“Rebuild” is such a buzz word in professional sports. It has the same impact as “Voldemort” did in the Harry Potter series. Say the word out loud and you risk it actually happening. Fans fear the word rebuild because it represents the fact that their favorite team is probably going to be bad for awhile. The bedrock of the fear doesn’t come necessarily from the fact it’s happening, but just how long it might last. John Fox knows this well.
Some rebuild take two or three years, which isn’t that bad. However others can go on for a decade or longer. Often because GMs and coaches have to be replaced because they failed to show signs of progress within a reasonable amount of time. As a results schemes are changed and rosters reset. It’s a big reason why teams like Buffalo, Cleveland and Jacksonville can’t find any success.
Bears fans are hoping (praying) it won’t be the same for their team. Yet it’s been five years since Chicago has seen a winning record and seven years since a playoff appearance. This is obviously a rebuild by this point, so why won’t anybody with the team come out and say so?
John Fox rebuild resistance stems from player psychology
One of the most overlooked factors that separate good head coaches from bad ones is basic psychology. An understanding of how to connect and feed the emotions of other human beings. You can be the most genius play caller in the world or a masterful game planner. None of that matters if you can’t get men to believe what you’re saying.
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It’s safe to say that Fox at least has that part of the job figured out. He’s excellent at getting his guys to play hard. Despite slew of injuries last year the Bears somehow stayed competitive in a lot of games. That goes back to Fox. Even in difficult times he never lost command of that locker room.
Hearing him explain why mentioning a “rebuild” would be a mistake, it’s easy to understand how. He spoke about it in an interview with Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
‘‘I read, ‘They won’t even say they’re rebuilding,’ ’’ Fox said. ‘‘Well, I’m never going to say we’re rebuilding because what am I telling that locker room? I’m giving them an out. So I’m not doing that.
‘‘We have gone from [one of] the oldest [teams] to one of the youngest. Call it what you want, but we’re getting better for it.’’
It’s all about staying on message
Regardless of whether one like or dislikes Coach Fox, one must respect him. The guy understands priorities and how to keep his players focused. Admitting to a rebuild to please the media would only serve to undermine his credibility with the locker room. It’s not like these men want to lose. They’re all competitors who put in hours upon hours of work.
Fox’s job is to do what he can with what he has. Try everything to win. That must always be the underlying truth in his regime. There is no substitute for winning. This team will continue to seek victory with the players they have until. If it doesn’t work out, then they go out and find new ones to try again. Hence the Fox insistence that they aren’t “rebuilding.”
They’re just building.
