Sean Payton vs. Cowboys Mike McCarthy: What's the Difference?
FRISCO - For the sake of the following debate, we don't want to pose the question, "What do you think is the difference between Mike McCarthy and Sean Payton?''
Rather, let's do it this way: "What do you know is the difference between Mike McCarthy and Sean Payton?''
We will perform this exercise with the help of our friends at Inside the Star, who we say - respectfully - make a common mistake in trying to weigh the differences between any coaches, in this case of course the Dallas Cowboys' McCarthy and Payton, long the apple of Cowboys Nation's eye, who is taking the top job with the Denver Broncos.
Let's ignore salaries and let's ignore the fact that Denver gave up multiple high picks to the Saints to trade for the rights to Payton. Let's just do facts ...
Payton has 15 NFL seasons as a head coach; McCarthy has 16.
Payton has a record of 152-89; McCarthy is 155-97.
Payton has nine playoff seasons and is one game over .500 (9-8) in those; McCarthy has 11 playoff seasons and is one game over .500 (11-10) in those.
Payton has four losing seasons; so does McCarthy.
Payton has gone to three NFC title games and won one; McCarthy's gone to four NFC title games and won one.
Payton has one Super Bowl appearance and a win; McCarthy has one Super Bowl appearance and a win.
That is a mountain of evidence that suggests strongly ... They are the same guy.
So why doesn't everybody see that?
Is it because McCarthy won with future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers? It can't be that, because Payton won with future Hall of Famer Drew Brees.
The most logical answer? The public has formed its collective opinion based on watching TV. It's our only way to explain why, in Inside the Star's attempt at ranking one over the other, the evaluation includes stuff like ...
*"In-game communications.'' "When McCarthy is on the field, it's almost like he's muted; I hardly ever see him talk whatsoever,'' the site writes. "Payton, on the other hand, was always talking to his players on the sidelines. When the camera panned to him, his mouth would always be talking non-stop because he knew what his job was.''
Ah. "When the camera panned to him.''
*"Leadership Qualities.'' The site writes, "Payton is a far better leader than McCarthy. When Payton was with the Saints, he seemed to get along with everyone. There was rarely ever conflict between him and his coaches. With McCarthy, he seems to get into fights with everyone.''
He does?
*"Life!'' The site writes, "Sean Payton just brings more life to a football team. When McCarthy is in charge of a team, all the players look confused and defeated most of the time, while Payton adds color to the team.''
So ... McCarthy has experienced literally the exact same level of success as Payton has - but McCarthy is doing it with "confused, colorless lifelessness''?
That's quite a trick.
Hey, we're not picking on Inside the Star and we don't mean to pick on Mike McCarthy's critics - or Payton's critics, though he seems to have so few. We are wondering, though, how McCarthy's critics can confuse "what we know'' with "what we think'' ... when "what we think'' is diametrically opposed to the facts and derived completely from watching TV.
