You'll remember that last week, Dolphins inside linebacker Channing Crowder openly spoke about new Jets head coach Rex Ryan and his continuous string of obnoxious remarks. Said Crowder:
"Oh, he's going crazy. He's going absolutely nuts. I know it's his first chance to be a head coach, and I know he's excited about life. But, like I said, I've never played a football game in June in my whole life. So congratulations to him. He's the OTA, the OTA Super Bowl winner."
Well, Ryan wasted no time firing back. Following a minicamp practice today, Rex brought up Channing's comments before anyone even asked, saying:
"I don’t know this Channing Crowder. All I know is that he’s all tatted up. He’s right about one thing. I’m a first-time head coach, but I’ve been around the game all my life. I'm no different than I’ver ever been, just that more people are listening."
Crowder's "all tatted up"? What does this have to do with anything? I'm pretty sure Ryan's buddy in Baltimore - Ray Lewis - also has some tattoos. Oh - and he "may have" been involved in a murder. But Ryan seemed fond of him. Of course, he had every reason to be - Lewis basically made Rex Ryan's career and got him the job he now has.
But how have other former Raven coordinators fared once they left Baltimore? Do the names "Mike Nolan" and "Marvin Lewis" mean anything to you?
All this is amusing - I have to admit it. But I will definitely say that I don't think head coaches should be calling out players and running their mouths the way players do. That's what makes what Rex Ryan is doing that much more obnoxious and arrogant. Give me Tony Sparano's "when we win, we're humble" philosophy any day over Ryan's "I haven't proven crap but I'm going to run my mouth anyway" philosophy.
[Update 4:06 pm] I found this one extra little quote from Rex Ryan about Crowder:
"If I was younger, I'd handle him myself."
Somewhere in South Florida, Channing is laughing his ass off. I've never seen a head coach as ridiculous as Rex Ryan is already. I wonder how much yapping he's going to do once he realizes he doesn't have Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and company out there on defense.
Seriously - what a complete turd!