An Appreciation of Rex Ryan, and the LeBron Slam Dunk Letdown

New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan is loud, cocky, and outspoken. He speaks with undeniable swagger when talking about his football team, often bragging about how the Jets should be favored in every game they play. These are the qualities of an obnoxious, abrasive jerk, right? Wrong. As the New York Jets prepare to take on the Indianapolis Colts in Sunday's AFC Championship Game, Rex Ryan is the best coach left in the NFL playoffs. That's right, even better than Sean Payton, even better than Jim Caldwell, and far better than Brad Childless, who pulled a classless move by running up the score in Minnesota's sound thumping of the Cowboys. Rex Ryan is the most entertaining coaching figure in football, hands down. While his cockiness may be offensive to opposing teams, there is no doubt that it has won the universal respect and admiration of his players. The Jets are a hell of a fun team to watch. Whether it be Mark Sanchez throwing touchdown passes to Braylon Edwards, or Darrelle Revis finishing off a pick-6, the Jets are never boring. This is due in large part to the leadership of Coach Ryan. In an era in which coaches speak in muted, generic tones (I'm talking to you Mr. Belichick!), Rex Ryan's candid nature is refreshing.

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The participants in the 2010 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest were announced yesterday, and one notable omission has basketball fans seething in disappointment. LeBron James has long vowed that he would participate in the dunk extravaganza, but in recent months he seemed to be changing his tune, a metamorphosis that was confirmed when it was announced yesterday that King James would not be a part of the dunk contest. LeBron's reasoning is understandable and predictable; he doesn't want to risk injury and jeopardize the Cavs' chances of winning a championship. After all, this is the same excuse that Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez gave when declining an invitation to partake in the Home Run Derby. Frankly, I think it's hogwash.

I love LeBron, but he should have realized what his participation in the dunk contest would have meant. King James electrifying the crowd with a 360-tomahawk slam would have been great for the NBA. Now, it lacks a certain luster. As a diehard hoops fan, I will gladly watch when Shannon Brown, Nate Robinson, and Gerald Wallace show off their aerial skills. For the sake of the league, though, the absence of the game's best player is a disheartening blow.