Absorbing the media about and around this hire and this team, it's hard not to be excited. McVay is undeniably an arresting presence. He talks fluidly and energetically, and you feel smarter just by listening to him. While undoubtedly the media has been generally selected to present the man in a positive light, press-conferences and (to a lesser extent) player-testimonials are not easily faked. This is an electric guy who comes with the recommendations of all he's worked with, and who most importantly matches up to the stories and praise when placed in the spotlight. What's more, he brings Wade. He keeps Fassel.
A lot of us had this idea that Shanahan was probably the guy. He's shown the ability to coordinate successful offenses. He's been in a variety of situations and found success in all of them.
When comparing him to McVay, it's concerning that one guy gets plaudits and adoration from coaches and players alike (McVay), while with another (Shanny), it's mostly "well, we can all see that he devises a killer offense." It's hard to deduce the magnitude, but we can agree there are signs out there that Shanahan is not an easy guy to cooperate with. He might be a brilliant offensive mind, but a head coach in this situation is going to need to be able to get along with others, inspire others, and integrate the input of trusted coaches and players. Maintaining a stable and healthy environment from the front-office to the meeting rooms to the practice field will be crucial in order to sustain the kind of growth we have to experience over the next pair of seasons to become a true and consistent winner; it will be as crucial as the actual game-strategies (which I don't want to downplay: I believe in McVay and Wade Philips as game-planners and strategists).
There is no guarantee that ultimately either of these guys will be successful head coaches now or ever. In my opinion, however, the obvious choice between the two for the sake of culture and growth is McVay. He shows the mind and attitude of a teacher and a football-counselor. If our team was the Broncos after John Fox, and we had veterans and established leaders, maybe that's when you look for someone like Kyle Shanahan to give you a two-year stint in an effort to climb through that championship window. But the fact that they selected McVay (30 years old) before they were able to sit down with Shanny (37 years old) doesn't bother me at all. It's like watching your ideal draft pick fall in your lap. You don't get greedy and trade back, only to watch another team give you a wink and take your guy. You trust your eyes and analysis, and you select him. That's what they've done, and I'm pretty confident it was the best choice they could've made.
