New Yorker: "Monday Night Lights"

[Patspsycho]

Coach Jon Gruden on “Monday Night Football” : The New Yorker

A very interesting read, not just because of Gruden, but because he is written about at the time leading up to the Patriots vs. Chiefs MNF game so there are tidbits of interesting information about that game and the Patriots in general, and some interesting off-the-record commentary by Gruden:

Tom Brady? He’ll kill ya. If he catches you half asleep, he’ll punch you right in the face with the stretch—he’ll hand the ball to Woodhead, or Green-Ellis, or Ridley, or Faulk. Guys aren’t ready. They’re not ready. He’ll do it five plays in a row, on national TV, in front of the world. And he loves nothing more than humiliating you. Because I know this: he humiliated me. It’s a hell of a system they have, and he is the greatest trigger of our lifetime. Look at him! He’s snapping these plays off before the Jets are ready. You can be as multiple as you want on defense, but, when you play Tom Brady, he regulates you. He turns you into [whispered] trash.

 

[Gwedd]

That's a VERY nice read. Thanks for posting the ling there. I've liked Gruden, especially since he joined MNF. I know a number of folks on this board don't like him, But I do. He knows the game and he knows what he's talking about.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

That was a fascinating read. Reinforced for me why I never want Chucky within a hundred yards of coaching my team though... I watched a program once where he was coaching the now fading Bucs and one of his several revolving door QB's (Simms kid) and it was amazing he ever got anyone to accomplish anything. Had to be the caliber of veteran talent he had to work with in Oakland before Al lost his fastball and in Tampa after all of Dungy's hard work, most of which (in common) was by someone else's design, that enabled him to accomplish much of anything. Playing like your hair is on fire has it's plusses and minuses. Coaching that way is just insantity. He couldn't keep it going in Tampa because the talent wanted to get away from the atmosphere he created and cash in and he didn't have a clue how to replace it or how to coach up the jags and journeymen you are always going to have to deal with in a capped league with FA. I can see why he and Young hit it off, they had a similar impatient mindset and self absorbed ego. And the great good fortune to land in a situation (twice in Gruden's case or actually 3 times if you consider ESPN and MNF as a situation) where they were set up to win.