Do you have any issues with Rex Ryan?

[The Excellector]

When Rex Ryan was named the head coach of the New York Jets, there were a few assumptions that we could comfortably make. We could assume that Rex would make the Jets a better team and that he would take his trash talk to a new level. We did not have a problem with that, because it stemmed from the type of person Rex has always been.

However, in my opinion, some of the reasons why he was not hired here became as clear as clean water. Recently, Rex Ryan admitted that he went over Brian Billick's head, to Steve Bisciotti and told the Ravens owner that Billick had lost the team. Bearing witness to that act of betrayal, Bisciotti was convinced that Rex was not the man to bring a new sense of unity and discipline to the team. What made this act worse was that Rex Ryan played a key role in developing the divisive locker room that played a key role in ending Brian Billick's tenure in Baltimore.

Betrayal may be too strong of a word to describe my next issue with Rex, but it is still a matter to take issue with. After Rex joined the Jets, he made some unnecessary comments about Ray Lewis' 'Growing Pains' as a defensive signal caller. Rex commented that when he first gave Lewis the power to call plays, Ray 'tapped out', implying that Ray couldn't handle the responsibility and begged Rex to take back said responsibility. This comment, more than any other from Rex about Ray since the two have been split up, hit the heart Ray and his relationship with Rex Ryan. Here is a man who could very well owe his head coaching opportunity to Ray Lewis and it is as if Ray is nothing to him once he's gone.

The two eventually reconciled, but even that announcement seemed to lack passion. I could understand why. It was thanks to Ray Lewis' ability to lead a 3-4 defense that Rex saw success. Yes, there were other elements (Rex's pure coaching skill, Chris McAlister, who played a key role in Rex's scheme, etc.). However, it was, in large part, due to Ray that Rex's defense could be successful while trotting out the likes of Frank Walker and Fabian Washington. The saddest part is that, while Rex was still the defensive coordinator here, he admitted that Ray Lewis had successfully changed Rex's plays, on occasion. For example, Rex would give Ray a play to call. Ray would recognize the personnel, tendencies of the opponent and the situation at hand, and call a different play in the huddle. As the ball was snapped, Rex would say to himself, "That's not the play I called'. Ray's play would work, where Rex admitted that his would not have worked as well. Ray would then come to the sideline and Rex would give Ray his props for making the right call.

It took about five tenths of a second for the power to go to Rex's head. I still respect his coaching ability, because he is a great defensive play caller and is a winner. However, some of his actions has gone beyond what I even expected from Rex, making it very difficult for me to cheer for him.

Do you have any issues with Rex Ryan? If so, what are those issues?

[AirFlacco]

I think Tony or someone interviewed Bisciotti and posted it here (and I'm just paraphrazing
trying to remember it) and Biscuit mentioned
something about the rift between the defense and offense. he said Rex had nothing to
do with that. It just happened, so the point I got from the interview is that Biscuit
wanted someone from the outside to repair the rift. The first thing HARBs did was
re-arrange the lockers mixing offensive players next to defensive players. he preached
togetherness and it worked out great.

Bisc did interview Rex as a courtsey. Billick had preached promotion from within but
it didn't happen with Rex but he didn't complain and appreciated getting Bisc's help on
interviewing. That was after losing the Atlanta job to Billick's brother in law when Fat Rex
said I have to learn how to bull shit these owners in inerviews-lol. Apparently Rex didn't
come off too well but Jets hired him right away. They really wanted him so it worked out well
for him.

Rex said up there that there's still a lot of people in that building I still love. It might
have been that Bisc didn't want Rex's flamboyant style either, ie, mouthing off like
he always does looking immature while HARBs looks like a corp exec and makes a great
bill board ad.

At the time I wanted Rex as the coach and thought after last year he would hoist the
trophy before Bisciotti but with his defense ranked 31st vs the run which CAM had
better exploit , it ain't gonna happen this year and HARBs should beat Rexy boy
again this year just like ruining their open house of their new stadium in front of the
entire country on prime time.

Bisc probably just wanted a clean break from the Billick regrime.

[The Excellector]

If Bisciotti really said that Rex had nothing to do with the rift, I would think that was a PR answer, especially since Rex admitted that he went over Billick's head. If he's going over the coach's head, the same coach who is on the hot seat while his (Rex) defense is tired of pulling the weight for the offense, with Rex being Rex, it would be very hard to believe that Rex had nothing to do with it.

[AirFlacco]

Again, I was trying to remember the exact words but that's how I remember it but it
was a rift between the defensive players and the offensive players. I know Ray blamed
the offense for wasting all those great defenses.

