Thank You A.J. Smith and Dean Spanos

By Joe Brod

This past week our beloved New York Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan was involved in a minor brouhaha over his answer to a question about how he thought he would have done had he been hired as the Head Coach of the San Diego Chargers when he interviewed for that position prior to the 2007 season.

Never mind that Ryan’s answer was both funny and true. Never mind that the reporter asked a completely loaded question designed to get exactly the answer he got. Never mind that Rex is smart enough to know that such a question would probably be asked and he probably knew exactly how he would answer prior to getting on the conference call.

None of that is really all that important.

What is important is that in all his infinite wisdom, A.J. Smith, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the San Diego Chargers and his boss Dean Spanos thought the twice-failed Norv Turner would be a better head coach for his football team. Think about that. A.J. Smith is a man who has been honored as the NFL’s Executive of the Year.

Thank you Mike Tannenbaum and Woody Johnson for picking up the ball that Smith and Spanos fumbled.

But mostly, thank you A.J. Smith and Dean Spanos.

If you had hired Rex, we wouldn’t have seen the Jets go to back-to-back AFC Championship Games.

If you had hired Rex, we wouldn’t have the most entertaining Head Coach in NFL history.

If you had hired Rex, our defense would be crap.

If you had hired Rex, we would have never beaten the Pats in Foxboro in the playoffs last year.

If you had hired Rex, we probably wouldn’t have gone to the playoffs last year.

If you had hired Rex, Bart Scott would not be a Jet – and that would suck.

If you had hired Rex, Aaron Maybin’s career would likely be over.

If you had hired Rex, you’d have probably won a couple of Super Bowls by now ya schmucks!

I cannot begin to express the overwhelming magnitude of my gratitude for your complete lack of foresight. I mean, who the hell in their right mind is faced with the choice of Rex Ryan or Norv Turner and picks Norv freakin’ Turner? A.J. Smith and Dean Spanos, that’s who!

I can imagine the conversation:

Dean Spanos: So A.J., who are we going to hire as our new head coach to replace Marty Schottenheimer, who we probably shouldn’t have fired anyway.

A.J. Smith: I think we’re down to two, Dean: Norv Turner or Rex Ryan.

Spanos: We’re not even considering Brian Schottenheimer?

Smith: HELL NO! That kid is practically brain dead.

Spanos: So you want me to choose between a guy who couldn’t win with the Redskins with an owner who bought him whoever he wanted or in Oakland and the big, loud guy from Baltimore who is Buddy Ryan’s son?

Smith: I think they are the best two options.

Spanos: Well who would you choose?

Smith: Ryan’s loud and rough around the edges but he’s basically a defensive genius. He’s outstanding at in-game adjustments and is an excellent motivator.

Spanos: And Norv?

Smith: Norv sucks. But have you seen the team we’ve built? L.T. had 31 TDs last year for Christ’s sake. Anyone can win with this team but if we hire Rex, he’s loud enough that everyone will give him the credit. If Norv wins the SB with this team, everyone will give us the credit. Get it?

Spanos: You’re right, hire Norv.

I can’t imagine that discussion going any other way. Nothing else makes sense. No one in their right mind would ever make that decision.

So thank you guys.  From the deepest part of our Jets fans’ hearts, thank you.

Joe Brod

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