Another episode of Hard Knocks just aired on HBO and it was a frustrating one to watch for New York Jets fans.\u00a0 The prevailing themes of this episode were money issues and lack of team leadership.\u00a0 If the Jets have leadership issues look no further than this list and the players that the Jets chose to waive.<\/p>\n
Thomas Jones:<\/strong> Was a team leader of offense last season and he was let go in a cost cutting move this past offseason.<\/p>\n Alan Faneca:<\/strong> There was plenty of talk about diminishing skills.\u00a0 Yet in an uncapped year, why wouldn’t you bring Faneca into camp and let one of the young guards (Slauson, Vlad<\/em>) try to beat him out?\u00a0 Another cost cutting move.\u00a0 This episode showed that they guards lining up to replace Faneca are raw.<\/p>\n Laveranues Coles:<\/strong> He was waived this week but Rex Ryan spoke highly of him.\u00a0 Definitely gave the impression that they wanted to bring him back in week 2.\u00a0 This is yet another cost cutting move.\u00a0 By bring Coles back in week 2 they don’t have to guarantee his veteran minimum salary.<\/p>\n Kellen Clemens:<\/strong> The Jets wanted him to be the 3rd QB this season.\u00a0 Yet they told him they would waive him if he didn’t agree to restructure his contract.\u00a0 He outplayed Kevin O’Connell by a wide margin this preseason.\u00a0 Were the Jets willing to gamble a 500k savings at the QB position?\u00a0 Yes he is a backup (3rd string) but does 1999 ring a bell for anyone?<\/p>\n Rex Ryan gave a speech and chastised the team for their lackluster attitudes and asked for leadership.\u00a0 During the practice at Hofstra the defense thought it was a good idea to eat cheeseburgers.\u00a0 Life rule # 62, when Santonio Holmes tells you it is a bad idea, it is a really bad idea.<\/em><\/p>\n With the team being as close to the Super Bowl as they were last year it is just frustrating to see money be such an issue.\u00a0 Granted you can’t cave in and pay players whatever they want (Revis) when they are currently under contract.\u00a0 But anyone who thinks the Jets aren’t having cash issues right now just isn’t paying attention.<\/p>\n Woody Johnson was nowhere to be found during any of the money talk.\u00a0 He did chime in with this timeless bit of football wisdom, “You have to play good 100% of the time.\u00a0 You can’t blow it.”\u00a0 Somewhere Leon Hess just realized that clean toilets aren’t all that important.\u00a0 Playing good is what matters.\u00a0 Who knew?<\/p>\n Highlights from this show:<\/p>\n The final episode airs next Wednesday night and will be interesting to watch.\u00a0 The final cuts will have been made and players on the bubble like David Clowney, Launch and Danny Woodhead will know their fate.<\/p>\n\n