Ken Whisenhunt finds pessimism, Titans go together

Ken Whisenhunt says he has noticed "a sense of pessimism" about the Titans since his arrival as head coach.

Perceptive guy.

Pessimism rides shotgun with a franchise that has not been to the playoffs since 2008 and has not won a postseason game since 2003.

Pessimism is joined at the hip with an organization that has had one winning season in the previous five.

Pessimism is inevitably attached to a team that lacks star power, strong leadership and a vision — not necessarily in that order.

Welcome to our world, coach. This has been a glass-half-empty franchise for too long. Losing — and losing ugly — tends to turn Pollyanna into a cynic. Winnie The Pooh would put a paper bag over his head at LP Field.

Cue Whisenhunt: "That's the tone that I've gotten from the media since I've been here, and that's OK. When we win some games, when we have some success, we can change that. That's what our goal is."

Whisenhunt deals on a personal level with the media far more than he is exposed to the fans, which is natural for a coach. If I'm rooting for a team, I prefer that the coach be watching tape, overseeing practice and doing daily press briefings instead of shaking hands and kissing babies at the latest civic club luncheon.

Suffice it to say, however, this is far more than a media creation. There is considerable pessimism about this team in the community. And it's nothing new.

Whisenhunt misread the coverage on this one. His arrival as coach actually signaled an uptick in optimism, both inside and outside the media, at least compared to what had come before. Finally, we had a fresh start.

The franchise was no longer on auto-pilot. It had a new ownership group. The office was reorganized, with so many FOBs (Friends Of Bud) no longer in significant positions.

It went deeper. Whisenhunt had a Super Bowl appearance on his head coaching résumé and had been a hot commodity in the offseason. He could have taken the Detroit job but instead chose the Titans. He was bringing in a coaching staff that provided new blood instead of recycled ideas.

But seven games into the new regime, we're seeing tell-tale signs that nothing has really changed — at least not so far. The Titans are 2-5. After a Week 1 victory at Kansas City that was stunning in its efficiency and ease, they've lost five of six. And they almost lost to Jacksonville — at home, no less.

Some weeks, they get blown out. Other weeks, they can't close the deal. Often, the Titans seem to be looking for ways to lose instead of ways to win.

Some Titans fans are angry. Some Titans fans are frustrated. But here's the real danger: Some Titans fans — a lot of Titans fans — are apathetic. They'll come to the game … if the weather is nice and it's a decent opponent. They'll watch on TV … unless there's a better game on the other channel.

The apathy extends into the business community. With the NFL label attached to it, Titans football used to be an easy sell. Everything it touched turned to gold. Not now.

Part of this is due to absentee ownership. Part of it is due to a Titans front office that reckoned — incorrectly — that it didn't have to change its approach in a changing marketplace.

As the great philosopher said, it is what it is.

That's where Whisenhunt comes in. He is determined to affect change. He knows he inherited too many players who have grown accustomed to losing. He's trying to change the culture at Titans Central.

And it's proving to be a slow go.

But Whisenhunt is an optimist, even amid all the pessimism. He believes the Titans are on the right track and that things eventually will turn.

"We're getting better," he said. "We're going to be a good football team. That's the thing that's important."

In short, winning cures everything.

Even pessimism.

David Climer's columns appear on Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and Monday. Reach him at 615-259-8020 and on Twitter @DavidClimer.