Quote:Gus personality and approach may not work in every situation or for every franchise, but for this particular franchise and this particular situation it's exactly what was needed.   

 

 

I've been following Gus' career since he was Monte Kiffin's apprentice in Tampa Bay.   Monte Kiffin called him a "once in a lifetime" football coach.  That's not just what Kiffin says in the media to blow some hype about a friend for the public eye, but it's what he's been saying behind closed doors and inside the coaching fraternity to anyone who will listen. Just think of all the coaches Monte Kiffin  has worked with over the decades, and what kind of impression Bradley has to make to earn that kind of praise.   That Kiffin coaching tree includes guys who have Superbowl Rings as head coaches, like Mike Tomlin and Pete Carroll.   Gus got the DC job in Seattle because Kiffin got on the phone and begged Mora to just give Gus an interview when Mora took over the job.   Mora didn't know anything about Bradley, but after spending one day with him he hired him on the spot.   Mora, Carroll and every coach who has ever worked with Bradley eventually comes around to Kiffin's opinion of him.  

 

As time has progressed since his hiring, I've bought into the entire Gus thing.  There were bigger names we could have pursued, but I really believe that for this franchise, for this owner, and for this town, Gus is the absolute perfect fit. 

 

Now, he's going to have to do it on the field, but I'm confident that's going to happen. Gus is a good coach. If you watch him on the field, the energy level is barely containable.  He's a teacher and motivational speaker bundled into a coach's body.

 

Having attended a few events where he was featured, it was easy to get scooped up into that whirlwind of energy.  But, what truly sold me on Bradley was sitting beside him at a youth basketball game that his son and my nephew were playing in.  This is not an act.  Gus is genuinely a positive guy no matter what the situation, and that kind of constant vibe really does start to rub off on everyone around him. 

 

Seeing good press about his positivity is a sign that people are taking note.  They recognize that when you have a leader who maintains such an emphasis on team, and on having fun and getting better, eventually it's going to start to have an impact on the field.  I'm hopeful that what Gus has brought from his experience with Kiffin and Carroll will translate into great success here in Jacksonville.  If it doesn't happen, it won't be for a lack of trying. 

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