“That’s just, that’s not the program that coach has built,” Brown said on Wednesday when asked about the lack of Victory Mondays, followed by a big guffaw, as if the very notion was ridiculous.
“I just love that Derrick is really connected to that part of it,” said Canales. “Like, regardless of what happens, guys, tomorrow we show up, we go right back to work.
That work this week started, as it always does, in earnest on Monday, players and coaches carrying on with business as usual, refusing to allow any pride in a win to overshadow the work that comes next.
“No, it’s just like, treat every game the same, and we get another win, doesn’t mean the work stops,” said safety Tre’von Moehrig. “We can’t sit back and relax and kind of lose focus on Victory Monday and hurrah. It’s really just a testament to the guys we have in the room, just hard work and dedication to try to get this thing right.”
It’s an example that is set in large part by Brown himself. The defensive captain is usually the first through the door every morning. He’s always the last to speak in postgame huddle, the floor ceded by Canales for his veteran to speak. Whether Brown is playing a prank (something he apparently does with regularity) or demanding more from everyone around him, players have no choice but to listen.