Rex in midseason form
New York Jets football coach Rex Ryan is interviewed about his new book "Play Like You Mean It." in New York. (May 2, 2011) Credit: AP
It may only be the preseason, but Rex Ryan's mouth is getting into full swing.
If you thought the lengthy NFL lockout had tempered the Jets coach's boastful ways or given him a new perspective on things -- think again.
During a conference call with reporters Thursday night, Ryan stood firm when asked if he still believes the Jets are now the Giants' "big brother" and destined to be the better team over the next decade.
"I guess we get to find out on Christmas Eve," the coach said.
Ryan covered a myriad of topics in his book, "Play Like You Mean It," including the Jets-Giants rivalry. In it, he wrote: "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 are sharing it with me. Some people like to say the Giants are the big brother team and the Jets are the little brother team. I know it's going to [tick] off every Giants fan to hear this, but here you go: I really don't care."
And he didn't care to change his tune Thursday.
"I'm not backing down from one comment," Ryan said. "I believe we are the best team in New York. My goal is to be the best team in the National Football League, not just in New York. And I'm not backing down one bit from that statement. I believe that'll be the case."
Giants defensive end Justin Tuck unwittingly created a stir Wednesday when he said: "I'm glad that MetLife came forward and sponsored it and all that, but to me it'll always be Giants Stadium."
Santonio Holmes responded within a matter of hours, saying: "It's the Meadowlands, the home of the New York Jets. That's all I have to say about that."
And naturally, Ryan couldn't resist taking a verbal shot at Tuck.
"Well, he can think all he wants but I think of it as MetLife Stadium and it's the home of the New York Jets," the coach said. "I guess he can think of it that way. He'll probably be one of the only guys to think of it that way."
Brunell ruled out. Backup QB Mark Brunell (calf), G Trevor Canfield (knee) and TE Jeff Cumberland (hamstring) did not practice Thursday and will be held out of Saturday's game. Ryan said he's not concerned with Brunell's limited preseason snaps due to injury. "I probably would have been much more concerned had he not been with us last year," he said. "But the fact that this offense is not new to him now I feel OK about that."
