Just coach your team

Insightful assessment of new NY Jets coach Rex Ryan from another former NY coach: Bill Parcells, who coached two of his teams to Super Bowl victories.

Last year, Ryan was one of the coaches Parcells interviewed for the Dolphins head job before going with Tony Sparano.

"I've been in this business a long time now. Some guys are football guys. Some guys are in the football business, but they're not football guys. They act like their job says football but they're in it for a paycheck. [Ryan's] a football guy, and I could smell that.

He didn't talk about whether he's gonna get two cars or one car, or am I gonna do a TV show? He didn't give a bleep about that. 'Can I get players and are we gonna be able to win?' I just liked him because I just sensed what he represented and what he wanted to accomplish.

In our organization, we don't have anybody that's not a football guy. We want football guys with us. That's what he is. That's why I thought he'd be a good fit here."

Parcells also talked about the importance of veteran coaches helping younger ones:

"Al Davis was a very, very big help to me," Parcells said. "He's been a lifelong friend. I've known him since I was 21. Coach (Tom) Landry was a very very big help. . . . Coach (Chuck) Knox . . . Coach (Chuck) Noll . . . I also remember the ones that didn't, or couldn't. . .. . I made up my mind if I was ever in position to help a young coach at any level, I would do it."

The advice Parcells received from those coaches is the same advice he gives young coaches today:

"Just coach your team. Don't try to get in anybody else's business. Tell 'em what kind of player you want, if you know. They said if you don't know, you're gonna get fired anyway. [Early on with the Giants], I don't think I was being myself. I was too wrapped up acting like I thought a head coach was supposed to act and not really being a good leader. Hey, just be Bill Parcells. It's not for everybody, but that's the way it goes."