A few days ago, Rex Ryan stated that Darrelle Revis is going to be the best Jet of all time. Immediately, fans reacted with the whole "Shut up Rex!" routine, clamoring for a more mild-mannered coach. Why? Because coaches are not supposed to speak like that - we have never heard of such honesty in such a public profession.
Why don't we spprove of this kind of behavior? Because it is different - we, as a society, expect things to work a certain way. When you go to work or school every day, you expect your car to work or train to be on time. When things on't happen in the way we expect them, it is human nature to initially react in a negative way .
Players play. Coaches coach. When those coaches coach, they all must replicate every single coach before them because we have there apparently only one way to win in football - the way that has already been done.
Guess what. No one ever won a Super Bowl using a West Coast system before Bill Walsh. No one ever won a Super Bowl with an average QB until the Ravens did.
I guess there is a first time for everything.
Jets fans, let me ask you something: Have you enjoyed the past 40 years or losing and mediocrity? Would you prefer that? I'll tell you what, you want the Jets to be more introvert, just go back to Mangini's regime. What did that do? Eric was fired after three seasons. He made the playoffs once.
But hey, at least he was really bland and boring about it.
"So what? He puts too much pressure on his players!"
Let me tell you something - forget the fact that you play for Rex Ryan in New York City. If you don't put out good tape, as a player, you don't eat. Simple as that. Some guys get more time to prove themselves than others, but thats the way it works in the NFL and just about every job in America. If you don't meet your sales quota, soon enough you're out of a job. If Jim Leonhard or Bart Scott look a bit lazy on the field, after a while, they will be gone. I guarantee it. These guys have enough pressure on themselves to preform.
The same thing applies in coaching. let's make this clear - If Rex doesn't act the way he does, as himself, he will lose his job. Eric Mangini did not act like himself - he tried to be Bill Belichick. On the other hand, Jon Gruden didn't fake his personality. Neither did Tony Dungy, or Bill Belicheck. Could you imagaine Tony Dungy going out and making half the statements Rex does? No, because thats not what Tony is all about.
Let's compare two teams. One team has a young, franchise QB that has three winning season under his belt. The media loves this team - they have few weaknesses. Their coach usually has a solid gameplan and uses the strengths and weakness of his team. They got a high seed but lost their first Playoff game.
The other team has a QB that is, at times, horribly erratic, a coach that makes no attempt to hide his Super Bowl aspirations, has been caught crying to his players, flipping off rival fans, and massaging his wife's feet. His strengh coach was forced to resign after a game when the offensive coordinator's job was hanging by a thread. He signed a tailback that has not rushed for 1,000 yards in two years. He traded for a receiver that was a parking ticket away form a year suspension. Soon after, he had to make a decision on how long to bench his other receiver for his DUI.
If I told you team two would have a more sucessful season (in 2010 and 2009), you would probably think either a) I was lying or 2) thats a damn good coaching/management job for team two. Sure, you could argue that this unique style of coaching has led to all of these kinds of problems. But look at the final result.
Team 1 is the Falcons. Team 2 is the Jets.
It will still take time for the rest of the football world to accept Rex for who he is, and not always comparing his coaching style to other successful coaches. However, when Rex get his ring, I can guarantee you, the only people who are still going to be attacking Rex are those who are just jealous he isn't their coach.