For Jets coach Rex Ryan, it all started at Stevenson

Long before Rex Ryan became the toast of New York as coach of the Jets, he was the new kid at school.

Actually, new kids, because he and his twin brother Rob were inseparable back then - also tough to tell apart.

Back in 1977, coach Jack Pardee led the Bears to their first playoff berth since '63, then abruptly quit to take over the Washington Redskins. The Bears replaced him with former Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Neil Armstrong. He brought Buddy Ryan along to run the defense, while Buddy brought Rex and Rob.

I happened to be in the same class at Stevenson High School as future New York Jets coach Rex Ryan and knew him well. We always sort of figured football was in his future, because of the family ties, but to join a shortlist of rookie NFL coaches to take a team to the conference championship game - that's amazing.

First off, all that bravado Ryan spews toward cameras and reporters in New York, such as calling the Jets favorites to win the Super Bowl before the playoffs began, is new. He obviously acquired that speech pattern from his father, who loved to create controversy around himself with the idea it took pressure off the players.

Back in high school, Rex was sort of the quintessential goofball, always laughing or joking about something. That part of his personality was in stark contrast to his dad, who rarely cracked a smile and didn't tolerate mistakes well.

Buddy's influence was easily seen, though, in how the Ryans handled themselves. Rex and Rob were about doing the right thing in high school. Rob is now defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, by the way.

The brothers stayed out of trouble and never made an enemy as far as I could tell. They were always friendly, often the first ones to step up if someone was getting picked on.

They were dedicated athletes, going out for basketball and baseball even if they rarely played. They were good, not great, football players; starters on a 2-7 varsity team. Rex might have been better in baseball.

One night during a long ride home on the activity bus, I remember hearing one brother say to the other, "Can you imagine if we didn't go out for baseball, we could come home from school early and just hang out in the afternoon?"

"That would stink," the other one answered.

High school students enjoy brushes with celebrity and it would be another year before tennis prodigy Andrea Jaeger arrived as a freshman, so the Ryans had some notoriety. They'd often share tales of working as ball boys during Bears training camp, when Walter Payton would sneak out the window of their room late at night.

They talked about having to unload players' tickets before home games sometimes, so a friend and I floated he idea of getting some freebies to the final game of the 1978 season against Green Bay.

We decided not to go, mostly because it was 10 degrees that day, and I'm reasonably certain we never told the Ryans we'd definitely be there. At school on Monday, though, they lashed out as soon as they saw me.

"Hey, where were you? The tickets were out there."

Sorry, but who knew a couple of high school sophomores would be so intent on keeping their word?

Rex didn't seem to take school very seriously, although he spoke recently about a problem with dyslexia that made reading a struggle. There may have been a few times when Rob passed a test in his brother's name.

The funniest Rex Ryan story I can recall happened during a sophomore basketball game at Round Lake High School. (Full disclosure: I was the manager, not a player).

Rex and Rob were the last guys on the bench and this was a game where they received fourth-quarter playing time. Rex also had poor eyesight, but didn't like wearing his dark-rimmed glasses.

As the clock ticked down, Rex had the ball near midcourt and got bumped as he attempted a desperation heave. The referee called a foul, to the disbelief of the Round Lake coach. The Stevenson players were on their feet, fired up at the prospect of Rex getting in the score book.

As the players began lining up at the free throw line, Rex suddenly ran back to the bench, held out his hand and yelled, "Glasses!"

Maybe you had to be there, but it's not a bad snapshot of the teenage Rex Ryan: Part dedication, part comedy, and not caring what anyone else thought when it came to getting a job done.

Heck, he was practically born to coach the Jets in Sunday's AFC title game.

Rex Ryan at a glanceBorn: Dec. 13, 1962, in Ardmore, Okla. Personal: His father is former NFL head coach Buddy Ryan (1985 Bears defensive coordinator), and his twin brother is Rob Ryan, defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. Rex and wife Michelle have two teenage sonsm Payton and Seth. High school: Attended Stevenson High School, playing football, basketball and baseball and graduating in 1981College: Played defensive end at Southwestern Oklahoma State, earning a bachelor of science and master's degree (1988) in physical education from Eastern Kentucky.NFL coaching career2009: Named New York Jets head coach on Jan. 19, 2009, signing a four-year deal worth $11.5 million. 1999-2008: Baltimore Ravens, assistant head coach/defensive coordinator, defensive line coach. 1994-95: Arizona Cardinals, linebackers and defensive line coach under Buddy RyanCollege coaching career 1998: Oklahoma, defensive coordinator 1996-97: Cincinnati, defensive coordinator 1990-93: Morehead State, defensive coordinator 1989: New Mexico Highlands, assistant head coach and defensive coordinator 1987-88: Eastern Kentucky, defensive ends coach Source: NFL.com; news reportsFalse20001441New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan, right, looks on from the sideline.Associated PressFalse