"Sounding Off"

Three cheers for Rex Ryan. And three jeers for the first news outlet to cite the cliché “The Bigger They Come, The Harder They Fall” as both literal and figurative in regard to Ryan.

For some strange reason, contributors to major media outlets -- specifically ESPN and Associated Press -- have made public a negative bias toward the Jets. This past week, celebrated ESPN staff writer Rick Reilly published a piece which ended in Reilly asking Rex Ryan to “hand over the lighter fluid”, alluding to Ryan’s previous statement that Reilly can either wear the Jets’ jersey or burn it. On “NFL Live” this past Sunday, after the Steelers defeated the Jets 24-19, Chris Berman alluded to the fact the Jets did NOT get to the Super Bowl, as they said they would, before he mentioned the final score of the game.

Much of the hate is directed toward Ryan in response to his “brash” antics. Many of the old-school guys who “know the game” think Ryan distasteful.

But what do they really know?

They should know that Ryan’s playoff record in two seasons as Jets coach is 4-2, with all four wins coming on the road, the past two against arguably the greatest QB of all time as well as this year’s unanimous MVP favorite. They should know that Ryan’s winning percentage in the regular season is above .600. They should know that in order to make a franchise winner you have to first make the franchise believe it’s a winner, and to create a winning attitude in a losing environment you need to be every bit over the top.

No one disputes the fact that Ryan’s players would run through a brick wall for him; it is often the first thing they say when asked a question about their coach, and their play on the field confirms that claim. Rex Ryan has resurrected a franchise thought to be beyond repair and deserves the utmost credit for doing so. His tactics can be criticized ad nauseum, but at the end of the day Ryan gets the one thing that matters: Results.

If Ryan were to win the next two Super Bowls, would Ryan’s detractors in the press flip-flop their view of him the way they did with…..

Michael Vick?

It was hard to follow the NFL this past year and not hear media outlets talk about how Vick is a “smarter” quarterback now, and how they knew all along Vick had the ability to again rule the NFL. It was hard to follow the NFL in 2007 and not hear many of those same voices dismiss Vick as no more than a warning tale for youths of a professional athlete gone wrong. Heck, this past December, Fox News pundit Tucker Carlson recommended Vick be executed for his abuse of dogs.

I wonder if Vick sees a few familiar faces when he sits in the post game press conference and listens to questions about his greatness. No matter the stance on Michael Vick the person, he is no doubt a captivating figure who is back where he belongs, in the spotlight.