The One Word Ran Cathon Wants You to Think When You Think of Him

The Tennessee Titans new general manager made it abundantly clear during his introductory press conference that he does not intend to do anything alone.

NASHVILLE – If Ran Carthon was a musician, he would not be a solo act. If he played tennis, he would focus on doubles. If he was a circus performer, he would be one of many clowns piled into a single car.

If the new Tennessee Titans general manager made anything clear during his introductory press conference on Friday, it is that he does not consider himself – nor does he want to be – a one-man show.

How? He used the word “collaboration” over and over and over.

Here is a rundown of all the times that word and its related forms came up during his opening remarks and the question-and-answer session:

• “The one thing I take away from it is it goes back to that word collaboration. Collaboration truly works,” he said on what he learned from 15 years with three different NFL franchises as a scout and personnel executive.

• “It just kind of shows to the collaboration of how that whole operation works,” Carthon said in wrapping up a story about some his finest moments in player acquisition.

• “It goes back to the word collaboration. That fifth, sixth, seventh round [ of the NFL draft] is the work of the scouts, and it is the work of the assistant coaches – those guys spending time together, understanding the scheme and finding players who are those depth level players, that are going to fit our roster and help fill out the bottom of our roster. Those are the areas where you start to use more of your staff. Us being able, in San Francisco, to hit on those picks was totally a collaboration of our assistant coaches and our scouts,” he said on San Francisco’s recent success in finding valuable contributors in the later rounds.

• “I don't think that matters because I think the word, and what we truly believe here, is collaborating,” Carthon, when asked who will have the final say in Titans roster moves.

• “Again, I'm going to beat you guys to death with this word: collaboration. That's why I'm here, because Miss Amy (Adams-Strunk) sees me as a collaborator. We're here to collaborate, we're here to build this thing together. So many times, in our game, we're trying to fit people in the boxes. In my mind, that's archaic. We have to create a free-flowing environment, and that's not only with [coach] Mike [Vrabel] and I downstairs but that is with the people upstairs, too. It has to be a free-flowing, collaborative effort. I understand you have got a job to do, to define these things, but we truly are going to collaborate. I don't think it matters who is over football operations, the kitchen staff, or whatever,” Carthon, on how the football operations department will function.

It wasn’t just Carthon who uttered it either. It spread throughout the day’s speakers like a virus.

Here are some other times it came up:

• “As a talent evaluator, Ran brings a tremendous skillset to the process. He is a natural leader and collaborator. I'm excited for Ran and his staff to work closely with Coach Vrabel and the coaches to align on a vision for the team and to build a roster of players who best fit that vision,” Adams Strunk, as part of her introductory remarks.

• “I am confident in our ability to collaborate. I am very confident. … But we have people in place and we have hired the right people to make sure that those organizations or departments are functioning to help the football team and the players. That’s what everybody's job here is,” Vrabel, on how the football operations department will function.