Rex's super guarantee

SORRY ANDY, the Eagles aren't going to win the Super Bowl this season.

How do we know?

Because yesterday, Rex Ryan guaranteed the Jets were going all the way.

"I believe this is the year we're going to do it," the Jets coach told the Associated Press at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. "I believe this is the year we're going to win the Super Bowl. The fact is, I thought we'd win it the first 2 years.

"I guarantee we'll win it this year."

Some might say Rex is up to his old tricks.

During last season's training camp he was asked to sign the Jets logo on the back of ESPN's bus. Instead of signing his name, he wrote "Soon to be Champs."

The Jets went on to lose in the AFC Championship Game for the second straight season.

The last time the Jets won it all was 1969 when they beat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.

Joe Namath, then the Jets quarterback, predicted the victory. But, he did so 3 days before the game, not 12 months.

Yesterday, Ryan said he didn't have a tangible reason for his bold prediction. In fact, he sort of left himself a little wiggle room concerning the "guarantee."

"I'm not the smartest guy of all time and the sharpest tack," Ryan said. "And guarantee? I don't know. I just know how I feel."

As far as we know, Greg Pankewicz is the first coach to ever get suspended for stripping.

Pankewicz, an assistant for the Colorado Eagles of the Central Hockey League, got upset after a referee steered one of his players to the bench during a brawl at a recent game. Internet videos show Pankewicz throwing his tie, jacket, shirt, undershirt and shoes onto the ice before heading to the locker room.

The league suspended him for the rest of the season (14 games) and fined him an undisclosed amount.

Geez, wonder what would have happened if he'd taken off his pants too?

- Tom Mahon

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