Football Philosophy

[NewCliche21]

KDawg, I have to jump in the shower and then head out, but I skimmed the OP and this looks like a great, great thread.

Just wanted to throw that out there.

[Diesel Hog]

1. Teams are built on role players so scout for your scheme. When role players excel in their given role they become stars. And make sure their replacement is already on your squad.

2. Attitude is very important, talent is important but guys have to want to come to work.

3. Make sure you have smart leaders at leadership positions on the field. (QB, MLB, C). Make sure you have selfless guys at selfless positions (OL, DL).

4. Horde draft picks

5. Play fun styles of offense and defense. Players should enjoy playing and not feel handcuffed.

:applause: I like your philosophies, and especially what you said about attitude.

Mine would be similar...like everything you have and things like draft a good QB, and really build the O and D lines. To me, those three things are some of the most important.

Back to attitude, I'd like a monster LB. The heart and soul of the D should revolve around the LBs, and I would want a London Fletcher type as my Defensive QB.

As far as scheme goes...I like running the ball, and I like single back / Ace formations with double tight ends. So I'd want a big nasty O line, serviceable RB, and money TE's.

For D, I like the 4-3, so getting the D line and LB corp set up first would be a priority. Obviously (unless you're Vinny Ceratto), build through the draft and address needs first. Ideally, many of my draft picks would be building the D to be the meanest and nastiest in the NFL (see the Steel Curtain of the 70s). I'd like to go after team mentality guys who are a bit crazy. I'd take a hard working, team focused medium talent guy, over a high talent drama queen.

[Master Blaster]

KDawg-

I think you need to clarify what level of football you are talking about. That can make a drastic difference on philosophies.

A lot of what has been posted so far works at the HS level, but would lead you to an 0-16 record in the NFL.

[mojobo]

1) Play to win. Don't run up the score when the clock becomes more valuable than points. Don't try to kill the clock when you're only up by one possession.

2) Build a strong O-line and play to their strengths. If they are better run blockers, then run the ball. If they pass protect well then throw the ball. There will always be a serviceable veteran QB or RB on either the trade market or as a free agent. A strong O-line allows you to control the game.

3) In terms of trading draft picks for players... buy low, sell high. Teams looking to dump players or simply move them because they have an overload at one position will be willing to trade players for not that much compensation in return. Jammal Brown and Anquan Boldin are great examples of buying low. This should only be done on players who have proven themselves to be good, not on ones who have potential to be good. Players like Brandon Lloyd who at the time was thought to be able to develop into a good receiver are not worth trading picks for. If you want to develop a player, draft them.

4) Be creative. The Wildcat system has worked well for many teams and added a whole new dynamic to football. Teams are starting to catch up to it, but when it was first introduced it was extremely effective since teams never saw it before. Have a few homerun plays in the playbook each week so that if your struggling and need a jolt its there for you to use.

5) Practice and play hard, but also play smart. Knowing the opponents system and players is very important. Turnovers will cause the best teams to lose and a lot of the time be biggest difference between winning and losing.

[Ryman of the North]

OK I will tell you how the Calgary Wolfpack has built a team that has made the playoffs every season since 19993, won the championship game 13 times and national championships 4 out of the 10 years that there has been one here in canada.

1-Recruit Talented players who love the game (guys who love the game dont see it as work and show up for practice and play hurt) dont bother recruiting no names.

2- dont worry about role players, recruit studs, most of the time studs are versatile so if you have injuries you can move them around. Our method is to make sure we have at least one superlative player at every level ie one stud lb, one stud de one stud Dt etc etc, its not easy but we win .

3-Do whatever it takes to recruit a superlative QB, superlative QB play is the key, then get linemen to protect him. meanwhile build your defence arouns your key players.

4-recruit talent, you cant cooach size and you cant coach speed, and size and speed kill. are you starting to see a pattern here?

5-Make sure your leaders lead, the trump card with this method is you can add troubled players as long as they know their ass gets busted by actual leaders. Leaders need to be vocal and need to be respected.

