WT: Coach Zorn not resting on his laurels (M.E.T.)

[BuddyLeeGhostHunter]

He is gonna be ultra aggressive in the 4th quarter and with leads. He might blow some leads, but it wont be like Gibbs 2.0 on how conservative it was

I really hope so.

I have a feeling that his 2nd half philosophy was discussed in the interview process being that the team blew so many leads with Gibbs 2.0.

[Voice_of_Reason]

All I've got to say is that a person who is successful in their career who puts their family first is well respected and called admirable. A person who isn't successful in their career who puts their family first is said to not be focused enough on their career. We'll see which category Jim Zorn falls in, but I do get a little worried that he may not be putting enough time into preparing for training camp. I have those nasty memories of Steve Spurrier that I'm just praying aren't repeated with Zorn.

From the article:

I don't really do a lot of this [athletic] stuff anymore because I want to get really good at being an NFL head coach," Zorn says. "I'm seriously working at that."

So Spurrier didn't have the work ethic at all. It wasn't as though he was distracted by Golf, it was that he just didn't want to do the work. I think Zorn might be the exact opposite. Everything that he does he does 100% He might do a bunch of things, but the guy seems to get it that he needs to concentrate on football.

I'm excited. Training Camp in 1 week!

Go Skins

[BigRedskinDaddy]

I think coach understands that one way to prolong one's career in the NFL,(though this can work in all areas of life), one must keep things in perspective and take care of himself. Both emotionally and physically. It also helps to enjoy what they're doing both professionally and personally. Coach seems to be doing all the above.

I agree. It's all about striking the proper balance. JZ seems to have that. My only fear is how he handles the brutal early-season schedule coupled with his HC learning curve. If and only if things start slowly for the B&G this could turn into a nightmarish Cam Cameron situation IMO. :2cents:

[Thinking Skins]

I agree. It's all about striking the proper balance. JZ seems to have that. My only fear is how he handles the brutal early-season schedule coupled with his HC learning curve. If and only if things start slowly for the B&G this could turn into a nightmarish Cam Cameron situation IMO. :2cents:

And the sad thing is that I was actually wanting Cam as a head coach here before he bombed in Miami. I still think he could do a good job as a head coach if he's ever given a second chance.

[Peregrine]

lol, I would certainly hope he isnt resting on his laurels. No offense, but hes now the HC of one of the most popular sports franchises in the world, and his laurels only consist of him being a QB coach.

Why would anyone expect anything else?

[skindogger47]

I was actually thinking the same thing. Am hoping he doesn't have the work ethic of Spurrier.

What on Earth would give you the impression that he has the work ethic of Spurrier?

[ZoEd]

All I've got to say is that a person who is successful in their career who puts their family first is well respected and called admirable. A person who isn't successful in their career who puts their family first is said to not be focused enough on their career. We'll see which category Jim Zorn falls in, but I do get a little worried that he may not be putting enough time into preparing for training camp. I have those nasty memories of Steve Spurrier that I'm just praying aren't repeated with Zorn.

Did you read the article? It pretty much says the guy can't sit still, he has to be doing something at all times. What makes you think the gauge for a good coach is one who sits at the facilities 20 hours a day, eating, sleeping and ****ting football? You have to have balance. No one wants to work for that guy who is so caught up in football they don't have time to be a human being. It's a game, it's meant to be fun.

Two weeks ago I had to go fill in for another MSgt on a project while he took a week of leave. The Capt. they have filling the OIC role was a blubbering mess. His nerves were shot, he was throwing up, the guys were starting to hate him and he was not only overseeing his shift but he was trying to run my shift as well. I asked him WTF was up and he told me about the pressure he was getting from the Colonel and how he felt like he was going to be seen as a failure if he didn't stay on schedule. I told him that this stuff is supposed to be fun. Coming to work each day, making progress, being proud of your craftsmen and seeing something go from a patch of dirt to a finished facility in only a few months is something to be proud of. If you can't enjoy your work then WTF are you doing it. If you can't pull yourself away from it long enough to appreciate it then you're doing yourself and your craftsmen an injustice.

You can't eat, sleep and **** work or you'll be a miserable SOB. I'm a firm believer in that and I think it's even more true in regards to a bunch of full grown men getting paid to play a game. You have to play loose but disciplined. If you go around all nutted up too afraid to make mistakes you loose your swagger and quit having fun. This team needs a little fun in order to take to the next level IMO. Nothing but positive things have been coming out of Redskins park about Coach Zorn; especially from the veterans. As long as he keeps it balanced and not too loose I think he's going to be alright. Thing is I think there's enough leaders and veterans on this team to keep it from getting too loose. :2cents:

[Thinking Skins]

ZoEd, I'm not saying that he's a guarantee to be a bad coach or a great coach. I've just learned through my recent years as a fan not to get too up or down about the offseason. Everybody who reads this and says that we have a GREAT coach, I think is fooling themselves. Everybody who reads this and says that we have a guy who has no talent is just being a hater.

