If you haven't taken a few moments out of your weekend to read Mark Gaughan's profile of Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey in The Buffalo News, make sure you do. No matter your stance on Gailey's coaching abilities, the Bills' decision to hire him, or the team's future prospects with Gailey at the helm, it's hard not to respect Gailey as a person, as well as the things said of him.
Former Dolphins and Chiefs quarterback Damon Huard was particularly impressed with Gailey's honesty - a rarity in today's NFL. Gailey chose starting quarterbacks over Huard twice, but the 11-year veteran appreciated the way Gailey handled the situation, and his players, each time.
"As a player, especially when it's all done, you appreciate the people who were honest with you, even when it's not what you want to hear. Because there are coaches who will blow smoke up your behind. You appreciate honesty and consistency, and with Chan that's what you get."
Another former Dolphins quarterback, Jay Fiedler, speaks to another NFL rarity - Gailey's dedication to the fundamentals of the game.
"I thought he was a great teacher of fundamentals, which is kind of rare at the NFL level," Fiedler said. "A lot of times coaches get too advanced into the X's and O's and expect that NFL players are already fundamentally sound. One of the things that makes Chan a good coach is he stays on the fundamentals."
Gailey knows his position, however - none of the respect, principles and straight-shooting that define him as a person will matter if he doesn't win in Buffalo. You've got to respect that, too.