New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen during minicamp at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Football guys are built different.

They’re single-minded. They’re hyper-focused on X’s and O’s. They’re ready to feel disrespected at a moment’s notice over literally anything. They’re dialed in.

What they are not concerned with is whatever’s happening over there in English class.

Billy Shakespeare? Never picked up a pigskin. Who cares.

New Orleans Saint head coach Dennis Allen proved just how zeroed in football guys are during a press conference on Tuesday when he realized that he had no idea what a metaphor was.

A reporter asked Allen if there was a particular metaphor that made sense for his Saints squad.

“I’m gonna leave the metaphors to you guys,” said Allen, who then had a realization. “What is a metaphor? What is the definition of a metaphor?”

Someone then had to immediately explain the definition of a metaphor in a room full of people with communications and English degrees, which is no small feat.

There’s an old adage that you should “fake it til you make it.” Allen might have done himself a favor by sticking to that mindset and just letting things slide. Entering this season with a 16-18 overall record in two years with the Saints, the last thing Allen needs is people wondering if his brain is a blank canvas, which, by the way, is a metaphor.

[The Coachspeak Index, LBS]

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Editorial Strategy Director for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.