Herm Edwards’ explanation on today’s coaching tactics sheds light on Sarver’s millennials comments

The art of coaching has changed since Herm Edwards was last on the sidelines in 2008.

The former New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs head coach explained the different approach today’s coaches have to make dealing with players.

“When you think about coaching, and even the era I grew up in as a young player, coaches would tell you what to do, they would tell you how to do it, they would never tell you why,” Edwards told Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Wednesday. “You’ve got to tell players ‘why’ now. You’ve got to give them knowledge, you see ‘why’ is knowledge. And when you refuse to tell a player ‘why’ in today’s game, he’s going to question you.”

Edwards’ explanation for today’s culture to require knowledge might bring new light on previous comments made by Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver.

Speaking with Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic on Jan. 3, Sarver explained how this generation has trouble handling problems.

“I’m not sure it’s just the NBA,” Sarver said. “My whole view of the millennial culture is that they have a tough time dealing with setbacks.”

Looking back on Jeff Hornacek’s stint with the Suns, finishing with 48-wins in his first season, while exciting at the time, might have been the worst thing to happen to him.

At this point, anything that falls short of that mark would be considered a setback.

“In some ways that skewed expectations and raised the bar for what was expected from us,” Suns’ GM Ryan McDonough said in a press conference Tuesday.

Edwards thinks the problem may not be about millennials dealing with setbacks, but about a desire to learn.

“If you can’t tell them ‘why’, then you’re not giving them any knowledge.”