For all of Coach McGuirk’s flaws - and they are many - he cares more about Brendan, and is more emotionally available to Brendan, and does more for Brendan, than Brendan’s actual father. Something something the father you need rather than the father you have something something. As well as being available and interested in Paula (Brendan’s mother). Spoiler: the show ends with Brendan, Paula, and McGuirk going on a trip, together, with the unspoken assumption that maybe, just maybe, they’ve become a kind of family unit. It’s nice.
McGuirk’s advice is typically terrible, but he’s genuinely trying to help Brendan. He’s giving Brendan what he has. Okay, sure, from our perspective it’s terrible, but he’s never hurtful to Brendan. He participates - such as it is - in all of Brendan’s schemes (from being in his movies, to being in the school play that Brendan directs, to yes, giving daily advice). McGuirk cares, which is more than can be said for a lot of adults.
