Terrific article in the NY Times today on Jets running back Thomas Jones. His teammates and coaches respect the energy and enthusiasm that he brings to his team everyday:But Jones’s impact outruns his numbers. Before each game, teammates gather around him looking for a shot of energy. Jones never plans his speeches, nor did he program the tears that welled in his eyes before the Jets’ victory at New England last month.
He speaks — or shouts, or implores, depending on the mood — from the heart. The same as he did while starring at Virginia. The same as he did in high school.
“Everyone feeds off his energy,” fullback Tony Richardson said. “He’s tearing up, yelling. Thomas is a very vocal guy and very passionate. You see a lot of that in the way he plays. Guys look forward to his speeches. They wait for it. Because it gets you going.”
“It’s easy to give a speech at the game and get fired up there in front of 70,000 people,” Jets coach Eric Mangini said. “The hard part is when you’re tired, when it’s Week 10, 12, 14, and you’re still being the same guy, still improving.
“You’re a veteran having a great year, but you’re still doing all the little things that got you here.”
