And the run of top Patriots' assistants getting the axe continues. Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel and McDaniels. All were highly praised assistants under Bill Belichick, but none could cut it as a head coach. There is a distinct difference between being an assistant and the man in charge. Some people just aren't cut out to be leaders. Maybe it's something about their personality that rubs people the wrong way, their work ethic, who knows. Of course, all NFL assistants would do anything for a shot at being a head coach. And you can't take that away from them. But the most underrated aspect of coaching in the NFL, or anywhere for that matter, is the ability to have a team rally around you.
Take Rex Ryan this year. As much as I dislike the Jets (as a Patriots' fan), that guy has got to be fun as hell to be around. He is that goofy kid that gets everyone laughing. But he's also the guy in charge. Head coaches have to be someone who the players can relate to. The coach has to understand the players. Sure, you can go out in the offseason and sign the best free agents. Look at the Cowboys this year. And the Vikings. They are LOADED with talent. The problem was, both teams could not get behind their coaches. This in no way means that these guys are intentionally throwing games because they dislike their coach. Football is a game of passion. And it is the ultimate team sport. And sometimes it takes someone else saying something to you to really get you going, to get you pumped up. Then you look to your right and see Brad Childress or Wade Phillips just moping around? That doesn't get the blood flowing.
Football is a team game. And the head coach must be the glue to hold the players together if they want any success whatsoever.
And it doesn't help to start 3-9 and get caught taping an opponent's practice:
I think McDaniels is a great offensive mind and will eventually be a successful head coach. His biggest problem was personnel decisions. Unlike his mentor, Bill Belichick, McDaniel's did not do a great job in the draft. He traded up multiple picks for players like Tim Tebow (3rd string quarterback), CB Alphonso Smith (who is actually playing well, but who he traded to the Lions), and probably the move people may remember him most for, trading RB Peyton Hillis away.
ReplyDeleteI think in the end that is the reason he got fired.
Well said. Also reached for WR Demaryius Thomas this year our of Ga Tech. He also doesn't have a lot of talent, period, which can be blamed more on the organization than solely McDaniels. He didn't help himself by forcing out Marshall and Cutler. I just feel that leadership is a very underestimated attribute of coaches. I don't know enough about McDaniels as a head coach to make a judgement in that area, but Weis and Crennel don't have the swagger and don't instill the type of confidence in their players that is necessary.
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