Jets’ Ryan goes into full retreat

NFL: Talk about something you don’t hear every day: a regretful Rex Ryan (in photo).

The brash New York Jets coach knew he messed up Wednesday as soon as he said, “I would have had a couple of rings,” if the San Diego Chargers had hired him as coach in 2007.

The comments were taken as a slight at Chargers coach Norv Turner, who was hired instead and hasn’t yet won a Super Bowl.

Turner immediately received an apologetic phone call from Ryan.

“It was me, it’s all on me,” Ryan said Thursday. “I’m guilty. Absolutely. I did call Norv. I won’t get into that conversation, but it was unintentional.”

Ryan, who made the comments during a conference call with Chargers reporters, insisted he didn’t intentionally diss Turner, but rather was trying to compliment the Chargers for building a consistent winner.

Turner got in a little jab of his own Wednesday when asked about Ryan’s comments.

“I didn’t have a chance to ask him this,” Turner said, “but I was wondering if he had those rings with the ones he’s guaranteed the last couple of years.”

Zing! Ryan was hired by the Jets in 2009, with bold – and so far empty – promises of Super Bowl success since.

Associated Press

Zags ranked 23rd in coaches poll

Men’s basketball: Gonzaga University is ranked 23rd in the ESPN/USA Today preseason coaches poll, released on Thursday.

Two of the teams in the poll are on the Bulldogs’ schedule: a road game at No. 15 Xavier on Dec. 31, and the “Battle in Seattle” game against No. 16 Arizona on Dec. 17 at KeyArena.