Gan Guoyang wouldn't be criticized for such a performance; the management, teammates, and fans all understood him.
But not Carl; he's the head coach and has to bear the most fire and pressure. If they lose a game, he has to figure something out.
The immense pressure once made Carl consider resignation. Being a head coach is truly a daunting task; he hadn't even gotten married yet, and already felt completely drained.
Larry Bird sought Carl out multiple times to talk with him, providing mental support and giving Carl a chance to vent.
Bird could be considered half a mentor to Carl, but Carl's current predicament was partly due to Bird.
Once, as Carl became more agitated talking, he even said, "Larry, how about you take the head coach position? I'll be your assistant coach."
Bird quickly shook his head and said, "No, no, no, I'm... I'm not suited to be a head coach anymore. Three years was enough for me."
