I still say it has been five years, five drafts (we don't think Mr T drafted when Mangini was here, do we? We drafted Sunday school guys. With Rex here, it was all D. So I think it is a fair assumption that when it came to personnel, Mr. T took a back seat). We stink. Rex goes. I do not think they should have hamstrung Idzik in the first place, but if Rex had come up a winner or Geno had impressed, I would have thought it unfair to dump him. I don't see either of these things happening. If MM has to go so be it. As for flipping the D: we have a good front 3. Coples could make it a good front 4. The rest? Ordinary. What's to flip?
I didn't answer this poll not because it's not about numbers, which it isn't, heh. But what it really is about is how much Woody will have input on the call. I think Woody thinks Rex is good for publicity, and Woody likes publicity. any kind of publicity. He might overcome that liking if the fanbase were more negative on Rex. But putting my own pov aside, they are really not. Idzik I think if he were on his own would fire Rex. But if he wants to do that, does anyone here think Woody would just flat out defer to Idzik? More likely he retains a hand in the decision, which is the same as saying he has he ultimate power. That being the case Idzik I think would have to make the case persuasive enough to can Rex. Now my standard of "enough" is likely different from Woody's. A consideration about the set up Woody came up with last off season, where Idzik was hired but Rex retained, is not something i recall anyone talking about. Here's the thing - that was clearly Woody's idea. How is it more likely to look like that was a good idea, if they fire Rex now or retain him? I am sorry if some think this line of reasoning is too Machiavellian, but imo you have to go there when you are talking about the Jets and Woody. I think Woody will think that his idea will look not so smart if Rex ends up getting fired, anyway. What was the point? But if Rex stays, Woody thinks that makes him look smart for having kept him last off season. So despite the fact I think Rex should be fired, I think Woody keeps him, unless the team stinks out the last three games.
but if rex stays and fails then it makes woody look even worse. i think woody didnt want to pay rex to sit home for 2 years. i think that idzik gave him a chance and he didnt do terribly but also didnt improve upon things that he needed to improve upon. he also wasnt nearly the media darling this past year he has been, and i think thats a good thing. the team has performed about the same as it was predicted to perform with severe ups and downs. it very well might be difficult to convince woody to let go but i think idzik will make it happen.
Good points about Woody. That said, Woody could think that giving Rex another year with Idzik guiding him was the smart part of the idea/plan. Since the Jets have still struggled, and many, if not most of the same problems still exist with Rex, the issue of how it might make him look may not be an issue at all. I fear you are right, however. I think Woody is only marginally smarter as an owner than that clueless doofus Leon Hess. I think the team might have to fall to more embarrassing depths, with more losing or .500 seasons (or at least one more until Rex's contract is up), before he might be willing to accept that things aren't going to work with Rex. I could even see where things might have to get to the point where fans are either staying away from games in droves, booing Rex and the team, and/or wearing paper bags on their heads again before Woody would fire Rex. For some odd reason, he really loves him some Rex. Who knows, maybe Woody is schtupping Rex's wife and knows that will end if he fires Rex?
For you and Alley, I should first have said it is rather difficult to figure Woody out. But not too difficult. First of all the point about publicity. Actually I think Rex was in more trouble with the media last year than this year. Some of his post game pressers were from the Twilight Zone last year. Let's not forget all the crap about Tebow, and how poor a fit Sparano was. And Woody kept Rex after that. No, I don't think Woody would think the KIND of publicity Rex is getting this year would in effect require getting rid of him. I also think Woody very much will say things now and then that are revealing bout his thinking. A perfect example is him saying he was happy how the year ws going BEFORE the win over Oakland. If that is not an endorsement of his own "genius" in pairing Rex with Idzik? The fans booed Smith in the Miami game bigtime. But I bet Woody thinks tht was a speed bump. There seemed a bunch of empty seats for the Oakland game, and a lot of Oakland fans. But it was not too noteworthy, I don't think. In short Woody will not feel like the fans are forcing his hand on Rex. Even here Rex has his supporters, although I think overall the sentiment is he has outlived his welcome, and if it were up to Idzik Rex will be gone. That leaves the remaining variable the question whether and how far Idzik would push for Rex to leave. Hard to say... But he has a pretty big burden, i think. I am virtually certain that unless the Jets really flame out something awful the last three games, Woody will want to bring Ryan back.
According to this very unscientific poll of fans, less than 17% feel he has outlived his welcome. I don't think that is the overall sentiment at all, but rather the minority sentiment at the current moment. And you are also assuming Idzik wants him gone, and has to push hard to get it done. It's a big assumption, as we really don't know what Idzik thinks. He probably wouldn't have taken the job if he thought Rex was hopeless, and who knows where he is currently at? He's said all the right things in support, but i take that with a grain of salt. He hasn't said anything negative either, for whatever that is worth.
You are correct in saying that we don't know what Idzik really thinks about Rex. What I disagree with is the bolded statement. Do you really think Idzik wouldn't have taken the opportunity to get his first GM job in a high profile market just because he thought Rex might not work out? I don't, not for a minute. Not only would he be getting a big raise, publicity, but would have the opportunity to show what he can do as a GM in a situation that has been widely acknowledged to be a mess and a "circus." He probably knew that if he did his job well and Rex didn't that he couldn't be held accountable and that he'd either eventually be able to make Woody trust him and see the light, or he could quit and immediately get work with another NFL team. If he does an excellent job in cleaning up the cap, getting the team to handle things in a solid, professional manner and gets rid of the circus atmosphere, and significantly improves the talent level on the team, he could probably write his own ticket elsewhere. GM jobs may not open up every year, but if he clearly demonstrates that he is an excellent GM, he will find work with another NFL team as its GM, President or in some high capacity until another GM job opens up. Some owner may even decide to fire his present GM that he's been holding onto because he was afraid he wouldn't be able to find anyone better than, in order to hire Idzik.
I've read a lot of jackass comments on here the last four years or so that I've been reading these boards but this one takes the cake.
i agree its a tremendous opportunity and a coveted job. But if Idzik thought Rex as a coach was hopeless, or the circus itself, i just don't think he'd put his own reputation on the line to partner up for even a year. you get one shot in this league at GM. there aren't many retreads. If he didn't feel Rex could coach, i just don't see him taking the job. And if his mind was made up to fire Rex after 1 year unless an extremely unlikely playoff birth occurred, i don't think he'd have been hired. My guess, Idzik's plan all along was to let the entire season play out, and that his mind is still not made up (as there are 3 games left to be played).
Hey, Rex has admitted to watching other men fondle his wife's feet and that could be a euphemism for something else. Even if it isn't, it isn't a big stretch to think there could be more to that, especially when one considers that he got a tattoo of his wife seemingly wearing nothing but a jersey of his starting QB.
Fair enough, but I don't think he'd be putting his reputation on the line at all. As I said earlier, if he does his job well, but Woody won't allow him to fire Rex, then how can he be blamed or his reputation suffer? In that scenario, Idzik looks like the only one with a brain.
I posted elsewhere why if Rex did not win three of his last four games why I would think Idzik would want him gone. Now that he has won one of those four, he's two wins closer to staying if it were totally Idzik's call. Idzik is not here to achieve mediocrity, and Ryan's results have declined since he got here. While Marty M I think is doing what he can with the roster on O, Rex bears some blame for the state of the roster and the lack of talent on O. But the main thing is a GM will want to have his own guy in there, and Rex was not Idzik's guy. Unless Rex did so well this year that Idzik more or less had to keep him, and an 8-8 record after going up 5-4 before the bye would seem to be the minimum there, then my thinking is Idizk would want to try to get his own man in there. So the grouping i was thinking about would be those who together either want Rex gone or think Idzik would/will if the Jets finish 7-9 or worse. But that has not much to do with Woody, which is hte point of my posts today. As far as other of your points, others have answered them.
Boy, those are miserable numbers. At some point Rex's bullshit bluster is gonna stop enthralling the fans. It may have already stopped working on the players.
^What about the numbers from before Rex? It's a bit biased to suggest that he's only gone downward, when he turned this defense completely around in year one. See, I'm not so sure about that. What were the big things we needed to improve upon? Passing offense, Rushing defense and rushing offense. Our running defense went from 26th to 2nd in the league. I can't blame him for the secondary. I can almost guarantee he was against the Revis trade, and there's no way a secondary improves by dropping a pro bowl safety and a future HOF corner back. Obviously, those 2 decisions were out of his hands. The other area of big need was the passing game, and Rex brought in a new QB coach plus a new OC to modernize our passing offense. That isn't something that you can't expect to excel in the first year of a new system with a rookie QB. The fact that our passing offense is almost the same as last year with a rookie taking the reigns, is amazing, especially after losing Keller. The running game has improved slightly from last year as well. We were in cap hell, so considering what we've had to work with, Idzik and Rex have done very well. I firmly believe this team has overachieved because of Rex. Without Rex, we probably would have 3-4 wins tops right now. So I'd say, yes, Rex HAS improved on some things he needed to improve upon, but at the same time, you can't expect him to improve everything right away. We are still one of the youngest teams in the league, and give us one more draft to get some offensive playmakers and the future looks pretty bright.
The Jets have openly expressed that they do not follow the normal hierarchy of HC reporting to GM and GM reporting to owner. Woody has said in several interviews that both the GM and HC report to him and he makes the decision to hire/fire either one. He also said that the HC would hire his coordinators and position coaches. Idzik came to the organization understanding that this is the structure. This whole "Woody won't allow [Idzik] to fire [or hire]" who he wants is moot as it's not applicable to the Jets. If Woody is not satisfied with Rex's performance, he will fire Rex and hire a new coach. Idzik's input will be welcomed I'm sure but it's his call.
So when we go to draft a CB or inside lineman or an O lineman does Idzik contact Woody and see if we need guys who can play press or cover 2. 4/3 or 3/4. 2 gap or 1 gap. OL guys who can zone block or man block, etc., etc., etc. This is the problem with both Woody and Rex neither one of them are capable of having a long term vision of the football team that the GM and scouting team can grade and asses both prospects and FA's that best fit what the Jets are going to be going forward. Rex has gone through 3 OC's and Woody seems to like Rex whispering in his ear. Idzik either has the vision or he doesn't. If he does he better hire HC and get a staff that's all on the same page.
