Chris Jones told the media he doesn’t “worry about the fans” and, being honest, he’s right.
As the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ boss, he should never consider what anyone outside the organization is thinking or saying about his team.
There’s an old adage in sports: “If you listen to what the fans are saying, pretty soon you’re going to be sitting with them.”
But saying that aloud can infuriate the people who pay Jones’ salary.
Fans — and by extension, the media — always believe they know what’s wrong with their favourite sports team. They might be right — as they are about Jones’ unbelievable insistence on playing wide receiver Duron Carter at cornerback.
But the decision is up to Jones. He lives with those decisions and should be making them in the best interests of his team, with the intention of winning games, advancing to the playoffs, winning the Grey Cup and setting the stage again for next season.
If Jones is making the right decisions, he keeps his job.
If Jones is continually making the wrong decisions, the fans will complain, Jones’ boss will make a decision and the head coach will be looking for work somewhere else.