Jets center Nick Mangold blocked off some time before Sunday’s showdown with the saints for a little Q&A with Steve Serby.
Q: How do you deal with Twitter idiots?
A: Twitter Tough Guys? The TTGs.
Q: How do you deal with that?
A: You just block it out. At times, it can be difficult. I’ve seen just some of the most outlandish, evil things scroll across the timeline. You block ’em, and then you move on. It’s amazing what some people will [say] … because they’re hiding behind an iPhone, or a computer screen, that no one in their right mind would ever say.
Q: It’s a sad commentary on the way things are now, isn’t it?
A: Yeah, it’s terrible. I mean, you look at everything that goes on with the bullying. At least when I was growing up, bullying just happened in the classroom face to face. Now you got people making up fake Facebooks and Twitters and stuff, and going after people. … There’s a lot of good people out there. … It actually has taken me away from Twitter a little bit because of the obscene negativity. Why put yourself through that, looking at it?
Q: Do you think some athletes might get turned off to Twitter and say, the hell with this?
A: Yeah. I know for me personally, I’ve definitely scaled back from what I used to do because of negativity out there. It’s a shame. A few ruin it for the many.
Q: Who are some athletes in other sports you admire and why.
A: I know it’s a great debate of NASCAR being a sport or not, but I tell you what, I’ve done a couple of car trips, and the fact that they sit in a car for four hours or so is impressive. … You know who I love? Nick Swisher. We worked out together at Ohio State, so I followed him as his career has gone, and the two or three years he was with the Yankees were fantastic ’cause I got to be around Swish again, and he’s just such a happy person, what I would assume to be a great teammate. He’s one of the guys that you like to see do well.
Q: How good of a nose tackle were you in high school?
A: I was pretty dominating. It’s surprising that colleges didn’t think that, but … some small school, it was like D-III, said that I could play defense.
Q: You preferred offense?
A: It pays the bills, so it does well. And now that I’ve actually learned more about the game, I quite enjoy the offensive side.
Q: Describe, in 25 words or less: D’Brickashaw Ferguson.
A: Classiest guy I know.
Q: You still have like 20 words left.
A: You didn’t say use all of ’em, you said 25 or less.
Q: You’re right. … Willie Colon.
A: Willie is a stick of dynamite that is always close to going off, but at some point, someone sniffs it, right at the last second.
Q: Brian Winters.
A: Shoot, he’s a rookie. That’s all he gets.
Q: Austin Howard.
A: One of the most athletic right tackles that I’ve seen. A guy that large that can still bend at the knees like he can is impressive.
Q: Muhammad Wilkerson.
A : I believe the best defensive tackle in the game right now.
Q: Damon “Snacks” Harrison.
A: Snacks, as his name implies, is quite the load to move.
Q: Sheldon Richardson.
A: A guy who comes off as happy-go-lucky, but when the whistle blows, he’s all seriousness.
Q: Kenrick Ellis.
A : He’s impressed me because he’s always trying to learn, and I appreciate that,
Q: Rex Ryan.
A: My favorite head coach.
Q: Why?
A: Just the passion that he has, and the utmost confidence that he has in his players, from 1 to 53.
Q: How does that confidence help you guys?
A: You look at it and you say you don’t want to make him wrong. So you want to go out there and play the best of your ability that he believes that you can.
Q: The infamous Buttfumble.
A: Let it die.
Q: The funniest moment as a pro on the huddle.
A: 2006, we were playing Miami Dolphins in Miami. Pete Kendall and Chad Pennington … Pete was complaining about something, I don’t know of it was play clock, or getting the play in, or something, and Chad stopped what he was doing, and as you know his southern drawl as only he can do: “ Pete, this isn’t my first time at the rodeo, I got it.” We all just burst out laughing. It was a tight game, too.
Q: Nowadays, who’s most likely to crack a joke in the huddle?
A: Shoot, I guess me.
Q: Ten years from now, what do you envision doing?
A: Probably coaching high school football somewhere.
Q: Why not pros?
A: Too much of a time commitment. I like to spend time with the family.
Q: Your son Matthew is 2 ¹/₂. Describe him.
