Some think Jets coach Rex Ryan is a dummy who doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut. Others think he simply wants the limelight on himself to take the pressure off his players.
Want a view from inside the locker room? ESPN football analyst Trent Dilfer saw Ryan learn the tricks of that trade firsthand when they were both with the Super Bowl-winning Ravens in 2000. Dilfer said during a conference call this week that once the Ravens clinched a playoff spot, coach Brian Billick told the team he would -- on purpose -- make a spectacle of himself in the media. Baltimore was still dealing with several potential media distractions, including the legal drama surrounding star linebacker Ray Lewis after he pled guilty to obstruction of justice the previous spring.
"It's very strategic," Dilfer said. "It never really affected me one way or the other. But I do remember the temperament of our football team, and I think the younger player appreciates a coach that is bold and brash. ... I think [Ryan's] approach does have a positive impact on some of them."