It’s easy enough to point at the Titans as laugh, as their ownership is considered a bit of a mess by some, they just conducted a sham of an interview process for a new head coach which resulted in Mike Mularkey and their new General Manager admitted he didn’t necessarily want the first overall pick his predecessors worked so hard to earn.
But new Titans G.M. Jon Robinson grew up in West Tennessee, and has worked years for his opportunity, and basically begged his new fans for time to get things right because he’s one of them.
“If you only remember one thing from this presser, please remember this, and this goes out to our fans: This is my home and you guys are my family,” he said, via Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com. “I’ve been a Titans fan ever since ’97 when this football team moved here. We’re going to build this team the right way. All decisions that we make will be made in the best interests of this team, your football team. Please let us earn your support.
“I grew up on a small 10-acre farm in West Tennessee. I watched my dad get up every morning and drive to a tire plant where he worked for 30-plus years. My mother packed his lunch box before he walked out. I helped work that farm as supplemental income. I know what hard work is. Coach knows what hard work is. I was part of an organization in New England for 12 years that is still the standard of excellence today. We’re ready to go to work for you, because you’re our family. Thank you.”
While that may be authentic frontier gibberish, it also came off as an honest and heartfelt moment for a guy who has climbed the ladder to land his dream job close to home.
So this job probably does mean a lot to Robinson.
You can only hope those around him put as much into the effort as he apparently plans to.