In the article Bisc didn't blame Rex for the rift. I clearly remember that but great point
about PR. Maybe Bisc was just being a nice guy-lol. He did help Rex out and gave
him a reference.

I also remember an article from years ago of a certain d coach blaming the offensive
coach for lack of production but no names were mentioned and a d coach accusing Jim
Fassel of not putting in enough hours. Fassel always walked up the steps passed me to
leave as soon as practice was over at camp instead of going into the gym with his unit.

If true, sounds like Rex pointing the finger to me and might have turned off Bisc.

[#1 Jets Fan]

Rex d is ranked 31st right now but it only 3 games into the season and if u think it going to stay even close to that u are so wrong.

[AirFlacco]

Maybe, maybe not but it will stay that way for at least one more week and you have a long way to
return where Rex's Ds usually are ranked.

[GOTA]

I have no issues with Rex. He has a huge mouth but he's gotten his team to perform and that's with less talent than the Ravens or Steelers or Chargers. I still wish he was the Ravens head coach but obviously he was not the kind of guy Bisciotti wanted and that's his right as owner.

[GOTA]

Rex d is ranked 31st right now but it only 3 games into the season and if u think it going to stay even close to that u are so wrong.

Look it up. Jets D is ranked 11th. Patriots are ranked 32nd.

[AirFlacco]

I said they were 31st vs the run only and CAM better exploit it.


http://www.benningtonbanner.com/sports/ci_19008362

[Beezo]

Ahem..

“I think these guys might be believing that they’re better than they are,” Namath said. “Rex has been the only coach that we know, in maybe the history of the game that I’m familiar with, that keeps continually telling his guys how good they are. And they have been pretty good — pretty good — but they haven’t won a championship yet. I think they’ve got to remember that there’s room for improvement.”


Rex is a blabber mouth who always has something slick to say.. that's my issue with him.

[RavenScallywag]

I don't think I have an issue with him, any more than I have issues with other coaches. Fact of it is, Rex's style is to fluff up his players, get on their level and focus on being one of the team, and be the loudmouth for his guys. He talks a big game and usually backs it up with good play on the field.

I think the talking is excessive though. Some of the stuns he's pulled are just head scratching. Like when he decided to put on a wig and a pillow and pretend to be his brother. WTF? I know matching up against your brother is a big matchup, but that press conference was just bizzare. It distracted from the game at hand and real football stuff.

I like Harbs style. He doesn't rule with an iron fist, but he's clearly setup an authority structure so that he can put guys in line if they try to show off or act stupidly. So far, this hasn't happened under Rex, but I'd have to imagine if the Jets have a poor season, he might have a tougher time controlling the team, because his style of becoming "one of the guys" lends itself to players assuming he'll let them get away with things.

[HoustonRaven]

TER, you have a link for what you claim in the second paragraph?

Not saying you're wrong. But that's a big admission and something you ought to back up.

[Ravenswintitle]

Some of that sounds like rumor and innuendos.

I have no issue with Rex, he was just what that team needed. He brought some swagger and was able to secure a few Raven players to help teach his D. He's beaten Indy, Pitt and NE in the playoffs. That is saying a lot.

[NC Raven]

No.

[festivus]

He's a loudmouth & gotten himself in the news for the kind of things that make me say "I'm glad he's not coaching my team."

Do I have anything against him? No.

Am I glad he's somewhere else? Hell yes.

[AirFlacco]

Ahem..

“I think these guys might be believing that they’re better than they are,” Namath said. “Rex has been the only coach that we know, in maybe the history of the game that I’m familiar with, that keeps continually telling his guys how good they are. And they have been pretty good — pretty good — but they haven’t won a championship yet. I think they’ve got to remember that there’s room for improvement.”


Rex is a blabber mouth who always has something slick to say.. that's my issue with him.

Yea, never lost for words Rexy shot back saying Joe can come in here to our
practices and if he can still throw he can be our back up QB.

[Ravenswintitle]

Yea, never lost for words Rexy shot back saying Joe can come in here to our
practices and if he can still throw he can be our back up QB.

He's about the same age as their real backup

[Captain Silver]

Sorry, I am calling bullshit on half of this. I never heard anything of Rex going over Billick's head. Now, four years later? Not buying a word of it.

Not sure I even believe the Ray stuff either.

And, my friend is brothers with a Raven at that time, I used to get seats in the players family area, and there was never a whiff of this talk.

[HoustonRaven]

Sorry, I am calling bullshit on half of this. I never heard anything of Rex going over Billick's head. Now, four years later? Not buying a word of it.

Not sure I even believe the Ray stuff either.

The OP needs to produce some back up.

[Tyrian]

Not anymore than I do with the other 30 non-Raven HCs.