Some Ravens fans took exception to Rex Ryan's comments last week about rookie linebacker-defensive end Paul Kruger's wearing No. 99 this season, but few in the Ravens organization were offended. Those types of wisecracks are what made Ryan endearing to his co-workers and the players over at the Castle.
His players loved Ryan, the former Ravens defensive coordinator, because he was an extension from the locker room into the front office. What set him apart from some assistant coaches was his ability to get players to play exceptionally hard for him.
We love to throw around the words "team chemistry" in sports, so much in fact that the phrase has become undervalued. But it is the most important ingredient in building a team from the recreational to the professional ranks.
And that's why Ryan, now the New York Jets' head coach, was special here, maybe the most popular assistant coach in the history of Baltimore sports. Ryan could draw up exotic blitzes and overloads with the best of them, but that lovable, laughable, down-home personality made his players go the extra mile.
It was no big deal when Ryan criticized the Ravens for giving Kruger No. 99, the former number of Ravens Pro Bowl defensive end Michael McCrary. Ryan's big mouth is hereditary, straight from his tough guy daddy, Buddy.
The responses were interesting. The Ravens declined to comment because it was just Ryan shooting off again. Yawn. Then Kruger called Ryan's comments "childish," which was a mistake. To criticize Ryan in the Ravens locker room is sacrilegious. Kruger later backed off those statements, which means a couple of the veterans probably told him to muzzle up.
Nice move, rook.
But those statements last week from Ryan told you a lot about him, and how his ties run deep with his players, past and present. That starting defensive line in 2000 of ends McCrary and Rob Burnett and tackles Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams was, and remains, extremely close.
Ryan's ties are just as strong with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, and even a transplant such as defensive end Trevor Pryce, who spent nine seasons in Denver before playing the past three in Baltimore.
"You build unit pride before you build team pride," Ryan said. "In Baltimore, I wanted to have the tightest defensive line unit when I was coaching that position, and then it spreads to the defense and then over to the offense. We want to work it that way in New York as well."