6-Intimidation, when you step on the field, the other team has to know they are in for a LONG DAY, make sure that on defence you have some guys with swagger.

7- Play clean, because nothing says domination like smashing face and egos while doing it all within the rules.

8- build around your key players but dont be afraid to chnage them, we always play the best player, we dont care what the circumstances are, the best player plays period.

10- make sure your coordinators are smarter than other peoples, we have a semi retarded head coach who cant even keep the special teams running smoothly but our Offence and defence both have great coordinators and both have lots of input from the payers.

11- mix youth and experience, you need experience to keep things steady and youth for fresh legs and recovery time lol.

[KDawg]

KDawg-

I think you need to clarify what level of football you are talking about. That can make a drastic difference on philosophies.

A lot of what has been posted so far works at the HS level, but would lead you to an 0-16 record in the NFL.

Pick one. It doesn't matter. You can post for anything you want.

[Master Blaster]

Pick one. It doesn't matter. You can post for anything you want.

Ok.

Where is this team located?

Indoor or Outdoor stadium?

[GeneralStonewallTaylor]

I don’t know what to say, really. Three minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives. All comes down to today, and either, we heal as a team, or we're gonna crumble. Inch by inch, play by play. Until we're finished. We're in hell right now, gentlemen. Believe me. And, we can stay here, get the **** kicked out of us, or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb outta hell... one inch at a time. Now I can't do it for ya, I'm too old. I look around, I see these young faces and I think, I mean, I've made every wrong choice a middle-aged man can make. I, uh, I've pissed away all my money, believe it or not. I chased off anyone who's ever loved me. And lately, I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror. You know, when you get old, in life, things get taken from you. I mean, that's... that's... that's a part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losin' stuff.

You find out life's this game of inches, so is football. Because in either game - life or football - the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches, that's gonna make the ****ing difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying! I'll tell you this, in any fight it's the guy who's willing to die who's gonna win that inch. And I know, if I'm gonna have any life anymore it's because I'm still willing to fight and die for that inch, because that's what living is, the six inches in front of your face.

Now I can't make you do it. You've got to look at the guy next to you, look into his eyes. Now I think you're going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. You're gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team, because he knows when it comes down to it you're gonna do the same for him. That's a team, gentlemen, and either, we heal, now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That's football guys, that's all it is. Now, what are you gonna do?

--On any given Sunday you're gonna win or you're gonna lose. The point is...can you win or lose like a man?

[NewCliche21]

Ok.

Where is this team located?

Indoor or Outdoor stadium?

You may need a ladder or really fast helicopter because the point of the thread just whizzed about six miles over your head about half an hour ago.

[Jumbo]

Ok.

Where is this team located?

Indoor or Outdoor stadium?

**** dude. Your first post semed rather superfluous (to be nice), since you implied you had very definite opinions about what work at an NFL level team-philosophy wise, and given that this forum is the Stadium it shouldn't take much brainpower to figure that even if Kdawg didn't mean "NFL level" exlcusively, it sure would be a primary intention or at the very least, appropriate.

You could have just posted those firm thoughts of yours then, and yet now you come back with this ---just post your damn views if you have any.

And Kdawg, making yet another of your efforts in initiating a solid football discussion is mucho appreciated.

[KDawg]

Ok.

Where is this team located?

Indoor or Outdoor stadium?

Holy **** man. Just post a philosophy. Who cares what it's for. Football related. There's your guidelines.

You must be a blast at parties.

[hogs87]

Here it is plain and simple. Practice not until we get it right, but practice until we can't get it wrong. Because practice makes perfection. PS ctfu @ LKB I can't breath.

[hogs87]

1. I would have the best cliches. "Defense wins championships." I would say that **** daily. "Sports don't build character' date=' they reveal it." I would have that **** stenciled in the weight room. No one on my team would ever say anything interesting.

2. Drugs. We would have a ****load of them. I'd find out where Mike Webster got all the **** he took before he died, hire that dude, and watch the wins pile up. "If you ain't cheating...you ain't trying." That would be on a throw pillow in my office.

