Fangio, Paton both ‘grinders’ who love the ‘process’ of football

Paul Klee of The Gazette joined Broncos Country Tonight to talk about the relationship between the Broncos’ old-school coach and its new GM.

Paul Klee of The Gazette joined Broncos Country Tonight on Monday, and for a break in the discussions about quarterbacks, he and the BCT crew focused their attention on the coach and his relationship with the new GM.

Klee pointed out that both Vic Fangio and George Paton love football. They mostly love the process of figuring out the answer – which piece fits the puzzle?

“They’re really not that different. They have a football obsession. They are absolutely obsessed with the process,” Klee said, noting that if Peyton Manning were in a room with those two and there was a camera, “I’m watching it for four hours.”

Klee acknowledged that he doesn’t know if this “will work” especially since Fangio is on the hottest of seats this upcoming season, but he believes both Paton and Fangio will do everything they can to make it work.

“They are married to the process Monday through Saturday. I don’t know if it works, but they will give it every opportunity to work because they genuinely like each other and genuinely respect each other,” Klee said. “If it does work, it won’t surprise me one bit.”

Klee, who wrote about this like-minded relationship between the coach and GM, pointed out that although one is a West Coast guy in his 50s and one is an old-school East Coast guy in his 60s, they both have a lot in common:

First and foremost, Paton and Fangio are grinders. They believe in the process, pro days, film study, practice and that how you address Monday through Saturday determines your result Sundays.

Klee told Ryan Edwards and Benjamin Allbright that his primary hope regarding the coach in the coming season is that Fangio doesn’t lose his almost comical penchant for not handing out compliments.

“I’m hoping Vic Fangio doesn’t lose that ‘I’m the boss here, and there’s still ways you can better.’ If Von has a three-sack game, Fangio says, ‘yeah, but he missed on two others,’” Klee said, noting he likes that quality. “I don’t like some of the game management stuff, but I’m not too hung up on them either because I think you can improve on that stuff. I hope you don’t lose that that tough, ‘you’re never perfect’ kind of deal.”

Once again Klee brought Manning into the conversation (which I’m always a fan of doing).

“I remember Peyton Manning’s press conference after he threw seven touchdowns, and all he talked about were the throws he missed,” Klee said, adding that that’s just how Manning was – to learn from the errors rather than rest on the laurels.

And Klee likes that about Fangio and hopes he doesn’t change it just because he’s concerned about getting along with his new boss or wanting players to like him so he can keep his job.

“I don’t think he will do that, but I definitely hope he doesn’t,” Klee added.

And Edwards agreed that Fangio doesn’t seem the type. Plus, player after player who has worked with Fangio has noted his directness and fairness – something they all respected in their coach.

Just look at the situation between Fangio and Shelby Harris earlier this year when the two got into it on the sideline. But just last week when Harris signed his new deal, Fangio noted how much he wanted Harris here, and Harris said the team was lucky to have a coach like Fangio.

“I think it was symbolic that you can ride these guys and coach them hard if they want that too. And that’s the only way this team is going to get back on its feet,” Klee said. “The quarterback thing is a big deal, but there are some other areas that they can really sharpen up, and that’s only going to come from some really good coaching, and I hope Fangio doesn’t lose that edge to him.”