Don’t you just wish sometimes that Rex Ryan would tell you how he really feels? The Jets head coach can be so reserved and bashful sometimes, rarely showing that fire you know is blazing inside him. A little too facetious? Fine.

The good thing is that the guy who rarely holds back on the podium — and blurts out magic without trying — finally took the time to sit down, think things through, and write a book. With help from accomplished author Don Yaeger, Ryan’s book, “Play Like You Mean It: Passion, Laughs, and Leadership in the World’s Most Beautiful Game,” will be available on May 3.

Jets beatwriters in the New York media got their hands on copies last week and blitzed Twitter feeds with some Ryan gems, including his honest opinion of former players like defensive end/linebacker Vernon Gholston and Kerry “Hollywood” Rhodes.

The Jets traded Rhodes to Arizona last year for the Cardinals’ 2010 fourth-round pick and their 2011 seventh-round pick. The trade compensation seemed low, seeing as how Rhodes was a defensive captain, two-time Pro Bowl snub, and the face of the Jets defense under ex-coach Eric Mangini. Ryan’s words offer more insight into how little they valued “Hollywood” in New York.

“He was a selfish-ass guy,” Ryan wrote. “He wouldn’t work and he was a Hollywood type, flashing and needing attention.”

Rhodes was a fan-favorite during his Jets prime, but his response to being benched during the 2010 season confirms Ryan’s insinuation.

Nonetheless, if you’re a Rex Ryan fan, “Play Like You Mean It…” looks like a must-have. NYJetsFan.com will have a review of the book for those of you on the fence about reading the Rex Ryan story.