Feb 21, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets general manager John Idzik speaks at a press conference during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The mainstream media has made a big deal out of nothing again, folks.

Shocker! Hold back your surprise now. But yes, again, the mainstream Jets’ reporters are at it again, making a big deal out of something that it’s not.

I am sure others did this as well, but Rich Cimini’s article was the one I could find, so he will be our example.

In his “Sunday Notes” this past week, Rich took on the Garrard and Goodson situations.  You know them, we don’t have to re-hash.  Garrard retires, Goodson gets arrested.

My point is Rich partially blaming Idzik for bringing these two guys in to begin with.  Rich talked about the “calculated risk” due to Garrard’s injury, and Goodson’s “character concerns”.  He calls these moves his first two mistakes.

Well, that’s really easy to say when one guy retired, and the other guy has gotten himself into a compromising situation.  Wow Rich, call the signings a mistake.  That’s some insight right there.  That’s why he is at ESPN, and we get to talk here on a daily basis.

The trouble is that Rich isn’t being fair.  Shocker, I know, coming from a mainstream Jets’ reporter, but it’s true.

First on David Garrard. Yes, he was a calculated risk based on his knee. That’s anybody. It’s not like the Jets’ medical staff doesn’t check players out. They did end their interest in Josh Cribbs because of his knee. The Jets looked into Garrard and felt it was a safe bet. How was Idzik to know that Garrard’s knee wouldn’t even hold up through OTAs? He can only go by what his medical staff tells him. If they tell him he is OK to sign, that is what Idzik is going to do. Period.

Now on Mike Goodson. What is Idzik expected to do, babysit the guy? Send someone to follow him around? Character concerns are one thing, but having an attitude in the locker room doesn’t guarantee a translation into this. Just because he wasn’t everyone’s favorite player in the locker room, doesn’t mean this kind of stupidity is going to happen. As our writer Sean would say, “Child please!”. This is not Idzik’s fault. Stop.

Although this is far from surprising out of Rich or any of the major reporters, it doesn’t make it so. Come on now. These are not blemishes on the Idzik record.

Feb 21, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets general manager John Idzik speaks at a press conference during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets have made a lot of bad decisions through the years. Administratively, with coaching staff, and with players, the decisions made have often been memorable. Heck, as we all know, we can all go to YouTube and watch video that brings a medley of Jets’ mistakes.

However, the Jets have started this year with a great move, that may prove to be brilliant, story to be told in the years to come. Who am I talking about? John Idzik, the perfect man for the GM job with the team. We have talked about John a lot in recent weeks, but his work in revamping this team over the past few months deserves more discussion.

Just the fact that he comes from the outside is a major step up. Why? Because he had no allegiances to any of the current players. We know how Rex feels about his guys, Bart, Calvin Pace, …etc. Who is to say that if Rex had the final word, any of these guys would have been released? It’s only natural for this type of thing to happen. Every coach has guys that are “his guys”. You need a guy in the front office that doesn’t have ties to these guys, that will have no second thought at getting rid of them if needed. John Idzik has been exactly that guy.

That includes Darrelle Revis by the way. Of course the move was controversial, for everyone who loved it there was someone who hated it. No matter how you feel about the trade, the fact is, a GM with ties to Darrelle could not have made the move. An outside influence, that is making moves solely for the good of the team, was the only type that could make that trade, and that is what John Idzik is. Kudos to him for having the conviction to make it.

He also is perfectly creative, which was essential when he walked into the Tannenbaum salary graveyard. The Jets were in such bad shape, and they are still not totally out of it thanks to the Sanchez contract, that John was handcuffed out of a lot of moves. He had to look creatively, for the underpriced, but high reward type of moves. Willie Colon, Mike Goodson, Antwan Barnes, and Dawan Landry are perfect examples. In life, and especially in our current economy, we all have to get the most value for our dollar. John Idzik is doing exactly that.

Feb 21, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Jets general manager John Idzik speaks at a press conference during the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

We have made it through the first months of John Idzik on the job. We have made it through the initial offseason period when John worked through the roster, reworking salary cap numbers to allow the team to make moves. We have been through offseason signings. Finally, we have been through the NFL draft, and the signings of the UDFAs. We have learned, under no uncertain terms, that it is a new day and age in Florham Park, NJ.

Gone are the rumors, gone are the leaks from the front office. Things have done quite the 180 degree turn over the past few months. But, let’s talk about the newest member of the front office. What have we learned about John Idzik? The answer is that we have learned a lot.

HE HAS A VISION

John Idzik has a vision for this football team. How do we know this? Because he has systematically reconstructed this organization and this roster. He first eliminated the older edge to this roster, with Bart, Bryan Thomas…etc. He was able to make temporary fixes to the salary cap. Between the draft and the UDFA’s, he has affected each and every position of need, making it younger and faster.

We have learned that John Idzik has an absolute vision.

HE IS HIS OWN MAN

What do I mean by that? I mean that John Idzik does what he wants to do, when he wants to do it, and nobody is going to influence the timing of a decision he makes. Look at the Tebow decision, for example. We all thought he should have been released weeks ago. Maybe he should have.

The point is that one man DIDN’T think so, so it didn’t happen. That man is John Idzik. He felt it was appropriate to keep him on the roster and try to make a trade, so that is what he did. No matter what anyone else felt, John did what he wanted to do, because that is the type of leader he is.

Look at the free agent signings as well. The first few days went by, and nothing happened. We were begging and begging, but nothing happened. What WAS happening? John Idzik was planning, restructuring, and preparing to make his moves. They may not have been flashy, the David Garrard signing, the Antwan Barnes signing..etc., but they fit a plan. They fit John Idzik’s plan, because he is his own man, making his own decisions, no matter what anyone else says.

HE BELIEVES IN BPA IN THE DRAFT

His draft strategy became crystal clear. He does not draft for need, he drafts the best player available. The first round is the most obvious evidence. There were plenty of outside pass rushers available when the Jets selected, but yet they chose a defensive tackle with the 13th pick. Why? Because John Idzik saw the best player available on the board, and he believes in bringing the best talent available to his team.

It means the coaching staff has to be flexible. John Idzik isn’t going to pick exactly into the style that the coach is necessarily accustomed to. The Sheldon Richardson choice is a prime example. He is not a fit for a typical Rex 3-4 set, but he is a fit for a new Rex, 4-3 set. With John Idzik at the helm, the coaching staff must be ready for anything. He will get you the best player available, no matter what.

What point am I trying to make here? A simple one. John Idzik is driving the bus now, and no outside influences are going to change his route. The new GM is going to get it done, in his vision, and nobody is going to tell him otherwise. The media isn’t, the coaches aren’t, and the fans aren’t.

There is a singular vision in charge of the New York Jets now. Let’s get on the bus, and see where John drives it.