News: SAEN: Ryan: ‘I don’t hate the Cowboys’

NewsBot

New Member
Messages
111,281
Reaction score
2,947
NEW ORLEANS – Rob Ryan was asked Friday if he now hates the Dallas Cowboys like his father, Buddy, did during his coaching days with the Philadelphia Eagles.

His answer indicated he’s not holding a grudge against the team that fired him 10 months ago.

“I think my dad had genuine hate for Dallas, and I don’t,” Ryan said.

But his players painted a different story, suggesting Ryan will definitely be out for revenge Sunday night when the Saints host the Cowboys in a nationally televised game featuring division leaders.

“Definitely,” rookie safety and Texas-ex Kenny Vaccaro said when asked if Ryan, now the Saints defensive coordinator, wants revenge. “That’s for anybody. As a man you always want, not revenge, but you want to show up the team that let you go. We all know it is the next game, but we know it means a little bit for him. But we are going to go out and play hard for him.”

Said injured defensive end Victor Butler, a former Cowboy, “There was a little extra spice in the gumbo this week.”

But Ryan downplayed the revenge angle.

“If I worried about every team that’s fired me, hell, I’d have a grudge every week,” Ryan said. “This is a huge game for both teams. Hey, this is what it is. That’s how this sport is. People change teams. Thank God, it’s not like hockey coaches yet, where they just keep changing them every period. It is the way it is. I love those players out there. They were great to me.”

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said last January that the main reason why Ryan was fired is that his defenses didn’t produce enough takeaways. Asked what he believes the overriding reason was for him getting canned, Ryan said, “Hey, I have read so many things, I don’t care to read them anymore. Whatever it was, I’m sure it was a great decision on everybody’s part.”

So does Ryan believe he failed in Dallas?

“Whatever people suggest, it doesn’t mean a crap to me,” he said.

“I know I’m a great coach. Whatever it is, it is. What I said on Dallas on my way out, there’s a couple of better coaches than me who have been fired. Not many, but there is a couple. That’s just the way it is.”

Ryan claimed he wasn’t aware that the Cowboys are ranked near the bottom of the league in defense, while the Saints are fifth. He said he’s just happy to have found a home in New Orleans.

“I love this team,” he said. “I love these players. I love how the team is run. I love the organization. It feels like home, and it’s a great spot for me.”

Continue reading...
 
Top