Despite SB Nation's Andrew Sharp calling Rex Ryan the third coolest person in professional football earlier this year, it's likely most NFL fans view the spawn of former-Eagles coach Buddy Ryan in the exact way he presents himself: As a blowhard clown.
Now, I think one of the reasons some people endear themselves to Rex is that he seems self-aware that he is a blowhard clown. And, perhaps, to Andrew is that 'cool.'
The problem with this is that Rex is the head coach of a multi-gazillion dollar football team that plays in New York... excuse me, New Jersey... and acting like a blowhard clown in the world's largest media market is really just a fast, cheap way of getting unnecessary attention for doing things other winning football games, which is (for me personally) the only reason anyone should ever pay attention to a coach when he says anything.
If you like a coach because he curses, or because he eats field grass before a game, or because he makes funny pop culture references over someone who, say, was the first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl, acts as a life mentor for the reformed Michael Vick, is widely regarded as possibly the best coach of his generation, and is an international bestselling author, then that might suggest your taste in people's character is a tad shallow.
But hey, that's Andrew's opinion, and it's cool. Andrew also thought the flashy, non-playoff bound Chris Johnson should have won the league MVP last year (even though Peyton Manning won it running away). Maybe he also thinks Furry Vengeance is an unappreciated movie for it's time even though everyone and their grandmother trashed the flick as a hackish POS.
Me personally, I think Rex Ryan is a loudmouthed buffoon who gets a lot of attention despite never actually accomplishing anything worthy of such attention. To me, that sh*t ain't 'cool.' I mean, Ron Meeks won two Super Bowl rings as an assistant in Dallas and Indy. Why isn't he on the cool list? He's certainly accomplished more than Rex. Is it because he isn't throwing F bombs left and right, or eating the neighborhood Shoney's out of business during the Sunday morning breakfast buffet, as Rex does?
That silly Midwestern upbringing I got (which was similar to the one Tony Dungy experienced) taught me that your actions defined you more than the words you speak. Maybe Andrew has a different set of 'values' and tastes. He is a Cowboys fan after all, and big talk with little action pretty much define that franchise and its fanbase.
But, again, people's tastes are what they are, and in the end it's all cool. I've met Andrew a few times and he's always been nice to me in person, unlike many other Cowboys fans I've met in the flesh. And just to show that I am not, by any means, saying my 'values' and 'tastes' are superior to Andrew's, I'll admit to the worldwide Internets audience that I, BBS, have a place in my heart for early-90s Duran Duran songs.
The video with the redhead under water? The random fish aquarium shots? Yeah, that admission will probably keep me off any 'cool' list for the rest of my days. I'm fairly certain Andrew's taste in music is much cooler than mine.
Anyway, back to Rex Ryan, the supposedly 'third coolest' person is pro football is now barking that beating Peyton Manning and the Colts in the playoffs has gotten 'personal,' which I suppose is Rex's way of saying that he 'personally' is insulted that Peyton Manning is not allowing Rex's overly-hyped reputation to intimidate him into losing football games.
From Rex, via ESPN New York:
"Is it personal? Yes, it's personal," Ryan said Monday, looking ahead to the AFC wild-card game Saturday night in Indianapolis. "It's personal against him, Reggie Wayne, all those guys, yeah. [Dwight] Freeney and [Robert] Mathis and those other dudes? Absolutely."
This past Sunday night, one of Andrew Sharp's 'most annoying humans in pro football' Tony Dungy, made a coach's observation about why Rex Ryan keeps getting his ass handed to him by Peyton Manning and the Colts. This observation was prompted by NBC Football Night In America's Dan Patrick who asked Dungy about how to defend against Manning. Dungy's take:
"I don't think you can beat Peyton Manning with a defense that's just trying to fool you," said Dungy.
A pretty accurate assessment from someone who knows a thing or two about defensive football, especially when you compare his resume to, say, Rex Ryan's.
Dungy:
- Rebuilt defense in Minnesota as defensive coordinator
- Rebuilt entire Buccaneers franchise, creating one of the fiercest defenses of the 1990s
- Won Super Bowl with Indianapolis Colts
- Retired with 139 wins, six division titles (with two teams), and a 68% winning percentage
Ryan:
- Took over already great Ravens defense coached up by Mike Nolan and Marvin Lewis
- Coached a couple of seasons with the Jets
- Is Fat
- Talks a lot
- Likes videos of his wife's feet
But, despite Dungy's credentials, Cool Hand Rex thinks the opinion of a future Hall of Fame coach is nothing more than the mad ramblings of an out-of-touch media hack who knows nothing about playing football:
"When you get out there [in the media], you've got all the answers, but you don't have to play anymore. I respect everybody's opinions, but the only one I care about is my own."
Just so everyone knows, the extent of Rex's 'playing career' was exclusive to Southwestern Oklahoma State University in the hotbed known ad Weatherford, Oklahoma. He played defensive end alongside his twin bother, Rob Ryan. After what I am sure was a stellar collegiate career, Rex got into coaching probably because his father (another over-rated, loud-mouthed blowhard who never won anything) got him a job.
Contrast this with Dungy who played quarterback in the Big Ten at Minnesota before landing on the roster for two seasons with Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s. In 1978, he won a ring as a player, leading the Steelers in interceptions that year. This was, of course, before Dungy had that, you know, Hall of Fame coaching career and all.
But hey Rex, don't you concern yourself with the opinions of great coaches like Tony Dungy. You're 'cool.' He isn't. You go on thinking your own opinion is the best one around. We all know the record (0-4 against Manning and Colts) clearly speaks for itself.