Canny Dope: Dauber

Dauber, or Michael Dybinski, from Coach is a canny dope.

At first, I thought he was merely a dope. But nope! He definitely merits "canny."

He is presented as a bit dim, a huge giant of a sweet-natured guy who takes at least eight years to complete his undergraduate degree (in part because he plans his school schedule around which courses are closest to the dining hall and home).

He is a natural leader--even before Coach moves him into special teams. Before he graduates, he manages the house where he lives with other undergraduates (eventually, he moves out on his own). He runs the youth football camp. When he does graduate, he stands up to Coach and demands that his role as an assistant coach be taken seriously.

Like all good canny dopes, he is quicker than so-called sophisticated thinkers at spotting reality. When Kelly and Stuart, Coach's daughter and husband, dress up as foreign exchange students to surprise Coach, Coach is deceived. Dauber is not.

When Dauber loses the play book and tries to quit the team, Coach tells him off for not standing up for himself and the team. Finishing his bark-is-worse-than-his-bite diatribe, he explains why he wants Dauber to stay the course: "Because, son, you are so good at what you do."

He is. Great character!