Culture

Bears’ general manager Ryan Pace praises coach John Fox the “culture” he’s instilled in the locker room.  New University of Minnesota football coach P.J. Fleck told reporters Friday, “I’m here to change the tradition.  I’m here to change the culture.”  I don’t think Fleck is talking about getting a team membership to the Art Institute or symphony.

This culture-talk is unique to football; other sports talk more about chemistry.  Either way, it boils down to winning, nothing more, nothing less.  The NCAA is full of Division-I basketball and football teams awash in allegations about player misconduct; if said team wins big year after year, the allegations are allowed to pile up even if the occasional player goes to jail or gets kicked off the team.  But once a team tanks or a coach doesn’t meet expectations, then comes the “culture” talk.

Bismarck did that, too.