Sorry Grid. I can't do it. I have publicly given Rex all the credit in the world for being a good defensive planner, and maintaining the loyalty of his team. However its ALL the other skills that are mandatory for a HC that he is lacking that keep me from giving him any respect.
To my mind the MYTH of Rex Ryan casts a far bigger shadow than the reality. No question in my mind that he is a HOF self promoter. He might give the best press conferences since that other over rated blow hard, Bill Parcells. So to a certain degree Ryan could be called a media creation, and we see it playing out in the media since his firing.
His sycophants all want us to forget the last four years and continually blame all the Jets problems on his owner, GM's, and players. Four years of mediocrity and NONE of it was because of Rex Ryan. Teflon Rex is a a nickname he definitely has earned.
What's amazing to me that if you break down all the skilsl you'd like to see in a HC. Skills we see every day in our own. It remarkable how few he actually has and still be considered the hottest HC'ing prospect around Here are a list of just some problems he's CONSISTENTLY had
1. Game management - 6 years later and the Jets are STILL a hot mess on the sidelines on game day.
2. Personnel - The overall personnel of the Jets has dramatically deteriorated since he been HC. And don't give me that crap that he's had no power. Its amazing to me he's gotten a pass on this. After the 2nd AFCCG (and the Jets one really good team) Rex was the most powerful man in NY sports. No question he'd have a HUGE say in who is populating HIS team.......and it was after THAT year that the Jets roster started to go down hill
3. Awareness of your lockerroom - out of the man's own mouth. He had no idea what was going on in his locker room
4. Developing you coaching staff - Who among his coaching staff hasn't he thrown under the bus. The 2 best coaches from the "rex tree" where guys who ran screaming from the organization to get away from him (Pettine and Shottenheimer). With the Jets they were nothing more than scapegoats. Both leave NJ and a few years later, Pettine is a HC doing a decent job, and Shotty is a OC getting looks
5. Developing the players - coaching them up. Its hard to name a player on the Jets who they developed into a better player than when they came to them. Sure they have a lot of talented players, but who among them can you say is better that what they brought to the table on their own. Who have they "coached up". Mo Wilerson is about the only one I can think of who came into the league as a good player, and elevated his game into something beyond that. Just think back to the JAG who spent a couple of weeks with the Jets trying to find someone who would coach him. I'm afraid there is a lot more truth that hyperbole than Rex would like us to believe.
6. Creating an institutional message - Well if it was its ok to be an Ahole, then he succeeded. But if it was "do your job" or "ignore the noise"....not so much
So in summary, if you want a HC who will sell tickets and optimism based on personality and charisma on a short term basis, then Rex is you man. If you want to BUILD a team and organization that has a chance of long term success you are going to be VERY disappointed with Rex Ryan.
To Jet fans and many others as well, the epitome of Coaching ineptitude is Rich Kotite. Few remember that Kottite was a fairly successful NFL HC with the Eagles (something like 35-26) before coming to the Jets, where I think he won something like 4 games in 2 years, and cemented his legacy. I can easily see Rex coming to a similar fate where his 2nd bite at the apple won't be as successful as the first.....and the first was none too successful to begin with.
But I guess that's just my opinion, Grid. BTW good call on Rex's 3-2 start. You nailed it. A lot of us thought the same thing, but you put down in "print" You have given me the courage to make my prediction for Rex's future. If he's smart he'd go to TV. He's talented and you don't have to be that detail oriented, make other accountable, and lead an entire organization.