Rex Ryan Gives Miami The Finger
Somewhere Channing Crowder automatically denies involvement.
David M. Hildenbrand
It's not exactly Barrett Robbins turning up in Tijuana before Super Bowl XXXVII, or Stanley Wilson on a coke binge before XXIII, or even Eugene Robinson on the prowl for hookers a decade later -- but Rex Ryan still managed to make himself the talk of Pro Bowl weekend.
Saturday night at mixed martial arts event Strikeforce: Sunrise -- oops! -- Strikeforce: Miami, the Jets coach mixed it up with local Dolphins fans by announcing to the house he'd be back to beat Miami twice next season.
Then, in a moment of pretty poor judgement, he instructed some passing faithful to "Go f--k yourselves" and gave them his middle finger -- with a camera in his face.
In a demonstration of even worse judgment, he was wearing a shirt reading "WIDE GUY."
Life rule no. 1: Never, ever, underestimate the Internet. The photo, snapped by heroic David M. Hildenbrand of Miami, quickly went viral, forcing Ryan to issue an apology.
"It was stupid and inappropriate," he said in a statement released by the Jets. "I wouldn’t accept that type of behavior from one of the coaches or players and it’s unacceptable from me. I apologize to the Jets organization, the National Football League and NFL fans everywhere."
Guess he couldn't bring himself to apologize to the actual Dolphins fans that giant digit accosted. So two words in reply, Wide Guy: Ted Ginn.
YOU HEARD!
Posted Sunday, Jan 31, 2010 - 8:22 PM EST
