Jets coach Rex Ryan a sore loser but all great coaches should be

The real Rex Ryan came through in the final moments of the Jets /Steelers game on Sunday night.

He slammed his headset to the ground when the Steelers made their critical final first down and clearly uttered an expletive as he realized his dream of a Jets Super Bowl was over.

Here was the real man, the fierce competitor, the tireless worker who had spent every ounce of energy, fought off every distraction, to get his team to the biggest stage of all.

Gone was the jolly fat man, the minister for fun as Sports Illustrated referred to him.

Ryan is like his father, Buddy, who was also a fierce competitor, known to even assaut players, who lacked his son's easy smile and easy ways.

But Rex had every reason to be shattered. His team did not show up for the first half then played at such an incredible level in the second that they almost overturned an historic deficit.

Why dd the team start so slowly?

Perhaps Ryan's first mistake was to hand the ball to the Steelers on the first series when he elected to kick rather than receive.

Would the game have ended differently if the jets had got in that familiar rhythm like they did on the first series of the second half?

We will never know but it was the wrong call to hand the ball to Big Ben and his merry men.

Sure, there is always next year and this is a young and improving team.

But unlike last year when making the playoff final game aganst Indianapolis was an incredible achievement in itself, this year Ryan knows the Super Bowl was there fot the taking.

That why he slammed his headset into the ground and swore.

Liek his Da he's a sore loser, all the best coaches are.

But there is always next year.

Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger wants to play in Ireland

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback would like to play an American football game in Ireland he has told a local newspaper the Beaver County times.

In response to a question about the annual NFL game in London Big Ben stated:

"That’s a long flight. I’ve talked to some of the guys who have played over there. They say it is one of the most awesome things that they have gotten to do.

If you didn’t have to travel all that time with the long flight, it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. I think it would be fun to go play in Ireland where Ambassador (and Steelers chairman emeritus Dan) Rooney is. That would be kind of fun.

Dan Rooney, former chairman of the Steelers, has been President Obama's ambassador in Dublin for almost two years now, but has never lost his affection for his old team and will be in the stands today cheering them on.

Notre Dame's Brian Kelly should end quarterback 'situation' and name Tommy Rees

Brian Kelly , the Notre Dame coach, is telling everyone the quarterback situation will sort itself out for 2011.

What quarterback situation?

Tommy Rees (lft) came in as a freshman and won the last four games, including a Sun Bowl win that transformed the season for the Irish,

It was the most spectacular rookie season in decades at the Golden Dome.

And the kid can only improve

But Kelly is still taking about 'the situation' --and its not the Jersey Shore star he's referring to.

In the wings is Dayne Crist, oft injured, inconsistent and frankly, vastly over rated.

As a senior he is not the future of Notre Dame football. Now will he ever be

There's a guy called Andrew Hendrix and a new freshman and .Joe Monatana's son and, well, Kelly says he will prune his list back to four or so.

Actually it should be one.

Tommy Rees deserves to be Notre Dame's quarterback.

End of story.

It is Rex Ryan versus the Rooneys in New York Jets/Pittsburgh clash

It is Rex Ryan versus the Rooney family on Sunday night in the battle between two franchises who could not be more different.

The Rooneys have built a dynasty,a football powerhouse that is competitive almost every year and has Super Bowl trophies in abundance.

The legend is built around figures like Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, and now Troy Paulamalo every decade.

Great coaches like Chuck Noll , Bill Cowher and now Mike Tomlin seem to form a seamless succession.

Behind it all is the Rooney family, perhaps the most respected in sports, who have fought on behalf of Black coaches, underdogs and the little guy all their lives.

It would be hard to find a more classy outfit-- Ben Roethlesberger not withstanding

Then there is the Jets.

Sure there was 1968 and Joe Namath, but since then nothing-- that's 43 years

Years of bad coaches Rick Kotite anyone? Terrible quarterbacks .. Ken O'Brien, Ray Lucas anyone?