Since you brought up your job, I'll talk about my one of my jobs. When I first started graduate school, people always talked about the balance between life and school. But they also warned us that those who fail in graduate school generally don't fail because of lack of ability, but lack of concentration and focus. So I can understand and appreciate that Zorn has outside activities, but I wonder if he's willing to let go of those outside activities if he needs to put more time towards football, particularly as a first year coach.

The comparison to Spurrier is one that I didn't want to make, but he is the epitome of an example of somebody who didn't put in the hours necessary to get the job done. I'm not saying that Zorn will be that bad, but he doesn't have to be that bad to be a bad coach.

And I'm not saying which side the coin will fall on. I'm just stating the reservations that I got from this article. If you didn't get those same reservations, then it just means you and I got different things from the article.

[Redskins:Victory_or_Death]

What laurels?

It's a city in Maryland.

Resting on it, an entire city, though? I thought that would take a man the size of Wade Phillips.

[ZoEd]

ZoEd, I'm not saying that he's a guarantee to be a bad coach or a great coach. I've just learned through my recent years as a fan not to get too up or down about the offseason. Everybody who reads this and says that we have a GREAT coach, I think is fooling themselves. Everybody who reads this and says that we have a guy who has no talent is just being a hater.

Since you brought up your job, I'll talk about my one of my jobs. When I first started graduate school, people always talked about the balance between life and school. But they also warned us that those who fail in graduate school generally don't fail because of lack of ability, but lack of concentration and focus. So I can understand and appreciate that Zorn has outside activities, but I wonder if he's willing to let go of those outside activities if he needs to put more time towards football, particularly as a first year coach.

The comparison to Spurrier is one that I didn't want to make, but he is the epitome of an example of somebody who didn't put in the hours necessary to get the job done. I'm not saying that Zorn will be that bad, but he doesn't have to be that bad to be a bad coach.

And I'm not saying which side the coin will fall on. I'm just stating the reservations that I got from this article. If you didn't get those same reservations, then it just means you and I got different things from the article.

I didn't get any reservations at all. What I got was JZ is a person who goes out and makes **** happen. He doesn't wish he could do this or that he goes out and does it. He lives life to the fullest and works hard at being the best at whatever it is he does and pushes others to do the same even when they don't think they can. I'm not swinging from the guys tip and I'm not that high on him as a coach yet; I'm still in the wait and see mode. What I am high on is his character as a person. He seems like a very amicable guy but hard core and won't allow his players to take advantage of him. As for X's and O's, who knows? We'll jsut have to wait and see. IMO the X's and O's come easy, it's getting people to go to war for you week in and week out that most struggle with. From the feedback coming out of Redskin Park so far I think JZ has that part on lock.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

All I've got to say is that a person who is successful in their career who puts their family first is well respected and called admirable. A person who isn't successful in their career who puts their family first is said to not be focused enough on their career. We'll see which category Jim Zorn falls in, but I do get a little worried that he may not be putting enough time into preparing for training camp. I have those nasty memories of Steve Spurrier that I'm just praying aren't repeated with Zorn.

I suppose you could have said Zorn wasn't putting enough into his new relationship with his new girlfriend when he more or less abandoned her and said "Well, I've got to do some running", and took off on a spontaneous jog lol :laugh:...

They ended up married for decades now, and with kids...

I think we over-romanticize the image of a coach still awake and at his office at 1:00 am trying to tweak the upcoming game plan to perfection, sacrificing all in order to live, eat, sleep and bleed football. Plus, there's a very real difference between a coach who purposefully takes time out from his long hours of preparation to get exercise, and a coach who purposefully cuts his long hours of preparation short because he just doesn't want to put in that much effort. Nothing in that article made me feel that Zorn might be the latter.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

IMO the X's and O's come easy, it's getting people to go to war for you week in and week out that most struggle with. From the feedback coming out of Redskin Park so far I think JZ has that part on lock.

And I can practically guarantee you that Spurrier had NO ability to get his teams to go to war for him week in and week out.

I almost feel like that video showing Samuels and Sellers tubing on the lake is something Zorn would have encouraged them to try lol :laugh:....

[SkinsGuy]

And I can practically guarantee you that Spurrier had NO ability to get his teams to go to war for him week in and week out.

True.

Why would you go to war for someone who didn't even know your name.

Those comparing Zorn to Spurrier are off the mark. Zorn is NOT going to treat this like an 8-4 job the way Spurrier did.

And I'm sure Zorn will know the names of the guys who play for the maroon and black.

