"I was an idiot back then" - Brewers skipper Pat Murphy admits his "Drill Sergeant" style won't work now in MLB

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy had an extensive collegiate baseball coaching career. Before coming to the MLB as a manager & coach, Murphy coached collegiate teams, the Arizona State Sun Devils and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

During his time at Notre Dame, Murphy developed a reputation for being a 'drill sergeant.' On July 30th, when Murphy appeared on "The Mayor’s Office with Sean Casey," he was asked about his coaching style.

Host Casey asked Murphy if players today were different compared to the time he was called a 'drill sergeant.' The Brewers manager said:

"I was an idiot back then," Murphy said (19:17 onwards). "I mean, I was a total, like I tell Counts all the time, I don't believe you speak to me. I was so tough on him. Seriously, he should have filed a lawsuit against me. I mean, for sure, I should have been fired for what? I was so tough on this kid."

Murphy revealed he was a 'maniac.' He also admitted to being inappropriate to players. Murphy said that players have changed now.

"But, you ask if players are different. Maybe. I mean, the world's different. But the game is the game. It hasn't changed. I mean, there's nuances of it that have changed, but really, the game, the people that are coming up today, they want love and discipline. In that order."

Pat Murphy also revealed that a key difference is that players back then didn't know that he loved them, but his current bunch does know it.

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Pat Murphy shared insights about the Milwaukee Brewers' successful 2025 season

When the Milwaukee Brewers began their 2025 campaign, there weren't many expectations from the team. However, Pat Murphy and his men have exceeded expectations with their performances this season. As of this writing, the Brewers have a 67-44 record, the best in baseball this season.

In the same interview, Murphy spoke about how the Brewers turned things around, and even mentioned some important names who helped achieve it. Murphy said:

"Look at how we started the season," Murphy said (21:32 onwards) "Low expectations, I get it, nobody thought we'd be any good. We go out of the gates 0-4. All of a sudden, people are wondering. "But, they (Brewers players) responded. That's why [it helps], when you have Yelich, Hoskins, and you have the right people leading, and then you have some pitbulls, like William Contreras, Ortiz, Frelick, and Bryce Turang."

Murphy said that the guys he mentioned are 'tough,' and it can change the game a little bit. Murphy concluded his assessment of the Brewers' remarkable 2025 season by saying that the players he mentioned make people realise that being a teammate is important.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash