Cris Collinsworth I have been thinking about this all day: Rex Ryan broke all the rules this season. No coach calls out the other team's coach and quarterback like Ryan did with Bill Belichick and Peyton Manning and gets away with it. No coach celebrates with a player that just got a 15-yard penalty for excessive celebration. No coach encourages his players to say whatever is on their minds, even if expletives are used against the opposing MVP quarterback. This is a league of integrity and rules that date back to the stone age. Who is this Rex Ryan that talks trash and backs it up? Not since Muhammad Ali have we seen something so outrageous and fun. This was the MMA and WWA all wrapped up in one football game. The ratings were through the roof. We want to see the rematch. Forget the Super Bowl, we want more of this smack-down stuff. For anybody who thinks the NFL's stuffy rules have gone too far, this was a victory. For every fan who has seen their tickets priced out of their price range, this was a free sideline pass. Somebody slipped into the NFL when nobody was watching and turned this league upside down. You mean you can actually have fun playing football and still kick some butt? How many players will be trying to sign up for the Rex Express this offseason? Is a new day dawning in the NFL? The players have choices, and I have not heard one player yet say anything but how much they would love to play for Rex. Let me give you a few quotes from when I have met with Jets players this season: Shonn Greene: "I have been playing football since I was six years old. Players, coaches, all the way to the janitors all love him. We respect him because he always tells us the truth. We love him." Antonio Cromartie: "Rex Ryan makes it a relaxing place where you can have fun. I lost my passion for the game in San Diego the last two years. Rex has given it back to me." Jason Taylor: "Rex Ryan really wanted me, that meant a lot to me after Miami determined that I didn't have anything left. I am thinking about playing another year for one reason, Rex Ryan." Bart Scott: "We want Rex to be successful so more head coaches will be like him. He will let you speak your mind and not be afraid. He always makes you feel important. My first head coach wouldn't even speak to me in the hallways." This week some Giants players basically said they wish Tom Coughlin would coach more like Rex. It is a theme I am hearing around the league. Rex hasn't even won anything as a head coach yet. Can you imagine if the Jets win a Super Bowl? Rex may make the NFL feel uncomfortable, but his style is drawing Muhammad Ali like ratings and reactions on both sides. You may like or dislike Rex Ryan and his style, but regardless, you have to watch.
I really don't like Chris Collinsworth, but now he is jumping on the bandwagon, and if they would have lost, it would be a whole different arcticle.
I hate Collinsworth. But he's right. Rex did the opposite of everything that you're supposed to do as a HC in this league. And in a copycat league like the NFL, it's the owners that follow the trends.
I have to say I've been thinking about this all year. This season has been the best season I've had the pleasure of watching, from Hard Knocks to the Superbowl win (hopefully). I have to say Rex and the new Jets culture has really made the difference by giving the fans access to the off-field stuff (Did you hear that Mangini?) and injecting more excitement into each game with the jabber (followed by wins). People who don't follow the Jets will never understand... they just see a "classless" trash talking HC. What they don't see is that everything he says he really believes and his players love him for it. I love Rex and I hope he gets carried off the field on his players shoulders (won't be easy!) when they win in Dallas this year. I'm not the kind of guy that cries when watching Rudy, but that would bring me to my knees.
I fear that were going to start seeing Rex Ryan imitators around the league over the next few years. Rex's style is genuine and battle tested but if some hack comes in all bombastic and promissory but loses miserably.. I don't know There can only be one Rex Ryan... Eh maybe two if/when rob Ryan gets his HC gig
But there's only one Rex. This trend is going to fail and teams are going to suffer. CAN'T WAIT as Bart Scott would say. When team employ other speak-their-minds coaches and they tank they'll feel pressured to not stick with them. No different than the Belichickian style that people tried to copy. I can't to see anywhere up to 7 franchises fail because they thought they had a Rex Ryan. Unless they hire Rob Ryan :grin:
I gotta tell you guys, as a Ravens fan I've always liked Rex obviously. But I love the way he goes about his business. There's no sense in being all political when we're all adults. Got something to say? Say it. He's attracting fans to your team. Very rarely does a COACH attract fans to a team.
There's not many people that can balance a relaxed attitude with such an intense focus on perfection, discipline and winning. Rex has a special gift, you simply cannot replicate that by trying....it just is. Have you ever seen a person who is NOT funny try to be funny? It's called bombing on stage because it's not genuine. Coaches can try to be like Rex but there is only one.
Rex works for us, but his style by another coach may well fail. Rex works with us because we've had so many bullshit artistes its refreshing to hear the truth and be reflective of the fan base, Rex is us. Another 'idea' being talked about is that the last 4 teams all have one thing in common, great D. So is the rest of the league also going to try and emulate us and the other 3? Once again, what works for one, may not work for another. :wink: Mind you Dallas' D is going to be super scary next season, mark my words!
I completely agree with you obviously. It's not that he's WWE or MMA or any other shit. That's just Rex. Gotta love it. He wins more than he loses and one of these days he'll win it all. I'm hoping for you guys and him that it's this year. I'm a big fan of Rex.
I think the point for me is that Rex succeeds because he doesn't modify his personality or his behaviour to fit with the expectations of what the NFL has attempted to condition coaches to be. Rex is Rex, and if his style encourages other coaches to be who they are, to say what they think how they want to say it, and generally make everybody more honest in this game, the league will be better for it. It isn't about having 32 wisecracking smack-talking 300lb coaches, but about 32 honest, open and genuine coaches. Goodell will undoubtedly have an aneurysm, but that won't necessarily be a bad thing for the league either.
Those are awesome quotes Shonn Greene: "I have been playing football since I was six years old. Players, coaches, all the way to the janitors all love him. We respect him because he always tells us the truth. We love him. Antonio Cromartie: "Rex Ryan makes it a relaxing place where you can have fun. I lost my passion for the game in San Diego the last two years. Rex has given it back to me." Jason Taylor: "Rex Ryan really wanted me, that meant a lot to me after Miami determined that I didn’t have anything left. I am thinking about playing another year for one reason, Rex Ryan." Bart Scott: "We want Rex to be successful so more head coaches will be like him. He will let you speak your mind and not be afraid. He always makes you feel important. My first head coach wouldn’t even speak to me in the hallways." _
I agree with you. It works because Rex is just being Rex. Anyone who comes in to try to copy him will likely fail because people can see through BS. Rex is just being himself and himself is awesome. Also, it is not enough to just have the attitude, Rex actually happens to be a very smart football man and is very good at his job also.
The image of him running down the sidelines last week after Greene ran in for the TD is still sticking with me. What a great image on how he loves the game and the players..
