You're the Coach: How do you Win?

[Oldfan]

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LKB:

I'm finding it hard to pin down your position because your arguments shift back and forth between "You have to win your division," which is an obvious statement that no one's going to debate, and...

"I would draft and sign players based on the strengths and weaknesses of my division opponents. I would run whatever offense or defense work best against the teams I considered the most dangerous in my division" -- which sounds to me like an extensive plan...

...but then you water that down to "Win the division. Do this by getting someone to cover DeSean Jackson and block DeMarcus Ware."

Why is this especially unique to the NFCE? Wouldn't every team in the league benefit by having a top notch CB and OLT on their roster?

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

.Why is this especially unique to the NFCE? Wouldn't every team in the league benefit by having a top notch CB and OLT on their roster?

In a perfect world, yes.

In a world where I am restricted by a salary cap, no.

Signing Revis to a gazillion dollar contract would be a dumb move for an AFC North team. There is no QB-WR combo in that division that would keep you up at nights. In that division, an all-world tackle would be important though because of what the Steelers and Ravens have on the edge.

[Warhead36]

In a perfect world' date=' yes.

In a world where I am restricted by a salary cap, no.

Signing Revis to a gazillion dollar contract would be a dumb move for an AFC North team. There is no QB-WR combo in that division that would keep you up at nights. In that division, an all-world tackle would be important though because of what the Steelers and Ravens have on the edge.[/quote']

I don't think it's smart to build your team because of what your rivals have. Build your team to be the best it possibly can and force other teams to react to what you're doing.

[Oldfan]

In what division would it be smart to sign Revis to a gazillion dollar contract? Belichik would trade him for a draft pick before he would cough up big bucks for one player.

Nevertheless, I understand your point. To some extent, a player's worth is relative to his usefulness within his division.

It's the first version of your position which didn't ring true to me: "I would draft and sign players based on the strengths and weaknesses of my division opponents. I would run whatever offense or defense work best against the teams I considered the most dangerous in my division"

[Skins Addict]

Never trade a draft pick ever again. You might be trading away the next star player.

[sebestian]

It is very simple in my opinion. Offensive Line. Give me (the coach an offensive line and I will win) Plain and simple.

[Oldfan]

Agree. And yeah I can relate whether its playing sports, work, etc, if you zone in on the task at hand; get lost in it and find a rhythm, the results tend to come much better. Don't know if you ever read the book, Flow by Csikszenmihalyi but he gets into the idea in depth. He takes it a step further by theorizing that in studies people are happiest when they find that zone, finding that zone and elevating your level of competence in the process gives people a bigger rush then winning/reaching the destination.

Old Cowboys coach, Jimmy Johnson who was a student of social psychology actually refers to that book sometimes as an influence.

I recognize the tough-to-pronounce "Csikszenmihalyi" surname but never read his book. I do, however, see the connection you're making here.

As to sports in general, and football in particular, part of my theory is that this idea that coaches should motivate players to try harder is 180 degrees wrong. Trying harder is a function of the conscious part of the brain which interferes with what ideally ought to be a purely subconscious reaction.

We often hear players say that they just need to go out and have fun. While we fans don't care whether they enjoy themselves or not, they might well be on the right track in setting up a better performance.

---------- Post added June-17th-2011 at 07:14 AM ----------

It is very simple in my opinion. Offensive Line. Give me (the coach an offensive line and I will win) Plain and simple.

Too simple, sebestian. The Vikings had the best O-line in the NFL for several years, but played .500 ball because they were missing too many other parts.

[Skinsinparadise]

As to sports in general, and football in particular, part of my theory is that this idea that coaches should motivate players to try harder is 180 degrees wrong. Trying harder is a function of the conscious part of the brain which interferes with what ideally ought to be a purely subconscious reaction.

We often hear players say that they just need to go out and have fun. While we fans don't care whether they enjoy themselves or not, they might well be on the right track in setting up a better performance.

Agree especially since football is such a fast moving sport. Your brain likely needs to relax and find that zone/automatic pilot as opposed to be caught up in the moment and trying to conjure up ways to try harder.