3. Felons. Sign 'im up. I'm not running a mission. Just win, baby. That's another good cliche. I'm good at this.

4. One rule: Be on time. I hate people who are late. The only excuse for tardiness: My starting middle linebacker's orgy ran late.

5. Bounties. Lots of them. I want Tom Brady's knee in formaldyhide in my office.

6. Oh...and how can I forget...we are going to run the wishbone like Barry Switzer did. Why? Because it's badass.[/quote']

The only problem with that team is the drug addicts saying they almost died. Cancer survivors almost died; drug addicts almost had too good of time.

[SWFLSkins]

Ok.

Where is this team located?

Indoor or Outdoor stadium?

Grand Forks, in your mind, like one of those vibrating games :doh:

[Ryman of the North]

Practice is overrated skill and natural ability trumps EVERYTHING. the idea that marginal guys will triumph over skilled guys simply by practicing more is something that unskilled athletic people tell themselves so that they have hope.

[hogs87]

Practice is overrated skill and natural ability trumps EVERYTHING. the idea that marginal guys will triumph over skilled guys simply by practicing more is something that unskilled athletic people tell themselves so that they have hope.

So I guess Randy Moss trumps Jerry Rice

[Ryman of the North]

Jerry Rice was about as natural an athlete as ever walked the earth. when you combine a natural athlete with training you get singular athletes like Rice. dont think that pure speed is the only measurement of an athlete.

[SWFLSkins]

Practice is overrated skill and natural ability trumps EVERYTHING. the idea that marginal guys will triumph over skilled guys simply by practicing more is something that unskilled athletic people tell themselves so that they have hope.

Practice has it's purpose especially in team sports. I am really surprised you state the above knowing your involvement in football. Are you serious or just trying to master the role of devils advocate?

There are many roads to success paved with talented people who simply failed to work on the basics relying instead on skill and not doing the foot work required to get there.

IN sports and business I have witnessed extremely talented people fail due to lack of perseverance. When the going got tough, they quit. Hmm, AH comes to mind.

“People of mediocre ability sometimes achieve outstanding success because they don't know when to quit. Most men succeed because they are determined to.” - George Allen

[SWFLSkins]

Jerry Rice was about as natural an athlete as ever walked the earth. when you combine a natural athlete with training you get singular athletes like Rice. dont think that pure speed is the only measurement of an athlete.

So much so he played his college ball at Mississippi Valley State. You tell me that Rice did not practice hard?

When work was plentiful, Rice helped his father by carrying bricks and mixing mortar. "I always did have good work habits," he told Newsday. "I guess it's from my parents. I take a lot of pride in everything and try to be the best in what I'm doing. Every time I step on the football field, it's not like a job to me; I really enjoy it. Working with my father taught me the necessity of hard work. On my mother's side, I'm a caring person. I guess that's why I've been successful."

[Diesel Hog]

Practice is overrated skill and natural ability trumps EVERYTHING. the idea that marginal guys will triumph over skilled guys simply by practicing more is something that unskilled athletic people tell themselves so that they have hope.

So how many SB rings does TO have? Art Monk? Mmmhmm, that's what I thought.

[thebluefood]

Since we're on the topic of philosophy, I have a question about the Redskins' past.

When Joe Gibbs came to the team in 1981, he brought his high-flying, Air Coryell offense with him. Apparently, we had the best offense in football in the first half of the '81 season; but as we all know, we started 0-5. How come we started so poorly those first few games with such a fantastic offense? How come we didn't see success until we switched to a two TE, one-back, power running offense?

[Master Blaster]

LOL at everyone getting mad in this thread.

If you think geographical location, type of stadium you play in, surface you play on, and philosophies of teams within your division don't impact your own philosophy, than you have no idea how to run a team.

Practice is overrated skill and natural ability trumps EVERYTHING. the idea that marginal guys will triumph over skilled guys simply by practicing more is something that unskilled athletic people tell themselves so that they have hope.

This. Give NE Jason Campbell instead of Brady the last 10 years and let's see how good of a coach Bill is.

