Twin Cities coaches rewriting playbook on building relationships

The Vikings' introductory press conferences have felt more like happy hours than interrogations.

General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, head coach Kevin O'Connell, defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips and special teams coordinator Matt Daniels were relaxed, open, engaging and even charming in a setting that often ranges from awkward to uncomfortable.

If you're a Vikings fan, this is going to take some getting used to.

If you're a fan of other Twin Cities sports, you may notice a trend.

Vikings head coaches have mostly ranged from grumpy to combative. That is in part due to the nature of the NFL, which has traditionally thought of itself as a cross between the Army and the CIA, only more important.

Bud Grant could de-ice his driveway with a glare. Denny Green started feuds with writers, then told his team to rally against his enemies. Jerry Burns' news conferences came with a parental advisory for language.

Being macho felt more like a requirement than a choice. For so many years, so many coaches chose to be George Patton instead of George Bailey.

These new Vikings leaders are the kind of people you want to invite to the barbecue or the bar. They'll have to win to keep their jobs, and they'll have to prove they can manage difficult situations with grace, but they fit nicely into the modern Twin Cities sports scene.

Set aside winning and losing for a moment, and review the personalities of the key figures leading sports teams and franchises in this town. Has the Twin Cities ever featured a more likable or communicative group of leaders?

Just about everybody in a coaching or a manager or general managing position in our market takes a humane and communicative approach to their players.

As O'Connell and his assistants mentioned on Thursday, all this talk of "culture'' and ``collaboration'' isn't a strategy to avoid taking responsibility for winning and losing. It's an effort to create the right environment for long-term success.

Traditional journalists tend to cringe when pop-psychology buzzwords fill the air like confetti. "Culture'' has been used to describe so many different situations that it is becoming a cliche. "Collaboration'' sounds great until the first fight over a draft pick.

But there is logic and a track record supporting these notions. Modern athletes sometimes are painted as more spoiled or demanding than their predecessors. What's certain is that more of them understand their rights and value.

I asked Chris Finch how he handles being the basketball boss while managing athletes who make far more money and, frankly, have far more power. He talked of understanding the pressures the athlete faces, having a chance to accrue "generational wealth'' while getting constant advice from agents, family members and friends.

Finch works at relationships. So does everyone on that list.

Why wouldn't you?

One of the Twins' core philosophies is acknowledging that anyone who can play professional baseball is special, ranking in the first percentile of everyone who ever aspired to reach the big leagues. Cheryl Reeve is known for her intensity, but when she was named the coach of Team USA, Sylvia Fowles flew in from Florida for the news conference, where she was joined by a slew of other Lynx players.

Phillips is the grandson of Bum Phillips and son of Wade Phillips, two former NFL head coaches. Bum and Wade wanted to promote their players and connect with the public.

When I began covering the NFL in 1989, I cold-called just about everyone in the league. Wade Phillips was one of the few to call back.

I couldn't help him in any way. He called because he was the defensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos and he wanted me to write about star safety Steve Atwater. "He deserves more attention,'' Wade said.

Thursday, Wes said, "I like to say that we all should have been psychology majors. Because it really is all about dealing with people.''