Crowder calls Ryan a Joker

Jets coach Rex Ryan -- perhaps taking after his outspoken father Buddy Ryan -- has wasted no time add heat to the already hot AFC East rivalry. Ryan has taken shots at Patriots coach Bill Belichick and has got into a verbal war with Dolphins LB Channing Crowder.

Ryan told reporters on Tuesday that he wasn't even sure who Crowder was:

"All I know is that he's all tatted up, so I guess I ought to be nervous about him. He's right about one thing: I am a first-time head coach, but I've been around the game all my life. I'm no different than I've ever been, just that more people are listening.

"The other thing is I think he's wrong because I do think you win in June. I think you win with your preparation and all that kind of stuff. If I was younger, I'd probably handle him myself."

Crowder, as you can imagine, wasn't impressed with Ryan's response and responded to the Miami Herald.

''Oh, Lord have mercy. 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? 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.''

We all realize that Rex is going to end up just like his daddy. I remember when Buddy was the coach of the Cardinals. He was running his mouth talking about how he was going to win the NFC East and all of that nonsense. So what happened in Week 1? The Rams beat the Cardinals 14-12. And mind you, this was during the "Major League" era of the Rams when John Shaw and Georgia Frontandrearie were offering the worst product imaginable to justify shopping the franchise around.

Some other news and notes around the Web this morning:

• Are we entering a golden age of offensive tackles? Uh yeah, can we wait until these guys do something first?
  

• Jets RB Leon Washington is hinting of a holdout. Thomas Jones is already pissed. Watch the rookie in New York get that gig.
  

• Eagles coach Andy Reid is wary of RB Brian Westbrook's injury, but remains optimistic. Yeah, I don't. LeSean McCoy is a name you should be familiar with.
  

• Ravens TE L.J. Smith wants to prove that he's not injury prone. Here's a way to do that ... stop getting injured! But pairing yourself with TE Todd Heap will make you seem much less injury-prone by comparison.
  

• WR Terrell Owens says that he is getting more comfortable in the Bills' offense. What, do you mean he's already yelling at his quarterback?
  

• The time is now for Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell and 49ers QB Alex Smith to show their stuff. But I'm not holding my breath.

• I don't have a link for this, but Archie Manning was on Calvin Cowherd on Tuesday, explaing that it was the Giants defense that let down his boy, Eli. Way to point fingers you twit. How does he get away with this? The defense that Archie called out was the same defense that gave his boy a Super Bowl title. He should show some bloody respect.