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• How would you handle this situation? by Don Nathanson, 11/29/98
  
  

As a psychotherapist and Bronco fan I offer the following observations which may (or may not)have some relevance to Don's query regarding the Eagles season of shame-humiliation. Tonight, Elway threw three interceptions in the first half. When coach Shanahan was asked what he said to Elway at halftime he replied that it wasn't necessary to say anything because Elway would respond to his mistakes on his own. No shaming there. In the locker room after the game, tight end Shannon Sharpe attributed the Bronco's 12-0 season to the atmosphere of relaxed professionalism coach Shanahan promotes. Sharpe emphasized the fact that, even during the grind of daily practice, it is fun for the players to come to work. Shanahan elicits the player's best efforts, not shaming them, but by modeling interest-excitement at a level of intensity that is apparently contagious. My advice to the Eagles owner would be that the return of interest-excitement in professional football for the citizens of Philadelphia quite likely depends upon his willingness to bring in a coach who has better tools than shame in his arsenal. If there were incentive clauses in my contract as team psychotherapist, I might even suggest, as the Eagles' next coach, Gary Kubiak, offensive coordinator of the Broncos, longtime understudy to both Elway and Shanahan. Meanwhile, I must get back to my manuscript comparing the Eagles' and Broncos' '98 seasons; working title---Shame and Pride...

• What would Kubiak do first? by Don Nathanson, 12/2/98
  • Earn respect by giving it. by Rich Kuyper, 12/6/98