HTTR24-7: The Shanahan Way - Offensive Accountability and Expectations

[Mahons21]

Kdawg,

I wasn't agreeing with OF. Simply pointing out that, striving for perfection isn't what he's against. It seemed some had read his post and inferred that he was against striving for perfection, and I don't believe that's the point he was making. Though I could very well be wrong.

To be honest, I should probably stop talking for him at this point lol.

[Oldfan]

Shanahan never states in that playbook snippet that he will scream at you if you do it wrong, OF. Those are the goals in which he wants to strive for. It has nothing to do with actually believing that every play will be perfect, but rather designing every play, and walking to the line every play, with the intent to be perfect. No lazy mistakes or silly errors.

 

It's a reminder that the head coach has expectations. I've seen coaches with very low expectations and the results are always less than optimal.

Have you seen coaches at the professional level with low expectations? 

 

Shanahan's statement, complete with legalese like  "...this includes, but is not limited to...," is Mike's heavy-handed attempt to portray himself as more demanding than other coaches as though expecting more is all that is needed to get a better result from his unmotivated player. 

 

If the QB lacks the motivation to do his very best to achieve perfection, the coach should dump him ASAP. And, if the QB is doing his very best, the coach who demands more is implying that he's not trying hard enough, which will only insult him and piss him off.

 

If the QB keeps repeating the same mistake, the coach's job is to try to find a reason. Griping about a lack of effort is counterproductive.

[Oldfan]

KDawg: So, OF basically says that Martin can't possibly know what way Coach Shanahan applies this decree, but OF can state that yelling and screaming are something that Shanahan does if the decree isn't followed to the letter.

 

 

You strained to make that misinterpretation. I clearly stated that I am judging what was written in the OP. I don't have any way of knowing how Mike manages face-to-face.

 

I recall reading that Mike and John Elway had a falling out, but they patched things up. Then, there's Jake Plummer. My guess is that Mike's picked up his management game since Denver. But my remarks here had only to do with what was offered in the OP.

[Lavarleap56]

 

Where did this list come from? What is the source?

Thanks for posting

Came from the playbook & something Shanny has used going back to his Denver days.

Shanny is a perfectionists but so is Robert Griffin III... Mike can't push Robert too hard if that's what some are thinking.

It's word for word what is in his 2004 Denver offensive playbook with the word Redskins substituted for Broncos.

 

Yep.. Hasn't changed his core expectations at all. 

[KCClybun]

John Elway has had an issue with every coach he's ever had, and it sure didn't seem like they had any issues during Elway's tenure as the starter. Elway has credited Mike for giving him the afternoon practices off and building a solid team around him. Maybe they fell out afterwards, but during? I'm not sure about that.

[Oldfan]

John Elway has had an issue with every coach he's ever had, and it sure didn't seem like they had any issues during Elway's tenure as the starter. Elway has credited Mike for giving him the afternoon practices off and building a solid team around him. Maybe they fell out afterwards, but during? I'm not sure about that.

I can't imagine John Elway, the Prima Donna, or Mike Shanahan, the Perfectionist getting along with anybody in those days, but I suspect that both men have mellowed with time.

 

Perfectionism is not a good thing. Perfectionism has been linked to depression and suicide. Perfectionists are full of self-doubt. Nothing they ever do will be good enough. As managers, nothing their subordinates ever do is good enough. That was Jake Plummer's gripe with Mike and it was probably justified. But maybe Mike learned from his Plummer experience.

 

In 2007, I watched Jay Cutler throw one of his WTF interceptions. The TV camera panned around to the sideline and showed Mike laughing with a facial expression that read, " Now, WTF was that?" I thought it was great because the last thing you'd want to see is a talent like Cutler turned into a gunshy game manager like Jason Campbell by a coach who didn't know how to deal with mistakes. So, I don't have doubts about Mike's handling of RG III.

 

My complaint with the statement in the OP is that it is absurd. Perfection is unattainable. Expecting the unattainable is absurd. Maybe Mike has learned not to overreact to the mistakes his players make, but, if so, that statement should be trashed.

[KDawg]

Perfection all the time is unattainable. Relative perfection on any given play, however, isn't.

[rick7423]

I hope RG III is better equipped to deal with the Perfectionist Management style than Jake Plummer was. It can put a strain on relationships.

 

I think it's piss-poor management. Striving for perfection is fine. But, realistically, is isn't attainable when humans are involved. Managers who have a hissy fit over every little mistake are not going to get better results. They're going to get pissed off subordinates.

I get what you are saying OF, but to be honest, I would hope that these are designed to be goals and not set in stone 'do it or your done' expectations.

 

I have always appreciated it when an employer sets specific goals/guidelines and expectations. No matter how obvious they may be.

 

All of the stuff listed is basic football 101. After living through the mediocrity of the previous coaches, it is refreshing as hell to have a coaching staff that both encourages and enforces these goals as much as they do. After all, this sport, more than many others, requires a total team mindset.

 

From what was presented, there is nothing there that the players should NOT do. We as fans expect this as well, just look at these boards after a game for proof.

 

IMHO, I have no issues with Mike setting these goals, I would have an issue if he didn't.

[KCClybun]

John Elway has had an issue with every coach he's ever had, and it sure didn't seem like they had any issues during Elway's tenure as the starter. Elway has credited Mike for giving him the afternoon practices off and building a solid team around him. Maybe they fell out afterwards, but during? I'm not sure about that.

