Content available exclusively for subscribers
Indianapolis – Rex Ryan and John Idzik did some major tap dancing on this Revis-thing, which is understandable. Let’s take a closer look.
They were trying to come across as very respectful to Revis and his greatness, yet not ruling out a possible move.
But to execute this play, Rex and John had to do more tap-dancing than the Nicholas Brothers about Revis’ future.
One frustrated national writer said, “Why don’t they just come out and say he’s not on the trading block?”
You know why, because they don’t want to be called “liars” by the New York press if they trade Revis, so they were parsing their words.
Part of their media strategy seems to be to feign shock and outrage at the La Canfora story that started this whole mess.
“It’s funny,” Rex Ryan said today. “When I called Darrelle, (I said), ‘Darrelle, let’s face it, [Idzik} hasn’t been on the job for 24 hours and now you’re going to get traded?’ I thought that was kind of interesting and I said, ‘It’s not accurate. Plain and simple it’s not accurate.’
“I told him that, if he was going to be involved in a trade, I think he and his agents would know about it, as would the general manager and myself, I would think. So there was no validity to that trade. I don’t know where things like that get drummed up from. Maybe somebody is a big fan of a certain team, and is playing fantasy football, and would like to have him on his team. I’m not sure.”
Where did it come from?
According to the La Canfora report, it was clearly from the Johnson camp.
“I’ve talked to some people today who say that Woody Johnson is very interested in trading Darrelle Revis,” Jason LaCanfora said on Showtime in January.
That sentence from La Canfora started this fire.
So where did Jason get this from?
I can assure you it didn’t come from Woody directly. That isn’t how he roles. He doesn’t really rub elbows with these national media types.
I think where it came from was the GM interviewing process.
Woody talked about Revis to some of the candidates, and there were a lot of candidates.
And one or two of them relayed to La Canfora that Woody is willing to trade Revis.
I don’t think Rex or Idzik had anything to do with this story.
So when they play dumb, so to speak, they really are being honest – this wasn’t their idea.
However, reading the tea leaves from today’s pressers, you get the sense, if the right offer comes around, the Jets are willing to trade Revis.
Neither John or Rex categorically said, “WE WILL NOT TRADE REVIS.”
Vikings GM Rick Spielman said that today bout Percy Harvin.
But the Jets brass didn’t do that today in Indy.
And this answer from Rex absolutely pointed out what I’m talking about.
“I’m going to coach whoever is here,” Ryan said. “Certainly, to sit down and say absolutely not, we’re not going to do it, I’m not going to say this player or that player, but if we got Jim Brown in that trade, we would probably look into it (joking).”
To me, that answer clearly illuminates the fact, where there is smoke, there is fire.
February 21, 2013
Premium will return by 9:30 pm on Friday night from Indy.
