There's just something about Mike Macdonald I can't quite put my finger on.
He's what, 37 years old? When I was 37 a sneeze ago, I'm not quite sure I had his level of straight-forward conviction or character.
He seems to ooze that undefinable, unquantifiable, something. Like he already has it all figured out. 37!
Certainly, us diehards have been digesting every possible article, YouTube video, short, podcast we can find to learn more about the man. He's no Pete Carroll. You wont find him blasting music at practice. The basketball hoop is long removed. It doesn't suggest to me at least, that he's a party pooper.
He's just focused.
As a first time head coach it's no wonder he would try to surround himself with an eclectic mix of talent and experience. I firmly stand in the camp of those who believe the hiring of Leslie Frazier was a wicked, shrewd, incredibly insightful move. An Obi Wan Kenobi-ish move, in fact.
As I stand here today, I have nothing but a level of positivity I haven't felt in years.
Prove me wrong, coach!
I suspect he won't.
Great post and agree 100%. Not only does he say the right things, but by all accounts, and judging by his record, he does the right things as well. Both in terms of football smarts and more importantly, people smarts.
Much was made of his introverted style of leadership. I think its actually going to be a key to his near term success. Introversion isnt as much about being quiet as much as it is about having a way of thinking thats based more on observation, and a way of being that is driven more by internal mechanisms than external stimulus. The classic introvert is happy to live in their thoughts and sit, watch, learn and extract gobs of information and data from a subject that others who arent that way might. They have a tendency to be more adept at seeing the nuance of a thing or a person. This makes them quick studies and very good at reaching others at a personal level and understanding the mood of a situation or the subtle cues a person gives off that provides insight into who they are and how to communicate with them.
The challenge is that the introvert can at times become too comfortable living inside their own minds and not develop the skills of leadership that require one to exude confidence, communicate well, and, in turn, gain trust. Mike seems to have taken the time to nurture that part of himself from a point of beginning that is rooted in his greatest strength - his ability to connect with his players. The fact that hes stepping into the Seahawks culture (by culture, i dont mean Pete's style of leadership) where interpersonal relationships and valuing eachother..., seeing eachother in a genuine way, trumps everything... that can only help to give him the confidence he needs to grow himself and get the job done... quickly.
He still does things like hangs onto catchphrases like 'growth mindset' and ' chasing edges ' too much, but i chalk that up to him leaning on those things he was taught by the Harbaughs and making them his own here in Seattle.
I dont think it HAS to take a long time to change the winming ways in a place, nor does a wholesale coaching staff change mean you have to take a step back. Take the name out of the equation, and what we've done more than anything in maintaining whats made this organization great, is tweaked the culture to be moe accountable, and adjusted the scheme to be more flexible, responsive and aggressive. When seen that way, i think its easy to see the greener pastures are likely closer than we might want to let ourselves believe.
The part that gives me pause is the OC And DC and how well Mike can adjust things in 2024 if they dont function as well as they should. Im less concerned with the offense because i think Mike's brilliant and can step in to make sure the unit maximizes its potential. But the OC? Grubb doesnt seem to me to be cut from the same cloth as Mike in terms of his leadership ability or his ability to connect with players - just my intuition. I also dont know how well he will translate his concepts to the NFL. So, if the wheels begin to squeak and then fall off on the offensive side, will Mike be able to step in and make whatever corrections are necessary and lead through that adversity? Especially if hes consumed with leading the defense? I know that Durdy is the DC, but that side of the ball will 100% be Mike's bag, in the same way Holmgren led the offense when he was here... often at the expense of the quality of coaching and performance on the other side of the ball.
But yes, i have positive vibes as well. We weren't that far away from having a really good year last year. Great thing is that the weaknesses that brought us down (i think) have been directly addressed with everything Mike seems to be and with what he wants to do. Here's to hoping he's all he seems to be.
Cant wait for week1!
