Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is well aware of his own mission to snap the Fins' 24-year playoff win drought, so it's not surprising that he enthusiastically embraces another local team's raging success. Such is the standard in the greater Miami area.
The Florida Panthers began their quest for four more victories and a Stanley Cup on Saturday night, but not before having McDaniel on to whip the fans at Amarant Bank Arena into a frenzy.
The Panthers have this gigantic drum that serves as a catalyst for, "LET'S GO PANTHERS!" chants. McDaniel crushed his percussive role as hard as you'd expect him to. It looked great from any and all angles.
https://twitter.com/MiamiDolphins/status/1799601377083351166
https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1799600054015320238
https://twitter.com/BallyPanthers/status/1799599187136295278
I mean check your pulse if you're not fired up.
https://twitter.com/MiamiDolphins/status/1490799607856705536
Whether it was a function of pregame hype or not, Florida's players certainly set the tone in the early going, as they charged up the ice to position Carter Verhaeghe for the first goal of the series on the Panthers' first shot on net.
That, too, will get the crowd going.
https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1799600489526604074
https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1799603639373414741
There aren't that many NFL head coaches who could pull this off and look so cool. It's one thing to orchestrate a whole football operation and brilliantly dial up plays almost every Sunday when the season finally rolls around. It's another thing to have the rhythm, swagger, and flexible physical frame to pull off what McDaniel did to get the Ps and Game 1 attendees ready to rock.
I'm of course being a little hyperbolic and overstating McDaniel's achievement a little bit, but think about, like, Jim Harbaugh doing this. He'd probably never stop hitting the drum until the stick broke through the head. I'm convinced Bill Belichick would freeze up and be too cool to do it. I can envision Mike McCarthy looking up at the scoreboard, horrified they might run highlights of the Cowboys' latest embarrassing playoff loss. Dan Campbell might actually spear-headbutt the drum and destroy it.
Which NFL head coach do you most want to see in this situation now that we know McDaniel is the clear champ at it? My rankings are as follows:
1. Jonathan Gannon (Cardinals) — Either makes it unbearably weird, or goes full Jack Nicholson in The Shining with the axe on the REDRUM door. Too bad the Coyotes are moving to Salt Lake City. Since there's no NFL team in Utah, can't we fly Gannon out there to do it anyway when the day comes? Sadly, the timelines will never line up.
2. Sean McDermott (Bills) — So much pent-up rage from his own close calls in the playoffs, and from carrying the weight of Buffalo's perpetual heartbreak. Ripe with dramatic potential. McDermott would be liable to have a meltdown, grab a live mic, and monologue about how 9/11 is somehow an appropriate metaphor for how the Sabres can work together to win the Cup. #FORTHECUP.
3. Mike Tomlin (Steelers) — Prayers up that the Penguins have one last run in them before Sidney Crosby is finished. Maybe Mike Tomlin limps his way to two more 9-8 seasons with washed-up/subpar quarterbacks to get himself in position for this to happen. I have no idea what Tomlin would do with a jumbo drum mallet in his hand. He's known as a master motivator. Also has the most terrifying general gaze since his predecessor, Bill Cowher. I would love to see Tomlin bang a drum with that straight-faced, 1,000-yard stare on.
Alrighty. Panthers up 1-0 after one period. Hope these are fun visuals for you to chew on while we (still) await the start of football season.
