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<p>A stand-up guy
By
Bill Wagner</p>
<p>Annapolis Capital BLOG</p>
<pre><code>I received a slew of e-mails yesterday from Navy fans that read my previous blog entry titled “Strong Response.” It was vastly different from the reaction I got the previous day to the entry titled “Distributing Responsibility.”
</code></pre>
<p>Many of the same folks who wrote on Tuesday sent a second e-mail on Wednesday that * for the most part * thanked me for doing a good job of covering Navy football and urging me to continue the blog because it contains interesting and informative content.</p>
<p>I will continue blogging, but obviously I am going to be a little more careful with what I write and how I write. While I remain adamant that a blog is a dramatically different medium than the newspaper and should thus be viewed in a different context, I do understand that I represent The Capital and I am the senior Navy football beat writer and that what I report * whether in a blog or in the newspaper * carries weight.</p>
<p>Many people have wondered whether I agree or disagree with the folks who told me they think Coach Paul Johnson tends to blame the players after losses. I didn¹t want to inject my opinion into the initial post, but because this issue has gotten so much attention I feel the need to do so now.</p>
<p>No, I don¹t think Coach Johnson has ever blamed the players for losses. However, I can see how some of the comments he¹s made * when read in print by people who don¹t know the man * could be interpreted that way.</p>
<p>Johnson is a stand-up guy. He has always taken full responsibility for any lack of success by the Navy football team. He is harder on himself than he would ever be on any player.</p>
<p>In the six years Johnson has been head coach at Navy, I have never heard him throw an individual player under the bus. Johnson has pointed out when players have made mistakes or explained why a player did not do something correctly, but he has never played the blame game.</p>
<p>I have engaged in dozens of off-the-record conversations with Johnson behind the closed doors of his office. He could have easily used that forum to point out how or why a player or players was to blame for a loss. He has not.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I have heard Johnson say on numerous occasions that he needs to do a better job of coaching. In fact, Johnson made almost that exact statement last week following the Rutgers loss.</p>
<p>³I¹ve done a horse crap job. I¹m going to do a better job,² Johnson said.</p>
<p>Furthermore, I have heard Johnson defend players on numerous occasions. When members of the media asked Johnson about the relatively poor play of Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada against Rutgers, Johnson said he felt the quarterback did some good things in the game and said the player in that position takes too much blame.</p>
<p>In retrospect, based on the reaction from fans and folks within the Navy football program, I wish I had asked this question of Johnson in a private setting. I was merely curious as to what he thought about this allegation or observation and certainly had no intention of creating a controversy.</p>
<p>What¹s most unfortunate about this episode, which I think has been blown way out of proportion, is that it may have hurt my relationship with Johnson. I hope that¹s not the case, but early indications are that it might be.</p>
<p>Johnson and I have gotten along great the past six years and it would be silly for that to change after just one little bump in the road.</p>
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