It's Not a Difficult Concept
The Washington Redskins have not officially fired head coach Jim Zorn yet, but they are coach-searching, already holding discussions with Mike Shanahan. There is a feeling in the DC area that the Skins need a celebrity coach, a "big name," after flopping under the inexperienced Zorn.
Wrong. The next coach does not need to be experienced. He only needs to win.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish recently fired head coach Charlie Weis. There was a feeling that their new coach had to be better with the media, better with the donors, and better with the players... and the Irish felt that Brian Kelly from Cincinnati fit the bill.
Kelly does not need to be better with the media, the donors, or the players. He only needs to win.
The same fallacy is raised every single time a coaching change occurred. So-and-so's style didn't work, so let's hire the opposite of so-and-so. If a dictator coach doesn't work, hire a relaxed coach. If a relaxed coach doesn't work, hire a dictator.
But it's not really about style or personality just like it's not really about experience. Plenty of older coaches have failed, same as plenty of young coaches. Plenty of relaxed coaches have failed, same as plenty of dictator coaches. Plenty of coaches who are terrific with the media have failed, same as plenty of coaches who are awful in the spotlight.
You know who the best coach is? The guy who wins games. Period. A coach who wins games also wins over the team, the fanbase, and the media. Okay, so the media probably won't appreciate a guy if he's prickly with them -- but then again, look at Chase Utley!
Wrong. The next coach does not need to be experienced. He only needs to win.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish recently fired head coach Charlie Weis. There was a feeling that their new coach had to be better with the media, better with the donors, and better with the players... and the Irish felt that Brian Kelly from Cincinnati fit the bill.
Kelly does not need to be better with the media, the donors, or the players. He only needs to win.
The same fallacy is raised every single time a coaching change occurred. So-and-so's style didn't work, so let's hire the opposite of so-and-so. If a dictator coach doesn't work, hire a relaxed coach. If a relaxed coach doesn't work, hire a dictator.
But it's not really about style or personality just like it's not really about experience. Plenty of older coaches have failed, same as plenty of young coaches. Plenty of relaxed coaches have failed, same as plenty of dictator coaches. Plenty of coaches who are terrific with the media have failed, same as plenty of coaches who are awful in the spotlight.
You know who the best coach is? The guy who wins games. Period. A coach who wins games also wins over the team, the fanbase, and the media. Okay, so the media probably won't appreciate a guy if he's prickly with them -- but then again, look at Chase Utley!
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