Just so I can follow the rest of the sheep in here:

1. My team will outwork everyone. I don't know how hard other teams work because I'm not at their practice facilities, but I know we are outworking them.

2. My team will LOVE football. They must live and breath football. If I catch anyone of them worrying about their child's health, going on vacation, or buying groceries they are done as those are not football related. Only TV they can watch when not outworking everyone else is the NFL Network.

3. We will pound it down people's throat. I will run right up the gut over and over. I don't care what the defense is playing. We will execute it so well and will have worked so hard that they can't stop it.

4. I will give the greatest speeches of all time. These speeches will give my unskilled yet hard working group of guys the motivation they need to run it up the gut over and over again.

5. SUPER BOWL!!!

[SWFLSkins]

This. Give NE Jason Campbell instead of Brady the last 10 years and let's see how good of a coach Bill is.

Take away his camera and then see. Really though NE has used those hard working no names you so easily dismiss. NE has routinely gotten rid of named guys? Why?

And btw Jason Campbell would have been more successful in NE than in DC, would you agree with that? And why is that? A culture of winning through hard work and I bet his hafltime speeches rank right up there.

___________________________________

LOL at everyone getting mad in this thread.

If you think geographical location, type of stadium you play in, surface you play on, and philosophies of teams within your division don't impact your own philosophy, than you have no idea how to run a team.

______________________________________

This was not proposed to be a Sim-football exercise, just general philosphy. But it is what you make it and for you it was not detailed enough. BTW, what colors are you picking, you know hot weather effects endurance in dark clothing.

[Ryman of the North]

So how many SB rings does TO have? Art Monk? Mmmhmm, that's what I thought.

if you dont think Art monk is a superior athlete then you dont know much about athleticism.

It was said somewhat tongue in cheek, but you also have to remember one very important FACT, EVERY SINGLE PLAYER IN THE NFL IS MORE ATHLETIC THAN YOU, these people are all in top 2 % of the country, and thats BEFORE they practice or train.

SWFLSKINS, I am merely going by my own experience, My team has the worst practices ever, we warm up, play tip it or hot potato and do a few one on ones then we scrimmage for about 30 min then go eat wings. I myself havent dressed for a practice in 2 years due to pretty bad arthritis after a bad knee injury I just show up on game day, beat up some nerds and go home. We play teams that hit the gym hard and do organised warm ups who treat football like a job, and we ****can them because we are more talented to begin with. We have the best players in the league at almost every position and most of us are versatile enough to be that good at several positions. if you dont believe me go to www.calgarywolfpack.com and check out our roster lmao, we are a bunch of fat old dudes who at one time were pretty damn good football players, even now we are still pretty damn good for our level (we have played some american teams and been competitive despite travelling very shorthanded). the ontario teams are filled with cardio guys who hit the gyms, practice really hard and still lose when they play us.

(ask Die hard, he played for a bit for one of the top teams in canada we lost once and beat them twice)

so let me qualify a bit.....

IF ALL THINGS ARE EQUAL then Practice makes the difference, thusly in high school its not a huge difference (now coaching is a different story in high school its all about athleticism and coaching) in College practice starts making a difference because you whittle away the chaff and the field is more equal.

In semi pro and the lower pro leagues its not as important because often you will have players who are superior athletes going against regular joes. and I dont care what sort of program you are on, a regular Joe against a superior athlete = heartbreak.

but then...

In the Pros it makes a difference because everyone is an elite athlete to begin with so it boils down to prep and coaching again.

[Ryman of the North]

and no, JC wouldnt have been better in NE, the truth of the matter is that JC lacks the intangibles to be a better than just good enough to get you beat QB. Ive already given my opinion about Black QB's, name me ONE superlative Black QB besides Warren Moon who has been succsessful for more than one or two seasons. Maybe you could put Mcnair and maybe cunningham (eventually if Mcrapp doesnt suck here you MAY be able to add him) although I think its far more to do with socioeconomic factors than skin colour there is some sort of correlation there whether the PC crew wants to admit or not