Blessed to Lose
A lot of people had a lot to say about Danny’s mediocrity. A number of Steelers and Bills fans wrote in to say that our office debate about Mizzou coach Drink’s contract reminded them a lot about the situations of the coaches their teams had recently parted ways with – Mike Tomlin and Sean McDermott. These were perennial winners who were not getting it done in the post-season, and so a change had to be made. Those Steelers and Bills fans almost all agreed with Danny.
Brian, for example, noted that losing in the early rounds of the playoffs every year was “incredibly frustrating” and that not having a losing season in the finite game of football should not be considered success. Echoing the great Ricky Bobby (“If ain’t first, you’re last”), he went on to say that “Championships are success and anything less than that is, as the kids these days say, cope.”
I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I think it’s the opposite of bussin’.
More reasonable people agreed with me. Benjamin pointed out that always being around the top 25 would put a team in the top quintile of college football, which was definitionally not mediocre. And Job went further to say that if expectations are too high, a coach might make some rash decisions in the pursuit of winning that might harm an otherwise stable program (though he struggled to think of any recent examples).
As a Georgetown alum, I can assure you that I have plenty of experience cheering for a team and coach that generally succeeded during the regular season, but made a habit of flaming out in the post-season. So a change was made and the Hoyas are 39-118 in the Big East since (though they've won a few games since I first wrote this). And this year we’ve been treated to the coach lecturing us that we were “blessed” to be 1-6 in conference before walking off the court before time had expired in a subsequent loss (though I appreciate that we've won a few games since).
All said, I’m going to stand by my assertion that consistency is undervalued and the risk posed from upheaval generally underestimated. Wanting more and better is reasonable. But when you make a change, it can be hard to predict how much you’re changing.
– Tim
Sign up below to get Unqualified Opinions in your inbox.
The information, opinions, and views presented in this publication are provided solely for general informational and educational purposes. They are of a general nature, have not been tailored to the specific circumstances of any individual or entity, and do not constitute a comprehensive statement of the matters discussed. This material should not be interpreted or relied upon as investment, legal, tax, accounting, regulatory, or other professional advice, and nothing in this publication is intended to be or should be construed as such. You should obtain advice from your own professional advisors regarding the applicability of the information to your particular circumstances.
The views and analyses expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views, opinions, policies, or positions of Permanent Equity Management, LLC, its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, or portfolio companies, or of any person or entity with whom the author may be affiliated. Permanent Equity Management, LLC makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or suitability of the information contained herein and expressly disclaims any liability for errors or omissions.
This publication is not, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation of any security, financial instrument, or other product. It does not form the basis of any contract and does not create a fiduciary, advisory, or client relationship with Permanent Equity Management, LLC. Any examples or references to third-party content are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement. Permanent Equity Management, LLC is not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or content of third-party materials. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Any forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and subject to change.