---------- Post added June-17th-2011 at 07:14 AM ----------

Too simple, sebestian. The Vikings had the best O-line in the NFL for several years, but played .500 ball because they were missing too many other parts.

You could look at the Redskins for this, back when Jansen, Samuels, Dockery, Rabach, Thomas were in their prime they had one of the best o lines in football, it didn't translate to them being one of the better teams in the NFL. IMO it's definitely an ingredient but not per se the be all and end all ingredient.

[Pwyl]

IAs to sports in general, and football in particular, part of my theory is that this idea that coaches should motivate players to try harder is 180 degrees wrong. Trying harder is a function of the conscious part of the brain which interferes with what ideally ought to be a purely subconscious reaction.

I think you can talk about different aspects of "trying harder" and have that concept still be true. Game preparation is one area that coaches can motivate players to try harder, as well as things like playing through the whistle and not giving up on plays.

[Oldfan]

I think you can talk about different aspects of "trying harder" and have that concept still be true. Game preparation is one area that coaches can motivate players to try harder, as well as things like playing through the whistle and not giving up on plays.

I'm not sure we have an understanding.

I'm saying that I think it's a mistake for coaches to try to motivate a player to try to play harder since the "trying" requires a conscious effort and interferes with subconscious reaction. I'm talking about the player's performance, not his practice or preparation.

[Pwyl]

I'm not sure we have an understanding.

I'm saying that I think it's a mistake for coaches to try to motivate a player to try to play harder since the "trying" requires a conscious effort and interferes with subconscious reaction. I'm talking about the player's performance, not his practice or preparation.

No I agree with what you're saying based on how you are defining the phrase. Pressure to perform can absolutely cause tension that causes poorer performance. It's just a narrow definition.

If you were talking to a coach and he said he wanted to motivate his players to try harder, he might be talking about one of the things I listed.

[wildbill1952]

Through the draft. Not by doing the best for one season or even two but by having a long range plan in place. Plan for your players to have an expected life as a player. When his expected life is within 2 years, plan on his replacement so only the first round picks are expected to play immediately. Make your plan at least 7 years long with every players "league life" part of the plan. During his last two expected years, when he's on his way downhill or he'll be unaffordable contractually, test the trade market with other teams, no matter how many jerseys he's selling.

When looking at replacements during the draft, examine the guys one year behind them in the draft, even if you're not going to use a draft choice on them this year. If you're spending this year's first or second round pick on that player, and next year's player is exponentially better, then make him your priority for next year. i.e. Don't spend the costly picks from this year on marginal players if better players are better in the next year's draft.

There are 22 players out there between the offense and defense. Plan on drafting a younger player in that position at least once every 5 years.

Put incentives in for your scouting team. Have them rank the top 200 college players 1 to 200. See where the players they ranked are 3 years from now and pay the scouts for their performance, that is, how well they evaluated those 200. Anybody can seemingly pick the first round players. Find a scout that looks beyond the first round accurately, that finds those diamonds in the rough.

And finally, get some offensive linemen. Sheesh!

[allannis]

It is very simple in my opinion. Offensive Line. Give me (the coach an offensive line and I will win) Plain and simple.

Maybe not the whole answer,but a very good place to start.

[khaozerker]

Get super-smart players.

[MartinC]

Since we share an interest in psychology, I'll give you a little more of my theory.

It's fine to have the conscious, thinking part of our brain engaged when we are practicing our tennis stroke, but when we go out to play, we want to shut it down completely. What we want is total subconscious reaction. I think this is what athletes describe as the "zone." That part we call "I" becomes a spectator, watching, but not interfering. The action seems to be in slow motion.

It happened to me only once. I spent two hours in the zone during a volleyball tournament. My teammates thought I was on drugs. They said my eyes looked strange.

Everyone laughed when Yogi said, "You can't think and hit at the same time." Yogi was right.

A coach who I trusted - and still trust in fact - explained this to me years ago by saying that you do your thinking about your technique and game during practice, when you play you need to trust your preparation and ability, clear your mind and just play.

[ixcuincle]

The same way I fixed the Redskins in Madden

Young stud QB and a scintillating offense combined with a defense that ****s you up

[Oldfan]

A coach who I trusted - and still trust in fact - explained this to me years ago by saying that you do your thinking about your technique and game during practice, when you play you need to trust your preparation and ability, clear your mind and just play.

