I'm been covering the Jets for 14 seasons and this is a first.
Each week, we usually get the opposing quarterback on a conference call on Wednesdays or the next high-prolife star on that team. But this week, the Saints turned down our request for five players but they finally said `yes' to safety Darren Sharper. Nevermind, guys.
What are the Saints afraid of? The big, bad New Yrok media. I can assure them that no one in our press corp is going to put on the pads on Sunday and hit anyone. Personally, I'm 5-5, 125 pounds. I'm ball-boy size, guys.
Initially, the Saints turned down our request for QB Drew Brees. Okay, sometimes the starting quarterback has a busy schedule, I'll buy that.
But then they said `no' to ex-Jets LB Jonathan Vilma and former Hofstra WR Marques Colston, two players with distinct story lines to the game.
Next, it was a thumbs down to ex-Giant TE Jeremy Shockey and RB Reggie Bush.
Unbelieveable. We don't bite, Saints.
As I said, we ended up with Sharper and personally, I'd rather them just cancel the call. I'm sure Sharper is a nice guy and all but ...
Perhaps the league needs to conduct an investigation. They seemingly investigate everything else. I'm calling this ``Conference call Gate.''...
By the way, I was given some bad information by team officials on the Vilma trade. The Jets received a fourth-round pick in 2008 (CB Dwight Lowery) and a third-round pick in 2009 (which they used to trade up to draft RB Shonn Greene) for Vilma.