He's gggggggreat!

I was listening to a radio interview with Jets coach Rex Ryan the other day. He was talking about how he thinks this is the best Jets team he's had. Listening to him roar I started thinking about who he reminded me of. Something sounded so familiar. Then Ryan said "I know I'm a great coach. It's hard for me to look at myself as not being successful. I don't even see (being fired) as a possibility."

Then it hit me. Rex Ryan is Tony the Tiger. Always walking around roaring "They're ggggreat!" Only in Rex's case it's "I'm gggggreat!" Ryan's gut may haven't gotten a lot smaller (good for him). I can't call him Mt. Ryan anymore (bad for me). He's now Skinny Rex. His gut is smaller. But his mouth sure isn't.

The verdict is still very much out in whether Ryan is a great coach or not. The jury is still very much out on if he is a good motivator. A great defensive coach. Yes. But a great coach? The thing about great coaches is that they don't have to tell you they are. The great coaches in my football watching lifetime -- Noll, Shula, Landry, Cowher, Johnson, Walsh, Belichick -- never talked about themselves. Only about their team. And they didn't even talk about their team all that much. Ryan has done more talking in just more than three years in Gotham than all those hall of fame coaches combined. Great coach? No. Great mouth? Oh ya.

Ryan isn't worried about his job? Hmmmm. His Jets have gone 9-7, 10-6 and last year disintegrated into an ugly 8-8 and out of the playoffs. Most coaches would realize they are on the hot seat. If the Jets miss the playoffs again, all the bravado and boasting in the world won't be able to save Skinny Rex. Four years is a long time in the NFL without results. Too long.

Ryan said during the offseason that he was going to talk less. He just can't help himself. And whether you are a Jets fan or not, that's what makes him so fun.

Keep talking Rex. Keep talking.

You're ggggggreat!