In our forums AirForceJetFan just did a nice write-up on a meet and greet with several NFL coaches during their USO tour.
So five current and former NFL head coaches are in Baghdad for a USO tour and I just came from getting to meet, shake hands, snap a picture and move on. These guys looked dog tired and were only there for a very short time, with a very long line so the interaction is very limited. However, I’ll break down what I said to each guy as I only worked the Jets in to our 20-30 second conversations.
Coach Gruden:
Me: Thanks for coming out coach. So tell me, was Keyshawn as hard to deal with as some people say or was it overblown?Gruden: Nah, Keyshawn was a good guy and a real good player too. Just not as good as some people think he is. Good player if you wanted to get 8 yards a pop.
Me: Funny, I was saying the same thing to somebody the other day.
Gruden: Yeah, we just had players that were better. Carolina had players that were better. Dallas had players that were better.
(cool note about Gruden is that he was letting people wear his SB ring posing for pics with him)
Coach Cowher
Me: Coach, I’m not gonna lie to you, it killed me when you didn’t take the HC job for the Jets.Cower: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA..THE JETS?????HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. (or something like that).
Actually he said he thinks Rex was a good choice.
Jeff Fisher
Me: Hey coach, too bad things didn’t work out with Justin McCccareins when you guys traded him to us. He didn’t produce like we hoped he would be he seemed like a good guy.Fisher: Oh god man, Justin is a hell of a guy, really great person. His legs just went though and it’s a shame. These things happen.
Tom Coughlin
Me: Coach, you looking forward to sharing a brand new building with the Jets?Coughlin: Oh yeah, 2010, it’s going to be a real nice place
Me: You guys really picked our pockets stealing Derrick Ward from our practice squad.
Coughlin: Well that’s what you have to do. You have to find these good players anywhere you can find em. I’ll tell you what too, Danny Ware is another one we stole from you who you’re going to hear a lot about this season you just watch.
(funny note on Coughlin was that as we were talking he just snatched my boonie cap out of my hand and autographed it and I’m looking at him like “um, I didn’t want you to sign that” but not a big deal and I thought it was funny)
Coach HarbaughMe: Hey coach, tell me what I should expect from Rex Ryan this season as a Jet fan.
Harbaugh: You guys are going to play really good defense but it’s really going to come down to your quarterback.
Me: Yeah, I think adding Bart Scott and Lito Sheppard is going to help our defense out a lot. Our #2 CB slot has been really weak fora few years now.
Harbaugh: Yeah, and you guys have Revis at the #1, he’s something else. Rex is a great coach though, you’re going to like him.
So that’s about it. Nothing great but it was cool to meet them and I figured I’d share.