Kerry Rhodes appeared on the Michael Kay show this afternoon on ESPN Radio 1050 and the New York Media was quick to point out the highlights. Every single article written was done so stating that Kerry was very negative and that he was “Ripping” his former coaching staff and some of the players.
I first read Rich Cimini’s article on the interview. If you listen to the actual quotes, here is the link to today’s show, you can hear the emotion in his voice. Simply put, the man is shocked and hurt that he was traded. Is his pride and ego hurt, YES, he said it himself in the show. I don’t know about you, but I think I would feel the same way. Isn’t that human nature?
Kay summarized the events starting friday stating that Mike Tannebaum announced that Kerry is part of the plan and the Jets plan to keep him “Unless something happens”. They trade him on Saturday but then say that he wasn’t part of the problem, they (the Jets) just needed draft picks.
Kerry said that he was probably the only guy they could have used to get the draft picks and he said it kind of made sense at that point. He didn’t necessarily agree with it, but did you expect him to!? He was told one day earlier he would be a Jet. He also stated that he’s not mad or sad about being traded. I disagree because I am listening to his voice. Kerry wanted to be in New York this year. I am convinced that once Kerry fell into bad graces, the Jets were going to get rid of him no matter what. You can’t really convince me otherwise.
Going back to the interview, they then spoke about the “sit down” they had in the middle of the season. Kerry made it clear that he didn’t go to them, that the coaching staff approached him saying they wanted him part of the team. The decision was up to Kerry, and he went back and agreed, he wanted to remain a Jet. Kerry said, “I guess as time went on, they saw it differently”. Rhodes even had an additional sit down with Pettine after the season and said that was productive as well.
Kay then asked Kerry why he felt there was a problem to begin with at the beginning of the season. Kerry said he and Rex were cool, but the issue was with the defensive coordinator and that he wasn’t the focal point, and then reiterated that he wasn’t ONE of the focal points of the defense. He continued to say that he felt by bringing in “their” guys, they were going to run the defense and Kerry and the rest of the team were to just learn.
Obviously, Rhodes was referring to Bart Scott, Jim Leonhard and Marques Douglas, the former Ravens. But if Rhodes’ theory is right, how do you explain that the two best defensive players — Darrelle Revis and David Harris — were holdovers from the previous staff?
My take on this is that Kerry was the captain of the team who called in all the plays and when the new defensive scheme came in, he was just another player. In fact they pulled the play calling on Kerry and gave it to Jim Leonard stating that this will help Kerry to focus on what he does best. I can’t speak for Kerry, but he was wearing a captains patch with less of a role than he had the prior year. When you take something away from someone, isn’t that a demotion?
The media has a problem with this last section because it sounds like Kerry is an egomaniac who only wanted to do things his way. For anyone that has been on a team, be it a sports team, corporate team etc, when “New Management” comes in and wants to install a new process (system), most people push back on the change. It’s human nature to fight the change. I’m not saying that Kerry should not have accepted the change, I’m saying that Kerry fought it like most people would in a similar situation.
Kerry was looking at his new role as a demotion, plain and simple. He was struggling with the decision, plain and simple. His tweets and his reaction during the course of the season back it up. Again, that doesn’t make Kerry a bad guy, or teammate. It doesn’t make him selfish. Maybe if Kerry kept it to himself, we would not be talking about this. You hear most teams like to keep their business behind closed doors, but this has been out in the open from day one.
It’s so easy as a fan to sit here and criticize Kerry for being selfish. If he was TRULY selfish, he would not have done everything or anything the Jets coaches asked of him during his benching this season. Kerry had the option to check out or be insubordinate, but all he did was swallow his pride (sometimes not very quietly) and he worked his way back to the starting lineup and what he thought he was to be in good graces and part of the future for the Jets.
Kerry was Surprised that Rex did not Call him after being Traded.
I’m going to stop here with analyzing the interview as I feel I covered the main issue as to why people think Kerry “ripped” into his old team. Kerry feels betrayed. Listen to his voice. Listen to his reaction when Michael Kay asked Kerry if Rex called him. Kerry liked Rex and it HURT him not to get a call from him. Kerry is a smart enough guy to know that this is a business but it does get personal. You get attached to your co-workers when things go well, and to say that it was all bad for Kerry would be a joke.
If you believe that all Kerry cared about was himself, and his acting after football then that is your right. If you dislike what Kerry did this year, it is not my job to convince you otherwise. All I am saying is to listen to the clip and pick up on the cues. This is a guy who felt betrayed after he decided to put it all in. You can call him what you want, but Fans loved Kerry on the Jets. Don’t believe me, search his name on Twitter. I guarantee you that he is getting support tweets and well wishes 10 to 1 to the hate tweets.
*Stepping off my soap box that is called Jets Twit* Thanks.
So don’t agree with my argument? I would love to hear from you in the comments! (
Kerry, if you are reading this, I would love to hear your thoughts as well!) Thanks!
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