06/04 – After Eric Mangini made the rounds at the fifth annual New York Jets Charity Golf Classic, the head coach delivered a scouting report that won’t make any PGA Tour member nervous. “I think Mike Nugent’s pretty good, I think Leon Washington has made a lot of strides, and it’s really Darrelle Revis’ first chance to golf. You can see his hand-eye coordination,” Mangini said. “David Harris hit our golf cart as we were driving by, which I don’t think he could do again in a million years, but it was pretty impressive.” Apparently "the Hitman” takes his nickname seriously. But the many Jets who represented the organization at the Classic were relaxed throughout the afternoon and evening. The veterans in attendance were matched with foursomes while the rookies made a late appearance and assisted with the dinner and auctions. By this morning, $310,000 had been raised for the New York Jets Foundation. “It’s just great to see our players and our staff involved in these outings and the support we get from our sponsors,” said Terry Bradway, the club’s director of player personnel. “Anytime you can come together and have some fun like this and help a good cause, it’s very worth while.” Bradway played with general manager Mike Tannenbaum, assistant director of player of personnel JoJo Wooden, scout Jim Cochran and Bob Miller. The pairing with Miller raised a few eyebrows because Miller is a golf pro at Eisenhower GC. “He’s our referee and our group needed a ringer,” T-Brad said of Miller. “We actually played pretty well. That’s the most fun I’ve had in a scramble. It was a good day.” Some other groups didn’t have ringers, but they didn’t seem to mind. Scott May, founder of the title sponsor National Communications Group (NCG), was pleased to have C Nick Mangold anchor the team. “Nick's been phenomenal. Besides being a top, top, golfer, he has kept the foursome jelled as a unit,” May said. “We have played to a new level that I don’t think we would have been able to play to if Nick was not part of the group.” With just one hole remaining, Jets radio play-by-play voice Bob Wischusen felt confident. His fivesome, which included color analyst Marty Lyons, head trainer John Mellody — a birdie machine — "Jets 24/7" producer Billy Zagger and former Jets LB great Greg Buttle, was 11-under-par. “I think we have a chance," "Shoes" said. "Buttle is keeping the scorecard and with that being the case, we always have a chance.” The chances aren’t good that you’ll see Mangini with a golfclub anytime soon. He hasn’t played a round since a charitable outing in Connecticut last summer and is modest about his game. “Not a strong suit,” Mangini said. “Golf and bowling aren’t actually strong suits of mine. It’s fun to see the guys relax and to see the guys with the people” Washington, an explosive force on the football field, measured his progress in small steps. “You know what, I did pretty good,” he said. “I only lost three balls. I hit the pin on one for eagle, two feet away, so I did pretty good today. I did all right.” No player fared better than James Dearth as the Jets’ veteran long-snapper teamed with U.S. Trust Bank of America for the low score. Dearth, who said before the tournament started that he plays once a year, was on the winning team for the second consecutive Classic. There was a three-way tie for second place that was broken by a match of cards, so LB Brad Kassell and the Skanska group finished runner-up. The Wischusen/Buttle team ended up third and the Tannenbaum/Bradway fivesome claimed fourth. The Jets definitely got their swings in as they collectively proved you don’t have to be a pro to enjoy the links. “Grip it and rip it,” Mangold said. “Anytime you get to play golf for free, it’s a good day.”

Some Classic Stars: Dearth, Harris, Mangold, Ch...

