And like Coach Mangini, I, too, am a big fan of the made for HBO series about an organized crime boss living in New Jersey.
In the latest episode - a bloody one at that - Mangini is eating with his wife at Artie Bucco's when it's pointed out to Tony Soprano that "Man-genius" is right across the restuarant, which makes Tony want to go over and say hello.
What I'm wondering is what the first-year coach was thinking about, and what Commissioner Roger Goodell thought about an NFL head coach putting himself in a series (fictional, I know) that promotes gambling, murder, organized crime, and so on.
A few weeks ago on the show Tony was talking about betting on the Jets with his wife Carmella's money. Now I know Eric Mangini probably wasn't informed of that by David Chase and company, but it is questionable judgment and inappropriate for someone who represents the NFL to actually let them use him in an episode.
Let's just imagine for a second it was Roger Goodell, or New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine instead. How about Pacman Jones hanging out at the Bing?
Look, I know it's not real, but they were able to use his association with a mob boss and gambling on the Jets and tie it all together.
The NFL has done it's best to disassociate themselves from gambling. You just wonder what Coach Mangini was thinking, or in this case, not thinking.
(To read more of Fooch's blogs, go to msg.com)