Stare into those intent blue eyes for a moment. I dare you to look away and not feel Sean McDermott’s intensity and sense of purpose. Anyone reading this who is acquainted with me in cyberspace over the last 20 years knows I have begged, pleaded and screamed to the heavens how important team chemistry is to the overall productivity and success of an NFL franchise.
Oh, I got the pats on the back and the rah-rah for thinking this psychobabble stuff was important, but in reality I was asked to go back to the kitchen and make a sandwich. Suffice it to state I’m feeling mighty validated these days by the way Sean McDermott coaches.
Remember when all the hoo-haas got bent out of shape when McDermott said that with relatively comparable teams in terms of physical talent, the intangibles win out in terms of priority? I thought I died and went straight to heaven when I heard him say that during a press conference earlier this year.
Here is an incredible article by Matthew Fairburn that gives the best glimpse into how McDermott’s mind works that I’ve read to date.
Also, I wrote this in 2017 about why I believe Sean McDermott is what I referred to as a natural psychologist. You can take all the course work in college and seminars from the best of the best, but in my experience the most talented psychologists were psychologists before they were psychologists. My Grandma (who raised me) was definitely one and she was born when Sigmund Freud was doing his thing in the late 1800s!
After growing up in the 60s and watching the birth of the Buffalo Bills franchise and seeing all the coaches who have come and gone, McDermott represents how I would coach a team. He understands that once you get to the playoffs, all teams are good.
But he (and Brandon Beane of course) more so than any other coach including our beloved Marv Levy has focused more attention on the inner workings of the minds of the players when they select the men who will comprise their teams. This requires a tremendous amount of intentionality and is as difficult to do as finding the next Stefon Diggs.
McDermott gets that team chemistry is like preparing a meal that has to be perfect in every way. The permutations about what can derail that goal are endless. Like his wrestling career, he understands the one advantage he has over his peers at the moment is his understanding THE one thing that cannot be replicated or stolen (ahem, Patriots* and signal calls)… is team chemistry.
This recipe is all his. You put all the ingredients together and you see what the secret sauce brings. You understand the weaknesses of your opponent from a completely different angle. This is the natural psychologist doing his thing.
Believe it or not, McDermott is rewriting history in terms of how to take a team, change the culture and do it the right way. I don’t worry about whether or not this team is one and done this season. If they are, they will come back next year.
Bills fans should rest assured this team is in very good hands.
Good riddance to 2020 and here is to a bright future for the Buffalo Bills. Let’s do this.
~The Caboose~
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