The Post’s Steve Serby chatted with the Jets GM about football, family and a few of his favorite things:
Q: When did you become convinced that Eric Mangini was head-coaching material?
A: He broke his leg during the ’97 season (as a Jets assistant) and he would work with it elevated in a cast and never missed any time.
Q: Best piece of advice from Bill Parcells?
A: He’d say, “Mr. T., when the trapper’s coming off the side of the mountain, he doesn’t have to tell anybody he did a good job; you can tell what kind of trapper he is by the pelts he has on his horse. We go by what we see.”
Q: What was Parcells like inside Weeb Ewbank Hall?
A: He would relate a lot of stories that would go back to the 1950s and ’60s and baseball history. Even if you weren’t interested in baseball history, you had to pretend you were (chuckles).
Q: What was his presence like?
A: He made everybody accountable every day, and he had the most innate way to motivate everybody. He knew what buttons to push on everybody in the building. Some he’d yell at, some he’d put his arm around.
Q: How did he motivate you?
A: A lot of pressure every day (chuckles). He was great. You knew exactly what was expected of you, and as long as you did that, there were never any problems.
Q: An anecdote?
A: (Scout) JoJo Wooden … I was out on a business trip one time trying to sign a player, and couldn’t. I told JoJo, “Please tell Coach Parcells we couldn’t get this player.” So he told him, and JoJo called me and said: “Mike, you are never leaving this office ever again!” Meaning, “I’m not ever gonna deliver bad news to Coach Parcells.”
Q: What is it like being a GM in New York?
A: Greatest job in the world. Just the passion of the fans 365 days a year.
Q: Does it require thicker skin?
A: You have to understand that you have to explain what you’re doing; you always try to get your message out there. It’s a challenge, but working with Woody (Johnson), Jay Cross and Eric, it’s a lot of fun. We feel we’re making good progress.
Q: How much sleep do you get?
A: Not enough (chuckles). Five hours maybe, between the team and two young kids.
Q: Do you ever sleep at Weeb Ewbank Hall?
A: Yes.
Q: How are the accommodations?
A: Convenient (chuckles).
Q: What is game day like for you?
A: Agonizing. I have a squeeze ball I hold sometimes.
Q: Executives in other sports you admire?
A: (Braves GM) John Schuerholz. Unbelievable consistency for a long period of time.
Q: Coaches in other sports you admire?
A: (Texas basketball coach) Rick Barnes. I love his tenacity. When he was in the ACC, he wouldn’t back down to the Dean Smiths and the Mike Krzyzewskis. I love his fire.
Q: An example of a Mike Tannenbaum player from another era?
A: Mark Bavaro. Marty Lyons.
Q: Boyhood idol?
A: Larry Bird.
Q: Favorite boxer?
A: Marvin Hagler.
Q: Best fight Mangini has shown the Jets?
A: Hagler-Hearns.
Q: What do you remember about losing the 1998 AFC Championship game in Denver?
A: Mr. Hess greeting the team at three in the morning, shaking every person’s hand as we were walking off the plane.
Q: And the plane flight?
A: Complete depression. I really thought at halftime we had a chance to get to the Super Bowl.
Q: How did you propose to your wife Michelle?
A: Seven-hundred feet above the Hudson River in a helicopter. If she said no I had options; it was all about creating leverage (chuckles). There were six seats to the helicopter, it was $50 for five minutes. I had to buy all of the seats. Cost me $300 for five minutes.
Q: Your three-year-old daughter Ella?
A: She puts a smile on my face every time I see her.
Q: Your one-year-old son Jacob?
A: He knows “Go Jets” and “Touchdown” (chuckles).
Q: What’s he like?
A: Feisty. A lot of people say he’s like me, but my wife has some subtle feistiness in her.
Q: Most embarrassing moment?
A: I was the last man on the basketball team my junior year. At the end of a blowout game, it was safe to put me in. I got fouled and the first one was an airball. The referee holding the ball said, “What, are you tired or something?”
Q: Working at the post office from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. after college?
A: I had my stool privileges revoked. I had fallen asleep more than once.
Q: You worked for free for the Pittsfield Mets during the day.
A: I lined the field, put cheese on the nachos, took the tarp off, sold marketing deals … whatever needed to be done.
Q: What did you learn from watching (Patriots GM) Scott Pioli?
A: Hard work.
Q: What did you learn from watching Bill Belichick?
A: Incredible attention to detail.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Abe Lincoln, Vince Vaughn, Warren Buffett.
Q: Best piece of advice from your parents?
A: Never burn a bridge.
Q: Anyone else influential in your life?
A: My grandfather, Harry. He had a great work ethic, and even when he had his leg amputated he got up every day and worked hard (in a fish store) and never made excuses.
Q: Favorite New York restaurant?
A: Il Postino. Matteo’s.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Platoon.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Vince Vaughn.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Jodie Foster.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Veal parmigiana.