Cool story -- fan hitched a ride with McD after a canceled flight this past weekend

[Don Otreply]

21 minutes ago, JayBaller10 said:

I think you’re more uptight about this than McD would be and would wager you’d get a chuckle out of him because he’d figure a question on one of those topics would come at some point during the 3 hour ride. Doesn’t mean he’d have to give anything more than he gave to the “classless” media.

Rationalize it all you want, it’s still a classless stunt. 

[Andrew Son]

24 minutes ago, JayBaller10 said:

I think you’re more uptight about this than McD would be and would wager you’d get a chuckle out of him because he’d figure a question on one of those topics would come at some point during the 3 hour ride. Doesn’t mean he’d have to give anything more than he gave to the “classless” media.

Ah yes, I'm sure a little banter about his biggest professional failure would be a real knee slapper.

[Old Coot]

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

[Beck Water]

4 hours ago, eball said:

From the Buffalo News

 

Cool story.  I like that he offered to share the rental, and McD declined; also liked that he offered the front seat to McD's daughter (as he should).

 

McDermott may have actually gotten the idea to fly to Pittsburgh and drive to Buffalo, from one of his former players - Isaiah McKenzie.

Mckenzie talked about having his flight cancelled and how he flew to Pittsburgh and got a ride to Buffalo from a fan on his podcast with Ty Dunne.

 

3 hours ago, May Day 10 said:

The guy sounds really full of himself.  Like he sought a reporter to talk about how he hitched a ride with McDermott and spoke about all his own coaching philosophies and his 'bright' future

 

For all you know, the Bills PR department may have mentioned it to a reporter as a way to get a "feel good story" about McDermott out there.  Or the guy may have posted about it on social media and a TBN reporter may have seen that and sought him out for something to print in this slow football time.  Sheesh.

[WhoTom]

1 hour ago, JayBaller10 said:

I think you’re more uptight about this than McD would be and would wager you’d get a chuckle out of him because he’d figure a question on one of those topics would come at some point during the 3 hour ride. Doesn’t mean he’d have to give anything more than he gave to the “classless” media.

 

It's the media's job to ask those questions and it's McD's job to answer them. If someone is doing you a favor, like letting you hitch a three-hour ride home with them, then your only "job" is to show them respect and not bring up touchy subjects. It also wouldn't hurt to offer some gas money, but I'm sure McD would decline.

Edited July 18, 2023 by WhoTom

[Brand J]

20 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

It's the media's job to ask those questions and it's McD's job to answer them. If someone is doing you a favor, like letting you hitch a three-hour ride home with them, then your only "job" is to show them respect and not bring up touchy subjects. It also wouldn't hurt to offer some gas money, but I'm sure McD would decline.

That’s where you and I see things differently. I don’t take asking a question about his (very public) profession as “disrespect” or “classless.” The media will badger a coach, player, whatever because yes, that’s their job. It isn’t the subject’s job to answer, it’s their job to be present for the questions. Never did I say to grill McD about those 3 topics, because that would definitely be out of line. Asking once would not.
 

If the roles were reversed and a fan asked me a question about my very public job during a 3 hour car ride, taking it as disrespect would be the furthest thing from my mind. Naturally they’d be curious about it. If they didn’t ask at all I’d be mildly surprised. Maybe this guy did ask, who knows? You can speak for yourself and yourself only, as to how a question in this setting would impact you, not McD. Just decline to answer and move on to the next topic if you don’t feel like getting into it. If you’re in a chatty mood and want to share a little bit more than you have publicly, then hey, you’ve just added more sweetness to a fan’s already amazing car ride. 

[Matt_In_NH]

5 hours ago, Gregg said:

I would be tempted to bring up 13 seconds. I wouldn't do it as I would be respectful to him and not bring up a bad moment, but I would want to. 

That is the very last thing I would be tempted to bring up.

[WhoTom]

1 hour ago, JayBaller10 said:

If the roles were reversed and a fan asked me a question about my very public job during a 3 hour car ride, taking it as disrespect would be the furthest thing from my mind.

 

There's a difference between "something about his job" and a single play that may have blown the best opportunity for his "company" to seal the biggest deal of its life. You don't think that haunts him every day? I think it does.

 

I've made professional blunders before, but nothing that even approaches that scale. Still, if I'm doing someone a favor, I'd prefer it if they didn't bring it up. And while your job may be "very public," I doubt you've been on a stage as big as an NFL playoff game. (Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about that.) And if you have been, or can imagine being, on such a stage and you choked, would you want a random stranger reminding you of it?

 

Now, if the guy asked about it, I'm sure Sean would have been gracious and not kicked him out of the car. But if it were me, inside I'd be thinking, "This guy has no class." I still wouldn't kick him out of the car, but I might relegate him to the back seat and let my kid ride shotgun for the duration of the trip. 😉

 

 

[Brand J]

16 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

There's a difference between "something about his job" and a single play that may have blown the best opportunity for his "company" to seal the biggest deal of its life. You don't think that haunts him every day? I think it does.

