Mike Tannenbaum On FootGate: 'A Personal Matter'
by Matt Birch on Dec 22, 2010 6:39 PM EST
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PrintYesterday, DeadSpin reported about the similarities between a woman who posts "foot fetish" videos on YouTube and Rex Ryan's wife, Michelle.
We chose not to link in to this article, because we wanted to give the Jets organization the chance to comment. They did just that, today. According to the NY Post, GM Mike Tannenbaum shined some light on the subject.
"(Owner) Woody Johnson and I have met with Rex," general manager Mike Tannenbaum said in the statement. "This is a personal matter, and he has our full support."
Background:
For the guys that missed the "FootGate" talk yesterday, I'll sum this up as best I can. Or, if you choose, read the article on DeadSpin (here).
DeadSpin reported about a woman who had the YouTube user ID, IHavePrettyFeet, that had a striking resemblance to Michelle Ryan. It really does look like her, FWIW. IHavePrettyFeet made a barrage of foot fetish videos, with the camera zooming in on her massaging her feet and things of that nature.
Furthermore, IhavePrettyFeet subscribed to a foot fetish dating site, and the location was listed as Ellicott City, Md., where Ryan used to reside when he was an assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens.
My Take:
This "issue" is exactly as Tannenbaum describes it -- a personal matter. It's none of our business.
Thanks a lot, Tiger Woods. You have now given media outlets the go-ahead to stalk and obsess over athletes' and coaches' personal lives. This is only going to get worse, and we could be looking at a future segueing away from what athletes do on the field, to what they do off the field. To me, that's ridiculous.
Sports journalism used to be about covering sports for the general public; it's now about "exposing" and "digging." I personally don't care about what these people do in their personal lives, as long as it doesn't affect the team. This clearly doesn't, and was probably first discovered by some lonely Patriots Or Giants fan. Maybe even fat Mike Francesa himself?
(UPDATE: It was actually a Bills fan, per DeadSpin's editor-in-chief, AJ Daulerio)
Until we hear something outlandish like cleats and digital cameras being stolen from the locker room, I think it's best to put this stupid "issue" to rest. What Rex chooses to do with his wife is none of our business, and we should respect that. Here at GGN, we are doing just that.
This team is 10-4, head coach Rex Ryan is doing a damn good job.
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The tape may be real, and it is harmless. I like my wife’s feet. She enjoys that fact and brags to her friends about how caring I am, when I massage them. Rex’s wife may have been bragging to the world when she posted the video. Maybe someone, a Pats or Fins fan, saw the resemblant to Rex’s wife and then posted a phony profile on Alt.com. You do not need an ID or credit card to post. The fact that the posting is still up means Rex does not know the password in order to delete it.
Stupidest topic for any media outlet...
Seriously, why was this even news. Not against you Matt, but against those that dug up and reported it in the first place. If it’s posted on youtube I would assume it’s not pornographic in nature meaning there is no moral issue. There was no crime committed. There is nothing there for this to waste bandwidth, paper, or airwaves to report on.
Yeah, that's why I/We chose to pass over it yesterday and not report about it
They call me Joe Benigno --- Mike Florio, even.
Pragmatic managing editor, telling it like it is at http://www.ganggreennation.com
I can guarantee you, this is the last you'll hear us talk about it. Putting it to rest after this post.
They call me Joe Benigno --- Mike Florio, even.
Pragmatic managing editor, telling it like it is at http://www.ganggreennation.com
It is stupid news, no question
But when the mainstream media picks up on it, a Jets blog has no choice but to at least acknowledge it, otherwise they’re doing a poor job of reporting (what is even distasteful and irrelevant) news. Glad you guys handled it the way you did, Matt – post it now to acknowledge it, and then we can all just move on.
"(BARF)" - Donovan McNabb, during his game winning drive against Virginia Tech in 1998
Yessir, that's the plan.
Spot on with what you said too, you’re exactly right.
They call me Joe Benigno --- Mike Florio, even.
Pragmatic managing editor, telling it like it is at http://www.ganggreennation.com
I hope this is the last we hear of it, but this is news if for no other reason than the potential distraction it is for the head coach.
My hat is off to Matt for his coverage.
Editor-In-Chief
Gang Green Nation
SB Nation's Jets Blog
http://www.ganggreennation.com
what i dont get about all this craziness is that i saw some twitter accounts from jet beat reporters quoting greg aiello that it’s “a personal matter” meaning that the nfl wont fine him. fine him!!!!!!!!!!! for liking his wifes feet?? what exactly did he do wrong? yes it’s strange but who cares? trigate i understand but the interest in this story frankly baffles me. why should rex have to answ questions about tis at his presser.
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
by dabu7 on Dec 22, 2010 8:50 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
+1111111111111
They call me Joe Benigno --- Mike Florio, even.
Pragmatic managing editor, telling it like it is at http://www.ganggreennation.com
Unfortunately, this is never going to go away. I feel bad for him. He just wants to coach and live his life, and some idiot decided to bust into his personal life.
+1
They call me Joe Benigno --- Mike Florio, even.
