Rex and the Distractions

[Hapless Bills Fan]

That would be a great name for a rock band, wouldn't it? Rex and the Distractions?

 

I know that the NFL requires HC to make themselves available to the media. It's part of the job.

 

Would anyone else, though, like to see Rex Ryan trim back the distractions in his 2nd year? Stop with the TV show and appearances where he eats dog biscuits and goes skydiving with the Golden Knights and all of that stuff.

 

What I feel is that being an NFL HC is really a demanding, all consuming job for the successful HCs. ESPN published A Week in the Life of John Harbaugh in 2013, the year after the Ravens won the Superbowl. And it's nuts. The guy schedules 15-45 minutes a day to call his wife and eat lunch with his wife and kid. He sleeps on the office couch half the week. He works 17 1/2 hr days.

 

So now, let's say for a minute that Rex Ryan and John Harbaugh are just as smart about football. Harbaugh isn't taking time away from game prep to prepare for, tape, and maybe edit or approve, a weekly TV show. Harbaugh also has a legit OC and DC sharing the game planning and workload.

 

If Ryan is trying to be HC as well as DC, and then taking time out for extra activities like taping TV shows, doesn't that place him automatically at a competitive disadvantage?

Edited January 9, 2016 by Hopeful

[Kirby Jackson]

That would be a great name for a rock band, wouldn't it? Rex and the Distractions?

 

I know that the NFL requires HC to make themselves available to the media. It's part of the job.

 

Would anyone else, though, like to see Rex Ryan trim back the distractions in his 2nd year? Stop with the TV show and appearances where he eats dog biscuits and goes skydiving with the Golden Knights and all of that stuff.

 

What I feel is that being an NFL HC is really a demanding, all consuming job for the successful HCs. ESPN published A Week in the Life of John Harbaugh in 2013, the year after the Ravens won the Superbowl. And it's nuts. The guy schedules 15-45 minutes a day to call his wife and eat lunch with his wife and kid. He sleeps on the office couch half the week. He works 17 1/2 hr days.

 

So now, let's say for a minute that Rex Ryan and John Harbaugh are just as smart about football. Harbaugh isn't taking time away from game prep to prepare for, tape, and maybe edit or approve, a weekly TV show. Harbaugh also has a legit OC and DC sharing the game planning and workload.

 

If Ryan is trying to be HC as well as DC, and then taking time out for extra activities like taping TV shows, doesn't that place him automatically at a competitive disadvantage?

This is exactly how my dad feels. I am in New Orleans so I don't have to constantly see it. I definitely agree though, less time being a celebrity and more time in the film room.

[NoSaint]

But I also think the expectation of 18 hour days where your wife joins you for a 15 minute lunch in the film room isn't the best approach either. As with anything it can vary by person/personality but I feel like there's got to be some balance

[Kirby Jackson]

But I also think the expectation of 18 hour days where your wife joins you for a 15 minute lunch in the film room isn't the best approach either. As with anything it can vary by person/personality but I feel like there's got to be some balance

Agree, for me it isn't as much about the hours in the office as the focus.

[The Adam]

Rex and the Distractions sound like a bad Bruce Springsteen cover band.

[Kelly the Dog]

 

Being a head coach in the NFL isn't as difficult or as important or as complicated as everybody else would have you believe. In 39 years, he's slept in the office precisely one time. For that he blames Thursday night football and the Jaguars' long-ago blitzing defense, and regret sneaks into his voice as he talks about it, like someone recounting a fall off the wagon.

 

"All that sleeping-in-the-office stuff -- guys can only learn so much," he says. "It's all overdone. There's a time to cut it off. If you're spending all night in the office, you don't have either an offense or a defense, and you're looking for somebody else's to steal."

-Bruce Arians

[WotAGuy]

I think the excessive hours worked by coaches is baloney. Using the Bills' and Ravens' 2015 season records as a yardstick would seem to support Rex's approach over Harbaugh's. IMO coaches overthink and over analyze instead of working smart.

 

If the players were to put in that kind of time, I think it would have more of an affect on performance.

Edited January 9, 2016 by WotAGuy

[Augie]

Agree, for me it isn't as much about the hours in the office as the focus.

Exactly. I think a major problem with Rex is he CRAVES the attention. Less of that would help me give him more slack. (Like he cares what I think..haha, but I think that's a large part for those who have a negative perception.)

 

Edit: That, and the defense he displayed. That might count too.

Edited January 9, 2016 by Augie

[YoloinOhio]

I think every style can succeed. Pete Carroll is very laid back and was like that at USC too. He doesn't put a muzzle on his players. He's one of the guys. Arians is the same. Obviously you have tightly wound guys like Belichik and Tomlin.

 

The parachute thing was in the offseason; the dog bone was for charity and took about 20 seconds. I thought Rex was clown in NY and I still do, but I don't see it impacting whether he's a good or bad HC. None of his little antics make me question how much work he puts into his job. It's just who he is.

