It has been a watershed week for coach fights in the NFL. First, of course, there was the Great Handshake Showdown Of Oh-Eleven at Ford Field on Sunday evening, when two grown men disagreed about the proper way to deliver post-game handshakes and resorted to standing around grimacing at each other amongst their players. And now, we can all gather 'round and gape at Ryan vs. Turner.
During a conference call with San Diego reporters yesterday, Rex Ryan dropped in his own shot at Norv Turner, who became the head coach of the Chargers in 2007:
"Well, I think I would have had a couple rings," Ryan told San Diego reporters today when asked about how things would have unfolded if he were hired by GM A.J. Smith. "I'm telling you, those teams were loaded. There's no question about it. But things happen for a reason. Obviously, Norv Turner has done a great job there. And A.J. (Smith) and everybody. That's a great franchise. He was probably the best guy for the job at that time."
Ryan, whose Jets play in host San Diego on Sunday, has been guaranteeing Super Bowl victories ever since he took the helm in New York in 2009. The retroactive guarantee is a special turn from him, especially since it suggests an implicit diss at his own GM.
There's something wonderful, too, about how he quantifies it: He's not suggesting that he could have maybe had a shot at taking a Chargers team to the Super Bowl. He's saying, clearly, that he'd have "a couple" Super Bowl rings in San Diego. Briefly, here are a few things for which it is appropriate to casually predict "a couple" of: Beers you'll consume before driving, Miles you'll run in your workout, Hours you'll spend watching Sunday football, Wins your pickup basketball team will have this season. Note that "Super Bowls rings earned" did not make the list, because it is possibly the most audacious prediction of all time.
A Jets spokesman told the Daily News that Ryan's remarks were intended "as a compliment to what the Chargers have built," and Ryan reportedly called up Turner soon after to clarify his remarks. But just as Jim Schwartz wouldn't stand down after Harbaugh's chest-bump, Norv Turner won't stand down after a diss like that:
"It really was between he and I. I think we've had enough coaching drama in the league the last few days and we don't need any more," Turner said, referring to the Jim Harbaugh-Jim Schwartz scuffle last weekend.
Turner then took his own shot at Ryan.
"I hadn't seen his quote and I was a little bit surprised by the call," Turner said. "And then after I saw the quote, I didn't have a chance to ask him this, but I was wondering if he had those rings with the ones he's guaranteed the last couple of years."
Game, set, match. Everyone tune in for the handshake on Sunday.
Rex Ryan says Chargers would have won a couple Super Bowls if they hired him in 2007 [NYDN]