Opinion about the replacement referees in the NFL is no longer a controversial issue. Everyone who doesn’t own a professional football team thinks it’s time to get the original referees back on the field. For Packers fans, Monday night’s debacle was something they never want to experience again.
As a sports fan, I understand that bad calls happen and can affect the outcome of the game. This isn’t new, however, the subsequent reactions seem to be treading on new territory. Calling out the NFL, phone calls to the commissioner, players tweeting expletives, social media outcries, etc. are happening because the fans are upset.
The dynamic I was most interested in during the fiasco was how individuals demonstrated their capacity to handle adversity. Mike McCarthy, the head coach for the Green Bay Packers, represented all that is right about sportsmanship and standards of excellence during and after that already infamous moment. (I’m an avid Packers fan and stock holder, by the way, so I might be biased).
McCarthy was emotionless while the events unfolded. He never lost his composure. In fact, he had the similar stoic demeanor that he exudes during victories. He was calm and steady. Of course, many of the players lost their cool, but McCarthy stayed the course. He has standards and he walked the talk. He went on the describe that he was frustrated that he hadn’t made a change in the game plan sooner and that he was only going to control what he could control. He took the high road.
The talking heads beat this issue to death on Tuesday. I watched the final play at least 150 times. I was anxious to hear what McCarthy had to say and during his afternoon press conference, he didn’t disappoint. He acknowledged that he was upset, however, he said it was his responsibility to help channel all of the emotion and energy in the locker room towards the Saints this weekend. He didn’t say they were ripped off, he didn’t talk about the replacement referees and he didn’t dwell on what had happened. He buried it in the past and moved forward like a great leader.
The Packers are less than two seasons removed from winning the Super Bowl. McCarthy’s press conference yesterday reminded me of his midseason stance two seasons ago. He found a way to take all of the negative energy (injuries, etc.) and funnel it towards the next game one week at a time. He helped the team carry that proverbial “chip” on their shoulders. Once again, one of the best teams in the NFL has a chip on their shoulder and their commander-in-chief, Mike McCarthy, is steering the ship.
McCarthy is a great example of what convictions and standards of excellence look like in professional sports and leadership. Not only is he admirable in moments of crisis, he’s a role model of character and integrity when things are going well, too. He has clearly turned a setback into a set-up this week.
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Good post. Under this regime of leadership, they have also been through the Favre controversy and have used words like "taking the high road". Even listening to the sports radio most of the discussion has not revolved around the Packers' organization or the people involved. They have referenced GB people and players but it hasn't been the topic of conversation. Besides the now infamous catch, one sports radio talked more about how Golden Tate thanking God but then went on lying about what he did or didn't do. All to say that the Packers organization would want it this way. Low profile, high road publicity.
ReplyDeleteThere was an injustice on the field, there is always a sense of making the injustice right, and leading through it with integrity takes much self-awareness and self-regulation.