I can't imagine John Elway, the Prima Donna, or Mike Shanahan, the Perfectionist getting along with anybody in those days, but I suspect that both men have mellowed with time.

 

Perfectionism is not a good thing. Perfectionism has been linked to depression and suicide. Perfectionists are full of self-doubt. Nothing they ever do will be good enough. As managers, nothing their subordinates ever do is good enough. That was Jake Plummer's gripe with Mike and it was probably justified. But maybe Mike learned from his Plummer experience.

 

In 2007, I watched Jay Cutler throw one of his WTF interceptions. The TV camera panned around to the sideline and showed Mike laughing with a facial expression that read, " Now, WTF was that?" I thought it was great because the last thing you'd want to see is a talent like Cutler turned into a gunshy game manager like Jason Campbell by a coach who didn't know how to deal with mistakes. So, I don't have doubts about Mike's handling of RG III.

 

My complaint with the statement in the OP is that it is absurd. Perfection is unattainable. Expecting the unattainable is absurd. Maybe Mike has learned not to overreact to the mistakes his players make, but, if so, that statement should be trashed.

 

 

I think you're getting hung up on the "strive for perfection" part of this, even though the word "perfection" only appears in the entire thing once, at the very beginning.

 

 

I also think it's worth mentioning that in Shanny's entire 29-year career, he's only ever allegedly had problems with three quarterbacks; Jay Shroeder, Jake Plummer, and Donovan McNabb. All very talented quarterbacks with questionable work ethics and bad attitudes. One has to consider the source of certain information.

 

 

What he wants is for his quarterbacks to do the little thing right. To approach practice the right way, to be responsible on the field, and much importantly, to win.

[Oldfan]

Perfection all the time is unattainable. Relative perfection on any given play, however, isn't.

The words "relative" and "perfection" are contradictory. Your term is an oxymoron.

 

Moreover, the Shanahan statement does not limit him to expecting perfection on "any given play." He was obviously trying to set extremely high standards. You version doesn't do that.

[Oldfan]

Rick: IMHO, I have no issues with Mike setting these goals, I would have an issue if he didn't.

Setting realistic and challenging goals is a good idea. I didn't read the statement in the OP as such a thing.

[PortisBetts]

John Elway has had an issue with every coach he's ever had, and it sure didn't seem like they had any issues during Elway's tenure as the starter. Elway has credited Mike for giving him the afternoon practices off and building a solid team around him. Maybe they fell out afterwards, but during? I'm not sure about that.

I can't imagine John Elway, the Prima Donna, or Mike Shanahan, the Perfectionist getting along with anybody in those days, but I suspect that both men have mellowed with time.

 

Perfectionism is not a good thing. Perfectionism has been linked to depression and suicide. Perfectionists are full of self-doubt. Nothing they ever do will be good enough. As managers, nothing their subordinates ever do is good enough. That was Jake Plummer's gripe with Mike and it was probably justified. But maybe Mike learned from his Plummer experience.

 

In 2007, I watched Jay Cutler throw one of his WTF interceptions. The TV camera panned around to the sideline and showed Mike laughing with a facial expression that read, " Now, WTF was that?" I thought it was great because the last thing you'd want to see is a talent like Cutler turned into a gunshy game manager like Jason Campbell by a coach who didn't know how to deal with mistakes. So, I don't have doubts about Mike's handling of RG III.

 

My complaint with the statement in the OP is that it is absurd. Perfection is unattainable. Expecting the unattainable is absurd. Maybe Mike has learned not to overreact to the mistakes his players make, but, if so, that statement should be trashed.

 

You are taking this way to literally. Obviously, perfection is not attainable, but to strive for perfection and put your best foot forward at all times is.He actually also specifically says Strive for Perfection, not be perfect.

 

I hate the offseason.

[Oldfan]

NLC1054 : I think you're getting hung up on the "strive for perfection" part of this, even though the word "perfection" only appears in the entire thing once, at the very beginning.The four sentences including the words "always" and "never" played their role in my interpretation of the statement.

 

I also think it's worth mentioning that in Shanny's entire 29-year career, he's only ever allegedly had problems with three quarterbacks; Jay Shroeder, Jake Plummer, and Donovan McNabb. All very talented quarterbacks with questionable work ethics and bad attitudes. One has to consider the source of certain information.

I considered all the sources including Mike Shanahan.

 

What he wants is for his quarterbacks to do the little thing right. To approach practice the right way, to be responsible on the field, and much importantly, to win.

Then he should have said that as clearly as you did. However, I don't think that's all he meant to say.

[Oldfan]

PortiBetts : You are taking this way to literally. Obviously, perfection is not attainable, but to strive for perfection and put your best foot forward at all times is.He actually also specifically says Strive for Perfection, not be perfect.

So, you think all he was saying is that he wants his players always trying to do their best?

 

If that's what he meant, do you think he couldn't find a simpler, more direct way to say it?

[KCClybun]

 

PortiBetts : You are taking this way to literally. Obviously, perfection is not attainable, but to strive for perfection and put your best foot forward at all times is.He actually also specifically says Strive for Perfection, not be perfect.

So, you think all he was saying is that he wants his players always trying to do their best?

 

If that's what he meant, do you think he couldn't find a simpler, more direct way to say it?

 

Like "do your job"?