10/18 — Some people have a knack of making the word "interesting" sound, well, interesting. So it is with Nick Mangold, the Jets center who used one of his favorite adjectives to describe the Sunday run-ins he's sure to have with the Bengals' new middle linebacker, a guy named Anthony Schlegel.

"Yeah, I've gone up against him multiple times," Mangold said as a highlight reel of Ohio State summer practices and two Jets training camps flashed before his eyes. "It'll be interesting, because this is the first time, after practicing against him for so many years of actually playing against him. It should be interesting, and I'm sure it should be a good battle."

Schlegel, as Green & White fans know, was a Jets third-round pick in the 2006 draft and was a last cut after the final preseason game at Philadelphia last month. Then Cincinnati signed him and put him to use immediately. After playing in the Bengals' first three games, Schlegel made the first two starts of his NFL career for injured starter Ahmad Brooks and made a career-high eight tackles last week at Kansas City.

"I don't know about role. I just go out there and do what the coaches tell me," Schlegel said today. "I'll do anything to help the Cincinnati Bengals win. I don't worry about whether I'm here, there, whatever."

For more, you can check out Geoff Hobson's story on Schlegel on bengals.com.

Mangold was asked if the waiving of his longtime teammate drove home to him the nature of the business side the NFL.

"You see it all the time, and you heard stories about it going through college a little bit, of how it's more of a business atmosphere," he said. "It was disappointing to see Schlegel leave. He's just a great guy. But it was good for him to get picked up. He's doing well. We still keep in touch. We usually don't talk about X's and O's. But Anthony's a smart guy and a hard worker."

And maybe it took an extra year but he's found a home in Cincinnati.

Music for Thought

Head coach Eric Mangini had a message for his players blaring over the sound system at today's practice. The Jets opened with their running and closed with their two-minute drills to the rock classic "Who Are You" by The Who. You remember the owl-like chorus:

"Well, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

"I really want to know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

"Tell me who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

" 'Cause I really want to know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)"

You get the idea. This is a major identity game ahead. (And the music was catchy — a few players were heard whistling it on their way to postpractice meetings.)