Rich Kotite with a .123 wining average,and Joe Walton, famous for picking his nose on the sidelines were too often the face of the Jets.

Then there's ownership.Woody Johnson is no Rooney family. His estranged daughter died tragically of a drug overdose in Hollywood last year. The family squabbles are often in the public eye.

But now the bums and the big deals clash in the AFC championship game .

And the bums just might steal it

Green Bay's Mike McCarthy is proving he's the best coach in the NFL

Micheal John McCarthy, head coach of the Green Bay Packers, is suddenly coaching lights out and showing the NFL that he may be the best of the best.

Sure there's genius Bill Belichick,who has not won a super bowl since his tactics of filming the opposition practices was revealed and there's Rex Ryan who is more an opera character than a real football coach.

Then there's Mike McCarthy who has the Green Bay Packers on a roll after a magnificent victory over Atlanta a week after pounding Philadelphia on their own home field.

He will certainly not fear the Chicago bears or the Seattle Seahawks in the championship game.

McCarthy also deserves kudos for getting rid of Brett Favre at the time when the Packers legend had become a massive pain in the ass.

His replacement, Aaron Rodgers seems set to have Packers fans forget all about the Great One with the way he is playing. Brett who?
McCarthy, an Irish Catholic kid from Pittsburgh, cradle of so many great coaches and players, is on his way to the Super Bowl.

He may not have a foot fetish, tape opposition practices or be the best communicator on television.

But his teams can sure play.

Martin O' Neill set to takeover at West Ham says report

Northern Ireland's Martin O'Neill will replace Avram Grant as manager of West Ham after Saturday's match against Arsenal, BBC Sport has stated.

The Hammers are currently at the bottom of the Premier League, and are set to fire Avram Grant after the game against Arsenal.

O'Neill, 58,unexpectedly left Aston Villa at the start of of this season. He had great success with them and previously with Celtic and Leicester.

"O'Neill and West Ham have been in talks over the last week and it seems he will be the new manager," said BBC sports news correspondent Dan Roan.

"My understanding is Avram Grant will be sacked following West Ham's match against Arsenal at Upton Park.

"We haven't had anything official yet from the club but this is what sources are indicating to us.

"There was a board meeting on Wednesday after which club owners David Sullivan and David Gold refused to publicly back their man and it seems a decision has been taken and this will be Grant's last match in charge."

Michael Floyd to return for senior year to Notre Dame

Standout wide receiver Michael Floyd has announced he will spurn the NFL draft and play his senior year at Notre Dame.

The news will be greeted with great joy by the Fighting Irish fans as Floyd has been one of the best receivers ever for the Fighting Irish" secondn on the all time reception list

"This was one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make in my life," Floyd said. "On the one hand, there was Notre Dame. This place has been an incredible home to me and the relationships I built here are ones I know I'll have for the rest of my life.

On the other hand, there was the NFL. It has always been a lifelong goal to play football at the highest level and that is something I look forward to doing at some point. However, I'm pleased to say I will be returning to the University of Notre Dame for my senior season in 2011.

"I'm returning to Notre Dame for three reasons: to earn my degree, return Notre Dame to the top and improve myself as a player. First, I promised my mom I would graduate from Notre Dame and I am 40 credit hours shy of attaining that goal. I chose to attend Notre Dame in part because I knew it was a 40-year decision and not a four-year decision.

Graduating from Notre Dame will help me for the rest of my life. Second, I want to get Notre Dame back to a BCS game. I believe we are very close to returning the Irish to where we belong and I want to be part of something great. Lastly, I want to show everyone in the country that I'm the best wide receiver in college football in 2011. There are many things I need to improve, but I feel with the coaching I have at Notre Dame, I can become the best at my position in this game."

Eamon Dunphy predicts Roy Keane will never manage agains

Eamon Dunphy believes that fired Ipswich boss Roy Keane will never manage again and that the former Ipswich boss is temperamentally unsuited to management anyway.

Dunphy is Ireland's most influential soccer pundit and wrote a biography of Keane who he greatly admired as a player.

