donkhater
07-23-2005, 08:22 AM
It's from PFW so take it for what it's worth. Regardless, he did have rotator cuff surgery and he is KC's opening day opponent, so it is a situation worth monitoring IMO.
JETS FACING REALITY ON PENNINGTON
A league source tells us that the New York Jets quietly are becoming resigned to the looming-and-growing possibility that quarterback Chad Pennington won't be ready to play on opening day.
If Pennington can't go, the ball will fall to (gulp) Jay Fiedler.
Pennington had offseason shoulder surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his throwing arm. After the 2004 season ended, the Jets conceded that they had spoken with forked tongue about the severity of Pennington's injury.
Earlier this week, the Jets acknowledged that Pennington will be limited in training camp. Coupled with an offseason in which he took no practice reps, Pennington will have a loooong way to go in order to get acclimated to new offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger's system.
We're also hearing that some folks around the league are surprised that the typically tough New York media hasn't been harder on the Jets for lying about Pennington's condition. Moreover, we wonder whether the Big Apple scribes will regard with skepticism future statements from the team regarding any player's health.
Why, you aks, would a team tell tales about a quarterback's physical condition? The obvious reason is that the team doesn't want opposing defenses to target with even more zeal potential problem areas on the signal-caller's body. The more subtle reason, especially in the waning days of the offseason, is that the team doesn't want to disrupt the wave of good feelings from the fan base, which often is manifested by high sales of tickets, shirts, hats, and anything else with the official logo on it.
In New York, optimism is high. Too high. In our view, a splash of cold water could serve the Jets well, since even if Pennington is ready to go on opening day the franchise will be hard pressed to replicate its performance in 2004.
JETS FACING REALITY ON PENNINGTON
A league source tells us that the New York Jets quietly are becoming resigned to the looming-and-growing possibility that quarterback Chad Pennington won't be ready to play on opening day.
If Pennington can't go, the ball will fall to (gulp) Jay Fiedler.
Pennington had offseason shoulder surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his throwing arm. After the 2004 season ended, the Jets conceded that they had spoken with forked tongue about the severity of Pennington's injury.
Earlier this week, the Jets acknowledged that Pennington will be limited in training camp. Coupled with an offseason in which he took no practice reps, Pennington will have a loooong way to go in order to get acclimated to new offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger's system.
We're also hearing that some folks around the league are surprised that the typically tough New York media hasn't been harder on the Jets for lying about Pennington's condition. Moreover, we wonder whether the Big Apple scribes will regard with skepticism future statements from the team regarding any player's health.
Why, you aks, would a team tell tales about a quarterback's physical condition? The obvious reason is that the team doesn't want opposing defenses to target with even more zeal potential problem areas on the signal-caller's body. The more subtle reason, especially in the waning days of the offseason, is that the team doesn't want to disrupt the wave of good feelings from the fan base, which often is manifested by high sales of tickets, shirts, hats, and anything else with the official logo on it.
In New York, optimism is high. Too high. In our view, a splash of cold water could serve the Jets well, since even if Pennington is ready to go on opening day the franchise will be hard pressed to replicate its performance in 2004.