Unlike Skiles, Coughlin a changed man

Change is a popular topic in America these days, in sports as well as politics.

So it isn't shocking that both Tom Coughlin and Scott Skiles were in the news this week.

The former changed, and the latter didn't change enough.

Coughlin and Skiles always seemed to me -- right up to the start of this season in their respective sports -- to be similar if not the same.

Last summer Coughlin began his fourth full season as Giants coach. Last autumn Skiles began his fifth season as Bulls coach.

They're alike in that they know their stuff. Sometimes each even gives the impression he invented his sport.

Coughlin and Skiles established themselves as demanding, dictatorial disciplinarians. They have been throwbacks to a time when tough-guy coaches ruled with clenched fists.

Jeff Lageman played for Coughlin in Jacksonville and is quoted now as saying, "He wanted to weed out the weak, the people he perceived weren't physically or mentally strong."

That's a job-jeopardizing strategy these days. Players make more money than coaches make, wield more clout than even a clenched fist does, and tend to weed out strong coaches.

I figured from the start that Skiles and Coughlin would be short-timers who lose their jobs about the same time, sooner than later, whenever their players had heard enough from them.

Well, one out of two ain't bad.

Today, Skiles indeed is back home after being fired by the Bulls on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, Coughlin is coaching the Giants in the Super Bowl.

Man, how did this alleged same person with different names develop a split personality? Essentially, Coughlin wised up and Skiles remained a wise guy.

According to Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, Skiles indicated to him that players might need a new voice. In other words, they stopped listening to his.

The same thing happened with the Giants last season. Some players whispered, and some screamed, about Coughlin.

Skiles' suggestion to the Bulls was "different coach, new voice." Coughlin's solution was "same coach, new voice."

To be fair, Skiles reportedly did start going easier on the Bulls with, like, milder practices. And even if he adjusted further, the team might have been bad enough to get him fired anyway.

In contrast, Coughlin set up what has been described as "an 11-player leadership council as an intermediary between the head coach and the locker room."

Defensive end Michael Strahan was quoted as saying, "It made guys feel empowered."

The issue became less whether players stopped listening to the coach. It was more that the coach started listening to the players.

Coughlin changed, though his strict rules remained. The Giants still are expected to show up to meetings five minutes early to be considered on time.

But with new lines of communication, Coughlin became a more human boss.

Linebacker Antonio Pierce says Coughlin "let us see a different side of Coach." Quarterback Eli Manning adds, "He put more faith in our players."

It was unlikely Bulls players ever would say the same of Skiles. Even in the best of times it looked like they could endure him but not embrace him.

The moral is change and you might be in the Super Bowl; don't and you might be fired.

Coughlin is 61 years old and Skiles only 43, so there's plenty of time for Skiles to evolve.