Keane was fired last week after a torrid period as manager of Ipswich who are close to the bottom of the championship table. He was previously fired as manager of Sunderland.

“He got promotion at Sunderland, and they were close to the bottom of the table when he arrived, but he was still a remote figure to the players. I have spoken to players who played for him there and he wasn’t liked. He was feared actually, and you can’t get results on a continuing basis if players are afraid of you. I don’t think he will get another job in football. He has proved, like many great players, to be unable to do the difficult job (of management).”

Dunphy added: “I think after Saipan he became too fond of the limelight and of state of the nation addresses about the Irish team, the FAI, Trapattoni, Steve Staunton, Alex Ferguson. All of this stuff is not conducive to focusing on what your main job is, and, in his case, that was to get Ipswich Town into the Premier League.”

Rex Ryan the new Joe Namath and well on his way to legendary status in New York with the Jets

Let's face it, Rex Ryan not only talks the talk he walks the walk.

The last second comeback against the Indy Colts merely cements his reputation as the most exciting, and perhaps, best coach in the NFL.

Two years ago it would have been he same old Jets if they were in the same situation with the Colts. He has changed the dynamic of the team forever.

He may be on his way to legendary status. We looked for another Namath but he may be on the sideline, not on the field of play.

Ryan has the same operatic qualities as Namath, every thing about him is larger than life.

Now he has the perennial NFL losers really thinking they can win.

I was one of millions ready to write them off after they gave Manning the ball back twice in the closing moments.

How often have we seen that script with Manning leading his team down the field to victory.

Bt somehow this scrappy Jets team found way to finish it.

The TV shot of Fireman Ed raising his helmet to the heavens said it all for Jets fans.

New York loves a winner and they seem to have found one.

But no doubt Tom Brady would disagree.

Next week will be very interesting.

Sensation as Wolves defeat Chelsea 1-0 in Mick McCarthy triumph

Former Irish manager Mick McCarthy pulled off the win of his managerial career when his bottom of the premiership table team Wolves defeated mighty Chelsea by 1-0 at home.

An own goal by Jose Bosingwa after just six minutes led to Wolves taking a lead they never lost.

They almost had another towards the end when Hunt came close.

The win is a massive victory for Wolves and takes them off the bottom of the table and out of the relegation zone,

It also spells the end of Chlesea's title hopes as they are now nine points behind Manchester United who have a game in hand

Notre Dame's BCS future depends on Michael Floyd staying out of the NFL draft

If the Irish can keep Michael Floyd away from the NFL for another year they have a real shot at a BCS berth next year.

Floyd on his own defeated Miami in the first period and he could have had four touchdown catches with a bit of luck by the end of the game, despite not playing much of the second half

If he returns he will free up Brian Kelly's offense to an incredible extent with every team keying on him.

It is not clear what he will do.

NFL Scouts say he will be in the top 5 receivers chosen, but likely at the lower end. His lack of NFL break out speed and his frequent injuries will make many NFL teams pause before picking him

Notre Dame had a mixed year, if he stays he knows he will play on a much better team next year . The Sun Bowl was a preview of that.

Without him Notre Dame will be much weaker. Kelly threw the kitchen sink at Miami yesterday, but realistically, without Floyd this might even have been a very close game.

Theo Riddick as wildcat quarterback did not really pay off, the running game looked good but not spectacular. The other receivers hardly figured

Floyd ultimately was the difference, as Miami simply could not contain him.

His return is far more important than that of Kyle Rudolph. The Irish found a way to win without Rudolph when he went out for the season.

It is doubtful they could have done the same without Floyd.

Likewise with Dayne Crist who was hardly missed once he got injured. Crist will have a major battle on his hands regaining his post after what Tommy Rees has done.

It is incredibly difficult to replace a kid who was 4-1 as a starter and showed guts and class in the white heat of battle, especially when the chips were down.

But Brian Kelly will need all his vaunted recruiting skills to keep Floyd.

Let's hope he can work his magic.