Manish Mehta: Rex sees Super Bowl in His Crystal Ball

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The Jets Stream

by Manish MehtaAugust 6, 2010 1:02 PM 5 Comments .Rex Ryan sees Super Bowl win for Jets in 'my crystal ball' »

By Manish Mehta

CORTLAND - The day after Rex Ryan signed an ESPN training camp tour bus with “soon to be champs,” the most confident coach on the planet backed up the bravado with, well, more bravado.

So, will the Jets win the Super Bowl this season?

“My crystal ball, I’m seeing a Super Bowl trophy in there,” Ryan said after the morning practice. “I could be wrong. But that’s what I see. Every time I go to work, that’s what I look at.”

“That’s our mentality,” the coach added. “That’s our goal. I got confidence to put it up there. I don’t have to just put Go (Jets!)…. I believe we’ll do it. So why wouldn’t we say it. Why wouldn’t we go for it?”

Ryan, who has made it clear that the Jets will go to the big game in 2010, isn’t concerned about the skeptics.

“I don’t care if people don’t like it or whatever: Just shut up and win some,” Ryan said. “I’ve won a lot more than that person writing it, I can promise you that. I’ve been there. My family’s been to a bunch of these things. I know how to get there.”

“The first step is that if you don’t believe in yourself, your team darn sure won’t,” he added. “I’m not apologizing. I just know what’s going to happen.”

Ryan’s confidence has turned him into a cult hero among diehard Jets fans.

“We’ll see what happens,” he said. “I’m not embarrassed to say that I believe it will happen. The great thing is that we get to prove it soon. That’s the beauty of it.”

NOTES:

To nobody’s surprise, offensive lineman Rob Turner was involved in the first fight of training camp. The offensive lineman got into it with Jamaal Westerman.

Here’s Turner’s blow-by-blow description: “I put him on his back and then he wouldn’t let go of my head. He grabbed a hold of my facemask and had my head cranked. I told him to let go and he wouldn’t let go. He was just holding on. So I started dropping some fists in his kidneys. If y’all haven’t been able to tell, I‘ve been trying to take it easy on fighting this camp and actually focus on football. But he wouldn’t let go of my facemask so… Honestly I wouldn’t consider that a fight. Usually I go pick them and that’s when somebody takes a cheap shot… I’m not saying there’s not going to be one. There will probably be another one or two coming.”

Ryan admitted that Matt Slauson has the early edge over rookie Vlad Ducasse for the starting left guard spot. Ryan praised Slauson’s toughness and admitted that Ducasse needs to finish plays better….

Mark Sanchez drew the biggest applause after he scrambled and slid feet first. Ryan, of course, criticized Sanchez last season for his penchant for going head first for extra yardage. The second-year quarterback took a bow after he got up to the delight of the fans.

Defensive End Vernon Gholston is guaranteed a roster spot, Ryan said. Gholston, however, will not be a part of the first four-man rotation along the defensive line. Kris Jenkins, Shaun Ellis, Sione Pouha and Mike DeVito will be the core with Gholston and Ropati Pitoitua rotating in for them. ….

PLAY OF THE DAY: Sanchez showed great touch on a 50-yard TD pass to Brad Smith, who beat Kyle Wilson down the right side. Sanchez was 5 of 11 with a TD and INT (Calvin Pace off tipped pass at the line) in 11-on-11 drills.

Ryan made no secret that he wants Joe McKnight to be a significant contribution on special teams…

WR David Clowney missed the morning practice to take care of personal matters, according to Ryan. He’s expected to be back in time for team meetings tonight.

TE Jeff Cumberland, who has been one of the surprises in the first week of camp, missed a couple periods toward the end of practice after getting hit in the head. Ryan didn’t know the extent of the injury…

LB Brashton Satele (ankle) missed practice for a second consecutive day and won’t participate in tomorrow’s scrimmage. …

G Marlon Davis (knee) didn’t practice.

[Fifth Amendment]