[skinnyles]

This article couldn't have come at a better time. One week till camp and I had no clue what an unbelievable person we now have as our Head Coach. At my age I've seen alot of successful people in all types of sports and business. The ONE thing they all had in common was ENERGY. Not just a love of the game etc. but an energy that applied to everything they did and tried. It is also very contageous. It gives everyone the "If he can do, then I can too", attitude.

Gibbs brought more of an "I've done it before, so you better not prove me wrong", attutude which is not very motivating. IMO

Lastly thank God Zorn can see beyond football in life...Maybe Coach Reid could take some lessons from him when it comes to football and family, as well as alot of peoply in this profession.

I am way pumped up for this season...I think most everyone here, tho cautiously optimistic is way pumped too....HTTR

[HailRiggoRanger]

What on Earth would give you the impression that he has the work ethic of Spurrier?

This section from the article concerned me:

"...The other coaches that dedicate themselves to only football, that's the way that they have to do it. They're comfortable with that. They've had success doing it their way." Zorn's way includes daily 45-minute Stairmaster workouts during the season, even if a showdown with the archrival Cowboys is looming.

Zorn has, however, abandoned one tradition he followed as a Seahawks assistant: biking to home games. Seems that Snyder wanted his head coach on the Sunday-morning bus to FedEx Field.

I remembered a similiar quote from SOS. Trade the biking to a game with playing a round of golf before the game and you have SOS. I hope I'm wrong though.

[SkinsGuy]

This section from the article concerned me:

"...The other coaches that dedicate themselves to only football, that's the way that they have to do it. They're comfortable with that. They've had success doing it their way." Zorn's way includes daily 45-minute Stairmaster workouts during the season, even if a showdown with the archrival Cowboys is looming.

Zorn has, however, abandoned one tradition he followed as a Seahawks assistant: biking to home games. Seems that Snyder wanted his head coach on the Sunday-morning bus to FedEx Field.

I remembered a similiar quote from SOS. Trade the biking to a game with playing a round of golf before the game and you have SOS. I hope I'm wrong though.

You are wrong.

There is a big difference between riding your bike to the game, and playing a round of golf before the game.

For Zorn, a bike was simply his mode of transport to the contests. However, the goal was still to get to the game. His mind was on the game.

For Spurrier, playing golf had NOTHING to do with the football game. It seems like 90% of the time, Spurrier's mind was on golf (even when he was supposed to be leading practices :laugh: ).

That was Spurrier's failure. He simply wasn't committed to devoting enough of himself to be the HC of the Washington Redskins.

I haven't seen any of that lack of commitment from Zorn. He may not be at Redskin park all night till 3am like Gibbs, and it will be difficult at first to see our new HC do things a different way.

However, Zorn has been coaching in the NFL for years. I'm not worried about him throwing a ton of himself into the job.

[Califan007 The Constipated]

True.

Why would you go to war for someone who didn't even know your name.

:laugh: SO damn true lol...

Those comparing Zorn to Spurrier are off the mark. Zorn is NOT going to treat this like an 8-4 job the way Spurrier did.

And I'm sure Zorn will know the names of the guys who play for the maroon and black.

:laugh:

[corrupt3d]

Unlike other Snyder hires, Zorn knows this is his only chance at head coaching.

THAT is why I think he will do well.

[Wyvern]

Wow! So many posts about how Zorn spends his time off.

Glad to see he believes in being active, rather than passively soaking in entertainment. His life balance appears to be good.

All that aside, what Zorn does in his off-time doesn't have much bearing on how well he'll do with the Skins during the regular season. It might bode well -- but all that is simply guessing the future.

That said, I like the new vibrancy of Jim Zorn as our head Coach. From what I've heard, he's innovative and knows how to maximize his talent. Hopefully we ES fans also realize it can take a couple of years for a coach to take the team to the promised land.

[eljeasel]

Those comparing Zorn to Spurrier are off the mark. Zorn is NOT going to treat this like an 8-4 job the way Spurrier did.

This comment is way off base.

The Ol Ball Coach only worked 10-4.

[HailRiggoRanger]

You are wrong.

There is a big difference between riding your bike to the game, and playing a round of golf before the game.

For Zorn, a bike was simply his mode of transport to the contests. However, the goal was still to get to the game. His mind was on the game.

For Spurrier, playing golf had NOTHING to do with the football game. It seems like 90% of the time, Spurrier's mind was on golf (even when he was supposed to be leading practices :laugh: ).

That was Spurrier's failure. He simply wasn't committed to devoting enough of himself to be the HC of the Washington Redskins.

I haven't seen any of that lack of commitment from Zorn. He may not be at Redskin park all night till 3am like Gibbs, and it will be difficult at first to see our new HC do things a different way.

However, Zorn has been coaching in the NFL for years. I'm not worried about him throwing a ton of himself into the job.

