FLORHAM PARK Michael Deiter Jersey , N.J. (AP) — Gregg Williams is the furthest thing from warm and fuzzy.Never has been. And, never will.That’s not how the New York Jets‘ defensive coordinator is wired.Williams has helped build stingy defenses all around the NFL for nearly 30 years with a mix of fiery passion, intimidating intensity and undeniable self-confidence. It rubs some — OK, many — the wrong way. But Williams has made a long, successful career of never, ever being Mr. Nice Guy.“My secrets get out,” the 60-year-old Williams said in his first news conference since being hired by coach Adam Gase in January.“And the reason I keep getting hired is culture,” he added, “and culture beats strategy any day of the week.”Williams motivates his players with his undying desire to win. He wants guys in his defense who reflect everything for which he stands.“It’s about how you find ways yourself to be tougher,” he said. “How you find ways to play harder, play smarter for longer than any opponent you go against. And, all the scheme is is a way to surround the ball, surround the formation and just find ball, see ball, get ball.“But it comes from an attitude. It comes from a personal understanding of what it takes to play this game at this level at the highest level.”Williams’ arrival has been welcomed by the players, who rave about his “crazy” energy and no-holds-barred approach.“Between those whistles, it’s a dog-eat-dog mentality Daniel Jones Jersey ,” linebacker Jordan Jenkins said.“It’s aggressive, obviously,” safety Jamal Adams added. “We talk our noise and we fly around the ball. I know we’re going to compete every down, every play. That’s what it’s about.”Williams made an immediate impression on Adams, pulling no punches with the third-year safety who’s coming off his first career Pro Bowl selection.“You know,” he told Adams, “I’ve coached a lot better people than you before.”Adams, who appreciated that blunt assessment, was sold on Williams immediately.“I love him,” Adams said with a big grin. “It’s like an uncle, really. He’s coaching us hard, he wants the best out of us and you could run through a wall for a coach like that.”That’s nothing new for Williams, who has heard things like that throughout his journey in the NFL, from Houston and Tennessee to Buffalo, Washington, Jacksonville, New Orleans Dexter Lawrence Jersey , St. Louis, Los Angeles, Cleveland and, now, New York.“Players can smell and feel and know whether you’re conning them, faster than coaches do because they see the personal side of it,” Williams said. “So, yeah, I push, prod. And attitude does come first and I tell them attitude is everything.“Pick a good one today.”Williams has been a polarizing figure at times, particularly during his time with the Saints from 2009-11 as the defensive coordinator under Sean Payton — a period that included a Super Bowl win in 2010. Williams was suspended by the NFL for the entire 2012 season for his role in the “Bountygate” scandal in New Orleans, where Saints defensive players were paid bonuses for injuring opposing team players.That mark on Williams’ resume became a topic of conversation again when he joined the Jets because Joe Vitt was hired as the team’s outside linebackers coach. The two were on the Saints’ staff during the controversy, and Vitt testified against Williams in the hearings, accusing Williams of lying in his testimony to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.Williams and Vitt are working together for the first time since. Oh, and Vitt just happens to be Gase’s father-in-law.“Not a question,” Williams snapped when asked about the dynamic now between he and Vitt. “Next question. Go ahead. He’s a great friend of mine, OK? And Deandre Baker Jersey , he’ll always be a great friend. I don’t care what you’ve written. Go ahead. Somebody else.”Vitt, who was suspended for six games for his role in the scandal, was similarly evasive when asked about his relationship with Williams.“So this is a National Enquirer question, or what?” Vitt said. “I like Gregg. Me and him are friends. Next question.”The working relationship between Gase and Williams also bears watching as this season goes along, particularly because of their strong personalities and ultra-competitive tendencies.Gase has said Williams’ approach will only make him better, and the aggressive defense will do the same for quarterback Sam Darnold and the offense. Williams pointed out that Gase has worked with several of his good friends in coaching, and developed a mutual appreciation while playing against each other in the NFL.“Respect and trust is earned,” Williams said. “He has earned my respect, OK? And, he’s earning my trust now because we’re working together on the same thing. It’s been fun. And he’s a very good coach, has a really good mind and has a challenging mind on what conceptually we’re doing and how he goes about doing it. So, it’s fun.”And, as always, intense.“You know, it’s the honesty part of it,” Williams said. “Every day’s an interview, them to me and me to them. People ask me all the time how much longer am I going to do this? I love what I do. I’m a competition-aholic.“When I walk into a room and nobody will pay attention anymore Oshane Ximines Jersey , it’s time to do something else.” Stuck in an 11-game losing streak, the Detroit Tigers cleared the air with a pregame meeting. Then Nick Castellanos went out and cleared the bases with an important home run that helped stop Detroit’s slide.

