Jack’s Blog

This post will be brief - to make a point.  Josh McDaniels cut his coaching teeth in the Bill Belichick school of leadership.  No doubt, Belichick isn’t perfect, but as a football coach, he accomplishes what he’s paid to do - get his players to play at the highest level.

When McDaniels took over the Denver Broncos, he immediately jettisoned Jay Cutler.  Possibly he felt the team couldn’t win with Cutler as QB, possibly McDaniels wanted to show he was in charge.  There were a couple of other moves, mostly involving trades that didn’t work out, that illustrated McDaniels was adamant about being in control.

Bill Belichick is his own man.  It seemed that Josh McDaniels wanted to show he was his own man too, but he came off looking as though he wanted to be Bill Belichick.  Did he learn from his old boss?

As the saying goes:

“You can communicate knowledge, but you can’t communicate wisdom.”

Anytime a team wins, especially when it comes out of the gate undefeated - AND - no one saw it happening that way, everybody wants to know the “secret.”  Although a couple losses could relegate the squad to “I knew it all along” status, the “bask in the glory” and “live for the moment” mantras might as well be enjoyed.  In the NFL, the bubble can burst on any given Sunday (or, with TV now running the league, nearly any day of the week).  Oh no, that’s college football.

The latest wonder team is the Denver Broncos, especially after last week’s win over the mighty Patriots, dubbed “pupil beats the mentor” (no doubt that headline was prewritten, just there’s no doubt “mentor teaches pupil” was tossed).  Josh McDaniels and his Mile High guys are the talk of the NFL (the Colts are too old hat to warrant talk).

It didn’t start out that way, though, when McDaniels purged the team (by those who didn’t like him) or put his signature on it by his supporters (not nearly as many or as vocal).  His club has 27 new faces on it and its style is nothing like the Denver fans have seen in quite a while.  All-star QB Jay Cutler had his feelings hurt when McDaniels wasn’t quick to embrace him, so the coach did the unthinkable - he traded him and then Coach Josh had to hear all about it from Cutler (naturally through the media).  Seems Jay is no advocate of the “don’t burn bridges” philosophy.

So, the big question is, “How in the world are these guys doing it?“  First and foremost, and take it from a guy who coached 35 years (granted, the sport was basketball, although I did get in a couple years of coaching high school football), buying into what the coach(es) is (are) selling is the number one aspect in building a winning team.  Of course, talent trumps all, but as far as building, the talent seems to rise to the level of a winner once the buy-in takes place.  Besides, everybody in the NFL has talent. 

And as long as it’s a team sport, which one it is doesn’t matter.  The coach (or coaching staff) must get the players to believe what (s)he believes - as strongly as (s)he believes it.  Accomplish that and you have a winner because what happens next is what Broncos’ newcomer (DE) Vonnie Holliday said in the 10/12/09 issue of SI: 

“When you get guys in a locker room who believe in each other and lay it on the line for each other and hold each other accountable, good things happen.” Â

If an athlete scores the winning touchdown, kicks the winning field goal or makes the game-winning tackle or interception, undoubtedly, there’s a feeling of jubilation.  Similarly, if, on the last play of the game, a player’s performance (this blog will deal only with football players, but this topic is true for any athlete in any team sport), is the cause of his club’s defeat because: a defensive lineman or linebacker had a ball carrier in his grasp, but didn’t “wrap him up,” only to see him break free for the game-winning TD, a DB got beat deep for a score when his team was up 6 or less, an “O” lineman was guilty of a holding call on the game-winning play, a running back fumbled inside the five going in for the game-winning TD, a receiver dropped the game-winner in the end zone, a QB threw a “pick-6″ or a kicker missed a chip shot after his team, down 1 or 2, drove the ball the length of the field.  Usually, there’s no consoling this poor chap.  These situations are the extreme and have a great effect (grow stronger or deflate and go away) on the person involved.  

But it’s during the other games, the ones that are competitive, but maybe not nail-biters, in which we can find out so much more about our teammates, those we coach or those we watch.  For all intents and purposes, there are four situations that can occur.  First, there’s the game the team wins and the player plays well.  Next is playing poorly and losing.  As far as emotions go, the former elicits feelings somewhere between contentment and elation, depending on the individual’s makeup, while the latter usually runs the gamut from disappointment to distraught.

It’s the final two scenarios which define the athlete’s character.  When the team wins, but the individual peforms below his skill level, what’s his reaction?  Can he separate the team achieving its goal despite the fact he “didn’t get his job done?”  Or does he put himself first and make comments derogatory to the game plan, or make excuses for his lackluster effort?  Is it OK to refer to the player as a “competitor” or could it be it the beginnings of dissension?  It’s a sad case when, in a team sport, where the goal is to defeat your opponent, that there are times you can’t even celebrate after you do. 

This is the time for the team leaders to step up.  The major dilemma for a coach is his goal ( or mandate) is to win.  Coaches don’t face the same issues as players.  Sure, there are some coaches who, deep down, know that, even though they won, they but did a poor job of preparing or, in their mind (and probably of their counterpart’s) feel they were out-coached.  But, there are so few people who are aware of this, it’s almost as if it didn’t happen.  Not so with players.  There will come a day - for even the superstars - when the team won despite them rather than due to their efforts.  The leaders need to intervene when a disgruntled player pops off or shows a negative attitude following a win.

