Great Moments In Sports Talk Radio: Playbookgateghazi

Last night, on the Sedano and Stink show on ESPN radio, co-host Jorge Sedano asked a question: Why do we make such a big deal out of this stuff?

The stuff he was referring to was NFL-related, namely the "revelation" from new Browns coach and former Jets assistant Mike Pettine that his former boss, Jets coach and professional loose cannon Rex Ryan, had put his team at a disadvantage by handing a copy of the defensive playbook to Alabama coach Nick Saban. Saban, according to the narrative, then turned around and gave the book to his good buddy, Wesleyan alum Bill Belichick, which led to Patriots QB Tom Brady good-naturedly taunting Jets folk at Wes Welker's wedding that he had access to the Jets' playbook. Pettine told this story to make himself look good, Ryan responded by saying that Pettine's a self-serving jackass, and the whole thing has simmered along nicely as a cross between a telenovela and two third graders having a recess slap fight.


And so Sedano asked his cohost, former NFLer Mark Schlereth, if a stolen playbook was a big deal. Schelereth expounded, at great length, as to why it wasn't a big thing at all - everybody basically runs the same plays, apparently - and shut the conversation down.

At which point Sedano asked his question, and answered it himself with "Is it because fans who don't know a lot about the NFL blow it out of proportion?"

To which I can only say, no, it's not the fans blowing it out of proportion. It's the guys who are teasing "Has Rex Ryan lost his mind?" across commercial breaks to lure people into the next segment who have blown it out of proportion, because it's the NFL and comes with a reflexive ZOMG FOOTBALL. Seriously. Read the breakdown of what happened again. NOTHING HAPPENED. Nothing the Jets do is so interesting that having an inside look at it matters. Teams change their signals and code words for the same old plays every week. It's no big deal.

And blowing it up to be one, then covering your butt by saying that it isn't, well, let's be generous and call that silly. And maybe next time, Mr. Sedano, you can answer your own question before the segment. The rest of us already knew.