Rex Ryan's Book

[the burgundy and gold]

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=6432554

It's vintage Rex Ryan, defiant, opinionated and ****y -- on paper, not in a sound bite.

In his soon-to-be-released book, the outspoken Ryan retraces his first two seasons as the New York Jets' coach, blasting Kerry Rhodes and other former Jets, tweaking Tom Brady (again) and predicting a decade of dominance over the cross-town rival Giants.

Ryan also reveals that he tried to talk Brett Favre out of retirement and how "incredibly disappointed" he was that Tony Dungy called him out last summer for his cursing on the HBO reality series, "Hard Knocks."Ryan said "it really upset me" to be publicly criticized by the former coach. Ryan said he was "incredibly disappointed that he judged me the way he did," mostly because of Dungy's references to his father, Buddy.

"To say comments like, 'He grew up with that' and 'He gets it from his father' -- well, you know what? You're darn right I do, and I'm awful proud of that," said Ryan, adding that he later had a "great" meeting with Dungy to clear the air.

The book, entitled "Play Like You Mean It," written with Don Yeager, also highlights Ryan's unusual management style. In one anecdote, Ryan tells how he enlisted the help of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to help him forge a bond with troubled wide receiver Santonio Holmes.

There are no bombshell revelations in the book, due to be released next week, but Ryan slams some of his old players, Rhodes in particular.

"He was a selfish-ass guy," Ryan says of the veteran safety, who was traded to the Arizona Cardinals last offseason. "He wouldn't work and he was a Hollywood type, flashing and needing attention."

Ryan also manages to tweak Vernon Gholston, the draft bust who was released after three disappointing seasons. Ryan was a Baltimore Ravens assistant when the Jets drafted Gholtson, but he says he warned then-coach Eric Mangini not to pick him.

"Truth be told, I didn't like the kid coming out of college," says Ryan, claiming he did his best to coach Gholston once he came to the Jets in 2009. "He's a good athlete and a smart guy, but I thought he was a phony."

He dedicates a chapter to last season, entitled "2010 ... A Wild Ride," and discusses several things that made news on and off the field, such as the Ines Sainz incident -- "It shook me up beyond belief" -- and when a coach tripped a Miami Dolphins player on the sideline.

"I'm telling you right now, I had no idea about it," he wrote. "Mike Westhoff, our special-teams coach, had no idea about it. I promise you that. I'd happily take a lie-detector test to prove it."

Ryan also singles out former Jets Eric Barton and Chris Baker for being "negative guys," the reason why he let them go. Actually, Barton left as a free agent shortly after Ryan arrived.

Ryan also believes that the Jets, two-time AFC finalists, have emerged from the Giants' shadow.

"When people ask me what it's like to share New York with the Giants, my response is always, I am not sharing it with them -- they're sharing it with me," Ryan says, adding, "I know it's going to piss off every Giants fan to hear this, but here you go: We are the better team. We are the big brother."

He doesn't stop there, claiming the Jets are "going to remain the better team for the next 10 years. Whether you like it or not, those are the facts and that's what's going to happen."

Ryan, of course, can't resist a shot at one of his favorite targets, Brady. Responding to Brady's famous quote that he "hates" the Jets, Ryan says the New England Patriots' star is equally despised.

"I really don't know Tom Brady, but who wouldn't hate him?" Ryan said. "Look at his life. Actually, look at his wife. Every man in America hates Tom Brady, and he should be proud of that."

Ryan threw some respect to one of Brady's teammates, Wes Welker, who created headlines during the run-up to last season's playoff game by making foot jokes -- a not-so-subtle shot at Ryan and his wife. Ryan said he bumped into Welker at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii, adding that Welker apologized to him and his wife.

"He came up to me and said, 'That was an unbelievable coaching job. You deserve it and I hope you win the whole thing.' He really said that," Ryan wrote. "And I could tell he was sincere."

Ryan thanks several people in the acknowledgments, from Jets owner Woody Johnson to the fans, signing off with: "We've got a championship coming, and I can't wait to celebrate with you!"

Another classy article regarding Rex Ryan

[SonOfWashington]

Oh, is this not a thread on Rex Ryan's favorite book?

[HailGreen28]

I like a coach who talks like that, as long as he can back it up.

[Hitman21ST]

I like a coach who talks like that, as long as he can back it up.

