The NFL Giants on Friday morning formally introduced Ben McAdoo as their new coach, and he "won the press conference," according to ESPN's Bill Polian. McAdoo caused Polian to hear "echoes of (Bill) Parcells and Tom Coughlin." ESPN's Ryan Grant added McAdoo "won today with me" during his press conference. Grant: "He made everything not revolve around him. It was about this team, it was about this city, it was about the organization. He also paid respects to the people that have coached there before him. He understands it" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 1/15). In N.Y., Bill Pennington writes since McAdoo emerged as a top candidate for the Giants' job, there have "been more than questions about his pedigree." It "seems as if Giants fans are bored or uninspired by the choice." There has been a lot of talk that McAdoo is "a safe choice and that the browbeaten Giants will not change substantially" because Giants President & CEO John Mara chose one of Coughlin’s assistants. But that is "faulty thinking," as Coughlin "was not and is not McAdoo's mentor or guru" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/15). In N.Y., Mike Vaccaro writes a lot of Giants fans are "greeting this announcement the way they did" when Parcells was hired in '83: "with a shrug. And a yawn." McAdoo "could be a terrific hire, of course." But if it is "impossible to kill this hire, it is also impossible to praise it" because fans and the media "don't know" (N.Y. POST, 1/15).
GREAT EXPECTATIONS: On Long Island, Bob Glauber writes McAdoo is "making a quantum leap, and there will be a steep learning curve." He is now "the face of one of the NFL's flagship franchises," and his responsibilities will "grow exponentially." But McAdoo "commanded and received respect from his offense," particularly Giants QB Eli Manning, and he "undoubtedly will be well received by the entire locker room because of his skill as a strategist and relentless work ethic." McAdoo "would do well to take some of the lessons Coughlin taught" and make them his own. He is "not media-savvy and will not win the press conference." But that is "not who you want to run your football team," as you "want a guy who’s more Coughlin than Rex Ryan" (NEWSDAY, 1/15). In N.Y., Mike Lupica writes the Giants are asking the youngest coach they have ever had to "coach them back at a crucial moment in their history," making this "as significant a hire as the Giants have ever had." The Giants "haven't just lost credibility," but they have "lost our interest." Lupica: "It has been years since you thought of the Giants as an elite team" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/15).
IT ALL COMES BACK TO TOM: In N.Y., Gary Myers writes the Giants by promoting McAdoo "not only prevented the Eagles from stealing him away as their head coach, but the unintended consequence" was keeping Coughlin out of the NFC East where the Eagles job "was his if he wanted it." Coughlin "bailed on the Eagles because much of his staff was under contract to the Giants and once McAdoo was hired to replace him, he couldn’t get his crew to Philly." The Giants "were not thrilled at the prospect of Coughlin coaching down the Turnpike and having to deal with him twice a year when his knowledge of their personnel would have worked to his advantage." In effect, by hiring McAdoo, the Giants "blocked Coughlin’s staff from leaving" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/15).
