then they would know where everyone stands. It could bring them together or tear them a part. The players need to step up, and call the players out that aren’t playing like Jets period.
by JETSFAN IN SC on Jan 3, 2012 11:18 AM EST up reply actions
this is going to be a crazy issue over the next few months. Take a look at some poll results from ESPN New York on “What Should the Jets do with Santonio Holmes”. When I checked just now, 5,000 votes are in:
23% (1,150) say “Leave him alone”
11% (550) say “Fine him”
8% (400) say “Suspend him”
58% (2,900) say “Get rid of him at any cost”
obviously people are very emotional and over-reactive right now (as CervezaVerde said), but that number is way higher than I expected it to be
GET RIPPED
"We'll Win Tonight" - The Captain
"Let's go eat a &€% %¥#$ snack" - Rex
if the Jets and Rex have proven nothing else
They are a national story. They cause a national reaction. On any given day, I am sure there are 2900 malcontents on ESPN blogs.
I can be no more clear than this… this post was created, no offense, by a Pats fan on a Jets blog.
by CervezaVerde on Jan 3, 2012 11:37 AM EST up reply actions
Very good point.
People were just outraged at the example he set. Now it’s the public stoning.
by Clarke W. Griswald on Jan 4, 2012 10:29 AM EST up reply actions
Yes, but he makes a fair point
A player who was made a captain not only didn’t step up but created numerous problems throughout the year and then gave up at the end of the season. He’s a spoiled prima donna and his behavior needs to be corrected, not coddled. And I’m not saying you suggested that at all.
"I just build our guys up. If it's trash talking that I believe in our football team, then, yes, I agree with that statement. I'm the biggest trash talker there is." Rex Ryan
by OldJetsFanatic on Jan 5, 2012 11:38 AM EST up reply actions
wonder if the pats would take him off our hands
i think we all know the answer
if its for you it won't pass you
Thanks Middlesex...
…I think in a perfect world you are right. But our coach isn’t like your coach, so the team is a bit fractured right now. I can name 5 guys who made inappropriate comments about the team just yesterday. So I think they need to huddle and figure out the direction. And I think that if Tone publicly apologizes, plus getting rid of schotty, PLUS meeting with Mark and ironing out that situation, he’ll be a starting WR for Jets next year.
Good luck in the playoffs…..hopefully we will be there against you next year.
Being born in New York and rooting for the Islanders, Jets, and Mets. Yeah, I know.
Twitter: cmauceri524
why should he make a public app?
I mean there are alot of fans that see what Holmes did was something the Coaching Staff failed to do thru-out the season..actually the locker-room was going down-hill and I feel very strongly that is the #1 reason “J-Cro” asked too be release or Traded for He saw the writtings on the wall and wanted No part of the disruption that were to be seen by all!!!
I also got a kick out of LT for calling Holmes a Quiter when LT has also been branded as a Quiter and cost His Team a chance to finally WIN a Divisional play-off Game against NE!!!!.game where-by He played 1 set of downs and said he was “hurt”..BUt HIS QB played whole game with a ACL injury!!!!…
But if U re-read parts of REX;s speech He brought out the POINT that Next yr ALL have to play as a TEAM, not play as they did this yr with a bunch of INDIVIDUALS!!!
Sanchez needs competition @ His position!!!!.Right now no matter how many INT..pick-6;s he throws in a game HE knows He wont be removed, If there was a decent backup On Team He might play to his strengths better!!!!..Brunell was suppose to be TEACHING HIM to read Def;s, and after 3 yrs He still can not do that!!!
JETS have 2 major Issue;s Scott is guaranteed 4 mil..Holmes is same with 7 million plus.thats alot of $$$ to eat!!!!!.and if u fire Holmes then that becomes a 11 million Cap HIT!!!
Well, I'm thinking that Santonio Holmes should make a public apology to the team
because of the fact that he didn’t hustle or play hard (according to the overwhelming majority of the team), argued with his QB, missed a mandatory meeting, didn’t meet the media, and caused a tremendous embarassment to himself and the team. He has done this numerous times in the past (after AFC Champ game last year and earlier this year).
Plus, I think that the guy is going to be with the Jets due to salary cap issues….and this would be good for his image too. It’s a win-win.
So yeah, that’s basically why I think Santonio Holmes should apologize in public. Not that I think he will be asked to, or that he would. Just why I think he SHOULD.
Being born in New York and rooting for the Islanders, Jets, and Mets. Yeah, I know.
