I remember being in college and desperately wanting a chance to write somewhere … anywhere. Generally, that led to frustration.
Hence, I decided to invite college journalists here to debate me on random subjects. I’ll run these from time to time, when I’m feeling particularly funky. Today, Vince Pitrone, an excellent University of Pittsburgh at Bradford student, and I debate whether Rex Ryan should remain as the Jets coach ….
Vince Pitrone on Firing Rex Ryan
Rex Ryan has failed the Jets team and the Jets fan base the past two seasons, and should be fired.
After reaching the AFC title game two years in a row, Rex and the Jets have underachieved the past two seasons and are becoming the laughing stock of the league—and it all comes down to Rex and his coaching staff not doing a good job coaching a team with enough talent to be better than it is.
The Jets’ offense has been stagnant, at best. In my opinion, no one really knows what is going on, and as head coach, Rex is to blame. He even looks lost sometimes. This was never more obvious than during the game against the Patriots, when Mark Sanchez ran into the butt of his own lineman and fumbled the ball. It was then picked up by the Patriots, and returned it for a touchdown (on a play that Tim Tebow should have been running). By the way, the constant switching of quarterbacks and use of the wildly unsuccessful “Wildcat” throughout the course of season definitely hasn’t helped the Jets either.
There is a total lack of unity on defense that has impacted the entire locker room, which Ryan hasn’t had control over for the past two seasons. Throughout Rex’s time in New York, there have been good times and bad times. As of late the bad has out weighed the good, and this team is moving in the wrong direction.
It’s time for a change in New York, and though it is not all his fault, Rex should be the first to go.
Jeff Pearlman on Keeping Rex Ryan
I’ve been a fan of the New York Jets significantly longer than Vince Pitrone has been alive.
Craps, I’ve lived through the drafting of Lam Jones; Richard Todd’s five interceptions against Miami; Ken O’Brien over Dan Marino; Blair Thomas over Emmitt Smith; Al Toon’s concussions; Rich Kotite’s ineptitude … on and on and on and on. To be blunt, being a Jet loyalist sucks, because the team always, always, always, always finds a way to fuck things up. Always.
Hence, I vote for keeping Rex Ryan.
Is he a good head coach? Lord, no. The Jets lack offensive rhyme, defensive rhythm and any remote morsel of discipline. Save for Mike Ditka and, perhaps, Terrell Owens, I can’t think of a bigger NFL buffoon than Ryan. Really, I can’t. And yet … what difference does it make? The Jets will lose with John Gruden, they’ll lose with Bill Cowher, they’ll lose with Brian Billick and they’ll lose with the ghost of Bill Walsh. They’ll always lose, because that’s what the Jets do.
So, if the franchise is predisposed to failure, why not let Ryan stick around and entertain us with fruitless guarantees and inane proclamations and foot fetishes?
Do you have anything better to do?
