Freddie Kitchens and expectations – Is it smart for Kitchens to whistle why he works?
By STEVE KING
It’s called “whistling past the graveyard,” and it means to ignore an upcoming hazard and hope for a good outcome.
I immediately thought of that old saying while reading a recent cbssports.com article that was referred to me by a friend who is a big Browns fan.
The piece by Jason La Canfora, entitled, “Why Freddie Kitchens is the perfect coach to take the Browns to the playoffs amid rising expectations,” is, as the headline infers, about the Cleveland head coach and how he is dealing with the meteoric rise in expectations for his team this offseason.
It begins like this:
“Each time the Cleveland Browns rookie head coach was asked about the burden of sudden expectations regarding his upstart team – the franchise still basking in the afterglow of plundering Odell Beckham Jr. from the Giants without having to surrender two first-round picks – he was prepared with the same response. It popped up quite frequently, as the Browns jovial coach was prime fodder for the football media making the rounds at the coaches breakfast during the NFL owners meetings at the Arizona Biltmore. The Browns are now the darlings of this NFL offseason in case you haven’t heard (and to be clear, I am fully on board the Cleveland hype train).
“Each time the question about handling playoff hysteria, given all the stars now assembled on this roster, was asked in one fashion or another, Kitchens would feign being petrified, occasionally throwing up his hands in a hopeless manner. Then he would deadpan something about the fear that was clearly gripping mind and central nervous system.
‘ “Oooh, I’m scared to death,” said Kitchens, whose marvelous work with the Browns offense and rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield hastened his ascent from first-time interim offensive coordinator in 2018 to NFL head coach of the “it” team in 2019. No one at the table, of course, believed him one bit. He wasn’t trying very hard to convince us, anyway.
“Kitchens has the same moxie, swagger, candor and cool self-belief as his quarterback, as well as one of his coaching mentors, Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians. If anything, Kitchens seems to be relishing the newfound attention and positive headlines being afforded the Browns after decades of flailing around the bottom of the AFC.”
Whether or not Kitchens wants to admit it, a first-year head coach at any level, especially the NFL, having to deal wit the fact the Browns have been anointed without ever ding anything on the field yet, is a big deal. It is wrought with potential danger.
I have to admit that I am concerned – considerably so. Perhaps Kitchens will weather the storm and be the success that La Canfora – and most others – expect him to be next season. I tend to be in that group. But it won’t be easy, and I just think Kitchens would be better served being cognizant – and respectful – of the challenge ahead of him. He can still be confident in doing so – I would be worried if he weren’t confident – but a little humility goes a long way.
Freddie Kitchens and Expectations
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