The data center industry is a relatively small community. Even though the overall data center market is growing there is a consolidation of power going on. There are shifts to those who are the best at building out data center infrastructure.
Some stick to a group of people they have worked with for years like being loyal to your alma matter or home team. They take comfort in the familiar. This is where the term "old boys club" can be used to describe this behavior.
The Golden State Warriors won the NBA finals and Steve Kerr was the star along with MVP Stephen Curry. Steve Kerr was seen on his plane flight back to Oakland with two things that don't fit a SF bay area focus.
“The Warriors coach, fresh off his team’s NBA title victory, was photographed on the plane ride from Cleveland home to Oakland wearing a Seattle Seahawks shirt and reading a copy of “Boys in the Boat,” the popular title about the University of Washington’s 1936 Olympic rowing championship.”
If Steve Kerr was old school he would have a SF 49ers shirt or SF Giants and a book about UC Berkeley's crew team.
Digging a bit further it appears that Steve Kerr and Pete Carrol have become friends, coaches who want to have the best team.
“Looking carefully, though, you can see commonalities — California sensibilities, positive energy, open-mindedness and a constant search to find new ways to motivate varied player personalities.
...
”I always loved Pete Carroll,” Kerr said recently. “Hated USC (Carroll’s former coaching stop) but loved Pete Carroll. And loved the way his teams played.
”They just won the Super Bowl. They play this fun, entertaining, energetic style. That’s exactly how I want my teams to play.”
Kerr had just been hired by the Warriors and was continuing his hyper-speed learning curve.”
The ideas continue on how they shared ideas on how to be the best.
““We talked a lot about just kind of the atmosphere around a team and how you’re going to approach the daily routine,” Kerr said.
”To me, the X’s and O’s ... they’re an important part of coaching but a relatively small part. Eighty percent of it is just relationships and atmosphere, what your daily routine and culture is.
”Are players engaged, are they enjoying themselves, are they competing? All those principals he talked about, and we talked about different ideas of ways to make those things come to life. To me, that’s his gift.”
Practical result: Kerr saw how Carroll’s players reacted when the Seahawks played music throughout practice, so he installed speakers at the Warriors site, and there is now music playing through most Warriors sessions.
”It’s a staple for the Seahawks — it’s really uplifting and it’s fun,” said Kerr, who has piped in an array of rap and rock.
”Everybody’s bouncing around and energetic, but you’ve got to focus, too. So there’s different reasons to employ that. But that came from Pete.””