Pragmatic managing editor, telling it like it is at http://www.ganggreennation.com
While I agree that we should just leave him alone, it looks like it was him and his wife who put the things on Youtube
Nobody really busts into your personal life when you intentionally put it on the internet
by Stephen Schmidt on Dec 22, 2010 8:31 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
That is true…hopefully these videos were made before he became head coach. They must have stopped when he came to NY. Whatever, let the man enjoy his feet. More power to him.
by Goalvalchuk on Dec 23, 2010 12:24 AM EST up reply actions
Well, it's news because he and his wife published this online, publicly
I don’t care about what the hell people do in their private lives, and I agree that this has nothing to do with football. Personally, this is a non-story for me. However, and I posted this previously here, they put this stuff online, which was pretty stupid to do, especially when you’re kind of a public figure already (DC of the Ravens at the time, and the son of a legendary NFL coach).
It’ll blow over eventually, but for now, it is news only because the Ryans failed to heed a valuable internet lesson until it was too late – namely, whatever gets put out on the internet tends to stay there. When it’s something embarrassing or personal, it comes back to get you. It sucks, but the reality is that we DO live in a TMZ world. We all have to defend our privacy accordingly, because no one is going to do it for us.
"(BARF)" - Donovan McNabb, during his game winning drive against Virginia Tech in 1998
by kotite4ever on Dec 22, 2010 7:20 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
I'm glad the editors of this site have some sense
Its a stupid issue that needs not to take up any space on this site. It seems like there are some good blogs on this site about real issues affecting the Jets, and nobody responds. Some stupid issue like this and the trolls are out on the prowl. However, its not just the trolls. See a lot of so call fans with a lot to say about this issue. Yet when real football talk is present, you see where people intelligence is really at.
case in point look at dabu7 post about "What Should the Jets Do This Off-season?"
Then look at the stupid post under it. Which one is the most intelligent topic,and which one got the most responses. I know some of you guys were just responding to the trolls, but it kills me that such a stupid topic can get so many responses.
I will say that the one reason I didn't post on the offseason one was...
…that I can’t even THINK about the offseason yet. I’m too “in the moment” right now to think ahead. Speaking for myself, I posted on the other one to try and be reasonable, because I had a feeling there were about to be a TON of unreasonable (and trollish) posts on the way.
"(BARF)" - Donovan McNabb, during his game winning drive against Virginia Tech in 1998
In all fairness, people are reacting to this
the same way many including many here to Tom Brady’s endorsement of Uggs. I mean the fact that people think the league would possibly do anything in this matter is just Jets haters wishful thinking. But the point being let haters hate, I think it’s personal but it’s also pretty funny. Heck, they did post it on Youtube, right? So I’m sure they are kicking themselves that it popped up but probably got a laugh out of it as well.
craig carton had a great pt today on the fan. he said rex should show up to the presser barefoot sort of like when he dressed up like rob ryan. now that wouldve been hilarious :)
metsjetsknicksrangers.............can it get any worse?
It would be but...
I don’t know Rex personally, but he seems to love his wife and I’m sure the reason he’s not gonna make too much light of it if she gets dragged through this.
First Tripgate, now Footgate
This is none of our business as IT IS a personal matter. However, having said that, the mere fact these were videotaped acts and posted on YouTube, they’ve put “personal matters” into the public domain and are now rightly subjected to public scrutiny.
Footgate? For real?
Look, in the first place appending “gate” to every scandal got old like 30 years ago. But secondly… doesn’t that get applied to SCANDALS?
In what way is it scandalous to have some weird kinks with your wife? If Rex was recording the feet of high school girls, okay… we have a problem. He isn’t though. Frankly, there’s nothing even really embarrassing about this (except that it’s simply TMI for me, and not because it’s about feet but because I’m pretty much universally disinterested in the sex lives of others). There are plenty of things in my life I’d comment “it’s personal” that I am not ashamed of in any way but they’re simply not any of the public’s damn business.
I find this whole business disgusting really. The fact that this is even news is what’s really depressing and it doesn’t reflect well on our society at all. Man. The more I think about this the more it pisses me off.
gotcha media at its finest
Only problem is nobody got anything. At the center of this “controversy” is a story about a man that loves his wife.
by Crackback on Dec 22, 2010 10:46 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Screw it, take our lumps and move on
Once you put your business on the internet, it’s no longer private. It’s news. The more famous you are, the bigger the news it is. And as embarrassing as it may turn out, it really isn’t anyone’s fault but Ryan’s. For the Jets (and GGN) to decide what is private or not stopped the second he or his wife hit “upload” on whatever site they posted it on.
Many don’t like it, I certainly don’t. ( I had no idea how many jokes they could come up with) .
Nope, sorry, but this story has to run it’s course. And it will. (and quickly I hope) Let’s just take our lumps and let it die down eventually. Maybe a Super Bowl ring will cure it?
I look at it this way...
At least the “story” distracted the press from the season-long, Truman-like, media obsession of Tom Brady’s hair. The downside of 24/7/365 “news”.
Keep the faith!
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