The inside look at the AFC North conducted by HBO’s “Hard Knocks” is another enabler when it comes to results being obscured and secondary in the evaluation of Mike Tomlin’s performance.
Ex-Steeler Ryan Clark spoke on ESPN about how Tomlin appears on HBO:
“Pittsburgh fans that want Mike Tomlin fired should watch ‘Hard Knocks’ and tell me who you want to play for in the AFC North. The man was prophetic speaking life into his team for the Bengals win. The clarity in which he delivers a message is far beyond his contemporaries.”
We don’t “play for” anybody. We shouldn’t care about the “clarity in which he delivers a message” or the deep respect and admiration Tomlin legitimately gets from his players.
We should care about no playoff wins in seven years and just three in 13.
As Chuck Curti of this parish tweeted, “This is the Tomlin magic. His fancy words and clever turns of phrase have been mistaken for coaching genius.”
Cincinnati’s Zac Taylor and Cleveland’s Kevin Stefanski also interacted impressively with their players on “Hard Knocks.” But they’ve won playoff games in the last seven seasons. Tomlin hasn’t.
Full disclosure: My opinion of “Hard Knocks” is second-hand, based mostly on short clips seen on social media. I’ve never watched it. Won’t start now.
It’s not reality. It’s a television show.
Much was made of Tomlin coaching up edge rusher Nick Herbig during the week, which led to Herbig making a big play. Their interaction on the sideline afterward was great TV.
But Herbig wasn’t the only player Tomlin counseled at practice. Herbig is just the guy who made a strip sack that produced a scoop and score.
It’s not the magic of Tomlin. It’s the magic of editing. What about the 10 players Tomlin talked to who didn’t make big plays?
But Tomlin comes off great. Even though he says he loathes the cameras and being on microphone, Tomlin is clearly aware and is a polished performer.
The groundswell among the citizens is insufferable: “THAT’S COACH T! THAT’S MY COACH!” The romanticizing is off the charts.
The microanalysis among my contemporaries is too much. Tomlin eating Fritos has made Fritos a thing. Local sales must be skyrocketing.
Tomlin is way clear of his salad days, when he won a Super Bowl and got to another.
I used to argue against the notion that Tomlin got his ring with Bill Cowher’s players. Now I’m not so sure.
Tomlin never has had a losing season. But that pales (or should) next to his playoff record for the last 13 years. (That non-losing streak belongs to Ben Roethlisberger more than Tomlin.)
TV really is the idiot box. Because of those who watch it.
But in this case, it’s furthered a minor miracle:
Football is a results-based business, but image matters more when it comes to Tomlin. He’s a great coach just because. Opinion, not accomplishment.
Tomlin absolutely mangled the loss at Cleveland two weeks ago and isn’t a good game coach. But he eats Fritos, so all is well.
