Rex Ryan Says Jets Are Kings Of NYC In New Pretty Memoir
CBS
Last week, we joked that with the NFL in lockdown mode, we were surprised that Rex Ryan hadn't dropped a vanity CD with some makin' whoopee jams. And while he still hasn't done that, he has been keeping himself occupied with side projects: this Tuesday, Ryan is releasing a book, "Play Like You Mean It." It's a quixotic coming-of-age tale about a bookish whippersnapper at a university filled with phonies about football. But it does have oodles of that unique Ryan wit: "I really don't know Tom Brady, but who wouldn't hate him? Look at his life. Actually, look at his wife [supermodel Gisele Bundchen]. Every man in America hates Tom Brady, and he should be proud of that."
Ryan stoked the flames of rivalry between the Jets and Giants in the autobiography, boasting that the Jets would be the dominant team for the next decade: "When people ask me what it's like to share New York with the Giants, my response is always, I am not sharing it with them—they're sharing it with me. I know it's going to piss off every Giants fan to hear this, but here you go: I really don't care. We came to New York City to be the best team in the NFL, not just the best team in New York City. And I have news for you: We are the better team. We're the big brother."
On former Jets safety Kerry Rhodes, he wrote, "He wouldn't work, and he was a Hollywood type, flashy and needing attention. I don't mind flashy, but your work ethic had better back it up." And on Vernon Gholston, the Jets' No. 6 overall pick in 2008 who was cut in March, he wrote, "Truth be told, I didn't like the kid coming out of college. He's a good athlete and a smart guy, but I thought he was a phony."
Ryan also mentioned that Patriot Wes Welker apologized to him and his wife at the Pro Bowl for making 11 mentions of feet in a press conference earlier this year. Otherwise, he didn't make any other mention of the ihaveprettyfeet scandal.
Despite a Judge's decision that the owners were wrong and the lockdown should end, the NFL is still battling with players over the labor dispute which threatens to cancel (or at least delay) next season. Besides the book, Ryan had at least one other extracurricular activity during the break: he and Gets GM Mike Tannenbaum filmed a scene for CSI: New York. The cameo, which will be on this Friday's episode, includes a reference to Ryan's iconic snack speech from last summer's Hard Knocks. Watch Ryan and Sinise below:
Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By the way, I think you have a typo in the post title, you should take the "r" out of "pretty".
theevilerone
This is what makes Rex Ryan awesome.
ktinnyc
With the lockout Rex has to stick his toes in the water to explore other revenue streams.
JMH
"We came to New York City to be the best team in the NFL, not just the best team in New York City. And I have news for you: We are the better team. We're the big brother."
LOL... you mean other than the fact that you haven't actually won anything?
I don't know about that. I never used to hate the Jets, but I do now. After Hard Knocks a bunch of friends who maintained they're "fans of both teams" decided they were huge Jets fans, bought jerseys, started watching every game, reminiscing about Vinny Testaverde and Wayne Cherbet as if they were around to see it. I saw this kind of behavior out of a bunch of other people, too. It was pretty sickening, especially since they're Mets fans, too, so their little brother complex comes out every time I talk baseball with them (I'm a Yankee fan, and, apparently, a dumbass).
schmeep
Sounds like you should hate your friends, not the Jets.
Well, that, too, though, they weren't the only people doing that. I saw a pretty gigantic increase in Jets paraphernalia during last season from people who used to be football apathetic.
I really do hate the Jets, though. They are New York's JV team, and Ryan continues to prove it opening his mouth every time he's given a chance.
TimSPC
There is no Giants and Jets rivalry. Stop trying to create one. The Giants hate the Cowboys, Redskins and Eagles. The Jets hate the Patriots and Dolphins.
Use an RSS reader to stay up to date with the latest news and posts from Gothamist.
Want Gothamist's suggestions on what shows to check out, where to eat, what to buy, where to go for a quick trip? We'll be bringing you some exclusive tips and ideas via email every day! And don't worry—you'll still get a list of our top stories.
Sign up for Gothamist Daily, which will deliver useful tips—plus Gothamist's most popular stories—to your inbox at 11 a.m. This way, you'll be able to plan your week or month as well as catch up on Gothamist if you've stepped away.