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First off, I'm no expert. I like to question decisions of GMs and coaches, and I like to scream at my flat screen on Sundays as if I'm more qualified than those I am watching and they should listen to me. I'm not, and they shouldn't. However, just as I am not without fault in my profession that pays my bills, I do not believe for one second that those on the flat screen on Sundays are not without fault in theirs.
But let's take a deep breath and think about this for a second. How transparent do we really want Mike McCoy to be? Would we really be happier if he were to admit to reporters that he should have gone for it on 4th and 1 against Denver, or that he should have called different plays in the redzone against Washington (which was very painful to attend as a Chargers fan, by the way)? I'd argue that while we think it would be a breath of fresh air, it wouldn't. It would undermine our confidence in him, but more importantly it would undermine the players' confidence in him.
If I'm Mike McCoy, the questions from the media are honestly the last thing on my mind...well actually, the questions from bloggers/fans are the last thing on my mind, and those from the media are second to last. I go into a press conference with my scripted answers that are the same as the week before, because I'd rather spend my time as a first year Head Coach working on things that actually matter.
This isn't to say that McCoy deserves a pass either. He is still a Head Coach in the NFL, and he will be critiqued by fans and the media accordingly. Mike McCoy has not made his last mistake wearing a visor with the lighting bolt on it. He will continue to make mistakes as all coaches do, but will be judged on how he learns from them.
It seemed that last week, McCoy learned at least one lesson from the week before. Ryan Mathews was allowed to carry the ball near the goal line and it resulted in a TD. This is a good thing, this is progress. Then he went on and forgot about Mathews in the second half, but I said he would make mistakes, remember?
Personally, I don't watch any Mike McCoy press conferences. I haven't since training camp. I realized back in July that McCoy was going to be one of those coaches that didn't reveal much to the media, and while that's not good for the fans, I feel it's good for the team. I don't want our opponents to know if Donald Butler is going to be healthy enough to play, and I don't want them to know if the 4th and short or goal line strategy has changed. I don't want the opponent to know any extra bit of information than what they can see on game film.
What's important to me is that McCoy learn from his mistakes and doesn't repeat them. I also want him to realize his mistakes in coaches meetings and film sessions in Chargers Park, and I want them to stay there. I want him to use those opportunities to influence future decisions and game plans, and I want the team to move forward. The only way to tell if McCoy has learned from his mistakes is to watch the next 7 games and see if he repeats them. But I'm also managing my expectations and know that a rookie head coach will make rookie mistakes.