COHEN'S CORNER SPORTS

Who needs Favre Watch? Let Manning Watch begin. Rumors have been swirling around the Jets training center for weeks that the club might be a possible destination for Colts superstar quarterback Peyton Manning if the future Hall of Famer were made available this spring. Back in late November, coach Rex Ryan shot the idea down after Mark Sanchez completed 40 percent of his passes in a victory over the Bills; now he is trying to extinguish the rumors again. Remember: where there is smoke there is fire. Ryan defended both Sanchez and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenhiemer on the Jets awful performance against the New York Giants Saturday, saying: " I have a huge amount of confidence in both guys; there is no doubt. I have stated it over and over, my feelings about Mark Sanchez. It wasn’t Mark’s best day by any stretch of the imagination, but we know he’s done it, and he's been doing it, and we have great confidence in him, and I I have great confidence in him. "...

Rex Ryan has had a lot to say this week. First he said that he wanted to beat Peyton Manning badly, then said that Tom Brady isn't as good a student of the game as Manning is, now he is making comparisons to the Yankees. Ryan said: "The Yankees are the most-loved team in baseball [by their fans] and the most-hated by everybody [else]. Now that would be ideal. We're short about 26 championships, but that's going to take a few years to catch up," the coach said with a chuckle. "Now, that's what you want. ... If people love you and feel good about you and all that, they want to schedule you for homecoming because they can beat you every time. We want to be a team that is respected. You might dislike us and all that kind of stuff, but we want you to respect us." If Ryan and the Jets want respect they better earn it. The Jets have talked a lot about how good they think they are, and how they believe they are ready to be a Super Bowl champ. Now they have ...

As seen on Bleacher Report.com via Michael Cohen's Bleacher home page. When the New York Jets got word that the Kansas City Chiefs were getting upended by the Oakland Raiders, 31-10, they couldn't be very happy. Rex Ryan said during his press conference that the Jets had been preparing for a Saturday night game, his way of saying boastfully that the Jets were expecting the Indianapolis Colts the entire time. Sure Rex. Ryan then added, "I think we are the best team in the playoffs." Good luck trying to do that against the Colts, Patriots and Steelers, three teams that have been to eight Super Bowls in the last 10 years, winning six of them. Lets face it, the Jets didn't want to face the Colts in the first round. ... To read the rest of the story Click on the LINK !

The Jets and former Ravens linebacker Bart Scott have finally agreed to a six year deal worth $48 million, which will pay the linebacker $8 million a year, the Daily News Reports. Earlier in the day, the Jets had come to terms with Scott's agent on a five year $40 millon deal, but Scott had yet to approve of the deal and reopened talks with the Ravens. This forced the Jets to serve up the extra year and money. Scott is in the prime of his career at 28 years old but has not had a really good year for some time. In 2005, Scott had 94 tackles and four sacks, and, in 2006, he had a career high 103 tackles and 9.5 sacks. In the last two years, Scott has had only 2.5 sacks combined. Last year, Scott had his lowest tackle total since 2004 with 82 tackles. Still, the Jets need help, and Scott, if he can get back to where he was in 2006, will be a welcome additon to a team in need of a strong middle linebacker. Scott is very familiar with Rex Ryan's defense and will definitely help th...

Either Ravens future Hall of Fame Linebacker Ray Lewis means it, or he is really good at pretending to be a sports agent by jacking up his own price tag. Lewis, who has been the emotional leader of the Balitmore Ravens since their inception in 1996, is a free agent and has said in a story published by the New York Post , that he will not give the Ravens a home team discount. In other words, he will go for the best deal available. Lewis feels that the Jets are an "attractive" option, since he has a long relationship with Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan. Ryan and Lewis spent eight years together, with Ryan as a defensive assitant and later coordinator. The two of the were apart of the Ravens 2000 World Championship team. " That relationship by itself is a match, because of the relationship me and Rex have always had. That opportunity by itself looks attractive, seems attractive, " Lewis said in an interview on the NFL Network. If Lewis does become a Jet, he will bring treme...

The New York/New Jersey media got a big taste of what Rex Ryan has to offer Wednesday morning when he was introduced as the 17th coach in New York Jets history. Ryan immediately made reference to new President Barack Obama, saying, "We have a new president now, and, hopefully we can meet him in a couple of years," referencing the tradition that the year's Super Bowl Champion makes a trip to the White House to meet the President of the United States. Ryan came across as the anti-Mangini . He was stoic, confident, cocky, funny and socialble in his press conference. That was in stark contrast to Mangini, who was tight-lipped, unemotional, humorless and who came across as a man who was anti-social and unfriendly. Some have speculated that Mangini's prickly behavior may have lost the team down the stretch this season, ultimately leading to his departure. Ryan was not shy about letting the NFL know how he feels about his new ballclub: "The message to the rest of the le...

ESPN is reporting that the Jets and Ravens Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan have agreed in principle to a four year contract to become the next head coach of the New York Jets. Ryan helped lead a Ravens D that was second in the NFL in total defense; the Ravens made it to their second AFC Championship game in franchise history, only to lose to Pittsburgh 23-14, Sunday night. The move ends what has been a bizarre three weeks for the Jets; they fired Eric Mangini as a scapegoat for Brett Favre's nine interceptions in the final five weeks of the season. The Jets move to terminate Mangini looked that much worse when Jets owner Woody Johnson decided to spend a week on vacation when a more credible coach, like Bill Cowher, was avaiable for an interview. Cowher had a slight interest in coming to the Jets but was turned off by Johnson's seemingly disinterested approach to talking to him by spending time away from the Jets facility. Other coaches like Jon Gruden, Mike Shanahan, Brian Bill...

Cross Steve Spagnuolo's name off of the Jets coaching wish list. The former Giants defensive coordinator, who helped spark a defense that beat up Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in last year's Super Bowl, will become the head coach of the St. Louis Rams . Spagnuolo was a finalist for the Jets job but was a distant second to get the job behind Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. Ryan still appears to be the favorite to get the Jets job, even with ex-Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden on the market. Spagnuolo will coach the Rams for four years at a reported $11.5 million. The Rams were 2-14 this season under Scott Linehan and Jim Hasslett. The Rams need a defensive guru to fix one of the worst defenses in the NFL, and Spagnuolo fits the bill. It is not clear as to who will replace Spagnuolo as the Giants defensive coordinator. Spagnuolo's presence will certainly be missed on the Giants sidelines in 2009.

The Jets whacky and weird coaching search could be coming to an end ... in three more weeks. The Jets are apparently willing to wait for the Ravens season to end before making an offer to defensive coordinator Rex Ryan to be the club's latest head coach. Ryan interviewed with the Jets on Sunday, and, according to the Star Ledger, the two sides hit it off well. The Jets are also strongly interested in Steve Spagnuolo, the Giants defensive coordinator. If the Jets want Spagnuolo to be their coach, they don't have to wait since the Giants season is over after a 23-11 loss to the Eagles on Sunday. Ryan would be interesting; his defenses have been in the top five each of the last three seasons ever since he has been defensive coordinator. The Ravens had the second best defense in the NFL in 2008 behind only the Steelers. Meanwhile, Spagnuolo could be getting offers from elsewhere. The Lions and Rams are also interested in the Giants D-coordinator.