A: He’s a happy little kid, who is surprisingly polite. He’ll run into you and say, “Oh excuse me, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” He says “please” and “thank you.” He’ll hold the door open and say, “After you, sir.” So he did that to my wife, and I said, “Oh, momma’s not a sir.” So then I get home the next day, she said, “Yeah, he opened the door again for me. When he opened it, he said, ‘After you, sir mama.’ ”
Q: Is he aware that you’re a football player?
A: He knows that Daddy plays football, and that he liked the Jets. He believes that we crash. Daddy crash on the field.” That’s how football apparently is played. He likes seeing me on TV, and gets real excited about it.
Q: Does he know which one’s you?
A: No, we’re still working on that, trying to get 74. It’s a high number. We can count up to 13, but after that, it gets difficult.
Q: Would you let him play football?
A: Yeah. I’m not gonna push him into it, but if he wants to be out there playing, I’m not gonna tell him no.
Q: You’re not part of the uh-oh concussion crowd?
A: I seem to be doing all right. … He could also get a concussion in soccer, break a leg in soccer, can take a ball off the head in baseball, he can break an ankle in basketball.
Q: How many concussions have you had as a pro?
A: One.
Q: How long ago?
A: Two years ago.
Q: Was it scary?
A: Not particularly. I would say it fell in the category of mild.
Q: Pet peeve?
A: [The phrase] “To be honest with you.”
Q: Why does that irk you so much?
A: To me, I then infer that you’ve been lying all the other times then you don’t say it.
Q: Any others?
A: Not being able to make a left turn on Route 10. … That bothers me. Somehow, everywhere else in the country manages to figure it out. For some reason, Route 10 doesn’t.
Q: Do you ever get angry on the field?
A: Other than the controlled anger that is necessary to play offensive line? There’s a couple of times, throughout the career.
Q: What’s the angriest you’ve gotten?
A: We were playing the Falcons at home [in 2009]. We had a play down the field, I was trying to help out and block down the field, and as a guy was getting up, he hit me in a sensitive area intentionally. I took offense to this … yelling.
Q: Did he kick you, punch you?
A: I’m not sure which body part landed the blow, but … it was something.
Q: Was he penalized for it?
A: No, the refs missed it, which is disappointing.
Q: But you were wise not to respond to it and get the flag.
A: Exactly, ’cause they always get the second guy.
Q: How do you feel about an 18-game schedule?
A: I think 16 is good. No reason to break what’s not broken.
Q: You think 18 would be too much wear and tear on the body?
A: It definitely could be. You look at 16 as it is, the amount of injuries, and just the way you feel after 16, I think it would diminish the game a little bit.
Q: If you were NFL commissioner, what changes would you make?
A: Center would be eligible [to catch passes].
Q: You have good hands?
A: The best.
Q: You do?
A: I do.
Q: Is playing center fun?
A: Yeah. It’s a blast.
Q: Wouldn’t you rather play quarterback?
A: I don’t have the arm for it, plus I’d have to drop a little bit of weight.
Q: What’s so fun about playing center?
A: The fact that you’re like the second quarterback. You get to see the chess game of a football game while it’s happening. You get to be out into a leadership spot, and have guys look to you to make the right call. I like doing that.
Q: Any other changes?
A: None, that’s it.
Q: What endorsement products should you be endorsing that you’re not right now?
A: Chipotle. They don’t seem to have any spokespeople, so I think I’d fit nicely in there.
Q: You tweet about Chipotle a lot.
A: It’s really good.
Q: I know it’s good.
A: I actually got a really good story on it too.
Q: Let me hear it. It might help get you an endorsement.
A: So, back in college [at Ohio State], me and A.J. Hawk had moved out of the dorm early, so we were paying double rent, I guess. And that ate into the funds that were available for certain things like food. So Chipotle had, at the time, the chicken burrito was $5 even, and I could go get a chicken burrito for 5 bucks, and there were times where I’d scrounged up pennies to pay for that chicken burrito, and it got me through that summer.
Q: So you would go in with a bag of pennies?
A: Not a whole bag, but there were times where I could get up to 25 cents in pennies.
Q: And how did they feel about that?
A: They weren’t too happy at the time. But, I was a repeat customer.