Castellanos hit his fourth career grand slam, Jordan Zimmermann pitched seven strong innings and the Tigers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-1 on Sunday.

Manager Ron Gardenhire scheduled the pregame meeting, a relaxed session in which players were invited to say whatever was on their mind. Castellanos called it an opportunity to ”just kind of address the elephant in the room.”

”It gave anybody a chance that wanted to speak up to speak up,” said Castellanos, adding that Victor Martinez, James McCann and Gardenhire were among those who talked.

JaCoby Jones hit a two-run homer as the Tigers won for the first time since June 17, when they completed a three-game road sweep of the Chicago White Sox.

Castellanos nearly hit another home run in the ninth but Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar made a leaping catch at the wall.

”I felt like I was going to have a chance to make a play,” Pillar said. ”A ball like that hit as high as it is it allows me time to kind of track the ball and track the fence and go up to try to make a play. ”

Castellanos stopped on the basepaths to applaud Pillar’s catch before turning and heading back to the dugout.

”What else can you say the end of the day besides `What a play,”’ Castellanos said. ”It sucks it had to happen to me but plays like that have to happen to somebody.”

Niko Goodrum had a career-high four hits and Jose Iglesias had two hits and two RBIs for Detroit, which had lost 12 of 14 at Rogers Centre.

”That was a fun win, a really fun with with a lot of great swings,” Gardenire said.

Zimmermann (3-0) allowed one run and five hits in his third start since returning from a shoulder injury that caused him to miss more than a month.

”He had a great curveball today,” Gardenhire said. ”That’s probably the best curveball I’ve seen all year out of him.”

Wearing red jerseys and caps for Canada Day, the Blue Jays couldn’t deliver a win for the holiday crowd of 37,445.

Tigers outfielder Leonys Martin left with a sore left hamstring after his bases-loaded bunt single in the fifth brought home Detroit’s first run. Martin was replaced by Victor Reyes.

Following the game, Gardenhire said Martin would be placed on the 10-day disabled list. A corresponding roster move will be made before Monday afternoon’s series finale.

Castellanos followed with his 13th home run Julian Love Jersey , a shot that bounced off the top of the wall in right. It was his first grand slam since Sept. 8, 2017, also against Toronto.

Castellanos also made a fine catch in right, reaching back to grab Russell Martin’s line drive for the final out of the fourth.

Iglesias chased Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ (10-4) with a two-out, two-run single in the sixth.

Happ matched season-worsts by allowing seven runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

”It’s not a pretty outing and I own that,” Happ said.

Happ had won six consecutive decisions since his previous defeat, May 10 against Seattle.

Teoscar Hernandez tripled in the first and scored on a two-out double by Justin Smoak, but Zimmermann recovered to retire the next nine Blue Jays batters.

For the second straight game, the roof was closed at Rogers Centre because of high heat and humidity.

MUSIC MAN

Blue Jays RHP John Axford complied a list of more than 500 songs by Canadian artists and has been playing his mix in the clubhouse all weekend. Axford’s `Oh Canada!’ playlist can be streamed using the online music service Spotify.

NOT YOUR DAY

The Blue Jays are 14-26 on Canada Day, including a 12-17 mark at home.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Alex Wilson, who left in the eighth inning Saturday because of a sore left calf, was not available. … RHP Drew VerHagen (nasal fracture) pitched one scoreless inning for Triple-A Toledo Saturday night, his first rehab appearance. VerHagen has been out since June 20.

Blue Jays: Toronto optioned utilityman Darnell Sweeney to Triple-A Buffalo after the game and will make a corresponding roster move Monday.

UP NEXT

Tigers RHP Mike Fiers (5-4, 4.04) faces Blue Jays LHP Ryan Borucki (0-1, 3.00) in Monday afternoon’s series finale. Fiers is 0-2 with a 5.91 ERA in two career starts at Rogers Centre. Borucki made his major league debut at Houston last Tuesday, allowing two runs in six innings.

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