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New Jersey – Rex Ryan appeared on ESPN Radio today on “The Michael Kay Show.”
You have to feel for him a little. He’s being put in very difficult interview spots.
If I were him, I’d want to do as little media as possible right now, and I will get to that in a minute.
Obviously, he was asked by Kay about the future of Darrelle Revis.
“I’ve never had one conversation with anybody about trading any of our players,” Ryan said. “That’s got to obviously go through John [Idzik]. But I will say this — I believe that the Jets, I know and I’ve always said it, we’re not actively looking to trade Darrelle. Wherever this is coming from, I don’t believe it’s coming from the New York Jets. Does that mean he’s going to be traded or not? Hey, that’s just speculation.”
Wow was that quote loaded with spin and double-talk.
I’m telling you, if I were running the Jets, I would say “no” to all interview requests for Rex (or anybody) right now.
The interviews at the combine and league meetings, that is a different matter. Those are league events, and some of those interviews are mandatory.
But that is where they should draw the line. Lay low, and say no. Who cares if ESPN Radio is your flagship station – you owe them nothing this time of year. Say no.
Just look at that answer above. There is so much tap-dancing going on, you would think Ben Vereen was answering the question.
That first sentence made little sense.
“I’ve never had one conversation with anybody about trading any of our players,” Ryan said.
That answer was ridiculous. It was pure semantics. I think Rex even realized it after he said it. Of course he didn’t discuss a trade with anyone; that isn’t his job.
“That’s got to obviously go through John [Idzik],” Ryan said.
So that wasn’t exactly a convincing argument that the team isn’t talking to other clubs.
“But I will say this — I believe that the Jets, I know and I’ve always said it, we’re not actively looking to trade Darrelle,” Ryan said.
Once again this is pure semantics. The operative word here is “actively.”
I just looked up the definition of the word “actively.” Freedictionary.com defined the word this way – “marked by energetic activity; busy.”
Okay, so they aren’t “actively” shopping Revis, but clearly they have had some discussions with teams, with Tampa Bay at the forefront.
And that is okay.
So they aren’t “actively” shopping him; they are “casually” shopping him.
“Wherever this is coming from, I don’t believe it’s coming from the New York Jets,” Ryan said.
He’s right – this isn’t coming from the Jets. There is a gag order in the building. After last year’s leak-fest, Woody Johnson, Neil Glat and company have read the riot act to everyone in the building – “shut up,” and the staff is listening, fearing for their jobs.
The original Revis trade rumors came from GM candidates (who didn’t get the job) who leaked some of the talking points from their interviews. All Woody said in the interviews, to some of the candidates, was that the team had to decide what to do about Revis in the future with his contract ending after this year. It was innocent enough, but it’s turned into a mountain.
“Does that mean he’s going to be traded or not? Hey, that’s just speculation,” Ryan said.
Notice, he didn’t say “no.”
The bottom line is that if the Jets get a great offer, they are willing to trade Revis.
But if they don’t get low-balled, they will likely keep him.
However, with this situation clearly in a state of flux, the Jets organization should give Rex a break, and not ask him to do interviews until the draft.
They are putting him in an impossible situation trying to answer these Revis’ questions.
The Jets probably figure getting Rex on the radio is good publicity – get the name out there.
Not now.
I’m sorry, Rex appearing on ESPN Radio, right now, probably isn’t pushing a lot of product.
Give the man a break – let him focus on football for the next month leading up to the draft.
Stop putting him in these impossible spots.
March 22, 2013
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