Gangrenous Football

This is Rex Ryan. He is a bully and a blowhard. He is also the coach of the New York Jets; one of two New York teams that have the arrogance to play all of their home games in New Jersey but somehow think 23 miles away is close enough. But that’s not my bitch herein. This is: Now that all of the brouhaha over the negotiations between owners and players, millionaires all, is done with and the teams are gathering for pre-season conditioning and practice despite a few un-wrapped up individual player contracts, the media posturing has begun.

The Jets are the worst and seem to encourage braggadocio and hyperbole (two of my favorite words) and therefore set an example for our “impressionable” youth that bragging and bullying and carrying concealed weapons is admirable. More than any other sport, “manliness” seems to be the criteria in football and butting your thick skull into someone who is defenseless, although ostensibly abhorred, is actually looked upon with favor (as long as this is not said out loud in front of someone capable of getting it into print). The very fact that Rex Ryan has become a head coach proves the point. 1. Bully. 2. Arrogant. 3. Loud mouth 4. Hypocrite.

This buys into what is perceived as the mindset of the “normal” football fan. Even though I like the idea that the normal football fan is more appreciative of some of the spectacular talent in the NFL; those guys who play the game with brilliance without the need for physical “cheating” to get ahead, but I’m afraid I’m being a bit naïve about this. Even some of the more gentle souls I know just can’t seem to get enough of an occasional train wreck on a football field.

Anyway, as Rex Ryan and the NY Jets gear up again with media headlines following them around with public relations words like “laden with expectations” and “teeming with enthusiasm” and “brimming with confidence,” while the underbelly of “bullying,” “swaggering,” “boastful” and “arrogant” more truthfully illustrate the reality.

I have four words for the Jets: Tom Brady - Peyton Manning. The Jets are known as “Gang Green” which is, of course, a play on the word “gangrene” but I’ve never really understood the application (since I associate it with rotting flesh) but, whatever, I really am looking forward to how they deal with teams that really do have winning schmaltz but don’t require any shrieking or howling to prove it.