Twitter: cmauceri524
I think Brian Schottenheimer should apologize to Santonio
and the rest of the Jets team and fans for the steaming pile he calls an offensive scheme.
Well, that's a different story...
….Shotty is a completely different story. And yes, he should apologize to the team and fans as he’s being shot out of a cannon over the hudson river.
But no matter how you feel about Tone (and I generally like him), what he did was wrong, and whether it was warranted or not, it’s in both HIS and the TEAMS best interest to take responsibility and put it behind him. Otherwise…..every dropped pass or wrong route will be chalked up to “Tone doesn’t care! See? He’s a quitter!”.
Holmes is on our team in 2012 and beyond….so we better make the best of it.
Being born in New York and rooting for the Islanders, Jets, and Mets. Yeah, I know.
Twitter: cmauceri524
I want Tone back...
and in a different system that will actually use him to catch passes down the field instead of being a decoy or running 3-5 yard outs and slants.
wow
you somehow added competion for sanchez in a post about holmes. i don’t know how you do it…
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengel
i cant spell a nosebleed
The Official Seinfeld Gif-Man of GGN!!!!!!!!
i'm a moderator for GGN. I will accept tribute.
We can't cut Holmes
If we do it would eat up nearly $8 million in cap space next year, and for what? So our best receiver can go to another team with a real offense/real QB (patriots) and tear it up? This situation is totally different from the Haynesworth situation. You said it yourself- he was on a one year, incentive laden contract. He quit on the team so you could cut him without any significant repercussions. He was a low risk, high reward signing. Santonio’s contract makes him high risk-high reward.
This team, first and foremost, has a talent problem. Getting rid of one of our most talented players (however much of an asshole he is) and taking a massive cap hit is not the solution.
It is the contract that really gets me mad.
Didn’t you even think at the time that:
a)it was an overpay.
b)It was a huge risk in guaranteed money given his past behavior (the Steelers wanted him out as much because of his locker room behavior as his legal issues).
They may have no choice but to do as Middlesex recommends. It all depends on how much of what we say/read in the papers is a result of hard feelings based on frustration with the overall season and how much is based on true deep fissures. I must say it is very rare to hear the kinds of things said about Holmes behavior the last few days and to actually think this is going to die down. It seems he is reviled by other Jets-and if that is the case he has to go no matter how much it costs. While I agree the Haynesworth comparison is silly (a backup on a short term deal)-that is part of the problem. Right now I wish Holmes had that kind of contract…
Some said it, but if Holmes is cut or traded he eats tons of cap money
There’s no getting around his fully guaranteed contract. It was a horrible decision to pay him in the off season, and I correctly surmised he would be relatively useless without a field stretching receiver who blocks hard like Ward or Edwards.
That said, I don’t see a viable way of getting rid of him this year. I think taking away the captain title is all the Jets can do, and they know it.
Arm chair GM. Mod/contributing writer at SBN Jets blog GGN.
GangGreenNation.com
Club house isn't all.
I don’t know if you all watch MLB but when i was young, the Yankees won the World Series with a horrible clubhouse in 1978.
If someone tells you that you can't do it then f*** it. Keep going.
And the Mets in 1986
huge bnuch of a-holes snorting coke and hating on each other.
wait
lets not hate on the mets my friend. are you a red sox fan?
"it's not easy being green"-kermit the frog
"we the mets are an improved ball club, now we lose in extra innings"-casy stengel
i cant spell a nosebleed
The Official Seinfeld Gif-Man of GGN!!!!!!!!
i'm a moderator for GGN. I will accept tribute.
baseball is probably the least "team oriented" sport out of the 3 team sports here in the U.S.
it’s a lot easier to succeed with malcontents in baseball.
in all realisticness
he’s probably still gonna be on the jets next year. We can’t really get out of his contract, and we barely have any receiving targets as it is. The team just has to find a way to set him straight. I think Mark said on his radio show appearance that he’d try to work it out with him.
Holmes doesn't want to be here.
And the team doesn’t want him. Go to NFL.Com and find the article where it says: Respected veteran Jets players says he and most of the team doesn’t want Holmes.
If someone tells you that you can't do it then f*** it. Keep going.
If youguys can't get rid of him, which is a lkely case
than it must be a PRIORITY to get a BONIFIDE leader in free agency that will command respect on the offensive side. Straiten Holmes out, or at least keep him in check. Also Rex should bench Holmes some games, or suspend him or something when he acts up. Rex should try and get the team back on his shoulders, and doing this to a guy who looks to be a locker room cancer, should get players to buy back into Rex.
That just my thoughts though.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
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