06/11 – The Jets hosted the fifth annual Long Island Walk With Us to Cure Lupus to support the Alliance for Lupus Research this past weekend. They not only got a great turnout but early projections have them raising $275,000 for the ALR. “I think Jets fans are always great when we ask them to pitch in and help out with different community service efforts that we have,” said Jets head coach Eric Mangini. “They are great fans, they are great people, and they care about a good cause and the other people in the community.” They came out in droves Sunday despite an early June heat wave. Jets owner Woody Johnson, who is also the ALR founder and chairman, has helped bring national attention to a disease that was neglected for too long. “There hadn’t been a new drug for lupus in the last 40 years. Now as a result of what we’ve been doing with the Alliance of Lupus Research, we have 12 drugs,” Johnson said. “So we’re making amazing progress.” Johnson was joined at the New York Institute for Technology–Old Westbury by Mangini and general manager Mike Tannenbaum, who served as honorary chairs with their wives, Julie and Michelle. The Green & White also had a number of current players and alums on hand for the 5K (3.1-mile) event, which included refreshments, entertainment and Generation Jets Fest. “It’s a great tradition, it’s a great event. It’s a great tribute to Woody,” said Mr. T. “This has been a charity he’s been involved in now for almost 10 years and as a Jets organization, we’ve been a big part in it. The players come out and the staff comes out. It’s a great day and we all look forward to it.” Johnson was humbled by the turnout. While the Jets are excited about their move to a state-of-the-art complex in New Jersey, their roots will forever remain on Long Island. “There is nobody better than Jets fans, particularly Long Island Jets fans because this is where the Jets were created,” Johnson said. “They supported the Jets for all these years through thick and thin. Last year it was thin. Hopefully this year it will be thick. To come out now and support lupus research, which is important to the Jets, shows their loyalty and the great people they really are.” The ALR board of directors pays for all fundraising and administrative costs, so all proceeds go directly to the medical drive. “One of the things that I like about this organization in particular," Tannenbaum said, "is that Woody Johnson and the rest of the board take care of all the administrative expenses, so all the donations go right to researching any cure we can find for lupus.” In addition to the money raised, the walks have helped Johnson and the Jets bring awareness to the disease. “It’s a demonstration to people why it’s important to cure lupus,” Johnson said. “The more people we get on these walks demonstrates to the greater public that lupus is worth doing something about.”

5th Annual Lupus 'Walk' Brings Out a Crowd

06/03 – The sun was still shining on Eric Mangini today. On hand for the fifth annual New York Jets Charity Golf Classic in Jericho, N.Y., Mangini remained on a high following his Football Fundamentals Mini-Camp in Hartford, Conn., last weekend. “We ended up with 700 kids who represented 71 schools and four states,” he said while taking a timeout in the shade under an umbrella this afternoon. “There were 200 volunteers and close to 130 coaches, so the amount of people there and the amount of kids who came to enjoy the experience was great.” Mangini and the Carmine and Frank Mangini Foundation (CFM) conducted the camp at his high school alma matter, Bulkeley HS. Seventy representatives from NFL teams assisted in the process with Mangini supported by the majority of his coaching staff, a few Jets veterans and the entire rookie class (minus Vernon Gholston, not permitted to be with his new team yet due to NFL rules). The celebrities also included ESPN personality Chris Berman. “It was Chris’ second year coming to the camp,” Mangini said. “It’s always nice because the kids love having him there. “We had some really outstanding efforts. Rob Ryan came in from Oakland with two other Oakland coaches, Rex Ryan came from Baltimore, so it was people from all over the place helping out.” There were 202 games of 7-on-7 played by 64 teams and the exciting contests were officiated by 65 high school and college refs from the area. For the second consecutive year, Leon Washington coached a team to a championship. “They went out there and got a two-point conversion to win the game. We were out there chest-bumping and jumping up and down and having fun,” said Washington, the Jets' 2007 MVP. “Those guys really pulled together and it was so much fun, man.” Washington was impressed with his older group, a team of high school juniors who may not have been the most talented group but came together to form a tough unit. “By far this past year was my best year I ever had,” he said. “I really feel like I bonded with the kids. There was maybe 12 kids on the team and I learned each kid’s name, so I knew I was having fun.” While Washington’s squad was the Cleveland Browns, the New York Jets got a good effort out of their high school seniors. In fact, QB coach Brian Daboll and DL coach Dan Quinn guided the Green & White to a first-place finish. “It’s the first time the Jets have won in seven years,” Mangini said before unloading some comic relief. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Mike Tannenbaum wasn’t coaching the Jets this year and Dan Quinn and Brian Daboll were, but he can stick to personnel.” Since its inception in 2002, Mangini has watched his camp grow appreciably over the past seven years. “It’s been great from the first time we put it together — Julie and I put the names into the Excel spreadsheet ourselves — and getting the fields lined up and all the loose things that went into the inaugural camp,” he said. “Now to be at this point where things are very efficient and we’re able to have so many kids, it’s very satisfying.” The CFM Foundation is named after Eric’s father, Carmine, and his uncle, Frank. Both men are deceased, but they instilled the importance of community in Eric when he was a young boy. Now 37 years old, Mangini uses his camp to help children out on a Bulkeley field he has never completely left. “It’s what he believes in," Washington said. "He always talks about that it’s important to give back to where you came from. He just basically says you are measured in life by how much you give and not what you get and this is so true.”

Another Fun Year at Mangini's Hartford Camp