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“I have been thinking about being a little more reckless,” he said Wednesday. “I’m going to adopt Don Matthews’ mindset, about letting go a little bit … Not being dumb … (but) being more aggressive, being more courageous, be more willing to take risks.
“This is my last year, I’m working to work harder at trying to win. If that means I have to take more risks, what are they going to do — fire me? If they do, God bless ’em,” he added, chuckling. “I’ll just have an earlier retirement than I already have.
“I want to win, Ed (GM Hervey) wants to win, the coaches want to win, and the players want to win. If that means I have to be a little more outside the box, I’m going to do that.” ...
“The thing that I’ve always believed in, and still do to this day, is you win with good people and great players. The chemistry in the locker-room is critical. The two have to be a big part of what wins you not just games, but championships,” said Buono.
“Last year, we did not win a close game. I think all six or seven that were close, we lost. The difference between having a good season and a bad season, I think, is just that in itself. ...
Having Hervey take the GM’s load off his shoulders has been liberating for Buono.
“It’s already been freeing. It’s been very good for me, because I haven’t had to go through the ordeal of being the GM, which puts a lot of pressure on you, emotionally, physically, mentally. It’s a grind,” he said.
“Ed’s given me the right to have input without the pressure or aggravation. I’ve thanked him about a 100 times for that.
“The only thing I have the final say on is what time I get up, and what time I go to bed. It’s been very refreshing having Ed here. He’s given me some time to reflect, and done an awful lot of hard work in making us into, I think, a good football team.”