I don’t think there’s a single one of us who remembers the 9/11 terrorists as having done anything good. That terrible day will live in our memories forever as people died trying to run for their lives and responders died trying to save them. Nearly 3,000 Americans died on this day as the famed Twin Towers in Manhattan and the Pentagon were targeted. Meanwhile, people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen have felt the sting of U.S. retribution according to a study by Brown University, which found that the death toll in these countries is between 4.5 million and 4.6 million. And quite possibly much more, the study notes.
So it’s completely reprehensible that Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott once brought up the 9/11 hijackers as an example of how his team could come together to win, Mediaite notes.
But that’s exactly what the coach did, according to a three-part series titled The McDermott Problem by writer Tyler Dunne. Apparently, the coach made the insensitive comparison during a team meeting in 2021. Players and coaches who were in attendance then have dubbed this the “9/11 speech.”
“At St. John fisher college in pittsford, n.y., mcdermott’s morning address began innocenty enough,” Dunne writes. “he told the entire team they needed to come together. but then, sources on-hand say, he used a strange model: the terrorists on sept. 11, 2001. he cited the hijackers as a group of people who were all able to get on the same page to orchestrate attacks to perfection.”
And well, McDermott has a point. An awful and frankly rather sickening point so quite obviously this dude is not Mr. Sensitivity.
But then he went from bad to worse. Way worse.
He made his players even more uncomfortable by calling on them to theorize why the attackers were so effective.
Shudder.
“One by one, McDermott started asking specific players in the room questions,” Dunne wrote. “‘What tactics do you think they used to come together?’ A young player tried to methodically answer. ‘What do you think their biggest obstacle was?’ A veteran answered ‘TSA,’ which mercifully lightened the mood.”
Naturally, the team was deeply shocked by the coach’s speech. One veteran player described it as a “horrible, horrible reference” and added that McDermott “missed the mark.”
Another coach, who remained anonymous said McDermott was “just so clueless that he couldn’t believe that it was a big deal when the players were losing their minds.”
Of course, now that McDermott’s story has been published, McDermott is doing damage control, saying he apologized “immediately” to his team.
Heavy.com reports that McDermott spoke to the media Wednesday, acknowledging that he gave the speech.
“My intent in the meeting that day was to discuss the importance of communication and being on the same page as a team,” he told the media. “i regretted mentioning 9/11 in my message that day, and I immediately apologized to the team.”
McDermott addressed the media on Wednesday, confirming he gave this speech. “My intent in the meeting that day was to discuss the importance of communication and being on the same page as a team,” he told reporters. “I regretted mentioning 9/11 in my message that day, and I immediately apologized to the team.”
Sean McDermott just addressed the 9/11 meeting referenced by @TyDunne's article published today. He said he plans on addressing this with the team later today once they get out of meetings. Here's the first few minutes of his comments from moments ago @WKBW pic.twitter.com/lKBdGVd8GV
— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) December 7, 2023
He also acknowledged that he lost a family friend on that day, so it’s completely bizarre to me that he even used this as an example. He deserved to be called on the carpet for this and his remarks are coming back to haunt him just like they haunted his team.
Good.
Our collective character seems as deep as the skin of an onion. We elevate sports figures into ultra rich ‘heros’, who then pontificate about all kinds of issues. Money. Breeds. Arrogance. Ever notice no one is ever sorry until they get caught? After Orangebob shitpants years in office, they aren’t even ashamed of themselves.
If I were one of this a-holes players I wouldn’t follow him to the effing outhouse! Long ago in what seems like another life I served under a Battalion Commander I’d have followed even into a “no return” attack if he said it needed to be done. He was that special. Back in 1968 he was a Marine Captain. A company commander who with his unit was tasked with defending Hill 881 south, critical high ground for the Khe Sanh combat base and a place not readily able to receive support. Helicopter’s often couldn’t fly (over ground wasn’t an option) much of the time. India Company would fire the opening and closing shots of the siege of Khe Sanh and of the Colonel’s (then a Captains) 185 original defenders by the end less than fifteen hadn’t been killed or at least wounded. They endured daily mortar and artillery attacks from the NVA and multiple major assaults were launched to dislodge them from the hill. But they held. THAT is working together and for months under harsh, life & death conditions. (For those interested and like to read The End of the Line) tells the story accurately and well)
Or, if he wanted a sports example he might have cited the 1980 U.S. Hockey Team and the “Miracle on Ice.” The movie with Kurt Russell took unneeded liberties with actual events (why do Hollywood directors insist on putting their own spin on real events when just filiming a re-creation of what actually happened is compelling and gripping?) but tells the story well. Now that was a consumate example of a group with a lot of college and individual rivalry coming together and instead of playing to impress NHL scouts learned to play international style hockey at the highest level. And in the process beat the team no one believed could be beaten and hadn’t in fact lost a game in more years than anyone could remember!
This dude would, if he had an ounce of decency take his millions he’s earned and retire, never to be heard from again. If he won’t the Bills should fire his sorry ass! His “apology” is way too little and way too late.