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Rex Ryan is as crazy as the ol’ man!

Like father, like son ... right down to the man-boobs and turkey neck

Remember how batshit crazy Buddy Ryan was? Remember when he would rip into Tom Landry, in an effort to stoke the flames of division rivalry? Remember when he was with the Houston Oilers and punched Kevin Gilbride – a member of his own coaching staff – in the face on the sidelines during a game (if not, video after the jump)?!? Well, it looks like the apple don’t fall too far from the turnip truck, if you know what I mean.

Rookie New York Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan is already stirring up trouble in the AFC East, and is deeply embroiled in a war of words with Dolphins LB Channing Crowder. It all started when Ryan made a seemingly innocuous statement that he wasn’t afraid of anyone in the division:

“I never came here to kiss Bill Belichick’s rings,” Ryan said in an interview on WFAN. “I came here to win, let’s put it that way…. I’m certainly not intimidated by New England or anybody else.”

And even though he didn’t mention anything specifically about the Dolphins, Crowder took offense to the fact that Ryan was calling out the Patriots, not Miami – the defending AFC East Champs – as the team to beat in the division.

Crowder fired back at Ryan:

“Oh he’s going crazy. He’s going absolutely nuts,” Crowder said. “I know it’s his first chance to be a head coach, and I know he’s excited about life. But I’ve never played a football game in June in my life. So congratulations to him. He’s the OTA Super Bowl winner.”

Zing!!!

Your play, Mr. Ryan:

“I don’t know this Channing Crowder. All I know is that he’s all tatted up, so I guess I ought to be nervous about him. If I was younger, I’d probably handle him myself.”

Alright!  Now we’re approaching junior high school level!!

Continue reading after the jump for more trash talk, and video of Buddy Ryan vs Kevin Gilbride

Crowder, not to be outdone, retorted:

Crowder in all his tatted glory

“Oh, Lord have mercy,” Crowder said Tuesday. “What’s wrong with him? Now he’s talking about preparation? We play them twice this year. If he wants to be prepared, shouldn’t he know the starting middle linebackers of his division rival?

“He says he’d take care of me if he was younger?” Crowder said. “I’d have beat the hell out of that big old joker. Or if he really wants to get retro, my daddy or my uncle could have handled him. Don’t get big. Win with preparation? Start watching some tape and learn who your rival is. Come on now.

(The Jets) didn’t even win the division and now they’re all talking about how [the AFC East] goes through New England,” Crowder said Tuesday. “That’s what gets me bothered. I don’t care about the other stuff, but don’t say the division goes through New England.

“It goes through Miami.”

OOOHHH!  Knockout blow by Crowder!  Or is it???

Just when you thought this couldn’t get any more immature, Rexy lowered the bar once more.  Ryan started off his press conference today by taking yet another shot at Crowder:

“Let’s see if he can top this one,” Ryan said. “I’ve walked over tougher guys going to a fight.” Later, he added, “He can send himself and his father after me.

I really hope this comes to blows.  Really I do.  Let’s have Crowder -a long with his dad, take on Rex and Buddy in a no-holds-barred grudge match!

Let’s get it ON!!!

And finally, here is the aforementioned video of Buddy Ryan vs Kevin Gilbride, 1993 (skip to 10:00 mark):