The third practice of training camp this afternoon began with a bang. Head coach Eric Mangini called for his first full-contact tackling drill of camp (Friday morning's session was "thud" tackling), and Cody Spencer complied by depositing a major hit on RB Alvin Banks.

The head-on contact separated Banks from his helmet and drew cheers from the crowd of 4,000 at the Hofstra soccer stadium.

Banks… More

Eric Mangini didn't wait for the fewer reporters — the herd was thinned out from Friday's turnout due to a single Saturday practice and the Mets' day-night doubleheader — to ask him about Leon Washington.

"Leon was excused today for personal reasons," Mangini said at the top of his opening remarks for his early afternoon news conference. Later, in response to a question, the head coach repeat… More