Players understand and think like players much more than coaches do.  Coaches think like coaches. (And media members think like media members, but that’s a story for another time).  Empathy is the operative word and the right amount, shared at the right time, can defuse a potentially toxic situation.

The final option might be the toughest to deal with - for all concerned.  When the team loses, but an individual plays well - maybe even has a career day.  Is a running back supposed to be upset after he scored five touchdowns, ran for 250 yards but his team lost?  Yes!  Because that was the goal when the team took the field.

Difficult, sure, especially if it’s a coming out game for a back up.  The nature of the “team player” is to think, “What else could I have done to insure us a victory?”  The nature of humans, tough, is to think, “Man, what a game I just had!”  And if it is a breakout game for a sub, there might even be little thoughts of revenge or resentment, e.g. “I knew I could do that . . . if they only gave me the opportunity.”  Understandable, but still, after the game, it’s not like individual sports like wrestling, tennis, swimming, or track & field, when someone asks the athlete how’d you do and the answer is “Do you mean me or the team?”  The competitor may have won, but the team lost (or, naturally, vica versa), but after a football game (or any other team sport), everybody in that lockerroom has the same record. 

Think of the following names and see what images you conjure up: Peyton Manning (although it’s not too often he has a bad game, nor does his team lose very often), Terrell Owens, Ray Lewis, Eli Manning, Adam Vinateri, Jay Cutler, Tony Gonzales, Ben Roethlisberger, Teddy Bruschi, ________ fill in the blank with your favorite or least favorite ballplayer.

A quote that takes a little thought, but is interesting when you do think about it (in relations to sports - and life) is from Oscar Wilde:

“A red rose is not selfish because it wants to be a red rose.  It would be horribly selfish if it wanted all the other flowers in the garden to be both red and roses.”       Â

Today’s entry is one that explains how to be an effective in one of the most difficult leadership jobs in the country - that of an NFL quarterback.  After listening to the likes of Jay Cutler, we get a lesson in how to make football’s hardest position in which to excel, infinitely harder.  Complaining about anything distances a player from his teammates - especially the ones he needs to be closest to and command the respect of - the offensive lineman.

There are stories of a quarterbacks taking their offensive linemen to dinner at swanky restaurants and picking up the tab.  Sure, the QB makes boatloads of cash but have you ever seen what those “hogs” can eat?  Buying each one of their “O” linemen a Rolex (and not one of those knock-offs, either) can be expensive but, in case you haven’t heard, health insurance is quite costly these days - and a motivated offensive line can do wonders to increase the life expectancy, not to mention the job performance, of a quarterback.

All the tangible gifts aside, what must be at the forefront of every signal caller’s mind is a rule that was adopted about ten or so years ago that negatively affected his “boys up front.”  Apparently, the NFL decided it was time to hold all their players who weren’t playing by the rules accountable.   No, it had nothing to do with steroids or HGH.  This rule requires referees to, not only announce penalties, but to single out to the viewing audience, both at the game, and to the millions of fans watching at home or in sports bars, exactly which player committed the infraction.  This gave the offensive linemen, or as the legendary Keith Jackson refers to them, “The Big Uglies” (I’m sure, endearing Keith to the hearts of their moms) some publicity - and if there’s one thing that “O” linemen don’t want, it’s publiciity.

As if it’s not a thankless enough job, offensive linemen now have another goal to strive for, i.e. going through an entire game without getting their name mentioned.  So, to hear a quarterback complain about anything, especially lack of time to throw,  is not exactly going to strengthen the QB/O-line bond.

That’s why it was so impressive to hear Ben Roethlisberger, when questioned about how many times he’s been sacked, say it was his fault for holding the ball too long, waiting for the play to develop.  The word “sack” has a negative connotation for an offense and fans, since they’re not particularly educated (but think they are), immediately pin the blame on the guys who are supposed to allow the quarterback as much time as he needs to make the play. 

Big Ben spoke of his days in college days at Miami (not the “U” but the one that has an (O) after it) and how he was told he needed to get rid of the ball sooner, even if it meant “just throwing it away.”  He said he tried that strategy (although, admittedly not too long), but it just wasn’t in his nature.  If it meant he was going to take more hits, so be it.  He had the size (6′5″, 240) to absorb a hit if by taking it, a seemingly lost play could turn into a big gainer.

Most impressively of all was Roethlisberger publicly apologized to his linemen for making them look bad because he knew the average fan, once hearing the sack figures, would be critical of the “O” line - and “It wasn’t their fault; it was mine!”  Forget Rolexes and dinners - that statement alone created such loyalty toward their leader that Pittsburgh’s offensive line takes ownership for their leader’s safety and well-being.  Besides, a ring beats a watch anyday as the preferred choice of jewelry for an NFL player - especially for those whose only goal is anonymity.