Certainly sounds like the same idea.

[Commander Adama]

The same way I fixed the Redskins in Madden

Young stud QB and a scintillating offense combined with a defense that ****s you up

Brilliant! I hope the coaches are taking notes!

Oh wait, maybe because Madden gives all QBs a perceived rating that you can build on rather in the real world drafting a stud QB is very tough. Other than that you are correct, we need a good QB to pilot the offense. I would just add, and I believe Shanahan and Allen are heading this way, we need to inject youth into the team, drill into them technique, and hope they pick up the sense of team and responsibility.

[cphil006]

Get a restraining order against Vinny Cerrato.

Turn his former office into a restroom.

Find a QB

Find a WR

strengthen both lines.

[MartinC]

Certainly sounds like the same idea.

I was watching a TV show here in the UK about a racing driver called Stirling Moss (raced back in the 50's and 60's in F1 and sports cars and was a perhaps the greatest driver never to win an F1 World Championship). The programme though was not about racing it was about the effect on the brain of an injury and the effect that has on a persons concious and unconcious mental ability.

Quick bit of history Moss's racing career came to an end in a near fatal crash in 1962 in an F1 race in the UK. They did not wear harnesses back then (if you can belive that) and Moss went straight into a grass bank at well over 100 MPH, was thrown forward and his head smashed into the steering wheel. He was in a comma for a month and was lucky to live.

When he tried to come back he found he was not able to drive at a competitive level - not because he was frightened or because he had lost confidence but because he was having to think what he was doing. Previously he had driven instinctivley and known without having to think conciously when to brake, where to turn in, when to change gear etc it had all just happened as an automatic reflex. Now he he had lost that ability. His concious thought was not quick enough to keep up with the spped of decision and action needed to be quick enough on a race track to compete at the highest level. His unconcious was quicker than his concious.

The show hen mentioned something I had not heard of which is called the gunfighters dilemma. Link below to a short article on it and some research on the principle. Essentially it says that the gunfighter who draws second will be faster than the gunfighter who draws first. The reason being that the first guy to draw makes a concious decision to draw while the guy drawing second is reacting to this unconciously. The research bears this out.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8493000/8493203.stm

It confirms my personal experience and opinion that better performance comes from an ability to allow your mind to trust your preparation and ability and work in the unconcious reacting naturally to what you see - playing in the zone. Its when you start thinking and doubting your instincts you get into trouble in sports.

[Oldfan]

Martin, I wasn't an F1 fan, but I remember Stirling Moss and his accident very well. I wasn't aware of the brain injury and its effects, though. That's an interesting story.

The "gunfighter's dilemma" was unexpected. I wouldn't have guessed that.

I didn't realize until I was in my 40s how my conscious mind was working against me when playing sports. The more time the game gave me to think, the worse I played. I picked up a tennis racket, and played pretty well right away, but I stunk at golf because that damn ball just sat there and waited for me to hit it.

[kiingspadee]

When the clock hits 0 in the 4th quarter have the most points

[NavyDave]

Simple question... What do you do to become a winner?

By outscoring the opposition 14 times in the regular season and 4 times in the post season.

[tibbidoe]

Build thru the draft, sign FA to short-term, gap filling spots to create good depth...

Power running game with maulers across the OL, setting up the passing game...

4-3 D designed to attack the QB and stop the run...

No big named coaches hired. Young coordinators with some time in the league, but with something to prove.

[darrelgreenie]

Simple question... What do you do to become a winner?

Start with a clearly defined vision for the franchise that is shared by not only the entire staff but the owner also.

Be focused on the present but don't lose sight of the future.

Pick players that fit your vision and build your gameplan to their strengths.

Be organized and disciplined and consistent throughout.

Everyone (from owner to coaches to players) should have a clear understanding of the vision and their role and expectations within that vision with clearly defined parameters for success and failure.

Punishment and rewards should be uniform, whenever possible.

Teach don't dictate.

Understand your players and staff.

Coach your coaches.

Trust in your vision and your coaches.

Teach your coaches exactly how you want things done, then give them the freedom to do it.

Have perfect practice.