I hope you're right and I'm wrong. Am trying to think of the article just as a fluff, "get to know the coach" piece and not as any insight into his work ethic. But, am worried...given, he didn't know the team's colors, does stairmaster when he could be analyzing game film, and rides his bike to the game instead of sitting on the bus with the troops.

After the season ends, I can see a SOS-type resignation message, "Well, my family came first, and our hearts weren't set on Washington. Am going to take some time off, spend some time with the family, and relax while climbing a mountain." Six months later, he rejoins the Seahawks organization as QB coach or Off. coordinator.

As I said I hope I'm wrong, I just think there may be some SOS-esque variables and with Snyder's impatience, it could be a one and done year for him.

[jimster]

I hope you're right and I'm wrong. Am trying to think of the article just as a fluff, "get to know the coach" piece and not as any insight into his work ethic. But, am worried...given, he didn't know the team's colors, does stairmaster when he could be analyzing game film, and rides his bike to the game instead of sitting on the bus with the troops.

After the season ends, I can see a SOS-type resignation message, "Well, my family came first, and our hearts weren't set on Washington. Am going to take some time off, spend some time with the family, and relax while climbing a mountain." Six months later, he rejoins the Seahawks organization as QB coach or Off. coordinator.

As I said I hope I'm wrong, I just think there may be some SOS-esque variables and with Snyder's impatience, it could be a one and done year for him.

I am shocked how much people seek out negativity in every detail.

What I got from this article is the guy is super active and energetic.

Riding his bike to home games in Seattle was his way to get exercise for that day, and coaches usually arrive at the stadium 4 hours before kick-off. I think the remark about Snyder not wanting him to do that has more to do with this area.

I am not at all worried about him getting in a 45 minute workout every day. I can't believe anyone would complain about that. Gibbs exercised frequently also you know. Why did no one criticize that?

[Thinking Skins]

I am shocked how much people seek out negativity in every detail.

What I got from this article is the guy is super active and energetic.

Riding his bike to home games in Seattle was his way to get exercise for that day, and coaches usually arrive at the stadium 4 hours before kick-off. I think the remark about Snyder not wanting him to do that has more to do with this area.

I am not at all worried about him getting in a 45 minute workout every day. I can't believe anyone would complain about that. Gibbs exercised frequently also you know. Why did no one criticize that?

Its not "seeking out negativity", its just an observation from the article that can be viewed either way. I don't doubt that Zorn's a hard worker, but before I become a guy who's cheering on his hard work, I'm going to need to see it.

I've also questioned how he will handle critical situations. People have talked about how much players didn't want to work for a coach who didn't know their names, but if you remember back the older players also didn't want to play for Marty because he worked them too hard. If you remember back further they didn't want to play for Norv because of his laid back approach.

Just because Zorn learns the guys names doesn't mean he's out of the water. He's going to have to make some cuts later this year. How will he respond. His offense may face some problems. How will he respond? He may have to fire some coaches. How will he respond? The players may not like some of his innovative techniques. How will he respond?

These are all concerns I have about Zorn. I'm not like some others on this board who say he's doomed for failure, or like some who say that he's just keeping the seat warm for Cowher. But I'm also not going to jump on the guy's nuts like everything about him including his **** is freaking gold. So until he proves himself as a head coach, I will refrain from getting too excited (or too pessimistic) about his future. I've been let down too many times before. Just because I like the Redskins doesn't mean I have to like everything about every person associated with the team.

[HailRiggoRanger]

Its not "seeking out negativity", its just an observation from the article that can be viewed either way. I don't doubt that Zorn's a hard worker, but before I become a guy who's cheering on his hard work, I'm going to need to see it.

I've also questioned how he will handle critical situations. People have talked about how much players didn't want to work for a coach who didn't know their names, but if you remember back the older players also didn't want to play for Marty because he worked them too hard. If you remember back further they didn't want to play for Norv because of his laid back approach.

Just because Zorn learns the guys names doesn't mean he's out of the water. He's going to have to make some cuts later this year. How will he respond. His offense may face some problems. How will he respond? He may have to fire some coaches. How will he respond? The players may not like some of his innovative techniques. How will he respond?

These are all concerns I have about Zorn. I'm not like some others on this board who say he's doomed for failure, or like some who say that he's just keeping the seat warm for Cowher. But I'm also not going to jump on the guy's nuts like everything about him including his **** is freaking gold. So until he proves himself as a head coach, I will refrain from getting too excited (or too pessimistic) about his future. I've been let down too many times before. Just because I like the Redskins doesn't mean I have to like everything about every person associated with the team.

Well said. That about covers it for me.

[jimster]

I understand not wanting to get overly excited, but I would think there is more optimism than pessimism from this article. In short, the guy goes full force at everything he does. That doesn't sound like Norv or Spurrier. As far as how he handles things in certain situations, those questions could be asked of any coach, including Fassel, Cowher or Gregg Williams.