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Aundre · 09-03-2007, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Kerry Rhodes laughs off Bill Belichick's criticism

BY RICH CIMINI
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Saturday, September 1st 2007, 4:00 AM

The Jets' season opener against the Patriots still is eight days away, but the first salvo already has been fired. It's from an unlikely source: Bill Belichick, who usually is careful about not providing bulletin-board fodder to the opponent.

Belichick takes aim at safety Kerry Rhodes, ripping one of the Jets' best players in the current issue of Sports Illustrated. In a story that ranks the top 500 players in the NFL, Belichick offers his take on the rankings of Rhodes (29th) and Bills tackle Jason Peters (39th).

"Neither of those guys could make my team," Belichick told the magazine.

Ouch!

Rhodes burst out laughing when the quote was read to him in the Jets' locker room after Thursday night's preseason finale in Philadelphia. He laughed so loud that a couple of teammates, dressing nearby, turned around to check out the fuss. Rhodes wanted to say what was really on his mind, but he held back.

"No comment on that one," he said. "That's funny, though. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion."

Rhodes paused, laughed again and said, "Maybe I couldn't make his team."

The Patriots do have three quality safeties in Rodney Harrison, Eugene Wilson and rookie Brandon Meriweather, but that's beside the point. To tweak Rhodes, one of the Jets' up-and-coming stars, is really a shot at the entire team. Rhodes claimed Belichick's remark won't provide additional motivation; he's just excited about the season.

"We're ready to get it going now," said Rhodes, who recorded 21 solo tackles, a strip/sack and a fumble recovery in three games last season against the Patriots. "It just so happens we're playing the team with the coach that you're talking about."

haha, Bill knows he would make the call if for some stupid reason the Jets decided to let Rhodes loose but the rilvary is good for the game