Masochist (noun): A person who is gratified by pain, degradation, etc.
I'm starting to think that players on the New York Jets are masochists. High profile members of Gang Green told the media that they want Rex Ryan to return as head coach next season. Either these guys truly are masochists or they have a case of amnesia straight out of "Memento."
The Jets are 2-8 this season. Their last winning record was back in 2010. They've endured a six-year span that saw Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith take snaps under center, a Tim Tebow circus and repeated comments from Ryan to the media that made everyone question if this guy ever thought before speaking.
And yet...
"Yeah, I want him back," said star defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. "Why wouldn't I want the coach who brought me in to come back?"
I don't know, Sheldon. Maybe because this will be the fourth straight year New York misses the playoffs. If a TV show has horrible ratings for four straight seasons, the network isn't going to keep it around just for sentimental reasons.
"...Somebody else comes in here [next year] and goes 2-8, then what?" Richardson said. "If you want to let him build this team, then let him build this team. He still has this locker room."
Ryan may have the locker room, but he doesn't have the wins to support his claim to it. No, that isn't entirely his fault. General managers of past and present have let the talent on this roster erode to the point of anomaly. It's true that Ryan's engaging personality and unwavering confidence appeals to players.
"Rex is a great coach, and I definitely want him back," said offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson. "He's always been a very passionate coach and we all enjoy playing for him. The record isn't what we want it to be, but it doesn't mean we can't continue to strive to do the things that we know to be right. You look around this locker room and you've got guys that enjoy playing with each other."
Ryan has a talented defensive mind. The Jets rank seventh overall in total defense, despite a lack of depth in the secondary that would make a puddle seem deep. But he has proven incapable of managing the game's most important position and his mouth has written checks that bounce more often than a squib kick.
The Jets have ranked 20th or lower in total offense in five of Ryan's six years. Know your strengths and improve on your weaknesses, don't disregard them completely.
"I can't see myself playing for another coach,'' said linebacker Demario Davis. "Rex is a great defensive mind and just a great coach in general. Players love him. The only thing you can ask for out of a head coach is that he creates a system that everybody buys into and that people go out and play for him . . . I feel like he's built a foundation for a winning organization. Sometimes you just have to give it time to let it fall into place. You have to give it time to jell together. I'm as loyal to him as I am to my teammates, but even more so to him, just because I really believe in what he's doing.''
Ryan absolutely deserves credit for instilling an environment such as the one Davis describes. That is certainly no small task, but he also deserves blame when that positive structure doesn't translate into on-field wins.
It's time for a fresh start in New York.