Q: Your son likes Chipotle too, right?
A: He calls it the bean place.
Q: What does he have?
A: He has a chicken quesadilla, black beans and rice.
Q: And what do you have!
A: I have a chicken fajita burrito.
Q: OK, so Chipotle would be one product or a restaurant that you should be endorsing. What are some others? Schick would be out, obviously.
A: Obviously. … Oh, Head and Shoulders. That would be a big one, for the hair.
Q: Troy Polamalu does it.
A: I know. I think they need to freshen up their image.
Q: Are you troubled or confused that they haven’t approached you?
A: Neither. I get what I am. I’m Popeye. I am what I am. I’m an offensive lineman. These things don’t come down the pike for us folks.
Q: How do you feel about that?
A: I feel it’s disappointing as far as a marketing standpoint, as you have a market of five guys on the field, which is the most out of any position group, that is completely unmarketed to.
Q: Maybe you can be a pioneer.
A: I’m working on it. … It’s slow going.
Q: Would that be appealing to you to be a pioneer for your offensive line brothers?
A: I mean, I would like to help out a little bit … give back … pay it forward, I think is another term people are using these days.
Q: How about a clothing deal?
A: Under Armour, I’m already there. Or a part on “Sons of Anarchy,” if need be.
Q: What’s your definition of a great Daddy evening?
A: A great Daddy evening includes playing all the favorite of my son’s … his trains, his cars, a couple of puzzles, reading a couple of books, having dinner, and following that up with some more playing of his favorites. “Hop on Pop” is a big one — not only the book, but actually hopping on Pop. He’s taking the book to real life, which is, as he gets heavier, more difficult.
Q: Describe your wife Jennifer.
A: Best friend, known her forever. Met in high school, started dating in high school. She’s like the man behind the curtain, she makes everything happen, she controls it all.
Q: The Wizard of Oz, you mean?
A: Yes.
Q: How does she put up with you?
A: I don’t know. … I make her laugh.
Q: How do you make her laugh?
A: Knock-knock jokes.
Q: Knock-knock jokes?
A: No. … I don’t know how she puts up with me. But I’m happy that she does.
Q: Who was Matthew on Halloween?
A: His favorite character from the movie “Cars,” Lightning McQueen.
Q: Who were you on Halloween?
A: A storm trooper from “Star Wars.”
Q: This year?
A: Yes.
Q: I mean as a kid.
A: As a kid, I think my favorite one was Batman. My mom made a Batman costume.
Q: Every year you dress up?
A: I try to.
Q: Are you serious?
A: Yeah. Love Halloween.
Q: What was that period like when your dad had his health problems?
A: It was challenging. It made me view life in a different light. You go through, fresh out of college, and you think you’re invincible and everyone else is invincible. It kinda brought me back down to earth. It made me grow up a little bit more.
Q: Was he close to dying?
A: As far as I know, yeah. Emergency brain surgery.
Q: Tell me about your mom.
A: She’s referred to as Saint Therese. She always made sure that we were doing the right things and taking care of us.
Q: What’s your sister Holley doing these days?
A: “Biggest Loser.” You can watch on Tuesdays, if you do prefer.
Q: You must admire Holley. .She’s comfortable in her own skin, is that a good way to put it?
A: Definitely. Oh yeah.
Q: Not many people are.
A: No. … She has great self-esteem, and she has a good idea of who she is and what she wants to be. She’s an Olympic athlete [weight lighting] that competed for the United States. … That’s a great, amazing feat.
Q: She’s got a good sense of humor, too.
A: Relatively. Mine’s better.
Q: You have two other younger sisters, Maggie (14) and Kelly (25). Holley is 23.
Q: So you grew up as the only boy in that household.
A: Yeah. … I think that’s why the good Lord blessed me with a son, from the get-go. So (chuckle) I was praying for a brother.
Q: Who plays you in the movie?
A: I would like Jeff Bridges to narrate the story of my life, as me looking back, while Brad Pitt’s playing the younger me.
Q: What do you hope Jets fans say about you after they leave the stadium?
Q: That Nick Mangold helped lead the team to a Super Bowl for the New York Jets.