Q - Besides the disappointment, is there a sense of shock?
A - No.
Glad we cleared that up.
It was, as one wag put it, the Cleveland Bill. It was the boorish, dismissive, petulant, pouty Bill. It gave the inquisitors nothing, and, more important, it gave the fans nothing. It was Bill the Complete Jerk, and that is the image outsiders will carry back home to Wherever, USA.
Too bad.
It’s too bad because it’s not the whole story. The man would be better off not showing up at all after games, because it’s so far removed from what he can be. If they win, he’s no good at doling out praise. If they lose, he’s inconsolable, irritable, and terse to the max.
And then, of course, the outsiders go home. They don’t converse with the Day-After Bill. This Bill is civil, expansive, insightful, respectful, patient and, believe it or not, witty. Stick around for the Day-After Bill and you learn something.
The first thing we learned yesterday was why he was so totally down after the Ravens game. Was it because he had legitimately high hopes for his team? Was it because it confirmed all his worst fears about Life After Wes? Did he have a side bet with John Harbaugh? Or what? It’s not as if he’s never lost a playoff game before.
“Our season ended,’’ he pointed out. “It’s the finality of it. It’s like you’re on a treadmill, and you’re running however fast you run. I mean, I don’t run all that fast. But you’re on a treadmill and you hit the stop button. It stops, and you fall off. And that’s where you are in the NFL playoffs, at whatever point it is, whether it’s the first round, whether it’s the divisional round, or whether it’s the championship game, or whether it’s the Super Bowl . . . no matter when that feeling comes, it’s a pretty disappointing feeling.’’
We should never forget what kind of life these coaches lead. When players arrive, the coach already has been there. For hours. When they leave, the coach remains. For hours. If the season life is not 24/7, it’s at least 18/7. It is extraordinarily detailed and intense.