Edited January 9, 2016 by YoloinOhio

[Augie]

I think every style can succeed. Pete Carroll is very laid back and was like that at USC too. He doesn't put a muzzle on his players. He's one of the guys. Arians is the same. Obviously you have tightly wound guys like Belichik and Tomlin.

The parachute thing was in the offseason; the dog bone was for charity and took about 20 seconds. I thought Rex was clown in NY and I still do, but I don't see it impacting whether he's a good or bad HC. None of his little antics make me question how much work he puts into his job. It's just who he is.

I agree for the most part, but if he's perceived as a clown he's going to get more grief. Could he be slightly better with more focus? Maybe. I'd like him better if he wasn't trying so hard to win everyone over with his shtick. I'd prefer Mario and Marcel getting after the QB than his stupid truck. Edited January 9, 2016 by Augie

[YoloinOhio]

I agree for the most part, but if he's perceived as a clown he's going to get more grief. Could he be slightly better with more focus? Maybe. I'd like him better if he wasn't trying so hard to win everyone over with his shtick.

i really think that's just who he is and he isn't trying. Love it or hate it, he's not going to be try to be someone he isn't. To me it comes off pretty natural. Not my style, but whatever.

[JohnC]

This is exactly how my dad feels. I am in New Orleans so I don't have to constantly see it. I definitely agree though, less time being a celebrity and more time in the film room.

The Bills and Rex don't need to be on "Hard Knocks". That is not a way to go.

 

Your Dad is smart and wise. He should be listened to.

[Augie]

i really think that's just who he is and he isn't trying. Love it or hate it, he's not going to be try to be someone he isn't. To me it comes off pretty natural. Not my style, but whatever.

That's probably all true. I hope he learns and evolves. But that's just me. The Pegula's haven't called yet to consult with me.

The Bills and Rex don't need to be on "Hard Knocks". That is not a way to go.

 

Your Dad is smart and wise. He should be listened to.

 

Hard Knocks would be very Rex, and very bad, in my opinion.

 

And Kirby's dad MUST be a wise and.

[Kelly the Dog]

That's probably all true. I hope he learns and evolves. But that's just me. The Pegula's haven't called yet to consult with me.

 

Hard Knocks would be very Rex, and very bad, in my opinion.

 

And Kirby's dad MUST be a wise and.

Rex was probably the biggest star Hard Knocks ever had, and the year his team was on it they went to the AFC Championship Game.

[JohnC]

Rex was probably the biggest star Hard Knocks ever had, and the year his team was on it they went to the AFC Championship Game.

That was then and now is now. He needs the lime light like a cocaine addict needs to be left alone in a room with a bucket full of powder. Being a champion at the podium means nothing if you are a bumbler on the field. He needs to tone down the vaudeville act and get serious with his coaching responsibilities.

[Kelly the Dog]

That was then and now is now. He needs the lime light like a cocaine addict needs to be left alone in a room with a bucket full of powder. Being a champion at the podium means nothing if you are a bumbler on the field. He needs to tone down the vaudeville act and get serious with his coaching responsibilities.

He's serious. If anything he OVER-thought the defense this year.

[3rdand12]

I think the excessive hours worked by coaches is baloney. Using the Bills' and Ravens' 2015 season records as a yardstick would seem to support Rex's approach over Harbaugh's. IMO coaches overthink and over analyze instead of working smart.

 

If the players were to put in that kind of time, I think it would have more of an affect on performance.

If ALL the players were to...

[Augie]

If ALL the players were to...

Mario.....is that you? I saw him go 100% a few plays and thought "who the hell is that?" Oh, Mario was trying, because he was put in a position where it would look bad to just lay down.

[3rdand12]

i really think that's just who he is and he isn't trying. Love it or hate it, he's not going to be try to be someone he isn't. To me it comes off pretty natural. Not my style, but whatever.

I was watching the season's end presser with Doug for the last 45 minutes or so.

I learned a ton about both of them and the relationship.

Rex just talks too much. He IS football smart. But when he is defending his team he just comes off goofy. Because he is always defending his team.

He loves it, the Game, the Players, the Coaches, all of it. so he just sounds goofy.

But when you catch the game day details ? That's just second nature to him.

 

If he just talked X's and O's we would truly appreciate his knowledge of the game, it's history and the trendings.

 

And i dont think he may ever be a cerebral speaker in those pressers.

Mario.....is that you? I saw him go 100% a few plays and thought "who the hell is that?" Oh, Mario was trying, because he was put in a position where it would look bad to just lay down.

I did not even suggest just a thing! as Mario being my subject.

 

is that you Vic ?

 

But yes Mario drove me nuts.

[Augie]

I think a couple of the best defensive plays I saw all year were Mario on fire. He can still do it. How often and for how long, I have no idea.