Lenny Wilkens won a lot of basketball games - as a player and a coach.  After hearing the Steelers’ QB apology, he might have put him on one of his NBA teams, since Lenny is the one who once said:

“The most important quality I look for in a player is accountability.  You’ve got to be accountable for who you are.  It’s too easy to blame things on someone else.”

As the 2009 NFL season gets under way, there will be many fans whose wishes will be kept alive with some early season success.  Others will have their dreams dashed right out of the gate.

The beginning of the season allows fans to engage in what’s quickly becoming America’s favorite pasttime - trash talking.  And when it’s your team that gets crushed in the first two regular season games, you need to take it out on someone.  After all, it can’t be your fault.  I mean, you don’t play.  (Funny though, how much bravado you display when your team wins). 

Who that someone is will most likely depend on where you, or rather your favorite team calls home.  If Buffalo tanks early, T.O. will be a scoundrel, a cancer that everyone knew he’d be all along - even if he’s putting up big numbers (we’re talking reality football here, the way the game was meant to be played, so when the team loses, people who root for that team get upset).

If Oakland goes south, Al Davis will be catching the overwhelming majority of the criticism.  He probably doesn’t deserve all that he’s gotten the past decade, but it’s pretty close to proportional to the praise he received when the franchise was bordering on a dynasty.  That wasn’t all Al’s doing, either.

In Chicago, should Da Bears lose, Jay Cutler will be villified - super stats or not - and all because he popped off when there was no need - right after the trade.  There is a group of loyal fans there who will forgive his losing, but only if the Bears cover.

And, if it were multiple choice question as to which of the Falcons would catch hell if that club started poorly, every answer to that question (but the last one) would be Michael Vick.  And the last answer would be “All of the above.”

Naturally, if these same teams busted out of the gates playing near perfect football, these same cast of characters would be hoisted on the city’s shoulders for their godlike qualities. None of the above have been portrayed - at least recently - as a “nice guy,” which should bode well if you’re a devotee of the man whom a complex is named after.  One of the most diminutive, but nonetheless, effective bosses of all time, Napoleon, is credited with saying:

“A leader of whom it is said. ‘He’s a nice man’ is lost.”

   Â

In this country, controversy sells.  Whether it’s because others enjoy seeing someone (else) fight authority or because they secretly admire gumption (even when the person on the attack is wrong), or some other reason, we’re a nation drawn to others doing what, deep down, we’d like to try (even, or maybe especially, if it’s only once).

Jay Cutler has been in the NFL for three seasons (following a spectacular career at Vanderbilt) and has been a starter for approximately two and a half of those years.  This past season he made the Pro Bowl as the third quarterback for the AFC.  His numbers have been very good, e.g. he’s thrown for over 9,000 yards, half of those this past year, but his record is a shade under .500 (17-20) and his overall QB Rating has fluctated between 86.0 and 88.5, somewhat pedestrian.  Of greater significance is the fact that the Broncos have yet to make the playoffs.  In summation, Cutler has been a rather effective quarterback on three pretty average Denver Bronco teams.  

When owner Pat Bowlen shocked the NFL world by releasing, i.e. firing his good friend, Mike Shanahan, and hiring Josh McDaniels, an assistant coach from Bill Belichick’s staff at New England, “experts” and fans (to some, that’s redundant; to others, an oxymoron), one of the first moves McDaniels made was to attempt to acquire Matt Cassel, the signal caller who filled in (more than servicably) when Tom Brady went down and was out for the Pats’ the entire season.  Denver expressed interest in New England quarterback, yet with the trading deadline rapidly approaching, there wasn’t much speculation going on.  It looked like everybody was going to shy away from a blockbuster trade.

Apparently, Cutler hadn’t heard about any proposed trade and, it was at that point when he became upset.  The new coach said he had talked with his starting (or was he?) QB, to which Cutler claimed he hadn’t been aware of any such communication.  Coach Mac assured JC (as some Denver fans - and even more Chicago Bears fans - are referring to him) that he would not be traded.  Now, not only did Cutler believe the Broncos wanted to trade him, he proposed (demanded) they do just that. 

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a bombshell dropped.  The Bears were to get Jay Cutler and  the Bears’ fifth round pick in the upcoming draft, while the Broncos got Kyle Orton, the Bears’ first and third round picks in the draft and the Bears’ first round pick in the 2010 draft (and I think, one of those cute Chicago Bears form fitted sheets).  Those choosing to occupy the side of McDaniels are using words to describe Cutler like aloof, comes with baggage, spoiled (imagine that, somebody who went to Vanderbilt being accused of being spoiled), while those who side with Cutler respond by saying McDaniels had a private agenda when he moved in, no two people working together can function successfully if one doesn’t trust the other and with Orton, plus what the Broncos can get with those picks in the first round, will more than make up for the loss of Jay Cutler.

Did Cutler change dramatically after he started having some success in the League?  We’ll have to let it all play out, but Barbara Walters line regarding success may be the deciding factor.  Ms. Wah-wah said:

“Success can make you go one of two ways.  It can make you a prima donna, or it can smooth the edges, take away the insecurities and let the good things come out.”