Deadspin, the worldwide leader in breaking embarrassing news regarding the New York Jets, reported on Wednesday that Rex Ryan’s wife Michelle appears to be a foot fetishist.
Maybe I’m the only one with this opinion, but who cares? Whatever sex related tastes she has doesn’t have anything to do with Ryan’s ability to coach the Jets.
This story is not even remotely worthy of our attention, at least those of us who have better things to do with our time.
But some are suggesting this is a “controversy” and many in the professional sports media are peppering Ryan with questions about the Deadspin article.
According to ESPN, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello was asked via e-mail if the league would look into the situation as a possible violation of the NFL’s personal-conduct policy.
Aiello replied to the e-mail saying, “We consider it a personal matter.”
On Wednesday, the Jets coach fielded queries from several Chicago area reporters during a telephone interview that was supposed to be a discussion about the Jets game against the Bears on Sunday.
To Ryan’s credit, he told the reporters that it was understandable why they needed to ask him about his wife’s foot fetish videos found on YouTube.
Maybe some believe this story, while certainly embarrassing, is going to cause a distraction that adversely effects the Jets.
If anyone actually thinks that this story is a distraction, they obviously haven’t been paying attention to everything that’s happened this season within the Jets organization.
Before the season began, the Jets were highlighted on the HBO series “Hard Knocks”. Ryan’s frequent cursing drew criticism from former Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy, who suggested that the Jets coach should be more careful about his language.
Just a few days after the season began, the Jets were at the center of an incident involving TV Azteca reporter Ines Sainz. That matter led to the NFL reinforcing it’s policy regarding female reporters inside team locker rooms.
In October, Deadspin obtained photographs that were allegedly of Brett Favre’s penis that he sent via text message to former Jets hostess Jenn Sterger while the two were employed by the team in 2008.
A few weeks ago, Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi was fired after intentionally tripping Miami Dolphins player Nolan Carrol while he attempted to cover a punt.
In other words, the Jets have already dealt with real distractions and they’ve so pretty successfully given their 10-4 record.
This story about Ryan’s wife has nothing to do with football and doesn’t involve activities that come close to abhorrent sexual behavior.
While Deadspin has every right to report on the subject, the professional media shouldn’t be lending credence to the story by blowing it out of proportion.