 

I've made professional blunders before, but nothing that even approaches that scale. Still, if I'm doing someone a favor, I'd prefer it if they didn't bring it up. And while your job may be "very public," I doubt you've been on a stage as big as an NFL playoff game. (Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about that.) And if you have been, or can imagine being, on such a stage and you choked, would you want a random stranger reminding you of it?

 

Now, if the guy asked about it, I'm sure Sean would have been gracious and not kicked him out of the car. But if it were me, inside I'd be thinking, "This guy has no class." I still wouldn't kick him out of the car, but I might relegate him to the back seat and let my kid ride shotgun for the duration of the trip. 😉

 

 

If the guy indeed asked about any of those topics I raised (not just 13 seconds) maybe McD got pissed and found him classless and disrespectful, or maybe - as I would assume, seeing as how he answers tough questions for a living - he laughed it off and moved onto the next topic.
 

If I invited a stranger to tag along with me on a 3 hour car ride, you could bet I’d be ready for whatever conversations that may come my way. I’ve spoken about how I would handle it. My view of my passenger’s character wouldn’t diminish simply because he asked me a question. I’d already know he’d have to be curious. If he was an a** about it? Of course that’s a different scenario. Your view of the passenger would change if he questioned you and that’s fine, I’m not saying you’re wrong to feel the way you’d feel - even if I believe it to be a little thin skinned - but there’s much bigger frustrations that come with your job as a head coach than some stranger asking job related question(s) while driving from Pittsburgh to Buffalo. 

I’ve said all I can about this. I’m not going to change any minds, nor are you going to change mine, so we can agree to disagree.

[WhoTom]

1 minute ago, JayBaller10 said:

we can agree to disagree.

 

Agreed.

[NoHuddleKelly12]

7 hours ago, ScottLaw said:

Rumor has it McDermott accidentally dropped him off at his neighbors house in West Seneca… an exact walk of 13 SECONDS from his real home! 

[NoHuddleKelly12]

What a great story, thanks OP for the posting. What a class act McD is. 

[ToGoGo]

4 hours ago, Don Otreply said:

No, asking at all would be classless, especially fully knowing that it is a sore spot for the person you’re asking the question to. That you don’t comprehend this is really quite sad. 
 

It is called having social graces.

There are a million things I would ask McDermott about before having the nerve to ask about 13 seconds. 
 

You wait for him to bring it up haha. 

[PBF81]

8 hours ago, JayBaller10 said:

That’s a long time to spend with coach to not be tempted to ask about 13 seconds, Diggs, and Leslie Frazier’s exit. Not that he’d give you the details to any of those stories, but if it was me I’d have to ask!

 

I think that's when McD would have thrown down the gauntlet and declared, let the Feats of Strength begin!  

 

 

[Toledo Bill]

6 hours ago, JayBaller10 said:

Isn’t McD’s daughter 13 years old? Don’t think he was driving back to Buffalo with Jared Fogle.

Asking once is harmless, badgering him about it until the situation turned uncomfortable would be low class.

At least one daughter would be about 13. My brothers daughter (who is an eighth grader) plays on her travel team.

[major]

Bet the conversation began something like this…

[Fan in Chicago]

13 hours ago, eball said:

From the Buffalo News

 

I'm sure guys like @Nextmanup won't be able to stomach a story like this, since McD is "not his kind of guy."

Very cool story. 

I did like this part

"“I enjoyed the conversation we had about coaching, life and just living,” Guenther told The Buffalo News on Monday. “He’s a great person and fantastic"

 

If one gets to spend time with a gentleman coach of your favorite team, do not make the coach regret the decision. The above is exactly what I would have talked to the coach about. Let the conversation come to you as opposed to forcing it in an uncomfortable direction. The guy is being nice and not standing at a press conference. 

[LeGOATski]

Holy *****, like a real life Planes, Trains, and Automobiles!

 

"I woke up with my hand between two pillows...and then Sean was like 'those aren't PILOWS!!'"

 

"Like wow, I just feel so blessed. Everything happens for a reason!"

[BillsShredder83]

4 hours ago, Toledo Bill said:

At least one daughter would be about 13. My brothers daughter (who is an eighth grader) plays on her travel team.

sounded like she played college softball and she does. although i think he has a handful of daughters

[pennstate10]

14 hours ago, eball said:

From the Buffalo News

 

I'm sure guys like @Nextmanup won't be able to stomach a story like this, since McD is "not his kind of guy."

Take a close look at that selfie. 
That’s not McD, it’s a comedian named Bill Burr. 
He catfished the dude who wrote the story.