World Cup, Ed O’Bannon, LeBron’s choice and more… While We’re Waiting
June 20, 2014WFNY World Cup Diary: Spain can finally breathe again
June 20, 2014Certain people always find a way to have their names in headlines, even when things are supposed to be slow. New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan is one of said people, his latest coming in the way of a few shots taken at former colleague and current Cleveland Browns head coach Mike Pettine.
Pettine was recently the subject of a well-written profilish piece written by Monday Morning QB’s Greg Bedard. (If you haven’t read it yet, I’m not sure what you’re waiting for.) Within the story, Pettine was quoted throughout, dropping all sorts of science—scheme, philosophy, the NFL Draft, you name it. But in a passage about his playbook and how he goes about educating his players, the rookie head coach dropped this gem:
“The initial playbook itself is actually quite thin, and that’s by design. I don’t put a lot of graduate-level information in it. We know in places like New England, it’s only a matter of time that they somehow mysteriously end up with our playbook.”
Pettine added that Ryan used to hand out his defensive playbooks “like candy,” and that they would always, somehow, find their way into the hands of Bill Belichick. Ryan, needless to say, was not too pleased with this nugget of information.
“Everyone needs to talk to Mike Pettine because he’s got all the answers,” said Ryan. “I don’t understand what he’s trying to gain by it. He needs to learn to be quiet.”
This take by Ryan was just the spark. The inferno would take place when a few thirsty media members added some fuel to the mix, calling Pettine names like “ultimate snitch,” and that he was the one to leak all information to the New York media during the Tebow-Sanchez season.
Taken in context with the entire story, it would appear that there was little in the way of malice with Pettine’s comments—he simply does not provide much in the way of depth when the roster is still at 90 players. There is little to gain on providing propriety information to individuals who may not be with the team come late-August. Could Pettine have chosen another team or simply spoke in generalities? Probably.
While it’s unclear as to the cause, Ryan claimed that his relationship with Pettine is “in a bad spot.” This mid-week barb isn’t likely to mend the fences any time soon.
22 Comments
Rex is really holding Mike’s Feet to the fire. Seems like Pettine was just dipping his toe into the matter.
Pettine isn’t one to toe the line.
Mike, you’re the HC of the BROWNS, now.
The AFC East is no longer your concern.
Two things: 1. Info from Nick Saban and To Brady suggest it’s true (so Pettine isn’t just randomly throwing wild speculation) and 2. Rex Ryan is pissed because he’s exposed as careless, and just plain moronic in light of the fact NE is a div rival and leading contender.
I gotta agree with Sexy Rexy on this one. What’s the point of smearing Ryan, Saban, and Coach Mumbles?
Perhaps Pettine just got a little too comfortable with the interview and just started musing without thought to the blow-back that would inevitably follow. A little too much “candidly” goin’ on here. Rookie mistake, I guess.
Pettine was just trying to get his foot in the door for a HC job and now Rex is acting like he stepped all over him in the process.
Cmon, it’s gotta be tempting to bait Rex into saying stupid things. It’s so easy and there’s not much to talk about in the NFL between now and the end of July.
Eh, when I read the Peter King article, it really came across as Rex didn’t care because it wasn’t going to help any opponents much as it was more player dependent than anything else and there was too much generalities in it to be of much use.
I have no problem with him coming out and saying “Rex Ryan is a careless idiot” in whatever veiled way he wants. If I was working for him, and my hard work was ending up in enemy hands due to Ryan’s hubris, I wouldn’t be too fond of him either.
Nevertheless, there’s no reason to denigrate the integrity of others. (Yeah, yeah, I know, Belichick has no integrity. But still . . .)
my take also. Every new HC has a learning curve, and the fans and FO have to deal with it. But given the history of dysfunction and instability in Berea, the new system and influx of new coaches and players, it is imperative that Pettine immediately minimize the distractions. It’s probably cool that reporters are so interested in him but this is the time to model laser focus on the quality of his own team’s product.
Leave the ridiculous comments to the idiot QB coach.
The Greg Bedard piece is an excellent piece of journalism. As a fan, I get being upset that about the drama that will undoubtedly result from the Ryan/Saban/Belichick story, but still… any journalist worth his salt prints that story. But beyond that, it is interesting to get an idea about the logistics behind coaching. Actual informative sports reporting!
Reading it, I sort of became sad that reporters in Cleveland have more access and more time with these guys and would rather predict Colt McCoy Super Bowl wins and write pages about how the Indians should draft Manziel too.
1.) Agree it might have been a rookie mistake
2.) It might have been those years working under Ryan rubbing off on him
3.) I actually love it. Distractions, drama, etc. I get that, but I miss the days of actual rivalries. I miss some swagger. I miss getting under people’s skin. I miss when when coaches said things in pressers. I miss the days of other fans hating our coaches/players rather than laughing at them.
I miss this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTpuCIT9rZg
1.) Agree it might have been a rookie mistake
2.) It might have been those years working under Ryan rubbing off on him
3.) I actually love it. Distractions, drama, etc. I get that, but I miss the days of actual rivalries. I miss some swagger. I miss getting under people’s skin. I miss when when coaches said things in pressers. I miss the days of other fans hating our coaches/players rather than laughing at them.
I miss this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTpuCIT9rZg
I’m not that old, but I remember a time when sports weren’t so bourgeoisie.
Ha haaaa! And Jerry Glanville always ripping on the visitors locker room at the old Stadium and complaining that they had to hang their clothes on a nail (not that the home locker room was much better). The good old days, eh?
Where is the Ryan quote from? Am I not seeing the link? And what about the source saying that he was leaking the Sanchez info? Confused!
Reading the Jets fans/media twitter responses, I love it all the more. And the general reaction from NFL fans without skin in the game is basically – “So Pettine told us that Ryan is an idiot, Saban is a snake, and Belichick is a cheat. How is this even a story?”
What a bunch of cry babies.
Jason Campbell is an elite QB!!!
Rex Ryan telling someone they need to learn to be quiet? Haha. Kettle, meet pot.