What does a coach owe the fans?

[cyndilouwhoo]

Jimy Williams, coach of my beloved Red Sox, is an awesome strategist with an incredible grasp of the intangibles that make up the game of baseball. Without one of the best offensive players in the game (Nomar) out of commission, he has stewarded a dysfunctional bunch of ballplayers into first place.

He drives everyone crazy though because he never lets the fans in on any of his reasons for his decisions. He never answers questions directly and he tells the media in many cases to mind its own business when they ask why he does the things he does.

Does a coach "owe " fans an explanation for his/her strategic actions on the field?

Clearly the fans in Boston think so. They are calling for his removal unless he becomes more open in his decision making.

Others on the outside feel that the fans in Boston need to get a life.

What do you think?

Cyndi

(Who was rabidly calling for Williams' head when he pulled Pedro with a one run lead against the Yankees last week)

[soxfan[$]]

If what he does works, no explanation needed. If it doesn't, though, I darn well want to know what he was thinking!!! (Sorry, the rabid fan in me took over for a sec. )

Seriously, though ... as much as I'd like to know what Jimy has in his head, I don't think he owes me any explanations. After all, I don't pay his salary. I'm not directly affected by his actions. Objectively speaking, the only people he's responsible to are the folks who run the club.

Let's see if I remember that the next time he takes Pedro out of a game.

Ailsa

[mrisch[$]]

I agree with soxfan. When I start paying the salary, then the coach will owe me something. Even if I am a ticketbuyer, all I am owed is a seat - the rest is up to the team.

[soxfan[$]]

The other thing is that second-guessing is really unfair. Hindsight's always 20-20, after all.

I remember watching a recent game (it might have been Nomo's one-hitter). The bases were loaded, and Mike Lansing was the next batter up. Jimy decides, for whatever reason, to let Lansing hit for himself.

Broadcaster (might have been Remy): This makes no sense.

McDonough and Remy then point out all the other hitters Jimy had on the bench, most of whom were faring better at the plate.

Lansing proceeds to hit a double that clears the bases.

Broadcaster: Jimy Williams is a genius.



Ailsa

[eplovejoy]

If I were a coach, I'd keep my mouth shut (or try to) for at least two reasons:

Anything I tell the fans I also tell the other teams. Let them try to guess what I might be planning.

Dedicated fans can have some fun trying to figure out what I might come up with.

I can't think of any reasons to talk in detail, just as Eisenhower was wise not to cable Hitler about Normandy and Marcia Clark would have been wise to have kept her own counsel for at least a minute or two.

[pluckyduck]

I can't imagine a worse place to coach than Philadelphia. I know Boston and New York are tough, but Philadelphia..... oy.

Ah well, at least we love them when they are winning. :lips:

All a coach owes a city is a winning team, and yes he owes them a winning team. I don't care if the fans pay his salary or not, we deserve a winning team, that's his job.

In a rebuilding stage (when he can't produce wins), a coach owes the fans a show of respect. Every Philadelphia fan may be a Monday Morning Quarterback, but, you couldn't ask for a more fervent or passionate bunch of folks. Show respect that you care about the fans, and the respect starts flowing both ways.

In order to deliver on the winning part, however, a coach has to ignore all of the advice of the Monday Morning Quarterbacks and do what he knows is the best thing to do. Explain it? Ack, in our town, you can explain until you are blue in the face, but the fans aren't going to hear you, until you have given them results. Two Philadelphians, three opinions.

Tell 'em you care, and give them wins.

(I don't worry about coaches caring as much as owners caring. When the owners give you the feeling they don't care, that's trouble.)

Andrea