If the instantly viral awkwardness of Sergio Dipp were designed to distract from the anticipated Rex Ryan debut, ESPN outdid itself. The longtime media darling, …
If the instantly viral awkwardness of Sergio Dipp were designed to distract from the anticipated Rex Ryan debut, ESPN outdid itself.
The longtime media darling, built up as the idyllic color guy with years of both coaching experience and a personality as big as his stomach, bombed on his opening night, stumbling his way through Monday night’s 24-21 Broncos win over the Chargers.
Ryan, a brilliant defensive football mind who was the Jets head coach from 2009 to 2014 before moving on to the Bills in 2015 and’ 16, could not translate that language into helpful dialogue, his flat jokes and foggy analysis even more jarring after Tony Romo’s smash debut on CBS a day prior.
Ryan did not seem confident in his speech and looked like the rookie analyst he is: At the start of the broadcast, his partner, Beth Mowins, had to remind him not to interfere with his microphone. Mowins, who became just the second woman to call an NFL game, dragged him through a night that seemed more like a preseason dress rehearsal than a Week 1 showtime (though Dipp helped that feeling) . Ryan lacked the energy needed for a Monday night game, coming across more as sleepy than engaged.
Twitter lit up with Ryan digs, with many saying they were forced to switch to ESPN Deportes instead of listening to the Ryan discomfort.
Ryan actually closed the broadcast with a laughable Rexism, a line both refreshing and apropos: “Some days you’ re the dog, some days you’ re the fire hydrant.”