But by claiming the Jets are the "Big Brother" in New York, that's just putting his -ahem- foot in his mouth again. The Giants have the most recent Lombardis, and until the Jets can bring home another Lombardi, I file this under "the Jets will win the Super Bowl, guaranteed" hyperbole.

[TonyRomoProBowl]

But by claiming the Jets are the "Big Brother" in New York, that's just putting his -ahem- foot in his mouth again. The Giants have the most recent Lombardis, and until the Jets can bring home another Lombardi, I file this under "the Jets will win the Super Bowl, guaranteed" hyperbole.

exactly....he is way off base on that. Anyone that knows football knows that the Giants are KING in NY. IO like Rex and his X's and O's knowledge of this game.....and I think the man has an enormous amount of football knowledge up inside his skull....but he can really go out there and say things that are just crazy....this being one of em.......

[sideshow24]

So he got offended because Dungy made an accurate statement? He is just an idiot attention whore who puts chips on his own shoulder and then blames it on other people.

[spjunkies]

I bet this guy gets fired within 3 years. I don't see the Jets ever getting over that hurdle.

[Tweedr01]

I bet this guy gets fired within 3 years. I don't see the Jets ever getting over that hurdle.

wait wait wait...do you mean the AFC championship hurdle? you must think we need to fire shanahan too because we will be lucky to get to that hurdle in his first two years.

[spjunkies]

wait wait wait...do you mean the AFC championship hurdle? you must think we need to fire shanahan too because we will be lucky to get to that hurdle in his first two years.

Please, that team has much more talent than the Skins. Rex Ryan is all talk just like his daddy.

[Tweedr01]

Please, that team has much more talent than the Skins. Rex Ryan is all talk just like his daddy.

not disagreeing there, and not a buddy ryan fan by any means, but i think it would be a nice problem to have if the only hurdle is the AFC championship. he tells it like it is, whats wrong with that?

[ouvan59]

not disagreeing there, and not a buddy ryan fan by any means, but i think it would be a nice problem to have if the only hurdle is the AFC championship. he tells it like it is, whats wrong with that?

I don't think he was saying he was going to be fired because he didn't win the AFC Championship. I think he was saying that his mouth is going to get him fired. His brash talk is fine and dandy when you are winning but if he puts together a couple of mediocre years he may not have the good will built up to get him through the firestorms he creates.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Rex Ryan's Book-

How to be an ubber dick in my own words without so much as actually backing it up with those ring thingies.

That the one?

Hail.

[spjunkies]

I don't think he was saying he was going to be fired because he didn't win the AFC Championship. I think he was saying that his mouth is going to get him fired. His brash talk is fine and dandy when you are winning but if he puts together a couple of mediocre years he may not have the good will built up to get him through the firestorms he creates.

That's pretty much it. His mouth writes a lot of checks and I just don't see him being able to cash them.

[BillyKilmer]

The checks his mouth writes his players end having to cash. Smack talk is fine as long as they win, but let the losses start to pile up and this stuff will be fodder for everyone.

[Tweedr01]

That's pretty much it. His mouth writes a lot of checks and I just don't see him being able to cash them.

ok I can agree with that, if he keeps up the talk and his teams fire starts to go out...so will he

[HailGreen28]

But by claiming the Jets are the "Big Brother" in New York, that's just putting his -ahem- foot in his mouth again. The Giants have the most recent Lombardis, and until the Jets can bring home another Lombardi, I file this under "the Jets will win the Super Bowl, guaranteed" hyperbole.

We'll see. And things might turn out where you're right. But I think the Jets have gotten farther in the playoffs recently. And Rex is trying to stir up his fanbase, trying to end the city's domination by a rival, so I don't think the "big brother" talk is out of line. He'll either succeed or fail spectacularly. From my vantage point, that's good entertainment.

And I loved the banter between Rex and Belichick last season.

[Hitman21ST]

We'll see. And things might turn out where you're right. But I think the Jets have gotten farther in the playoffs recently. And Rex is trying to stir up his fanbase, trying to end the city's domination by a rival, so I don't think the "big brother" talk is out of line. He'll either succeed or fail spectacularly. From my vantage point, that's good entertainment.

And I loved the banter between Rex and Belichick last season.

Stirring things up is fine. Say you "will be" the big brother, not "we are" when they're clearly not. Until they bring home a championship, they're not the "big brother"